Cristiano Ronaldo made the day for many young Portuguese fans as he and his compatriots warmed up for Euro 2024 with a grassroots event.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Ronaldo back with Portugal after breakSits out friendly defeat to CroatiaEnjoys special day with young fansWHAT HAPPENED?
The 39-year-old returned to the Portuguese camp on Friday after been given a week off by national boss Roberto Martinez following the conclusion of the Saudi Pro League season. The Al-Nassr star was an unused substitute in his country's 2-1 friendly loss to Croatia on Saturday. On Sunday, the former Real Madrid man spent some time with a group of lucky children on the football pitch, including in goal, alongside Ruben Dias, Pepe, Jose Sa and more.
AdvertisementWHAT CRISTIANO RONALDO SAID
Alongside posting photos on X, formerly Twitter, with the youngsters and his fellow countrymen, he wrote: "Dia especial. Por eles. Para eles." (Special day. For them. For them).
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Portugal are one of the favourites to win this summer's European Championship in Germany. And if they are to lift that trophy for the second time since their 2016 triumph, Ronaldo is likely to be key as he is still a talismanic figure for his country.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyWHAT NEXT?
Ronaldo's Portugal side round off their Euro 2024 warm-up schedule when they host the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday night, before beginning their tournament against the Czech Republic a week later.
It's been no secret this transfer window that Derby County have been chasing the services of Michael Smith, the Rams rumour mill dominated by constant conversation over whether or not the Sheffield Wednesday talisman will finally relocate to Paul Warne's side.
With that move looking rather dead in the water now, the Rams have been forced to look elsewhere to bolster their attacking spots – the League One automatic promotion candidates in even more need of added reinforcements up top now owing to Tyreece John-Jules' serious injury knock.
Warne hasn't gone majorly left-field when looking at other targets away from Smith, however, with the former Rotherham United boss still going after a Wednesday player in this potential incoming.
Derby going after League One promotion winner
According to the Sheffield Star, Derby are now looking at a second Owls striker in the form of Lee Gregory on a loan deal until the end of the season. It's stated talks have already taken place between the respective parties.
The report does further state that both Smith and Gregory wouldn't come to Pride Park hand-in-hand though, with the third tier side facing similar hurdles this time around to land Gregory that kept tripping the Owls up in their pursuit of Smith – financial restraints getting in their way yet again.
If Wednesday could pull off a dramatic deal for Gregory, this last-gasp transfer could well prove to be the perfect Smith alternative with the 35-year-old attacker also previously prolific in League One.
How Gregory fits into the Derby team
With Warne having to play Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in a number ten spot last match against Cheltenham Town to make up for John-Jules' absence, signing a new striker recruit in Gregory could see the Rams manager go back-to-basics with a switch to a 4-4-2 formation to slot the current Owls man in alongside James Collins.
The deal would even see Gregory return to Pride Park after a short but sweet loan stint back in 2021, bagging three goals in 11 games.
Collins and Gregory could well combine to devastating effect in a strike partnership together if the 35-year-old returns to Derby, Gregory always hitting double figures whenever he's played a full season in the third tier with five strikes from 11 games in the lottery of the League One playoffs also showcasing his deadly knack of scoring when it matters.
2022/23
38
11
5
2021/22
38
17
6
2016/17
40
18
6
2015/16
44
20
4
It's why former Millwall teammate Tom Bradshaw described the potent centre-forward as "instrumental" to his own development as a clinical goalscorer, the Lions striker at the time modelling his own game on Gregory's craft.
The 35-year-old even netted Wednesday's first goal of their somewhat topsy-turvy Championship campaign to date, the EFL veteran almost effortless in his approach to finding the back of the net.
Not being able to secure a deal for Smith would have stung, especially with Warne's close connection to the ex-Millers man, but any annoyance over that transfer falling flat would be swept to one side if the Rams could land this alternative target before the close of the window tomorrow.
Manchester United are known for giving the youth a chance, with Erik ten Hag continuing that tradition this season.
The Red Devils’ 3-0 win over West Ham last weekend saw Alejandro Garnacho net another brace, with the 19-year-old being a prime example of that.
Kobbie Mainoo is the latest Carrington graduate to have thrived in the first team – starting all of the last four games – but who could be up next?
Mainoo's future partner at Man Utd
A certain Daniel Gore has developed into one of the most promising talents in the United Academy since joining the club in 2021, and his time at the club has been extremely successful.
Gore starred during Man Utd’s FA Cup Youth triumph as a 17-year-old, alongside Garnacho and Mainoo. This pre-season, Ten Hag handed the midfielder plenty of opportunities, where he even picked up an assist against Lyon.
A week later, the 5 foot 7 gem was handed the captain's armband by Ten Hag in a youthful United team against Wrexham, however, it all ended in tears after Gore was sent off just after the break.
Since then, the now-19-year-old has made his competitive debut for the first team and his Premier League debut, coming on as a substitute against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.
The youngster has just joined Port Vale on loan to gain experience in the men’s game, where he has started once in a 1-0 loss to Portsmouth at the end of January.
Man United’s future midfield
Mainoo has firmly cemented himself as one of the first names on the team sheet this season, and it looks as though United have a midfield maestro that will dominate for years to come.
FA Youth Cup final
However, what will further excite the United faithful is that Gore could become a long-term partner for Mainoo. The duo have already played plenty of games together in the youth setup, with Gore speaking highly of the number 37:
"Kobbie is a top player and a good lad as well. We work well with each other. If one is out of position the other will fill in. We have a good connection, and we know each other very well."
Nonetheless, the table below shows us a glimpse of his play style via his statistics against Crystal Palace earlier this season, which led to him being called “excellent” by analyst StatmanDave.
Minutes
29
Touches
33
Passes (Pass accuracy)
25/27 (93%)
Key passes
1
Possesion lost
5
As shown, Gore himself is a very technical player who can operate across the midfield comfortably. His ability on the ball would make him perfect next to Mainoo, and with the duo already having a telepathic connection, the transition into first-team action would be seamless.
Despite being so young, his maturity and assurance on the ball are impressive, and his reading of the game is also top-class. That said, unlike Mainoo, who is extremely composed, Gore seems to play with more aggression, with his bust-up in training for a challenge on Anthony Martial highlighting that.
Small stature, extreme technical ability, progressed through the academy, and the intelligence to be one step ahead of the game are all traits of Gore, but that description sounds familiar to a certain United Legend.
Potentially Gore could become the next Paul Scholes, a man who made 718 appearances for the Red Devils and won 11 Premier League titles during his career at Old Trafford.
Sir Bobby Charlton once said of the redheaded midfielder: "He’s always on the ball, always turning on goal. He’s always looking to bring other people into the action and if he loses possession you think he must be ill."
It will take a lot for Gore to live up to that but his attributes mean he is surely well-placed if and when he earns more regular first-team minutes.
Will Davis takes three crucial wickets, well supported by Gavin Griffiths’ 3 for 23
ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2019Leicestershire Foxes upset the form book when they toppled holders and in-form Worcestershire Rapids by 33 runs in a North Group encounter at Blackfinch New Road.The vaunted Rapids top order were blown away in pursuit of a target of 153 as the Foxes secured only their second win of the season.A mixture of poor batting, disciplined bowling and some sharp catching sealed victory for the Foxes and moved them off the bottom of the table as the home side were eventually dismissed for 119 in 19.2 overs.Will Davis picked up three crucial wickets in the top six and finished with 3 for 24. He was well supported by Gavin Griffiths, who took 3 for 23, and Callum Parkinson’s 2 for 21.It ended a run of three successive victories for the Rapids which had propelled them into second spot behind Lancashire.The Foxes were put in to bat on the wicket that had been used for the previous two Blast matches with Durham and Derbyshire.A stunning catch by Rapids captain Callum Ferguson brought the first breakthrough in Dillon Pennington’s second over as Mark Cosgrove lofted the paceman to mid on and Ferguson held onto a one-handed effort in full flight.Pennington then held onto a smart catch of his own, running back from short fine leg and over his shoulder to dispose of Harry Swindells off Wayne Parnell.Aaron Lilley looked in good touch and collected four boundaries from his first six deliveries as the Foxes reached 55 for 2 at the end of the Powerplay.Lilley holed out to deep mid-wicket off Ed Barnard and Harry Dearden was caught and bowled in Daryl Mitchell’s first over.Colin Ackermann and Lewis Hill took their time in rebuilding the Foxes’ innings via a partnership of 49 in seven overs. But Barnard returned to the attack to break the stand when Hill was caught at long on.The second half of the innings was clinically disposed of by Parnell and Pat Brown. Aadil Ali was bowled by Parnell, and then Callum Parkinson and Colin Ackermann were both caught by George Rhodes in Brown’s next over, the second a fine effort over his shoulder running back from cover. Parnell wrapped up the innings in clinical fashion in removing Dieter Klein and Will Davis cheaply.But Worcestershire’s big-hitting top four were blown away in the space of 12 runs. Martin Guptill reached 15, hitting Griffiths for one straight six, but in the same over he found the hands of deep mid wicket. In the next over, Riki Wessels attempted a sweep against Davis and was caught behind. Parnell miscued high into the air in the same over and presented another comfortable catch to keeper Hill.It became 39 for 4 when Callum Ferguson also perished in the mid wicket region off Parkinson. Ross Whiteley was pouched at deep backward square to give Davis a third scalp.Ben Cox and Barnard briefly threatened to haul the Rapids back into contention during a steady partnership of 31. But Cox was bowled for 30 attempting a paddle sweep against Ackermann and Barnard fell at deep mid wicket off Parkinson to all but end the match as a contest.
Luka Jovic scored a last-gasp equaliser to rescue Serbia a 1-1 draw against Slovenia and keep their slim last-16 Euros qualification hopes alive.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Slovenia thought they'd done enoughJovic dramatically scores in final secondsGroup C blown wide openGetty ImagesTELL ME MORE
Slovenia started the brighter of the two sides, with Serbia goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic making a smart stop to deny Jan Mlakar's low drive. Timi Elsnik then rattled the post after a mazy run, and then Benjamin Sesko failed to bury the follow-up. Aleksandar Mitrovic nearly gave Serbia the perfect start after the break, following a neat one-two with Dusan Tadic but Jan Oblak did well to keep out his strike.
Slovenia finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute as Zan Karnicnik finished off the move he started in his own half by converting Elsnik's ball across the six-yard box. Serbia nearly equalised instantly through Mitrovic but Karnicnik got the slightest of touches as the Al-Hilal star's first-time strike hit the bar. Dragan Stojkovic's side pushed hard for an equaliser and with virtually the last kick of the game, Jovic grabbed a remarkable 95th-minute equaliser at Allianz Arena.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE MVP
Luka Jovic: The former Real Madrid man was only brought on in the 92nd minute of the game but came up with a priceless goal to rescue his side. Karnicnik was superb for Slovenia, scoring his side's goal and being strong at the back but Jovic stole the show with a stunning cameo.
THE BIG LOSER
Dusan Vlahovic: While star strikers Mitrovic and Sesko were fairly quiet for their respective sides, the Juventus man was, arguably, the biggest disappointment of all. He was very ineffective, looked anonymous, and was hooked just after the hour mark.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
WHAT COMES NEXT?
Slovenia round off their group-stage campaign with a clash against England on Tuesday night, whereas Serbia take on Denmark at the same time. The former have two points from two matches, whereas Serbia have one heading into the last round of fixtures.
Some of the Indians who have applied for the post are Pravin Amre, Amol Muzumdar, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Vikram Rathour
George Dobell20-Aug-2019Former England batsmen Mark Ramprakash and Jonathan Trott have emerged as high-profile candidates for the role of the next India batting coach as the BCCI continues to interview a number of aspirants to appoint support staff this week.The board has started the recruitment process to find batting, bowling and fielding coaches for the men’s team and the interviews are scheduled to take place from Monday to Thursday.Ramprakash and Trott are understood to have been interviewed along with other candidates that include former Sri Lanka batsman Thilan Samaraweera, as well as former Indian cricketers Pravin Amre, Amol Muzumdar, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Vikram Rathour. Former South Africa batsman Jonty Rhodes, who was the fielding coach of Mumbai Indians in the IPL until recently, and Ant Botha, who represented South Africa Under-19s before moving to England, have applied for the post of fielding coach. For the bowling coach position, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi, Amit Bhandari and Paras Mhambrey are understood to be among the applicants.The contracts of the head coach and the assistant coaches ended after the World Cup in July before they were all given 45-day extensions for the ongoing tour of the USA and the West Indies. The BCCI has since reappointed Ravi Shastri as head coach for another two years.ALSO READ: Kapil Dev-led CAC wants to be involved in selecting assistant coachesThe selection panel will send its shortlist of the final choices for the three positions to the board, which can involve the head coach before making the final decisions. It is believed that Shastri is likely to stick with his existing support staff – Sanjay Bangar (assistant coach), Bharat Arun (bowling) and R Sridhar (fielding) – all three being automatic entries in the recruitment process. These three men were handpicked by Shastri in 2014 when he joined the Indian dressing room as the team director. Bangar and Sridhar continued to keep their positions even during Shastri’s one-year absence in 2016-17 when Anil Kumble was the head coach, though Arun was dropped and then re-hired.Trott, meanwhile, has been invited to apply for the batting coach role with England Under-19s and England Lions. He is currently in a temporary role as batting coach at Kent, though he had a brief stint with the England side ahead of the Test against Ireland at Lord’s a few weeks ago.Interest in Ramprakash and Trott comes at a time when English coaches appear to be somewhat undervalued at home. The status of England coaches, however, does appear higher overseas. Paul Farbrace, the former England assistant coach, was also approached by both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – he declined both – while Michael Yardy, the former England allrounder, was recently appointed as New South Wales’ batting coach. Peter Moores is also understood to have been the subject of interest from South Africa in recent weeks, though he has declined to confirm the approach.
For all the work that Ange Postecoglou has done in transforming the style of play at Tottenham Hotspur this season, the former Celtic boss also deserves credit for his astute moves in the transfer market, having enjoyed far more hits than misses in that department to date.
In fact, it is hard to think of any new arrivals who have not hit the ground running at N17, with Guglielmo Vicario proving a "revelation" in the sticks – according to pundit Jamie Carragher – while Micky van de Ven has proven himself to be a real "Rolls-Royce" at centre-back, as per Dutch journalist Suleyman Ozturk.
James Maddison has dazzled following his £40m move from Leicester City – providing ten goals and assists thus far – while Brennan Johnson is beginning to catch fire with two goals from his last three Premier League outings.
With even Timo Werner – who has two assists from his first four league appearances for the club – getting off to a promising start in Lilywhite, it would appear that Postecoglou has the Midas touch at present when it comes to recruitment.
Spurs forward Timo Werner
The same could not always be said during Mauricio Pochettino's fondly remembered stint in charge, however, with one of the Argentine's last signings having particularly underwhelmed in recent years in north London.
Pochettino splashed out on teen talent
Just a matter of months prior to his shock sacking in November 2019, the current Chelsea boss oversaw the capture of promising teenager, Ryan Sessegnon from London rivals Fulham, with the youngster joining for a sizeable fee of around £25m.
That costly capture looked to be an astute move at the time, with the versatile gem – who can feature in a variety of roles down the left flank – having particularly impressed in the Championship in 2017/18, contributing 24 goals and assists to help fire the Cottagers to promotion.
A further haul of eight goal involvements the following season in the top-flight was enough for Spurs to make their move, with the young speedster looking set to have "a massive future" in the game, according to then-teammate Matt Targett, amid comparisons to a certain Gareth Bale.
Despite memorably scoring away to Bayern Munich during his first Champions League start in December 2019, Sessegnon's time at the club has never reached such heights again, with injury and a lack of game time having been central to his downfall.
That stark decline for the 23-year-old can be particularly seen in his plummeting transfer value, with it hard to see Daniel Levy and co being able to recoup anywhere close to that £25m figure if the wing-back is to depart in the near future.
Ryan Sessegnon's market value
With just a year left to run on his existing deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Englishman appears to be coming to the climax of a frustrating spell with the Lilywhites, having even been tipped for a loan move away from the club last month.
Despite reported shock interest from rivals Manchester United, the 5 foot 10 dynamo ultimately stayed put in Postecoglou's ranks, having only recently made his first appearance of the season against Burnley in the FA Cup, following a lengthy stint on the sidelines.
Ryan Sessegnon.
If the club are to push for a permanent exit for the player over the summer, amid his expiring contract, the suggestion is that they will have to sell him on the cheap, with CIES Football Observatory valuing the once-promising talent at just €5m (£4m).
While time is still on his side to revive his career, be it at Spurs or elsewhere, it is not as if Sessegnon has particularly impressed when he has been fit and available for the club, even being described as "a Championship player" by club insider John Wenham, as he "can’t beat a man, has no pace, has no strength and cannot deliver a cross".
The worst 10 Spurs transfer signings under Mauricio Pochettino
Football FanCast takes a look back at the worst signings the Argentine made as Spurs boss.
ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 22, 2023
With only three goals and four assists to his name in 57 appearances in just under five years at Tottenham, the £55k-per-week man has certainly not proven value for money, with a fresh start in new surroundings arguably the best solution for all parties.
Gio Reyna turned and twisted to leave Weston McKennie for dust in a one-on-one training drill as the USMNT step up Copa America preparations.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Reyna looked in good nickUSMT gearing up for Copa AmericaWIll start their campaign against BoliviaWHAT HAPPENED?
Reyna might be heading into the Copa America on the back of a disappointing club campaign, as he failed to impress during his loan stint at Nottingham Forest from Borussia Dortmund. Still, the forward looked in good spirits in a USMNT training session in Dallas, Texas. His trickery left McKennie grabbing air as Reyna went on to score with his left foot – placing his shot beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.
AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Christian Pulisic also looked in fine touch as he found the net with a bullet attempt. More importantly, Josh Sargent, who had been nursing a foot injury trained with little trouble and also scored in training.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty/GOALWHAT NEXT FOR USMNT?
Greg Berhalter's men will begin their Copa America campaign against Bolivia on June 23 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Their next two group matches are against Panama and Uruguay on June 27 and July 1, respectively.
Kevin De Bruyne was angered at being targeted repeatedly by a fan with a laser during Belgium's Euro 2024 clash against Ukraine on Wednesday.
Article continues below
Article continues below
Article continues below
Laser shines in De Bruyne's facePlay stopped as he complains to refereeBelgium draw to finish second in groupWHAT HAPPENED?
A green laser was seen shining on the Belgian attacking midfielder's face as he stepped up to take set-pieces during his team's final group stage game. De Bruyne complained to referee Anthony Taylor when he noticed the laser a second time as he went to take a free-kick, resulting in a break in play.
AdvertisementVIEW THE IMAGETHE BIGGER PICTURE
Belgium and Ukraine played out a goalless draw in the Group E tie, ensuring the Rode Duivels finish second in the pool behind Romania. The Belgian fans reacted angrily at full-time to express their anger at their team's disappointing performances in the tournament so far.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BELGIUM?
De Bruyne and his Belgium team-mates will go on to face France in the round of 16 at Euro 2024 in Dusseldorf on July 1.
Joe Root shows leadership qualities with gritty innings that keeps England alive in chase
George Dobell in Leeds24-Aug-2019Joe Root wasn’t just battling to save this match. And he wasn’t just battling to save his side’s hopes in the Ashes. He was, perhaps, battling to save his captaincy.Few England captains survive two Ashes series defeats to lead their side into a third. Archie MacLaren did so, but that was more than a century ago and he had been replaced in between series. Archie didn’t have Twitter to deal with, either.But it wasn’t just defeat that threatened Root. It was the thought that captaincy may be getting the better of him. England had been a bit of a shambles at the end of day two and the start of day three. Root himself had put down a relatively straightforward catch at slip – Marnus Labuschagne was on 14 at the time; it may yet prove a crucial moment – they had conceded over-throws and started to snipe at one another in the field. Increasingly it was looking hard to sustain the belief that Root was the man to drive this side forward.ALSO READ: Labuschagne sets the example for Australia – and EnglandMore than that, Root’s primary problem was the diminishing returns from his own bat. In a side as parched for runs as England, any drop of output from their best batsman cannot be accommodated. Going into this innings, Root was averaging 18.85 in Test cricket this summer having suffered consecutive ducks in his previous two innings. Overall, he averaged 52.88 when not captain and 40.41 when captain. The evidence was starting to suggest he had been worn down by the burden of the role. The whispers were growing that, for his own good as much as the team’s, it might be necessary to make a change.That would be a nightmare for England’s team management. There are few obvious alternatives for the role – Ben Stokes, perhaps, or, maybe Stuart Broad for the rest of the summer – and it would spell defeat in England’s rebuilding efforts of the last few years. But, tough though the decision might have been, it was increasingly looking as if it might appear necessary.Moments after Root came to the crease, England subsided to 15 for 2 requiring 344 more for victory. It looked a hopeless task. No England side has ever made such a total to win a Test and there’s not much about this side – the team that have lost 10 wickets in a single session four times in the last three years – to suggest they will be the ones to change history.But, at last, they found some resistance. Not swashbuckling, counterattacking, blistering resistance. The more substantial kind. The kind that is prepared to wait and leave and take blows to the body. The kind that reminds us that batting isn’t just about eye-catching shots, but tight defence and well-judged leaves. It’s about hours of careful accumulation.Joe Root walks off with an unbeaten 75•AFPRoot was beaten at times. Josh Hazlewood, in particular, bowled beautifully and might, with a slice of luck, have won the battle. But while England pushed and prodded at deliveries in the first innings, here Root defended with bat in front of his eyes, played the line and refused to be lured into jabbing at the ball as it left him. His first three boundaries were all the result of soft hands combatting well directed deliveries and guided – sometimes with more than a hint of edge about them – to third man.As his innings progressed, there were one or two more expansive shots. When Nathan Lyon over-pitched, for example, Root leaned into a cover driven boundary that registered his half-century from 120-balls. The next delivery, Lyon dropped short and Root turned him to fine leg for four more. And when Lyon removed his slip, Root responded with a reverse-sweep for another boundary.But he had earned the right to those strokes. He had seen off the bowlers at their freshest and the ball at its hardest. He had forced them into third and fourth spells and, for perhaps the first time this series, exposed the limitations of Australia’s three-man pace attack. This is how Test batting used to look.One of the more remarkable moments in Root’s innings came when he had scored 59. It earned no applause and will probably not feature on any highlights package. But his ability to keep out one delivery from Hazlewood – a ball that jagged in and kept horribly low – was remarkable; a testament to the batsman’s hand-eye coordination and the manner in which he was keeping his eye on the ball.It was, for the most part, good old-fashioned Test batting. There was none of this nonsense about needing to be positive or putting the pressure back on the bowler by hitting them for boundaries. Instead it was about the importance of remaining compact, the importance of wearing bowlers down and the importance of selling his wicket for the highest price possible. It was, in short, the innings of a leader.He received admirable support from Joe Denly. There have been times in this series – really quite long times, not least in this game – when Denly has looked some way short of the standard required to sustain success at this level. Even in this innings, there were times when his most productive shot was the leave; so late was he on some leaves, that the ball flashed away off the face of the withdrawing bat to the boundary.But there should be no doubting his toughness or determination. The Australian bowlers gave him a wonderfully sustained examination against the short-ball and, while he rarely looked anything other than hugely uncomfortable, he never took a backward step and he never gave it away. Eventually, he too produced a cut, a clip and a drive or two that suggested this attack could, in time, be overcome. He earned this half-century through bravery, bruises and bloody-mindedness.And then there’s Stokes. Forget, for a moment, the fact that he reached stumps having batted 50 balls for 2. That’s an admirable demonstration of restraint, for sure. But it pales into insignificance beside his effort with the ball. Had it not been for Stokes’ incredible spell – his 24.2 overs, every one of them dripping with pace and hostility, were broken only by night and four balls from Jofra Archer – this Ashes campaign would have been decided already. Not for the first time, his figures – 3 for 56 and 2 not out – provide little insight into the enormity of his commitment and contribution.Australia remain overwhelming favourites for this match and this series. With the pitch exhibiting signs of uneven bounce and a new ball due after eight overs on the fourth day, Root may consider that his work has hardly begun. It would be little less than a miracle if England pulled this off.But Root has, at least, shown that he has the character and skill to perform under pressure. And he has shown the leadership qualities to coax performances out of his team. Maybe, just maybe, Root can lead his side through such hardships in the manner in which Allan Border did so when captaining Australia during the defeat of 1985 and 1986-87. Border, after all, then went on to lead his side to success in the next three Ashes series. There were moments, at least, on Saturday when Root suggested he had the skill and the fortitude to do something similar.