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Aston Villa are now lining up a January move for a “sensational” £50m striker, with Unai Emery looking to bring in a long-term replacement for Ollie Watkins.

Villa eyeing new striker amid Watkins' slow start

Watkins isn’t having the season he would’ve wanted ahead of the World Cup next summer, having scored just one goal in the Premier League thus far, and Donyell Malen has been doing a lot of the heavy lifting for Villa going forward as of late.

Indeed, Malen is in a rich vein of form at the moment, having scored a brace to secure a 2-1 victory against Young Boys in the Europa League, following on from an impressive cameo against Leeds United, assisting Morgan Rogers’ equalising goal.

However, given that Malen isn’t an out-and-out striker, Emery wants to bring in a more traditional centre-forward in the January transfer window, with one of the Premier League’s breakout stars recently being identified as a target.

That is according to a report from The Mirror, which states Aston Villa are now lining up a January move for Brentford striker Igor Thiago, although it could be a costly operation, with a £50m fee being touted.

Emery is a big fan of the striker, having been keen to bring in a new forward since last summer, while Villa may also need to refresh their forward line due to concerns over Watkins’ form.

Thiago could be "sensational" Watkins heir

It is perhaps a little early to lose faith in the England international, as he is still only 29, but it is important to plan for the future, and the Brentford star has emerged as one of the most prolific strikers in the Premier League this season, scoring 11 goals in 13 outings.

Most recently, the Brazilian bagged a brace to ensure his side overcame Burnley in a 3-1 victory, and he is now behind only Manchester City star Erling Haaland in the Premier League’s goalscoring charts.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews has been left impressed by the 24-year-old’s performances too, saying: “He has been pretty good, hasn’t he? He is growing in stature and confidence and he has been pretty sensational this season,”

Thiago is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park, and having proven himself in the Premier League, Aston Villa should undoubtedly launch a January move.

Aston Villa plotting £18m bid for "tremendous" defender, Martinez is a big fan

The Villans are planning a move for a new centre-back, who is also being targeted by Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

ByDominic Lund Nov 27, 2025

Emery has never really managed to replace Jhon Duran since the striker signed for Al-Nassr back in January, and with the Villans looking to compete in both the Premier League and Europe, it would certainly be beneficial to bring in another striker this winter.

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O atacante Luiz Henrique desembarcou na noite deste domingo (4) no aeroporto do Galeão para se apresentar ao Botafogo para A temporada 2024.

RelacionadasBotafogoLateral do Getafe chega para assinar com BotafogoBotafogo04/02/2024BotafogoTiago Nunes critica postura do time no empate do Botafogo com o Nova Iguaçu: ‘Deveria ter maturidade maior’Botafogo03/02/2024

– Ainda não caiu minha ficha. Um moleque que saiu do nada agora está sendo o jogador mais caro do futebol brasileiro. Isso é um orgulho para mim e para a minha família. Agora é continuar trabalhando firme e fazer de tudo para ajudar o Botafogo – disse Luiz Henrique, que chegou ao Rio de Janeiro acompanhado pela família.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Fogão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Botafogo

Contratação mais cara da história do futebol brasileiro (20 milhões de euros, mais de R$ 106 milhões), o jogador já está regularizado e pode ser relacionado pelo técnico Tiago Nunes para no clássico contra o Flamengo, quarta-feira (7), no Maracanã, pela 7ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca.

O atacante que estava no Bétis, da Espanha, acordou com equipe carioca que poderá deixar o Alvinegro rumo ao Lyon, clube francês que pertence ao dono da SAF do Botafogo, no meio de 2024 ou começo de 2025.

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LH na área! 🔥⚽️

O atacante Luiz Henrique desembarcou, na noite deste domingo, no Rio de Janeiro para reforçar a família alvinegra! Vamos pra cima, mlk! 💪🏾🌟 #VamosBOTAFOGO pic.twitter.com/105PAfak3j

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) February 5, 2024

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Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race to sign an “outstanding” new defender, with Newcastle United also keen.

Villa still keen on new additions amid uptick in form

Villa endured a slow start to the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be considered a low point, but they have really managed to turn things around over the past few weeks.

Indeed, the Villans have now won five matches on the spin in all competitions, most recently defeating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on the road, courtesy of a first-half stunner from Morgan Rogers, which was followed up by a winner from Emi Buenda with a little under 15 minutes remaining.

Unai Emery will be very pleased about the recent uptick in form, which has seen his side rise to 11th in the Premier League table, but the manager clearly still feels a fresh injection of quality is needed, with a new centre-back of interest.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Aston Villa have now overtaken Liverpool in the race for Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez, given that Arne Slot’s side have recently decided to cool their interest.

Alongside Villa, Newcastle are also credited with a strong interest in the defender, but the Premier League sides may need to shell out a relatively high fee to get a deal over the line, with it being revealed he could command a fee of around €50m (£43m).

Both English sides should be well-positioned to get a deal done, however, with it previously being revealed that Ordonez is keen on a move to the Premier League.

"Outstanding" Ordonez could excel at Villa Park

Lauded as an “outstanding young footballer” by journalist Graeme Bailey, the Ecuadorian is a key player for Club Brugge, having made ten appearances in all competitions this season, during which time he has put in some eye-catching performances.

Aston Villa approach made for record-breaking forward with his coaches contacted too

The Villans are keen to strike to land another offensive option.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Oct 18, 2025

One of the 21-year-old’s best displays actually came in the Champions League, which is an encouraging sign, with the youngster making a number of important defensive contributions to keep AS Monaco at bay and help his side secure a comfortable 4-1 win last month.

Scout Ben Mattinson has hailed the Brugge star for his ability in possession too, describing him “secure on the ball”, while also adding he “anticipates well” and “has the pace to recover”.

Villa’s defence has not been a major problem this season, having shipped just eight goals in eight Premier League games, but there are plenty of signs that Ordonez could be a solid long-term addition to Emery’s backline.

Continuing their search for their next manager, Celtic have already been hit with a problem in pursuit of Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who has impressed the Bhoys during his time in Belgium.

The last thing Celtic need is a managerial saga, but they may have no choice. The Scottish Premiership champions must get their next appointment right and silencing the noise to do exactly that will be key.

That is, of course, easier said than done with several candidates already shortlisted and the likes of Chris Sutton already having their say on the vacant position.

The former Celtic star believes that Ange Postecoglou is the “obvious” choice and it’s easy to see why. The Australian won five trophies out of a possible six during his last spell at the club and is currently a free agent after lasting just 39 days at Nottingham Forest.

There will be some concerns about his recent performances in the dugout, but the Bhoys know more than anyone just how quickly Postecoglou can create success.

Another name on the reported shortlist is Kieran McKenna. The Ipswich manager took the Tractor Boys from League one all the way to the Premier League in back-to-back promotions, before suffering relegation from England’s top flight last season.

Although he has endured a tough year at Portman Road, his reputation remains intact and managerial ability clear for all to see. Whether Celtic would be able to lure him away from Ipswich remains to be seen, however, and that’s a problem they face with another candidate.

Celtic already facing Nicky Hayen problem

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are now tracking Club Brugge manager Nicky Hayen, who held Brendan Rodgers’ side to a 1-1 draw in the Champions League last November.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic have "kamikaze" title-winning manager on the radar

Celtic have a manager on their radar who could come in as a big upgrade on Brendan Rodgers.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

The 45-year-old has impressed in Belgium and would have no trouble convincing those at Celtic Park that he’s the right man for the job after smashing Rangers 9-1 on aggregate in the Champions League qualifiers back in August. Alas, there still lies one problem.

Luring Hayen away from Brugge could yet prove to be a difficult task and that instantly hands Celtic an obstacle that they’ll have to overcome if he emerges as their top choice.

Celtic already watched on as Rangers endured managerial chaos and may choose to avoid taking a similar path. If that does prove to be the case, then Hayen could become an unlikely candidate.

It’s clear why Brugge will be so desperate to keep their young manager, too. Speaking to The Guardian in January, the owner of Haverfordwest, Rob Edwards, who worked with Hayen at the Welsh club before he set off for Belgium said: “He’s a workaholic and that rubs off on players, it rubs off on staff and it gets everyone behind you if you lead from the front.

“I always knew he was going to go off somewhere else. We didn’t have him that long, but to see what he’s achieved since then makes us all really proud.”

Celtic readying first move for Ange Postecoglou

Wolverhampton Wanderers have found life without their former star man, Matheus Cunha, to be torture so far this season.

Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold remain winless at the very foot of the Premier League, with just five goals next to their name from seven dismal matches, further reinforcing the hole left behind by the enigmatic Brazilian.

While Cunha tries to get up to speed with proceedings at his new club, Manchester United, Pereira will be tearing his hair out about how to kickstart Wolves’ season.

He does have Jorgen Strand Larsen, whom he can call upon in attack, with the Nordic centre-forward showing that he can score goals for fun when in the right mood at Molineux.

What makes Strand Larsen Wolves' best Cunha replacement

The 25-year-old striker impressed so much last season when firing home goals regularly that he penned a new long-term Old Gold contract in the summer, which keeps him at the West Midlands club until 2029.

As a result, it kept at bay suitors in the form of Newcastle who lodged what felt like several bids to tempt the hulking forward to St James’ Park.

It’s very clear why they wanted to tie him down to such a long-term contract, considering Cunha sadly exited the building, with Larsen helping himself to a clinical 14 goals in the last campaign to ensure Wolves stayed afloat for another season in the big time.

Yet, even as he began to adopt the tag of being Wolves’ main spark up top heading into the 2025/26 season, the ex-Celta Vigo striker has struggled to get going, largely because of injuries, leaving his team stuck at the foot of the tough league.

Larsen might well have two strikes next to his name in the EFL Cup, but he’s currently going through a barren streak in the bread and butter of league action, with no goals from five games, having amassed just 23.8 touches on average per clash.

Pereira could well be tempted to spruce things up in attack moving forward, with the Portuguese boss perhaps looking to the next generation coming through at Molineux to unearth a new Cunha in the making.

Wolves academy star could be the new Cunha

Pereira won’t want to just ditch the 22-time Norway international for good. Rather, he could be tempted to switch up the formation to bring in a partner for Larsen to bounce off

That player could be summer recruit Tolu Arokodare but if Pereira was thinking more outside of the box, he might also be tempted to experiment.

That’s where Wolves U21 sensation Mateus Mane comes into the equation. The Wolves boss labelled the rising talent as “special” back in May, long before his red-hot vein of form in the Premier League 2 this season.

Just one glance at the England U18 international’s numbers this campaign shows you why he’s so highly regarded in Wolves circles, with a sublime four goals and four assists coming his way from just nine outings in all competitions.

While Cunha was more well-known for his lethal edge in front of goal at Molineux, he did also have an eye for an assist, with 15 collected from 92 Wolves first-team appearances.

Evidently, Mane also possesses a similar hunger for creativity, away from finishing off chances confidently as an “instinctive” forward presence, as he was once labelled by analyst Ben Mattinson.

CF

16

7 + 5

AM

6

3 + 2

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3

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The similarities to the former Wolves’ fan favourite don’t end there, either, with the teenage sensation also capable of playing all across the forward positions, away from just causing panic to the defenders solely in the centre-forward position.

While the South American superstar did shine as a lone striker, too, he also didn’t look out of place when lining up as a number ten or as a winger if needed, with a remarkable four goals coming his way from just four games as a left winger option for the Old Gold.

For the time being, considering their lowly status, it might be deemed a step too far to push Mane into the senior fold.

But, at some point, Pereira will surely be tempted to gamble with the 18-year-old ace – considering he already has one men’s appearance to his name – as he attempts to fill the Cunha-shaped void.

Vitor Pereira has personally asked Wolves to sign 15-goal ace who they once bid for

The Old Gold are plotting a move for a new centre-forward…

BySean Markus Clifford Oct 12, 2025

The Rothesay County Championship match between Durham and Somerset looks set for a absorbing three-day finish after 18 wickets fell on the second day of the game at the Banks Homes Riverside.Replying to Durham’s 277, Somerset mustered only 172 but then dismissed the home side for 159, thus leaving the visitors with a victory target of 265.When bad light ended play five overs early, they had reached 71 for 1, still 194 short of their target but with nine wickets in hand.However, the day was also memorable for Durham’s 20 -year-old Championship debutant, Mitch Killeen, who had received his county cap on Friday morning and took 5 for 36 in Somerset’s first innings.Somerset resumed on 63 for 3 but Ben Raine took the first wickets of the day when he had James Rew lbw for 8 in the third over of the morning and Jack Leach superbly caught in the gully by Emilio Gay for a 30 that had included six fours.But the remainder of the morning session belonged to Killeen, who took four wickets in 16 balls as Somerset collapsed to 128 for 9. Tom Abell was lbw to one that nipped back off the pitch for 5 and Andy Umeed was dismissed in similar fashion for 14 when hit on the back leg.Craig Overton was out to his first delivery when his attempt to work the ball on the leg side merely leading-edged a comfortable catch to Gay in the gully, and Killeen completed his five-wicket haul in his next over when Archie Vaughan pushed forward but only edged a catch to Colin Ackermann at second slip.There was a reminder of cricket’s ability to bring players down to earth when Matt Henry hit Killeen for three fours in his next over and that brief assault was the foretaste of a last-wicket partnership that yielded 44 valuable runs for the visitors. Codi Yusuf ended the fun when he bowled Migael Pretorius for 20, leaving Henry unbeaten on 23 and giving Durham a first-innings lead of 105.That brought an end to one period of helter-skelter cricket. In less than 90 minutes, Somerset had scored 109 runs and lost seven wickets in 21.4 overs. It also concluded Yusuf’s part in the match. After being hit on the helmet on Friday evening, he was diagnosed as suffering from concussion at lunchtime and replaced by Daniel Hogg.The start of Durham’s second innings continued the morning drama as Henry took two wickets in three balls in his second over. Ben McKinney was caught behind and Gay taken by Lewis Gregory at first slip, both for ducks, to leave the home side on 9 for 2, and they had only advanced to 18 for 2 when the luncheon interval gave everyone an opportunity to take a deep breath or two.Rain delayed the start of the afternoon’s play for 20 minutes but the interruption only compounded the batters’ problems. David Bedingham was caught at slip by Overton off Josh Davey for 8 and the modest recovery represented by Alex Lees and Ollie Robinson’s 31-run stand ended when Lees was lbw to Pretorius for 35 and Ackermann was caught down the leg side off Overton for 4.Durham’s lead was only 193 when Robinson was caught in the gully by Umeed off Pretorius for 35 and Raine could add just nine more runs before he slapped Henry to Abell at cover.But James Minto joined Clark and this pair batted sensibly to add 26 before Clark was lbw to Pretorius four balls after tea. Minto and Hogg then added 21 for Durham’s last wicket before the home side were bowled out for 159, Pretorius taking 3 for 46 and Henry 3 for 51, giving him match figures of 7 for 111.Despite being faced with a daunting target on a spicy pitch, Gregory and Davey batted sensibly against an inexperienced attack to put on 35 before Killeen knocked out Davey’s off stump. That brought Tom Lammonby to the crease and he and Gregory had added a further 36 runs before the gloom closed in.

Former England allrounder addresses accident and aftermath in documentary set for release this week

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Apr-20251:45

‘Flintoff’ on Disney+: An exclusive look at Freddie’s story

Andrew Flintoff, the former England allrounder, says he still “remembers everything” about the near-fatal crash he suffered while filming an episode of Top Gear, after addressing the incident and its aftermath in a new Disney+ documentary about his life and career.Flintoff, 47, was airlifted to hospital in December 2022, after the open-topped three-wheeled Morgan Super 3 that he was driving around Dunsfold Aerodrome overturned at 130mph. He was left with broken ribs and serious facial injuries, with the BBC paying him a reported £9 million in compensation after agreeing to “rest” for the foreseeable future.The documentary, directed by John Dower, is set for release on April 25, and in a Disney+ trailer that features previously unseen footage of the crash site, Flintoff is seen entering hospital for treatment on his facial wounds.”I remember everything about it,” Flintoff says. “It’s so vivid.”Flintoff retreated from public life for months in the aftermath of the accident, and in the trailer, he expresses his “frustration” with the media speculation about his crash.”This is what I’m left with … I’ve lived under the radar for seven months,” he says. “One of the real frustrations was the speculation, that’s why I’m doing this now, [talking about] what actually happened.”Everyone wants more, you’re just a commodity. I’m not saying I’m embracing them, but I’m not trying to hide my scars.”It’s almost like a reset, I’m trying to find out what I am now. I’ve always seemed to be able to flick a switch, I’ve got to find that switch again.’Flintoff’s return to the sport of cricket has been a key aspect of his rehabilitation. At the behest of his friend and former team-mate, Rob Key – now England men’s director of cricket – he made an incognito appearance at the 2023 Ashes, and went on to take up a series of roles within the game, including head coach of Northern Superchargers in the Hundred, and most recently head coach of England Lions.He has also appeared as the host of the rebooted ITV darts show, Bullseye, as well as filming a second series of his acclaimed series, Field of Dreams, in which he travelled to India with his team of new cricketers, and opened up about his struggles to recover from what happened.”‘I struggle with anxiety, I have nightmares, I have flashbacks, it’s so hard to cope,” he said during the series. “I genuinely should not be here with what happened.”It’s going to be a long road back and I’ve only just started. I’m going to need help. I really am. I’m not the best at asking for it.”The new documentary features also interviews with his wife, Rachael, former team-mates including his 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan, and close friends including Jack Whitehall and James Corden.Speaking to the podcaster Joe Rogan, Top Gear’s co-host, Chris Harris – who witnessed the aftermath of the crash – said that Flintoff was lucky to be alive.”He’s a physical specimen, Fred, he’s a big guy – six foot five, six foot six, strong. And if he wasn’t so strong, he wouldn’t have survived.”He’s a great advert for physical strength and conditioning, because if he hadn’t been that strong, he’d have just snapped his neck, he’d be dead.”In a statement released after the crash, a BBC spokesman referred to an independent health and safety review of the show, and said: “[The review] found that while BBC Studios had complied with the required BBC policies and industry best practice in making the show, there were important learnings which would need to be rigorously applied to future Top Gear UK productions.”‘Flintoff’ is available exclusively on Disney+

Wrexham's record signing Nathan Broadhead has revealed the ambition shown by the club's Hollywood superstar owners was the determining factor behind his mega-money move from Ipswich this summer. Broadhead scored both goals in the 2-0 EFL victory over Reading and then hailed the influence of owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney in his decision to join the ambitious Welsh outfit.

• Big money. Big pressure

  The transfer from Ipswich set a new club record for Wrexham, with an initial fee of £7.5 million ($10.1m) that could potentially rise to £10m ($13.4m) with add-ons. Broadhead's move was influenced by a desire to join his hometown club, where he had been part of the academy as a boy, before joining Everton. 

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  Broadhead makes a flying start

  Broadhead opened his account with two goals against Reading which saw Wrexham progress to the fourth round for the first time in 48 years. He missed the opening weeks of the season due to a calf injury.

• Broadhead's Hollywood hopes

  Broadhead told BBC Sport: "That's the main reason I came and hopefully we can do that to get this club to the Premier League. That's the aim of the owners. So I see the vision and hopefully we can get there. You see the players coming in. You're bringing in quality players from the Championship and it just shows you where the owners want to be. That's the project, what we're going on."

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  High hopes for Championship season

  Broadhead added: "I'm just delighted to score and progress to the next round. I just can't wait to get proper match fit and get my sharpness back up and play in the Championship. I'm getting used to playing with new players, different systems. It's given me time to settle down a little bit, moving all my stuff and my family and everything like that. But I'm just happy to be settled now and playing football."

Liverpool are fighting to make some late signings before Monday’s deadline and have now stepped up their attempts to land a renowned international, according to reports.

Liverpool looking to sign Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi

There is no point in beating around the bush, especially when Liverpool’s double pursuit of Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi has dominated headlines for the majority of the transfer window.

Reports over the last few months have embodied many twists and turns, but recent claims suggest that Isak may be signed up at Anfield before the close of play and an imminent agreement is expected between all parties.

Aside from that, David Ornstein let some revealing information slip on Guehi’s future at Crystal Palace slip over the weekend, informing Premier League fans via The Athletic that Liverpool have submitted a £35 million bid for the England international.

With no add-ons or bonuses included in the offer, the Reds appear to be making a play in light of his contract situation in South London that could see the 25-year-old become a free agent next summer.

Making their priorities clear, Liverpool have insisted on a move for Guehi for months, and the arrival of Giovanni Leoni from Parma hasn’t changed their desire as Arne Slot looks to claim a second title in two years on Merseyside.

Shades of Coutinho: Liverpool confident of signing “special” big-money star

Liverpool are ready to close a few deals before the end of the summer transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 29, 2025

Manchester City are also admirers of the former Chelsea man due to his excellent performances at Selhurst Park, though it appears that the Reds are his preferred destination, which is a testament to the Dutchman’s work since arriving from Feyenoord.

Now, Liverpool have received a reply to their offer in a piece of information that could offer a roadmap to Guehi putting pen to paper.

Liverpool told how much Marc Guehi will cost

According to Ben Jacobs on X, Liverpool have been told a fee of £35 million plus £5 million in add-ons will be enough to secure Guehi from Crystal Palace, who have rejected their initial proposal for the Three Lions star.

Now, it remains to be seen if FSG are willing to up their bid to seal a deal before the deadline, creating a scenario where any move will need to be made swiftly in light of Monday’s 7 pm cut-off point.

Labelled a “monster in defence” by Crystal Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, Guehi has made five appearances this term despite uncertainty over his future, helping the Eagles secure Europa Conference League qualification.

Last term, he won 69 aerial duels and 34 tackles on Premier League duty, per Fotmob, which has unsurprisingly made him one of the transfer market’s most wanted men with time ticking before the close of play.

Liverpool want to make a statement to aid their bid for another title and Guehi could now be within touching distance for those within the corridors of power at Anfield.

Despite a 3-2 win over D.C. United that strengthened Inter Miami’s playoff position, head coach Javier Mascherano admitted that defensive lapses remain a key area to improve. The Argentine stressed the need to maintain composure when falling behind and to correct mistakes in transitions as the Herons enter the decisive stretch of the MLS season.

• Defense a concern heading into Playoffs

  In their last four matches, Miami has conceded nine goals and owns one of the worst defenses in the Eastern Conference. Among the top seven teams that currently qualify directly for the playoffs, Mascherano’s side is at the bottom with 46 goals conceded.

  “It’s something I’m both concerned about and focused on," he stressed in his postgame comments. "We have to identify each game’s demands. Except for the PSG match, the team has generally defended well. In the Leagues Cup, apart from the final, we defended well too. These are moments. My biggest concern is when we fall behind, we lose our heads, lose our shape. In this league, we cannot afford that. 

  "That’s what we need to work on in these last six matches. Details will be the key for this team to keep progressing – it’s my responsibility to convince the players of that.”

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  Transition mistakes at fault

  Mascherano refused to blame his defenders, instead highlighting errors in transitions as the main cause of the goals conceded.

  “We conceded two goals, more because of transitions than defensive structure," he said. "They try to draw the opponent in to play long balls, and with players like Christian Benteke, who has great qualities, we wanted to disrupt that first launch. Clearly, today, some mistakes, some turnovers, cost us a lot."

  Benteke scored the first goal off a diving header to tie the match, while Jacob Murrell scored D.C.'s second goal in the dying seconds off a transition play. 

  "D.C. United may be in last place, but they hadn’t lost in four matches, and you could feel their presence," Mascherano explained. "Sometimes, facing a team with nothing to lose makes them dangerous. At times we suffered, but in the second half the subs came in well, even though we conceded again off another loss of possession.”

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  Messi by the numbers

  Lionel Messi has 30 goals and 12 assists in 37 matches this year. Already the MLS Golden Boot leader with 22 goals – one more than Sam Surridge – the Argentine has now reached 882 career goals in 1,123 appearances across club and country.

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  Citi Field next…

  The victory strengthens Inter Miami’s playoff hopes, moving them to fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 52 points and three games in hand. Messi is now the MLS top scorer with 22 goals in 21 matches. The Herons will visit the Big Apple next Wednesday to face NYCFC in MLS action.