USMNT book dates with Belgium, Portugal and Germany as part of four-game slate ahead of World Cup

U.S. Soccer have confirmed the U.S. men's national team's final four opponents ahead of next summer's World Cup. The road to the tournament will continue in March as the U.S. host Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and Belgium before clashes with Germany and another yet-to-be-named opponent in two pre-tournament friendlies next summer.

AFPThe schedule

The U.S. will spend March stationed at the federation's new home, Atlanta, for a pair of marquee friendlies. Up first will be a clash with Belgium on March 28 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of Atlanta United. Three days later, the U.S. will face Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal at the same venue.

Then, after Mauricio Pochettino confirms his World Cup squad, the U.S. will head to Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium for a May 31 clash against an unnamed opponent. They will then have one final pre-tournament friendly against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago on June 6. That Germany match will come six days before the USMNT's World Cup opener in Los Angeles.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat Pochettino said

The Argentine manager highlighted that this is an important test for his squad. 

“For us, this is a massive opportunity to challenge ourselves against some of the top teams in the world. These are incredible matches for the players and for the fans,” USMNT head coach Pochettino said. “We are so happy to be playing in our new home of Atlanta, and of course to be competing in the great cities of Charlotte and Chicago ahead of the World Cup.”  

GettyBig games on the horizon

The series of matches against elite opponents continues the trend of big games for the USMNT. This fall, the U.S. took on South Korea, Japan, Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay, all teams bound for the World Cup next summer. Belgium, Portugal and Germany, of course, will be in the World Cup field as well, with all three joining the USMNT as Pot One teams.

Throughout that fall run against World Cup opponents, the U.S. went 4-1-1, picking up wins over Japan, Australia, Paraguay and Uruguay as part of a five-game unbeaten run to close 2025. In total, the U.S. concluded the 2025 slate with a record of 11-6-1.

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next?

While the games are over, the drama sure isn't for the USMNT. On Friday, the U.S. will learn the team's World Cup group at the official draw, which is set to be held in Washington, D.C.

كاريراس يوضح تفاصيل العلاقة بين لاعبي ريال مدريد وألونسو.. ويؤكد: لا يستمتع أي فريق بمواجهتنا

تحدث ألفارو كاريراس لاعب ريال مدريد في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الثلاثاء، قبل مباراة الفريق أمام أولمبياكوس اليوناني، موضحًا الأجواء بين اللاعبين والمدرب تشابي ألونسو في ظل الجدل الدائر بالصحف عن توتر العلاقة.

ويستعد ريال مدريد لملاقاة أولمبياكوس غدًا الأربعاء، ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة في مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وقال كاريراس في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “أنا متحمس جدًا لخوض موسمي هنا، وخاصةً في دوري أبطال أوروبا، نعلم أنهم فريق قوي، وأننا نلعب على أرضهم، وأن الفوز سيكون صعبًا”.

وعن الأجواء في غرفة الملابس، أوضح: “رائعة، لدينا أجواء رائعة مع المدرب، الأجواء رائعة حقًا، وتجمعنا علاقة رائعة، أنا سعيد جدًا بانضمامي إلى هذا الفريق”.

وعن مدى توقعه لحصوله على فرص للعب تحت قيادة تشابي ألونسو، رد: “كلما وصلتُ إلى مكان جديد، أبذل قصارى جهدي وأثق بأنني سأقدم أفضل ما لدي، آمل أن ألعب دقائق أكثر في موسم طويل كهذا، أنا واثق من أنني سأستمر في ذلك”.

اقرأ أيضًا | مبابي يهين حكم مباراة ريال مدريد وإلتشي.. وعقوبة محتملة

وعن إمكانية مشاركته كقلب دفاع، أفاد: “مركزي هو الظهير الأيسر، لكن يمكنني اللعب كقلب دفاع، أو كجناح، أو في خط دفاع رباعي، أو كخط دفاعي خماسي، أتكيف مع كل ما يتطلبه الأمر، ومع كل ما يطلبه مني المدرب في أي وقت”.

واستطرد: “أحب تحليل المنافسين والمباريات، أحب تحليلهم، كما أحب الاستمتاع بجمال كرة القدم”.

وسُئل كاريراس إذا كان يعتقد أن ريال مدريد يحظى باحترام أكبر في الخارج منه في إسبانيا، وأتم: “لا يستمتع أي فريق بمواجهة ريال مدريد، إنه فريق ذو تاريخ عريق واسم كبير، لكننا نذهب إلى كل ملعب متعطشين للفوز، بشخصية قوية، ونسعى دائمًا للهجوم”.

Nathan Ake looking to leave Man City in January with price tag now set

Manchester City defender Nathan Ake is now open to leaving the Etihad Stadium in the January transfer window, with the Premier League giants setting his price tag.

The Dutchman has been a fantastic servant for the Citizens since arriving from Bournemouth back in 2020, winning four Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, among other trophies.

That said, the 30-year-old has seen his playing time become more limited under Pep Guardiola this season, making only one start in the league, as well as making four substitute appearances in the competition.

Ake is now into the final two years of his current deal at City, with his contract running until the summer of 2027, so there are decisions to be made by both him and the club.

The Sky Blues may want to cash in on him while they still have time, assuming they don’t see a long-term future for him, and the player himself will no doubt like the idea of enjoying more regular playing time.

Ake wants to leave as Man City set £31m price tag

According to Caught Offside, the battle to sign Manchester City ace Ake is hotting up ahead of the January transfer window, with Inter Milan, Juventus and Crystal Palace all mentioned as options.

It is claimed that the Citizens are open to a deal and want as much as £31m for the Netherlands international. Ake wants to be earning more minutes ahead of the 2026 World Cup and is looking to leave the club in January.

It does feel as though Ake’s time at City is reaching its natural conclusion, during a period in which so many members of the club’s title-winning sides have moved on, not least Kevin De Bruyne earlier this year.

The centre-back is understandably open to the idea of a fresh challenge, given Guardiola’s current stance on him, even though the Spaniard has lauded him as “incredible” in the past.

If Ake does leave City, he will be remembered as a great servant who has done so much for the cause in the past five years, with his ability to thrive at both centre-back and left-back proving to be priceless.

Whoever does potentially sign will be getting an excellent player who still has plenty to offer in his career, with Guardiola also saying of him: “I don’t think you can ever find a single teammate of his who has anything bad to say about him. Both at his clubs and with the Dutch national team. He’s very competitive and I wish he could play a season without injuries, but sometimes you run into those kinds of things. I adore him as a person and as a player.”

Man City ready bid for Vinicius Jr as feelings at Real Madrid are revealed

He is one of the best players in the world.

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Nov 2, 2025

From City’s point of view, if they can get as much as £31m for a player in his 30s, it would have to be considered good business, and they could then bring in a younger replacement instead.

Is Nathan Ake one of Man City's 10 highest-earning players?

Stokes on England's bowl-first habit: 'We are not stuck in our ways'

England captain hints his side will bat first given the chance, with heatwave in prospect this week

Matt Roller09-Jul-2025Ben Stokes has insisted that England are not “stuck in our ways” about wanting to bowl first and hinted that he will choose to bat if he wins the toss at Lord’s on Thursday. Stokes has won the toss and opted to bowl 10 times out of 12 in home Tests as captain – including two out of two in this series – but denied that it is either England’s “preference” or “a tactic of ours”.England chased down 373 in the fourth innings at Headingley to vindicate Stokes’ decision to bowl, but Brendon McCullum conceded that they had made an error at Edgbaston after they failed to bat out the final day and slipped to a 336-run defeat.Stokes has chosen to bowl first 12 times out of 20 overall, but has only twice chosen to bat first in home Tests: against West Indies at the Utilita Bowl in 2020, deputising for Joe Root, and against Australia at Edgbaston in 2023. England lost both of those Tests, and have won seven out of 10 at home when Stokes has chosen to bowl.They have a strong record in run-chases under Stokes’ leadership, winning 11 out of 18 matches in which they have batted in the fourth innings including six successful chases of 250-plus targets. But Stokes said that his decision usually comes down simply to overhead conditions, and played down the significance of the toss.!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();

“We are not stuck in our ways about it,” Stokes said. “I want to make that clear. It’s something that’s been built up. We bowled first at Edgbaston because there were decent overhead conditions, but that soon changed; the clouds broke off and the sun came out. I’m not the Met Office, so I can’t tell what’s going to happen after 10.30am.”A heatwave is anticipated in London during the Lord’s Test, with temperatures of 30 degrees celsius forecast, and Stokes hinted that he will likely choose to bat if he wins the toss. “Lord’s is meant to be really hot this week,” he said. “If that is the case and the sun is out, blazing, I think whoever wins the toss will end up doing the same thing.Related

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“Because we’ve had good success at chasing down totals in the fourth innings, it doesn’t mean that’s our preference… It’s not a tactic of ours to consistently bowl, if we win the toss.”There’s nothing whatsoever to say we are stuck in our ways, but because we are very confident in our ability to get ourselves into a position in a Test match to be able to chase down a total in the fourth innings, I guess that’s why, if it is slightly bowler-friendly conditions in the morning, why we might mentally look to do that.”Stokes said that he will try to avoid thinking too deeply about the decision ahead of the third Test. “You can go back and forth if you’re thinking about it 14 hours before the toss the night before,” he said. “There’s a little bit of discussion around in the morning, but when I get the whites out with the blazer on, I look up to the sky more than anything. It’s not rocket science.”McCullum, England’s coach, requested a pitch with “plenty of life in it” offering pace, bounce, and lateral movement after the Edgbaston Test, but Stokes expects a typical Lord’s surface.”Lord’s generally plays the same way,” he said. “There’s always a bit in it on day one to two; then if anything, it tends to speed up as the game goes longer. I watched a bit of the World Test Championship [final] and it was the same then.”

ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا بعد الفوز على هايتي

استهل منتخب مصر تحت 17 عامًا، مشواره في بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين، بالفوز على هايتي، بأربعة أهداف مقابل هدف، في المباراة التي أقيمت بينهما اليوم الثلاثاء.

والتقى منتخب مصر مع هايتي، في إطار مواجهات الجولة الأولى من مباريات المجموعة الخامسة لبطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا.

ويشارك منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا المقامة في دولة قطر، خلال الفترة من 3 إلى 27 نوفمبر 2025.

طالع.. فيديو | منتخب مصر يسحق هايتي برباعية في افتتاح مشواره بكأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

ويتواجد منتخب مصر، في المجموعة الخامسة من بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين مع منتخبات إنجلترا وفنزويلا وهايتي.

واستكملت مباريات الجولة لنفس المجموعة، بمباراة إنجلترا وفنزويلا، اليوم أيضًا، حقق منتخب فنزويلا الفوز على إنجلترا بنتيجة 3-0.

وبذلك بعد نهاية الجولة الأولي للمجموعة الخامسة، يتصدر منتخب مصر الترتيب برصيد 3 نقاط، يأتي في المركز الثاني منتخب فنزويلا بنفس عدد النقاط، يحتل المركزين الثالث والرابع، منتخبا إنجلترا وهايتي على الترتيب بدون نقاط. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

1- مصر، 3 نقاط.

2- فنزويلا، 3 نقاط.

3- إنجلترا، بدون نقاط.

4- هايتي، بدون نقاط.

Arne Slot compares English media scrutiny with the Dutch journalists he used to face as Liverpool struggles mount and the verdict is surprising

Liverpool manager Arne Slot is in the spotlight in England after seeing his team suffer four straight defeats in all competitions. The results have brought talk of a 'crisis' at Anfield under the Dutchman, particularly after a big-spending summer transfer window, but the Liverpool boss is remaining calm and has plenty of experience of coming under pressure from the media.

  • Liverpool in crisis after Man Utd defeat

    Liverpool were beaten again on Sunday as bitter rivals Manchester United earned a 2-1 win at Anfield and their first victory over the Reds on their home turf since January 2016. The defeat followed on from losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Galatasaray which have seen Slot and his team come in for plenty of criticism. Liverpool's struggles come after a summer where the club spent over £450 million ($603m) on new players intended to push the squad to another level of dominance, including record buy Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez.

    Yet big-money buys Wirtz and Isak in particular have failed to live up to their lofty price tags, with both players yet to score in the Premier League for their new team. Club stalwarts Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have also frustratingly struggled in the early weeks of the season just months after penning lucrative new contracts to keep them at Anfield.

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    Slot not bothered by media scrutiny

    Slot has come in for plenty of media scrutiny but is remaining calm in the face of the criticism, according to the . The ex-Feyenoord boss "has even conceded privately that the Dutch media are much harder" than the English press, although it remains to be seen if he will change his mind if results fail to improve and difficult questions continue to arrive. 

    Yet Slot is not stranger to being in the spotlight. He faced plenty of criticism during his time in the Eredivisie and was called a "snake" after leaving AZ to join Feyenoord. Slot even has a tactic to deal with the current negativity which was inspired by cyclist Lance Armstrong. The Liverpool boss reportedly likes to smile at the camera when he's under pressure in the same way that Armstrong used to try and demoralise rivals when he was struggling for form.

  • Fans blast Slot's post-match comments

    Slot admitted defeat to Manchester United was "hard to take" but went on to dub the Red Devils a "long ball team" after seeing defender Harry Maguire head home a late winner to secure a 2-1 victory at Anfield. Slot also seemed baffled that Ruben Amorim chose not to start Benjamin Sesko on Sunday, but his comments have not gone down well with supporters who have criticised his reaction to the defeat.

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  • Big decisions looming for Slot

    Slot now faces some big calls when it comes to some of his underperforming stars as he bids to get his team back on track. The Liverpool boss has already been told to drop Salah by former defender Jamie Carragher. He said on : "I don't think Salah should be like a Virgil van Dijk where it's like 'first name on the teamsheet'. Liverpool have got two away games – in the Champions League at Frankfurt and then they go to Brentford.

    "I don't think Salah should start both of those games. He should always start at Anfield because Liverpool will be on top, around the edge of the box and more often than not he scores in those situations today. But I do think in the away games and helping your full-back, I don't think Salah should be starting every game right now, certainly away from home, with the form he's in."

    Slot may also be tempted to bench Isak after a disappointing start to life at Anfield following a summer move from Newcastle. Slot does also have Hugo Ekitike available, although he has not started any of the team's last three league games. Yet Ekitike boasts a record of five goals and one assist in 11 appearances for the Reds this season and will be eager to return to the starting XI.

Santos x Athletico: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelo Brasileirão

MatériaMais Notícias

Santos e Athletico se enfrentam neste sábado (5), às 16h (de Brasília), na Vila Belmiro, pela 18ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. O Peixe busca se distanciar da zona de rebaixamento com um triunfo, enquanto o Furacão quer embalar uma sequência de três vitórias na competição.

+ Confira a classificação atualizada e a tabela completa do Brasileirão

+ Quer apostar nessa partida? Então se liga das odds turbinadas que a Lance! Betting preparou! Corre lá!

+ Acesse o Resenha de Apostas e fique por dentro das melhores dicas e estatísticas de Santos e Athletico-PR!

O Alvinegro Praiano pode ter novidade para a disputa da partida. João Basso, zagueiro apresentado pelo time nesta semana, está regularizado e pode reforçar o sistema defensivo. Nonato, que foi oficializado no BID nesta sexta-feira, não deve ser relacionado, pois não treinou junto do elenco.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

A equipe paranaense busca os três pontos na Vila Belmiro para se reerguer após derrota contra o Bolívar, na Libertadores. O retrospecto do confronto é bastante equilibrado. Nos últimos cinco confrontos entre esses times, foram duas vitórias do Peixe, duas do Furacão e um empate.

FICHA TÉCNICA:

SANTOS X ATHLETICO PARANAENSE

Local: Vila Belmiro, em Santos (SP)
Data e Horário: 05/08/2023, às 16h (de Brasília)
Arbitragem: André Luiz Skettino Policarpo Bento (MG)
Assistentes: Nailton Junior de Sousa Oliveira (FIFA-CE) e Felipe Alan Costa de Oliveira (MG)
VAR: Emerson de Almeida Ferreira (MG)
Onde assistir: Premiere e no tempo real do Lance!

SANTOS: João Paulo; Gabriel Inocêncio, Joaquim, João Basso e Dodô; Rodrigo Fernández, Dodi, Jean Lucas e Lucas Lima; Mendoza e Marcos Leonardo. Técnico: Paulo Turra.

Desfalques: Felipe Jonatan (ruptura ligamento cruzado do joelho esquerdo) e Alison (cirurgia joelho esquerdo).
Pendurados: Deivid Washington, Lucas Lima, Nathan, Dodi, Gabriel Inocêncio, Joaquim, Messias, Sandry, Mendoza, João Paulo, Lucas Braga e Camacho.

ATHLETICO: Bento; Madson, Matheus Felipe, Thiago Heleno e Esquivel; Hugo Moura, Erick e Vitor Bueno; Cuello, Vitor Roque e Canobbio. Técnico: Wesley Carvalho.

Desfalques: Pedro Henrique, Fernando, Christian, Alex Santana, Willian Bigode e Rômulo
Pendurados: Pablo, Léo Linck, Hugo Moura e Zé Ivaldo
Suspensos: Arturo Vidal

Chelsea legend tells club to treat 'bomb squad' fairly with Enzo Maresca at risk of damaging dressing room over exile of 'popular' Raheem Sterling

A Chelsea legend has warned his old team to be "careful" with how they treat 'bomb squad' players Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi. The duo are training away from the Blues first-team after failing to secure summer exits. Amid talks with the Professional Footballers Association, Pat Nevin believes Chelsea need to watch how they treat Sterling and Disasi as it could damage the dressing room.

  • Maresca downplays concerns over Chelsea 'bomb squad'

    The PFA have reportedly been in talks with Chelsea over how they are treating exiled duo Sterling and Disasi but last week, head coach Maresca suggested these players don't have it that bad compared to other professions. But former Blues star Nevin, who played for the club between 1983 and 1988, thinks this is a matter that needs to be delicately handled, else it could backfire.

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    Chelsea told to be 'careful' with 'popular' Sterling

    He told BetIdeas.com: "The PFA is not the main problem. The main problem is bigger than that. Your main problem is if you treat two players like that and the rest of the team sees it, which they will, because it's their mates – and I know players can be selfish and are selfish and have to be selfish – they all know that's what I'm going to get. Now, management doesn't always think along these terms because it's short term. There's a big danger there. And it is a warning. Being on just about every side of the game and seeing it, it can damage spirit. Players are selfish and they take care of themselves. But Raheem Sterling is liked, he's popular within that dressing room. You certainly don't just blank your mates. So Chelsea need to be careful because in the end if they have got these players that are in six, seven, eight year contracts. Nicholas Jackson was the main man. He's great. And then suddenly he's in the bomb squad. And then he's not, ‘We want you back in’. So be careful because everybody now knows that's what happens. I promise you that's dangerous. When you treat workers like that, the other workers know this. Just be careful."

  • Blues duo had summer options

    While many have sympathised with Chelsea's outcasts, winger Sterling reportedly had a chance to join Fulham on loan, as well as other offers abroad. Defender Disasi is said to have snubbed interest from Bournemouth and West Ham, but both are unlikely to play again until January at the earliest.

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  • AFP

    Chelsea aim to bounce back from Man Utd loss

    The Blues slipped to a hugely disappointing 2-1 defeat at Manchester United in the Premier League last weekend, so they will want to put that right on Tuesday night when they host League One promotion-chasers Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup.

Steven Smith withdraws run-out appeal against Noor Ahmad

The incident occurred in the 47th over when Inglis whipped off the bails when the batter ventured out of the crease before the ball was dead

Andrew Fidel Fernando28-Feb-2025Australia captain Steven Smith withdrew an appeal against Noor Ahmad in the 47th over of Afghanistan’s innings, after wicketkeeper Josh Inglis whipped off the bails at the striker’s end to catch Noor out of his ground before the over was called.Noor had not been attempting a run – he had drifted out of his crease to meet batting partner Azmatullah Omarzai mid-pitch, mistakenly believing that the ball was dead. The ball is live until the umpire calls “over”, however, and umpire Alex Wharf had not yet called.Replays showed Noor to be well out of his ground, but Smith was quick to signal to the umpires that the appeal should not be considered, despite some enthusiasm from Inglis. Noor had just completed a single after Omarzai struck Nathan Ellis through midwicket and called Noor – the No. 10 batter – through, in order to keep strike for the next over.Although Afghanistan were not attempting to gain an advantage, the rules of cricket are clear. Run-outs are a viable dismissal until the ball is dead. If Smith had not withdrawn the appeal, Noor would have been ruled out, likely by third umpire Chris Gaffaney.Noor had been on three off three balls at the time, and went to make six off eight. But of more consequence was the fact that Afghanistan would have been 248 for 9 after 47 overs had Smith not withdrawn the appeal. They were less likely to have hit the further 25 runs they managed if they had only had one wicket in hand. Noor was eventually dismissed off the last ball of the innings.Australia have in the past upheld appeals against batters ambling out of their crease, even if they were not looking to take a run. Most famously, this occurred in a Test at Lord’s against England in 2023, when Alex Carey underarmed the ball into the stumps after Jonny Bairstow had wandered down the pitch before the ball was deemed dead.Muthiah Muralidaran had also been dismissed in similar circumstances in a Test in Christchurch in 2006, when he had wandered out of the crease to congratulate Kumar Sangakkara on completing a century before the ball was dead (though that had not been at the end of an over). Brendon McCullum broke the stumps on that occasion, and captain Stephen Fleming upheld the appeal.In the 2011 Trent Bridge Test, India recalled Ian Bell to the crease after he had been run-out in similar circumstances at the stroke of tea on day three, when he ran a three and proceeded to walk down the pitch and towards the dressing rooms, before the fielder Praveen Kumar had had a chance to throw the ball in from the boundary. India captain MS Dhoni agreed to recall Bell after England captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower approached him during the tea interval with this request.

Hurricane Tim David blows Strikers away for fourth consecutive win

He smacks an unbeaten 62 off just 28 balls to help Hurricanes hunt down 187

AAP05-Jan-2025A brutal unbeaten 62 from 28 balls from Tim David helped Hobart Hurricanes to a fourth straight win and the second-highest run-chase of the BBL 2024-25.David hit six sixes and three fours as Hurricanes chased down Adelaide Strikers’ 186 for 5 with eight deliveries to spare and five wickets in hand at the Bellerive Oval. He hit 40 runs during the power surge in the 14th and 15th overs when the game was on the line.Strikers’ Jamie Overton took most of the punishment and finished with 0 for 54 from three overs after also suffering heavy treatment from opener Mitchell Owen.Owen scored 37 from 16 deliveries, which included three sixes in a row off Overton – one landing on the roof of the members’ stand.David came to the crease at 101 for 4 in the 11th over after Strikers spinners Lloyd Pope and Cameron Boyce (2-23) slowed Hurricanes’ chase. David took some time to get going before notching his fastest BBL half-century.”I’m stoked. It was my turn to put my hand up when they needed me,” David said. “I was like two off eight. I was hitting it pretty badly, but thankfully it changed. We knew the pitch was good … just good cricket shots, hit the ball out of the middle of the bat.”Hurricanes, who are gunning for a maiden title, rose to third on the ladder while Strikers remain second last.It is the first time Hurricanes have won four in a row since 2019 and comes after an impressive 50-run victory over the ladder-leading Sydney Sixers.”We’re building towards a finals crack this year, we’re only halfway through, but we’re in a good spot so far,” David said. “Everyone has contributed so far in our batting order and that’s a great place to be.”Earlier, Chris Lynn top scored for the Strikers with 49 from 27 balls after he was struck on the helmet by a 140kmph bouncer from Riley Meredith in the first over.Lynn, who hit five fours and three sixes, was out in the ninth over, caught in the deep off Waqar Salamkheil trying to clear the rope, leaving the visitors 75 for 3.Skipper Alex Ross steadied the ship with Ollie Pope, before Overton inflicted damage late with an unbeaten 27 from 18.Meredith was the pick of the Hurricanes’ bowlers with 1 for 26 from four overs, including the scalp of Pope in the 16th over.

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