Ahead of MLS Cup, Fray joins GOAL Convo to talk growing up near Chase Stadium, playing with Messi and Co., and what this moment means for him and Inter Miami.

Ian Fray laughs when asked what it’s like to get a pep talk from Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano. It’s intense, he admits. It comes in both English and Spanish. More importantly, it works. Fray believes Mascherano’s “passionate” approach has sparked Miami’s surge this season.

“Mascherano brings this fresh, young energy,” Fray tells GOAL. “I don’t fully understand the Spanish parts, but you get it when he’s yelling and his face turns red. You get fired up, even if you don’t totally understand. You get fired up!”

It isn’t only Mascherano – or the shot at a championship – that drives him. Fray grew up just 15 minutes from Chase Stadium in Coconut Creek. Representing his community, and doing it the right way, has always mattered to him. It’s part of what has pushed him through setbacks along the way.

“Going from the academy to the second team, doing the whole process here, and now to see it all come to fruition – look, we’re in MLS Cup,” he says. “This is exactly what I dreamed of when I joined the academy.”

Ahead of Saturday’s final, Fray joined GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in North American soccer, to talk Mascherano, Messi, overcoming adversity, and why he believes Jamaica will make the 2026 World Cup.

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  ON REACHING THE MLS CUP FINAL

  GOAL: MLS Cup is this Saturday. What are your emotions as you head into this match against Vancouver?

  FRAY: This is exactly what we all dream of for all season. Eleven months and yeah, super excited.

  GOAL: You’ve been here since 2021 and seen almost everything with this club. What does this journey mean to you, especially as someone from the area?

  FRAY: I grew up 15 minutes down the street from the stadium, you know, I lived, lived and grew up in Coconut Creek. Went to high school. I went to elementary through high school, all the way here. I've lived here my whole life. And just to see the stadium, even this stadium being built, you know, going from the academy, the second team did the whole process here and now to see it all come to fruition. Look, we're in MLS Cup. This is exactly what I've dreamed of since joining the academy.

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  ON PLAYING WITH LIONEL MESSI AND SUPERSTARS

  GOAL: You play with some well-known legends, you know, ranging from Lionel Messi to Jordi Alba on defense. What is that whole experience like? For someone who doesn't get to see the locker room, what are the things you can share about that experience?

  FRAY: I don't know if it's something [about the game] that they don't know. It just shows in their game and they hold you to the highest standard possible. And a lot of people will crumble under that and say it's too intense or whatnot, but they, they do all this, and they're hard on you because they want you to be right there with them. They want you to compete just like them. And that's the best thing you could want. You want someone who has been at the highest level, like kind of forcing you to be on their level as well. And it just brings the best out of the players. 

  GOAL: Can you share an example of how they keep the team accountable?

  FRAY: Yeah, I can. Even for the last game against New York City, as I came in, I lost two balls I shouldn't have lost. And all them kind of just look at you, and they're like, 'Come on, let's go. This isn't a joke.' When they show that intensity, and then you can either crumble or you can go above that.

  GOAL: There are so many different cultures in your locker room. How do you guys, kind of, you know, come together and make it, you know, communicate and just build that, that chemistry that you need as a team?

  FRAY: Yeah, I feel like it's more just like [finding ways to get] laughter, even though a lot of us can't understand each other, it's more just like laughter. They say a couple of words that you know, and you can say a couple of words that they kind of know, and [it all clicks]. It's all at practice too. You know, it brings everyone together. Training on the field. Everyone's in the heat, training, all this, everything we've been through, just brought the team closer.

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  ON MASCHERANO

  GOAL: You've played for a lot of high-profile managers here, Phil Neville and Tata Martino, and now you have Javier Mascherano. What makes him unique and special?

  FRAY: All of them [who you mentioned] are great managers, by the way. I think Mac brings this, like fresh, like young, he's a he's a defender too. So you can tell, and I'm a defender, I love to defend. And he's just, he has a lot of love for the game. And it just, it shows in practice he's really passionate. And that brings out, if your manager is passionate, and you can see it every day in practice, it brings out the best of the players.

  GOAL: Now, when he was a player, he was seen as, like, a combative type of, you know, lack of better word, a little crazy, right?

  FRAY: [Laughs] We need that! It fires everybody up.

  GOAL: What's a pep talk from him like?

  FRAY: I don’t fully understand the Spanish parts, but you get it when he’s yelling, and his face turns red. You get fired up, even if you don’t totally understand. You get fired up!

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  ON OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

  GOAL: You’ve fought through injuries before, suffering three torn ACLs. How do you stay mentally strong and keep moving forward when setbacks happen?

  FRAY: So yeah, I've been through a couple of those, and I always knew what I wanted to do ever since I was younger. And I've been through things maybe not like that before. And it's just I always know if I get past this, then nothing's gonna be able to stop me. And then it happened again, I'm okay, but if I get past this one, then nothing's gonna be able to stop me. So I think that's just more of what just more of what it is. I'm not gonna let anything stop me from my dreams.

  GOAL: Is there a ritual, tradition, or a mentality you have to help you navigate through that all?

  FRAY: I always, usually look back to something that I overcame before, like, for all the injuries. And when I had the first one, it was like, 'OK, maybe I got cut from Weston when I was 15, and I ended up at inter Miami.' Yeah, that's what I looked at….I overcame that. I can overcome this ACL injury. And then the other ones, I just looked back at the first one, okay, I went through the first one. Why can't I do it again?

CA chief executive believes there is no correlation between Khawaja’s injury and the three days of golf he played in the lead-in to the Test match

Alex Malcolm22-Nov-2025Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has defended Usman Khawaja saying it is “drawing a long bow” to suggest that his decision to play golf prior to the Test match impacted the back spasms that he suffered on the opening day in Perth.Khawaja, 38, has come under scrutiny after the issue forced him off the field late in England’s short first innings on Friday. His absence was ill-timed as England then collapsed while he was stretching to overcome the spasm and it left stand-in captain Steven Smith calling for Khawaja to come back onto the field.Khawaja eventually did return to the field for the end of the innings but, according to ICC rules, had not returned for the equal amount of time he had been off and therefore was ineligible to open the batting. It meant Marnus Labuschagne was forced to open and Smith batted at No.3. Khawaja eventually batted at No.4 and was dismissed for just 2.Khawaja fielded for all 15 overs Australia bowled prior to lunch on day two and looked unaffected. But he dropped a catch at slip after lunch and then jumped for another and his back seized up again. He left the field for the last 48 minutes of England’s second innings and was unable to open again, with Travis Head walking out for the fourth-innings chase alongside Weatherald.”Unfortunately Uzzy is not moving too well,” Cummins told Fox Cricket on Saturday afternoon. “His back flared up again in the slips going for a jump above his head so he’s unable to open.”We were trying to work out whether we shuffle everyone up like the first innings, but Trav ran off and he was keen to give it a crack.”He’s done it quite a bit in white ball cricket so we switched those roles.”Hopefully Uzzy can still fill in a role in the middle order at some point.”Don’t think we’ll see him until after Marn and Smithy.”CA stressed it was a new injury that he had not suffered prior to Friday. Khawaja had played golf on Tuesday and Wednesday either side of Australia’s training sessions. He skipped Thursday’s optional session, with only four of Australia’s XI doing any training, to play golf alongside Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland. Several of Australia’s coaching staff also played in the afternoon after the main session.Greenberg, an avid golfer himself who sat with Perth-born professional golfer Min Woo Lee at Perth Stadium on Friday, said there was no correlation between Khawaja’s golf and his back issue.”[Golf] has held him in good stead over the last couple of years. It’s not uncommon for a lot of them to play golf a day prior,” Greenberg told SEN. “Did that correlate to any of the issues? I personally don’t think so.”Usman’s a very seasoned campaigner, he knows his body well, and he knows how to get himself prepared for cricket. So I think that is drawing a long bow. A lot of people talk about cricket being played between the ears.”So getting some time away from being in your hotel or at training I think is really important. I noticed Mitch Starc played golf with him, so it certainly didn’t impact his performance.”Golf is a huge part of Australia’s team culture, as it is for their opponents England. They play regularly in the lead-up to Test matches at home and abroad. The entire squad had a team-bonding trip to northern Scotland to play a week of golf before the WTC final, which they lost to South Africa.CA’s medical and strength and conditioning staff have long sanctioned it, especially for the fast bowlers, as low impact time on their feet that also provided a mental reprieve from the grind of cricket training and playing.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Cruzeiro fez uma proposta por quatro milhões de euros (R$ 22,86 milhões) pela compra de Kaio Jorge, da Juventus. De acordo com a “Goal”, a Raposa aguarda uma resposta dos italianos.

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A Velha Senhora não deu sinal positivo com relação a uma oferta de empréstimo pelo atleta, uma vez que pretende negociá-lo em definitivo. Por outro lado, o clube mineiro tem conversas adiantadas com o entorno do centroavante em busca de um acordo.

Formado no Santos, Kaio Jorge tem 22 anos e nunca conseguiu se firmar na Juventus. Além de ter tido uma grave lesão no joelho, o atacante foi emprestado ao Frosinone, da Itália, mas também não convenceu.

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Além do jovem, o Cruzeiro deve buscar outros dois reforços para o setor ofensivo visando fortalecer o elenco para 2024. Atualmente, a Raposa ocupa a 9ª colocação do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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CruzeiroJuventus

As Shohei Ohtani gears up to once again represent Team Japan in the 2026 World Baseball Classic to help the country defend its title, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hopes the reigning National League MVP isn't planning on reprising his role as a two-way player for his home country.

“I don't,” Roberts told reporters on Monday at the winter meetings when asked if he knew if Ohtani would pitch in the WBC. “I'm hoping he doesn't. But I don't know. Shohei is very in tune with his body, but I would say probably, the thought is, he's probably just going to hit, but I really don't know.”

When Ohtani last played in the World Baseball Classic in 2023, it was as a two-way player, and he was his usual impactful self. In seven games, Ohtani posted a robust .435/.606/.739 slash line with one home run, eight RBIs and 10 walks. As a pitcher, Ohtani worked 9 2/3 innings—two games started and one contest in relief—pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts. Along with then-Angels teammate Mike Trout, Ohtani provided baseball fans with peak theater when he struck out Trout, the tying run for Team USA in the top of the ninth inning, after an epic, six-pitch at-bat.

Unfortunately, later that September, Ohtani was forced to undergo surgery on his throwing elbow—and he would not return to the mound until the 2025 season with the Dodgers, who carefully managed his workload upon his return in June up until the postseason. And for Roberts, the less wear-and-tear on Ohtani's arm the better, especially with the Dodgers eyeing a three-peat in 2026.

Plus, it's not just Ohtani that Roberts is cautious about, but also Ohtani's fellow countrymen Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, each of whom is a good bet to once again represent Team Japan in the WBC come March.

“I think there's no more clarity for us,” Roberts said. “Obviously, it's something that they both are excited about potentially. Obviously, the country of Japan [is] excited. We have to have that conversation. I would like to think that it's going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations, in the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity.

“But also understand they've come off some stuff, some long seasons, and certainly with Yamamoto and looking out for 2026. But right now, there's no more clarity than we had before.”

The Dodgers are paying the trio of Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki, each of whom played a pivotal role in the club's 2025 title defense, over $1 billion. It's understandable that they'd be cautious with each of their workloads.

Pool play in the WBC begins on March 5.

أشاد خوسيه ماريا جوتي، أسطورة نادي ريال مدريد، بقدرات موهبة الفريق، موضحًا أنه مختلف عن بقية اللاعبين في اللوس بلانكوس.

ويمتلك ريال مدريد في الوقت الحالي، تشكيلة بها العديد من العناصر الشابة ومن بين أبرزها أردا جولر.

ويرى جوتي في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “تليجراف”، أن جولر لاعب قادر على صناعة الفارق مع ريال مدريد بشكل دائم.

وقال جوتي: ”أراه يبلي بلاءً حسنًا، إنه لاعب مختلف عن أي لاعب آخر في ريال مدريد، هناك العديد من اللاعبين بنفس مستواه، يتمتعون بجودة عالية ولياقة بدنية رائعة لكن بدون التمريرة الحاسمة التي يمتلكها، إنه الوحيد الذي يتمتع بتلك الميزة الخاصة، تلك القدرة على الوصول إلى مناطق التسجيل وتسجيل الأهداف، تشابي سيضع ثقته فيه وسيكون موسمًا رائعًا له”.

وتحدث جوتي كذلك عن مدرب ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، حيث أضاف: ”عندما وصل تشابي، قال إنه سيلعب بطرق مختلفة، بثلاثة مدافعين أو بأربعة مدافعين، أو 4-3-3، هذه هي قدرة المدرب العظيم على التكيف مع الفريق الرائع الذي يملكه، في المباريات القليلة الأولى كان يراقب كل لاعب وقد بدأ يتكيف، لا أعرف إن كانت آخر مباراة للفريق هي التشكيلة الأساسية المثالية، أو النظام المثالي، لكنها نجحت بشكل رائع في سان ماميس”.

وعن المقارنة بين تشكيلة ريال مدريد الحالية وجالاكتيكوس الفريق في عصر جوتي أجاب لاعب خط الوسط السابق: ”فريق ريال مدريد هذا أكثر تكاملاً من فريق الجالاكتيكوس، لقد أحدث الجالاكتيكوس ضجة كبيرة، لكنهم لم يفوزوا بكل ما كان ينبغي عليهم تحقيقه، آمل أن يحقق ريال مدريد هذا الإنجازات المهمة”.

وعن المقارنة بين نجم ريال مدريد الحالي، كيليان مبابي، وأسطورة الفريق الملكي، كريستيانو رونالدو، أردف جوتي: ”لن يتفوق أحد على كريستيانو رونالدو، إنه لاعب صنع تاريخًا في ريال مدريد وفي كرة القدم بفضل ثبات مستواه، هذا هو أهم شيء لأي لاعب يريد إزاحة كريستيانو وميسي عن عرشهما، اللذين أعتبرهما في نفس المستوى”.

وتابع: ”لا جدوى من خوض عشر مباريات جيدة ثم عدم الظهور في الوقت المناسب، هذان اللاعبان رونالدو وميسي كانا دائمًا على مستوى التوقعات. هذا هو التحدي الذي يواجه مبابي، أو لامين، أو أي شخص آخر يرغب في الاقتراب منهما”.

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وعن اعتماد ريال مدريد بشكل مبالغ فيه على مبابي، استكمل جوتي: ”لا ينبغي أن يكون الأمر كذلك، ريال مدريد يمتلك لاعبين رائعين، فينيسيوس، بيلينجهام، بإمكانهم، بل ينبغي عليهما تسجيل الكثير من الأهداف، صحيح أنهما يساهمان في أداء الفريق لكن لا ينبغي لريال مدريد الاعتماد فقط على أهداف مبابي”.

وعن إمكانية تحطيم مبابي لأرقام رونالدو القياسية، استطرد: ”سيحدث هذا مهما حدث، نحن نشهد نسخة مذهلة من مبابي، إنه يفوق مستوى بقية لاعبي الفريق، بفضله يفوز ريال مدريد بالمباريات وهذا يجعله قائدًا للفريق، يجب على كيليان أن يواصل هذا النهج ليضم المزيد من اللاعبين ويشهد تتويج ريال مدريد بالدوري”.

وعن حادثة الكلاسيكو بين فينيسيوس وألونسو، قال جوتي: ”لا يقلقني الأمر، لاعبو كرة القدم دائمًا ما يرغبون في اللعب وعندما يستبدلون ينزعجون، هذا أمر مفهوم والمدرب يعلم ذلك، لكن هذا لمصلحة اللاعب”.

وأضاف: ”كثيرًا ما ننتقد عدد المباريات التي يخوضها اللاعبون خلال العام، المهم ليس أن يكونوا في قمة مستواهم الآن، بل أن يكونوا في قمة مستواهم عند المنافسة على الألقاب، يسعى تشابي جاهدًا لضمان أن يكون كل لاعب في قمة مستواه في اللحظات الحاسمة، عندما يكون الفريق في قمة المنافسة”.

وعن ما إذا كان ألونسو قد تعامل بشكل جيد مع تصرف فينيسيوس في الكلاسيكو، اختتم جوتي حديثه: ”الأمر لا يتعلق بالحزم أو اللين بل بالتصرف الصحيح، في كثير من الأحيان عليك أن ترفع يدك لأن اللاعب يطلب منك ذلك، أو لأن اللحظة مناسبة، وعندما يتعين عليك أن تكون صارمًا عليك أن تكون كذلك”.

وأتم: ”تشابي يعرف كيف يتعامل مع كلا الموقفين، عندما حدث ما حدث مع برشلونة كان لديه ذلك اللين ليواصل ثقته به، فهو يعلم أن فينيسيوس لاعب مهم لريال مدريد”.

Don Mattingly finally reached the World Series this year as the Blue Jays bench coach, as the Yankees great had never reached the Fall Classic during his playing years as a coach until this season.

However, the World Series ended in heartbreak for Toronto’s players, fans and Mattingly as the Dodgers beat them in a thrilling Game 7 to take home the trophy. Since that game on Saturday, Mattingly has decided to move on from the Blue Jays, but has no intention of retiring from baseball, ’s Jon Heyman reported on Thursday. Heyman noted that the two sides part on “excellent” terms and that there appears to be no animosity.

Mattingly is open to exploring new opportunities in the MLB coaching landscape. We’ll see where, and if, he lands with a franchise this offseason.

One of the positions he’s open to is a return to managing. Right now, only the Rockies and Padres still have open manager roles. He previously managed the Dodgers from 2011 to ’15, and the Marlins from 2016 to ’22. He landed in Toronto as a bench coach under John Schneider after his tenure in Miami. He made the playoffs four times as a manager, but never reached the World Series.

Em Arlott and Emma Lamb awarded skills contracts for the first time

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Dec-2025Linsey Smith has earned her maiden full central contract with England Women, seven years after making her international debut, while Em Arlott and Emma Lamb have been awarded skills contracts for the first time.On the list of 17 full contracts for 2025-26 announced by the ECB, a total of 10 players received one-year deals with a further seven entering the second year of their current two-year terms.Joining Smith on one-year deals are Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley, Lauren Filer, Mahika Gaur, Danielle Gibson, Sarah Glenn and Freya Kemp.Entering their second year of existing contracts are Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Heather Knight, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Danni Wyatt-Hodge.Related

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• Kate Cross questions future after losing England contract

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There were no surprises on the list with Kate Cross, England’s long-serving seam bowler, left out, having revealed in September that she was told her contract would not be renewed after an international career spanning nearly 12 years.In commenting on Cross’s omission on Wednesday, Clare Connor, managing director of England Women, said “the door to selection is never closed on any domestic cricketer” although Cross is yet to make any announcement on her overall playing future.Smith played nine T20Is up to the middle of 2019 before spending nearly five years on the outer before her recall for England’s tour of New Zealand in March 2024. She took a five-wicket haul on ODI debut against West Indies in May.Arlott made her international debut at the age of 27 during that home series against West Indies.Lamb, meanwhile, made her first appearance for England in a sole T20I against New Zealand in 2021 before establishing herself more firmly the following year. She represented her country just twice in 2023 and underwent back surgery last year before returning to favour under new head coach Charlotte Edwards.She and Arlott join Ryana Macdonald-Gay and Issy Wong on skills contracts, a rebrand of the development contracts traditionally given to players that the management feel can play a pivotal role for England in the future. Macdonald-Gay and Wong were both on development contracts for 2024-25.Connor said the contracts reflected “our confidence in this group of players” as Engalnd turns its focus to emulating India’s recent 50-over World Cup victory on home soil at next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup, with the final to be staged at Lord’s on July 5.”Linsey Smith, Emma Lamb and Em Arlott have all made important contributions for England across the last year and these contracts are both a reward for what they have achieved and an opportunity to develop their skills further,” Connor said.”Kate Cross misses out on a central contract after years of extraordinary service to England Women’s cricket. The door to selection is never closed on any domestic cricketer. Consistency in scoring runs and taking wickets in county cricket will always put players in a strong position to be picked in England squads.”We’re all excited about what 2025-26 brings. Witnessing India win the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in their own country in front of their own fans is a powerful reminder of the impact that winning major events on home soil can have.”

A previously undiagnosed injury is now set to leave one Newcastle United star sidelined for the majority of December in a frustrating blow for Eddie Howe.

Howe demands fresh "consistency" ahead of Tottenham clash

It’s been one step forward and two steps back for Newcastle all season, but their convincing victory over Everton may yet be the turning point for their campaign. The Magpies brushed the Toffees’ aside to bounce back from Champions League defeat, but Howe is now demanding more “consistency” from his side.

Any change in fortunes would certainly be well-timed ahead of the January transfer window, too. Those at St James’ Park endured a chaotic summer window, before eventually adding reinforcements to Howe’s squad, but are still targeting a number of fresh faces to end unfinished business.

That could yet include a move for James Trafford. The England international chose Manchester City in the summer, but has since been forced to watch on from the bench following Gianluigi Donnarumma’s arrival. Now, he’s reportedly been allowed to leave the club in January, with Newcastle among his admirers.

The goalkeeper position has been a hot topic of debate in Tyneside as of late and the availability of Trafford, plus Pope’s recent injury may yet see Newcastle make their move.

Newcastle learn extent of Nick Pope injury

As reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie, Newcastle are now set to be without Pope until Boxing Day at the earliest after a specialist diagnosed his groin injury.

It’s frustrating news for Howe, who told reporters in the build-up to his side’s game against Tottenham that Newcastle were still trying to get a “proper diagnosis”.

Without the towering goalkeeper, Newcastle will turn towards summer signing Aaron Ramsdale. Whether he can make a claim to become their No.1 on a permanent basis remains to be seen, however.

European club reach "verbal agreement" to sign "excellent" Newcastle attacker in 2026

The Magpies now have a decision to make.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 2, 2025

Despite Pope’s recent mistakes, Howe was quick to describe the 33-year-old as “outstanding” after the Marseille game, but will now be forced to kick on without him.

As the fixtures come thick and fast, and Newcastle seek consistency, the absence of one of their most experienced men couldn’t have been timed much worse.

Better than Anderson: £70m "monster" is now open to joining Newcastle

Fast bowler will stay with the squad and is expected to take full part in the series as required

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah will stay with the squad for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka in Rawalpindi despite an attack on his house in Lower Dir. Unknown assailants fired at the gate of his family home; no one at the residence was reported to be injured.The assailants fled immediately after firing at the gate, with an investigation opened by police. It is not known who was at the residence at the time, with the attack taking place in the early hours of Monday morning. reported that Naseem’s father met with a police officer, who assured him the assailants would be brought to justice quickly.ESPNcricinfo understands the incident does not affect Naseem’s plans or schedule for the series, with the fast bowler staying with the squad and expected to take full part in the series as required. Pakistan and Sri Lanka begin a three-match ODI series in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, followed by a T20I tri-series that also involves Zimbabwe later this month. Naseem is part of both squads.It is not known whether any of Naseem’s two younger brothers, who are also professional cricketers, were at the residence. Hunain, who hit the winning runs for Islamabad United in the 2024 Pakistan Super League final, last played a Quaid-e-Azam trophy match last week, where he scored a half-century and took six wickets in a ten-wicket win. Ubaid, who plays for Multan Sultans in the PSL, most recently played a game for his Quaid-e-Azam Trophy side Lahore Whites at the end of last month.

Glasgow Rangers failed to get back to winning ways in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Dundee United.

The Light Blues, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Falkirk at Ibrox at the weekend, had to come from behind on two occasions to secure a point on their travels, on a night where they should have aimed for all three points.

Max Aarons was caught as he got to a loose ball first in the box deep into stoppage time to provide Nedim Bajrami with a chance to equalise from the spot in the 98th minute.

That came after their first goal was a stunning long-range strike from Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma, who rifled in his first goal for the club with a sweet left-footed finish.

Ultimately, Danny Rohl will be unhappy with the fact that his team only came away from the game with one point to show for their efforts after they created seven ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, to the host’s two.

One of the players who was guilty of wasting one of those ‘big chances’ was Macedonia international Bojan Miovski, who should be dropped by the German boss.

Why Rohl should drop Miovski for Rangers

The left-footed marksman was given the chance to lead the line for the Light Blues once again in the Premiership against Dundee United, but he did not do enough on the pitch to suggest that he deserves to keep his place.

Miovski, who was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window, missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way, as he failed to beat Dave Richards.

To his credit, the Rangers striker was more involved than he usually is. Miovski completed 32 of his 33 passes on the night, despite averaging ten completed passes per game for the season, per Sofascore, which shows that he was trying to get involved and was reliable with his passes.

However, the 26-year-old flop is in the team to score goals, as the main number nine, and he has not been anywhere near good enough in that respect for the Light Blues.

After Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with Dundee United, the former Aberdeen centre-forward has only scored one goal in 11 outings in the Scottish Premiership for the Ibrox giants.

As you can see in the table above, Miovski has not done enough this season to suggest that he has been a good addition to the squad by former sporting director Kevin Thelwell, as he has struggled in front of goal and physically on the deck and in the air.

That is why Rohl should ruthlessly drop him from the starting XI for the trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday, because he was wasteful again on Wednesday night, and is yet to prove that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out in a Rangers shirt.

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Whilst the goalless Miovski was disappointing again for the Light Blues, Emmanuel Fernandez was even worse than the Macedonia international with what was his worst performance for the Scottish giants since his permanent move from Peterborough United in the summer transfer window.

Where that performance ranks in Emmanuel Fernandez's Rangers career

The English central defender has played seven matches for the Light Blues since his move, and his display against Dundee United was his worst outing for the club to date.

Fernandez, who was given a 3/10 player rating by IbroxNews, was beaten far too easily in the channel for the opening goal from Zach Sapsford, who burst past the centre-back before racing through to chip the ball over Jack Butland.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described it as “dreadful” defending, which is hard to argue with, as he got sucked in on the halfway line and spun with ease.

On top of that error, Fernandez only won ten of his 18 duels and six of his 11 aerial duels. Per Sofascore, he has won 75% of his aerial battles in the league this season, which makes his 55% success rate against Dundee United look poor by his usual standards.

He was even worse than Miovski, therefore, because the central defender was nowhere near his best and was at fault for a goal, whilst the striker at least looked a lot better in his all-round game as a passer, even if his finishing was not good enough.

When looking at his other performances for the Light Blues, it is hard to look past Wednesday night’s showing being his worst display for the club.

He only played one minute off the bench against Hibernian, which makes it impossible to judge, and he scored goals against Alloa Athletic in the League Cup and Livingston in the Premiership.

Fernandez also won ten of his 12 duels against Falkirk and nine of his 12 duels against Braga, per Sofascore, as Rangers conceded two goals in those games, whilst he was not at fault for the goal conceded in the 1-1 draw with St Mirren under Russell Martin.

Per Sofascore, his 55% aerial duel success rate against Dundee United was his lowest in a game for Rangers in any competition, which speaks to how off the pace he was on the night, without even taking into account his error for the opening goal.

With John Souttar and Derek Cornelius out injured, though, Rohl does not have many alternatives in his position at the moment, so Fernandez may keep his place at the heart of the defence against Kilmarnock.

Rangers "passenger" has been so bad that he makes Dowell look good

This Glasgow Rangers flop is currently making Kieran Dowell look like a good player by comparison.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 3, 2025

If that is the case, the former Peterborough colossus will need to get back to his usual dominant self at the back, after a disappointing game against Dundee United.