The Portuguese was heavily linked with a move to the Saudi side ahead of the tournament, but the move didn't make sense for anyone concerned

Gianni Infantino made no secret of his desire to see Cristiano Ronaldo compete at the Club World Cup. The FIFA president even publicly revealed during an interview with CR7 super-fan IShowSpeed last month that some of the participants in the expanded tournament were considering signing the Portuguese forward.

Ronaldo subsequently admitted himself that he had received several offers to "play in the Club World Cup", but ultimately decided that he would be better served by re-signing with Al-Nassr before taking a much-needed break from the game.

"I think it didn't make sense," the 40-year-old told his club's official TV channel, "because I prefer to have a good rest, a good preparation, because next season will be very long, with the World Cup at the end."

Crucially, Al-Hilal didn't think signing Ronaldo made much sense either – and their stunning run to the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup has shown precisely why they were right to avoid the CR7 sideshow…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Paving the way

  Ronaldo unquestionably played a pivotal part in Al-Hilal's success. If he hadn't joined Al-Nassr in January 2023, nowhere near as many high-profile players would have subsequently followed him to the Middle East. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund may have stumped up the cash, but Ronaldo provided the 'credibility' the Saudi Pro League so desperately required.

  His mere presence at Al-Awwal Park attracted the attention of his millions and millions of fans all around the world, as well as a number of other stars seeking one last lucrative payday – including Neymar. Al-Hilal's acquisition of Brazil's all-time leading goal-scorer was essentially their response to city rivals Al-Nassr landing Ronaldo. Unfortunately, Neymar proved a colossal waste of money, scoring just one goal in seven appearances during an 18-month stay that cost the club almost $200 million in fees and wages.

  However, while investing such a massive amount of money in the notoriously fragile forward proved a disastrous decision, at least from a sporting perspective, Al-Hilal's other stellar signings from the summer of 2023 have nearly all delivered. Indeed, The Blue Waves were almost immediately rewarded for targeting players that still had plenty left to offer at the highest level.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Stars stepping up

  A formidable team containing international-level performers such as Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic left Ronaldo's Al-Nassr trailing in their wake as they won the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League title without losing a single game.

  Al-Hilal failed to retain their title last season, while they were also upset by eventual winners Al-Ahli in the semi-finals of the AFC Champions League, resulting in the dismissal of Jorge Jesus as coach. However, they remained quietly optimistic about their chances of reaching the last 16 of Infantino's radically revamped Club World Cup – and with good reason.

  For starters, Al-Hilal had deepened their pool of talent with the additions of Joao Cancelo and Marcos Leonardo before finally ridding themselves of Neymar during the January transfer window. But even more significantly, the four-time time champions of Asia managed to find a remarkable replacement for Jesus just before the start of the Club World Cup.

• AFP
  

  Instant impact

  It's still not entirely clear when exactly Simone Inzaghi agreed to take charge of Al-Hilal, and it remains a touchy subject among Inter fans, some of whom suspect the decision was taken before the Champions League final on June 1, and thus contributed to the Nerazzurri’s calamitous 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in Munich. However, all we know for certain is that Al-Hilal’s willingness to make the former Lazio striker one of the highest-paid coaches on the planet is already reaping rewards.

  They certainly demanded a lot from Inzaghi. "This season we came off second [in the Saudi Pro League] – that's below par for what is expected from us," Al-Hilal CEO Esteve Calzada told the . "And, very simply, what we expect from the new coach is that he helps us to win again and to [reclaim] our championship."

  What Calzada & Co. did not expect, though, was for Inzaghi to almost instantaneously transform the team into Club World Cup contenders – and yet that's exactly what he's done.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  'Not here on holiday!'

  Inzaghi only took charge of Al-Hilal on June 4 – precisely two weeks before their daunting tournament opener against Real Madrid – but it didn’t take him long to make his presence felt. Having a stellar CV meant the dressing room was behind him from the get-go, but an undefeated run through the group stage – sparked by a surprise but fully-deserved 1-1 draw with Los Blancos – provided immediate validation of the new boss’ methods.

  "Inzaghi is a top coach," former Napoli centre-back Koulibaly told FIFA after the 2-0 win over Pachuca that sealed a spot in the knockout stage. "I got to know him in Italy and played against his teams a lot. He had a great run with Inter, making it to the Champions League final twice and winning the Scudetto. We haven't worked with him much in training, but his ideas are clear. He gets us to watch plenty of videos, and we chat a lot about tactics. Now we're seeing the impact on the pitch."

  Consequently, Koulibaly was optimistic about his side’s chances of defeating the mighty Manchester City in the last 16, and was clearly irked by the idea that they were there just to make up the numbers: "We know that they are one of the best teams in the world, but we need to believe in ourselves. We're not here on holiday! We're here to win matches. We know it won't be easy, but it's only 90 minutes or so. If we can keep that in mind, I truly believe we can do something special."

  And he was right.

أعلن نادي الزمالك برئاسة حسين لبيب، تعاقده مع اللاعب خوان ألفينا بيزيرا، قادمًا من اوليكساندريا الأوكراني، لتدعيم صفوف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم استعدادًا للموسم المقبل 2025/2026.

وتعد تلك الصفقة العاشرة لنادي الزمالك بعد التعاقد مع المهدي سليمان حارس مرمى فريق الاتحاد السكندري السابق لمدة موسمين في صفقة انتقال حر، والأنجولي شيكو بانزا لمدة أربعة مواسم قادماً من نادي إستريلا دا أمادورا البرتغالي.

والتعاقد مع ثنائي نادي فاركو عمرو ناصر وأحمد شريف لمدة 5 مواسم، الفلسطيني آدم كايد لمدة 3 مواسم في صفقة انتقال حر، والمغربي عبد الحميد معالي لمدة 5 مواسم قادمًا من نادي اتحاد طنجة.

بالإضافة إلى التعاقد مع أحمد ربيع، لمدة 5 مواسم من البنك الأهلي، ومحمد إسماعيل لمدة 5 مواسم من زد، والفلسطيني عدي الدباغ لمدة 4 مواسم، بجانب تجديد التعاقد مع عبد الله السعيد لاعب الوسط لمدة موسمين.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خاص | الزمالك يقترب من حسم صفقة إفريقية

وأعلن الزمالك تعاقده مع بيزيرا لمدة 4 مواسم مقبلة، لكنه لم يكشف عن التفاصيل المالية للصفقة، بينما أعلن نادي أوليكساندريا الأوكراني من جانبه في رسالة وداعية للاعب عبر إنستجرام قيمة التعاقد المبرم.

وكشف النادي الأوكراني أن قيمة تعاقد الزمالك مع لاعب خط الوسط قد كلفت مليون و800 ألف يورو بالإضافة إلى وجود مكافآت وحوافز.

   View this post on Instagram   

A post shared by FC Olexandriya Official (@fcolexandriya)

The USMNT Transfer Notebook tracks American player movements, with latest developments for those in the U.S. national team pool

With the Gold Cup over and the summer transfer window open, clubs are charging ahead in preparation for the 2025-26 season, as European leagues kick off in late July or early to mid-August.

For several USMNT players, that means finding a new club or weighing offers – each with the same goal: playing regular top-level soccer to boost their 2026 World Cup chances.

Goalkeeper Matt Turner's reported move to Lyon in France was handed a major boost this week, while teammate Tim Weah could be set to join him in Ligue 1, as the Juventus winger is reportedly pushing for a move to Marseille. In England, English Championship side Derby County is looking to wrap up a deal for Patrick Agyemang, while rivals for promotion this fall, Portsmouth, are reportedly eyeing U.S. youth international Griffin Yow to bolster their attacking ranks. Meanwhile, if both are to sign in the Championship, they'll be joined by striker Damion Downs, who completed a move to Southampton on Wednesday.

Other deals in the works around Europe include midfielders Yunus Musah and Johnny Cardoso, striker Josh Sargent, and new to the mix, winger Diego Luna, who is supposedly the subject of interest from Spain. Notably, two high-profile teenagers in Europe were handed new deals in recent weeks, too, as U20 goalkeeper Julian Eyestone was locked down by Brentford, and defender Noahkai Banks secured a long-term deal with Augsburg.

GOAL tracks all of the American player movements in the USMNT Transfer Notebook, a recurring feature covering the latest developments for those in the U.S. national team pool.

Getty Images SportWeah to return to Ligue 1?

After reportedly turning down a potential transfer to Nottingham Forest in June after Juventus and the Premier League side seemingly came to a transfer agreement, Weah now has his heart set on a return to Ligue 1, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Olympique Marseille is reportedly interested in the 25-year-old American, and the striker "wants" to join the ranks of Roberto De Zerbi's men, returning to France. Weah previously played for both Paris Saint-Germain and LOSC Lille in Ligue 1, before completing a move to Juventus in Italy ahead of the 2023-24 season.

Weah and Marseille have a "basic agreement" already, according to journalist Matteo Moretto, and the two clubs and Weah are ready to advance with talks around a potential transfer.

If he were to sign for Marseille, he would be playing in the UEFA Champions League next season with the club that finished second in the Ligue 1 standings.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTurner to Lyon gets big boost

In early June, it was announced that Nottingham Forest, Lyon, and Matt Turner were all in advanced conversations around the American signing for the French club on a permanent transfer this summer. However, shortly after the initial news broke, it was announced that Lyon were set to be automatically relegated to Ligue 2 by the National Management Control Directorate (DNCG) after securing a debt reportedly north of $500M.

News broke on Wednesday that the decision was overturned amid a successful appeal from Lyon, and they will remain in Ligue 1 in the 2025-26 season. With that, the news surrounding a potential move for Turner was handed a major boost as well, as the USMNT goalkeeper looks to secure regular first-team minutes and compete in European soccer this coming campaign.

The deal is not official, but with Wednesday's news, transfer gossip will only heat up with the club.

Getty ImagesAgyemang prepping for England move

Charlotte FC's star forward and Mauricio Pochettino's starting striker for the USMNT during the Gold Cup is on the verge of signing for Derby County in England, according to multiple reports. The English Championship side approached CLT FC with an $8 million bid last week, and now, with the midsummer CONCACAF competition wrapped, his time in MLS all but appears to be over.

BBC Derby reported Wednesday that Agyemang is undergoing a medical with the club in the United States this week, and if all goes well, the two clubs and the U.S. international will put pen to paper over the deal.

Agyemang, 24, started all six matches for the USMNT at the Gold Cup this summer, scoring two goals.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesPortsmouth make a play for Yow

Griffin Yow, who impressed with the U.S. Olympic team in the 2024 Paris Games, is reportedly set to leave Belgian side Westerlo this summer, and English Championship side Portsmouth has emerged as the top contender for his signature. Anderlecht were previously linked, and several Eredivisie sides are also monitoring the situation, according to the latest report.

Yow, 22, was a breakout player for the U.S. in Paris last summer, but has yet to make his senior USMNT debut for the national team.

"I'm someone who is always striving for more," Yow recently told GOAL about transfer buzz this summerin an exclusive interview. "I don't just accept that this is my level. I feel good here, yes. I'm comfortable here, for sure, but I'm also someone who wants to reach the next step and challenge myself. My goal is to play in the Champions League, to play in the World Cup, and to face these top-tier teams in the world. If a better situation comes, then yes, there would be no doubt in my mind, but it has to be a better situation. I'm ready for the next step, for sure, but it has to be the right one."

If any deal comes about this summer with Westerlo, MLS side D.C. United will receive a 35 percent sell-on fee from the transfer.

Najmul Hossain Shanto’s fifth Test century tilted the Sylhet Test heavily towards Bangladesh at the end of the third day. The home side lead New Zealand by 205 runs with seven wickets in hand, after mostly dominating the day’s play.Shanto added 96 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket stand with Mushfiqur Rahim. This was Shanto’s third Test hundred in the last four innings, after he scored twin tons against Afghanistan back in June. Shanto celebrated in style after he reached the three-figure mark, as Bangladesh breathed a sigh of relief having lost two early wickets in their second innings.Related

• Calm and clinical Shanto brings back Bangladesh's smile

• Taijul vs Williamson takes centrestage in Shakib's absence

• Rachin Ravindra: I'm not worried about runs and wickets. You just work hard and see where it takes you'

• TV footage shows Phillips appearing to apply saliva on the ball

The day also didn’t begin that well for the home side. New Zealand’s ninth-wicket pair of Kyle Jamieson and Tim Southee added 52 runs, but more importantly, they batted out the first hour and a little bit more. Southee and Jamieson struck four boundaries in the partnership, but it was mostly great defensive batting. Bangladesh, too, were guilty of setting deep fields against the two tail-enders.Finally, after they had played out 17 overs, part-timer Mominul Haque trapped Jamieson lbw for 23. Later in the over, Mominul bowled Southee with a full ball. Southee made a polished 35 off 62 balls.The Bangladesh openers Zakir Hasan and Mahmudul Hasan Joy saw off the tricky ten overs before lunch but New Zealand struck shortly after the break. Ajaz Patel got Zakir Hasan lbw to a delivery that turned sharply back into his font pad. Zakir didn’t take the review as he walked back for 17, but it was a similar delivery that Patel got him bowled in the first innings.More bad luck followed for the home side when a Shanto straight drive brushed Southee’s finger and struck the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Joy was slightly outside the crease, and although he tried to get back, he fell inches short. Joy had painstakingly stuck along for 46 balls to make just eight runs.Najmul Hossain Shanto used the sweep and reverse sweep to good effect•AFP/Getty Images

Mominul and Shanto then added 90 runs for the third wicket to get Bangladesh into the right track after the first two wickets. Mominul nurdled the ball around, with four boundaries interspersed in his 68-ball stay.During this partnership and just before the tea break, offspinner Glenn Philips put saliva on the ball during the 34th over but the incident wasn’t immediately picked up by on-field umpires Ahsan Raza and Paul Reiffel. As per ICC guidelines, once they see the incident on TV, Bangladesh will be rewarded five penalty runs.Mominul, meanwhile, played a superb cut and a classical cover drive, as well as an off-drive and a pull. Compare these assured shots to his run-out, it was quite deflating. As he drove the ball towards mid-on, Mominul watched the ball and ran hard, only to notice Shanto had turned his back at the non-striker’s end. Tom Blundell whipped off the bails with Mominul miles away.Shanto and Mushfiqur Rahim took a bit of time to regroup but settled into a slow rhythm, hardly leaving first gear. Shanto had slowed down after he reached 40, while Mushfiqur supported him with an almost similar pace in batting. He refrained from driving for runs, hitting most of his runs square of the wicket on both sides, getting five boundaries in his 71-ball stay.

Sunderland have joined the likes of Marseille and Atletico Madrid in pursuit of West Ham defender Nayef Aguerd this summer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sunderland latest club interested in Aguerd
• Marseille have made an offer to personal terms
• West Ham contract runs until 2027

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  French outlet reports that Sunderland have joined the race along with Bayer Leverkusen, Atletico Madrid and Marseille. Interest in Aguerd is heating up after his campaign in Spain last season.

  While West Ham hope to sell the Aguerd, they have many options and could decide against letting him join another Premier League team, with Real Sociedad eager to bring him back after his loan spell.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Italian sides AC Milan and Roma are also interested, while Juventus could engage in a player exchange deal as Igor Tudor looks strengthen his side's defence. Spanish club Sociedad, where he spent the entire 2024-25 season on loan, are interested in making his move permanent as well.

• THE MARSEILLE SITUATION

  French club Marseille are reinforcing their side after qualifying for the Champions League last season. They have signed Angel Gomes from Lille on a free transfer and are now trying to sign two defenders. Aguerd is their main transfer target, and with fellow Moroccan Mehdi Benatia serving as a director at the French club, they have approached the players’ entourage and made a contract offer.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR AGUERD?

  With his impressive campaign in Spain last season, Aguerd will assess all his options on the table before deciding on his future club.

Gladiators take pole position on points table; Samp Army and Strikers extend winning streak to four

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2023

Samp Army’s reign at the top of the points table proved to be shortlived, as Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s whirlwind 19-ball 69 not out on the back of Nuwan Thushara’s 4 for 12 catapulted Deccan Gladiators to the No. 1 spot on Tuesday evening in the Abu Dhabi T10. It was Northern Warriors who bore the brunt of the two-man show as they went down by eight wickets in what was their fourth loss on the bounce.Thushara struck with his second and fourth deliveries of the day, taking out Kennar Lewis and Hazratullah Zazai. Josh Cobb was run-out on the fifth ball of that over as Warriors slipped to 13 for 3 after two. Angelo Mathews and Jimmy Neesham added 50 runs for the fourth wicket but took 34 balls to do it. Thushara returned to send back Mathews and Azmatullah Omarzai in his second over to finish with the best bowling figures in the competition this year so far.Rahul Chopra and Neesham then got a few big hits away to drag Warriors to 100 for 6 in ten overs.Kohler-Cadmore, though, made a mockery of the target. He hacked Mathews for four sixes in the first over of the chase, followed it up by whacking Omarzai for three successive fours, and then hammered Tabraiz Shamsi for one four and three sixes. En route, he brought up his fifty off just 13 balls.It took Gladiators all of 6.1 overs to chase down the target with Kohler-Cadmore’s strike rate a barely believable 363.15, with four fours and eight sixes.Karim Janat picked up two wickets in an over to derail Bangla Tigers’ innings•Abu Dhabi T10

Qais and Irshad bowl Samp Army to victory
Miserly three-wicket hauls from Qais Ahmad and Salman Irshad, backed up by Andries Gous’ 20-ball 42 helped Samp Army down Bangla Tigers by six wickets and extend their winning streak to four games. The win also saw them move to eight points after five matches.After Samp Army elected to field, Jason Holder struck in his first over, but Jordan Cox lay into the bowlers before Qais and Co. derailed their innings. Qais first took out Cox last ball of the fifth over, and Karim Janat picked up two wickets in the next. Qais then sent back Dominic Drakes and Daniel Sams off successive balls, while Irshad picked up two wickets in an over of his own as Tigers slipped from 36 for 1 to 59 for 8 in 22 balls. Benny Howell (11* off six balls) and Rohan Mustafa (11 off eight) pushed Tigers to 82 before they were bowled out off the final ball of the innings.In reply, Samp Army lost Faf du Plessis early, but Gous smashed Sams for two fours in the first over before taking Shannon Gabriel for two fours and two sixes. Gabriel, who had on Monday picked up 2 for 2, went for 26 in just his first over. Samp Army did lose their way a bit in the middle overs, but Gous’ whirlwind knock countered that.Captain Moeen Ali and Najibullah Zadran provided the finishing touches, taking Samp Army home with ten balls to spare.Rahmanullah Gurbaz was named player of the match for his 16-ball 41•Abu Dhabi T10

Gurbaz, Smith and Narine keep Team Abu Dhabi waiting for victory
Team Abu Dhabi slumped to their sixth defeat in six games as New York Strikers registered a comfortable win that took them to eight points from five matches thanks to impressive performances from Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Muhammad Waseem, Odean Smith and Sunil Narine.Gurbaz and Waseem put on a 62-run opening stand to give Strikers a strong start. Waseem made 23 off 14 before picking out square leg off Noor Ahmad.That triggered a slide of five wickets for 27 runs but Smith (17* off 7) and Kieron Pollard (8* off 4), captaining in Nicholas Pooran’s absence, ensured a powerful finish for Strikers.The West Indies spin duo of Narine and Akeal Hosein then put more pressure on Abu Dhabi. Hosein and Mohammad Amir bowled a tight first two overs before Narine removed Tom Banton and Leus de Plooy in a double-wicket maiden.Hosein got rid of Abu Dhabi impact sub Colin Ingram for a first-ball duck in the next over to consolidate Strikers’ grip on the match. Kyle Mayers and UAE’s Asif Khan put on a 51-run stand to try and revive Abu Dhabi, but the asking rate continued to soar.Mayers was run out in the seventh over and Muhammad Jawadullah dismissed Asif in the ninth to effectively finish the game off.

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Elkeson não atuará junto do Grêmio na última partida da equipe em 2022. O jogador tem uma lesão constatada de grau 1 na coxa direta e será desfalque no time que será colocado em campo pelo técnico Renato Portaluppi, diante do Brusque, pela última rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro.

RelacionadasGrêmioZagueiro Pablo Marí teria sido oferecido ao GrêmioGrêmio01/11/2022Lance! BizGrêmio inaugura primeiro hotel temático de clubes de futebol no Brasil. EntendaLance! Biz31/10/2022GrêmioDenúncia sobre uso indevido de dados é indeferida pela Comissão Eleitoral do GrêmioGrêmio31/10/2022

>Lionel Messi busca objetivo antes de saída do Paris Saint-Germain

A situação, aliás, pode ter significado o fim da trajetória do atacante de 33 anos de idade com a camisa gremista, já que a tendência é que o vínculo com duração até dezembro deste ano não seja renovado.

Tendo chegado ao clube de Porto Alegre em abril deste ano após longa passagem pelo futebol da China, Elkeson era o nome enxergado pela diretoria para ser a grande figura ofensiva da equipe já pensando na transição de posto atualmente ocupado por Diego Souza.

Entretanto, enquanto Diego se manteve como o artilheiro da equipe, da mesma forma que ocorreu nas últimas temporadas, a contratação acabou atrapalhada por lesões e a consequente falta de sequência em atuações. Ao todo, ele fez 24 partidas com cinco gols assinalados, sendo a última delas o empate em 2 a 2 diante do Tombense.

Coming together at 37 for 4, the fifth-wicket pair put on an unbroken 104 to boss a chase of 141

Abhimanyu Bose10-Dec-2023An unbroken 104-run partnership between Harry Tector and George Dockrell helped Ireland turn a tricky situation into a comfortable chase against Zimbabwe in the third T20I in Harare to seal their first away T20I series win against a Full Member team.With 141 to chase, it looked like even this game could go into the last over like the last two when Ireland stumbled to 37 for 4 in seven overs.But Dockrell and Tector countered Zimbabwe’s spin threat and soon put Ireland in the driving seat. They coasted to victory in the end, with eight balls to spare.The momentum shifted after the 12th over. Ireland were going at a run a ball until then, and the asking rate was rising. Tector, who had played a key role in Ireland’s chase in the second T20I, was batting on 13 off 21 balls. Zimbabwe needed 69 from 48 balls.Then Dockrell hit Zimbabwe’s stand-in captain Ryan Burl for two sixes in a 16-run 13th over, and Ireland took 12 more off the next, bowled by Wellington Masakadza, to bring the equation down to 41 off the last six.Tector then shifted gears himself and ended up racing to a 41-ball half-century as he finished the series as its top scorer. He was, however, the first to admit in his post-game chat that it was Dockrell who engineered the win by taking the pressure off him when he was struggling early on, on a pitch where the ball often kept low.Zimbabwe, already without the suspended Sikandar Raza, had to name a third captain in as many games in this series with Sean Williams out with the side injury he suffered during the second T20I.It led to a major reshuffle, with opener Tadiwanashe Marumani and fast bowler Trevor Gwandu also making way as legspinner Brandon Mavuta, left-arm spinner Masakadza and batter Tony Munyonga coming into the side.After being put in, Zimbabwe continued to endure top-order struggles. Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, sent out to open after an impressive knock at No. 3 on Saturday, was trapped lbw off Josh Little’s first ball.But then Brian Bennett, who made 1 and 0 in his first two international games, made the most of his promotion to No. 3. Ireland’s bowlers targeted him with short balls, but he didn’t shy away from pulling and hooking his way out of the barrage. Zimbabwe only scored 26 in their first five overs, but ended the powerplay on a high when Bennett pulled Barry McCarthy for consecutive sixes.File photo – Gareth Delany took the wickets of Wessly Madhevere and Brian Bennett in a match-defining seventh over•AFP/Getty ImagesBut Gareth Delany turned the game around in the next over, first trapping Wessly Madhevere lbw after he missed a pull to one that stayed low and then getting Bennett to chop on for a 19-ball 27.Burl was nearly out first ball, but Tucker couldn’t hold on to a catch off the inside edge. Burl then hung around with Munyonga before Craig Young castled the latter.Like in the second T20I, Burl and Madande put on a defiant stand, adding 55 off 47. But Young gave Ireland a crucial breakthrough by bouncing Madande out before Burl drove Little straight to Delany at cover.Mavuta and Luke Jongwe added an unbroken 24 runs for the seventh wicket, taking Zimbabwe’s total to 140.Zimbabwe started well again with the ball, with Richard Ngarava trapping Paul Stirling in front in the first over. Blessing Muzarabani, introduced into the attack in the fourth over after Masakadza opened the bowling with Ngarava, also struck in his first over when Andy Balbirnie miscued a pull to Burl, who took a good catch backpedaling from mid-off.Lorcan Tucker swept Masakadza for a boundary, but lost his stumps trying the same shot next ball.Curtis Campher joined Tector at the crease but was struggling to get the spinners away, especially Mavuta, and the legspinner eventually got a leading edge off him that was gobbled up at cover.That brought Tector and Dockrell together, and the two proceeded to complete the chase almost faultlessly, with Dockrell hitting the winning runs for a second game in a row.