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Real Madrid were handed a bitter blow ahead of their Champions League encounter against Olympiacos on Wednesday, with the club announcing that Thibaut Courtois and Dean Huijsen have been ruled out of the game. The 33-year-old goalkeeper, who remains one of the first names on the Madrid team sheet, has been diagnosed with gastroenteritis.

Courtois ruled out of Champions League clash

Madrid were dealt a hammer blow ahead of their Champions League trip to the Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium on Wednesday, as Courtois was ruled out of the squad to face the Greek side. The former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid goalkeeper has been diagnosed with gastroenteritis. 

"Following an examination today by the Real Madrid Medical Services, Thibaut Courtois has been diagnosed with a viral gastrointestinal infection. He will miss the trip to Athens. His condition will be monitored," read the official Real Madrid medical statement on Tuesday.

According to a report from Courtois did not take part in the team's training session at Valdebebas on Tuesday. In fact, the Belgian left the training complex even before the training session began. It remains to be seen whether Courtois will be fit in time for this weekend's clash against Girona.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLunin set to start in goal against Olympiacos

Andriy Lunin hasn't been handed a single opportunity by head coach Xabi Alonso thus far, with Courtois starting in goal in all of Madrid's 17 games across La Liga and the Champions League this season. However, Wednesday's fixture against Olympiacos could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the out-of-favour Ukrainian. 

Having arrived from Zorya Luhansk as a promising 19-year-old in 2018 – the same summer Courtois joined from Chelsea – Lunin’s Madrid career has struggled to take off. Yet the 26-year-old has delivered moments of brilliance between the sticks. In the 2023-24 season, Courtois suffered an early anterior cruciate ligament injury, prompting Madrid to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan. While Kepa initially claimed the starting spot under Carlo Ancelotti, Lunin’s impressive performances soon saw him take over the position. 

He was exceptional throughout the campaign, particularly in the Champions League. His standout display against RB Leipzig in the round of 16 helped Madrid advance to face defending champions Manchester City in the quarter-finals, where he produced penalty shootout heroics at the Etihad Stadium to send Los Blancos through to the semi-finals. Ultimately, Lunin played a pivotal role as Madrid lifted both the La Liga and Champions League titles, managing 31 appearances. That's half the all-time number he has managed in the Spanish capital.

Last month, Alonso spoke about Lunin's lack of playing time. “Lunin must always be prepared because there can always be contingencies," he said. "We have a great goalkeeper with Thibaut, but Andriy is also very capable. In December we have the [Copa del Rey], and we’ll see what decision we make. But he must feel ready. And he is.”

Madrid dealing with multiple absences

On Tuesday, Courtois' news wasn't the only blow to Madrid. Centre-back Huijsen also did not participate in team training on Tuesday and he was subsequently left out of the squad that will travel to Greece. The Spaniard has been dealing with fitness issues lately, which seem to have affected his on-field form, too. 

He joins fellow centre-backs Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Eder Militao on the sidelines. That would leave Raul Asencio – who has shown dramatic improvement under Alonso after his Club World Cup blunders – as the only fit centre-back in the squad. 

Alvaro Carreras, who has played as the left-sided centre-back once this season, could be placed alongside Asencio in the centre of the defence. Ferland Mendy, who has recovered from a long-term injury but is yet to make an appearance this season, could also emerge as an alternative. Meanwhile, Real Madrid Castilla stars Mario Rivas and Diego Aguado could receive potential call-ups, too, with the latter already making his first-team debut under Ancelotti last season. 

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AFPAlonso in desperate need for a win

Madrid looked unstoppable after claiming 13 wins from their opening 14 matches, but their season has hit a roadblock with a loss to Liverpool and draws against Rayo Vallecano and Elche. Alonso's side often look devoid of ideas on the pitch, with mounting pressure on the Spaniard to trigger a turnaround in fortunes immediately. Any other result other than a win against Olympiacos will only amplify the cacophony of criticism surrounding the club in recent weeks. 

Jewell, Came make half-centuries, but Olly Stone goes wicketless at start of loan spell

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Sep-2025Toby Roland-Jones led Middlesex’s fightback with his best Rothesay County Championship bowling figures of the season after promotion rivals Derbyshire had threatened to dominate with the bat on the opening day at Lord’s.Caleb Jewell and Harry Came both hit half-centuries as they forged a century partnership to give the visitors a strong platform at 124 for one before Roland-Jones struck back with four wickets in the space of 27 balls.The former Middlesex captain eventually finished with six for 77, while Ryan Higgins and Zafar Gohar shared the other four wickets evenly as Derbyshire, who began the day with a 24-point gap to second-placed Glamorgan, were bowled out for 283.In reply, Middlesex openers Sam Robson and Josh de Caires trimmed that deficit slightly prior to stumps, reaching 12 without loss.The Seaxes’ pace attack included two red-ball debutants in the shape of Olly Stone, signed on a short-term loan from Nottinghamshire, and 18-year-old Sebastian Morgan – yet there were slim pickings for either when the visitors won the toss and chose to bat on a benign surface.Higgins achieved the solitary breakthrough of the morning session, pinning Luis Reece in front of his stumps with a ball that nipped back down the slope, but Jewell and Came batted through to lunch largely untroubled.The Australian was quick to punish anything loose outside off stump, dispatching an early short ball from Roland-Jones to the cover fence before handing the same treatment to a Stone half-volley.Came settled in following an uncertain start, when Stone beat his outside edge a couple of times and began to take advantage of the short boundary on one side, keeping pace with his partner.It was Jewell who reached his half-century first, nudging a single from the opening ball of the afternoon session, while Came’s arrival at that landmark was more eye-catching as he pulled Stone into the Mound Stand for six.The pair extended their partnership to 105 before it was eventually broken by Higgins, returning for a second stint from the Nursery End and knocking back the left-hander’s off stump for 56.Derbyshire skipper Wayne Madsen, marking his 500th overall appearance in the county’s colours, was soon up and running with two quick fours off Higgins, but his side’s momentum was stemmed by a destructive spell from Roland-Jones.Came was first to go, caught behind off an inside edge for 64 and Brooke Guest was castled having misjudged the line before Roland-Jones got another delivery to rear back and trap former Middlesex man Martin Andersson leg before.Roland-Jones claimed the prize wicket of Madsen in identical fashion to leave Derbyshire apparently wilting at 177 for six, only for Anuj Dal and Zak Chappell to mount a recovery with their stand of 48.Dal eventually departed on the stroke of tea, succumbing to a thin edge off Gohar and the spinner also picked up the wicket of Chappell, but Ben Aitchison’s watchful 36 secured his side a batting bonus point.However, Roland-Jones wrapped up the innings by having both Aitchison and Jack Morley caught behind with the new ball and Middlesex successfully negotiated the day’s remaining seven overs without alarm.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has enjoyed a fairly strong start to life in the dugout at Ibrox since he arrived to take over from previous manager Russell Martin.

The German tactician, who left Sheffield Wednesday earlier this year, has won all three of his matches in the Scottish Premiership, beating Dundee 3-0 at Dens Park last time out.

Rangers, though, have also lost both of their Europa League games under the new boss and lost 3-1 to Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup, and some players in the squad will still feel they have more to offer to Rohl.

The Rangers players who have rarely been used by Danny Rohl

Across the German head coach’s six matches in charge of the club in all competitions, the manager has been fairly consistent with his team selections overall, which has left some players by the wayside.

There are seven first-team players, or players on the fringe of the first-team, who have played in less than half of Rohl’s first six games with the Ibrox giants.

Joe Rothwell

2

Findlay Curtis

1

Emmanuel Fernandez

1

Lyall Cameron

1

Nedim Bajrami

0

Bailey Rice

0

Liam Kelly

0

As you can see in the table above, three players, albeit one of them being the back-up goalkeeper, have yet to make a single appearance for the German boss.

Lyall Cameron’s lack of game time under the new manager is surprising after he was heralded as an impressive addition to the squad from Dundee in the summer.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

He was described as ‘one of the most influential players’ in the SPFL by the BBC’s Dundee fan writer Ethan Hampton, yet he has not had much of a look-in under Rohl.

Why Danny Rohl must finally unleash Lyall Cameron

The 23-year-old attacking midfielder should finally be unleashed by the new manager because he could be an ‘influential’ player for the Gers if given the opportunity to play regular minutes in the Premiership.

Cameron has only played four times in the league so far this season, showing that he can’t get a game at the moment, and has only played nine minutes under Rohl, which came against Kilmarnock, per Sofascore.

Last season, however, during his time with Dundee, the Scottish star started 32 of his 33 appearances in the Premiership and provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

33

4

Starts

32

2

Goals

9

0

Key passes per game

1.6

1.0

Big chances created

6

0

Assists

5

0

As you can see in the table above, Cameron was as influential as Hampton suggested, as he produced 14 goals and assists in 32 starts as a central midfielder for his previous club.

However, he has not been given enough of an opportunity to showcase his talent in the Premiership, with just nine minutes across Rohl’s first three league games in the dugout.

This is why the former Sheffield Wednesday tactician should finally unleash Cameron from the start after the international break, because his time with Dundee suggests that there is far more to come from him in a Rangers shirt.

The Scottish whiz is not going to show the best of his abilities with nine minutes off the bench or by being an unused substitute, and now is the time to introduce him to the team to see if he can provide goals and assists on a regular basis, as he did with Dundee.

Rangers teenager was their next Igamane in the making but he left for £0

Rangers must regret losing this young star who could have been their next Hamza Igamane at Ibrox.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

Singing the national anthem at a sporting event is no easy task. There are thousands of eyeballs fixated on you, and oftentimes millions more watching on television. And if the singer and anthem happen to draw attention, it's more likely because something went wrong than because it went right.

But the opposite happened on Friday afternoon before the start of the Chicago Cubs' home-opener at Wrigley Field against the San Diego Padres.

Singer John Vincent II did something so incredible and unbelievable that it warranted some extra attention for the right reasons. When he made it to the "Land of the Free" verse in the anthem, Vincent somehow held the note for a whopping 25 seconds in a remarkable display that has become commonplace for the Cubs fan favorite. It made for a perfect aesthetic with the flyover occurring during the duration of the note.

Of course, holding notes for long periods isn't a new thing for Vincent, who has been singing professionally since 2001 and was previously clocked holding the note at 21 seconds in a prior anthem.

But he may have outdone himself with this performance.

India’s batting hero spoke about the challenges she has been through during the World Cup

Sruthi Ravindranath31-Oct-2025

Emotional Jemimah Rodrigues waves at the crowd after her sensational innings•Getty Images

Jemimah Rodrigues revealed the mental battle she faced in the weeks leading up to her match-winning unbeaten 127 against Australia in the World Cup semi-final, describing a period of anxiety that left her feeling “numb” and brought her to tears. Rodrigues broke down during the post-match press conference, saying she hoped sharing her experience could help others facing similar struggles.”I will be very vulnerable here because I know if someone is watching, this might be going through the same thing and that’s my whole purpose of saying it. Nobody likes to talk about their weakness. I was going through a lot of anxiety at the starting of the tournament,” she said, pausing to hold back tears.”It was a lot, you know, before few games also, I used to call my mom and cry the entire time, let it all out. Because when you are going through anxiety, you just feel numb. You don’t know what to do. You are trying to be yourself. And also in this time, my mum, my dad, they supported me a lot. And also there was Arundhati [Reddy], who I think almost every day I have cried in front of her.Related

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Rodrigues completes her redemption arc as the silence turns to roars

The greatest chase: how India kept their cool amid the drama

“Later I was joking, saying ‘you don’t come in front of me, I will start crying.’ But she checked on me every single day. There was Smriti [Mandhana], who helped me. She also knew what I was going through. Few of the net sessions, she was just standing there. Even yesterday she came, she just stood there, just because he just knows that her presence is important for me.”There has been Radha [Yadav], who has, always been there, taking care of me. I am so blessed to have friends, I can call family, that I didn’t have to go through it alone. And it’s okay to ask for help.”Rodrigues had entered the semi-final on the back of a 76 not out against New Zealand, but her tournament began with a few low scores, including two ducks. She had also been dropped for the match against England as India opted for an extra bowler, a bold call given Rodrigues’ status as one of India’s top batters. She said it was difficult to stay patient, but she chose to hang in and trust that her moment would come.”My family went through a lot, but everyone stood by me, and believed in me when I didn’t, when I couldn’t,” she said. “And it started with the anxiety thing. Then I was dropped from the team [for the match against England]. That really hit me.”When you are dropped, you have a lot of doubts because I always want to contribute to the team. But that day, I couldn’t do much sitting out. And then, when you come back in, it’s a lot more pressure, than everything that was happening in the past month.’I am very grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t, and were there for me and understood me because I couldn’t do this on my own’•ICC/Getty Images”But sometimes all you need to do is, just hang in there and, things fall into place. So, I am very grateful for the people who believed in me when I couldn’t, and were there for me and understood me because I couldn’t do this on my own.”During India’s chase of 339, Rodrigues was at the crease for nearly the entirety of the innings after entering at No. 3 in the second over. She remained unbeaten on 127 off 134 balls, guiding India to victory with five wickets in hand and nine balls to spare. Her innings, however, included a reprieve when she was dropped by Alyssa Healy on 82. Asked how she would rate her innings, Rodrigues reflected on her mindset.”I mean, how do I rate this innings? Actually, I have not let it sink in,” she said. “All I would say was I didn’t play for my 100. I didn’t play to prove a point at No. 3. I didn’t play for my 50. I just played to make sure India win. I wanted to see India win at the end and that was my only motivation.”I think when you have that thought process, I think God also favours you. You do it for the team, you don’t do it for yourself. And I think I have always played my cricket that way. I’m short of words actually.”Rodrigues also revealed that during a team discussion on the eve of the match, she had expressed a clear goal for the game.”We were just saying what all we could do better in this World Cup and all I said was that I want to be there till the end and finish the game. Whether we are batting first, I know if I am there, I can make a partnership. And get those 20-30 runs extra because I run well, pick gaps, unusual gaps.”And the second thing was if we are chasing, then I want to make sure I take the team through. And this just feels like a dream actually. It just felt like everything was such a set up. Because the last month wasn’t the easiest, but it just felt like a set up for this moment.”

The 2024/25 campaign was truly one to forget for everyone involved with Manchester United, as the club registered their worst-ever Premier League finish.

Ruben Amorim’s side ended the year in a measly 15th position, sitting just three spots above the relegation zone, with various issues rearing their head throughout the season.

The Red Devils had a real goalscoring issue during their top-flight campaign, as seen by their measly tally of just 44 goals in their 38 outings – an average of just 1.15 per game.

However, at the other end, things were just as disappointing, as they shipped 54 goals in just 38 matches, ultimately leading to a total of 18 league defeats in 2024/25.

Many of the failures that season were directed that way of one man, with Amorim desperately needing to make the right call on his future during the recent summer window.

The stats behind Andre Onana’s failures for United in 2024/25

After David de Gea’s departure from United back in the summer of 2023, former boss Erik ten Hag decided to delve into the transfer market to bolster his ranks – landing the signature of Andre Onana.

As a result, the Dutchman decided to fork out a reported £47.2m for the Cameroonian’s signature – a deal which could go down as one of the worst in the club’s history.

Upon Amorim’s arrival last November, he decided to stick with the former Inter Milan shot-stopper between the sticks, but he was unable to match the confidence shown in him by the boss.

The 29-year-old featured 50 times across all competitions last campaign, but made nine direct errors that led to goals, many of which came in key moments.

From parried shots against Lyon to misjudging Morgan Gibbs-White’s effort against Nottingham Forest – it truly was a regular occurrence for Onana to drop numerous clangers.

His only appearance for the Red Devils this season came in the Carabao Cup defeat to League Two Grimsby Town – a game that would signal the end of his first-team place at Old Trafford.

Amorim decided to ship Onana out on loan to Turkish Super League side Trabzonspor, with the hierarchy backing him with a new goalkeeper on Deadline Day.

Man Utd have another Onana-esque liability

As a result of Onana’s departure, Senne Lammens was the man chosen to fill the void in the goalkeeping department for United, with the Belgian joining from Royal Antwerp.

At just 23, such a move may have been a daunting task to many, but the youngster has wasted no time in cementing the number one shirt as his own at Old Trafford.

He’s made six appearances for the Red Devils to date, keeping one clean sheet, but his goal prevented xG of 0.2, showcases his immediate impact between the sticks.

Lammens is also yet to register an error leading to a goal after his big-money transfer, with his arrival already solving one of the glaring issues in the squad from last season.

However, not all the new additions have slotted in as seamlessly as the goalkeeper, with full-back Patrick Dorgu unable to be as successful at Old Trafford.

The Dane arrived from Italian side Lecce back in January for a reported £30m, with such a move seeming to end the hierarchy’s hunt for a long-term left wing-back.

However, nearly a year on from his transfer, it’s evident that the 21-year-old simply isn’t at the level required and is now becoming a huge liability for Amorim’s men.

Dorgu has only started seven out of a possible 12 league games to date this campaign, with his latest showing highlighting why he’s been an inconsistent figure in 2025/26.

He featured for 58 minutes in the defeat against Everton on home soil, before being replaced by Diogo Dalot after struggling to make the desired effect at both ends.

Minutes played

58

Touches

40

Passes completed

75%

Tackles made

1

Aerials lost

100%

Crosses completed

0

Possession lost

11x

Dribbled past

1

The youngster was labelled “unreliable” by one analyst, after only winning one tackle, and losing all four of the aerial duels he entered – offering a lacklustre option out of possession.

Even with the ball, Dorgu struggled to impress, only completing 75% of his attempted passes, losing possession a staggering 11 times whilst failing to complete a single cross.

As a result, he’s massively becoming a liability under Amorim, arguably the biggest one since Onana’s lack of form for the club back in the 2024/25 season.

A solution for all parties is desperately needed before the January transfer window, with the club potentially needing to reinvest in the market to solve the problem at left wing-back.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland shared a bizarre video of himself standing on the banks of a river to celebrate scoring 100 Premier League goals in record time. Haaland became the fastest player in history to become a Premier League centurion as he struck the opener in City's epic 5-4 win over Fulham on Tuesday at Craven Cottage.

Haaland's bizarre clip to celebrate 100 goals

Haaland reached the magic figure on Tuesday as he netted in the 17th minute against Fulham. City ended up winning the clash 5-4 as the Norwegian became the fastest player ever to reach 100 Premier League goals, doing so in 111 appearances. In the process, he also broke the previous record held by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer, who took 124 matches to reach the milestone. 

A day after achieving the feat, Haaland shared a short clip of himself standing on the bank of a river and holding a special Manchester City home kit with 'Haaland 100 PL Goals' printed on the back. 

AdvertisementWatch the clip

'It's huge and I'm really proud'

After reaching 100 league goals, Haaland spoke to Sky Sports as he said: "It's huge and I'm really proud. It's a massive thing, the 100 club is a nice thing to be in and I'm happy. I knew about it, that's what I tried to do. I try to help the team scoring goals, that's my job. Every game is a different game, you can't think of the game that's been, you need to focus on what's ahead. The reality is we lost against Newcastle and Leverkusen but now we have two in a row and we have to keep going. I think if you're sitting at home now you enjoyed that game. It was a crazy game, nine goals is a lot. In the end, we win and we're happy but it's not the best win."

The 25-year-old is only the 35th player to reach 100 Premier League goals in the league's history. And given he has a contract with City until 2034, the Norway international is well placed to join Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane and Shearer as the only players to have netted 200 or more in the division.

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Getty Images'Hopefully he is hungry to continue getting goals'

City boss Pep Guardiola was elated to see his star striker create another Premier League record. Congratulating the striker after the Fulham clash, he said: "Congratulations, it is incredible. What can I say? Today, he was outstanding. He was unbelievable and got a fantastic goal. Enjoy it, hopefully he is hungry to continue getting goals for this club."

The Cityzens will return to action on December 6, hosting Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium in what promises to be another demanding stretch of the campaign.

The Chicago White Sox appear to be heading towards new ownership, but not for a while.

On Tuesday, the team announced a “long-term investment agreement” had been made between owner Jerry Reinsdorf and billionaire Justin Ishbia that “establishes a framework" for Ishbia to take a controlling share of the franchise down the road.

Per the team’s statement:

Ishbia, brother to and co-investor with Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia, is already a minority investor in the White Sox, but now looks to potentially see his share of the franchise increase into a controlling interest.

Ishbia had previously been connected to potentially purchasing the Minnesota Twins, but has since refocused, and apparently come to terms, on a deal of sorts with the White Sox.

“Having the incredible opportunity to own the Chicago White Sox and be part of Major League Baseball for nearly 50 years has been a life-changing experience,” said Reinsdorf in the team’s announcement. “I have always expressed my intent to operate the White Sox as long as I am able and remain committed to returning this franchise to the level of on-field success we all expect and desire.”

Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Murillo, with Mikel Arteta personally an admirer, amid a new update on whether Nottingham Forest would consider a sale.

The Gunners are looking to bring in a new centre-back, with Gabriel set for a relatively lengthy spell on the sidelines, as confirmed by Arteta prior to the North London derby, with the manager saying: “Gabi unfortunately picked up an injury with the Brazil national team and he’s going to be out for weeks.”

“It’s clearly a blow because he’s our leader in our backline and, to me, it’s never a positive thing. The good thing is that we have very good options and we need to stand up now and do the job.”

As pointed out by Arteta, the Gunners have some quality back-up options, with Cristhian Mosquera, who has played a part in keeping five clean sheets this season, the natural replacement for the Brazilian at the heart of defence.

However, at 21-years-old, the Spaniard is still relatively inexperienced, and the north Londoners have now expressed an interest in signing a new centre-back ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal now seriously keen on signing Murillo

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now seriously keen on signing Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with his current club willing to sanction a departure if they receive an offer in the region of €80m – €90m (£70m – £79m).

The Gunners believe the 23-year-old could make an instant impact in defence, despite already having Gabriel and William Saliba on the books, and Arteta is personally a fan of the Forest star’s progressive style of play.

However, there could be major competition for the centre-back’s signature, with London rivals Chelsea also being named as potential suitors, alongside La Liga giants FC Barcelona.

The Brazilian has been a key player for the Tricky Trees so far this season, making 12 appearances in all competitions, with arguably his best performance coming in the 3-0 victory against Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.

The Gunners’ chances of winning the Premier League title were further boosted when Forest emerged as shock winners at Anfield, with the one-time Brazil international opening the scoring, while also making a number of other key contributions.

Murillo’s performance vs Liverpool

Number completed

Clearances

13

Blocked shots

3

Duels (won)

6 (5)

Tackles

2

Lauded as “monstrous” by journalist Ryan Taylor, the Sao Paulo-born defender could have what it takes to become one of the best defenders in the world, but it would be very difficult for him to force his way into Arteta’s plans.

Gabriel and Saliba have formed a formidable partnership, with the Gunners maintaining by far the best defensive record in the Premier League this season, and Mosquera has proven himself as a solid back-up.

Arsenal's surprise replacement for Gabriel at centre-back Not played CB for a year: Arsenal have a surprise £50m Gabriel replacement

The talented Arsenal star could be just the solution Arteta needs ahead of the North London Derby.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 20, 2025

South Africa smashed England by 125 runs to qualify for their maiden ODI World Cup final

Valkerie Baynes29-Oct-20258:30

Fire and ice take South Africa through to the final

South Africa 319 for 7 (Wolvaardt 169, Ecclestone 4-44) beat England 194 (Sciver-Brunt 64, Capsey 50, Kapp 5-20) by 125 runsLaura Wolvaardt’s batting masterclass and Marizanne Kapp’s five-for propelled South Africa into their maiden World Cup final, off the back of a 125-run victory over England.Wolvaardt’s breathtaking 169 in the first semi-final in Guwahati carried her side to 319 for 7 from their 50 overs, the second-highest score in World Cup knockout matches.Asked to stage the second-highest successful chase in women’s ODIs – behind Australia’s 331 to beat India earlier in this tournament – England fell short in the face of the brilliant bowling of Kapp, who took 5 for 20. Those wickets included two in the first over of the reply, as England lurched to 1 for 3, and the prize wicket of Nat Sciver-Brunt who had built a century stand with Alice Capsey. Later in the innings, Kapp took two more wickets in as many balls to put South Africa on the brink of victory.South Africa face the winner of the second semi-final between Australia and India for the title on Sunday, which will be their third consecutive World Cup final, after they finished runners-up at the T20 events in 2023 and 2024.Wolvaardt was a class above in the South Africa batting line-up. Her innings was full of trademark elegant drives early on, followed by a brutal leg-side assault as she hit the accelerator in the closing stages. She was supported by Tazmin Brits, who scored 45, but later went off during England’s innings with what appeared to be a wrist injury after landing awkwardly in the field, followed by Kapp’s rapid 42 off just 33 balls. Wolvaardt shared a seventh-wicket stand worth 89 with Chloe Tryon, who finished unbeaten on 33 herself.Sophie Ecclestone overcame a shoulder injury suffered in the previous match against New Zealand on Sunday to finish with 4 for 44 but, apart from her bowling figures, and fifties for Sciver-Brunt and Capsey, there was little to celebrate for England. Only two others – Danni Wyatt-Hodge and tailender Linsey Smith – reached double figures.As if determined to model South Africa’s bowling performance on Wolvaardt’s batting masterclass, Kapp removed Amy Jones with a ball of the highest quality in the first over. A fuller delivery outside off stump jagged back in between bat and pad and clattered into off stump. Heather Knight was more complicit in her dismissal three balls later when, with leaden feet, she prodded at one that shaped away from outside off and edged onto her stumps. The dismissal gave Kapp figures of 2 for 0 from her first five balls.Ayabonga Khaka made it three England ducks in a row just two balls into the second over, when she drew a faint edge off Tammy Beaumont with one that straightened off the pitch for caught behind.South Africa let England off the hook somewhat, as Sciver-Brunt and Capsey took them from such a poor start to 108 for 4, when Capsey fell moments after reaching her maiden ODI half-century. Capsey had been dropped on 28 by substitute fielder Nondumiso Shangase at long on off the bowling of Sune Luus as South Africa struggled to make further inroads with Kapp off the field. Sciver-Brunt, meanwhile, narrowly avoided being run out as she retreated to the bowler’s end.Marizanne Kapp struck twice in the first over of the chase•ICC via Getty ImagesNo sooner had Capsey reached fifty, that she picked out Nadine de Klerk at mid-off with Luus the bowler once more. Either side of her dismissal, Sciver-Brunt reached her own half-century, powering Luus over long-off for six, while Brits put down a difficult chance leaping to her right at midwicket. She fell heavily, forcing her off the field in pain and clutching her arm.Kapp struck in the second over of her return spell to remove Sciver-Brunt, caught behind after she was enticed to drive at a length ball, which wobbled away ever so slightly off the seam and brushed the outside edge. In her next over, Kapp had Sophia Dunkley and Charlie Dean caught behind off successive deliveries. The energy with which she roared to celebrate her last wicket matched that of her first.Wyatt-Hodge, playing just her second match of the tournament after being brought in for Emma Lamb to bolster a struggling middle-order, faced just seven deliveries for 2 not out against New Zealand. With more time in the middle here, she managed 34 off 31. When she and Smith fell to Nadine de Klerk, however, it was all over for England.South Africa’s resounding victory was a result of their ability to get out of trouble. They fell from 116 without loss to 119 for 3, as Ecclestone took a sledgehammer to the excellent structure laid down by Wolvaardt and Brits, with two wickets in the space of four balls.Brits could have been out for 1 off what would have been the sharpest of return catches by Lauren Bell. She had attempted a reverse-sweep off Ecclestone’s fellow left-arm spinner, Linsey Smith, before ending up in an awkward heap as the ball struck her front pad well outside off stump. When Brits tried it again, it was her undoing, as Ecclestone speared one in full on middle and leg and drew a bottom edge onto the stumps.Anneke Bosch, brought into the starting XI to boost the batting which had failed so miserably against England last time these sides met, lost her off stump as she charged at Ecclestone, yorked herself, and departed for a three-ball duck.Bell put down another tough chance leaping to her left at short fine leg off Kapp, on 36 at the time. But Kapp added just a handful more runs before Ecclestone returned with immediate impact, with Kapp skying a fuller ball outside off stump high over mid-on where Dean ran back and settled underneath it.Another cluster of South Africa wickets fell when Annerie Dercksen, apparently having failed to learn from Brits’ downfall, tried to reverse-sweep Ecclestone. She hit the ball into the pitch outside off, then again through her swing. The second impact ricocheted into the stumps.Having lumped Dean for a massive 82 metre six over wide long-on, Wolvaardt bided her time through Ecclestone’s final over. She then helped herself to 13 of the 15 runs to come off the next, by Sciver-Brunt, including another six over long-on, followed by a pulled four through backward square.Sciver-Brunt conceded 14 off her next over, which also included Wolvaardt’s third maximum. This time, the shot was over deep midwicket, and she raised her 150 with a similar effort off Smith, who leaked 20 off the over, all but one of them to Wolvaardt.When Wolvaardt finally holed out to Capsey as she launched Bell down the ground, she walked off to warm congratulations from her opponents, as well as the gratitude of her team and the rapture of the crowd, who knew they had witnessed something special.