Browsing: Womens

You wait four years for a World Cup, but if you’re a player or fan in Colombo then you may have spent most of this tournament staring at the rain rather than enjoying some much-anticipated cricket.

Five of the nine matches staged in the Sri Lanka capital have been affected by rain – with four ending in no result – causing former England spinner Alex Hartley to say the conditions had “ruined” the World Cup.

October is monsoon season on the island, with 300-370mm of rain anticipated in the month.

“I don’t really know what anybody was expecting to be completely honest. You have a tournament in Sri Lanka during monsoon season, it pretty much rains at the same time every single day,” Hartley, who won the tournament in 2017, told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“It’s ruined this World Cup – it’s been a real shame.”

All bar two of Sri Lanka’s group games are being staged at the R. Premadasa Stadium, as are all of Pakistan’s matches because of the ongoing political tensions with India, who are hosting the majority of the tournament.

Fatima Sana’s side sit bottom of the tournament standings and are facing elimination having seen their past two games washed out, including one against England where they looked well placed to win.

“You don’t want to come into a 50-over World Cup going ‘oh, well let’s hope we get a T20 tonight if it rains a little bit’. It’s been a little bit too predictable and really disappointing,” added Hartley.

“I toured Sri Lanka 10 years ago in October and every single one of our training sessions got rained out every single afternoon.

“The games in Sri Lanka could have, and should have, started earlier – that’s the only way you could have got the games unaffected.”

All matches are being played as day-nighters, with a 10:30 BST start and 15:00 local.

New Zealand have also seen their past two games in Colombo rained off, and the T20 World champions currently sit out the qualification places for the knockout stages.

“It’s extremely frustrating, let’s be honest. You wait four years for a World Cup and to have suffer through the rain,” said New Zealand captain Sophie Devine, who at 35 is likely to be playing in her last 50-over World Cup.

“I hope in future editions, they think of playing earlier in the day. We have seen the rain comes in the evening so play at 10 or 11. For the game, to be scuppered by rain is a real shame for me.”

BBC Sport has approached the International Cricket Council (ICC) for comment.

England’s sole fixture in Colombo was the game against Pakistan, where they slipped to 133-9 but saw the game called off during their opponents’ chase.

Nonetheless, England coach Charlotte Edwards has also been critical of the situation in Sri Lanka.

“You want to play as much cricket as you possibly can. I don’t know if things could have been changed that the games start earlier because of the monsoon season.

“I just hope that the teams that are playing there get some cricket this week, because you want to be playing games in the tournaments like this and it’s very frustrating that they’re not at the moment.”

If Pakistan were to qualify for the knockout stages then their matches would be held in Colombo, but given they are unlikely to qualify there are likely to be just two further matches staged there – between Pakistan and South Africa on Tuesday and Sri Lanka and Pakistan on Friday.

The weather for both days?

Rain.

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England coach Charlotte Edwards says they “got away with it” after the washout against Pakistan, but insists their best is still to come.

Pakistan, who are bottom of the Women’s World Cup table, reduced England to 79-7 and then reached 34-0 in pursuit of 113 to win before rain rescued Nat Sciver-Brunt’s side from a shocking defeat.

Edwards says they have reflected and moved on from that match in Colombo, but is hoping for an improved performance as they take on co-hosts India in a crunch fixture on Sunday.

“We haven’t played our best cricket, which is think encouraging for us as a group and we get to play now against some of the best teams in the world,” Edwards told BBC Sport.

“So I think we’re ready to take that challenge on.

“We were outplayed against Pakistan and we know that, we’ve spoken about it. We did get away with it, but we’ve got to move on.”

England are in a commanding position to reach the semi-finals, likely to only need one win from their last three to confirm their spot, but their results so far have flattered them, particularly in the batting department.

Since the dominant opening win against South Africa, England were 78-5 against Bangladesh, a standalone Sciver-Brunt masterclass ensured a comfortable win against Sri Lanka and then came the lucky escape against Pakistan.

“We probably weren’t as adaptable as I’d have liked,” Edwards added.

“I think there’s been some concerns around our batting, but I haven’t got many. When I came into this role it was about winning first and foremost, and the only game that we haven’t played well is against Pakistan.”

The real test begins now. India have been inconsistent so far but are expecting a sellout crowd in Indore, and impressed beat England away from home this summer.

On Wednesday is the tantalising grudge match, with England face defending champions Australia – the first time they have played one another since the Ashes humiliation at the start of this year before Edwards took charge.

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As Pratika moved up through the age groups, she caught the attention of former India player Deepti Dhyani, who became her coach.

“I saw her play a few drives and realised she had the capabilities. Most state-level players have talent; the challenge is transforming it for professional cricket. That’s where we as coaches step in,” Deepti says.

“She stood out because whenever you asked her to work on something, she would tick every box, even if you weren’t watching.”

Deepti also emphasised fitness, something Pratika had embraced since childhood.

“We often think gym work means building bulky muscles, but it’s really about staying injury-free. Thankfully, Pratika understood that well and worked on her fitness seriously,” says Deepti.

Even as cricket became her focus, Pratika didn’t neglect her studies. She pursued a degree in psychology, which helped her understand the mental side of the game.

“She was in ninth standard when she got interested in psychology, so she decided to study it in college,” says her father.

“In cricket, psychology plays a major role. When you’re batting, trying to read what a bowler is thinking or why they’ve set a certain field, it helps you dissect situations better. It’s been really useful for her.”

It’s that out-of-the-box thinking which gives Pratika a useful skill off the field: she can solve a Rubik’s cube.

“It has an algorithm to it,” Pratika said, in a social media video. “The centre pieces don’t move, so you need to move everything around those.”

Easy, or so Pratika makes it seem.

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South Africa moved up to second in the Women’s World Cup table with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka in a rain-shortened game in Colombo.

Set a Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) adjusted target of 121 to win in 20 overs, the Proteas cruised to victory inside 15 overs with captain Laura Wolvaardt hitting a superb 60 not out from 47 balls.

The classy right-hander shared an unbroken opening stand of 125 with Tazmin Brits, who hit the winning runs with a six to finish unbeaten on 55 from 42.

South Africa’s fourth straight win moves them above of England and just one point behind leaders Australia.

A lengthy downpour 12 overs into the match had looked set to result in a fourth washout at R Premadasa Stadium but the rain stopped just in time for a 20-over contest to take place.

Sri Lanka, who were 46-2 when the players were forced off, battled up to 105-7 but even after the DLS boost, it never threatened to really challenge South Africa.

Opener Vishmi Gunaratne was stretched off before the rain after a shy at the stumps struck her on the inside of the knee as she sprinted through for a quick single and forced her to retire hurt.

But no serious damage was done and she came in after the rain break to top-score for the tournament co-hosts with 34 from 33 balls.

Left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba took 3-30 for South Africa, with seamer Masabata Klaas claiming 2-18 before the rain.

Defeat leaves Sri Lanka winless and, with just two games left to play, their hopes of reaching the semi-finals are increasingly slim.

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Football Manager 26 launches next month, with women’s football available on the game.

The integration was announced four whole years ago – in part because it would have been impossible to keep such a huge project quiet – but now, we’re on the cusp of seeing women’s players in the game for the very first time.

In truth though, getting women’s football into the game has taken much longer than even that…

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Sports Interactive’s Miles Jacobson (R) (Image credit: Getty Images)

“We’re late to the party on this. I was looking at this from a commercial perspective,” studio director of Sports Interactive, Miles Jacobson, tells FourFourTwo.

“I was on a panel where we were talking about it and I was asked why we hadn’t done women’s football – and I said it wasn’t commercially viable.

Today’s best Sega Football Manager 26 deals

“Three Lionesses grabbed me afterwards and sat me down, and said, ‘Unless we get the support from other games companies and media companies, it’s never going to be commercially viable. You need to help us break through the glass ceiling.’

“This was at a time when it wasn’t at a level that it is now. The discussion kind of annoys me – but I was part of the problem and I’m part of the reason that these discussions are still happening.”

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“Let’s hope that us, Sky, the BBC, FourFourTwo, EA Sports FC and everyone else – let’s hope that we can get to a point where we don’t have to have this discussion anymore. And to be frank, to have the discussion, ‘Why the f*** didn’t you do this before?’

Real-world football clubs now use Football Manageras a scouting tool – and now, Jacobson says that he hopes that FMcan help as a source that will improve data in the women’s game.

Bunny Shaw, as seen in FM26 (Image credit: Sports Interactive/SEGA)

“We were late to it but we’re trying to fix that now,” he says. “I think data will be invaluable to football clubs and will hopefully open doors to more people to do data on this side of things as well.

“Because you look at the importance that women’s football is having on kids around the world: everyone across society needs role models. Let’s hope that we help, even if it’s a tiny bit. Women’s football is football. It’s football.”

Football Manager 26 is out on November 4, 2025.

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On October 17, the South Africa W vs Sri Lanka W match in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup is scheduled to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The weather conditions for this match in Colombo indicate that there are very high chances of rain and thunderstorms, which could mean that this match may be shortened. The pitch at the R. Premadasa Stadium is generally known as a well-balanced pitch, with spinners coming into the action in the second half of the game. The toss-winning team is predicted to bowl first; however, because of the predicted rain threat, they might also need to keep the DLS method in mind.

The South African womenâ€s team and the Sri Lankan womenâ€s team have faced each other 25 times in One Day International matches. South Africa has won 16 matches, and Sri Lanka has won 6 matches; 3 of their matches ended with a no result. South Africa will be coming into this match with confidence, as they have won three back-to-back matches; however, Sri Lanka has not yet won any match in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.

South Africa W vs Sri Lanka W 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup: What to Expect?

The South Africa W and Sri Lanka W match will be a must-win for the Sri Lankan womenâ€s team to stay alive in this tournament. They have played 4 matches so far, losing 2 and having 2 end in a no result. They currently sit in the 7th position on the points table with 2 points and a net run rate of -1.526. For Sri Lanka to have a chance to qualify for the semi-finals in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, they will need to win this match.

However, if Sri Lanka loses, they will only have 2 matches remaining in their group stage schedule. Even if they win both these matches, they will not be able to reach 8 points and will be practically eliminated from the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.Â

On the other hand, the South African womenâ€s team is looking to win this match and take a step forward in qualifying for the semi-finals in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. Currently, South Africa sits in the 3rd position on the points table with 6 points and a net run rate of -0.618. If South Africa wins this match, they will virtually have a guaranteed spot in the top 4. However, if they lose this match against Sri Lanka, they will then have to win at least one of their remaining two group stage matches.

South Africa W vs Sri Lanka W 2025 Womens ODI World Cup: Predicted XI

Here is the predicted lineup of South Africa W and Sri Lanka W in the 2025 Womens ODI World Cup:

South Africa W Predicted XISri Lanka W Predicted XILaura Wolvaardt (c)Chamari Athapaththu (c)Tazmin BritsVishmi GunaratneAnneke BoschHasini PereraAnnerie DercksenHarshitha SamarawickramaMarizanne KappKavisha DilhariSinalo Jafta (wk)Nilakshi de SilvaChloe TryonAnushka Sanjeewani (wk)Nadine de KlerkPiumi Wathsala BadalgeMasabata KlaasSugandika KumariTumi Sekhukhune or Ayabonga KhakaMalki Madara or Udeshika PrabodhaniNonkululeko MlabaInoka Ranaweera

South Africa W vs Sri Lanka W 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup: Where to Watch?

In India, the South Africa W vs Sri Lanka W match can be watched live on Star Sports Network and JioHotstar. Fans in South Africa can watch this match live on SuperSport Cricket and SuperSport App. Sri Lankan fans can watch this match live on TV1 and icc.tv.

FAQs

Q. Has the South African womenâ€s team ever won the Womens ODI World Cup?

A. The South African womenâ€s team has never won the Womens ODI World Cup.

Q. Has the South African womenâ€s team qualified for the semi-finals in the 2025 Womens ODI World Cup?

A. So far in this tournament, the South African womenâ€s team has won three matches, and for them to qualify for the semi-finals in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, they will need to win at least 1-2 more matches.

Q. Who is the captain of the Sri Lankan womenâ€s team?

A. Chamari Athapaththu is the captain of the Sri Lankan womenâ€s team in the 2025 Womens ODI World Cup.

Q. Has the Sri Lankan womenâ€s team ever won the Womens ODI World Cup?

A. The Sri Lankan womenâ€s team has never won the Womenâ€s ODI World Cup.

Q. Who is the captain of the South African womenâ€s team?

A. Laura Wolvaardt is the captain of the South African womenâ€s team in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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WWE crowns a new Womenâ€s Evolve Champion. AEW heads to St. Louis for WrestleDream. Kelani Jordan retains her Knockouts Championship, and more!

Kendal Grey Wins WWE Womenâ€s Evolve Title

While she came up short in pursuit of an NXT Womenâ€s Championship match on Tuesday, Kendal Grey bounced back with a major win on Wednesday.

On this weekâ€s WWE Evolve Succession special, Grey challenged Kali Armstrong for the Evolve Womenâ€s Championship. Grey previously defeated Chantel Monroe in a number one contenderâ€s match to earn the opportunity. Upon match time, she then made the most of it.

In the final moments, Armstrong ran the ropes with the intention of nailing Grey with a spear. Grey, however, countered it with a match-winning powerslam to solidify herself as the new Evolve Womenâ€s Champion.

Grey, a former amateur wrestler, first signed with WWE in 2023. The following year, she made her pro debut in a tag match at an NXT live event. Since then, Grey has appeared on both NXT and WWE Evolve television. In May 2025, Grey competed in a fatal-four-way elimination match to determine the inaugural Evolve Womenâ€s Champion; Kali Armstrong outlasted the other three to claim the title.

Last weekend, WWE released several other developmental talents, including Jin Tala, Summer Sorrell, Haze Jameson, and Evolve General Manager Stevie Turner.

RELATED: Stevie Turner Issues Heartfelt Statement Regarding WWE Release

Kelani Jordan Retains Knockouts Title

Following the news of Ash By Elegance vacating the TNA Knockouts Championship, WWE NXT star Kelani Jordan survived a battle royal and a singles match with Lei Ying Lee to become the new champion. Her first test as Knockouts Champion then pitted her against the number one contender, Indi Hartwell, at TNA Bound For Glory on October 12.

Hartwell fought hard with the Hurts Donut and a top rope elbow drop. In the end, it was Jordan who captured victory when she landed her split-legged moonsault and pinned Hartwell to retain the Knockouts Championship.

Elsewhere at Bound For Glory, Tessa Blanchard defeated Gia Miller. The IInspiration (Cassie Lee and Jessica McKay) also retained their Knockouts Tag Team Championships by beating Heather by Elegance and M by Elegance.

Fellow Knockouts Mara Sade, Lei Ying Lee, Rosemary and Dani Luna later competed in the 2025 Call Your Shot gauntlet as well. Frankie Kazarian took Jody Threatâ€s spot in the match after attacking her on the entrance ramp.

Before all of the in-ring action, The Beautiful People (Angelina Love and Velvet Sky) and Mickie James took their places in the TNA Hall of Fame.

RELATED: TNA Bound For Glory Results: Review, Grades, Card For October 12

Hayter vs. Thekla Set For WrestleDream

This Saturday, All Elite Wrestling returns to St. Louis, Missouri, for its 2025 WrestleDream pay-per-view event.

The card features an AEW Womenâ€s Championship rematch pitting reigning champion Kris Statlander against the former one, Toni Storm. Statlander claimed the respective title by pinning Storm in a four-way bout at AEW All Out, after which Storm said she felt “nothing.†Now, the two will meet for their first-ever singles match, with the AEW Womenâ€s Championship on the line.

Elsewhere at WrestleDream, Former AEW Womenâ€s Champion Jamie Hayter and Thekla will continue their feud in a non-title match. Upon her AEW debut, Thekla attacked Hayter, rendering her unable to compete for multiple months. Since then, Hayter has been out for revenge, with an equally angry Queen Aminata in her corner. Following WrestleDream, Hayter looks ahead to AEW Dynamite on November 12, where she has challenged Thekla, Julia Hart, and Skye Blue to a battle inside Blood and Guts.

On the WrestleDream pre-show, Megan Bayne and Penelope Ford will face Willow Nightingale and Harley Cameron in tag team action. This comes after Cameron saved Nightingale from an attack at the hands of Bayne and Ford on AEW Collision.

RELATED: Jamie Hayter Reveals the Inspiration Behind Her New Look

INTERVIEWS

Former WWE Womenâ€s World Champion IYO SKY sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss her match of the year with Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 41, winning Money in the Bank and cashing in to become Womenâ€s Champion, the trash can dive at Survivor Series, how her pointing taunt began, future dream matches, and more.

Former WWE Womenâ€s United States Champion Chelsea Green chatted with Womanâ€s World about how her fabulous style reflects her energy in the ring and out, using social media to float new storylines for her character, what happens when wrestlers like Piper Niven get injured, how WWE legend John Cena is helping Green map out a career outside the ring, and more.

TNA Hall of Famer Velvet Sky joined Velvet Ropes with SoCal Valto talk about her induction into the TNA Hall of Fame alongside Angelina Love as The Beautiful People, how Tommy Dreamer surprised them with the news, the history of The Beautiful People, how a TNA official initially told them the pairing would be “career suicide,†the origin of their iconic “Let the Pigeons Loose†entrance, her love for the Attitude Era, and more.

WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson appeared on Casual Conversations with The Classic to discuss her breaking into pro wrestling, memories made in WCW, the New World Order, joining the WWE, the WrestleMania XX evening gown matches, her experience in reality television, advice sheâ€d give to her younger self, and more.

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Informative, passionate, entertaining.But enough about me and my prose, thatâ€s also the tagline for Moving the Goalposts, our weekly womenâ€s football newsletter. Hereâ€s the latest edition.

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Manchester United, who have been down to 10 players since before half-time, lead 1-0 against Atletico in Madrid. You can follow the last quarter of that game with Yara El-Shaboury.

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Team news

Four changes for Arsenal from Sundayâ€s 1-0 win over Brighton. Lotte Wubben-Moy, Taylor Hinds, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Beth Mead come in for Katie Reid, who is injured, Katie McCabe, Frida Maanum and Caitlin Foord.

Benfica (possible 4-3-3) Pauels; Amado, Gomes, Ucheibe, Lund; Tristao, Cameirao, Gasper; Alves, Diana Silva, Moller.

Subs: Rute Costa, Prat, Joana Silva, Martin-Prieto, Almeida, Carole Costa, Engesvik, Martins, Pauleta, Davidson, Boeckmann, Guedes.

Arsenal (4-2-3-1)Van Domselaar; Fox, Wubben-Moy, Catley, Hinds; Little, Cooney-Cross; Smith, Caldentey, Mead; Russo.

Subs: Codina, McCabe, Maanum, Kelly, Foord, Pelova, Nighswonger, Blackstenius, Harwood, Liddiard.

RefereeMiriama Bockova (Slovakia).

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Updated at 14.11 EDT

Preamble

Hello and welcome to live, minute-by-minute coverage of Benfica v Arsenal in the WCL. Arsenalâ€s Champions League defence got off to a false start last week with a 2-1 defeat at home to Lyon; and while itâ€s too early to talk of must-win games, theyâ€ll be keen to get up and running in Lisbon tonight.

It wonâ€t be straightforward against a Benfica side who have won five Portuguese titles in a row. They also started this seasonâ€s competition with a 2-1 defeat, in their case away to Juventus. But unlike Arsenal, Benfica donâ€t have much pedigree in this tournament – at least not yet. Their best run, two seasons ago, ended with a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Lyon in the quarter-finals.

Benfica, and Portuguese football more generally, will want to make a dent in the competition as soon as spossible. Victory over the reigning champions would be a nice place to start.

Kick off8pm

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Red card for Janssen after VAR review

The other angle that we have just seen shows that Gio is clipped quite harshly on her ankle. And here comes the referee … she takes away the yellow card and out comes the red. United were well on top and now the game has been flipped on its head.

Gio is now being stretchered off. Portales comes on in her place.

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39 min: Gio is still down and receiving treatment. Her face is covered by her hands. Meanwhile, the referee has now been sent to the screen. Is this going to be changed to a red card?!

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37 min: Gio almost gets past Janssen and the latter sticks out a leg out to prevent her from coming across. The United defender gets a yellow and the hosts have a free-kick in a dangerous area on the right side of the box.

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34 min: How is it not 2-0?! Malard and Zigiotti Olme link up for a quick give-and-go. The former, right in front of goal, tries to hit it with the outside of her boot and the ball dribbles just wide. So close!

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33 min: The referee blows her whistle after Medina tries to jump for the ball and falls on Riviere in the process. It has been an intriguing battle between the two so far.

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28 min: It is a deserved lead for United, who have had four attempts on goal compared with Atléticoâ€s one despite having less of the ball. They have found their rhythm and their tactic of pressing and crowding the opposition box has worked well so far.

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GOAL! Atlético Madrid 0-1 Manchester United (Rolfö 24)

It has been coming! From the right Zigiotti Olmeâ€s curls it in and Toone attempt to head it down. It falls to Rolfö invitingly and from the volley, she hammers it into the roof of the net to score her first goal for Manchester United.

Manchester United’s Fridolina Rolfö fires home to open the scoring at Atlético Madrid. Photograph: Susana Vera/ReutersRolfö celebrates. Photograph: Diego Souto/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 13.28 EDT

24 min: Just the final passing missing from United at the moment. After some good play in midfield the ball dribbles out for a goal-kick after some miscommunication on the left flank.

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19 min: Riviere gets the first yellow of the game for a foul on Medina. She cannot complain really, the Canadian completely mistimed the tackle and wiped out her opponent.

Manchester United’s Jayde Riviere fouls Atletico Madrid’s Andrea Medina and goes into the refâ€s book. Photograph: Susana Vera/ReutersShare

Updated at 13.11 EDT

16 min: Fiamma denied! She arrives into the box with plenty of space but her shot is blocked by Le Tissier.

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14 min: Jensen thinks she gets the better of Le Tissier as the United captain falls but the referee blows the whistle for a foul.

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10 min: Atlético get forward but Le Tissier is able to clear the danger.

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7 min: After some patient buildup play from United Terland shrugs off her defender before laying it off to Rolfö. The Swede takes a touch and curls it wide at the far post.

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4 min: Terland tries to get on the end of a great through ball from Toone but Lola Gallardo gets there first. Riviere then intercepts the ball and finds space to hit a cross but it is cleared away.

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2 min: We get confirmation just now that concussion protocol has led to Jess Park not being in the matchday squad. Rolfö is her replacement up top in Skinnerâ€s sole XI change.

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1 min: 18sec on the clock and Malard flicks it off to Toone whose shot is just wide! A quick start from the visitors.

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Updated at 12.51 EDT

Kick-off: Atlético Madrid 0-0 Manchester United

Here we go! The referee blows the whistle and we are underway. Atlético in their traditional red and white tops with blue shorts while United don their all-black third kit.

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Some pre-match post bag from all of you.

Marc (Skinner?) sends his prediction:

United have been a lot of fun to watch this season, in my very biased opinion. I have been so pleased with our defensive structure. Tonight is probably our biggest challenge though. Up the reds!

And Amy checks in from Madrid:

I am at the Centro Deportivo Wanda Alcalá de Henares (what a mouthful) as a neutral – tickets were quite affordable – and it might be a small stadium but the Spanish fans I have seen are loud! Hopefully they keep up the tempo throughout the 90.

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Here is what Marc Skinner had to say in yesterdayâ€s pre-match press conference.

Weâ€re excited. Weâ€re looking forward to playing Atléti, fantastic team, fantastic club. Weâ€re really looking forward to it. We know how good we are, we believe in ourselves, we also know weâ€re facing a really tough challenge. Tomorrow night will be a really good challenge for us – everyone is raring to go.

[Atlético Madrid] have an incredible attack. They have flair, they have aggression, they are very evasive. They have got Vilde Bøe Risa, who used to play for Manchester United and is a wonderful footballer. They defend very well as well, so they have quite a good balance. I think we have to defend well tomorrow night because of the threats they have. Also, with the ball, I think they have to be aware of us. Weâ€ve spoken about it, we have to be focused and defensively alert because Atléti can spring counterattacks quickly and have the ability to beat you one v one. Also, in front of their fans, I think it will be a good atmosphere. We see a lot threats, but also hopefully we can give them our threats too.

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Tonightâ€s broadcast of Atlético Madrid v Manchester Unitedis available to watch on Disney+ after they acquired rights across multiple European territories. Tom Garryâ€s verdict? An intriguing collaboration but room for growth.

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Chelsea were in WCL action last night, cruising to a 4-0 win against Paris FC. Sophie Downey was at the Bridge to watch it unfold.

Their pressure eventually told, however, when Nüsken went down in the box with half an hour played. The offence from Le Moguédec was not initially spotted by the referee, Michalina Diakow, but after a brief trip to the VAR monitor, she duly pointed to the spot. Baltimore stepped up to convert for the second week in a row.

Chelsea consolidated their advantage just before the break when Thompson broke forward at pace. A clever turn gave her space to stand up a cross for Rytting Kaneryd to loop a header home. The winger looked slightly bemused that it had ended up in the back of the net, celebrating with an expression that said she is not accustomed to scoring with her head.

Read the full report below.

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Team news

Atlético Madrid XI:Lola Gallardo; Fernández, Lauren, Silvia Lloris, Medina; García, Bøe Risa, Fiamma; Luany, Glo Garbelini, Jensen

Subs:Patricia Larqué, Bucero, Pérez, Guijarro, Vitória, Bartel, Portales, Sarriegi, Gomez, Rodríguez, Miñambres

Manchester United XI:Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa, Zigiotti Olme, Toone; Malard, Terland, Rolfö

Subs:Rendell, Middleton-Patel, George, Blundell, Galton, Awujo, Naalsund, Williams

Referee:Eleni Antoniou (Greece)

Unitedâ€s injury issues means they are unable to name an entire substitute list, with only eight players out of a possible 11 on the bench.

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Updated at 13.07 EDT

Atlético Madrid will be hoping to put their 6-0 home loss to the Liga F leaders, Barcelona, on Sunday. They now sit third in the league, seven points away from top.

Víctor Martínâ€s side will be looking to right the weekendâ€s wrongs against United in their first meeting against an English team in Europe since losing to Chelsea in the last 16 in 2021-22. That loss was Madridâ€s only one of their previous six contests against English sides.

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Preamble

It has been a good week for Manchester United. Last Wednesday Marc Skinnerâ€s side made their debut in the Womenâ€s Champions League after qualifying for the main phase of the tournament for the first time in their history. It was not particularly thrilling but a Maya Le Tissier penalty was enough for the hosts to earn the win against VÃ¥lerenga.

Four days later a Jess Park double saw out a commanding 4-1 away victory against Everton, the hosts†first beside the docks at Hill Dickinson Stadium, to preserve their unbeaten start to the league season.

Now United are back in Champions League action and face a huge test against Atlético Madrid on matchday two. The Spanish side won their first league phase match 6-0 at St Pölten in which they were three up within 22 minutes.

We get underway in Madrid at 5.45pm BST. In the meantime feel free to get in touch with any thoughts or predictions via email.

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Australia may be unbeaten but did not start this tournament in the smoothest fashion, with individual performances digging their batting line-up out of trouble in their opening matches.

They slipped to 128-5 in their first game against New Zealand before Ash Gardner scored 115 from number six to drag them to a total their opponents couldn’t chase.

Rain saw their encounter with Sri Lanka washed out without a ball bowled, before Beth Mooney took the saviour role against Pakistan, smashing 109 to take Australia from 76-7 to 221-9.

When India scored 330 on Sunday, the seven-time world champions were up against it again – only for Healy to anchor a record chase, with three other batters recording scores over 40 as Australia slotted into their familiar position as a dominant force.

Their bowlers have looked strong throughout the competition and they overpowered Bangladesh’s batters in this match, with Alana King’s 2-18 the pick as four of the attack took a pair of wickets.

Healy then stepped up, scoring consecutive centuries for the second time in World Cups after achieving the feat against England and the West Indies in 2022.

The 35-year-old, who may be playing her final year of international cricket, has taken her side into yet another tournament semi-final, and will be keen to continue building momentum in their final group stage games.

Their next opponents? England on Wednesday.

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