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AC Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri has decided not to get carried away with the club’s hopes of winning the Serie A title this season. He believes that Milan’s main objective remains finishing in the top four and securing a place in next season's Champions League. The Italian tactician has set a target of at least 74 points for the season and aims to restrict goals conceded to between 20 and 25.

Milan on top of Serie A after initial setback

Milan’s 2-1 win over Fiorentina ensured that the club ended Matchday seven at the top of Serie A. The game turned controversial while the score was still 1-1, when Fiorentina defender Fabian Parisi was judged to have brought down Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez. Fiorentina coach Stefano Pioli was furious with the decision, claiming that Gimenez had dived to win a penalty and criticised VAR for encouraging players to simulate. The resulting penalty was converted by Rafael Leao, who scored a brace to help Milan come back from 1-0 down.

Milan, who began their Serie A campaign with a 2-1 home defeat to Cremonese, have clawed their way to the top of the table thanks to Allegri’s astute defensive setup. The Rossoneri have conceded just four goals in seven games, making them the second-best defence in Italy after Roma. Despite losing star forward Christian Pulisic to a hamstring injury and veteran midfielder Adrien Rabiot to injury, Allegri has relied on the leadership and charisma of Luka Modric to drive Milan forward in the absence of key players.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesAllegri quells talks of Scudetto and says target for the season is top four

In the pre-match press conference, Allegri refused to get carried away with Milan’s position at the top of the table, stressing that the club’s main goal this season remains Champions League qualification. He said: “Winning is not easy. It would be important because it would allow us to take another step in the standings and gradually get closer to securing a place in the Champions League. That is our objective. Now we have a major mini-cycle ahead of us, and we need to create the conditions to be in an optimal position in March to fight for a top-four finish.”

The Italian tactician also emphasised that Milan must target 74 points this season, regardless of what Napoli or Inter do. “We need to get at least 74 points without thinking about Napoli or Inter. A breakaway? That’s not possible. We are only on matchday seven. We must take it slowly and keep our feet on the ground,” he added.

Allegri's experience and his target for goals conceded this season

Allegri first joined AC Milan in 2010, guiding the club to its 18th Scudetto in the 2010/11 season. During that campaign, he managed a star-studded squad featuring players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andrea Pirlo, and Filippo Inzaghi, blending tactical discipline with attacking flair to deliver success.

After his first stint at Milan, Allegri moved to rivals Juventus, where he cemented his reputation as one of Italy’s top tacticians. At Juventus, he won five Scudetti and five Coppa Italia titles, and led the team to two Champions League finals, showcasing his ability to manage high-pressure situations and guide elite squads.

Following a brief sabbatical from football, Allegri returned to Juventus and added another Coppa Italia to his achievements before being appointed manager at San Siro once again at the start of the current season.

Allegri believes that Milan must limit how many goals they let in, setting a maximum for the season: “To aim for the Scudetto, Milan must concede a maximum of 20-25 goals.”

With Allegri having won the scudetto multiple times after collecting 16 points in seven games, Allegri waved away the comparisons saying teams change as he has experienced this multiple times at Juventus  “Teams are always different, and even the same team changes every year. I can say this from my experiences at Juve.”

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Milan will be boosted by the return of Christopher Nkunku from injury, after he missed the game against Fiorentina. The Rossoneri will host Pisa on Friday and will aim to extend their lead over Napoli and Inter, who face each other on Sunday.

Chelsea have raised £239 million in player sales after Carney Chukwuemeka’s £24m move to Borussia Dortmund, but another could soon be following him.

Thanks to their plethora of exit deals, Enzo Maresca’s side possess an excellent summer net spend of just £3 million heading into deadline day, so they’re under no pressure from the Premier League’s PSR rules to balance their books.

However, due to their pact with UEFA, Chelsea still need to sell certain members of the squad.

They reached a settlement with the governing body last month after Chelsea breached FFP laws, and a condition of this pact is that they must produce a positive transfer balance by the end of the window.

Failure to do so will result in them being unable to register new signings for Maresca’s Champions League squad, and only players who were involved in their Conference League squad last season will count towards viable outgoings.

This is why the sales of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson are viewed as crucial to Chelsea’s remaining transfer plans for the window.

BlueCo have been in talks over signing Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons for weeks, and reports now claim that Chelsea are also eyeing Barcelona star Fermin Lopez as an alternative to the latter.

A sell-to-buy policy appears very much in effect at Stamford Bridge, but a potentially imminent exit for Jackson could be on the cards to allow Maresca’s side to make room.

Bayern Munich are in negotiations over the Senegal international, valued at £80 million, who has also attracted rumoured interest from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

Now, the player’s own agent has shared an intriguing update on his future.

Nicolas Jackson tipped to leave Chelsea within 24 hours

Speaking to Wiw Sports on Tuesday morning, Jackson’s representative, Diomansy Kramara, claimed that the striker is expected to leave Chelsea in the next 48 hours, so at the time of writing now, this is now 24 hours.

The former Villarreal star was a key member of Maresca’s first team last season, bagging 13 goals and six assists in all competitions, including a strike in the Conference League final.

However, the additions of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro have pushed Jackson down the pecking order, and he’s not been involved in any of Chelsea’s opening Premier League games as Maresca confirms he can leave.

“He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks,” Najmul Hossain Shanto says of Mushfiqur Rahim, who has a highest score of 37 in his last 12 Test innings

Mohammad Isam24-Apr-2025From his horrendous shot to get out at the start of the fourth day to the increased salaries the players now get to the market value of Bangladesh cricket, the questions were varied and came to Najmul Hossain Shanto like gunfire at the press conference following the Sylhet Test defeat to Zimbabwe.He was upfront about the shot he had played and the impact it had on the game, but fumbled for answers to the trickier questions. Transitions could be brutal on captains, especially when you have lost to a lower-ranked, unfancied side.”It was my fault that we lost the match, that’s the truth,” Shanto said. “My wicket early in the morning [off the second ball of the day] ruined the whole match for us. If we [Shanto and Jaker Ali] had added 50 or 60 more runs at that time, we would be in a better position. I don’t want to blame anyone else. I am taking all the responsibilities since my dismissal came at a very bad time. I always think about taking scoring opportunities. Maybe I could have taken more time [before playing my shots]. But I will play that shot [again], maybe the timing wasn’t right [on this occasion].”Related

Large and in-charge: Muzarabani proves too big a hurdle for Bangladesh

Zimbabwe seal Sylhet thriller to complete first away Test win since 2021

Shanto fell when he attempted to pull a short delivery outside off from Blessing Muzarabani and ended up sending a leading edge to deep fine leg. But there were specialist batters left at 194 for 5. While Jaker continued his good touch in Tests, Shanto’s deputy Mehidy Hasan Miraz was troubled by Zimbabwe’s short-ball plan even as he tried to score quickly. He was one of the three wickets that Bangladesh lost in the first half-hour.Bangladesh were guilty of not showing enough application, Shanto said, especially against Muzarabani, who finished with career-best match figures of 9 for 122.”Of course, he [Muzarabani] bowled well, and there is some added advantage due to his height. But still, the batting unit should have taken a bit more responsibility,” Shanto said. “We should have planned a bit better against him. He’s their main bowler. It was necessary to handle his spells [better]. I think we did it for some time but that was not enough.”Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim dilemmaBangladesh are also grappling with Mushfiqur Rahim’s batting form. He is the veteran of the side, the last link to the previous era, but hasn’t scored much since the 191 against Pakistan in the ten-wicket win in Rawalpindi last August. There is also the matter of Mushfiqur being just five Tests away from becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 Tests.Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished with ten wickets for the Test•AFP/Getty ImagesBut a best of 37 in his last 12 Test innings means Mushfiqur’s place in the team is far from guaranteed, milestone or not.”He is an experienced cricketer. He is not only contributing with his batting, he is a part of the planning group as well when we field,” Shanto said. “He helps the batters. He talks a lot during training. Of course, his batting is important. I am not thinking about his milestone or achievements from the past, I don’t think he is either. I hope, with one match remaining, he will make a comeback. I am not giving up hope. He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks.”Shanto also defended their choice of pitch in Sylhet, which had more pace and carry than pitches in the country usually do. “I don’t think we should take home advantage to such a great extent just because we have lost a match. I think we should play on this type of pitch against this opposition.”The bright spot for Bangladesh, not for the first time, was their spin bowling. Mehidy picked up ten wickets in the Test – becoming the third Bangladeshi to get to 200 Test wickets in the process – and Taijul Islam took two, both in the second innings, as Bangladesh made it tough for Zimbabwe. “Miraz and Taijul tried hard and they bowled extremely well,” Shanto said. “Credit must be given. But I think there weren’t enough runs on the board.”

Next season feels like it’s going to be a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are coming off a brilliant campaign in which they secured Champions League football, won the Conference League and even beat Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the Club World Cup.

Add to that the brilliant work the club have been doing in the transfer market by signing players like Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens, and it’s hard not to see them taking another step forward.

Moreover, the West Londoners appear to be looking to do even more in the market, with links to Xavi Simons heating up in recent days.

However, to bring him in, they may need to offload another attacker first, or simultaneously.

Why Chelsea would want to sign Simons

Chelsea have been linked with Simons for what feels like a couple of weeks now, but it’s been in the last few days that things have started to heat up, with some reports claiming personal terms have already been agreed, and that RB Leipzig are holding out for a fee of around £61m.

Now, that is most certainly a lot of money, but with how well the Dutchman has played in recent seasons, and the potential so many believe him to possess, that could be a fee that looks like fair value a few years from now.

For example, in just 33 games last season, totalling just 2763 minutes, the 22-year-old “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

Appearances

33

Minutes

2763′

Goals

11

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

Minutes per Goal Involvements

144′

That means the 22-year-old phenom managed to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 144 minutes, which is made all the more impressive by the fact that Leipzig struggled massively and ended up finishing in seventh place, outside all European places.

Another reason the Blues should be looking to sign the former Paris Saint-Germain prospect is his positional versatility.

For example, while one analyst recently described him as “one of the best 10s in the world,” the Amsterdam-born dynamo is more than capable of playing on either flank, and has even made several appearances up top.

In all, Simons is worth splashing the cash on, but to make room for him in the squad and to help with the financial side of things, Chelsea might need to move someone on first, and it looks like they may well do so.

The star Chelsea could move on

Chelsea have already made several sales this summer, with Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga making the increasingly common move to Arsenal, and most recently, João Félix moving to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, it now looks like they could be making even more room for new attacking signings by potentially moving on Christopher Nkunku.

At least that is according to a recent report from Sports Zone, which has revealed that during talks about Simons, Leipzig have expressed “genuine interest” in re-signing the French forward.

The 27-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge for £52m in the summer of 2023, and it’s not entirely clear whether he’d go back to Germany for a fee or as part of a swap deal, but this feels like an exit the Blues should facilitate.

It’s not that the previously “unstoppable” attacker, as journalist Zach Lowy described him during his time with Leipzig, has been terrible for the West Londoners, but he has been undeniably underwhelming.

Premier League

38

6

2

Conference League

9

5

3

Conference League Qs

2

2

0

Club World Cup

6

1

0

FA Cup

3

1

0

League Cup

4

3

0

Yet, while his tally of 18 goals and five assists in 62 appearances isn’t dreadful, it’s important to note the competitions in which the vast majority of those goal involvements came.

For example, of his 18 goals, five came in the Conference League, two in the qualifiers and three in the League Cup – in other words, he’s been a second-string player at best.

What makes that somewhat of a problem is the fact he’s not earning the wage of a second-string player; instead, he’s taking home a hefty £195k-per-week, which made him the fourth-highest earner last season.

Ultimately, if Chelsea can move on Nkunku this summer and get his wages off the books, that would be great, and it’d be even better if his exit helped facilitate a move for Simons.

A better signing than Garnacho: Chelsea make contact for £43m PL "monster"

The international star might be just the player Chelsea need.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 1, 2025

Millions of soccer fans from around the world have the opportunity to buy tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be held in North America, as lottery winners from 4.5 million applicants were granted access starting Wednesday. FIFA said lottery winners were or will be informed of their status via email. The governing body expects demand will be high.

High demand

Though more than half of the spots in the 48-team World Cup are not yet finalized, 4.5 million applications is a strong indicator in interest for the event, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

“These are not only outstanding figures, but also a strong statement,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino posted on social media. “The whole world wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26, the biggest, most inclusive and most exciting event ever. From Canada, Mexico, and the United States, to countries big and small across every continent, fans are proving once again passion for football truly unites.”

There are still concerns, especially for foreign travelers, ranging from visas to concerns to immigration policies in the U.S.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBreaking down the sales

Tickets are divided into four categories, with Category 1 offering the most premium seats and Category 4 generally located higher up in the stadium. Prices start at $60 for group-stage matches and climb as high as $6,730 for the final.

Those figures are only the baseline, though, as this will be the first World Cup to implement dynamic pricing – meaning costs are likely to fluctuate.

Concerns remain

U.S. immigration policies have raised questions for international fans. Tourism officials have already reported a decline in overseas visitors this year. President Donald Trump, who has worked closely with Infantino, added to the uncertainty by suggesting that host locations could be shifted if his administration views them as unsafe.

The U.S. host cities include East Rutherford in New Jersey, Inglewood and Santa Clara in California, Foxborough in Massachusetts, Houston and Arlington in Texas, Atlanta in Georgia, Seattle in Washington, Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, Kansas City in Missouri and Miami in Florida.

"If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the Olympics, but for the World Cup in particular, because they're playing in so many cities, we won't allow it to go. We'll move it around a little bit," Trump said.

The State Department has stressed that protecting the country – along with World Cup matches, players, fans, and venues – is its top priority in the run-up to the tournament. Officials are also urging international travelers who require visas to begin the application process as soon as possible.

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GettySecond phase starts soon

Ticket sales will enter a second phase, which FIFA is calling an early ticket draw. That will likely run between Oct. 27-31. There will be a third phase – a random selection draw – which will kick off following the World Cup draw on Dec. 5. 

Tickets will continue to be sold on a first-come, first-served basis closer to the tournament. FIFA also said it will be launching an official resale marketplace platform. 

Shami opens up about his struggles and recovery after injuries and a surgery sidelined him from international cricket for over a year

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Feb-20251:35

Who makes it to India’s pace attack against Bangladesh?

Mohammed Shami feared that his career was over when a lengthy rehabilitation kept him out of cricket throughout 2024. Now leading India’s pace attack in the Champions Trophy, Shami compared his comeback to “a toddler learning how to walk”.”I always wondered when I would be able to put my feet on the ground again, as someone who is used to running on the field constantly was now in crutches,” Shami, 34, told . “A lot of thoughts used to run through my mind. Will I be able to do it again? Will I be able to walk without a limp? For the first two months, I often doubted whether I would be able to play again as an injury like this followed by a 14-month break can pull you down.”My first question to the doctor was ‘how many days until I can be back on the field’. He said, ‘my priority is to get you to walk, then jog, and then run and thinking about playing competitive cricket is still a distant goal’.Related

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“After 60 days, when they asked me to put my feet on the ground, you won’t believe me, but I have never been more scared to put my foot on the ground. It felt like I was starting over, like a toddler learning how to walk, and I was worried about any complications.”After overcoming an ankle injury, Shami underwent surgery in March 2024. He subsequently faced issues in his knee, further delaying his return. After returning to the Bengal team for the domestic season, Shami rejoined India’s white-ball squad during the home series against England, and proved his fitness for the Champions Trophy.Shami was the highest wicket-taker of the last ICC tournament he played – the 2023 ODI World Cup – despite being on the field for only seven fixtures. He now finds himself needing to play another big role with Jasprit Bumrah out with an injury.”The desire to wear the India badge on my chest kept me going,” he said. “You endure the pain and take it one step at a time without complaints or bitterness. It was tough and there was pain, but with resilience and patience I made it through. My motivation has always been to serve my country for as long as possible. Because once you step away, you’re just like anyone else.”

Plays of the day from the fourth day of the Bulawayo Test between Zimbabwe and Pakistan

Firdose Moonda in Bulawayo04-Sep-2011Reward of the day
Ray Price had bowled 37 overs of strangling spin but suddenly Younis Khan threatened to destroy his figures, hitting him over his head for a stunning six. Price would have his revenge six overs – five of which were consecutive maidens – later. He bowled a near full toss that Younis edged while trying to drive. The ball bounced off wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu’s pads and Brendan Taylor completed a sharp catch at slip. It was sweet reward for Price, who bowled the record number of maidens by a Zimbabwean bowler in an innings, and sweet relief for Taylor, who had dropped two catches at slip in the previous two days. Price ended with figures of 50.1-24-69-2.Obsession of the day
Vusi Sibanda is addicted to the pull shot. He tried to play it to the fourth ball he faced, a delivery that was not short enough to pull. Luckily for him, he didn’t make contact. Six ball later, he couldn’t control the urge to do it again. Again, the length was not short enough, but he went for it and tamely lobbed the ball to mid-on, where Saeed Ajmal took a simple catch. He has been out pulling five times this summer and was caught in front of square each time.Blooper of the day
Aizaz Cheema was guilty of the funniest fielding error when he allowed a ball to slip through his legs at mid-on. Lamb drove straight to him but, instead of scooping it up effortlessly, Cheema let the ball trickle past and towards the boundary. He pulled it in before it could cross over, though, only giving away two runs. Cheema had just completed an eight-over spell in hot conditions and Adnan Akmal forgave him immediately with a polite, “Nevermind.” Locals like to call such mishaps on the field, “village,” and had Zimbabwe been in a better position when it happened, there might have been jeering at that error.Best actor of the day
When Sohail Khan misjudged what should have been a sitter at mid-off in the over before tea, he made the catch look much harder than it was. The ball was hit in the air not too far over Sohail’s head. He had to backpedal a little and time his jump, but he did neither and allowed the ball to go through for four. Just as he saw the ball sail over him, however, Sohail dropped to the floor and rolled emphatically, twice. It was a convincing act for his team-mates did not have a word to say to him.

Wolves are now showing a strong interest in a defender they tried to sign during Bruno Lage's time in charge as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new season.

O'Neil needs summer additions

After working miracles with a threadbare squad last season and guiding Wolves well clear of the relegation zone and into Premier League midtable, Gary O'Neil will be desperate for additions.

They have already managed one, with Portuguese youngster Rodrigo Gomes set to move to Molinuex this summer and sign a five year deal with the Midlands outfit.

The deal, which is expected to be made official this week, will see the Old Gold once more plunder Portugal and snap up a versatile option, with Gomes ostensibly a right back but having played all the way up both flanks during his loan spell at Estoril and appeared just once in his favoured role.

Gomes shows his versatility

Position

Games played

Right midfield

16

Right back

1

Right winger

9

Left midfield

14

Left wing

9

There remains plenty to do at Molineux though, with a striker high on the agenda after being forced to ulitise youth players at points of last season as injuries ripped through the front line.

There is also a need for another defender, with Craig Dawson now 34-years-old and unlikely to be able to continue turning in impressive performances on a regular basis, leaving the club with just Toti, Santiago Bueno and captain Max Kilman, who played every minute of the 2023-24 season. With that in mind, it seems Wolves are ready to revisit an old transfer target.

Carmo wanted by Wolves

That comes in the shape of Porto defender David Carmo, who has spent the second half of the season season on loan with Greek side Olympiacos,

Once very highly thought of to the point that he had "a foot and a half at Liverpool" before they pulled the plug, the left-footed centre back endured a tough couple of years with Porto but has seen his career revitalised in Greece.

He played every minute of the Conference League knockout stages as he helped them to their first ever European title, keeping a clean sheet in the final as they defeated Fiorentina with the help of extra time.

Now though, he is set to return to Porto, where he doesn't appear to be in Sérgio Conceição's thinking, and could move on this summer. Still just 24-years-old, Portuguese outlet Record claim that Wolves have held 'exploratory contacts' with Porto over a move for the towering defender, who stands at a mammoth six foot five inches tall.

Also named as keen are newly-promoted Leicester City, but Wolves' interest is far more longstanding. In fact, they tried to sign the centre-back during Bruno Lage's time at the club back in 2022, before he moved to Porto in a deal worth close to £20m.

Wolves to open talks to sign £8m-rated Rodrigo Gomes partner

O’Neil’s side are operating effectively as they line up another transfer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 12, 2024

Two years on, it is unlikely that Porto would accept much of a discount on that price even if he has struggled with them, with Carmo still having three years left to run on his £19,000 per week deal in Portugal and praised for his "rare" qualities when he was linked with Liverpool.

With that in mind, and given that both he and the Wolves captain are left-footed, and Kilman has missed just one game in two seasons, any move for Carmo may be a knock-on effect of losing their skipper amid interest from Manchester United.

Real Madrid legend Jorge Valdano has issued a damning verdict on Xabi Alonso’s side following their 5-2 humbling by city rivals Atletico Madrid. The former manager warned that the performance "revived a monster" and exposed a "real drama" in the team's defence, leaving the new project under intense scrutiny.

End of the beginning?

Madrid came from behind to take a 2-1 lead in the first-half of the derby on Saturday before Alexander Sorloth equalised for Atletico on the stroke of half-time. In the second period, though, the hosts overpowered their fierce rivals and sealed the win with a Julian Alvarez double and a late strike from Antoine Griezmann. Alonso's side were comprehensively beaten at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, ending their perfect start to the 2025-26 La Liga season and prompting a stark assessment from the former player and manager.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportValdano's stark 'monster' warning

Speaking on , Valdano did not hold back in his criticism of the performance, comparing the damaging loss to heavy defeats of the past. "Last night that monster was revived," he stated. "The monster of visiting Barcelona or being visited by Barcelona and conceding four goals was revived. Atletico ended up dominating Real Madrid in a way we haven't seen in a long time."

'Every cross was a drama' – Madrid's defensive collapse analysed

Valdano pinpointed a lack of intensity and a catastrophic defensive display as the primary reasons for the humbling. Despite Real Madrid enjoying 63 per cent possession, they were second-best in the decisive moments, with Atletico registering seven shots on target to Madrid's two. "Real Madrid didn't play with the same intensity as Atletico Madrid," Valdano explained. "Atletico clearly won the match up front. Every cross was a drama, a real drama for Madrid."

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A glimmer of hope amid the derby disaster

Despite the alarming result, Valdano did identify some positives in Real Madrid's attacking play. He noted the quality shown for the team's two goals, scored by Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler. "Even so, a single brilliant contact, with tremendous precision and speed between Guler and Mbappe, put the score at an equaliser. And then Madrid went ahead with an extraordinary move from Vinicius," he said. "That gave me the feeling that for the second half, it helped us understand that if Real Madrid got connected a little, they could win the game."

Duckett’s ton went in vain as Inglis countered by pummelling a lacklustre England pace attack

Tristan Lavalette22-Feb-20252:04

Agar: Inglis controlled the innings, the rest could bat around him

Ben Duckett provided the ruthlessness England so desperately craved for with a record knock of 165. But his heroics went in vain as Josh Inglis countered by pummelling a lacklustre England pace attack and powering Australia to the highest successful chase in men’s ICC tournament history.The first match at an ICC event in Lahore since March 1996 saw batting completely dominate this Champions Trophy blockbuster with little margin for error for the bowlers on such a benign surface.With a mixture of inventive strokes and meaty backfoot blows, England-born Inglis hit his maiden ODI century to finish unbeaten on 120 from 86 balls as Australia reached the target of 352 with relative ease in the 48th over. England’s bowlers struggled to handle the dew under lights, with Australia achieving their second-highest successful ODI chase after their 359 for 6 against India in Mohali in 2019.It was a bitter disappointment for England, who now face must-win games against Afghanistan and South Africa. They ultimately will rue falling a little bit short with the bat, but Duckett’s magnificent 165 off 143 was the highest individual score in Champions Trophy history. He received strong support from Joe Root, who made a crisp 68 in a third-wicket partnership of 158.Even though no other batter scored more than 25 runs, England still compiled the highest-ever total in the tournament and took full toll on the least experienced Australian attack at an ICC ODI event since 1983. They were without frontline quicks Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, while seam-bowling allrounders Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis are also missing.However, the result was not a fait accompli on this flat surface, with Australia boasting a deep batting line-up. Australia’s innings mirrored England’s with two early wickets after Travis Head and stand-in captain Steven Smith fell in the powerplay.Having blazed an unforgettable century the last time he was sighted at a 50-over ICC event, Head loomed as the key but on 6 his swipe hit the toe-end of the bat and Jofra Archer held a sharp return catch.Liam Livingstone dismissed Matthew Short for 63•Getty ImagesSmith could only edge to slip a hard-length delivery from speedster Mark Wood, who was in great rhythm and consistently hitting speeds of 150 kph. But Matthew Short and Marnus Labuschagne rallied with a 95-run stand as they took a particular liking to wayward quick Brydon Carse.Short overcame a lean run of form by superbly using the pace of England’s quicks but legspinner Adil Rashid bowled a brilliant spell in combination with Liam Livingstone that squeezed the batters.A frustrated Labuschagne hit a slow 70 kph legbreak from Rashid straight to cover before Short on 63 offered a return catch to Livingstone as Australia slumped to 136 for 4.But Rashid was taken out of the attack after his six-over spell, allowing Inglis and Alex Carey to settle. The pair showcased their strong form having each scored counterattacking Test centuries against Sri Lanka as they got on top of a struggling England pace attack.Carey sheepishly celebrated his half-century after hitting Rashid straight to deep midwicket only for Archer to drop a sitter. Inglis then whacked Archer for consecutive boundaries as the wheels started to come off for England.Just as Australia started to gain control, Carey hit Carse straight to mid-off with 70 still needed off 50 balls. But Inglis was unperturbed and mowed a six off Archer to reach his century in style.Glenn Maxwell was unstoppable before Inglis fittingly sealed victory with a six in a terrific victory for World Cup champions Australia, whose title hopes ahead of the tournament had largely been written off.Josh Inglis and Alex Carey put up a solid stand•Associated PressSmith elected to bowl after being swayed that dew would play a factor under lights as Australia stepped onto the field at an ICC event without their big three quicks for the first time in nine years.Australia’s considerably weakened attack was under immediate pressure on a road of a pitch. There was no Starc, but Australia were not short on aggressive left-arm quicks with Spencer Johnson, whose trademark golden locks had been shorn off, and Ben Dwarshuis handed the new ball.Dwarshuis was selected ahead of Sean Abbott, who had played in both of Australia’s ODI games in Sri Lanka, for match-up reasons although his two early wickets were mostly due to rash strokes.England’s reshuffled batting line-up didn’t go to plan initially. In a common bane for them, they went a bit hard early with Phil Salt falling in the second over after falling to clear the on-side as a high-flying Carey plucked a one-handed blinder of a catch to his right.It was a spectacular first-ever ODI catch for Carey as an outfielder and helped justify the decision for Inglis, the incumbent white-ball wicketkeeper, to retain the gloves.All eyes were on Jamie Smith, who batted at No. 3 for the first time in international cricket – and only the second time in his List A career – in a decision that forced Root, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler to shift down from their usual positions.Smith stroked a couple of gorgeous cover drives, before falling tamely to the on-side where Carey took a far easier catch on this occasion.England did not envision being 43 for 2, but they recovered quickly as Duckett and Root cashed in on errant bowling from Johnson and Dwarshuis. Duckett had started relatively slowly, but blasted a boundary off the last delivery of the powerplay as England moved to 73 for 2.Smith reverted to spin after the restrictions were eased but there was little turn on offer as Duckett and Root easily rotated the strike. Smith was fairly conservative with his tactics and deployed four sweepers.1:26

Knight: The way Duckett rotated strike put Australia under pressure

Duckett showcased his improved prowess of hitting down the ground by targeting Maxwell straight and he reached his half-century in style with a horizontal bat shot off Johnson.Root was making it look easy, not fussed about hitting boundaries but smartly working the gaps to reach his half-century off 56 balls. He had a perfect opportunity to end a long ODI century drought stretching to the 2019 World Cup as England eyed a total in the high 300s.But Root got tied down by legspinner Adam Zampa, was was in the midst of a good spell, and missed a rare attempted sweep to fall in a tight lbw after an unsuccessful review. Australia fought back through Zampa, whose subtle variations proved effective and accounted for Brook with Carey taking another terrific catch after a diving effort running backward at point.Seamer Nathan Ellis also utilised his noted defensive skills and conceded just 51 runs off his 10 overs – the only bowler with an economy of under six.England feared letting slip a great platform just like they did against Australia at Trent Bridge last September. But Duckett held things together and blasted consecutive boundaries off Johnson to reach his third ODI century.He punched the air in celebration, but did not waver in his concentration despite being clearly fatigued. Duckett’s brilliant innings finally ended in the 48th over when he was trapped lbw by the legspin of Labuschagne, who was preferred over Johnson at the death and finished with 2 for 41 off five overs.Archer hit a flurry at the death, but his mood soured later in the night.