After being restricted to 163 for 7, RCB’s bowlers brought them back in the game, only to be denied by the local lad

Ashish Pant10-Apr-20253:17

Bangar: Rahul’s assault on Hazlewood was ‘terrific batsmanship’

It started so well for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Then, for 15-odd overs, it didn’t. Then it suddenly started going to plan again. The RCB loyalists, who had packed the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the rafters, found their voice. Only to have local lad KL Rahul silence them.In a game with a fair share of twists and turns, Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their unbeaten run, notching up a fourth straight win of the season, handing RCB a second home defeat, this one by six wickets.Related

Unbeaten Capitals 'still have some issues' with their batting

Behind-the-wicket lessons told Rahul 'what pockets to target' on tacky Chinnaswamy pitch

The horror! You have to graft for runs at the Chinnaswamy now

Sent into bat, it was a strange RCB innings. They scored 53 runs in the first three overs for zero wickets and 36 in the last two for zero wickets. In the 15 overs in between, they could only score 74 runs while losing seven wickets.Having restricted RCB to 163 for 7, DC would have been the happier side going into the break. But their joy was short-lived as RCB picked up three wickets inside the powerplay and had DC struggling at 67 for 4 after 11 overs.The required rate, which began at a shade over eight was almost touching 11 at this stage. But Rahul flicked a switch and alongside Tristan Stubbs began DC’s victory march. The two scorched 102 runs in the next 6.5 overs, adding 111 for the fifth wicket, as DC romped home with 13 balls to spare. Rahul finished with an unbeaten 93 off just 53 balls and celebrated in fitting fashion in front of his home crowd.Rahul’s happy homecomingHe was on 29 off 29 balls after 11 overs, struggling with his timing, looking sluggish on a sticky Chinnaswamy surface. He even had a life on 7 when Rajat Patidar dropped a tough catch running back from mid-off. Rahul made sure to cash in. After 11 overs, ESPNcricinfo’s win probability for DC had dipped to 14.31% from 67.45% at the start of their innings.Then, Rahul gave the RCB bowlers a hiding.It started with Stubbs, who played a cheeky reverse-sweep off Krunal Pandya, which beat short third. Rahul then dumped Krunal over deep backward square-leg and that was the beginning of the end for RCB. He went 4 and 6 against Liam Livingstone before taking down Josh Hazlewood in a fierce display of ball-striking.3:02

Are Delhi Capitals the most balanced side this IPL?

With DC requiring 65 off 36, Rahul first smashed Hazlewood for back-to-back fours before thumping him for a 4 and 6 to end the over, which went for 22. That brought down the equation to 43 off 30. Stubbs deposited Suyash Sharma for a four and six and before Rahul finished off the game smashing Yash Dayal for two sixes and a four in the 18th over. He smashed a six over the fine-leg boundary to seal the win and then slammed his bat on to the turf, almost marking his territory. Striking at 100 in his first 29 balls, he thrashed 64 off his next 24, at a strike rate of 266.67. This truly is Rahul’s ground, isn’t it?DC’s horror startBefore Rahul’s onslaught, DC’s chase was going nowhere. They lost Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk at the start of the third over. Du Plessis first miscued Dayal to Patidar at mid-off before Fraser-McGurk’s lukewarm season continued as he top-edged Bhuvneshwar Kumar straight up with Jitesh Sharma taking a catch after a bobble. Abishek Porel became Bhuvneshwar’s second victim as DC slipped to 39 for 3 inside the powerplay, which soon became 58 for 4 in the ninth over. As it turned out, that was the last speck of joy for RCB.RCB’s powerplay of two halvesFirst three overs: 53 for 0; five fours, three sixes, zero wickets
Next three overs: 11 for 2; zero fours, one six, two wicketsWhen RCB were sent into bat, it seemed like Phil Salt had just one agenda on his mind: to tonk every ball out of the park. And he succeeded for a while as the Chinnaswamy crowd went berserk. He wreaked havoc in the first three overs, with his takedown of Mitchell Starc being one of the highlights of the evening. Salt smashed him for three fours and two sixes in the third over of the innings, which went for 30. The ball flew everywhere – over point, over mid-on, over the wicketkeeper’s head, and RCB crossed the 50-run mark quickly. This was RCB’s second-quickest team fifty of all time in the IPL.Then it went downhill for a while.Salt smashed an Axar Patel length ball to extra cover and charged off. Virat Kohli responded initially, only to backtrack, and Salt was run out by a distance.Vipraj Nigam then conceded just two runs in his first over with Devdutt Padikkal clearly struggling. He was put out of his misery by Mukesh Kumar, whose slower offcutter did the trick as Padikkal fell for 1 off 8. Mukesh’s first over, the sixth of the innings turned out to be a maiden wicket with RCB getting to 64 in the powerplay.2:13

Why was Kuldeep difficult to attack at Chinnaswamy?

Wristspinners’ day outThe surface is known as a spinners’ graveyard. Only Kuldeep Yadav and Nigam had not received the memo. The spin twins put on a strangle and the RCB batters had no answers. After Nigam’s two-run over in the powerplay, Kohli broke the shackles and went for six over long-on but Nigam kept his composure. He gave the ball enough air and Kohli, looking to go inside-out, only managed to slice it as far as Starc, who took a good catch running from long-off.Mohit Sharma then got rid of Livingstone before Kuldeep sent back Jitesh, who was done in by a wrong’un. He then sent Patidar packing too while Nigam had Krunal as RCB lost the plot completely to slip to 125 for 7 in 17.1 overs. The two finished with combined figures of 8-0-35-4, bowling a total of 23 dot balls in their spell.That RCB reached 163 was down to Tim David’s late bash where he hit four sixes and two fours in the last two overs to finish unbeaten on 37 of 20 balls. It seemed they were a touch short, and Rahul made sure RCB were kept winless at home in IPL 2025.

France head coach Didier Deschamps admitted that he has no doubt that Paul Pogba's goal is to return to the national team ahead of next year's World Cup in the USA. At a press conference on Thursday, Deschamps explained what the 32-year-old must do in order to earn a recall to Les Bleus' squad, with the ex-Manchester United and Juventus player expected to make his Monaco debut later this month.

• Pogba nearing Monaco debut

  After being hit with an 18-month ban from football for testing positive in doping tests, Pogba is inching closer to his much-anticipated return to football. Over the summer, the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder signed a two-year deal with Ligue 1 outfit Monaco and broke down in tears. The France international has already expressed his ambition to feature for Les Bleus at next year's World Cup.

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  Deschamps opens up on possible Pogba return to France squad

  Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Thursday, Deschamps said: "Yes, he's getting closer to the moment when he'll become a football player again. A return to the French team? That he wants it and that it's a goal in his mind, I have no doubt. After that, he has steps to take. The next one is when he has the Monaco jersey and sets foot on the pitch. I hope it goes well for him. After that, we'll see. That's all I wish for him, just to get through this first step. That will be a huge joy for him.

  "Whether it's possible [to return to the France team], if I say yes, it will be: 'Wow, Pogba's back.' If I say no, I'll look like an idiot, so that's not going to work either. That's all the bad I wish for him to already get through this first stage."

• Pogba's last game for France came in 2022

  It's been almost four years since Pogba last played a game for France and Deschamps. Indeed, the last time he featured for the 2018 World Cup winners was on March 29, 2022, in a friendly against South Africa. France registered a comfortable 5-0 win, with Pogba assisting Wissam Ben Yedder's goal to make it 4-0 after coming on as a substitute for Olivier Giroud in the 65th minute. 

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  When will Pogba make his Monaco debut?

  In June, Monaco mapped out a three-month training program to help Pogba get up to speed after being out of action for two years. Head coach Adi Hutter reiterated back in July that the 32-year-old was still a long way away from regaining match fitness. However, fans can expect Pogba to make his Monaco debut this month, after Hutter confirmed earlier this week that the midfielder could be named in one of his squads after the international break. At the earliest, he could make his first appearance for Les Rouge et Blanc on October 18 against Angers.

Tottenham remain in the market for key additions before deadline day on September 1, with the clock against Daniel Levy who has just five days to make three major signings for Spurs.

Thomas Frank has made an excellent start to life in his first ever job managing one of the Premier League big six, overseeing impressive wins against Burnley and Man City with a hamstrung squad.

However, the new manager bounce is unlikely to continue indefinitely, and it is inevitable that Spurs will suffer new injuries amid their task of competing on four different fronts.

James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are two big attacking absentees for Frank, and it was made worse by club legend Son Heung-min’s departure to the MLS. Radu Dragusin also won’t be back for a while, meaning Tottenham would ideally like to sign a new centre-back, number 10 and winger in the next few days (Sky Sports).

Of course, with time against the Lilywhites, this could change, and their main priority right now is bringing in a playmaker.

This has resulted in Tottenham now making a last-gasp attempt to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, and they could hijack Chelsea in the process after their lengthy talks for the Dutchman.

Credible reports suggest that Simons is open to joining Tottenham, despite reportedly agreeing personal terms with Chelsea, so a north London leapfrog in the race for his signature is very much alive.

The former PSR sensation is in London right now amid Spurs and Chelsea’s race to sign him, with talks ongoing behind-the-scenes as a late battle ensues.

In terms of their wide targets, a player they’ve been struggling to land thus far is Man City winger Savinho.

The Brazil international was subject to a £42 million bid from Spurs, which was rejected out of hand, and Frank’s side were reportedly prepared to make another bid closer to the £60 million mark.

However, City are clear – Savinho is not for sale.

This has resulted in Tottenham being forced to go back to square one in pursuit of a Son replacement, but Savinho himself hasn’t exactly thrown the towel in.

Savinho "really" wants to join Tottenham and hopes for Man City deal

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, the 21-year-old “really” wants to join Tottenham and is still hoping that a deal can be struck before September 1’s deadline – even if it is unlikely.

The former La Liga forward, who City value at £69m, was a key member of the Girona side that surprisingly challenged for a 23/24 title, with Savinho also registering 13 assists in all competitions for City last season.

He hasn’t been able to feature so far this term due to injury, but Pep Guardiola believes he is an extraordinary player.

Manchester United had to react to what happened in the 2024/25 campaign after they endured a dismal end to the season under head coach Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils lost 18 of their 38 Premier League matches, finishing 15th in the division, and lost to Tottenham Hotspur in the final of the Europa League.

Instead of opting to change manager once again, despite Amorim’s struggles and some question marks over his 3-4-2-1 system, the club opted to change things by dipping into the transfer market.

Manchester United invested in the forward line, despite a lack of European football, by signing Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko to bolster the manager’s options up front.

It is now down to Amorim to find a way to get the best out of those three exciting attacking recruits to ensure that the Red Devils do not go through another dismal season.

Mbeumo has already scored twice, against Grimsby and Burnley, since moving from Brentford, but United supporters are still waiting to see the best out of Cunha in a red shirt.

Why there is more to come from Matheus Cunha

The Brazil international has failed to score a goal or create a ‘big chance’ for the team in his three Premier League starts for United so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has had an underwhelming start to his career in Manchester.

However, there is no need to panic because Cunha is a proven Premier League star who has shown that he can deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch, as evidenced by his form for Wolverhampton Wanderers last season.

The chart above shows that he should be a huge upgrade on Mason Mount in the number ten position when he finds his feet at Old Trafford and starts to deliver the kind of performances everyone knows that he is capable of, due to his ability to make an impact in front of goal.

Cunha, who signed for Wolves from Atletico Madrid, has proven that he can score goals and create high-quality opportunities for his teammates at an impressive rate in the Premier League.

Appearances

32

33

xG

9.49

8.63

Goals

12

15

Big chances created

7

13

Key passes per game

0.9

1.8

Assists

7

6

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian maestro scored 27 goals and created 20 ‘big chances’ in 55 appearances in the top-flight for Wolves in the last two seasons, outperforming his xG by a significant margin in both of those campaigns.

This shows that Manchester United have signed a star who is proven in the division and will deliver quality in the final third if Amorim can set the team up to get him in enough positions to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Therefore, there is no need to panic or rush to judgement over Cunha’s fairly slow start to life at Old Trafford, because there is plenty more to come from the Brazilian maestro, given what he has already achieved in the Premier League in the Midlands.

If the former Atletico Madrid attacking midfielder does fail to translate his Wolves form over to Manchester, though, Amorim may find the club’s own homegrown version of Cunha from the academy.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

19-year-old attacking midfielder Jack Moorhouse, who is currently on loan at Leyton Orient in League One, could emerge as Manchester United’s own Cunha in the future if he continues to develop and progress in his career.

Why Jack Moorhouse could be a homegrown Matheus Cunha

Judging young players and predicting what their ceiling is or how they will develop over time is not an exact science, which is why so many players fail to make the grade after emerging as exciting talents early on in their careers.

Moorhouse did not burst onto the scene at 16 like Lamine Yamal or score in the Premier League at 18 like Kobbie Mainoo, but he has shown some very promising signs that bode well for the future.

The teenage talent scored four goals and provided two assists in 13 starts as an attacking midfielder for the Red Devils at U18 and U21 level, per Transfermarkt, almost a goal contribution every other game.

Analyst Ben Mattinson, in the post above, was impressed by his performances for United’s academy sides, describing him as a “game-breaking ball carrier” who is “ideal” for the left-sided number ten role in Amorim’s system, which is currently occupied by Cunha.

Moorhouse’s best performance for Leyton Orient so far this season came in a 3-1 win over Peterborough United in the EFL Trophy, and his display was Cunha-esque on paper.

Minutes

63

Sofascore rating

8.1

Shots

2

Goals

1

Pass accuracy

86%

Key passes

2

Dribbles completed

3/3

Duels won

4/6

As you can see in the table above, the Ireland U21 international showcased his quality as a goalscorer, a creator, and a dribbler, which are Cunha’s main three attributes as a player.

You can see in the clips above that Moorhouse loves to drive forward with the ball at his feet, taking players on, and he scored an excellent goal from range with his weak foot.

Albeit against very different opposition, the goal was not too dissimilar to the one that Cunha scored against Premier League champions Liverpool earlier this year for Wolves.

Both Moorhouse and Cunha are attack-minded midfielders who can score goals and create chances for their teammates, but they are also exciting players to watch because of the way they carry the ball and take defenders on.

Therefore, Manchester United may be brewing their homegrown version of the Brazil international at Carrington and Leyton Orient, and it is now down to the Irish maestro to develop and take the next steps in his career to convince Amorim to bring him into the first-team next season.

Amorim can revive Mainoo by binning £150k-p/w flop in Man Utd system switch

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim can revive Kobbie Mainoo by changing his formation.

ByDan Emery Sep 7, 2025

By the time that the 2026 World Cup arrives, it will be 60 years since England won the World Cup. In that time, the Three Lions have had 18 managers, one or two incredibly impressive golden generations and even a UK number one thanks to John Barnes. But as much as England ‘defend and attack’, the men’s side are yet to bring football home.

The latest tasked with doing so is Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea manager’s CV almost speaks for itself. He has taken charge of the Blues as well as Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund – even winning a Champions League along the way. Now, however, his greatest task awaits as England aim to end 60 years of hurt.

The German has already proved that he’s not afraid of making some bold decisions and many will argue that’s exactly what Gareth Southgate was missing throughout his tenure. Whilst the old boss often failed to change his ways and players, Tuchel has already dropped Trent Alexander-Arnold in the first international break of the season and introduced Elliot Anderson to his set-up.

Full of praise for the Nottingham Forest midfielder, Tuchel told reporters: “Elliot Anderson is very physical, a lot of volume, very precise, clean passing, so it’s a good package.”

This time next year, England fans will find out whether Tuchel’s bold nature ends in World Cup victory or whether they really should have called upon a former Premier League manager who believes he’d end the Three Lions’ drought.

Sam Allardyce believes he'd have won World Cup with England

Technically speaking, Sam Allardyce has a better win rate at England than any other England manager. But there is one caveat and that’s the fact that his reign only lasted one game, which featured a late Adam Lallana winner against Slovakia. The FA shocked many when they hired ‘Big Sam’ in 2016 as they looked to move on from a disastrous Roy Hodgson era.

He ticked the box for experience and if anyone knew English football, it was him. As it turns out, we’ll never know whether Allardyce would have created shock history, but he certainly believes that he was denied the chance to end England’s wait for glory.

In the end, the former Premier League manager left his role by mutual consent after just 67 days. His departure followed The Telegraph’s report that he had been seen negotiating a £400,000 fee to represent a firm hoping to profit from transfers involving Premier League transfers as well as making “inappropriate” remarks.

A dream quickly became a nightmare for Allardyce, who never got the chance to prove that his football belonged on the biggest stage.

Phil Simmons will continue as Bangladesh’s head coach for the next two years, up until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The BCB offered him a longer contract after initially appointing him as interim coach until the conclusion of the 2025 Champions Trophy.”I am delighted to be given the opportunity to work with Bangladesh cricket on a long-term basis,” Simmons, 61, said. “The talent within this team is undeniable, and I believe we have the potential to achieve great things together. I am looking forward to the journey ahead. Having worked with some exceptional players already, I can see the immense promise in this squad. Their skill and passion for the game inspire me daily. Together, we can take Bangladesh cricket to new heights and create something truly special.”Simmons did not have much success in his stint as interim coach. During that period, Bangladesh won one Test and a T20I series in West Indies but crashed out in the group stage of the Champions Trophy after losing to India and New Zealand.”My time with the Bangladesh team over the past few months has been incredibly rewarding,” Simmons said. “The energy, commitment, and ability within this group have been nothing short of impressive. I’m excited to continue helping these players reach their full potential.”The appointment puts to rest speculation on Simmons’ future with Bangladesh and he will not coach Karachi Kings anymore in the PSL. He was Karachi’s head coach since December 2023.Simmons, who is one of four coaches to oversee 400 international matches, was appointed the Bangladesh coach on the same day that the BCB suspended Chandika Hathurusinghe in October.Simmons, who played for West Indies in the 1990s, was previously the head coach of Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan. He also coached West Indies for two terms, winning the T20 World Cup in 2016.

In just her second ODI, Madara returned four wickets before Samarawickrama and Dilhari stitched a fourth-wicket stand of 128

Firdose Moonda02-May-2025

Harshitha Samarawickrama and Kavisha Dilhari put on a match-winning stand•SLC

Sri Lanka completed their fourth highest run chase in women’s ODIs and subjected South Africa to a second successive defeat in the tri-series in Colombo. A record fourth-wicket stand of 128 between Kavisha Dilhari and Harshitha Samarawickrama, both of whom scored half-centuries, ensured Sri Lanka controlled proceedings against a South African side that struggled with the slowness of the pitch and problems with personnel.Seventeen-year-old wicket-keeper Karabo Meso had to leave the field after 14 overs of the Sri Lankan innings with a heat-related illness and was replaced by Sinalo Jafta while Sune Luus, who bowled eight overs and took 1 for 34, jammed her knee into the turf and suffered bruising, forcing her off the field. Ultimately neither of those things hampered South Africa as much as their inability to take wickets on a surface that Sri Lanka’s attack mastered. Debutant offspinner Dewmi Vihanga became the second Sri Lankan to take three wickets on ODI debut while Malki Madara, playing in just her second game, picked up 4 for 50.South Africa’s total of 235, built largely on Annerie Dercksen’s first ODI half-century, looked competitive at the halfway stage but when Sri Lanka lost Chamari Athapaththu in the third over, it seemed it could be match-winning. Vishmi Gunaratne and Hasini Perera rebuilt steadily for a second-wicket stand of 69 before Dilhari and Samarawickrama kept the required run-rate in control to seal victory with 21 balls to spare.Malki Madara celebrates a wicket with Chamari Athapaththu•SLC

With slower balls proving far more effective than pace on, Gunaratne and Perera were severe on South Africa’s seamers upfront, forcing spin to be introduced in the first powerplay. But both Luus and Nonkululeko Mlaba were unable to maintain pressure in their initial overs as they struggled with their lengths and boundaries came in almost every over. When Mlaba strung three dots together, Gunaratne lost her patience and went for a reverse sweep. She missed and was struck in front of off stump.Three more boundary-less overs followed before Perera tried to flick Luus legside, where Laura Wolvaardt leapt forward and took the catch low down. Replays confirmed she had her fingers under the ball and Sri Lanka were 90 for 3 after 18 overs.Given that the middle-order has not always been reliable, there may have been some nerves, especially when Samarawickrama’s first boundary came off the outside edge. Dilhari was more confident and hit Mlaba back over her head. That proved to be a favourite area for her, and was also where she smashed Chloe Tryon for six. When Ayabonga Khaka was brought back for a second spell, both Dilhari and Samarawickrama got stuck in and in an over that cost 12 brought the required run-rate down to under five an over.Samarawickrama got to fifty off 65 balls with a straight drive and Dilhari followed, off the 61st ball she faced, when she carved Tryon through the covers. By then, Sri Lanka needed 44 runs off 11 overs and the game was all but up. Neither of the two set batters saw it through to the end, with South Africa plucking some late wickets but in the end, they may feel there were around 30 runs short, especially after they staged a decent recovery from 120 for 5.South Africa lost their openers early when Tazmin Brits was bowled in the fourth over, staying back to a Sugandika Kumari ball that turned past the inside edge, while Wolvaardt was deceived by a slower ball from Madara. Wolvaardt was Madara’s first ODI wicket.Annerie Dercksen scored an unbeaten 61 to lift South Africa•SLC

That left Lara Goodall and Meso with the responsibility of stabilising the innings. Goodall was given the length to play two sumptuous cover drives and took it and South Africa ended the powerplay on 40 for 1. Inoka Ranaweera was introduced in the 11th over and created a chance off her fourth ball when Goodall, on 14, mistimed an attempted hit down the ground back to Ranaweera. She got hands to it but could not hold on.Meso struggled to score runs and she faced 21 dot balls in her innings of 27 and the pressure got too much for her. When Ranaweera tossed one up outside off, Meso drove aerially, straight to Athapaththu at short cover. Ranaweera should have had Luus for a duck two balls later, again off her own bowling. That chance cost Sri Lanka.Luus and Goodall put on 54 runs for the third wicket in a stand that included some delightful strokes. Goodall hit Ranaweera back over her head for four and pulled out the paddle sweep off Gunaratne but was put down again on 41 when she gave Athapaththu a regulation chance at mid-on, off Vihanga, but the Sri Lankan captain dropped it. She added five more runs to her score and was on 46 when she tried to hit Vihanga over long-on but was caught on the boundary. Goodall’s effort was her highest since her career-best 93 not out against Ireland in Dublin in June 2022, 14 innings ago.Luus was on 31 at the time, using her feet well and playing aggressively but in the next over, she walked across her stumps and played on to give Vihanga her second. Four balls later, Athapaththu hit Dercksen on the back pad and thought she had her out lbw but the umpire did not agree. The rest of that over cost Sri Lanka nine runs and momentum shifted South Africa’s way. Tryon and Dercksen were energetic in the middle and shared a run-a-ball stand of 62 before a wonder catch from Nilakshika Silva broke their stand. Tryon tried to hit Vihanga over long-on, Nilakshika ran to her left and reached the ball just in time to take the catch one-handed as she hit the ground. South Africa entered the final 10 overs on 182 for 6.Dercksen got to fifty with a stunning six over Kumari but she did not have much lower order support. Nadine de Klerk was bowled by a Madara yorker and Masabata Klaas and Mlaba both top-edged as they tried to hit Madara out of the ground.

If you are planning to visit BMO Field for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, we've got you covered!

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada, with a total of 48 teams participating in the month-long tournament.

Toronto’s BMO Field is one of the 12 selected venues and will host six matches, including both group stage and knockout games, as well as the opening match for the home side, Canada.

BMO Field has long served as the home of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer and the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. The year 2026 marks a new chapter in the stadium’s history. Although the venue currently seats close to 30,000 spectators, MLSE is committed to upgrades and temporary seating to accommodate World Cup matches.

If you are planning to attend the tournament, this guide brings you all the essential information you need before making your trip to BMO Field.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  BMO Field overview

  Capacity	28,180
  Year opened	2010
  Tenant(s)	Toronto Argonauts (CFL), Toronto FC (MLS)
  Address	170 Princes' Blvd, Toronto, ON M6K 3C3, Canada

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  History of BMO Field

  BMO Field opened in 2007, built on the site of the Old Exhibition Stadium as an improvement for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup and to serve as the home ground of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer. In 2016, the Toronto Argonauts moved to the stadium after it was configured to host both soccer and Canadian football matches.

  The venue initially had a capacity of just over 20,000 but has undergone several renovations throughout its short history. It now seats around 30,000, with ongoing upgrades aimed at expanding capacity to 45,000 for the 2026 World Cup.

  In addition to hosting Toronto FC home games, BMO Field has staged MLS Cup finals in 2010, 2016 and 2017.

  In 2026, the stadium will host five group stage matches, including Canada’s opening game, as well as a Round of 16 clash.

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  Which teams play at BMO Field

  BMO Field has been the home of Toronto FC in Major League Soccer since its opening in 2007 and became the home of the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League in 2016.

  Team	Leage
  Toronto Argonauts	CFL
  Toronto FC	MLS

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  How to get to BMO Field

  How to get to BMO Field  by public transport

  The most recommended public transit option to reach BMO Field is GO Transit.Exhibition GO Station, located next to Exhibition Place, is only a short 2–5 minute walk from the stadium and connects directly to Union Station on the Lakeshore GO line.

  Apart from GO Transit, TTC streetcars and buses also serve stations close to the stadium. The 509 Harbourfront and 511 Bathurst streetcar routes both stop within walking distance of BMO Field.

  How to get to BMO Field by car

  Fans traveling to the stadium by car often use the Gardiner Expressway or Lake Shore Boulevard and then follow signs to BMO Field. Parking is available around the stadium, but expect heavy congestion and higher-than-usual traffic on event days.

Manchester United are preparing to send scouts to watch an “incredible” player ahead of a potential move for him in the January transfer window.

Man Utd eyeing January signings

The Red Devils had a productive summer overall, with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko all big-money signings who should add a huge amount of quality to the attack.

That said, United’s squad is still far from perfect, following a hit-and-miss start to the new Premier League season, they also exited the EFL Cup at the hands of Grimsby Town, so further new faces could be looked at when January arrives.

Atlético Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher was linked with a move to Old Trafford during the summer window, and he is still reportedly a target for the Red Devils midway through the season, with a loan-to-buy option mooted.

Meanwhile, highly-rated young Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has also been mentioned as a transfer option for United in the coming months, with added quality and depth badly needed in the middle of the park.

1

Paul Pogba

£89m

Juventus

2016

2

Antony

£81.3m

Ajax

2022

3

Harry Maguire

£80m

Leicester City

2019

4

Romelu Lukaku

£75m

Everton

2017

5

Jadon Sancho

£73m

Borussia Dortmund

2021

6

Bryan Mbeumo

£71m

Brentford

2025

7

Benjamin Sesko

£66.4m

RB Leipzig

2025

8

Rasmus Hojlund

£64m

Atalanta

2022

9

Matheus Cunha

£62.5m

Wolves

2025

=10

Angel Di Maria

£60m

Real Madrid

2014

=10

Casemiro

£60m

Real Madrid

2022

12

Bruno Fernandes

£56m

Sporting CP

2020

13

Mason Mount

£55m

Chelsea

2023

=14

Anthony Martial

£52m

AS Monaco

2015

=14

Leny Yoro

£52m

Lille

2024

16

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

£50m

Crystal Palace

2019

17

Lisandro Martinez

£48.3m

Ajax

2022

18

Fred

£47m

Shakhtar Donetsk

2018

19

Andre Onana

£43.5m

Inter Milan

2023

20

Manuel Ugarte

£42m

PSG

2024

Man Utd sending scouts to watch "incredible" ace

Now, according to Give Me Sport, Manchester United are eyeing a move for Sporting CP centre-back Zeno Debast in January, with Ruben Amorim knowing him well from their time together.

In fact, the Red Devils are even preparing to send scouts to watch him in action, as they look to bring in the 21-year-old as an important long-term member of their defence.

Debast is a player with so much potential, and with United not wholly convincing at the back, he could provide great competition for places.

The 21-cap Belgium international is already a key man for club and country, despite his tender years, and scout Jacek Kulig has hailed him as “incredible” in the past.

The fact that Amorim knows the £70m-rated Debast so well as a player can only be a good thing, and he could be viewed as the defensive partner for the likes of Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt.

It’s never straightforward with this Manchester United side, is it?

Entertaining might be a stretch, but what an all-encompassing game of football that was, with the Red Devils hanging on to secure a vital 2-1 win over rivals Chelsea amid freakish conditions at Old Trafford.

The rain lashed down in a fashion similar to what was seen at Grimsby Town a few weeks ago, although visiting goalkeeper Robert Sanchez can’t exactly blame the surface for his errant decision-making in the early exchanges, having brought down Bryan Mbeumo on the edge of his own area.

With the Spaniard sent for an early bath, it looked set to be a rare, serene win for Ruben Amorim’s men as the experienced pairing of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro converted against their ten-man opponents. And then.

Soft or brainless, take your pick, the typically rash Brazilian was then dismissed himself for a second yellow card just before the break, with a late Trevoh Chalobah header sparking a fraught, nervous finish for the home side.

Thankfully for Amorim, his struggling bunch rallied to claim all three points and surge up the Premier League table.

A positive result and a largely positive performance in parts, but there is a nagging sense that there are considerable problems still to be ironed out for the Red Devils.

Benjamin Sesko's display in numbers

With Casemiro hauling down compatriot Andrey Santos in needless fashion on the stroke of half-time, Amorim was forced to make a decision over how to plug that midfield void, with Manuel Ugarte ultimately selected as the man to enter the fray.

That switch saw marquee summer signing Benjamin Sesko withdrawn ahead of the second-half, with the Slovenian’s wait to get off the mark in Manchester continuing.

Six games, no goals, albeit with just three of those outings having come from the start, a fact that ensures that the ex-RB Leipzig man is the latest centre-forward addition to endure a stop-start beginning at the Theatre of Dreams.

GK – Bayindir

6/10

RCB – Matthijs de Ligt

8/10

CB – Harry Maguire

7/10

LCB – Luke Shaw

7/10

RWB – Noussair Mazraoui

6/10

CM – Bruno Fernandes

8/10

CM – Casemiro

4/10

LWB – Patrick Dorgu

5/10

RAM – Bryan Mbeumo

7/10

LAM – Amad

6/10

ST – Benjamin Sesko

5/10

Subs: Ugarte (6), Cunha (6), Yoro (6), Mount (5), Mainoo (n/a)

There were signs of life on Saturday evening, having played a neat one-two with Fernandes at one stage, only for the Portuguese to uncharacteristically overhit his pass, yet once again the £74m signing was unable to fire.

One moment, in particular, appeared to signpost his dwindling confidence, with the 22-year-old taking the ball down beautifully before driving at the Chelsea goal, only to then slide in Amad, rather than taking on a shot himself from range.

While it was Sesko’s flick on that led to the early red card, United’s leading man was restricted to just eight touches in total, having slipped into Rasmus Hojlund territory as a player his teammates simply can’t get the best out of.

The lack of impact from the one-time Red Bull Salzburg man is of concern – as is Casemiro’s continued questionable decision making, amid his fourth United red card – although Amorim perhaps has an even bigger issue to ponder at wing-back.

Why Patrick Dorgu remains the biggest problem to solve

Much of the debate following the end of the summer window has centred on the decision not to plump for a first-choice, ready-made goalkeeper, alongside the failure to bolster the midfield ranks.

That latter scenario will be even more exposed with Casemiro now suspended, although one area of the park that was perhaps overlooked is at wing-back, with Amorim still lacking genuine, proven options in those two roles.

In the form of Amad, Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui, the Portuguese coach can make do on the right, although it is on the opposite side where a significant problem lies, with regard to young Patrick Dorgu.

The caveat, of course, is that the 20-year-old Dane is still a player for the future, having been at United for just over six months, following his January arrival from Lecce.

The plucky left-footer did also provide the assist for Fernandes’ opener, although that was the notable high point, having otherwise struggled with his decision-making down that left flank.

Indeed, he lost the ball on 18 occasions, as per Sofascore, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka noting that his “weight of pass needs work”.

Far too often did Dorgu seemingly make the wrong decision in the final third, with there a sense that Amorim’s system places far too much reliance on the youngster to provide a creative threat, having made more touches in the opposition box than any player during the Manchester derby (12).

The lack of genuine alternatives – with Luke Shaw now firmly fixed at left centre-back, and new man Diego Leon still an unknown quantity – has also ensured that there is too much of a reliance on Dorgu to feature week in, week out. Rarely is he even substituted due to the dearth of an obvious replacement.

Up against a dangerous figure in Reece James – whom he failed to track at one stage late on – United’s number 13 was up for the fight, albeit while winning just seven of his 16 duels, and failing to complete any of his three attempted dribbles.

Perhaps following a chaotic night, it is too harsh to judge any player, yet this is a theme that has dragged on ever since Dorgu’s arrival, having also been evident at the Etihad last week.

Sesko might catch fire, while there are replacements for Casemiro in both Ugarte and Kobbie Mainoo, but it is difficult to see any change in the situation at left wing-back. This is a problem without an obvious solution right now.

And so, while three points may have finally been claimed, Amorim still has plenty to ponder.

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