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For the first time in nearly 15 years, Pakistan have their best chance to do anything other than be thrashed by Australia

Osman Samiuddin at the MCG25-Dec-2009With due pardon to England and South Africa, no country would be as happyto be not facing Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne anymore as Pakistan. In 14Tests the pair played together against Pakistan, they picked up astaggering 157 wickets between them, leading to 11 wins and only twolosses; pace and spin have never been, and are unlikely to ever again be, thispotent, at least until Usain Bolt signs up with Max Clifford. Largelybecause of the two, Pakistan have lost nine Tests in a row to Australia.They’ve come close to winning only one. In hip-hop parlance, Pakistan haslong been Australia’s she-dog.The pair’s reign brought out the worst truths about Pakistan’s batting;McGrath exposed inadequacies with bounce and indiscipline outside off andWarne burst open regularly and brutally the myth that Pakistan could playspin. They have only ever played Indian spin well. Now, as moreteams are discovering, they will also find out that Australia without thatpair is not the same Australia at all. Now, for the first time in nearly15 years, Pakistan have their best chance to do anything other than bethrashed by Australia. A Test win is not beyond them, though a first-everseries win in the country probably is.”That was a top bowling attack and those two were the best in the world,”Yousuf, who averaged under 30 against them, said. “That is all in the past now. I want to be realisticabout our chances this time round. This is not Twenty20. We need to playgood cricket over five whole days, not just a session or two.”Many things will have to go right for the realism to come through, notleast the batting. Yousuf is another in a long line of Pakistani batsmento have fared poorly against Australia, though at least he has the memoryof a shimmering Boxing Day hundred in 2004-05 to fall back on. YounisKhan is not around, so the burden on Yousuf and the Akmal brothers down theorder is already inordinately great.The younger Umar scored big in Australia on an A tour against a handyattack earlier this year which bodes well. Mostly, just the prospect ofwatching a rare and genuine batting talent is enough and only excitabilitycan do him in; at nets on Friday, he was the last man to leave and thattoo only after Waqar Younis, the bowling and fielding coach, told him to so as to ensure he is relaxed before the Test. But one of the openers and one from the middle order of Faisal Iqbal or Misbah-ul-Haq will have to produce something somewhere.And though spilt catches do not always mean lost matches in Pakistan’scase – they dropped six in Wellington and still won comfortably – they cannot afford to be lax here of all places. They have an attack that creates a fair amount of work in the slips and the absence of Younis, in that regard, becomes doubly harmful.The brightest prospects for a Pakistan win, however, revolve around theirpace attack. Pakistan’s finest moments in Australia historically have beenpace-oriented. Imran Khan’s Sydney 12, Sarfraz Nawaz’s Melbourne spell ofseven for one, Wasim Akram’s coming of age in 1990-91, a couple of ShoaibAkhtar spells in the 2000s; what cheer there has been has come from fastbowlers. This time, Mohammad Asif, Mohammad Aamer and Umar Gul combine togive Pakistan a lovely shape where most angles, save perhaps extreme pace,are covered. They should enjoy the conditions here. Danish Kaneria hasfond memories of Australia too but the suspicion is that he will be a finefoil to any success, rather than an instigator.The package can be a formidable one, as Ricky Ponting acknowledged.”They’re a better team than West Indies, a more skilled group ofplayers, no doubt about that,” Ponting said. “We know with Pakistan whenthey put their best foot forward they are a very, very good cricket team,no doubt, Tests, ODIs and Twenty20. They have a lot of mystery about them,probably the word that sums them up the best. There are a number of verygood players, the young left-arm quickie [Aamer] looks good, Gul has beenaround, Asif is a world class bowler, Kaneria too. Mohammad Yousuf, thetwo Akmals – a number of very good players in their side that we will haveto pay attention to. They are unpredictable, one day brilliant, anotherday pretty ordinary. We have to make sure they have more ordinary daysthan brilliant ones over the next few weeks.”

According to a recent report from The Northern Echo, Ashley Fletcher’s future remains far from certain heading into the rest of the January window. The 23-year-old currently plays his football at Championship outfit Middlesbrough and has done so since leaving West Ham back in 2017, but struggles for regular game time under Boro boss Tony Pulis this season has plunged his future on Teesside into doubt.

And a recent report from The Northern Echo suggests that the second tier outfit are happy to offload the young striker this month in a bid to raise funds, which should be of keen interest to Sunderland manager Jack Ross, as moving back to the Stadium of Light could be what Fletcher needs to finally get his stagnating career going.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the 23-year-old came up through the ranks at Premier League giants Manchester United but failed to make a senior appearance for the Red Devils, eventually leaving Old Trafford back in 2016 in a bid to progress with his professional career.

And while a loan spell at Barnsley, in what proved to be his final season at United, was fruitful, having netted nine times in 27 games for the Tykes, things simply haven’t worked out at all for the Englishman since then with a failed stint at West Ham, and indeed a failing stint at Middlesbrough.

And with just six Championship appearances for Pulis’ Boro so far this season, things don’t look like improving anytime soon for Fletcher at the North East club, but a move across the region to the Stadium of Light could be what he needs to finally move forward with his professional career.

Yes, Sunderland fans won’t forget the testing loan spell the 23-year-old had at their club in the second half of last season, as the youngster made the move to the Stadium of Light in a bid to aid the Black Cats with their Championship survival, only to bag twice in 16 league games for Chris Coleman’s men as they eventually lost their second tier status.

But with things very much looking up at Sunderland this time round under new boss Ross, what with the Black Cats third in League One heading into the second half of the campaign, he’d be going into a completely different environment to last term, and one that might just enable him to rebuild his confidence after a testing few years.

Ultimately, there is clearly a very adept striker in Fletcher given he bagged nine times for Barnsley in League One back in 2016, while his struggles in any league higher than that suggests that, for the time being, the third tier is very much his level.

And with the Black Cats eyeing up an immediate return to the Championship this season, having a player like Fletcher in their ranks could prove to be a huge asset to Ross as the campaign progresses – and with top-scorer Josh Maja reportedly (as per the BBC) on his way out of the club this month, a striker will likely be top of Ross’ priorities.

And they could do a lot worse than seek to lure £3.15 million-rated Fletcher (as per Transfermarkt) back to the Stadium of Light – yes, things didn’t go at all well last time round for the 23-year-old, but in a forward-thinking and upwardly-mobile Sunderland team, a move back to the North East giants could be exactly what he needs to get his career going again.

Significantly, it could also seriously aid the Black Cats in their quest to return to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Sunderland fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Pakistan allrounder and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has announced he is ready to return to Tests, nearly four years after he last played the game’s longest format

Cricinfo staff22-May-2010Pakistan allrounder and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has announced he is ready to return to Tests, nearly four years after he last played the game’s longest format. Afridi said the forthcoming ‘home’ series against England and Australia, all in England, prompted his decision to return.”I am ready to play Test cricket because I feel that my country needs me and in this time of need I would not let my team and the country down,” Afridi told . “My father was ill and my family wanted more attention from me so I was mainly focusing on the shorter forms of the game, but now we have to play six Tests in England and my team needs me, so I am available.”Afridi, who has scored 1683 runs in 26 Tests, announced a surprise ‘temporary retirement’ from Tests in 2006 as he couldn’t withstand the pressures of being an international cricketer. He added he wanted to concentrate on the game’s shortest formats, but changed his mind less than a fortnight later after the then PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan and coach Bob Woolmer persuaded him to reverse his decision. However, the tour of England that summer was his last Test outing with Pakistan.He was appointed Twenty20 captain after Younis Khan announced his retirement from the format following Pakistan’s triumph the ICC World Twenty20 in England last year. Back then, he was rather reluctant to return to the Test side. He could be in the running for the ODI captaincy for the Asia Cup, but the PCB has announced they will announce the captain on May 25.The indefinite bans imposed on Mohammad Yousuf and Younis, and the one-year ban on Shoaib Malik, has left the team with a dearth of senior players, and Afridi has stepped in to add experience to the side. Although better known for his batting, the allrounder plans to devote more attention to his bowling this time around. “I will focus more on my bowling as I think I can contribute more in this department than batting in the longer version of the game.”

A round-up of the second day of the World Cricket League Americas Division One Twenty20

Cricinfo staff06-Jun-2010Bermuda overcame Bahamas by 11 runs at the National Stadium in Hamilton to seal their place in the semi-final on June 6, when they will take on USA. Bermuda posted a competitive 148, courtesy important contributions from opener Chris Foggo (41) and Janeiro Tucker (46). Irving Romaine then struck some meaty blows at the death in a quickfire 28.In response, Bahamas looked in control for a good part of the chase and at 88 for 1 in the 13th over were the favourites. Opener Marc Taylor and Rohan Parkes were involved in a 61-run second-wicket stand but Bahamas suffered a collapse, losing five wickets for 31 runs, including Mario Ford who was out handling the ball. The lower order were kept quiet by the Bermuda bowlers, who restricted the opposition to 137.Argentina were trounced by Canada in at the St David’s Cricket Club in Bermuda. Three-wicket spells from Khurram Chohan and Sunil Dhaniram helped skittle out Argentina for just 66. Only three batsmen reached double-figures, with the top score of 15 from Grant Dugmore. Canada chased down the target with ease. Rizwan Cheema started things off in blistering fashion, striking three fours and two sixes in his seven-ball stay at the crease. Jimmy Hansra and Hiral Patel knocked off the remaining runs without much fuss.In their second game of the day, Canada emerged victors again, seeing off USA by seven wickets. Fast bowler Calvert Hooper bagged three wickets to help limit USA to 126. Captain Steve Massiah struck 35 but there wasn’t a great deal of support from the other end. Massiah rescued his team from a precarious situation at 67 for 6, taking them past three figures. But Canada were too strong, and despite the early loss of their openers, won with little difficulty. Zubin Surkari and Hiral Patel were involved in a 54-run stand for the third wicket, and Sunil Dhaniram finished things off by caning an unbeaten 25 off 13. Victory was achieved with 20 balls to spare. Canada will take on Cayman Islands in the second semi-final at St Georges on June 6.Bermuda suffered a scare in their chase of 122 against Cayman Islands, but overcame it to win by two wickets in a tense game off the penultimate ball. They had the trio of Steven Outerbridge, captain David Hemp and Janeiro Tucker to thank for getting them past the finish line. Outerbridge and Hemp chipped in with 32 and 33 respectively but got out in fairly quick time. It was Tucker who batted with a struggling tail to guide Bermuda within reach of their target in the last over. He contributed a run-a-ball 24, but was dismissed with two balls left and two runs still to get. No. 10 batsman Rodney Trott struck a boundary off the penultimate ball, however, to seal victory.A 54-run stand between Kevin Bazil and captain Saheed Mohamed had been the highlight of Cayman Islands’ innings, but Tucker’s resolve at the death for Bermuda trumped their effort.

Mason Greenwood may yet be given the chance to prolong his association with Getafe, as transfer talks are being planned with Manchester United.

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Enjoying productive spell in SpainFuture call to be made in the summerSeveral options to be consideredWHAT HAPPENED?

That is according to , who report that discussions regarding the 22-year-old’s future will soon be opened with the Madrid-based team. Getafe, who have seen Greenwood impress while on their books in 2023-24, intend to form part of that process.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

United are expected to sanction another switch for Greenwood in the summer window, despite Sir Jim Ratcliffe leaving a return door open at Old Trafford, with a fresh start being embraced by the one-cap England international.

DID YOU KNOW?

Greenwood is said to have attracted interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid after catching the eye in La Liga this season, but Getafe are understandably keen to keep him around. There is willingness on their part to discuss a permanent deal, according to , although another loan agreement is considered to be the simpler solution.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

It remains to be seen whether United would be willing to sanction another loan, as they will want to bring in funds for a player that remains under contract until 2025. Greenwood has not played for the Red Devils since January 2022 following his arrest on suspicion of rape and sexual assault, with those charges being dropped in February 2023 as he was freed to resume his professional career.

Pakistan have dropped seniors Younis Khan and Umar Gul from the one-day squad for the three-match series against Australia in the UAE later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Aug-2012Squad for ODIs against Australia

Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Mohammad Hafeez, Azhar Ali, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Kamran Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, Aizaz Cheema, Saeed Ajmal, Imran Farhat, Shoaib Malik, Abdur Rehman, Junaid Khan, Anwar Ali
In: Anwar Ali, Nasir Jamshed, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Junaid Khan
Out: Mohammad Sami, Rahat Ali, Sarfraz Ahmed, Younis Khan, Umar Gul

Pakistan have dropped seniors Younis Khan and Umar Gul from the one-day squad for the three-match series against Australia in the UAE later this month. Kamran Akmal, who was recalled for the Twenty20s, also made it to the one-day leg of the tour and the other notable inclusion is Junaid Khan, the left-arm fast bowler who had an impressive Test series in Sri Lanka recently. Anwar Ali, the fast bowler who has played one Twenty20 international back in 2008, is the only relatively new face in the team.Gul, Pakistan’s strike seam bowler, was selected for the Twenty20s but ignored for the ODIs. He had a disappointing tour of Sri Lanka, taking only four wickets in five games. Younis was out of sorts throughout the series, scoring just five runs in four games.Iqbal Qasim, Pakistan’s chief selector, said both were dropped for the sake of rest.”For a while Gul and Younis have been struggling and they have been dropped only to give them a break,” Qasim told ESPNcricinfo. “Both have contributed a lot for Pakistan and we need them to be fresh ahead of the busy schedule. They desperately need a break to mange their workload.”The selectors also ignored the unpredictable seamer Mohammad Sami, who played two one-dayers but was expensive in the fifth match in Colombo, leaking 75 runs in a thrilling encounter. Rahat Ali, the rookie left-arm seamer, was also left out after getting just one opportunity.”The selectors have decided to drop Rahat Ali, who needs more grooming and he is a future prospect, while Anwar Ali has been in the pipeline for quite a long time,” Qasim said. “He has been included to get some confidence and much-needed exposure.”The allrounder Shoaib Malik also gets a recall, after being ignored for the one-dayers in Sri Lanka. Malik played an ODI in February this year against England. Kamran Akmal’s inclusion was on expected lines after he was named in the Twenty20 squad for the UAE tour and the World Twenty20 next month in Sri Lanka. He last played an ODI during the 2011 World Cup. Pakistan selected three wicketkeepers – one for each format – in Sri Lanka, picking Shakeel Ansar and Sarfraz Ahmed for the Twenty20s and ODIs respectively. Both were left out in favour of Akmal.”Akmal is our first-choice as wicketkeeper-batsman for limited-overs cricket mainly because of his assured batting skills,” Qasim said. “So drafting him in the ODI squad could help him gain more confidence ahead of the World T20.”Anwar made a name for himself during Pakistan’s successful Under-19 World Cup campaign in Sri Lanka in 2006. He went wicketless in his only opportunity for Pakistan, against Zimbabwe in Canada. He is also a handy lower-order batsman, with a first-class century to his name.However, the squad lacks an experienced seamer, with Abdul Razzaq too missing out, despite making the Twenty20 squad. Hammad Azam, rated highly by the likes of Ramiz Raja (the former Pakistan captain) as an allrounder with potential, was ignored yet again.”Pakistan have been relying more on spin bowling, and in view of the pitches and conditions in the UAE, the onus will be on spinners,” Qasim said. Additional reporting by Umar Farooq

A worrying Rangers transfer claim has been made regarding Glen Kamara amid speculation over his Ibrox future…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has dropped an ominous update ahead of the January transfer window by stating that Steven Gerrard is a ‘big, big fan’ of the Gers gem.

When asked about the potential of Villa swooping for a Rangers player, he told GIVEMESPORT:

“He’s a big fan of Kamara, a big, big fan of Kamara.”

Concern

Aston Villa have been linked with a deal for the Finland international in recent weeks and this claim from Bridge could leave fans feeling concerned about what could be to come next month.

His comment appears to imply that Gerrard, out of the players currently at Ibrox, would like to sign Kamara for his new team, although it remains to be seen whether or not they will come in with a firm offer for his services.

At this point, though, supporters may begin to worry about whether or not the ex-Gers chief will want to swoop for one of his former players and offer them the chance to play Premier League football.

They are facing the prospect of losing one of their best players midway through the season, which could be a brutal blow to Gio van Bronckhorst’s side. Kamara has been in fine form this term and his departure could weaken the side on paper.

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.00 in the Premiership, with Joe Aribo (7.18) the only central midfielder with a higher average rating than the ex-Arsenal man. Kamara has chipped in with one goal and three assists in the league, whilst completing an impressive 90% of his attempted passes and winning 52% of his duels.

This shows that he has been able to perform to a high standard consistently throughout the campaign, starting 15 of the 17 games. Therefore, his departure would leave a sizeable hole to be filled in the middle of the park, with Kamara a proven talent who can run games from midfield with his accurate passing and ability to dictate the tempo of matches.

Rangers fans would surely not want to see a player of his calibre depart midway through the season and that is why this claim from Bridge will leave them feeling worried. Hopefully, Ross Wilson will be able to keep any interested parties at bay and hold onto Kamara for the rest of the season, at least.

AND in other news, “Will be speaking” – Big Rangers claim made on Sky Sports that’ll leave fans delighted…

Harry Maguire defended team-mate Marcus Rashford after the striker's woeful show against Newcastle United.

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Maguire defends Rashford after woeful performanceMade '11 mistakes' against Newcastle UnitedNewcastle beat Man Utd 1-0WHAT HAPPENED?

The English forward had a night to forget against Newcastle United as he made as many as 11 mistakes – which were listed down by a frustrated fan after the match – as United suffered yet another defeat in the Premier League on Saturday.

Despite a poor show at St. James' Park, former club captain Maguire came to the defence of his colleague as he claimed that Rashford is just experiencing a rough patch of form after a terrific 2022/23 campaign with the team.

AdvertisementWHAT HARRY MAGUIRE SAID

Speaking to reporters after the match, the defender said, "Marcus had an unbelievable season last season. This season, it hasn't clicked for him. He's working hard. Everyone in that dressing room knows what he's about."

He added, "It's been a tough week with three away days in six days. To be fair, in the first half, we looked like we'd played our third away day in six days.

"The tempo wasn't there, the intensity wasn't there. They were a lot better than us. We grew into the game, but we didn't have enough in the end."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Manager Erik ten Hag refused to speak about his striker's performance in public as he stated after the match that he would prefer to speak to the player directly in private.

After a stellar performance last season where he scored 17 Premier League goals and played a crucial role in his team finishing in the top four, the 26-year-old has struggled to find form in the ongoing campaign having scored just twice across all competitions.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTE UNITED?

Erik ten Hag's side are scheduled to play four matches in their next 14 days which include fixtures against Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

FootballCo has teamed up with Roc Nation Sports International to reveal their Class of 2023 and bring fans closer to the next generation

Five of English football’s most promising young players have signed for Roc Nation Sports International as they eye careers at the very top of the professional game.

The agency has revealed their Class of 2023, consisting of Under-16 players from the likes of Manchester City, Tottenham and the England national team.

As well as looking after established superstars such as Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, Roc Nation Sports International are also focused on helping the next generation of young talent reach their potential.

This year, Luca Fletcher (Reading), Thierry Rohart-Brown (Reading), Conor Lewis (Bolton Wanderers), Seth Chinaware (Manchester City) and Theo Adelusi (Tottenham) have become the latest group to join the Roc Nation family.

And as the official media partner of Roc Nation Sports International’s Class of 2023, here at FootballCo we’ll be bringing you unrivalled access to the players as they take their next steps.

Over the coming weeks, our NXGN social channels will be packed with exclusive video, giving fans an in-depth look at these teen talents away from the pitch.

Last year Roc Nation Sports International welcomed Lewis Orford, Michael Golding, Zach Marsh, Ezra Carrington and Kaiden Wilson into their Class of 2022. All of the players have since agreed their first professional contracts.

Alan Redmond, EVP & Global Head of Football at Roc Nation Sports International, said: “It’s a privilege to welcome the boys to Roc Nation and I’m excited to watch this talented group blossom.”

Nathan Campbell, Global Director of Recruitment at Roc Nation, added: “We work hard to identify the best young players each season. “I’m delighted to add these players to our roster and I look forward to supporting them on and off the pitch.”

William C OgbeborLuca Fletcher

A natural No.9. who can also play as a wide forward. He has over 20 goals for his club this season, and four goals in four games at international level. Luca plays for Reading and England U16s.

IG – @luca_fletcher9

TikTok – @luca_fletcher9

AdvertisementWilliam C OgbeborThierry Rohart-Brown

A skilful midfield player, Thierry is both technically gifted and a super athlete. He enjoys getting on the ball and controlling possession. He plays for Reading U15s.

IG – @thierrryrb10

TikTok – @thierryrb10

William C OgbeborConor Lewis

A goal-scoring midfielder, Conor is the creative centre of his team. Conor’s main strengths are his range of passing and his long range shooting. Conor plays for Bolton Wanderers U16s and U18s.

IG – @conorlewis66

TikTok – @conorlewis66

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William C OgbeborSeth Chingwaro

A tall, athletic midfielder in the mould of Yaya Toure, Seth can play in a defensive midfield role, or more advanced where he is effective at driving with the ball and creating opportunities. A technically gifted player who can play off both feet. He plays for Manchester City U16s.

IG – @sethchingwaro

TikTok – @sethchingwaro

With the quarter-final line-up now set, Goal breaks down which teams look most likely to contest the final on July 11

The Euro 2020 quarter-finals are on the way, but who will lift the trophy at Wembley Stadium on July 11? 

Goal ranks all eight remaining contenders ahead of Friday and Saturday's games, from least likely to lift the trophy to tournament favourites…

Getty8Switzerland | Last time: 15th

Switzerland may have dumped tournament favourites France out during the last 16, but their path towards the final and potentially winning the whole competition still looks ridiculously daunting.

They must face free-scoring Spain in the quarter-finals without their inspirational captain Granit Xhaka, who is suspended, and even if they see off La Roja, they will then need to beat either Belgium or Italy to reach the final.

Nothing can be ruled out over the final week of Euro 2020 but, right now, Vladimir Petkovic's side are huge underdogs.

AdvertisementGetty7Ukraine | Last time: 13th

Arguably the weakest team left in the competition, Ukraine will have to pick themselves up and dust themselves off after what was a bruising, 120-minute-long victory over Sweden in the last 16.

They now face the prospect of having to break down England in the quarter-finals, and though a potential semi-final against either Denmark or Czech Republic looks easier on paper, they are undoubtedly the team with the least talent left on their side of the draw.

Getty6Czech Republic | Last time: 12th

There is no doubt that Czech Republic are a growing force in European football, and their victory over Netherlands in the last 16 confirmed what many have been saying about their increasing strength heading into the tournament.

A quarter-final meeting with Denmark would have delighted them heading into the tournament, and with Patrik Schick looking like Cristiano Ronaldo's main challenger for the Golden Boot, they will fancy their chances of progressing once more.

They might be unfancied ahead of their clash in Baku, but the Czechs cannot be ruled out.

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Getty Images5Denmark | Last time: 9th

Whether you believe in the power of momentum or not, there is no question that this Denmark side is riding some sort of wave as they continue to lift themselves following the trauma of their opening game of the tournament.

The swatting aside of Wales was arguably the most complete performance of the last 16, and they now find themselves in a position where they are favourites to reach the semi-finals.

In terms of quality, they are lacking compared to the four teams above them in these rankings, but there is no doubting their character and togetherness, and that could still carry them all the way to the final.