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Erling Haaland missed a penalty but then opened the scoring in Manchester City's 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich which sent them into the semi-finals

Even when he is far from his best, Erling Haaland knows where the net is.

Many players might have let their heads drop after missing a penalty, especially after ballooning the ball over the bar. Not Haaland.

The Norwegian striker dusted himself down and effectively put the tie to bed with a composed finish in the second half before Joshua Kimmich scored late on after a farcical penalty decision which punished Manuel Akanji for the ball striking his arm while he was challenging an opponent.

This was not City's best performance by any stretch of the imagination but they were rarely in any danger against one of the top teams in Europe and are in the Champions League semi-finals for the third year in a row through the 1-1 (4-1 on aggregate) result.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Allianz Arena…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (6/10):

Was kept on his toes all evening and coped well although didn't actually have to make many saves due to Bayern's wastefulness.

John Stones (6/10):

Less influential in midfield than he has been but very assured in defence.

Manuel Akanji (5/10):

Was stretched a bit by Coman and Leroy Sane. Extremely harsh to have conceded the penalty.

Ruben Dias (7/10):

City's most dominant defender again. Beaten to the ball a couple of times but made some important blocks and kept his head.

Nathan Ake (5/10):

Picked up a booking and struggled to deal with Kingsley Coman on a few occasions. Forced off in second half with a suspected hamstring injury which could be bad news for City.

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Kevin De Bruyne (7/10):

Played a wonderful ball to Haaland for the goal and his passing had Bayern on the back foot. The Bavarians should be thankful each and every day that he left the Bundesliga.

Rodri (5/10):

Didn't manage to exert his usual control on the midfield, particularly as Bayern bossed the first half.

Bernardo Silva (6/10):

Played a couple of sloppy passes and did not connect well with his team-mates. But this was not a match in which his playmaking was particularly needed, given the aggregate score.

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Ilkay Gundogan (8/10):

Not very effective in attack, taking too long to shoot on more than one occasion.

Erling Haaland (6/10):

Far from his best display and as well as skying the penalty he blasted the ball straight at Yann Sommer from a good opportunity. But responded as he knows best, with a ruthless finish. Even his bad days wind up looking pretty good.

Jack Grealish (7/10):

Worked hard in defence and also posed Bayern a few problems when on the ball. His close control and dribbling also frustrated the hosts. Enjoying life on the pitch this season more than his debut campaign with City.

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Aymeric Laporte (7/10):

When he was on the pitch Bayern's grip on the game started to fade.

Julian Alvarez (N/A):

Brought on for the final six minutes.

Kyle Walker (N/A):

Only introduced for the final two minutes.

Pep Guardiola (7/10):

Took no chances with his team selection and despite not playing superbly his side were rarely in any serious danger.

The World Cup's most successful nation has not won the competition for over 20 years – but a group is emerging who have the talent to end that drought

When the NXGN 2023 finalists were revealed on Tuesday, there was one country that dominated the 50-strong list. Brazil had no fewer than eight players among the list of world football's top teenage talents born in 2004 or later, including NXGN Nine award-winner, Endrick.

Given some of the Brazilian talents who have graced the upper echelons of the annual list of wonderkids in recent years, such as Real Madrid duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, it is hard not to get excited about the prospect of a new golden generation emerging for the Selecao.

Of course, Brazilian generations are ultimately judged on whether or not they win the World Cup.

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Fans of the South American nation generally view two generations – the one fronted by Pele that won three global titles between 1958-70, and the team of Ronaldo, Cafu and – latterly – Ronaldinho, that reached three successive finals, winning twice – as the gold standard.

And while there hasn't been a Ballon d'Or winner from the country since Kaka in 2007, there is no doubt that Brazilian footballers are beginning to dominate the top of the European game once more. The recent Real Madrid-Liverpool tie in the Champions League, for example, featured a record-breaking six different Brazil internationals.

This year's NXGN suggests that number is only going to increase over the next decade, too.

Getty ImagesNXGN 2023's Brazilian ballers

The aforementioned Endrick is top of the pile when it comes to Brazilian wonderkids right now. The 16-year-old Palmeiras forward is regarded as the best talent to have emerged in the country since Neymar, and the battle to sign him among European clubs over the past year suggested as much.

Real Madrid eventually beat the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea to Endrick, agreeing to a deal worth €60 million to bring the teenager to Santiago Bernabeu, though he will not arrive until the summer of 2024.

Others to have agreed moves to Europe include midfielder Andrey Santos, whom Chelsea paid an initial £11m to sign in January, and centre-back Kaiky, who was heavily linked with Barcelona before joining fellow Spanish side Almeria last summer.

Right-back Vinicius Tobias and winger Savio, meanwhile, are currently on loan at Real Madrid and PSV, respectively, and have been getting used to European football in those clubs' reserve sides in the lower reaches of their domestic pyramids.

Vitor Roque, the Athletico Paranaense striker who has been likened to Ronaldo, is likely to be the next to follow them across the Atlantic, with Barca again said to be at the front of the queue for the 18-year-old.

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Flamengo midfielder Matheus Franca, meanwhile, recently signed a new contract that includes a €200m release clause after Newcastle had a bid for him rejected in January. Santos winger Angelo Gabriel could soon join Matheus at Flamengo, too, though it's widely felt that would just be a stepping-stone move before he eventually lands in Europe, too.

The conveyor belt is unlikely to stop there, either, with Palmeiras duo Luis Guilherme and Estevao Willian – the latter of whom is still only 15 – already on the radars of the world's most prestigious clubs.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDeveloping 'O Jogo Bonito'

So what's so special about Brazilian coaching and youth development to create such a generation of players who are adept at the beautiful game, or 'O Jogo Bonito' as it's referred to in Brazil?

"Football is a national passion in our country, and our children have the ball at their feet from an early age," Paulo Victor, the manager of Palmeiras' successful Under-20s team, tells NXGN.

"Brazil's great secret lies in its passion, improvisation, daring and creativity. Also, the number of youth teams and competitions that we have and, currently, the quality of work in the youth categories that is being done throughout Brazil."

Vasco da Gama's academy director, Carlos Brazil, adds: "Brazil has always had golden generations. The proof of that is that for a long time, it has been the biggest exporter of players in the world.

"Training a great player involves a methodology that requires a systemic view and interdisciplinary work. There are now several professionals, from different areas, involved in the training of an athlete."

Those coaches and academies are, though, still at something of an advantage compared to others.

Getty ImagesThe beauty of a one-sport nation

Football might as well be the only sport in Brazil. Others have niche followings, but every Brazilian lives and breathes football to some extent. And since the country possesses the sixth-largest population on Earth, that's a lot of football-loving households.

The five countries with larger populations – China, India, United States, Indonesia and Pakistan – are hardly footballing hotbeds, with only one (the U.S.) even having qualified for the 2022 World Cup.

It's perhaps understandable, then, that Brazil is regarded as one of, if not the world's best footballing talent factory. The likes of the top European nations, as well as Argentina and Uruguay, might produce at a more impressive rate given their smaller populations, but that should not take away from what Brazil has been able to do in recent years in terms of elite talents.

"The country, having such a large size and having football as the most popular sport, obviously gives birth to talents in great proportions," Carlos Brazil says. "These well-polished talents, though, become quality players with our training."

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Getty ImagesThe start of something special?

The proof, as always, will be in the pudding when it comes to whether Brazil's next generation will be a golden one, but the early signs are certainly promising.

The U20s team, led by Andrey Santos and Vitor Roque, won the South American Championship at the start of 2023 despite a series of players being blocked from taking part by their clubs, and will head to this summer's U20 World Cup as one of the favourites.

And yet even that might only be the tip of the iceberg, as Paulo Victor explains: "In recent years, we have followed a new generation of players who have taken up major roles in the biggest leagues in world football. But I believe that the best is yet to come in terms of quantity and quality, with the current Under-17 and Under-15 generations.

"They have a significant amount of super talents who will add to the players who are playing a major role today, such as Vini Jr. , Rodrygo, Antony and Gabriel Martinelli."

And so the almost-daily reports of a teenage Brazilian being on the transfer radar of at least one top European club is set to continue for a while yet. The odds are strong that a sixth World Cup will likely follow soon enough.

City could only blame themselves after missing a hatful of chances and twice throwing away the lead to drop points at home once more

Manchester City dropped two more points against a top-six side and once again could only blame themselves after failing to put Tottenham out of sight in a thrilling 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Son Heung-min caught City on the hop to give Spurs the lead after his side cut through the champions on the counter-attack, but moments later put the ball through his own net. Phil Foden's sensational team goal then put City in front and they should have killed the game off, with Erling Haaland missing big chances either side of half-time.

But they let their foot off the gas in the second half and twice surrendered the lead – first via Giovani Lo Celso's sizzling strike and then Dejan Kulusevski's header, after Jack Grealish had restored the champions' advantage.

GOAL rates Man City's players from the Etihad Stadium…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Ederson (5/10):

Made a hash of Son's shot, which squirmed through his arms. Blameless for Lo Celso's thumper or Kulusevski's late header.

Kyle Walker (7/10):

Made excellent recovery runs and stayed well on top of the threat of Udogie and Gil down his flank.

Manuel Akanji (6/10):

Made a strong start in the hybrid defence/midfield role but stood back more in the second, playing into Spurs' hands.

Ruben Dias (6/10):

Made a crucial slide tackle to prevent Kulusevski finding Son.

Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

Struggled to keep a handle on Kulusevski and had to resort to fouling him, earning a booking.

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Bernardo Silva (6/10):

A sloppy pass nearly led to a big Spurs chance. Otherwise played well.

Rodri (6/10):

A mixed bag. Made some sloppy passes and tackles and is now suspended for the trip to Aston Villa. Made amends by sparking the Grealish's goal as he seized the ball from Bissouma.

Phil Foden (8/10):

Made lots of nice moves, often dictating play from deep. His finish was a work of art.

Getty ImagesAttack

Julian Alvarez (7/10):

Had a hand in City's first two goals but gave the ball away before Lo Celso struck.

Erling Haaland (5/10):

A lousy performance both in his build-up play and his finishing, particularly his sitter in the first half. Half made up for it by setting up Grealish's goal with a deft touch.

Jeremy Doku (7/10):

Electric and unpredictable. Unlucky not to score when he hit the woodwork. Taken off in the 52nd minute with an injury.

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Jack Grealish (8/10):

Made a huge impact and drew lots of attention from Spurs' players, who kept on fouling him. Scored a fine goal which looked to have won the game.

Rico Lewis (7/10):

Kept the ball well and was strong defensively too.

Nathan Ake (N/A):

Came on in the 87th minute and was beaten in the air for Kulusevski's goal.

Mateo Kovacic (N/A):

Came on in the 87th minute.

Pep Guardiola (5/10):

Made an uncharacteristically large number of substitutions to try and fix things. Taking Foden off didn't make much sense and has now dropped four points in consecutive home games, admittedly against very strong opponents.

Sri Lanka Women have named uncapped Imalka Mendis in their 14-member squad for the forthcoming home series against South Africa Women, which starts from October 15

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2014South Africa’s tour of Sri Lanka

1st ODI – October 15, Colombo

2nd ODI – October 17, Colombo

3rd ODI – October 19, Colombo

4th ODI – October 21, Colombo

1st T20 – October 23, Colombo

2nd T20 – October 25, Colombo

3rd T20 – October 26, Colombo

Sri Lanka Women have named uncapped Imalka Mendis in their 14-member squad for the forthcoming home series against South Africa Women, which starts from October 15.The other notable changes to the Sri Lanka squad are the inclusions of Hasini Perera, Ama Kanchana, Sanduni Abeywickrema, Nilakshi de Silva and Prasadani Weerakkody. Wicketkeeper Dilani Manodara, who played for Sri Lanka in their last ODI series against India in January and in the recent Asian Games, has been left out while Chamari Polgampola, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Chandima Gunaratne, Yasoda Mendis have been named on the list of standby players.Both Hasini and de Silva were a part of the Sri Lanka squad for the Women’s World T20 in March this year, while Kanchana last played an international game in March last year. Abeywickrema, a middle-order batsman, last played an international game for Sri Lanka in 2010 and played one game for Sri Lanka A against Australia A earlier in the year.Sri Lanka and South Africa are scheduled to play a four-match ODI series, followed by three T20s. The first three ODIs will also be counted in the ICC Women’s Championship, and will allow both teams to make a mark on the points table. The four ODIs will be held on October 15, 17, 19 and 21, while the T20s will be played between October 23 and 26.Sri Lanka Women: Chamari Atapattu, Hasini Perera, Shashikala Siriwardene, Eshani Lokusuriyage, Sripali Weerakkody, Anushka Sanjeewani, Maduri Samuddika, Inoka Ranaweera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Ama Kanchana, Prasadani Weerakkody, Sanduni Abeywickrema, Imalka Mendis, Nilakshi de Silva
: Chamari Polgampola, Inoshi Priyadharshani, Chandima Gunaratne, Yasoda Mendis

Allrounders Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis, batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor, and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were the highest-profile overseas players picked at the Caribbean Premier League 2015’s players draft

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Feb-2015Allrounders Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis, batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Ross Taylor, and fast bowler Lasith Malinga were the highest-profile overseas players picked at the Caribbean Premier League 2015’s players draft, in Jamaica. Afridi, in the top grade of the 11 payment brackets at the draft, was claimed by the league’s new franchise from St Kitts and Nevis.Kallis went to Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel, Jayawardene to Jamaica Tallawahs, Taylor to St Lucia Zouks and Malinga to Guyana Amazon Warriors. Marlon Samuels was among the biggest local names in the draft – several others were retained by their franchises before the draft – and he was claimed by St Kitts and Nevis. The St Kitts and Nevis franchise, which replaces Antigua Hawksbills in the competition and were allowed to retain four of the Antigua squad, have also announced that they will be coached by South African Eric Simons, who has worked with Delhi Daredevils and the Indian team in coaching roles.The teams have 24 hours after the end of the draft to exchange a player with another franchise, but they can indulge in only one such switch.Shahid Afridi was in the top grade of the 11 payment brackets at the draft•AFPSquads
St Kitts and Nevis: Shahid Afridi ($150,000), Marlon Samuels ($100,000), Sohail Tanvir ($80,000), Sheldon Cotterell ($70,000), Martin Guptill ($50,000), Carlos Brathwaite ($40,000, retained), Evin Lewis ($30,000), Devon Thomas ($20,000, retained), Raymon Reifer ($15,000), Tabraiz Shamsi ($10,000), Orlando Peters ($10,000, retained), Tonito Willett ($5,000), Nicolas Pooran ($5,000), Jacques Talyor ($5,000), Justin Athanaze ($5,000, retained)
Barbados Tridents: Kieron Pollard ($150,000, retained), Shoaib Malik($100,000, retained), Dwayne Smith ($80,000, retained), Ravi Rampaul ($70,000, retained), Jason Holder ($50,000), Rayad Emrit ($40,000), Dilshan Munaweera ($30,000), Jonathan Carter ($20,000), Justin Ontong($15,000), Ashley Nurse ($10,000), Robin Peterson ($10,000), Akeal Hosein ($5,000), Navin Stewart ($5,000), Shai Hope ($5,000), Kyle Corbin ($5,000)
Guyana Amazon Warriors: Sunil Narine ($150,000, retained), Lasith Malinga ($100,000), Tillakaratne Dilshan ($80,000), Lendl Simmons ($70,000, retained), Denesh Ramdin ($50,000, retained), Thisara Perera ($40,000), Christopher Barnwell ($30,000, retained), Brad Hodge ($20,000), Veerasammy Permaul ($15,000), Ronsford Beaton ($10,000), Shivnarine Chanderpaul ($10,000), Devendra Bishoo ($5,000), Trevon Griffith ($5,000), Assad Fudadin ($5,000), Paul Wintz ($5,000)
Jamaica Tallawahs: Chris Gayle ($150,000, retained), Mahela Jayawardene ($100,000), Andre Russell ($80,000, retained), Chris Lynn ($70,000), Daniel Vettori ($50,000), Jerome Taylor ($40,000, retained), Nikita Miller ($30,000), Chadwick Walton ($20,000, retained), Krishmar Santokie($15,000), Rusty Theron ($10,000), Narsingh Deonarine ($10,000), David Bernard Jr ($5,000), Nkrumah Bonner ($5,000), Jermaine Blackwood ($5,000), Horace Miller ($5,000)
St Lucia Zouks: Darren Sammy ($150,000, retained), Ross Taylor ($100,000), Kevin Pietersen ($80,000, retained), Johnson Charles ($70,000, retained), Shakib Al Hasan($50,000), Andre Fletcher ($40,000, retained), Shannon Gabriel ($30,000), Henry Davids($20,000), Fidel Edwards ($15,000), Kemar Roach ($10,000), Shane Shillingford ($10,000), Kyle Mayers ($5,000), Keddy Lesporis ($5,000), Liam Sebastien ($5,000), Delorn Johnson ($5,000)
Trinidad & Tobago Red Steel: Dwayne Bravo ($150,000, retained), Jacques Kallis ($100,000, Darren Bravo ($80,000, retained), Samuel Badree ($70,000, retained), Johan Botha ($50,000), Kevon Cooper ($40,000, retained), Kamran Akmal ($30,000), Cameron Delport ($20,000), Sulieman Benn ($15,000), Jason Mohammed ($10,000), Marlon Richards ($10,000), Miguel Cummins ($5,000), Jevon Searles ($5,000), William Perkins ($5,000), Derone Davis ($5,000)

David Willey’s worldwide reputation has never been higher after his part in England’s journey to the World T20 final in India

David Hopps21-Apr-2016David Willey’s worldwide reputation has never been higher after his part in England’s journey to the World T20 final in India. As England’s leading wicket-taker he displayed an ability to remove top-order players with the new ball and hold his nerve in the closing overs. But anybody casually describing him as a T20 specialist is liable to risk a few home truthsWilley has joined Yorkshire with the opposite intention in mind – the ambition to prove his credentials as a Test cricketer. England might be taking a more relaxed attitude to their best T20 players taking part in IPL and could be expected to be enthusiastic if Willey entered the IPL auction and won a contract.But for the moment he wants no part of it. His eyes are on helping Yorkshire to a third successive Championship and enhancing his reputation as an all-round cricketer in the process.”Test cricket is the pinnacle still – I’ve always wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps and play Test cricket.” said Willey. There is a fierce sense of tradition about him, just as there was in his father, Peter Willey, who played 26 Tests for England before turning to umpiring.”He’s been my main point of call for many years now,” Willey said. “If he can’t give me the best advice after 49 years, I don’t know who can.” With such a family influence, he was never going to be a cricketer obsessed only with the IPL dollar, although he did take the chance to play in the Big Bash League, something he would like to continue if England commitments permit.”I guess over the years I played more and more with Northamptonshire being competitive in one-day cricket. I think if you’re in a successful team, you’re going to get recognised in that format.”I can understand that, and I’ve got a long way to go in Championship cricket to maybe get Test recognition – which I’m aware of – but I hope joining Yorkshire is a stepping stone to doing that.”IPL then will have to wait. “You never rule out any option, but I moved here to play Division One red-ball cricket. If you look at the fixture list, if you go to the IPL and are in the England one-day set-up, you end up only being available for a handful of Championship games, which defeats the object of me moving here.”Maybe down the line, it might be an option for me. But certainly this year, I wanted to come here, settle in, get to know the lads and not only contribute to the one-day stuff but the Championship stuff.”His fiancée is from Bramley, a few miles from his new cricketing home at Headingley. He doesn’t much care for theories, though, that he plays his cricket in a typically aggressive Yorkshire style, something that is bound to endear him to northern crowds. “I think the majority of cricketers play in an aggressive manner,” he said. “I probably get too close to the line at times, but I guess that’s my competitive edge coming through.”David Willey would like the chance to continue opening the batting in domestic T20•Getty ImagesWilley was rested out of Yorkshire’s opening Championship match against Hampshire at Headingley, following his England exploits, and as the first two innings brought more than 1,000 runs over more than three days, it seemed a good one to miss.But Willey does not seem the sort to want to rest out for long. There would be times when his intense gaze would have rested on the tousle-haired Ryan Sidebottom, the former England left-arm seamer, who recorded his 1,000th wicket in all professional formats during the match and who, at 38, is seen as the ideal mentor for Willey over the next two seasons before an envisaged retirement.”He has been successful in all forms so if I can just pick his brains about one-day cricket and four-day cricket hopefully I can improve and play in his wings and in the future lead the attack as he has done quite well here.”It is a very strong squad but there is a lot of cricket to play in the summer so there are going to be a lot of opportunities and I hopefully will play all one-day cricket and, with the other seamers, rotate around so we are all fresh when we play the four-day stuff as well.Rotation was never a possibility at his previous county, Northamptonshire. “You play at smaller counties, you are wheeled out at times to play every game of the season, which is difficult as a bowler.”Here, I’m going to have to push to get a game. But then also, there will be opportunities for me to rest as well. That hopefully means that when I do play my four-day cricket, I’m fresh and can bowl to my potential.”There is no getting away from the fact, though, that Willey’s biggest impact could be in T20, simply because this is where Yorkshire have had glaring shortcomings. He might have batted down the order for England but as well as his bowling duties he has ambitions to repeat his Northants role in the NatWest Blast as an opening batsman – which included hitting a 40-ball hundred in last year’s quarter-final against Sussex. Alex Lees, an opening batsman himself, in his first captaincy season in limited-overs formats, can expect a meaningful conversation.”I’d like to think I’ll open the batting,” he said. “It depends who’s available, and what the captain and coach want to do. But I think I’ve been quite successful opening the batting down at Northants, so I’d like to put my name in the hat to do that here as well.”It certainly helps when you’ve got a consistent 12 or 13 players playing. People then know their roles and how each other plays. When you are having to mix and match because people are dropping out, it becomes very difficult.”It is difficult with guys going in and out of the England stuff to get a balanced, settled side,” he said, “but there are a lot of quality players here and a strength in depth so hopefully it will come together for us to perform in one-day cricket as well.”

Roy Keane was left fuming at Goodison Park as a fan kept filming him instead of watching Manchester United's clash against Everton.

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Keane rages at fan for filming him during Everton vs Man UtdAsked the person to stop filming and start watching the matchMan Utd thrashed Everton 3-0WHAT HAPPENED?

The United legend was seen raging at a fan at Goodison Park as the person kept filming him instead of watching the Premier League match between Everton and Red Devils.

As the fan zoomed the camera towards Keane, the former United skipper could be seen making angry gestures pointing to the ground while telling the person to concentrate on the game instead of filming him.

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On the pitch, the Red Devils picked up a comprehensive 3-0 win over the Toffees courtesy of goals from Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

The Argentine youngster opened the scoring for his club in the third minute of the game with a fabulous acrobatic bicycle kick that evoked memories of Cristiano Ronaldo's famous strike for Real Madrid against Juventus in the Champions League in 2018.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

Erik ten Hag's side will next take on Galatasaray in a must-win Champions League group stage clash on Wednesday in Istanbul.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that Vinicius Jr. could "improve" his attitude amid criticism from Barcelona legend Carles Puyol.

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Puyol hit out at Brazil internationalAncelotti appears to agree with his takeVinicius victim of repeated racist insultsWHAT HAPPENED?

Puyol claimed that Vinicius needed to "change his attitude" in order to gain the recognition he deserves. Vinicius has been at the centre of multiple racist incidents in La Liga, with the most recent flashpoint coming against Sevilla.

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Ancelotti has repeatedly defended Vinicius, saying that he was "disrespected" against Athletic Club in January, but he appears to have changed his tack and has seemingly agreed with Puyol's sentiments.

WHAT THEY SAID

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Real's Champions League clash with Braga, Ancelotti said: "If Puyol wants to talk toVinícius, let him do it, he has a lot of experience. Vini is a difference-maker, that’s obvious. Maybe his attitude could be better in certain circumstances. But he has improved a lot, and continues to improve. We are delighted with him. He does his best, in the last few games he hasn’t quite been on top form, but he has improved a lot.”

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Madrid face Braga in the Champions League before returning to domestic action against Valencia this weekend.

Mark Robinson, the head coach of the England women’s team, has blamed their five-run defeat against Australia in the World T20 semi-final on the squad’s poor standards of fitness

Andrew Miller in Delhi30-Mar-20161:30

‘We couldn’t run our twos’ – Mark Robinson

Mark Robinson, the head coach of the England women’s team, has blamed their five-run defeat against Australia in the World T20 semi-final on the squad’s poor standards of fitness, and has challenged his players to improve their running between the wickets in particular, after falling short in yet another major global tournament.Speaking alongside England’s beaten captain, Charlotte Edwards, at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, Robinson said that the defeat was still too raw to contemplate its full implications. However, he exonerated Edwards herself from any criticism, saying that he needed “a few more warriors like the captain” to take the team to the next level.”We lost by five runs,” said Robinson. “There’s nothing between these two teams. But we’ve got to get fitter. We’re not fit enough. They out-ran us.”Athleticism is something you are given by God, but aerobic fitness is something we’ve got to get better,” he added. “We missed out on twos, and we’ve lost by one boundary. We’ve got to change our mindset a bit, and toughen up a bit.”Not for the first time this tournament, England appeared to be cruising to victory while Edwards and Tammy Beaumont were adding 67 for the first wicket in the space of ten overs. But a familiar middle-order wobble left them with too much ground to make up in the closing overs, as they drifted out to 117 for 7.”Both teams got to similar stages,” said Robinson. “Both teams struggled to get boundaries in the end. It was all about the first 10 overs. The batting will get all the attention but, with big boundaries, slowish bowlers and no one in front of the wicket, it’s hard to find the boundaries.”Since his appointment last summer, Robinson has focused on adding new levels of aggression to England’s batting, which manifested itself in the only three sixes of the day, from Beaumont, Sarah Taylor and Katherine Brunt. However, his call for “360 degree” batting proved less successful, with Taylor in particular guilty of a limp dismissal off an attempted reverse-sweep.Robinson, however, reiterated his original point in defence of such attempts at innovation.”It was a bit of a problem because we couldn’t run our twos,” he said. “It was a catch-22 because, if you can’t get past the boundary and you can’t run twos, you’re starting to struggle a bit. But we hit six sixes in the tournament, so I know they’re going in the right direction.”There’s a lot of potential in the group,” he added. “A lot of girls with a lot to offer, we’ve got to give them belief and stick with the right players as well and accept there will be some bumps. But we’ve got to push them and extend them as well, because there’s a lot more in the tank.”Though Edwards’ place is hardly under scrutiny given her form in the tournament, her 10-year role as captain may yet come under review. Likewise, the place of veteran players such as Lydia Greenway, who played in the 2005 Ashes win, and Jenny Gunn may have to be called into question if the team is to evolve in time for the 2017 World Cup on home soil.”We’re 45 minutes after losing a semi-final by a boundary,” said Robinson. “It’s too early to get into those situations. You’ve got to make sure your base is big enough, you’ve got players to come in, There needs to be competition.”We’re looking for players who can stand up and be counted, and play under the pressure, and have the aerobic fitness to do the job necessary. That will be a necessity for any women’s team going forward.”We need more players like the captain,” he added. “She’s led fantastically well over the years. She’s got a fierceness inside her to keep improving and keep scoring runs. That’s something you want in all your players.”Edwards herself reiterated her desire to continue as England captain. “Absolutely,” she said. “I’ve been challenged pretty hard to expand my game and I feel I’m playing as well as I ever have done. Of course I want to keep captaining England. If I’m not the right person, it’s not going to be my decision. But I love what I do and I hope to keep giving more to this group.”

The pair are in line to become the first siblings to play together for the national team in over 30 years, but arrive in very different moods

Thursday could be quite a night for the Aaronson family. As the U.S. men's national team looks to qualify for the upcoming Copa America, brothers Brenden and Paxten will both be looking to make their case for roles next summer. And the wild part is that, after all of those years competing together in their parents' basement, their USMNT careers have finally intertwined as they look to push towards next summer's tournament on home soil.

Brenden, of course, is a mainstay, a 2022 World Cup veteran with several years of top-level experience under his belt. His younger brother Paxten is cast as the newcomer, one of the youngest faces in an already-inexperienced squad that made his debut earlier this year.

Both could be key players for the U.S. in the years to come. They've made history already, becoming the ninth set of brothers to represent the USMNT, but on Thursday against Trinidad and Tobago, they could become the eighth set to be on the field alongside one another.

However, as they head towards what could be an unforgettable day, the siblings are facing vastly different situations in their club careers. While one brother is struggling to make his mark, the other is seen as a rising star, one poised for a breakout sooner or later.

Sibling rivalries

Paxten couldn't help but smirk when he told the story. It was one of his fondest memories, and it came from going to war with his older brother, as they so often did. It was Christmas and the two were battling one-on-one in the basement. On this occasion, thanks to a stroke of luck, younger brother won, and older brother wasn't very happy about it.

"He came up to Christmas dinner and was so mad, he punted the ball and broke the light," Paxten told GOAL last summer. "My dad and mom came down there so aggravated because it was Christmas, you know? It's supposed to be a time of happiness and the entire dinner he was just sulking because he lost to me!

"It was always really intense between us. We would never have a full fist-fight, but we would get into some wrestling matches. And it was the same with all sports, like ping pong – we were so competitive in that. Around the holidays, I always got the better of him in that, so he would freak out. He beat me one time and I threw my paddle and hit him in the face!"

It's one story, but also an insight into the competitiveness that fuelled the Aaronson brothers. That competitiveness, ultimately, made them the players they are now. Growing up in Medford, New Jersey, Brenden and Paxten always had each other to compete with. Iron sharpened iron, and that iron got so sharp that the pair both rose to prominence with the Philadelphia Union.

Brenden came first, of course, emerging as a homegrown star before making his move to Europe. Paxten was hot on his heels, and he came armed with the knowledge gained from watching his older brother go through those growing pains first.

"When my brother first joined the league, he found it really hard to get shots off in the box and get good goalscoring opportunities, so my dad thought it was really important that I work on my ability in and around the box," Paxten explained. "He saw my brother struggling with it and he was like, 'Alright, well clearly he's struggling with it so we need to work on this with you.' I remember that off-season or that summer when he was struggling, all we did was work on finishing. My dad did a lot of research and we would just strictly do finishing for like an hour, just getting confident with it.

"I had that time ahead of him to really get good at it and perfect the technique and perfect the quick shot so I had a little bit of a head start on him. It was kind of like a blessing in disguise. He was struggling but I took his struggle and kind of developed that into my game."

AdvertisementAlready making history

The Aaronson brothers made history earlier this year when Paxten earned his first USMNT cap, and should they see the field together, they'd become the first siblings to do so since Ken and Steve Snow all the way back in 1988.

It's an impressive feat, for sure. Two boys from the same household shouldn't be among the 30 or so best players in the country, but here they are with the USMNT for a crucial camp. They haven't played as team-mates since childhood. Their club careers never overlapped, with Brenden jetting off to Europe before Paxten made his Union debut. They have, however, battled as foes.

On November 4, both brothers came off the bench in Eintracht Frankfurt's 3-0 win over Union Berlin, with as Paxten's team secured the three points in the Bundesliga. In doing so, they became the first set of American brothers to play against one another in a top European league.

'Balogun didn't know they were brothers!'

Folarin Balogun can be excused for making mistakes within the USMNT camp. He is new here, after all, having come through the ranks in England. His international teammates, though, won't let him live this one down for a while…

USMNT defender Chris Richards told the world of Balogun's embarrassing moment in the lead up to Thursday's match in Austin, revealing that the striker was stunned to find out, midway through training, that the two Aaronsons he was about to play alongside were actually related.

"It was funny," Richards said. "We were warming up today and Flo had no idea they were brothers. He thought that they just had the same last name. I was like, 'Bro, they look exactly the same, sound the same, play the exact same!' They're both kind of quirky. They're both pretty similar going like 100 miles per hour all the time. You can see that whatever their family is doing, they're doing pretty well, and it's funny because they're kind of still big brother and little brother. You're gonna give your little brother a little bit of smack, but it's funny to see to like the exact same people just few years apart."

Richards went on to reveal that there have been some odd moments with the two together. Paxten is a bit quiet, at least at the start. Brenden was too, before finding his place with the team. Richards also noticed that, at certain times, the two avoided each other on the field as both navigated the phenomenon of seeing their brother standing across from them.

"I think [Paxten] needs a little bit of time because B (Brenden) was [quiet] at first, too," Richards said. "They're both funny. They have the exact same personality both on and off the field."

As for head coach Gregg Berhalter, he says he's made sure to treat the two like any other player, despite the uniqueness of their situation. "We haven't made a big deal about it," he said. "I think they're both two different people, two different career paths."

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GettyBrenden seeking a boost

Berhalter has a point when pointing out those career trajectories, too. Entering this camp, Brenden finds himself in need of a boost, and, very soon, it seems like he'll find himself at something of a crossroads. After a disastrous season with Leeds United last campaign, Aaronson was loaned to Union Berlin as the English side tumbled into the Championship. Thus far, the season hasn't gone to plan, as Aaronson has featured 14 times, but has yet to score a goal. In total, he's played just 450 minutes for Union, and hasn't looked like a player that has the confidence to change games anymore.

"Brenden, he seems like one of the more experienced guys in the team, which is incredible for his young age," Berhalter said, "and it's been great seeing him grow and take the steps that he's had. He's in a little bit of a troubled spot with his club right now. Maybe not troubled, but his lack of minutes and lack of rhythm has hindered him a little bit. But he's a guy we believe in and we hope that he can contribute in this camp."

Now 23 and with professional experience with the Philadelphia Union, Red Bull Salzburg, Leeds and Union Berlin, you know what you're going to get from the elder Aaronson. He's an all-energy menace that can contribute either out wide or centrally. He was a key substitute at the 2022 World Cup thanks to that skillset, and he remains a player that Berhalter can turn to to bring life into any game.

He's shown, in spurts, that he can play at a high level, be it in the Premier League or Champions League, although we haven't seen that version of Aaronson at some time. There's still plenty of time to turn his loan spell in Germany around, but come June, Aaronson's next step will need be decisive.

Will he remain in a top-five European league, be it the Bundesliga or Premier League? Could he return to Leeds and make an impact? Could it be time to take a step backwards to a club to regain the confidence that he has lost? The time for that decision will come, but Aaronson faces a big seven months or so beforehand to get himself back on the right track for success.