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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Camden Brown (6) catches a touchdown pass in front of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Michael Dansby, rear, in the second half of an NFL preseason football game, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)2026-08-16T03:18:56Z SEATTLE (AP) — Rookie Camden Brown had two touchdown catches, including a diving, one-handed snag, to help lead the Dallas Cowboys past the Seattle Seahawks 17-7 in the teams’ preseason opener Saturday night. Brown caught a 39-yard pass from Sam Howell in the second quarter to put Dallas up 10-7. On the first drive of the third quarter, Brown snared a fade pass from Joe Milton in the back left corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown. An undrafted free agent who started his career at Auburn before transferring to Georgia Southern, Brown has stood out throughout training camp. The 6-foot-2, 204-pound wide receiver has made good use of his frame, and demonstrated on Saturday he can also do so in an NFL game. Milton, who’s entering his third pro season and second with Dallas, was impressive in his bid to be the Cowboys’ backup quarterback behind Dak Prescott. The 2024 sixth-round draft pick completed six of his first eight passes against the Seahawks’ backup cornerbacks, and finished 12 of 15 for 107 yards and the TD to Brown. Howell, who is competing with Milton for the Cowboys’ No. 2 job, was 8 of 12 for 94 yards and his touchdown pass to Brown.With Sam Darnold sitting out, Seattle rotated its backup quarterbacks throughout the night. Drew Lock led the Seahawks on a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open the game. It was capped by a 5-yard touchdown catch by Montorie Foster Jr. Brandon Aubrey converted a 29-yard field goal to cut Seattle’s lead to 7-3 early in the second quarter. The Seahawks responded with a 15-play drive, but Jason Myers pushed a 45-yard attempt wide right before Brown caught his first touchdown pass. Read More Jalen Milroe, currently entrenched as Seattle’s third-string quarterback, was 5 of 8 for 36 yards. Lock was 9 of 13 for 40 yards and a touchdown. Cowboys running back Jaydon Blue, who is competing with Phil Mafah to be Javonte Williams’ backup, was stifled by Seattle’s defense. Blue had 19 yards on eight carries. George Holani, one of the few healthy Seahawks running backs, paced Seattle with 12 carries for 42 yards. Zach Charbonnet, Emanuel Wilson and 2026 first-round pick Jadarian Price – all of whom could be options for Seattle this season at running back – sat out with injuries. Tyrice Knight led the Seahawks with 10 tackles, all in the first half. Curtis Robinson paced the Cowboys with eight tackles. Foster had a team-high five catches for 36 yards for Seattle. Malik Davis ran for 39 yards on seven carries for Dallas.Seattle’s Rashad Rochelle had a 52-yard punt return in the third quarter.The teams combined for 21 penalties and 174 penalty yards InjuriesSeahawks: Tackle Amari Kight (leg) left in the second quarter and put ice on his lower leg on the sideline. Edge rusher Jared Ivey went into the injury tent in the third quarter, but returned. Cowboys: Mafah (chest) exited in the third quarter and was ruled out. Up nextCowboys: At Arizona on Aug. 22.Seahawks: At Tennessee on Aug. 23.___See AP’s full NFL coverage here

A concrete roof cantilevers over the Miami Marine Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/David Fischer)2026-08-16T04:05:00Z MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marine Stadium, considered a masterpiece of midcentury Brutalist architecture with its massive cantilevered roof and a stunning view of the city, opened in 1963 as the nation’s only race venue for powerboats, a major symbol of South Florida.The historic gem designed by a Cuban refugee was the backdrop of Elvis Presley’s 1967 film “Clambake” and a beloved venue of Gloria Estefan and the late Jimmy Buffett, who performed on a movable, floating stage. But since closing in 1992 after suffering serious damage during Hurricane Andrew, the 6,500-seat venue has fallen into disarray and today is fenced off and covered in graffiti despite being listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.On Tuesday, voters will decide whether to allow the city to partner with a private company to return the unique stadium situated on Virginia Key across the water from downtown Miami to its former glory.President Richard Nixon and Sammy Davis Jr. appeared together at the stadium during a 1972 campaign rally to support Nixon’s reelection bid. And residents would gather for Easter sunrise services, as well as celebrate Our Lady of Charity, a representation of the Virgin Mary honored by many Cubans and Cuban Americans.“It encapsulated a time period in Miami that’s incredibly unique with an incredible story that touches all Miamians,” Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo said. “So this is really a place that connects with Miami at a very deep and personal level.” The stadium has a rich history in MiamiHilario Candela was in his late 20s and a recent refugee from the Cuban Revolution when he designed the structure. He spent decades designing buildings around Miami and led community efforts to restore the marine stadium until his death in 2022.When it was added to the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places in 2018, then-Secretary of State Ken Detzner called the stadium “one of the state of Florida’s most unique architectural and historic resources,” and “an ambitious example of mid-century Modernist architecture” that represented the “multi-cultural influences evolving in the city of Miami during the 1960s.”The year before his 2023 passing, Buffett wrote a letter to Miami officials, urging them to save the “little cathedral of musical fun.” The Mayor of Margaritaville described a 1985 concert at the marine stadium that ended with him jumping off the floating stage into the surrounding water, joining cheering swimmers and boaters. “Those were the ‘Miami Vice’ days, and Don Johnson introduced us,” Buffett wrote of the actor in the popular 1980s television crime drama. “WITCO Desperadoes from Trinidad opened the show, and the Coral Reefer Band finished the night with what I think was one of the most fun shows, for band and fans, that I have ever done.” Read More Buffett’s daughter, Savannah, continues to work with Restore Miami Marine Stadium. The group’s co-founder, Donald Worth, began a mission to save the stadium in 2008, shortly after city officials at the time announced plans to tear it down.“The architecture gives it the wow, the history gives it its soul,” Worth said. “It’s just a special, magical place, and so many people in Miami have had such memorable experiences there.” Voters will help decide the stadium’s futureBreakwater Hospitality Group co-founder Emi Guerra, who’s working with the company selected to partner with the city, said the stadium’s view of the city skyline and its location right off Biscayne Bay could make it an entertainment destination that rivals Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre, an open-air venue built into the side of a mountain. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. “There’s just something here that can’t be duplicated, and that’s the view,” Guerra said of the marine stadium. Guerra said he can understand the cynicism felt by some voters, but he points out that this isn’t a developer land grab to build more condos. The city of Miami will retain complete ownership of the stadium and surrounding area, and the management company will be stewards of the city’s vision, Guerra said.“When it’s something that’s historic, you have two options: restore it or let it rot,” Guerra said.Ernesto Cuesta, head of the Brickell Homeowners Association, sees another option.He said the group supports the preservation of a historical landmark, but members are worried about how noise and traffic from a large-scale event space will affect residents across the bay and nearby wildlife. He said he’d prefer a park with more green spaces. Restoration plans aim to honor the stadium’s pastDespite sitting unused for more than three decades, multiple studies have shown that the stadium remains structurally safe.Project architect Richard Heisenbottle, who has previously worked to restore other Miami landmarks, said he hopes reviving the marine stadium will honor its original architect.He said renovations will have to include modern amenities and accessibility requirements, but the galvanized steel rebar used to reinforce the concrete during its original construction has protected the stadium from serious deterioration. Completed construction documents for the restorations have already been permitted by the city of Miami, he said.Miami Commissioner Pardo said a significant hurdle to reopening the stadium previously has been the city government simply not having the capacity to properly run a major event space. The referendum going before Miami voters on Tuesday would allow the city to enter into a management agreement.The private company would develop the stadium’s large parking area into a flex park that includes public recreational facilities and a special events space. The city would collect revenue from events to fund the stadium repairs and upgrades, while paying the company a management fee. The total cost of the project hasn’t been determined, but Pardo insisted it will not be borne by taxpayers at all.“It’s the right time to finally do this,” Pardo said.

Scotland's Kirsty Gilmour hits a return at the Badminton European Championships in April (Cristina Quicler)Scotland's European badminton champion Kirsty Gilmour, who came out as gay in 2021, said she hopes to see greater acceptance of LGBTQ people in Asia.The 32-year-old urged broader progress across a region where the community largely continues to face discrimination and stigma."I would really love to see that actually," Gilmour, who has advocated for inclusivity in sport, said in the Indian capital New Delhi in response to an AFP question on the issue.She was speaking on Saturday after a training session at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, where the world badminton championships begin on Monday.Gilmour said she and another member of the Scotland team who is also part of the LGBTQ community appreciated staying at a hotel in New Delhi displaying prominent pride symbols."The hotel that we're staying at has a massive LGBTQ elephant in the lobby and all the staff wear LGBTQ flag pins," she said."To most people that stay in the hotel that would just maybe not really register or not be that important. "But for me... it's just a little comfort to us to know that we're not going to be treated any differently."Asia is badminton's heartland, producing many of the sport's leading players, but openly gay athletes remain relatively rare.Gilmour arrives in India on a high after winning the biggest title of her career in April, defeating Denmark's Line Hojmark Kjaersfeldt 21-17, 21-15 to become Scotland's first European women's singles champion.The breakthrough ended years of near-misses for the Olympian, who had previously finished runner-up at the European Championships five times and won Commonwealth Games silver in 2014."I think I've spent a lot of my career being defined by silver medals, and nearly, and almost," she said."But I think it's really nice to have something on my CV that is definitive, and I can just say that I'm European champion."Gilmour said the title was particularly significant given Scotland's modest badminton tradition and population of about 5.5 million."We're a very small population, so for us it's a real numbers game," she said, pointing to grassroots initiatives in her country aimed at growing participation.She hopes her European triumph can inspire a new generation of players."My European title win might be the springboard to something bigger for Scottish badminton," she said.fk/abh/pst

🚨 Jenni Hermoso bids farewell to MexicoThis Saturday, Tigres confirmed Jenni Hermoso’s departure from the squad and, through the club’s social media, the Spanish champion sent a farewell message."I’m going to miss many things: the people and the tacos. Mexico protected me from many things. Mexico is the best decision I’ve ever made; Mexico is the best thing that has happened to me," she said.In addition, the Spaniard highlighted the greatness of Tigres Femenil, the team with which she won two titles."For me, this is not goodbye, but see you soon, because a part of my life stays in Mexico and here at Tigres. Joining the most successful team in Mexico was extraordinary. Closing chapters or changes brings mixed feelings," she said.Jenni Hermoso arrived in Liga MX in the Apertura 2022 tournament to join Pachuca. After two years, the Spaniard surprised many with her move to Las Amazonas, where she helped win the Campeón de Campeonas and the 2025 league title.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

An aerial view of the Panathenaic Stadium, also known as "Kallimarmaro, or beautiful marble," which hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, is seen during renovation work in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)2026-08-16T04:23:38Z ATHENS, Greece (AP) — It has welcomed marathon runners, rock stars and the first modern Olympic athletes. Now it’s time for a monumental scrub.Athens’ U-shaped Panathenaic Stadium — made entirely of white marble — is getting its first systematic cleaning in more than a century.Rebuilt for the first modern Olympics in 1896, the site is the ceremonial send-off point for the Olympic flame, including for Los Angeles 2028.A fresh look in Athens ahead of LA 2028The stadium is made of the same glittering marble used on the Acropolis, making the cleanup job delicate.The work is revealing a monument changed by time, weather and millions of visitors. Cleaners in white and blue overalls move across the stadium’s 47 steep tiers with thin spray lances, using clean water at carefully controlled, low pressure. Machines vacuum up the runoff as they go.“The goal of cleaning is not to make everything white. It’s to remove the dirt and the first layers of organic material that are deposited on the surface,” said Dimitris Selemis, a senior conservator at the site.“The idea is to clean all the material that (contains) dirt from the surface, so we have a better understanding of the monument,” he said, noting that there is more weed growth and dirt in areas that receive less direct sunlight. Dealing with chewing gum, high heels and soft-drink stainsCrews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time. Stadium officials say chewing gum, high heels and soft-drink stains are among the main culprits that stain the marble.Now slowly being revealed, the original gleaming look of the venue earned it the widely used Greek nickname “Kallimarmaro,” or beautiful marble. “We call it Kallimarmaro because it is made of the finest marble, the best that was ever produced ... We are very proud of it,” Isidoros Kouvelos, president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press in an interview.“It needed to be cleaned of everything that has accumulated over all these years,” he said. “This way the Panathenaic Stadium will show all its brilliance and will once again be the foremost monument of humanity for the Olympic Movement.”Built into a natural ravine, the stadium’s site was used for ancient Greek athletic contests and later Roman spectacles before falling into centuries of disuse. Read More An African celebration planned in AthensSince its 1896 revival, it has staged fashion shows, rock concerts, boxing matches and national celebrations — as well as lavish patriotic ceremonies ordered by a military dictatorship in the 1960s.Today, it’s a popular draw for tourists. Apart from the cleanup, the Kallimarmaro is also getting a new track, upgraded lighting and fresh support facilities. The project is privately funded by a shipping company and overseen by the Hellenic Olympic Committee with guidance from Culture Ministry experts.The work will continue through 2026 but is currently concentrated on the stadium’s “sling,” or curved end, in time for the next torch-passing ceremony on Sept. 10. That will be for the Dakar Youth Olympics, scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 13 in Senegal, which will be the first Olympic competition ever hosted in Africa. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. IOC President Kirsty Coventry, a swimming gold medal winner from Zimbabwe, is due to attend the Sept. 10 ceremony, Kouvelos said. DEREK GATOPOULOS Gatopoulos is an Associated Press reporter covering Greece. He is based in Athens. twitter mailto 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The Dallas Cowboys defeated the Seattle Seahawks 17-7 in a preseason matchup.Seattle rested all its starters, giving reserves a chance to earn roster spots ahead of the regular season. After taking the early lead on their first possession, the Seahawks were held scoreless for the rest of the game.Backup quarterback Lock started the opening drive for Seattle, finding receiver Montorie Foster Jr. for a touchdown to cap the game’s first possession, the only points the defending champs scored. Lock noted that the unit fell short of its standards during the contest. “You know, we expect perfection on the operation side,” Lock said. “That’s something that we preach, and that obviously wasn’t there tonight. Something that we need to continue to press through training camp.” Third-string quarterback Jalen Milroe showcased his mobility during his time under center, but Seattle was unable to capitalize on a fourth-quarter scoring opportunity. Following a muffed punt outside the Dallas end zone early in 4th, Milroe was sacked for the third time on a wild 4th down. Milroe kept the performance in perspective after the game. “This is a preseason game number one,” Milroe said. “That’s what it’s for. There’s always things we can clean up, and there’s things we did positive. Even if we came out victorious, there would be things we can improve on and get better at.” Linebacker Tyrice Knight led the team defensively with a productive opening half. Knight recorded 10 tackles, including seven solo tackles, all in the first half of play. Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald addressed the team’s overall execution following the matchup. “Right now, our process needs to improve; that’s really the biggest takeaway on both phases, on offense and defense,” Macdonald said. “Our operation is not up to par, and how we are finishing plays is not up to par. That will be a focus moving forward, but it’s good to know.” The Seahawks will head to Nashville to play the Tennessee Titans in their next preseason matchup on Aug. 23.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anders Dreyer scored on a penalty kick in the 89th minute and CJ dos Santos finished off a clean sheet as San Diego FC pulled off a 1-0 victory over Los Angeles FC on Saturday night.Dreyer scored the winner after a video review led to a hand-ball foul on LAFC defender Ryan Porteous. It was his eighth goal this season and his 27th in 53 career appearances.Dreyer will be suspended for San Diego's next match after picking up a red card in the seventh minute of stoppage time.Dos Santos had three saves for San Diego (6-7-6) to earn his first shutout in six starts this season after posting 10 in 30 starts last year.Hugo Lloris turned away one shot for LAFC (10-6-4), which had piled up 11 goals in its previous four matches.LAFC's Son Heung-min saw his four-match streak with a goal come to an end.LAFC rallied from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw in San Diego back in April.Dreyer scored on a PK in the 64th minute to help San Diego earn 1-1 road draw with Minnesota United last time out. Up nextSan Diego: At Portland Timbers on Wednesday.Los Angeles: At Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.___See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Australia's Lani Pallister handed US great Katie Ledecky a first 800m freestyle defeat in an international championship with a triumph at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California (Maddie Meyer)Australian Lani Pallister dealt US great Katie Ledecky her first 800m freestyle defeat in a major international meet on Saturday, beating her one-time idol at the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California.Pallister led wire-to-wire on the way to victory in 8min 06.10sec and for the first time ever in the event Ledecky's late charge wasn't enough and she finished second in 8:07.26.Ledecky has dominated the 800m since she won Olympic gold in 2012 as a 15-year-old, winning 13 international golds since then. That includes four Olympic medals and seven world titles in the event.Canadian Summer McIntosh did beat Ledecky once in the 800m free in that span, at a sectional meet in Florida in February 2024.World record-holder Ledecky maintained her hold on the event with a razor-thin victory over Pallister in a World Championships thriller last year in Singapore, where Ledecky said her rule for herself as younger swimmers began closing in was "I don't lose 800s."Pallister, who claimed her first career win over Ledecky in the 400m free earlier this week before finishing second behind her in the 1,500m, showed that rule can be broken as the 29-year-old American looks toward adding to her collection of nine Olympic gold medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.The Australian punched the water in delight and got a hug over the lane rope from Ledecky. She paid tribute to the American in a post-race interview."Katie is such a dominant force and I think it's really important we give her a big round of a hand," she said. "Without her, we wouldn't have women's distance swimming in the place we're at at the moment."To be part of that story at the moment (it's) pretty much all because we get to chase Katie."bb/js

The race to go global is on.

SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - AUGUST: Brian Brobbey of Sunderland celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Granit Xhaka (L) during the pre-season friendly match between Sunderland and Stade Rennais at Stadium of Light on August 15, 2026 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by Ed Sykes/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Lads ended pre-season in style, once again facing French opposition that has likewise qualified for European competition in the upcoming season, and, in truth, probably could and should have scored at least three or four more.It was good being back in the SoL. Due to the absolutely nonsensical way the club still refuses to open up the full ground for these games, the ticket accounts and office fiasco, attendance was low at around 16,000. However, those of us in attendance got to see the new advertising boards, the new coat of paint on the track around the pitch, the new carpets and new dugouts in action for the first time. The away extended dug-out is right in front of season-ticket holder seats with no roof, so if anyone’s in those rows for the upcoming season, give them as much dogs’ abuse as possible, please.💡 Here’s a first look at the Stadium of Light’s new dugouts, installed to meet UEFA requirements ahead of Sunderland’s Europa League campaign.👀 I’m told Sunderland have also switched home dugouts and will now sit in what has traditionally been the away section.#SAFCpic.twitter.com/sane2XTVZV— James Copley (@JamesCopley_) August 15, 2026We also changed the dugouts and where the lads walk out from (although we still have the north-side dressing room), and I think this change will benefit us – we can finally get our coaching staff in the ear of the near-side assistant referee to attempt to sway their decision-making.The club also teased some of the new in-stadium graphics for the big screens – and the game absolutely has gone if we are having to put lyrics on these screens to teach people the words to Can’t Help Falling In Love. There is absolutely no excuse for any Sun’lun fan not to know all these words off by heart by now.Onto the game, anyway. Stade Rennais finished sixth in last year’s Ligue 1 and are coached by Frank Haise, who joined in February after former mag Habib Beye was poached by Marseille. He led the Brittany-based side back to Europe. Their star players are Ligue 1 top scorer Esteban LePaul and captain Valentin Rongier – two very accomplished players in their own right. As a result, I think they had the best of the early stages of the game. LePaul and Adrien Thomasson were adept at dropping deep and pulling our central defenders out of position for their wingers to advance into the space. This pulled our defence all over, and their press was particularly effective.However, as the game wore on, Sunderland moved into the ascendancy. Enzo Le Fee almost played in Brian Brobbey and Nilson Angulo on successive attacks, and Dan Ballard looked effective in set-pieces. However, Rennes’ defence was well organised, and they just managed to consistently intercept and clear the ball before we could take advantage.The first half’s most significant moment took place after half an hour when LePaul cleverly turned Ballard, who badly judged the turn and dangled out a leg only to take the Frenchman down in the box. He converted the penalty, and although Robin Roefs almost emulated last season in saving a penalty in pre-season by getting a hand on it, the pure pace on the ball ensured it still flew in.Reinildo had the best chance of the half, pushing high and beyond Talbi, he took the ball in his stride and hit a shot well into the far corner, only for ex-Nottingham Forest keeper Brice Samba to save well. It was quite an even half, with Rennes having more chances but Sunderland arguably the best. However, I don’t think we were aggressive enough or quick enough in our play to break Rennes down.This changed from the moment the second half began, with us clearly picking up the pace. The visitors struggled with the pace we played, and the chances came. Brian Brobbey scored a bizarre goal, which is quite possibly the most Brian Brobbey goal of all time, then Trai Hume got the winner off a well-worked set-piece. For about ten minutes in the second half in particular, we absolutely ran them ragged. When we play like this, at pace and aggressive, it is clear many teams can’t live with us. Brobbey, Enzo, Mundle, Ballard, Reinildo and Isidor all missed massive chances – with some of them real sitters. But we still scored twice, and created a hell of a lot of chances. Diarra, Rigg and Mundle all replaced Sadiki, Angulo and Talbi after 65 minutes, and then around 10 minutes later Isidor replaced Brobbey, and they all played well and added pace, energy and even more aggression into our play. It is clear we are pressing far more, playing far more attacking, and are being lined up in a riskier, less conservative manner in pre-season.I was particularly impressed by Reinildo’s performance. He started pre-season a little rusty but in the last two has really excelled and is clearly enjoying having a little more freedom to bomb down the wing. With the impending arrival of Dayann Methalie from Toulouse, it is clear he won’t give up that left-back spot without a fight.Dan Ballard was aerially dominant, but did seem to struggle a bit with LePaul on the deck and did have a panic phase. However, during all that, Luke O’Nien was excellent. He pinged the ball all over the pitch with consummate ease and stayed calm throughout a difficult opening twenty minutes. He looks totally different to when he first started playing in the Prem around 10 months ago.Sadiki and Enzo have been absolutely brilliant in pre-season, and were again today. However, I think Habib Diarra, in a deeper role, has also performed really well, and it seems to suit his game far more than when he plays as a 10. I’ve waxed lyrical again and again about Riggy all pre-season, but whenever you watch him, he looks ten feet taller and ten years wiser.At the end of the game, Eliezer Mayenda was finally subbed on to some lovely scenes. Everyone in attendance stood up and rapturously applauded him onto the pitch, and at the end of the game he was surrounded by his former teammates as “Oi, Big Man rang out around the SoL for just one more time. He looked visibly emotional, and he goes both with some sadness, but just a bucketload of well wishes for the rest of his career.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 28: Head coach Greg Schiano of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights speaks to the media during the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days at Hilton Chicago on July 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) | Getty Images Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano hosted a press conference following the team’s first scrimmage of summer training camp. In this press conference, he addressed things such as the quarterback’s race, how the new coaches are adapting to their roles, and why they decided to accept Temple defensive line transfer Sekou Kromah so late in the process. Of course, one of the questions that was front and center in this press conference was the question of when a starting quarterback is going to be named. Rutgers fans who are eager to find out might not like what Schiano had to say in response.“I thought they both played well, making it harder and harder. But Kirk and I watched it. We’ll all study the tape tonight, today, tonight. Then tomorrow we’ll have extensive meetings. If there is enough separation, we’ll make a decision. If there isn’t, we’ll just keep going,” said Schiano. Schiano also pointed out that separation in the quarterback race could have to do with what teammates the quarterbacks are playing with, so they have to judge them fairly. “It really has been a back-and-forth. The situation has something to do with that, too. When you’re working with eight (KJ Duff), that’s a fun one to work with. But I was really, really glad to see our young receivers step up and make plays. Not gimmies. Make plays,” said Schiano. One of the questions that was asked had to do with the full game simulation that they were doing and how this environment can help simulate a level of intensity for the offensive line so they can see what they are truly made of. “It’s really important because we had a full Big Ten crew here today. Officials. What can get you early in the season is penalties. You can’t have holding penalties. They kill you. Especially when you have a positive play, and it comes back. I thought they did a really good job of that. I think Coach Turner is doing a really good job with the offensive line. He’s got competition at just about every spot. And he’s not afraid to move people around. I think because he’s such a good conceptual teacher. Finally, Schiano addressed why they decided to add Kromah in the transfer portal just before the start off the season. “We wouldn’t have brought him here if we didn’t think he was a good player. I’ve seen him do some good things already. He’s only been here a few days. So, I think he definitely is. We wouldn’t have brought him at this stage unless we believed he could help us in ’26. So, he’s definitely going to do that. It’s just a matter of how fast we can get him integrated into what we’re doing,” said Schiano. That begs the question of how much they are going to rely on him come the regular season. He is likely just another decent body who played at a lower level that the Knights could add to the rotation at a reasonable cost. To view the entire press conference, click here.

Islam Makhachev scored his first UFC welterweight title defense last night (Sat., Aug. 15, 2026) at UFC 330 LIVE on Paramount+ from inside Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Penn., earning his 17th-straight UFC win in a five-round main event battle against Ian Machado Garry (highlights HERE). In the co-headliner, Mackenzie Dern defended her UFC women’s strawweight title for the first time in a near-landslide win over veteran contender Gillian Robertson.In addition to the two title fights, UFC’s long-awaited return to “The City of Brotherly Love” resulted in a collection of memorable performances and finishes. Check out some of the key moments below and let us know who stood out the most at UFC 330!Neil Magny is now tied second all time in UFC wins after pulling out a comeback TKO finish over Ramiz Brahimaj (highlights HERE)Welterweight veteran Jeremiah Wells delivered a massive upset ninja choke over surging contender Myktybek OrolbaiFormer LFA champion Lucas Fernando turned in a perfect UFC debut with a nasty knee TKO over light heavyweight prospect Rafael Tobias (watch HERE)Edson Barboza called an end to his UFC career after suffering a bloody TKO loss to lightweight striker Esteban RibovicsEsteban Ribovics stops Edson Barboza in RD 2!📺 @paramountpluspic.twitter.com/G8SaCiKYEA— UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) August 16, 2026Flyweight veteran Charles Johnson yet again earned a win over a top prospect when he stopped Eduardo Chapolin with a super rare Scottish twisterDonte Johnson pushed his UFC record to 3-0 with a sensational first-round knockout finish over Eric McConico (see it HERE)Middleweight prospect Mansur Abdul-Malki suffered another setback in his young career with an upset submission loss to former training partner Dustin StoltzfusJalin Turner continued his post-retirement comeback campaign with an impressive 39-second knockout stoppage over Brazilian striker Kaue Fernandes (highlights HERE)Now that the Octagon action has come to a close, let’s take a closer look at the official UFC 330 post-fight bonus winners. Remember, each winner gets an extra $100,000, while every fighter leftover who earned a finish gets $25,000.Performance of the Night:Charles JohnsonPerformance of the Night: Dustin StoltzfusPerformance of the Night: Jeremiah WellsPerformance of the Night: Jalin Turner$25K Winners: Lucas Fernando, Neil Magny, Donte Johnson, Esteban RibovicsFor more UFC 330 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 15: Islam Makhachev of Russia reacts after a victory against Ian Machado Garry of Ireland in the UFC welterweight championship fight during the UFC 330 event at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 15, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) UFC 330 went down from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and featured an intriguing main event between Islam Makhachev and Ian Machado Garry. If you only saw the scorecards (49–46, 49–46, and 48–47), you might assume it was another easy night for Makhachev, who was widely expected to dominate Garry easily. But that wasn’t how it went down at all.The first round saw Makhachev struggle to take Garry down, and it didn’t get any easier from there. By round three, Garry used Makhachev’s own momentum to faceplant the Dagestani into the canvas before grinding back to his feet. There was no Jack Della Maddalena style wilting on display. Garry only got more confident as the fight went on, while Makhachev’s face got more bruised and his breathing became deeper (watch the highlights here).Makhachev’s legendary ground control faltered in this fight, but was still functional enough to earn him the victory. But the performance from Garry was good enough to make the commentary team question how Makhachev would fare against even bigger welterweights like Michael Morales or Carlos Prates. Final round. Who takes it? 👀[ #UFC330 is LIVE NOW on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/LGtvl7lnKI— UFC (@ufc) August 16, 2026Garry’s handiwork was very visible on Makhachev’s face following the fight. The elbows to the forearms and punches to the liver left no marks but undoubtedly had an impact. While Islam won the control game, Ian did a good job of beating the champ up.So what, though, right? Winning is what matters, and Makhachev won tonight. But his aura of invincibility just took a hit, and it’s no longer a given that Islam will effortlessly grind the entire welterweight division into the canvas like he did with JDM. It’s at times like this that we’re reminded why Khabib is still considered such a strong GOAT candidate despite his relatively short reign: the man never bled in the octagon, not once.Tonight in Philadelphia, Ian Machado Garry made Islam Makhachev bleed. He made him look human. He made him look beatable.

Markham is up next for the NTT IndyCar Series, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will lead the field to the green flag. Louis Foster won the pole for the 2026 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham this weekend. Christian Lundgaard will join Foster on the front row for Sunday afternoon's event. It is Foster's first pole position of the 2026 season.Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Ericsson will follow the two drivers on the second row. Most notably, Kyle Kirkwood, Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O'Ward, Marcus Armstrong, Will Power, and Josef Newgarden all qualified 15th or worse for Sunday's event. Several drivers, including Newgarden and Alex Palou, suffered issues that hurt their starting position.The full IndyCar starting lineup for Markham is available below.IndyCar starting lineup: Markham (August 2026)No. 45 Louis Foster No. 7 Christian Lundgaard No. 3 Scott McLaughlin No. 28 Marcus Ericsson No. 19 Dennis Hauger No. 76 Rinus VeeKay No. 12 David Malukas No. 20 Alexander Rossi No. 9 Scott Dixon No. 15 Graham Rahal No. 47 Mick Schumacher No. 10 Alex Palou No. 8 Kyffin Simpson No. 18 Romain Grosjean No. 21 Christian Rasmussen No. 27 Kyle Kirkwood No. 77 Sting Ray Robb No. 60 Felix Rosenqvist No. 6 Nolan Siegel No. 5 Pato O'Ward No. 14 Santino Ferrucci No. 66 Marcus Armstrong No. 4 Caio Collet No. 26 Will Power No. 2 Josef NewgardenThis article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: IndyCar starting lineup for race in Markham in August 2026

The journey to the World Test Championship (WTC) 2027 final has officially begun. After South Africa lifted their maiden WTC title in the 2023-25 cycle, attention is now on the ongoing two-year red-ball competition as nine Test-playing nations battle for a place in the final.The fourth edition of the WTC runs from June 2025 to mid-2027 and features India, Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Indies.MAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABET AND GET UP TO 200% WELCOME BONUSEach team will play six Test series during the cycle, three at home and three away. Every result is crucial as teams aim to secure valuable points early in the race to qualify for the final.Add The Sporting News as a preferred news sourceWhat is the format of the World Test Championship 2025-27?The 2025-27 World Test Championship follows the same format used in previous editions. A total of 27 Test series comprising 71 matches will be played over two years.Each team competes in six Test series, with every match contributing to the championship standings. The top two teams based on percentage of points (PCT) at the end of the league stage will qualify for the WTC Final.Since teams play a different number of matches, standings are determined by the percentage of points won rather than total points alone.MORE: Visit Cricket News for all the latest cricket coverage and opinionWorld Test Championship 2025-27 points distributionResultPoints per MatchPercentage of PointsWin12100Tie650Draw433.33Loss00Note: Teams are ranked according to their percentage of points won (PCT).Note: Teams are docked one championship point for slow over-rates.MORE: The Hundred vs T20 cricket: Key differences explained between the formatsLatest World Test Championship 2025-27 StandingsPosTeamMatchesWinsLossesTiesDrawsNo ResultPointsPCT1Australia9720008477.782South Africa4310003675.003New Zealand6410105272.224Bangladesh5310104066.675India9440105248.156Sri Lanka4110202041.677England13480103824.368Pakistan6240861622.229West Indies12282203020.83Previous World Test Championship WinnersCycleChampionRunners-up2019-21New ZealandIndia2021-23AustraliaIndia2023-25South AfricaAustraliaDafabetMAKE YOUR BET WITH DAFABET AND GET UP TO 200% WELCOME BONUSCLICK TO BET

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 13: UFC President and CEO Dana White is seen on stage during the UFC 330 press conference at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 13, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)Zuffa LLCIslam Makhachev proved he's still the best active fighter in the UFC and the king of the welterweight division. It wasn't easy, but Makhachev scored a unanimous decision win over Ian Machado Garry on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Garry made Makhachev work hard for every takedown (there were seven of them) and he did some damage to the champion's face. Still, Makhachev prevailed. After the fight, UFC President Dana White expressed his distaste for Garry's actions ahead of the fifth and final round. Let's talk UFC.Islam Makhachev vs. Ian Machado Garry Key FactsWinner:Islam MakhachevOpponent:Ian Machado GarryResult: Unanimous decisionScorecards: 49-46, 49-46, 48-47At stake:UFC welterweight titleEvent: UFC 330Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaCard position: Main eventDistance: Five roundsMakhachev has been taken down by only two fighters across his UFC career. The bout closed a card at Xfinity Mobile Arena that also produced Edson Barboza's retirement and Mackenzie Dern's first strawweight title defense.White slammed Garry for shaking hands and embracing Makhachev before the final round. "That s*** drives me f****** crazy," White said. "You don't come out, shake hands and hug before the 5th round. You come out in that 5th round with the flying knee or something crazy and you're trying to finish the fight."As it was, Garry needed a finish and the champion was definitely tired and not evading shots as easily as he had earlier in the fight. It could be argued that if Garry were more aggressive and less of an admirer of the champion, he might have given himself a chance to win the last round. If he had, he could have won the fight on one of the judges' cards as one had it 48-47 for Makhachev. As it is, Garry will have to settle for a strong performance, but one that was not good enough for him to become champion.More UFC CoverageUFC Releases Veteran Who is One of Only 2 Fighters to Take Down Islam MakhachevAlex Pereira Record: How Good Is Poatan And Is He The GOAT?UFC 331 Has 10 Fights and It Looks a Lot Better Than UFC 330This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Dolphins in recent years have had an issue with discipline. New coach Jeff Hafley is changing that. Quickly.He removed running back Ollie Gordon II from Friday night's preseason game after Gordon drew an unsportsmanlike conduct foul for flipping the ball at a defender after a play."We had an opportunity to continue a drive, and it's important to me — I'm not a big fan of pre-snap penalties and post-snap penalties like that, those are not acceptable to me," Hafley said. "It's disrespectful to the team, it's selfish, and it's how you lose games. And you know, I'm not going to play players that can't control themselves and get us 15-yard penalties and have us go backwards and put our team in a bad position, put our coaches in a bad position. And that's a big learning lesson."I went over it with the team today. Ollie and I had a great conversation again this morning and, you know, hopefully he'll learn from that and our team will learn from it, but those are the quickest way to lose football games and there's no place for that. And when I pulled him out, I'm not going to tell you exactly what I said to him, but it was a chance for me to look him in the eye and let him know that that was not OK and that I had to take him out and he had to learn his lesson, because if you're going to have a standard, there has to be consequences, or then your standard is just a bunch of BS if not."So our standard is we're not going to do things to put our team in jeopardy and have post-snap fouls where we throw a ball at a guy or toss a ball at a guy. Had a good talk with him immediately, pulled him out of the game and eventually let him go back in, but as far as the conversation goes, I'll just keep it between us, but it was a great time to teach him a lesson, to teach our team a lesson and move on, and move forward with Ollie and the rest of the guys."All of that should be music to the ears of Miami fans. It shows that there will be rules, and they will be enforced. There will be expectations, and there will be accountability.With those things, a football team has a chance. Without them, it doesn't.

Bangladesh has humbled a poor Australian side in Darwin by nine wickets to deliver the hosts one of their heaviest home Test defeats this century.Now trailing the two-match series 1-0, the pressure to avoid further embarrassment by squaring the series in Mackay in just over a week is real and significant.But what will the selectors do?After six largely underwhelming Tests, opener Jake Weatherald has surely been given more than enough opportunity to prove he belongs at the top of the Australian batting order, and provided remarkably few reasons for the national selectors to persist.MORE: Social media loving it as Aussies on the brink against BangladeshMeanwhile, it seems time has simply caught up with Marnus Labuschagne with the Second Test providing the ideal chance to blood a new face at No.3 with an eye to securing the future rather than providing testimonials for deeds of the past.Who replaces them at the top of the order is a trickier question to answer.For us, the experienced Matt Renshaw is one and 23-year-old Campbell Kellaway should be the other.In truth all-rounder Cameron Green would also benefit from a full summer back in Sheffield Shield to reignite his confidence with bat and ball, but admittedly it’s hard to drop someone who top-scored with 104 in his most recent Test innings.If Green stays as seems likely, the axe could then fall on 32-year-old Beau Webster with Cooper Connolly or even young Ollie Peake waiting in the wings - another change made purely with an eye to the next decade of Australian cricket, not just the next 12 months.Having said all this there’s every chance Australian selectors will pick an unchanged XI for Mackay and we’ll be having this exact same debate in early October when Australia is 1-0 down against South Africa after more batting woes in Durban.But hopefully not.The Second Test between Australia and Bangladesh takes place between 22-26 August at Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay.

And then there was one. One round remains in Memphis for the FedEx St. Jude Championship and Scottie Scheffler is clinging to a two-stroke lead over Sam Burns and Sungjae Im after 54 holes. Can the world No. 1 end his seven-month victory drought? Burns and Im have much lengthier victory droughts they are trying to put an end to so we could get drama during Sunday's trophy chase. But there's a lack of drama in the game within the game of qualifying for the BMW Championship and the top 50. Why? It's pretty simple. The PGA Tour has taken the volatility out of the first two legs of the playoffs by reducing the point totals. Instead of 2,000 FedEx Cup points, the winner will receive only 750 points. Last year, with jacked up points available in the first two playoff events, five players moved into the top 50 with their performance at the FedEx St. Jude Championship; through 54 holes, only one player (Sungjae Im) is projected to move inside the top 50 of the FedExCup standings:Projected to move INSIDE the Top 50Projected to move OUTSIDE the Top 50ProjectedPlayer (current position)ProjectedPlayer (current position)53rd → 35thSungjae Im (T2)48th → 52ndMatt McCarty (T62)There's barely any movement: Sahith Theegala is 68th in a field of 69 and shot 9-over 79 on Saturday and only has dropped two spots. He's a virtual lock to stay inside the top 50. Rory McIlroy? He sits T-62 and he's only projected to drop from No. 12 to 13. And he thought he didn't need to play in Memphis last year. Akshay Bhatia is 66th and is projected to drop from No. 14 to 15. Then there's Robert McIntyre, who withdrew after an 82 on Thursday. He tumbled down the standings, right? Not so much: he's falling from No. 31 to 34. This isn't a playoffs; it's a money grab. Keith Mitchell and Maverick McNealy entered the week at Nos. 49 and No. 50 and haven't budged from those positions while both being T-22. They are two and three points aheads of Nos. 51 and 52 — Brian Harman and Matt McCarty — so there very well may be some more movement before things are said and done and someone likely will miss out on qualifying for all of the signature events because of a single stroke somewhere along the way and less than five measly FedEx Cup points.But there should be more punishment for stinking up the joint at TPC Southwind this week and there could be more excitement next week at the BMW in order to make it to the Tour Championship. At least there's only one more year of the current format and then presumably the Tour is going to blow it up. But that's for another day. Here’s the last five in and the first five out. FedEx Cup standings: Last 5 in for BMW ChampionshipPlayerFedEx Cup(previous)Points aheadSahith Theegala46 (44)+48.980Michael Brennan47 (47)+27.195Eric Cole48 (45)+26.078Keith Mitchell49 (49)+5.461Maverick McNealy50 (50)---FedEx Cup standings: Last 5 out for BMW ChampionshipPlayerFedEx Cup(previous)PointsbehindBrian Harman51 (65)-2.486Matt McCarty52 (48)-3.395Jordan Spieth53 (54)-27.353Max Homa54 (52)-58.587Harris English55 (51)-60.301This article originally appeared on Golfweek: FedEx Cup bubble watch: Who's in, who's out heading into final round of St. Jude Championship

Katie Ledecky, of the United States, competes in the women's 400 meters freestlye final at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Friday, Aug. 14, 2026 in Irvine, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)2026-08-16T02:40:14Z IRVINE, Calif. (AP) — Lani Pallister of Australia stunned Katie Ledecky with her first international loss in the 800-meter freestyle at the Pan Pacific Championships on Saturday night.Pallister was under world-record pace for much of the race and touched in 8 minutes, 6.10 seconds to erase Ledecky’s championship record from 2018.“I was just so locked in and I’ve been really focused on what I want,” Pallister said. “The 800 is my favorite event.” Ledecky took silver in a season-best 8:07.26. “That was definitely my best swim of the week, so I’m actually pretty happy with it,” she said. “If I was going to get second tonight, I wanted to make it a good one. Just wanted to make it hard for Lani.”Ledecky is the four-time Olympic champion in her signature event. The American’s lone previous defeat in an 800 free final since 2010 came in a small domestic meet in February 2024 against Summer McIntosh of Canada. “Katie’s such a dominant force,” a breathless Pallister said after the race. Kate Douglass lowered her own world record in the 50 free for the second time Saturday, winning the final in 23.19 — one of three events on the final night.“I was doubting myself, questioning my ability to do the triple,” she said. “My coaches and my teammates just really had a lot of faith in me and they really gave me a lot of energy.” In the morning preliminaries, the 24-year-old American swam 23.49 to take the mark away from teammate Gretchen Walsh, who finished second in the evening final in 23.74.Douglass returned 25 minutes later to finish second in the 200 breaststroke. She rallied from third down the stretch but couldn’t catch Alexanne Lepage of Canada, who led the entire race and touched in a lifetime best of 2:21.73. Douglass finished in 2:22.57. Read More “I feel like I’m just a little bit shocked,” Lepage said.Walsh had owned the 50 free record of 23.55 since setting it in June at an international meet in Rome.It’s the third time Douglass has lowered the world mark in the sprint race. She first did it on June 19 at the TYR Pro Swim Series meet in Indianapolis, posting a time of 23.59. Nine days later, Walsh lowered it again. Fourteen minutes after climbing out of the pool, Douglass appeared on the medals podium in her cap and goggles to accept her gold. The other medalists were dressed in their usual team sweats. Eleven minutes after that, Douglass dived in for the 200 breast final.Douglass capped a busy night by anchoring the U.S. women to a dominant victory in the 4 x 100 medley relay. Their time of 3:50.43 was a championship record. Australia was second in 3:55.09.Douglass is a five-time Olympic medalist. She earned silver in the 50 free at the 2024 world championships but didn’t compete in the event at the 2024 Paris Games.Her 50 free was the second individual world record set at the meet that includes swimmers from the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan and China, among others.The U.S. men also topped Australia in the 4 x 100 medley relay. Will Modglin, Van Mathias, Luca Urlando and anchor Jack Alexy swam a championship-record time of 3:29.06. Sam Short of Australia won the 1,500 free to go with his earlier titles in the 400 and 800 free events. His time of 14:33.97 was the sixth-fastest in history and broke Grant Hackett’s 24-year-old championship record. “That was actually so much fun,” Short said.Kazushi Imafuku of Japan took silver in 14:42.59 and two-time defending Olympic champion Bobby Finke earned bronze in 14:44.26 on the same day he lost his world record to Johannes Liebmann of Germany at the European championships.The men’s 50 free was won by Jamie Jack of Australia in a championship record of 21.35. American Jack Alexy took silver in 21.42.Yu Yiting of China defeated a strong field including world record-holder McIntosh to win the 200 individual medley.Yu was under world-record pace on the opening butterfly leg before American Regan Smith took over the lead on the backstroke. Yu moved back in front on the breaststroke and held off McIntosh in the closing meters. Yu’s time of 2:07.45 set a championship record in the outdoor pool in Irvine.McIntosh, the Canadian star whose lone individual victory of the week was in the 400 IM, took silver in 2:07.47. American Alex Walsh, the older sister of Gretchen Walsh, earned bronze in 2:07.66. Smith finished fourth. McIntosh claimed silver in the 200 freestyle and bronze in the 4 x 200 freestyle relay. She surprisingly failed to qualify for the 400 free championship final, but finished first in the ‘B’ final.“It wasn’t a horrible swim, but getting touched out is something that is never a good thing to feel,” she said. “Overall, the meet didn’t go the way I wanted it to, so there’ll definitely be a lot of reflection.”Zac Stubblety-Cook of Australia went from fourth to first in the 200 breast, winning in 2:08.09. American Josh Matheny earned silver. Shin Ohashi, who led until the final 15 meters, took bronze.In the men’s 200 IM, Tomoyuki Matushita of Japan won in 1:56.02 over American Carson Foster.___See AP’s full sports coverage here 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

Nashville SC flex Supporters' Shield credentials with Miami trouncingBy Ben WrightNASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville SC made a Supporters' Shield statement on Saturday night.The Coyotes rumbled to their league-leading ninth home win, taking a stellar 4-1 victory over fellow Eastern Conference frontrunners Inter Miami CF at GEODIS Park.The result extends their lead in the Supporters' Shield race to five points over the Herons and strengthens their case as arguably the league's best team.Hany Mukhtar, in his seventh season in Music City, scored a brace, bringing his total to 8g/5a in 2026 and his tally against Miami to six in 12 matches. "It's not a statement," Mukhtar said. "There are too many games left... We deserve to have this big match, and it is a compliment to our achievements, what we have done in the first 18, 19 games now. But we have to go game by game."Despite the level-headed tone, it's hard not to be impressed with Nashville's form this season. Through 19 regular-season matches, they've won 13 and lost just twice, while producing a historic semifinal run at the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup, where they eliminated Miami in the Round of 16.After losing eight of their 11 meetings since Lionel Messi joined the Herons, Nashville have turned the tables in this rivalry. "You could feel the belief," said Mukhtar. "We were pressing them; we were putting them under pressure. We didn't give them just the ball. Will they create chances? Absolutely. But we created more chances. We were the better team over 90 minutes."Stars shineNashville needed a big performance from their key players, and they got it.Three All-Star contributed goals: Andy Nájar opened the scoring, Sam Surridge scored an audacious heel-flick, and Mukhtar bagged a brace.Even fellow All-Star goalkeeper Brian Schwake got in on the action, making a huge penalty-kick save on Messi. "[The players] are committed to the bigger vision of what we're trying to accomplish here," said head coach B.J. Callaghan. "They're willing to work for each other, work for the team."Continued excellenceFor seven years, Mukhtar has been Nashville's leading man. Now 31, the 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP hasn't slowed down – he's up to nine goals in all competitions this season, and continues to set the club's standard."I've said this many times; [Mukhtar] leads from a position of selflessness," Callaghan said. "Willing to do and leads by example."He trains hard, plays hard for 90 minutes, willing to do whatever it takes for the team. I think when you have your leader embodying those values, then everybody else rises to that as well."For Mukhtar, who welcomed his second child with his wife Ashley last week, he's still embracing the pressure of producing in big moments. That willingness to step up under pressure has become part of the club's identity."The most important thing is that a club has a DNA, and we have a clear DNA in our team," he said. "We have a clear mentality in our team. Whoever comes in, it doesn't matter who it is, has to adapt to the mentality, to the DNA. That is the foundation of this club."WATCH: Nashville SC outshine Inter Miami in Supporters' Shield clash

Jamie Carragher sides with Man United legend and says Liverpool have a £100m ‘problem’Liverpool underdelivered last season, there's no two ways about it. Finishing fifth just a year after winning the Premier League title is a massive fall from grace and it's certainly something that shouldn't have happened.However, it did and, even though Fenway Sports Group tried to solve the issue by sacking Arne Slot and bringing Andoni Iraola in, it's unclear whether this move and the transfers that the club have made so far will be enough to get them back to the top.Obviously, there are still a couple of weeks left in the transfer window for more deals to be made but, with the Reds' opening Premier League game against Newcastle just over a week away, things are looking a bit sketchy in L4.This is far from ideal, especially since Liverpool's fanbase expect them to get back to the top in double-quick time.Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes believe Florian Wirtz is a 'problem' for LiverpoolLast summer, Richard Hughes spent an obscene amount of money on new players for Liverpool.Over £240 million was spent on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz alone with the duo expected to completely transform the Anfield outfit.However, thanks to the sheer number of injuries suffered by Isak and the lack of adaptability that Wirtz showed, that was far from the case.This led fans to question whether it was even worth Liverpool spending all that money on them in the first place and now, Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes has admitted that they think that Wirtz could end up being a £100 million "problem" for Liverpool."Wirtz cost £100 million. It looks like they're trying to build a combination," Carragher said on the Overlap's Fan Debate show."I've always thought, going forward, you can't put a £100 million player on the bench, or you've certainly got to give him as much opportunity as you can."I've always had this feeling Wirtz would end up on the left."Now, if they get Barcola that's not going to happen, but I've always had in my head Wirtz plays on the left for Germany."He's not a left winger, but he's just in that area. He's in that pocket, if you like."To which Scholes replied: "He feels like, I know it's £100 million, but he feels like a bit of a problem."So, agree, it could end up Mac Allister as your passer, then Gravenberch, Szoboszlai then I'm thinking 'Jesus Christ, I wouldn't mind playing against that.'Carragher then added : "Yeah. I struggle to see how that midfield three, who are all individually really good players, is a midfield three that gets Liverpool back to competing for the title."Bet £10, Get £30 in Free BetsOpen an account and place a qualifying bet of £10 at min odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater.18+New UK/ROI customers. Min £5 deposit. Bet Credits available on settlement of qualifying bets, capped at £10 stake. Min odds 1/5 (1.20). Bet Credits expire in 7 days. Excl. Cashed Out/Free Bets/Boosted odds. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org£30 FREECLAIM NOW18+Gambling can be addictive — please only bet what you can afford to lose. For free support visitBeGambleAware.org or call 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7). Self-exclude at GAMSTOP.co.uk. AnfieldWatch is not a licensed betting operator. Offers subject to change.Liverpool must figure out how to get the balance right in their midfieldIndividually, Liverpool have some of the best midfielders in the world among their ranks.Wirtz, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch are some of the most well-known central midfielders in the world and, on their day, they could easily be seen as some of the best.However, among the Reds' ranks at the moment, their main problem is that they don't have a natural number six.Indeed, Gravenberch was used there by Slot and, while he did well during the 2024-25 season, he massively underdelivered in their most recent campaign.He barely made any progressive passes and, when faced with a duel against an opponent, he was often the one to come off worse.Szoboszlai, Mac Allister, Wirtz and Gravenberch are all attack-minded players and, while they can all put in a shift defensively if needed, that doesn't always happen.So, if Liverpool aren't signing a new number six this summer, Iraola is going to have a huge task on his hands trying to get the balance right.

(Getty Images)THURSDAY’S RESULTS Southern SectionAgoura 38, Buena 0Canyon Country Canyon 75, PACS 0Castaic 19, Burbank Burroughs 0Channel Islands 26, Rio Mesa 13Corona Centennial 6, El Dorado 0Corona Santiago 35, Great Oak 14Crean Lutheran 7, Capistrano Valley 6Dos Pueblos 28, Santa Ynez 6El Toro 26, Dana Hills 0Fillmore 45, Del Sol 0Gahr 54, Dominguez 6Hacienda Heights Wilson 7, Garey 0Hart 12, Royal 6Hemet 18, Murrieta Valley 7Indio 21, Canyon Springs 0Katella 19, Norwalk 0Lancaster 32, Rosamond 6Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 51, Loara 7Nogales 26, Mountain View 12Oxnard Pacifica 19, Newbury Park 18Paramount 14, Fairmont Prep 7Redondo Union 27, Santa Monica 7Saddleback 8, Century 6Santa Barbara 38, Hueneme 12Saugus 26, St. Bonaventure 0Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 22, Oaks Christian 0Sonora 14, Portola 12Thousand Oaks 27, Long Beach Wilson 20Ventura 27, Santa Paula 0Westlake 61, Simi Valley 12Intersectional Bakersfield Christian 19, Highland 6FRIDAY’S RESULTS City Section Franklin 33, Garfield 13Hollywood 39, West Adams 0Los Ángeles Marshall 29, Monroe 0Los Ángeles Marshall 7, Sotomayor 0Sotomayor 19, Monroe 0Southern SectionAgoura 12, Cypress 7Azusa 20, Northview 19Beckman 32, Mira Costa 13Bonita 13, La Serna 6Cantwell-Sacred Heart 26, Whitney 7Compton 32, Huntington Park 0Cypress 13, Warren 12Dos Pueblos 28, Classical Academy 12Dos Pueblos 13, Redondo Union 7Edison 13, Long Beach Poly 0El Rancho 45, El Monte 0Fountain Valley 26, Capistrano Valley 6Highland 50, Rosamond 0Huntington Beach 7, Classical Academy 0Huntington Beach 18, Redondo Union 0JSerra 24, Camarillo 0JSerra 19, Westlake 6Lakewood St. Joseph 40, Corona 6Long Beach Wilson 7, Santa Ana Valley 0Los Altos 13, San Gabriel 0Montebello 18, Bell Gardens 0Newport Harbor 25, Aliso Niguel 0Newport Harbor 7, Oxnard 0Northwood 6, Rosary 0Orange Lutheran 16, Oxnard 6Orange Lutheran 27, Aliso Niguel 0Palos Verdes 43, Desert Hot Springs 0Shadow Hills 25. Cathedral City 0Sierra Canyon 25, Long Beach Poly 13St. Margaret’s 13, Agoura 6St. Margaret’s 21, Warren 20Ventura 28, Fullerton 0Villa Park 13, Anaheim Canyon 0Western Christian 20, Tesoro 6Woodbridge 40, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 0Woodbridge 36, Ventura 0Intersectional Beckman 21, Narbonne 0Bonita Vista 20, Sierra Canyon 12Compton 32, Huntington Park 0Edison 13, Bonita Vista 0Esperanza 18, Panorama 13Mira Costa 13, Mira Mesa 12Mira Mesa 6, Narbonne 0Tesoro 13, Panorama 6Torrey Pines 12, Westlake 7Torrey Pines 7, Camarillo 6SATURDAY’S RESULTS Southern SectionAnaheim Canyon 39, Los Osos 0Anaheim Canyon 35, South El Monte 7Baldwin Park 21, Gabrielino 13Beaumont 38, Long Beach Wilson 0Beckman 26, Tesoro 24Bishop Amat 7, La Serna 6Bonita 34, Don Lugo 0Bonita 47, Covina 6Bonita 25, Chino Hills 0Cerritos 52, Keppel 0Chaminade 7, San Marcos 0Chaminade 20, West Ranch 0Chaparral 20, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 0Chino Hills 26, Covina 6Colony 19, Corona 13Corona Centennial 40, Kaiser 6Corona del Mar 13, Trabuco Hills 12Corona del Mar 19, Bishop Amat 6Covina 35, Don Lugo 6Don Lugo 6, Chino Hills 6Glendora 61, Arroyo 0Great Oak 26, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 0Irvine University 18, Crean Lutheran 0JSerra 27, Orange Lutheran 6JSerra 28, Dos Pueblos 0JSerra 23, Newport Harbor 6Linfield Christian 32, Temecula Valley 6La Serna 20, Cajon 6Los Osos 24, Colton 2Mira Costa 13, Western Christian 9Newport Harbor 13, Edison 0Newport Harbor 14, Huntington Beach 0Norco 21, Patriot 6Norco 19, Murrieta Mesa 12Oxnard 20, Long Beach Poly 7Oxnard Pacifica 19, West Ranch 6Oxnard Pacifica 6, Chaminade 0Quartz Hill 0, Valencia 0Redlands 31, Banning 0Riverside King 41, San Jacinto 0Riverside King 49, Canyon Springs 0Riverside King 29, Patriot 7San Marcos 21, Oxnard Pacifica 7San Marcos 32, West Ranch 0St. Lucy’s 16, Alhambra 6Temecula Valley 21, Temecula Prep 0Tesoro 20, St. Margaret’s 6Upland 19, El Dorado 12Upland 12, Hart 0Ventura 25, St. Margaret’s 15VIsta Murrieta 62, San Jacinto 0Vista Murrieta 32, Canyon Springs 0Warren 19, Esperanza 6Warren 32, Fullerton 6Western Christian 12, Agoura 6Westlake 20, Oxnard 13Westlake 20, Redondo Union 14Woodbridge 18, Agoura 8Intersectional Bonita Vista 13, Dos Pueblos 6Downey 44, San Pedro 0Edison 19, Torrey Pines 0Esperanza 14, Narbonne 6Huntington Beach 25, Torrey Pines 7Mira Mesa 14, Panorama 7Mira Mesa 20, Cypress 14Narbonne 12, Fullerton 0Orange Lutheran 6, Bonita Vista 0Panorama 27, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 0Warren 20, Mira Mesa 0Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

BALTIMORE — The Eagles lost 24-7 to the Ravens in their first preseason game on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium.Philadelphia was outplayed in all four quarters, but not everything was bad. The Eagles watched a few of their young players have great nights, while some other players struggled badly.Here are the winners and losers from the Eagles’ preseason loss:WinnersDefensive tackle Ty RobinsonRobinson struggled during his rookie season and did not stand out during the first week of training camp this summer. The Eagles’ 2025 fourth-round pick looked like a bust, but that narrative is slowly changing.It’s not time to declare that Robinson has turned his career around, but he has performed better in practices recently and played well against the Ravens. In the first quarter, Robinson beat Ravens second-year guard Emery Jones for a sack with a club move. He has beaten his teammates with that same move in practice. He plays with good power in his hands. Now he needs to round out his game and become a more effective player. But this type of performance should help him lock up a roster spot.Eagles backup cornerbacks (with a caveat)It was not a perfect night for the Eagles’ backup cornerbacks. The Ravens’ quarterbacks picked apart Kelee Ringo, Mac McWilliams and Shaun Wade on a few possessions. Ravens rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane beat Ringo for a 16-yard touchdown in the second quarter, and earlier on the same drive, McWilliams was beaten on a 19-yard catch. On the final drive of the second half, Ringo drew a pass-interference penalty at the goal line. But then Philadelphia’s backup cornerbacks made a few big plays. After his pass interference flag, Ringo locked up Ravens wide receiver Xavier Guillory in the back of the end zone and leapt to intercept quarterback Joe Fagnano’s errant throw. Late in the third quarter, Wade surrendered a catch to Ravens rookie wide receiver Elijah Sarratt and missed the tackle after falling to the ground, but he chased Sarratt from behind and forced a fumble that was recovered by his teammate, Eagles cornerback Ambry Thomas.Philadelphia’s inconsistencies in coverage point to a potential depth issue at cornerback, but the unit deserves credit for making two fantastic plays. Philadelphia’s undrafted free agents A group of Eagles’ undrafted free agents flashed intriguing potential against the Ravens’ offense. Eagles rookie linebacker Deontae Lawson, the former Alabama standout, displayed impressive speed, stuffed a few run plays and delivered punishing hits. On his first tackle, Lawson filled a hole and knocked Elijah Tau-Tolliver down for a one-yard gain. Lawson is a candidate to make Philadelphia’s 53-man roster.Edge rusher Joshua Weru, a native of Kenya who made his American football debut on Saturday, looked comfortable on the field, which is surprising because he only started playing the sport in May. Weru looked very explosive off the edge and landed a quarterback hit on his first drive.Safeties Kapena Gushiken and Maximus Pulley, along with defensive tackle Zion Wilson, each made positive plays. Eagles rookie quarterback Cole PaytonPayton went against Baltimore’s third-string defense, but at the same time, he was the Eagles’ best backup quarterback tonight over Andy Dalton and Tanner McKee. Payton won’t win the backup job, but he showed good long-term potential and increased his chances of making the roster.Payton rushed for 45 yards and threw a touchdown pass on the Eagles’ final offensive drive. LosersWide receiver Johnny WilsonWilson missed the Ravens’ game for an undisclosed reason. He missed a few practices this week with a knee injury, but he returned on Thursday and looked healthy. Before suffering a knee injury, Wilson was making progress during practice, including hauling down a touchdown over Jonathan Jones and beating Mac McWilliams over the top for a long catch on August 7. This is the second straight summer in which Wilson’s momentum has been halted by injury. Last year, he suffered season-ending knee and ankle injuries during training camp after he had just started to put it together. The 2024 sixth-round pick is facing an uphill battle to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster.Eagles’ top backup quarterbacks, Andy Dalton and Tanner McKeeNeither Dalton nor McKee made a strong impression during Saturday night’s game. Both quarterbacks failed to push the ball downfield or be decisive with their throws. Neither quarterback made a memorable throw.In a tight competition for the backup quarterback job, either Dalton or McKee needed to have a good night to secure the job but that did not happen.McKee completed 6 of 10 passes for 35 yards, while Dalton completed 3 of 6 passes for 20 yards.Eagles wide receiver Darius Cooper Cooper, the star of training camp, was disappointing tonight, finishing with only two catches for 21 yards. He also dropped a pass. To become a big part of Philadelphia’s offense, Cooper must be consistently great. Cooper has been fantastic all summer. So could this just be a minor setback? He has two more weeks of practice and two more preseason games to carve out a role. MORE BY CAYDEN STEELEEagles veteran may have won starting job after sitting out vs. RavensAug. 15, 2026, 7:59 p.m.Eagles ‘pest’ driving teammates crazy could become preseason star — He’s one of 10 poised to shine Aug. 15, 2026, 6:00 a.m.Read the original article on NJ.com. 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Just in: Real Madrid youth team forward leaves Spain to sign three-year contract in LibyaReal Madrid Castilla forward Loren Zuniga has brought his time at the club to an end, with the young striker set to continue his career in Libya, reports Mundo Deportivo.Zuniga has joined Al Madina, signing a three-year contract with the Tripoli-based club after completing a three-year spell in Real Madrid’s youth setup.The move marks a major change for the forward, who arrived at La Fabrica in 2023 from Malaga and went on to progress through the club’s academy before earning his chance with Castilla last season.During his time with Real Madrid Castilla, Zuniga scored six goals and gained valuable experience at senior level. However, his next step will now take him away from Spanish football as he begins a new chapter in the Libyan league.Loren Zuniga ends three-year Real Madrid journeyZuniga joined Real Madrid with the aim of continuing his development within one of the most competitive youth systems in European football.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Primera Federación (@primerarfef)After arriving from Malaga in 2023, the forward spent the next few years working his way through La Fabrica. His progress eventually led to a place in the Castilla squad, where he was able to show his qualities at a higher level.Last season proved to be an important one for the striker, as his six goals for Castilla helped him gain further attention and also played a role in his growing profile beyond club football.The Real Madrid academy graduate’s performances were rewarded with an international opportunity as well. Zuniga earned a call-up to the Equatorial Guinea national team and was included in the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.Representing Equatorial Guinea at the tournament added another important milestone to his career and showed how his development at club level had helped open doors on the international stage.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Primera Federación (@primerarfef)Now, though, the forward’s Real Madrid journey has come to a close.Real Madrid Castilla striker joins Al MadinaZuniga’s next destination is Al Madina, with the Libyan side handing him a contract that will keep him at the club for the next three seasons.Based in Tripoli, Al Madina have been active in the Spanish market, and Zuniga is not the only player with links to Spanish football to arrive recently.Notably, the club have also brought in Abde Damar on loan from Zamora.For Zuniga, he leaves with senior experience at Castilla, six goals from last season and an Africa Cup of Nations appearance on his record.

A farmhand harvests avocados at an orchard in Santa Ana Zirosto, Michoacan sate, Mexico, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Solis)2026-08-16T06:13:28Z SANTA ANA ZIROSTO, Mexico (AP) — It didn’t take long for Mexican avocado picker Francisco Isidro to get back to work after authorities announced the lifting of a U.S. security alert that temporarily halted avocado exports. Back on the job the morning after the alert was lifted, Isidro threw a rope over an avocado tree about 20 feet (6 meters) high and climbed up. Fifteen minutes later, he had filled a box with avocados bound for the United States.“Thank God ... and now we’re getting paid!” he shouted happily after several days without work.Eight days after the alert affecting Michoacán state and the deployment of more Mexican troops in the region, U.S. authorities fully lifted the restrictions that spurred producers to shut down operations, and exports resumed. Michoacán is Mexico’s main avocado-producing state and a region where four cartels designated by the Trump administration as terrorist organizations operate. By the weekend, orchards were operating again, packing plants were running at full speed and U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors had returned to certify the fruit and ensure it was free of pests before entering the United States.The workers were happy to get their daily wages back. Some producers hoped the increased security would reduce violence and extortion. Others feared the calm would not last long.“We’ll be safe for a while, we’ll see what happens next,” said Valentín Rodríguez, a longtime avocado industry businessperson. Many threats are possible in a violent stateThe U.S. alert caught Isidro high in a tree in an orchard in Santa Ana Zirosto, an area of green, low hills in western Michoacán where criminal groups are very active. There were no explanations, just the foreman’s shout to stop cutting.Isidro, 39 years old and with two decades of experience as a harvester, knew that this meant either starting to look for another job until the situation returned to normal — since they’re paid by the day — or supporting his family solely on what his wife earned from a small store. Read More More than 90 miles (145 kilometers) away, in the town of Tacámbaro, an engineer at an avocado packing plant received the alert in the early hours of the morning: The facility should be kept sealed and under quarantine.Some 200,000 people employed by Michoacán’s avocado industry were left in limbo. Authorities did not say what threat triggered the alert. But in a state where numerous local cartels make money not only from drugs but also from extortion, there are plenty of possibilities. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. Some growers have come to consider extortion an unavoidable production cost. A producer from Michoacán told The Associated Press recently that he pays 1 peso per kilo exported in extortion fees and exports about 90 metric tons a day, which amounts to more than $5,000 in daily payments. In March alone, Mexico shipped nearly 4,800 tons of avocados a day to the United States.Trucks loaded with avocados are also sometimes robbed on roads in western Michoacán. And some farmworkers have been stopped and beaten by armed men near the border with Jalisco without being told why, according to one worker who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. Mexican avocado production is US-controlledU.S. inspectors have been assaulted and temporarily detained in the past, triggering similar export suspensions. On some occasions, threats arose after inspectors detected pests and were pressured not to report them, said an official familiar with their work who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons. The U.S. Embassy does not usually provide details about the incidents.Inspectors now have less of a presence in the orchards, which are located in isolated hills where armed groups operate with little interference, and concentrate on packing plants.“If the United States says that it is suspending technical services for security reasons, it’s impossible to export. If it’s for a plant health, it’s the same,” said Rodríguez, who grows, packs and sells avocados. “We are at the mercy of whatever the U.S. market and government decide to do with the industry.”There is also a political dimension, he said, adding that Mexico didn’t export avocados to the United States for eight decades after a worm was found in an avocado pit in 1914. The U.S. ban was lifted in 1997 as domestic production could no longer meet growing demand. Exports rely on inspection and certification More than 80% of Mexican avocados are sold to the U.S. Thousands of tons of avocados travel daily to the United States, especially at the beginning of the year, when demand for guacamole surges ahead of the Super Bowl. To keep that volume moving, certification is key.Isidro is a “certified” picker. He knows how to disinfect cutting tools before using them, handle the fruit quickly and carefully, and report any spots or damage. The orchards where he works are also certified, providing dining and bathroom facilities for workers. Jesús Méndez, his supervisor, inspected the boxes before they were loaded onto a truck with the tracking details. The trucks wait until all those in the area are ready before traveling in convoys to packing plants, accompanied by police patrols to prevent robberies.At the packing plants, inspections continue, checking quality, the fruit’s flesh and possible pests. The avocados then move along mechanical lines that sort them by size before workers place them into boxes.Once labeled and sealed, the trailers head for the U.S. border. At the slightest security alert, every point along the route can be brought to a standstill.Fears remain despite the return to workThe deployment of more than 1,500 soldiers to protect Michoacán’s avocado-growing region and recent arrests of people allegedly involved in extortion have eased concerns, but only partially.Luis Manuel Soto, a 36-year-old grower and packer from western Michoacán, hopes the increased security will bring improvements. So far, he says, he has not felt them.In 2024, he said, armed men pulled him from his vehicle and threatened to kill him unless he paid them and withdrew a complaint over extortion and an attempt to seize his orchards. The threats returned last July, even though one person involved in the earlier case has been convicted.“They left me a funeral cross and ... a written message saying I had only days left,” Soto said from a town near Morelia, Michoacán’s capital.The threats have continued by phone. Now he divides his time between occasional visits to his orchards, managing his businesses and social projects remotely, and going to prosecutors’ offices to request protection.In Santa Ana Zirosto and surrounding communities, residents welcome the military presence.“It gives us some peace, but it also scares us a little because it could lead to confrontations with some of the groups,” said Méndez. MARÍA VERZA Verza has focused on immigration, violence and human rights stories in Mexico and Central America for more than a decade twitter instagram mailto

Most technical fouls in 2026 WNBA season: How Caitlin Clark compares to Angel Reese, more players closing in on suspension originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.If there's been one significant storyline across the WNBA this season, it may just be officiating.Close eyes follow referees across any sport, but with a growing number of foul controversies surrounding WNBA stars throughout the 2026 season so far, more intense scrutiny has followed. From excessive physical interactions between players, to inconsistencies in how in-game complaints about foul calls are addressed, league officials have had a lot to handle.Some players, of course, have caused more trouble than others. Among the WNBA's leaders in technical fouls in 2026 are Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, rivals since their college days and never shy about looking for a foul call.Here's a look at Clark, Reese and other WNBA stars' updated technical foul totals for the 2026 season.MORE: Caitlin Clark's full timeline of 2026 technical fouls, controversiesMost technical fouls in 2026 WNBA season As things stand in mid-August, two players are on the verge of a potential automatic one-game suspension due to their technical foul totals: Clark and Reese.Controversy has surrounded Clark since the moment she stepped on a WNBA court — mostly off the court, to no fault of her own — but her gripes with officials have reached a new peak in 2026. With seven technical fouls, Clark has often been seen complaining about non-calls to referees in Fever games, while she's also received techs for altercations with opponents.Reese, meanwhile, is also a known vocal, physical leader on the court, something she's owned throughout her career. Her status as one of the WNBA's top paint threats makes her a natural candidate to rack up fouls, but in 2025, she had to serve a one-game suspension for her technicals. Now, she's on the verge of doing it again in 2026 for some of her scuffles and arguments.Here's a look at the WNBA technical foul leaders:Updated through Aug. 14. All stats provided by Across the Timeline.RankPlayerTeamTotal technicals1.Caitlin ClarkFever7Angel ReeseDream73.Natasha CloudSky6Kahleah CopperMercury65.Alyssa ThomasMercury56.Aneesah MorrowTempo4Diamond MillerSun4Marina MabreyTempo49.Olivia MilesLynx3Rhyne HowardDream3Cotie McMahonMystics3Betnijah Laney-HamiltonMystics3Skylar DigginsSky3Olivia Nelson-OdodaSun3Sophie CunninghamFever3Caitlin ClarkClark has been a magnet of sorts for technical fouls, tallying seven across the season. She would have had eight, if it weren't for the Aug. 8 tech called on her for accidentally bumping into a referee being rescinded following a swift review.There's a case to be made that Clark should have fewer technicals than she actually received — a few of the calls that went against her look questionable upon further scrutiny. Nevertheless, she'll have to be at her best behavior, or close to it, to avoid that dreaded eighth technical and summary automatic one-game suspension.Angel ReeseReese, too, has drawn the referee's ire on a handful of occasions. The Atlanta forward touts a motor like few others in recent basketball history — men's or women's. Sometimes, she flies too close to the sun; she was suspended one game after tallying a league-high eight techs in 2025.For all of her occasional pyrotechnics, Reese hasn't picked up a technical foul since early July. She'll look to keep her run going in the remaining 11 games of the season.Natasha CloudOn a per-minute basis, Cloud might outdo Clark and Reese in terms of technical foul prowess. The Sky guard has picked up half a dozen in 941 minutes, good for an average of one technical every 156 minutes.Cloud picked up three techs in July alone, showcasing her bark for a Chicago side that has struggled throughout the year. Given the Sky's toils — they sit 5.5 games above the bottom of the standings — it wouldn't be surprising to see Cloud pick up more.Kahleah CopperAt her best, Copper is one of the league's best scorers. The Mercury standout ranks sixth in the league in scoring, averaging 20.6 points per night.She's also a fierce competitor, as evidenced by her technical count. She's up to six on the season, the last of two came on double technicals. Copper isn't afraid to show her teeth to her adversaries. When you have five All-Star appearances, an All-WNBA second team berth and a Finals MVP under your belt, it's easy to see why.Alyssa ThomasCopper, Thomas and Kelsey Plum spearhead an impressive three-headed trio in the Valley of the Sun. Despite their gifts, Phoenix finds itself comfortably outside the playoff spots, sitting 6.5 back of the Wings. Perhaps that can explain some of Thomas' frustrations this year. She has five techs under her belt, two of which are of the double technical variety.MORE:Why Caitlin Clark hasn't deserved every technical given to her in 2026 WNBA seasonWNBA technical foul suspension rulesIn the WNBA, a player or coach automatically receives a one-game suspension when they reach their eighth technical foul of the regular season. The discipline for technical No. 8 also comes with a $1,500 fine, an increase from $1,000 for every foul from No. 4 to No. 7.From there, every two technical fouls past eight (No. 10, No. 12, etc.) results in another one-game suspension.The technical foul count resets for the WNBA playoffs. However, if a player accumulates a fourth technical foul in one playoff run, that will result in an automatic one-game suspension and $1,500 fine.MORE: Caitlin Clark's complete injury timeline from NCAA to WNBA

Braves' Walt Weiss makes brutal starting pitching announcement that won't make fans happy originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The Atlanta Braves are atop the NL East, where they have been for more than half of the season. However, the pitching staff, whether it is the starting rotation or bullpen, has not been a dependable area for Atlanta this season.The Braves needed another starter at the trade deadline, but it did not work out that way. Now, the rotation has a major question mark when it comes to its dependability.“There are well-documented reasons why the Braves were in the market for a frontline starter at the Trade Deadline. Though they added a depth piece in Tyler Mahle, they didn't land the type of clear difference-maker that many fans wanted. As the team heads down the stretch, there’s now even more scrutiny on a few things: the lack of a potent 1-2 punch for the postseason, their bullpen's durability and the rotation's overall dependability,” MLB.com’s Jason Foster wrote.Atlanta starter Grant Holmes took the mound on Saturday, but his outing did not go well.“Holmes entered Saturday having constructed a scoreless six-inning effort in both of his two previous August starts. He had also produced a 2.45 ERA in his past seven starts going back to July 3. So, he deserves some leeway, right? One bad start shouldn’t remove him from the rotation, right? Well, the chatter certainly wouldn’t be as loud if there wasn’t anticipation about when Smith-Shawver might arrive and how he might fit,” MLB.com’s Mark Bowman wrote.While it is fair to believe Holmes should remain a starter, he has often been limited to four innings and, at times, five. That could make him an intriguing option as a middle reliever. Braves manager Walt Weiss, however, does not appear to be considering that move.“Weiss said he expects Holmes to stay in the rotation. When asked if Smith-Shawver could come up as a reliever, it acknowledged it as an option, but said that really hasn’t been discussed. If the bullpen is taxed again tomorrow, there will certainly be a need for help in the pen,” Bowman posted.Many fans have an issue with Holmes remaining in the rotation while potentially sending Smith-Shawver to the bullpen. It does not make much sense for Atlanta, especially considering Smith-Shawver has spent the last month preparing to return as a starter.Moving Holmes to the bullpen would not necessarily be a bad idea. He could give Atlanta three or four solid innings in a relief role. When a pitcher is a starter, the goal is generally to reach at least five innings, but Holmes has struggled to consistently get there, even during his recent stretch of success. He has also dealt with a high walk rate.Smith-Shawver, meanwhile, has been a starter throughout his career and appears better suited for that role. He also possesses a blazing fastball that could be a major weapon in the rotation. Most importantly, he would provide a fresh arm for a Braves team that desperately needs more reliable innings down the stretch.Putting Smith-Shawver in the bullpen instead of giving him an opportunity to start is unlikely to make many Braves fans happy.More MLB news:Red Sox's Aroldis Chapman triggers massive $13M option for next season after 40IP milestoneBraves' failed trade for Rangers' Jacob DeGrom just became GM Alex Anthopoulos' biggest blessingBraves' $2.9M former first-round pick likely out for season after latest concerning Gwinnett newsBraves GM Alex Anthopoulos' latest comments show Atlanta should have DFA'd Ha-Seong Kim

🥐☕️FC Breakfast: Messi the strict dad, Sporting's big buzz stunt on X!🎥 Messi the strict dadLionel Messi knows how to be firm when his son Mateo gets a little too greedy. Proof…Sporting’s huge buzz move 🎬Sporting pulled out all the stops to officially announce the arrival of Nestory Irankunda, one of the breakout stars of the World Cup group stage. The Portuguese club went for a Michael Jackson-style staging.But who is Mika Godts? 🔍The man worth 55 million euros! A quick look at the technical skills of Paris Saint-Germain’s new signing.Akliouche still finding his bearings 😅PSG’s other star signing is still adapting..."You’re crazy" 😤Expected to leave, Malcom (Al-Hilal) sharply put a Saudi journalist in his place after a question he considered “inappropriate” about his future.TV schedule 📺12:30 p.m.: Liverpool – Como (L’Équipe website)2:30 p.m.: Watford – Southampton (beIN 4)2:30 p.m.: Feyenoord – Go Ahead (DAZN)3:00 p.m.: Nottingham – Brest (Ligue 1+ 2)4:00 p.m.: Arsenal – Man City (beIN 1)4:45 p.m.: Ajax – Heerenveen (DAZN)5:00 p.m.: Santander – Villarreal (DAZN / Disney+)5:00 p.m.: Burnley – West Ham (beIN 4)5:00 p.m.: Newcastle – Strasbourg (Ligue 1+)5:00 p.m.: Schalke 04 – Real Madrid (L’Équipe website)7:00 p.m.: Espanyol – Levante (DAZN / Disney+)8:45 p.m.: Lens – PSG (DAZN / Ligue 1+)9:15 p.m.: Lazio – Mantova (YouTube)This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Barcelona coaching staff impressed by summer signing after initial days of trainingBarcelona have so far completed two major transfers this summer window, bringing in Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund.Both attackers belong to a perfect mould: pacy, excellent at making runs and able to offer a lot of intensity off the ball in the press.Now, according to Alex Pintanel, Gordon has made an excellent early impression at Barcelona, with Hansi Flick and his coaching staff particularly pleased by the winger’s physical condition and adaptation.Flick impressed by Gordon’s physical levelOne aspect that has particularly caught the attention of the coaching staff is Gordon’s physical strength.The England international arrived at Barcelona in very good condition and has quickly adapted to the intensity Flick demands from his players in training.That should be especially encouraging for the German coach.Flick’s football requires attackers to contribute without the ball, press aggressively and repeatedly make high-intensity runs.Gordon’s athletic qualities were already among his biggest strengths before arriving, and his early work at Barça appears to have reinforced that assessment.Adaptation going smoothlyGordon has also settled well into the Barça dressing room and the working environment.That is important for a player who has played in England all his career and needs to adapt to a team and league where the wide players are expected to behave slightly differently.Barça will want Gordon’s directness and ability to attack space, but Flick will also need him to understand when to stay wide, combine inside and participate in the team’s positional game.At Barça, it is all about passing, movement and rotation, and Flick has kept those principles intact while adding verticality in the last couple of seasons.It is therefore refreshing that Gordon is learning these principles quickly.Gordon offers Flick important versatilityThere is another reason why Gordon could become particularly useful this season.With Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres both leaving, Barcelona currently lack an established senior No. 9 while they continue working on the signing of a striker.Flick has already identified Gordon as one of the players capable of operating centrally if required.His speed would provide a very different solution through the middle, particularly against opponents who leave space behind their defensive line.Gordon also has a very good shot on him that is quite underrated, and there is a good chance he makes the striker position work for him this season.Pre-season is generally a period where new signings slowly adapt to the system, but despite joining later, it feels like Gordon has already settled in well.It helps that the 25-year-old had a great World Cup, where he chipped in with goals and assists for England throughout the knockout stages.He is likely to make his unofficial Barça debut against FC Basel tonight, and fans will hope that he can mark the occasion with a goal.More importantly, it will be interesting to see where Flick uses the Englishman tonight, and that should give us insight ahead of the new season.

Real Madrid’s first La Liga match of 2026/27: Date, time and opponentReal Madrid are edging closer to their first competitive match of the 2026-27 season, with Jose Mourinho preparing his side for a delayed start to their La Liga campaign.While the new Spanish league season is already underway, Real Madrid will not begin their title challenge on the opening matchday. Instead, Los Blancos are scheduled to make their La Liga debut away to Espanyol on Saturday, August 22 at 9:30 pm local time.The fixture will also mark Mourinho’s first competitive league match since taking charge of Real Madrid’s new sporting project. Notably, Real Madrid’s delayed start is linked to scheduling changes following the summer World Cup, which has forced adjustments to the early La Liga fixture list. As a result, the opening weeks of the season will be particularly demanding for Mourinho’s squad.Real Madrid begin La Liga season away to EspanyolReal Madrid will face Espanyol in their opening La Liga match. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)The Espanyol vs Real Madrid clash will be the first official league test of the new campaign for Los Blancos.An away match against the Catalan side is far from the easiest way to begin a season, especially for a team working under a new manager and adapting to a fresh tactical approach.Real Madrid will be under pressure to make an immediate statement, as every point matters in a La Liga title race, and Mourinho will want his players to establish momentum from the very beginning.The match comes after a busy pre-season programme, which has given the Real Madrid manager time to assess his squad and prepare his team for the demands ahead.Before their competitive debut, Los Blancos will have faced Deportivo de la Coruña in the Teresa Herrera Trophy and are now set to face Schalke 04.Those matches will give Mourinho further opportunities to fine-tune his plans before the real business begins.The 2026/27 La Liga season has already started. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)Lastly, the Real Madrid squad is also believed to be close to its final shape for the new season, although the situation could still change if there are late departures.Real Sociedad fixture creates hectic startReal Madrid’s unusual opening schedule does not end with Espanyol.Just days after their away trip, Los Blancos are set to face Real Sociedad on Wednesday, August 26, in the fixture that was originally meant to form part of their opening weekend.That leaves Mourinho with a quick turnaround immediately after his first La Liga match.For now, though, with the squad largely settled and preparations nearing completion, attention is now turning fully towards Espanyol.

Fery was the lowest-ranked player to make Wimbledon's last four since Ivanisevic in 2001 [Getty Images]Britain's Arthur Fery beat Australia's Jack Duckworth at the Cincinnati Open, in his first match since his shock run to the Wimbledon semi-finals last month.Fery, who jumped to a career-high world ranking of 36 following his Wimbledon success, won 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-4) in two hours and 34 minutes against Duckworth in Ohio as he warms up for the US Open later this month.The 24-year-old was given a wildcard into his home Grand Slam, having been ranked 114th in the world before the start of the tournament and having never been beyond the second round of a Grand Slam, and defied all expectations to reach the semi-finals where he lost to Alexander Zverev.Following Wimbledon he took some time off, followed by a training block at the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton.Seeded 32nd in Cincinnati in what is just his second Masters 1000 event, he will play Australian fifth seed Alex de Minaur in the next round.Fellow Brit Cameron Norrie is out, losing 6-3 3-6 3-6 to Germany's top seed Zverev.Djokovic suffers in heat as Tirante inflicts shock defeatNovak Djokovic has won the Cincinnati Open three times [Getty Images]Novak Djokovic struggled with the heat and humidity as he fell to a shock defeat by Argentina's Thiago Tirante.The 24-time Grand Slam champion dropped on to his hands and knees and took a medical timeout during the second set before eventually losing 2-6 6-4 6-4 to the South American, who is ranked 50th in the world."It was not an enjoyable match for me, for sure," Djokovic said. "The way I felt. Not the first and I guess not the last time, but it is what it is."Djokovic, 39, the world number five, was making his first appearance since losing to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals at Wimbledon in July. The Serbian had never failed to reach at least the last 32 of the tournament in Ohio since making his debut in it in 2005.However, despite claiming the first set, Djokovic toiled badly after winning an 18-minute third game in the second set and appeared to vomit twice.A physio and a doctor provided on-court assistance and both players returned to the dressing rooms after the second set. When play resumed Djokovic dropped serve in the ninth game of the third set and Tirante was able see out the match.Djokovic said he is dealing with an underlying health condition."It's just a condition that I have, health wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years," Djokovic added. "[It causes] a lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot."Tirante called the victory the "best win of my career", adding: "I managed the nerves of playing a legend like Novak. It was all so much pressure."Swiatek beats Rybakina for first title of seasonEx-tennis player Bautista Agut scores on football debutLive scores, results and order of play

The greatest upsets in Test cricket listed: From New Zealand in India to Bangladesh in Australia originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Test cricket's long history is dotted with staggering upsets, where underdogs toppled dominant sides against all odds.Bangladesh's recent nine-wicket win in Darwin joins an elite list including Kolkata 2001 and the Gabba heist of 2021.Individual heroics, from Laxman's 281 to Shamar Joseph's fiery spell, repeatedly turned near-certain defeats into legend.Top 7 of the greatest upsets in Test historyTest cricket has always had a soft spot for chaos. Every so often, a match rewrites the script entirely, and a side given no realistic chance walks away with a result nobody saw coming.These aren't just wins; they're the kind of afternoons that get replayed in highlight reels decades later, the ones fans bring up unprompted at pubs and dinner tables.What makes these upsets so gripping isn't just the scoreline; it's the human drama tucked inside them. A tailender batting through pain. A bowler nobody rated suddenly finding the spell of his life. A captain making a call that either backfires spectacularly or turns him into a genius overnight. Bangladesh's recent triumph over Australia in Darwin is the newest addition to this list, and it's a reminder that the format's capacity to surprise hasn't dimmed one bit. A team playing their first Test on Australian soil in more than two decades walked in as rank outsiders and walked out having rewritten the history books.Here's a rundown of some of the format's most jaw-dropping upsets, matches where form, ranking, and logic got thrown out the window.India stun Australia after following on at Eden Gardens (2001)Steve Waugh's all-conquering Australian side rolled into Kolkata on the back of 16 straight Test wins, having already wrapped up the series opener in Mumbai inside three days. Australia piled on 445 and skittled India for just 171, and Waugh had little doubt before enforcing the follow-on.However, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid produced one of cricket's most extraordinary rearguard efforts, as they batted through the entire fourth day unbeaten and stitched together a stand of 376 runs before India declared at 657 for 7.Then Harbhajan Singh took over the mantle. He was fresh off India's first-ever Test hat-trick. He continued to weave his web of spin around the struggling Aussies and finished with figures of 6 for 73, bowling them out for 212 and handing India a 171-run win. It was only the third instance in Test history of a team winning after following on.MORE: Weakest Australia batting lineup in a generation: Tough questions for Aussies after Bangladesh dominates Darwin TestBangladesh conquer Australia on their own turf (2026)Bangladesh hadn't played a Test in Australia in 23 years, and few gave them a prayer heading into Darwin. Australia batted first and were bowled out for a mere 198, their lowest total ever against Bangladesh, thanks to a career-best 6 for 55 from Hasan Mahmud.However, Bangladesh responded emphatically, with Tanzid Hasan's brilliant century and fifties from Najmul Hossain Shanto and Mehidy Hasan Miraz building a commanding total of 426, a lead of 228.Cameron Green's fighting century in the second innings briefly kept Australia's hopes alive, but Mehidy struck again with 5 for 66, leaving Bangladesh needing just 57 to win. They got there for the loss of a single wicket, sealing a historic nine-wicket victory on Australian soil for the first time.MORE: Has Bangladesh ever won a Test series against Australia?New Zealand's stunning whitewash of India (2024)India walked into this series with an 18-Test unbeaten home run stretching back 12 years, while New Zealand hadn't tasted victory on Indian soil since 1988. That history counted for nothing.In Bengaluru, Matt Henry and William O'Rourke bowled India out for a shocking 46, setting up an eight-wicket win. Pune brought more misery, with left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner claiming 13 wickets across the match to seal a 113-run victory. The final blow landed in Mumbai, where Ajaz Patel picked up 11 wickets to complete a 25-run win and a stunning 3-0 clean sweep.It was India's first-ever home whitewash in a series of three Tests or more.MORE: Bangladesh script history in Darwin: Register first-ever Test win in AustraliaSri Lanka's historic series win in South Africa (2019)No Asian side had ever won a Test series in South Africa, and Sri Lanka arrived off the back of a series drubbing in Australia.With their backs against the wall, they were set to face a pace battery of Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, and Vernon Philander. The result hung in the balance as South Africa set a target of 304 in Durban in the second innings. Sri Lanka slumped to 226 for 9 before Kusal Perera produced one of the greatest fourth-innings knocks the format has seen.He scored an unbeaten 153, built around a remarkable 78-run last-wicket stand with No. 11 Vishwa Fernando. Buoyed by that heist, Sri Lanka travelled to Port Elizabeth and wrapped up an eight-wicket win, to complete a 2-0 sweep and etched their names into history as the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa.MORE: 'Frailties in technique': Ponting slams Australia's top order following collapse in 1st Test vs BangladeshZimbabwe shock Pakistan on their own soil (1998)Pakistan's line-up in Peshawar read like a who's who of the era's greats. It included Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, against a young, inexperienced Zimbabwe side led by Alistair Campbell.Pakistan posted 296, and Zimbabwe fought back with 238, anchored by a maiden century from Neil Johnson against some fearsome reverse swing.When Pakistan batted again, Heath Streak and Pommie Mbangwa tore through the order, bowling the hosts out for just 103. Zimbabwe chased down 162 with seven wickets to spare, claiming their first Test win on foreign soil and going on to take the series 1-0 after the final Test was washed out.West Indies pull off the Gabba pink-ball miracle (2024)A West Indies side stacked with seven uncapped players, without a win in Australia since 1997, headed to a venue considered Australia's fortress.After conceding a first-innings lead, they set the hosts 216 to chase. Debutant quick Shamar Joseph, who'd been hit on the toe by a Mitchell Starc yorker two days earlier and was doubted to even bowl again in the match, produced a spell for the ages on day four: 7 for 68 in one unbroken burst of raw pace.(Getty Images)Steve Smith carried his bat for an unbeaten 91, but Joseph had the final word, bowling Josh Hazlewood to seal an eight-run win in one of the format's most emotional finishes in recent memory.India end Australia's 32-year Gabba fortress (2021)India arrived at the series decider missing an extraordinary list of first-choice players like Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and KL Rahul among them.This forced a raw, inexperienced attack led by a young Mohammed Siraj into the deep end. Australia hadn't lost at the Gabba since 1988. Debutant Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur combined for a stunning 123-run partnership to drag India back into contention after Australia's 369, and Siraj followed up with his maiden five-wicket haul to restrict the hosts to 294. (Getty) This left India chasing an unprecedented 328 on the final day. Shubman Gill's fluent 91 set the tone, Cheteshwar Pujara absorbed blow after blow for a gutsy 56, and Rishabh Pant finished the job with a fearless unbeaten 89, driving the winning boundary with three overs to spare. It is arguably one of the greatest overseas Test victories in Indian cricket history, as they completed one of the format's most celebrated fortress breaches and sealed a famous 2-1 series win.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.

Man United position revealed regarding Arsenal raid after long-standing interestMyles Lewis-Skelly has been linked with a move away from Arsenal this summer.The 19-year-old is highly rated across England, and he has a bright future. He has been linked with clubs like Chelsea and Manchester United.According to a report from The Independent, the 19-year-old could be on the move this summer, but a move to Manchester United seems unlikely.Man United keen on Lewis-SkellyThe report claims that Manchester United have a long-standing interest in the versatile 19-year-old, but they simply do not have the finances right now to get the deal done. They could use a versatile player like Lewis-Skelly, who can operate as a left back as well as a defensive midfielder. He could have been the ideal utility man for Manchester United. They are looking to build a quality team for the future, and the 19-year-old would have been an asset.The youngster has struggled for regular opportunities at Arsenal, and he needs to play more often. Regular football could bring out the best in him and help him fulfil his potential. There is no doubt that Manchester United or Chelsea could be the ideal destination for him. If Arsenal are unwilling to provide him with the opportunity he needs.Arsenal might not want to lose Lewis-SkellyMeanwhile, losing a player of his calibre could be a long-term blow for Arsenal. He has all the tools to develop into a future star. He has already impressed in the Premier League with Arsenal, and there is no doubt that he is good enough to play for a big club.It remains to be seen how the situation develops over the next few days.Arsenal are not actively trying to push the youngster out of the club, but he needs to sort out his future if he wants to play regularly next season.Leave a ReplyCancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment *Name *Email *Notify me of follow-up comments by email.Notify me of new posts by email.

Juventus linked with audacious move for key Man Utd manBruno Fernandes has a year left on his contract, and Juventus are among the clubs interested in a move for him this summer, according to Calciomercato.The Bianconeri see him as an ideal player to include in their squad during this window and would do their best to sign the Manchester United captain.A year ago, Fernandes was the subject of serious transfer interest from Saudi Arabia, but he opted to stay, even though United were willing to sell him because the proposed fee was huge.His deal expires at the end of this season, and the EPL side have not offered him a new contract, which could be a sign that they are planning for life without him in their squad.Juventus See Fernandes as a StarThe Red Devils see Fernandes as a key player, but not offering him a new deal is encouraging other clubs to consider a move for him. Juventus are one of the teams keen to sign the Portuguese star.The Bianconeri see Fernandes as one of the best players they could add to their squad, and Juventus do need a superstar in their current team. His quality and experience could provide the kind of boost the club is looking for as they continue to build their squad.Fernandes is considered a player who can elevate the level at the club, making him an attractive target for Juventus. However, there is a significant obstacle that could prevent the move from happening.Fernandes’ Wage Demands Could Be a ProblemThe Portuguese star’s current earnings mean Juventus would have to break their wage structure to sign him. This is something they could not do to keep Dusan Vlahovic at the club, and they might not be willing to do it for Fernandes either.Juventus must therefore decide whether Fernandes is valuable enough to justify changing their approach to wages. The midfielder could bring considerable quality to their squad, but his financial demands could make the transfer difficult.With his contract situation creating uncertainty at United, Fernandes could attract further interest before the end of the season. Juventus will need to consider both his ability and the financial implications before deciding whether to pursue a deal.For now, the Bianconeri remain interested, but his wages could ultimately determine whether they can turn their admiration into a concrete transfer.

Does Perin deserve to be Juventus first choice?As Juventus search for a new goalkeeper to replace Michele Di Gregorio, are they overlooking Mattia Perin?Perin has been a fine deputy at Juventus under at least two goalkeepers and continues to get game time and impress whenever Luciano Spalletti decides to take Di Gregorio away from the spotlight for some matches.Although he may never receive the appreciation he deserves, Perin has been superb and has done well for the team every time he steps onto the pitch. This is why Journalist Xavier Jacobelli believes he is being undervalued at the club.Perin Could Offer Juventus an AlternativeThe focus has been on replacing Di Gregorio with a new goalkeeper from outside the club, but Perin has proven in the past that he can be trusted, even in difficult matches.He is one of the players Juventus should be pushing to keep in their squad at all costs. His experience with the club and his performances whenever called upon suggest that he could offer a reliable option as the team considers its goalkeeping plans.Even more importantly, the club should consider giving him the chance to play in the first team as a permanent replacement for Di Gregorio. However, they seem to view him as an ideal second choice rather than a player who can be trusted with the main role in the team.Jacobelli Questions Juventus DecisionJacobelli said via Tuttojuve:“I believe that in this whole affair, in my opinion, Perin’s role is being underestimated. I mean, I don’t understand why, given these difficulties and it’s clear that Juventus needs a goalkeeper, maybe even two to complete the team, given that Di Gregorio could probably even leave Turin, because Perin, who is in his sixth season overall in his career with the Bianconeri, and every time he was considered, responded in his own way because he had to deal first with Szczesny and then with Di Gregorio himself in the role of goalkeeper, not a starter but a substitute. I mean, in my opinion, at this moment if Vicario or whoever arrives, he would have the right to be, so to speak, placed in a priority position compared to whoever arrives.”Perin’s situation therefore deserves greater consideration as Juventus decide how to strengthen their goalkeeping department. His performances have shown that he can contribute, and the club may need to reconsider whether he should remain a deputy or receive a greater opportunity.

Emergency services attend the scene after a passenger bus went off the road and overturned in a ditch along a highway between Mezokeresztes and Mezonagymihaly in Hungary, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. (Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP)2026-08-16T07:11:08Z BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — A passenger bus traveling on a highway in Hungary early Sunday went off the road and into a ditch where it overturned, killing 12 and injuring others, police said.The bus, which carried Polish license plates, overturned around 140 kilometers (87 miles) east of Hungary’s capital, Budapest, at around 1 a.m. on Sunday. In a statement, police said it was likely that the driver fell asleep, causing the accident.In a statement on Facebook, Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said at least 10 people were seriously injured in the crash. He offered his condolences to the families of the victims and thanked rescue workers who were dispatched to the scene.

Stones, debut and goal: “You can feel the history here, it's time to write new chapters together!”Is it even possible to make a better debut? Just ask John Stones. The English defender made his first appearance for Inter against Real Betis in Bari, scoring the decisive goal in the 82nd minute with a beautiful turn and finish you'd expect from a seasoned striker. Stones came on in the 75th minute, getting his first taste of life at Inter after joining training later than the rest of the squad due to England’s World Cup campaign. Just a few minutes on the pitch in a friendly, yet it was a debut that will be hard to forget, even for an experienced player like the Nerazzurri’s new No. 6. After the match against Betis, Stones spoke exclusively to Inter TV, sharing his thoughts:

Hasan Mahmud (right) was named player of the match after taking nine wickets in the opening Test [Getty Images]First Test, Darwin (day four of five)Australia 198: (Smith 71; Mahmud 6-55) & 284 (Green 104; Miraz 5-66)Bangladesh 426: (Tanzid 101, Shanto 84, Miraz 65; Hazlewood 6-89) & 57-1 (Mominul 30*)Bangladesh win by nine wicketsScorecardBangladesh thrashed Australia by nine wickets on the fourth day of the series-opener in Darwin to complete one of Test cricket's greatest upsets.After bowling the hosts out for 284 and needing 57 to win, Mominul Haque cut Beau Webster to the boundary for the winning runs to seal the nation's first Test victory in Australia.The moment sparked jubilation among Bangladesh players and staff as they celebrated arguably their greatest victory in 26 years of competing in Test cricket.Australia are the top-ranked Test nation while Bangladesh haven't played a series under the five-day format in the country since a 2-0 defeat in 2003.The visitors were on top of the match throughout, but it was spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz who took the spotlight on day four as he took 5-66 to dismiss Australia for 284, leaving just 57 runs needed to win.All-rounder Cameron Green showed fight with a valiant 104 but after being bowled by Hasan Mahmud, Australia's faint hopes of saving the Test all but disappeared.Seamer Mahmud was named player of the match after claiming 6-55 in the first innings and 3-56 in the second."This is the biggest win so far for Bangladesh in any format," captain Najmul Hossain Shanto said."Going forward we want to do something special in the future. I'm very happy, proud of myself and the way the boys played. We did a lot of hard work."Speaking on ABC, commentator Jim Maxwell described the result as one of the most "embarrassing defeats that Australia have ever suffered in Test cricket".History for Bangladesh as they beat Australia in DarwinMiraz's second innings performance followed a gritty 65 with the bat on day three that helped Bangladesh into a healthy first innings lead, before he dismissed talisman Steve Smith in Australia's second innings to set up victory.The spinner continued his form on day four as he had wicketkeeper Alex Carey caught behind for 30 before bowling all-rounder Webster for five with a pair of sumptuous deliveries to bring Australia's tail into play.The 28-year-old then had Australia captain Pat Cummins caught in close for eight, before a defiant 43-run eighth-wicket partnership between Green and Mitchell Starc was ended when Taskin Ahmed had the latter caught behind for 18.Green dug in for his third Test century in his home country in a timely knock amid criticism of his place in the side, but after being dismissed by Mahmud, Miraz removed Nathan Lyon to leave Bangladesh in touching distance of victory. Despite losing opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim for a duck to Josh Hazlewood in the second over, Mominul's unbeaten 30 and Shadman Islam's 25 sealed the resounding win."They outplayed us in all facets, they were patient and disciplined," said Cummins."I thought our prep was spot-on, no excuses."Australia's only previous Test defeat by Bangladesh was at Mirpur in 2017.The match was the first of a two-Test series, with the second beginning on 22 August (01:00 BST), which you can follow with live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.Soaring heat, falling crowds - The Hundred's peculiar summer'Pressure will follow him' - Rocky Flintoff faces up to tests aheadNotifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Liverpool forward who cannot stop scoring destined for move awayLiverpool’s striking options are thin heading into the new season. £125m man Alexander Isak is expected to lead the line - finally getting a full preseason under his belt a year on from his move from Newcastle.Beyond the Swede however and the pickings are slim.Hugo Ekitike is out of commission until December at the earliest and an achilles injury means that the best of the Frenchman may not be seen again until next season.Then there are options from within the youth and academy sides.Liverpool ready to sanction Figueroa loan dealWe could see Will Wright come into contention following his move from Salford last year while Jayden Danns will need careful handling once again following his injury problems.Those developments could have opened the door to Keyrol Figueroa - the 19-year-old Honduran who cannot stop scoring. The sharpshooter has featured extensively for the Liverpool under-21s in preseason - netting four goals against Celje and Cardiff City.But it may be too soon for the former USA youth international to stake a claim for a backup place at No9 for the season ahead.Barnsley leading chase for FigueroaBecause a report in the Liverpool Echo is claiming that the young striker is on the list for several clubs further down the football pyramid.“Keyrol Figueroa is being tracked on loan by a number of clubs including League One side Barnsley and League Two duo Salford City and Shrewsbury Town,” the report reads.Figueroa has been linked with a Liverpool exit ever since January when his previous contract was running down. FC Porto - as well as teams elsewhere on the continent were linked with a move for the forward but he ended up staying put at Anfield.Bet £10, Get £30 in Free BetsOpen an account and place a qualifying bet of £10 at min odds of 1/5 (1.2) or greater.18+New UK/ROI customers. Min £5 deposit. Bet Credits available on settlement of qualifying bets, capped at £10 stake. Min odds 1/5 (1.20). Bet Credits expire in 7 days. Excl. Cashed Out/Free Bets/Boosted odds. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org£30 FREECLAIM NOWKeyrol Figueroa wants first-team footballThis season it has been reported that Figueroa is desperate for senior football - either on loan or else with the Reds’ first team - and it looks like a loan is now the most likely.A natural-born goalscorer Figueroa should have too much firepower for League One and League Two defences. Scoring plenty of goals however will keep him in the Liverpool spotlight and he remains a player of considerable potential.

Charles Johnson earned a bonus for his submission victory, pulling off a Scottish twister against Eduardo Henrique in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s return to Philadelphia. Johnson endured an early storm from his counterpart at UFC 330 before executing the rare move during a grappling exchange. He detailed his proficiency with the submission at the post-fight press conference and revealed who taught it to him.How Charles Johnson landed historic Scottish twister against Eduardo Henrique at UFC 330 While Johnson is better known for his striking, he showed off his grappling chops when the opportunity presented itself. The Scottish twister is a variation of the traditional twister that requires precise control of the opponent's waist and torso. For Johnson, however, the submission was far from a last-second improvisation, revealing that Patrick “Patchy” Mix showed him how to do it. “I hit that at least once or twice a week on people in practice, so it’s just about getting there,” Johnson said in a post-fight interview. “Patchy Mix actually showed me that move, so I’m gonna give him his flowers, man.” Johnson (20-9) has alternated between wins and losses for his last seven bouts and has already fought four times this year. He notably holds a knockout win over the reigning champ, Joshua Van, who’s set to defend his title at the next numbered event.😯🌪️ Charles Johnson says he hits the Scottish Twister submission on people ‘once or twice a week’ in practice, and Patchy Mix showed it to him “I hit that atleast once or twice a week on people in practice, so it’s just about getting there. Patchy Mix actually showed me that… pic.twitter.com/RlmyS5qkIP— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) August 16, 2026

[Huw Evans Picture Agency]Adam Idah needed only seconds after coming on at Stoke to strike the blow which gave Swansea City the ideal start to the new Championship campaign.With Zan Vipotnik nursing a calf injury, Idah was Swansea's first choice up front during the majority of pre-season, and started the EFL Cup defeat to Birmingham City last weekend.Yet when league action began in the Potteries, Idah was back in the position he found himself in all too often last season – on the Swansea bench.Vipotnik started at the bet365 Stadium but, in truth, had little impact on the game, even if his attempt to head goalwards turned into an assist for Joseph Opoku's first-half equaliser.The Slovenia international was the star of Swansea's attack in 2025-26, but it was Idah who stole the headlines in Stoke when he rounded off a slick attacking move with a crisp finish to seal all three points for Vitor Matos' team.After a £6m move from Celtic last September, Idah's first season at Swansea was not easy, with a serious hamstring injury and Vipotnik's form combining to ensure he played only a limited role.Stoke was Idah's 20th league substitute appearance for Swansea, for whom he has made a mere six Championship starts.[Huw Evans Picture Agency]But the Republic of Ireland international is now up to seven Swans goals in the second tier.On average, he has scored once every 121 minutes while on the pitch, which is an outstanding return.The challenge in this campaign for Idah is to get more game-time.Vipotnik's situation will have an impact, of course, with Swansea waiting to see whether last season's 25-goal leading scorer will still be their player when the transfer window shuts in just over a fortnight's time.And this season there is a new contender for opportunities in Swansea's attack, with summer recruit Ross Stewart hoping to be available for the first time when Sheffield United visit next weekend.Swansea have work to do in the closing stages of the market, with greater depth required in midfield and central defence,But certainly, head coach Matos cannot complain about his options in attack.

2026-08-16T07:42:33Z Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks of the war.Russia’s Ministry of Defense said that it had destroyed 822 drones overnight, with 600 headed toward the Russian capital.Five people were killed in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, where three towns came under attack, local Gov. Yury Slyusar said.An 83-year-old man was killed after a Ukrainian drone hit a private home in the Moscow region.

Back in the day, fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus in Philadelphia during a halftime show of an Eagles game at old Franklin Field. Thirty years later, when games were held in the concrete fortress known as Veterans Stadium, a makeshift courtroom and jail were built in the bowels of the stadium because a quick justice system was needed to deal with rowdies. It’s well-documented that it can be a harsh crowd in the City of Brotherly Love.But you know who Philadelphia loved on Saturday night? Islam Makhachev. Dagestan may be over 5,000 miles from Philly, but the city embraced the UFC’s welterweight champion in his first title defense against Ian Machado Garry, in large part because of Ian Machado Garry. The fans didn’t like him. Not as a challenger. Not as a person. Not as a potential spoiler. At one point during UFC 330’s main event, a chant broke out that couldn’t help but tip their hand.“F*** Ian Garry!” the chant went. Thousands joined in.It wasn’t what you might call the friendly confines for the Irishman, who showed up with the daunting task of trying to overthrow the UFC’s best pound-for-pound fighter. Vegas oddsmakers installed Garry as a sizable underdog, which in other towns might’ve been enough to sway some sentiment. Not in Philadelphia. Ian Machado Garry may have shown too much respect to Islam Makhachev on Saturday night. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images)Caleb Bowlin via Getty ImagesAnd to Garry’s credit, he did his level best to tune out the noise, even if it didn’t look good for him in the early going against Makhachev’s dogged pursuit. With Makhachev’s 25-minute manhandling of then-champion Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 still fresh on people’s minds, it felt somewhat predictable when Islam took Garry down in the first round and went to work. Even though Garry had trained for this inevitability with the great Demian Maia, he couldn’t shake free of Makhachev, who kept him in his grips until the end of the round. In the second, after more Dagestani toil nullified Garry’s own offense, Islam caught Garry on a break with a solid right hand followed by a perfectly timed head kick that dropped Garry on his retreat. For those who remembered UFC 101 in Philadelphia, when Anderson Silva – the man whose consecutive win streak Makhachev was trying to beat on Saturday night – bewitched Forrest Griffin with Matrix-like movement and sniping magic, it looked as though Philly was in for another masterful performance. Garry survived the round but was down two rounds on the scorecards.At that point it felt academic that Islam would win, yet something happened in the third round that felt like nothing much at first. Garry thwarted a takedown attempt, which was a small victory, all things considered, yet just enough to get going. Then he began to land some shots. Selective shots. Body kicks at first, with an occasional high kick. Islam’s mouth drooped open, and he started to breathe through it, while Garry coolly laid into Makhachev’s rib cage. This turn got the attention of both 26-year-old Michael Morales and the most violent of the Fighting Nerds, Carlos Prates, both of whom were cageside to get a closer look at their obstacles. Neither wanted Garry to win because each wants to be the one to end Makhachev’s streak. They were among the thousands gathered who wanted to see Garry lose.Yet suddenly it was 2-1.In the fourth round, as Makhachev dragged Garry back into his custody along the fence, the challenger began landing shots in close. The optics were that Makhachev was controlling the situation, but the scoring criteria – nuanced as it is – favors damage over control. Though there wasn’t a ton of damage being done by Garry, he was certainly doing more than Makhachev, who wasn’t doing much at all. By the end of the round, there was a very real possibility that the fight was tied 2-2 heading into the final round. The UFC, who has seen champions like Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev fall in colossal upsets in the previous months, had to wonder if Garry would finish the suite by killing off the last of the invincibles. That thought couldn’t have been comfortable, especially given Garry’s newfound partnership with Matchroom’s head man Eddie Hearn, Dana White’s adversary on the boxing side. Besides, the big fights – the ones that captivate the imagination – belonged to Islam. There was Prates and Morales and the returning Shavkat Rakhmonov, who was the No. 1 contender before injuries derailed his turn. Garry, who beat Prates last year in Kansas City, Missouri, had lost to Rakhmonov four months earlier. If Philadelphia hated Garry as he came in, he might need to duck to avoid flying batteries on his way out. But it didn’t happen.It is possible that other cities have cheered a checkmate-style takedown like the one Makhachev landed on Garry in the fifth, but it doesn’t often happen. Usually when action gets canceled by a takedown in a close title fight in the fifth round, there are far more boos than cheers. But because it was Makhachev securing the round, and therefore the fight, Philly came to life. It was a physically imposed brand of keepaway, the kind of imposition of will that has come to distinguish the Nurmagomedov clan, of which Makhachev belongs.Seventeen wins in a row, a UFC record. GOAT talk intact for another fight. Dana White said afterward he didn’t love Makhachev’s performance, but he especially didn’t like Garry’s. He said that if Garry had an ounce of killer instinct, he could’ve won the fight. But as it was, Garry – the man so many love to hate – was respectful in his defeat. Too respectful for Dana’s tastes. Even when he couldn’t win, he couldn’t win, which means it’ll be a hard road back to contendership. Garry was fighting an uphill battle at UFC 330, and with the line of contenders he’ll likely never get a crack at Makhachev again. “I believed in my heart and in my soul I was better than him tonight,” Garry told Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview. “He won. I have no complaints, no excuses. This was the best camp of my life. I’m proud of my team, I’m proud of my family. I love my wife, my little boy. I fight to make them happy. And I’m proud of everything that I’ve done.”He went on to say he’d be back, that he was young in the game and strong in the head. Then he responded to those who don’t care for him. “And to all the fans that doubt me, I’ll be back. I’ll be back. I don’t need any of you. I love myself, and I love my team enough. So, go f*** yourself, and I’ll be back.”It’s August, so there weren’t any snowballs, but the Philly crowd let him have it one last time anyway, peeved that after all that his head was still high.

Watch: Barcelona priority target trains with grim face as he awaits transfer clarityThe situation around Julian Alvarez is beginning to reach an uncomfortable point for everyone involved.Barcelona have made their intentions clear that the Argentine is their preferred choice to lead the attack, and an offer of €100 million is still awaiting a response. Alvarez, meanwhile, wants the move, but the problem is Atletico Madrid.Ever since Barcelona’s interest became public, Atletico have not softened their position and continue to plan for the striker as part of Diego Simeone’s squad for the 2026-27 season. The Argentine coach has already communicated that message directly to his player, leaving Alvarez caught between the club he currently represents and the move he wants to make.That is now the central issue. Hence, with the situation at a standstill, Alvarez’s representatives are expected to step in.Atletico refuse to move despite Barcelona’s €100m offerAccording to the information provided, Barcelona’s proposal has not yet prompted Atletico to enter negotiations.Julian Alvarez is currently training with Atletico Madrid. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)The €100 million offer remains unanswered, while the message from within the Madrid club has been consistent: Alvarez is part of their plans.The striker returned to training this week hoping to move closer to a resolution, but his first significant conversation was with Simeone. Rather than opening the door to a departure, the Atletico manager explained that the club were counting on him for the season ahead.That leaves Alvarez with limited options.A grim faceThe player has continued to behave professionally and returned to train with his teammates on Saturday as preparations for the new campaign continued. Yet reports and images from his return have suggested that the uncertainty surrounding his future is taking its toll.In a video shared by El Desmarque, it is seen that the Argentine forward is training with a grim face and without much excitement.Furthermore, he was not included in the squad for the friendly against Olympique de Marseille, despite other international players returning to the group. For now, Alvarez is still an Atletico player, training under Simeone and preparing for a season he hopes will begin somewhere else.Alvarez’s representatives prepare to take the next stepFor now, it is said that Alvarez’s representatives are seeking a meeting with Atletico Madrid’s hierarchy in an attempt to understand whether there is any realistic path towards a transfer.That meeting could become crucial.The player has made his desire to join Barcelona clear, but his position alone has not been enough to change Atletico’s stance. If the club continue to refuse negotiations, his representatives may need to establish whether there is a figure or set of conditions that could eventually unlock a deal.Until then, Barcelona are facing an awkward dilemma.

Preseason game one was a big night for Washington Commanders rookie Robert Henry Jr.Henry, an undrafted free agent running back out of the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), was called upon to run the ball 12 times in his first NFL football experience on Friday. Henry made the most out of his opportunity, rushing for 75 yards and a touchdown.“I feel great. Still much more to improve, but overall I feel great,” expressed Henry during the postgame press conference. “When I was watching film on the tablet during the game, there’s some runs I could have made bigger runs. There are some blocks I could have made better. But you know, I’m still progressing.” Henry’s first carry resulted in an 11-yard gain. It’s no surprise that following the game, when a reporter asked how long it took him to get comfortable out there, Henry responded he was confident/comfortable after the first run.On the Commanders’ next offensive possession, Henry had a 15-yard run. Two plays later, Henry went around right end for 22 yards and his first NFL touchdown experience. The Commanders and Dolphins scrimmaged Wednesday, but Henry said he could recognize the difference Friday night at Northwest Stadium. “It felt great. The environment was different on the bigger stage. I just soaked it all in and gave it my all.”Meet Robert Henry. Undrafted out of UTSA. Runs a 4.50 40-yard dash but he's quick.He's got 57 yards and a TD on his first six carries of the preseason. pic.twitter.com/yQtVHwSmcU— Grant Paulsen (@GrantPaulsen) August 15, 2026Henry said his Commanders teammates encouraged him during the game, telling him to keep running hard and that he was going to bust one. “I took their words, kept running, and the holes were definitely opening up.”The Commanders also provided Henry the opportunity to do some return work on Friday. “I’ve been doing returns since I was in high school. When I got to college, I did it too, but I was actually playing, so they would not put me back there. I’ve been working my whole football career. So when my name is called to go, I am ready.”Henry had a great first game, yes, and next week will be another challenge, another opportunity for him, when the Commanders head to Detroit to play the Lions, Saturday, August 22 at Noon ET.This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' rookie Robert Henry Jr. made a good first impression

Islam Makhachev held the lightweight title before moving up to welterweight [Getty Images]Islam Makhachev cemented his status as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world with a commanding victory over Ian Machado Garry to defend his welterweight title at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Russian Makhachev dominated large portions of the fight in Pennsylvania to win by unanimous decision for a historic 17th successive UFC win, breaking Anderson Silva's 13-year record.The victory at the Xfinity Mobile Arena ended Machado Garry's quest to become the first Irish champion in the UFC since Conor McGregor.Makhachev, who is a former lightweight world champion, extended his glittering record to 29 wins and one defeat, while 28-year-old Machado Garry suffered the second loss of his 19-fight career."Ian is a great fighter, good man and I respect him. He gave me a hard time but I still prove every fight," said 34-year-old Makhachev.The bout was billed as a classic grappler versus striker match-up, with Makhachev's signature wrestling providing the backbone for his dominant run in the UFC.Despite Makhachev's record, Machado Garry displayed typical confidence as he made his walkout, before greeting his wife and draping an Ireland flag around him prior to entering the octagon.Makhachev was greeted by loud cheers as he made his walkout and made a statement in the first round as he took Machado Garry down at the first attempt.The Irishman defended on the ground admirably, but it was a sign of things to come as Makhachev controlled the rest of the round with the challenger trapped against the side of the cage.Makhachev's dominance continued into the second round as he knocked Machado Garry down with a head kick, before slamming the dazzled Irishman to the canvas.Again Machado Garry survived until the end of the round and although he found some success with a number of kicks midway through the fight, Makhachev continued to assert control when the pair grappled.Machado Garry bloodied Makhachev's face with some punches in the clinch, but the Russian shrugged it off to reach the final bell ahead in a number of key stats.He secured seven unanswered takedowns and clocked over 12 minutes of control time to Machado Garry's 34 seconds.Although the Irishman landed 29 significant strikes to Makhachev's 22, it was not enough to convince the judges of the win.In a show of respect, the pair embraced before Machado Garry raised Makhachev's arm in victory."To all my fans, Ireland, everybody, I'm sorry I couldn't get this done," said Machado Garry. "But I stand here as a man proud of what I've done, proud of where I came from and proud where this will take me. To all the fans who doubt me, I'll be back."At 28, Machado Garry has plenty of time to realise his dream of becoming a UFC champion, while Makhachev's victory adds weight to claims he's closing in on being regarded as the greatest UFC fighter of all time.Dern retains against RobertsonIn the co-main event, American-Brazilian Mackenzie Dern beat Canada's Gillian Robertson on points to make the first defence of her strawweight title.Dern, 33, won the majority of the grappling exchanges to win by unanimous decision and secure her fourth straight victory.Dern came close to finishing 31-year-old Robertson a couple of times during the contest and was rarely threatened throughout."My first title win I got taken down a lot of times so I've been working on my wrestling. I'm still the champion," said Dern.Elsewhere it was announced Australia's Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Russia's Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on 24 October.The co-main event sees Russia's Petr Yan defend his bantamweight belt in a rematch against Georgian former champion Merab Dvalishvili.England's Lone'er Kavanagh takes on Uzebekistan's Ramazan Tamirov in a flyweight contest earlier on the card, while English featherweight Arnold Allen faces American Aaron Pico. MMA schedule and results 2026Watch every Born to Brawl episode More MMA from the BBC Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Man City captain named for Arsenal matchRuben Dias will captain City in the Community Shield, while Maresca continues to shape a permanent leadership group after a summer of change.Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty ImagesManchester Citywill have Ruben Dias wearing the captain’s armband against Arsenal in Sunday’s Community Shield, but manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed he is still delaying a permanent decision on the club’s leadership group until the transfer window closes.The Community Shield at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will provide the first competitive meeting between Arsenal and City this season, with City entering the campaign having undergone significant changes during the summer.One of those changes is the search for a new long-term captain following the departure of Bernardo Silva.Photo by Kate McShane/Getty ImagesMatters have been complicated further by uncertainty surrounding Rodri, who has attracted a third bid from Barcelona and is unavailable for Sunday’s match because of a back injury.Rather than rush his decision, Maresca intends to wait until the transfer window has closed before confirming his leadership group for the season.The City manager has also moved away from the system used under Pep Guardiola, when the players voted for their captain.Instead, Maresca wants to appoint a four-man leadership group himself, with Dias and Erling Haaland currently the only confirmed members.“At the moment, Ruben and Erling. But I want to wait until the end of the window and then pick two more,” Maresca said ahead of the Community Shield.Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images“Ruben has shown during his time at this club how he is as a player in terms of leadership. It’s important for the captain and the leader to know that the reason they are captain is because I expect more from them.“It’s not because I give them more freedom or advantage. It’s the opposite, the leadership group and captains have to show more and give more than the others.”Maresca has already ruled out making Haaland his first-choice captain despite including the striker in the leadership group. The City manager has explained he wants to be able to speak with his captain immediately after goals are scored, something he believes would be difficult if Haaland were occupied celebrating.Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Sailors and Marines line the deck of aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) as it deploys from San Diego, Jan. 3, 2021. (K.C. Alfred/The San Diego Union-Tribune via AP, File)2026-08-16T07:53:19Z Adm. Brad Cooper, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea during a 10-day tour in the region that concluded on Saturday, U.S. Central Command said. Israel said its strikes in southern Lebanon, which killed at least 11 people, targeted two Hezbollah commanders. And a Hamas delegation is in Cairo on Sunday for Gaza ceasefire-related talks with Egyptian officials.Here’s a look at the latest developments on Sunday in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here.US Central Command chief visits aircraft carrierAdm. Cooper visited the USS Lincoln in the Arabian Sea as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed aircraft carrier. The Lincoln arrived in the Middle East in January and has been supporting the U.S. war against Iran, including the blockade on Iranian ports. Its deployment has included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 240 days. Extended deployments of carriers – which can have more than 5,000 sailors and Marines on board – have raised concerns about the impact not only on the ships but on service members. “History will record this deployment as one of the most operationally intense and consequential of the modern era,” Cooper said of the Lincoln strike group in a statement released Saturday.Cooper also went to Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to meet with civilian and military leaders, according to the Central Command statement. Read More Israel targets two Hezbollah commanders in Saturday’s strikesIsrael’s military said it targeted two Hezbollah commanders in strikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, in the deadliest attacks since a truce between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah went into effect in June.Lebanon’s Health Ministry and state news agency said at least 11 people were killed in two strikes – one on a home on the edge of Ansar village where seven people died, and another on the village of Deir al-Zahrani, where four were killed. Israel’s military said early on Sunday morning that the latter strike killed Abu Hassan Alaa, whom it described as a “senior commander” for Hezbollah who had taken part in attacks against Israel’s soldiers in southern Lebanon as well as led militants who targeted Israeli soldiers and civilians over several years.Earlier, Israel’s military had said the strike on Ansar killed Ali Samir Al-Haj Hassan, whom it described as a battalion commander with Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force unit. The military said Haj Hassan’s family was with him, but emphasized that the family was not targeted. Sign up for Morning Wire: Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Email address Sign up By checking this box, you agree to AP's Terms of Use and acknowledge that AP may collect and use your data pursuant to our Privacy Policy. The United States has been mediating talks between Israel and the Lebanese government. On Saturday, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam criticized Israel’s airstrikes. The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah violated the ceasefire by attacking Israeli soldiers inside Lebanon, seriously wounding three. It added the military responded by striking the Hezbollah headquarters, which ordered the attack, learning only later that Hezbollah “deliberately put civilians” in that military compound. Hamas delegation is in Cairo for Gaza ceasefire talksA Hamas delegation, chaired by the group’s leader Khalil al-Hayya, is in Cairo Sunday for Gaza ceasefire-related talks with Egyptian officials, the group said.The talks come as mediators push for the implementation of a roadmap to move forward with U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which calls for the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the area as well as handing over power to Palestinian technocrats. Israel’s Netanyahu has rejected Trump’s latest plan to advance the stalled ceasefire in Gaza, saying Israel will not withdraw from any of the roughly 60% of the territory it controls until Hamas has been completely disarmed — something the militant group controlling the other 40% has long resisted.It wasn’t immediately clear whether al-Hayya would meet with Trump’s son-in-law and negotiator Jared Kushner, the Board of Peace’s high representative Nickolay Mladenov, or executive board member and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who are scheduled to travel to Israel and Egypt this week. Iran says Qatar is holding 3 of its pilotsQatar’s armed forces captured and are holding three Iranian pilots who went missing in March when their jets were downed, the Missing Persons Committee of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff said. Qatar, however, denied it.Iran’s state TV reported on Sunday that the committee’s commander responded by urging Qatar to allow Iranian Air Force experts to conduct a field investigation. Saturday’s statement alleged that Qatar had not allowed the pilots to meet or communicate with families or Iranian officials handling their cases. A spokesperson with Qatar’s foreign ministry, Majed Al Ansari, denied the claims and indicated on X that the pilots had been shot down and that Qatar’s search and rescue teams found the remains of one. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

2026-08-16T08:48:10Z BAELEN, Belgium (AP) — Firefighters battled a massive wildfire in eastern Belgium on Sunday that has burned more than 27 square kilometers (10 square miles) in the High Fens, a large nature reserve, and forced nearby residents to evacuate in what media describe as one of the worst-ever wildfires in the country’s recent history.About 600 residents in nearby municipalities in Waimes and Bütgenbach, in Liège province near the German border, were told to evacuate Saturday as winds shifted and smoke spread through the area. Authorities also advised tourists to leave, while a nearby gymnasium was opened to receive evacuees.Liège provincial Gov. Hervé Jamar said in a statement Sunday that more than 250 emergency personnel have been deployed, including over 100 Belgian and German firefighters, police and military officers and civil protection staff, helped by firefighting helicopters operated by Belgium’s federal police and the Netherlands, Authorities said no homes had been affected as of Sunday morning, though the fire remained close to residential areas and heavy smoke persisted. They urged people to stay away from the fire zone, warning that unnecessary traffic could obstruct emergency vehicles and complicate firefighting operations.The fire follows weeks of unusually hot and dry weather. The High Fens’ mix of heathland and peat bogs has complicated efforts to contain the flames. In the nearby town of Monschau, in Germany, local authorities warned overnight that the fire was about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from the border and said firefighters were on alert. Early Sunday morning, the town website recommended that people in three outlying districts near the border leave the area temporarily because officials couldn’t rule out health risks caused by smoke. Read More Belgium was hit by another spell of intense heat this week, with temperatures reaching about 37 C (98.6 F) in parts of the country Friday. ___Corbet reported from Paris. AP writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed. SYLVIE CORBET Corbet is an Associated Press reporter based in Paris. She covers French politics, diplomacy and defense as well as gender issues and breaking news. twitter 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site