Facing an overmatched opponent that allowed him to freely tinker with his lineups, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tried plenty of mixing and matching Tuesday afternoon.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway was that a three-guard lineup might be the way to go after the continued struggles of centers Xavier Booker and Steven Jamerson II.
“We’ve got to find a way to play our best players and win, whoever they are, because it’s not Little League,” Cronin said after his team’s 97-65 victory over UC Riverside at Pauley Pavilion. “You’ve either got to give us some rebounding and defense or somebody else has got to play.”
The leading candidates for a larger role based on what happened against the Highlanders appear to be reserves Trent Perry, Jamar Brown and Brandon Williams.
Perry was a playmaking force with his scoring and smart passes. Brown did a little bit of everything in an energetic fashion. Williams showed plenty of toughness as the second big man in small lineups also featuring Tyler Bilodeau, who was an offensive juggernaut against a team that provided little defensive resistance.
“The biggest thing I care about is winning,” said Bilodeau, who finished with a career-high 34 points while making 12 of 19 shots to go with six rebounds. “So whatever we need to do to get that done.”
Cronin joked afterward that Bilodeau shouldn’t have missed any shots because he needlessly took fadeaway jumpers.
“They don’t double [team],” Cronin said of the Highlanders, “so I said, ‘Buddy, you’ve got one night here where they’re just going to let you keep dribbling until you shoot, so go have fun. Keep going at the rim until you score.’ ”
Guard Skyy Clark added 14 points to help UCLA (10-3) post its third consecutive victory going into an extended winter break. Forward Osiris Grady finished with 20 points for the Highlanders (6-8), who shot 42.6% to the Bruins’ 50%.
The game’s biggest revelations came off the UCLA bench. Perry might have been the biggest, running the offense at a high level while finishing with 14 points, seven assists and zero turnovers in 24 minutes. Cronin went with some lineups in the second half featuring Perry alongside starting point guard Donovan Dent (seven points and three assists in 19 minutes).
“Three-guard lineup, we’ve been pushing in transition a lot more,” Perry said. “I mean, we’re just finding the groove before Big Ten” play.
Brown contributed across the board, tallying four points, seven rebounds and four steals in 24 minutes.
UCLA guard Skyy Clark drives against UC Riverside guard De’Undrae Perteete Jr. during the Bruins’ win on Tuesday.
(Jan Lim / UCLA Athletics)
“A tremendous portal find,” Cronin said of the transfer from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. “Great toughness. He’s a winning player.”
Williams’ biggest factor was his defense during a performance in which he had three points, one rebound and one steal in 18 minutes. The big question was whether he was providing more than the player whose spot he took.
Booker finished with six points and one rebound in 13 minutes, unfurling a second consecutive subpar showing after being limited to three minutes against Cal Poly because of matchups. Jamerson played only seven choppy minutes, once being yanked after an 11-second stint because of an inability to keep the Highlanders from reaching the rim with ease.
“Got to get better,” Cronin said of his centers. “I just talked to them about that.”
UC Riverside repeatedly made the mistake of leaving Bilodeau open in the first half and the forward made the Highlanders regret their decision by making five of nine shots on the way to 13 points. After having been UCLA’s primary center last year, Bilodeau said he was happy to go back to that role if that’s what his coach needed.
“Tyler would probably tell you he gets more open shots when he’s playing the five,” Cronin said, “because the other team’s five man is guarding him.”
Cronin said the issue that arises when going small is the need to be an elite offensive team — territory the Bruins might be approaching. Their offensive efficiency is ranked No. 27 nationally by the metrics of basketball analyst Ken Pomeroy, their best since they were No. 21 during the 2022-23 season that ended in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament after season-ending injuries to Jaylen Clark and Adem Bona.
If this is the best version of the Bruins, Cronin appeared ready to roll with it.
“All that matters is who you become, not in the last game or the game previous to that, so we’re on a search,” Cronin said. “Just like every team, it’s not who you are now, it’s who you are at the end and can you get enough wins along the way?”
Tennis legend Venus Williams wed Danish model and actor Andrea Preti over the weekend in Florida, the new bride announced in a shared post.
An Instagram post from Vogue Magazine’s Weddings section announced the nuptials, with the message garnering more than 30,000 likes as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We all love each other so much,” Williams, 45, said in the Vogue post. “It was just the happiest, most beautiful, sweetest day.”
The post was scant on details other than the event took place over five days in and around the couple’s home in Palm Beach Gardens.
An email for comment to representatives for Williams and Preti, 37, was not immediately returned.
The couple met at 2024 Milan Fashion Week and began texting shortly after, according to Vogue.
The couple eventually became engaged on Jan. 31 in Tuscany, according to Vogue. That detail was confirmed in July during what was a historic month for Williams.
The Compton native defeated 23-year-old Peyton Sterns 6-3, 6-4 in the first round action of the D.C. Open after a 16-month hiatus from singles matches.
In victory, Williams became the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match, trailing only fellow legend Martina Navratilova, who was 47 when she won in 2004.
“Yes, my fiance is here, and he really encouraged me to keep playing,” Williams told the Tennis Channel’s Rennae Stubbs in a post-match interview. “There were so many times where I just wanted to coast and kind of chill. … He encouraged me to get through this, and it’s wonderful [for him] to be here. He’s never seen me play.”
Florida-born Koepka, who is married and has a young son, turned professional in 2012 and won nine PGA Tour events during his nine seasons on North America’s elite professional circuit.
The PGA Tour also wished Koepka and “his family continued success” in a statement, before adding they “continue to offer the best professional golfers the most competitive, challenging and lucrative environment in which to pursue greatness”.
A three-time US PGA champion, Koepka, has also twice triumphed at the US Open.
His defection from the PGA Tour, along with big names such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, was seen as a major coup for LIV during a period when the sport appeared to be at civil war.
Koepka’s captaincy of the LIV Golf team, Smash, will now pass to Talor Gooch, with the side having an opening to fill for the start of the 2026 season in February.
Koepka becomes the first star player to leave LIV Golf, however, there has been speculation over his future for months and a possible return to the PGA Tour.
The Tour has suspended players who competed in LIV Golf events after categorising them as unauthorised. Non-members have been subject to a year ban following their previous LIV event.
Koepka will also be eligible to join the DP World Tour and have exemptions to compete in golf’s four major championships.
Earlier this week, Chilean Mito Pereira announced his retirement from golf aged 30 after three seasons with LIV.
Adelanto 65, Palmdale 41 Aliso Niguel 77, San Clemente 74 Baldwin Pak 49, Glenn 46 Bishop Amat 81, Chadwick 59 Blair 59, Grace 46 Calabasas 66, Santa Monica 61 Chaminade 67, Oxnard 38 Covina 49, Sultana 44 Dos Pueblos 67, Pasadena Poly 56 Duarte 79, El Monte 25 Edison 67, Northwood 55 Edgewood 68, Southlands Christian 40 Eisenhower 74, Montebello 49 El Modena 65, Rim of the World 45 Elsinore 72, Vista Murrieta 60 Gabrielino 69, Bell Gardens 56 Gardena Serra 63, Downey 48 Golden Valley 60, Moorpark 52 Irvine University 75, Tarbut V’ Torah 52 La Mirada 66, San Gabriel Academy 53 Lawndale 48, Riverside North 42 Oak Park 77, Newbury Park 58 Paramount 69, Saddleback 68 Pioneer 58, Valley View 45 Portola 79, California 69 Rancho Buena Vista 53, Linfield Christian 42 Ramona 80, Indio 42 Redlands East Valley 75, Norco 56 Redondo Union 78, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 68 San Berardino 82, Westminster 35 San Jacinto Leadership 49, United Christian Academy 46 San Marcos 62, Mission College Prep 54 San Marino 44, Rowland 29 Santa Maria St. Joseph 77, Bishop Montgomery 42 Santa Ynez 74, Foothill Tech 60 Shalhevet 49, Littlerock 28 South Hills 35, Northview 32 South Torrance 74, CAMS 24 Thousand Oaks 59, Alemany 54 Torrance 69, St. Genevieve 59 Victor Valley 77, Perris 74 Westminster La Quinta 54, Bolsa Grande 33
INTERSECTIONAL
Agoura 69, Stockdale 56 Aurora (CO) Cherokee Trail 60, West Torrance 49 Birmingham 55, Canyon Springs 35 Centennial (CO) Eaglecrest 53, Leuzinger 51 Chino 77, North Las Vegas (NV) CIVICA 45 Burbank 57, Marquez 46 Corona Centennial 71, Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman 59 Corona Santiago 66, lano (TX) Prestonwood Christian 32 Eastvale Roosevelt 81, Miami (FL) Mater Lakes Academy 71 Fresno San Joaquin Memorial 76, Mater Dei 53 Granada Hills 64, YULA 39 JSerra 60, Orlando (FL) Edgewater 57 Knight 65, Magna (UT) Cyprus 62 Lake Oswego (OR) Lakeridge 76, Chino Hills 75 Lehi (UT) Skyridge 72, West Ranch 32 Maranatha 61, Bullard 57 Marrieta (GA) Osborne 67, Buckley 62 Merced 52, Dominguez 32 Oaks Christian 72, Aurora (CO) Smoky Hill 46 Orlando Christian (FL) 61, LA Jordan 43 Pasadena 61, Gilbert (AZ) Perry 42 Peninsula 53, Carson 30 Provo (UT) Timpview 61, Santa Margarita 59 San Fernando Valley 72, Northridge Academy 68 Saugus 51, El Camino Real 49 St. Paul 68, Henderson (NV) Basic 65 Viewpoint 73, Granada Hills Kennedy 30 Village Christian 66, Tacoma (WA) Lincoln 59 Warren 58, Las Vegas (NV) Durango 56 Washington Prep 68, Las Vegas (NV) Meadows School 38
GIRLS
CITY SECTION
Bernstein 52, Rancho Dominguez 28 Bravo 45, Port of Los Angeles 22 East College Prep 28, EAMCP 10 San Pedro 53, Gardena 31 South East 68, South Gate 10
SOUTHERN SECTION
Adelanto 45, Victor Valley 29 Alemany 56, Hart 34 Apple Valley 40, Lakeside 33 Beaumont 62, Riverside Notre Dame 27 Buena Park 69, Bloomington 12 Burbank 75, Muir 36 Burbank Burroughs 51, Santa Monica 27 Camarillo 56, Rio Mesa 37 Capistrano Valley 53, Garden Grove 42 Chaffey 53, Colton 31 Corona 65, Patriot 19 Costa Mesa 41, Westminster La Quinta 21 Edgewood 43, Southland Christian 31 Edison 61, Northwood 30 El Modena 63, Rim of the World 23 Hacienda Heights Wilson 59, Sunny Hills 55 Hesperia 55, Citrus Valley 15 Hillcrest 39, Western 31 La Habra 42, Tustin 36 Lakewood 30, Gahr 26 Lakewood St. Joseph 59, Santa Margarita 46 Lompoc 47, Foothill Tech 21 Los Altos 58, Temecula Valley 50 Ocean View 34, Saddleback 32 Pasadena Poly 73, San Gabriel Academy 20 Portola 60, Lawndale 37 Ramona 55, Vista del Lago 14 Rancho Christian 102, Chaparral 67 Rancho Verde 49, Colony 39 Rialto 95, Riverside Prep 25 Riverside Poly 81, Grand Terrace 25 Riverside King 57, Heritage 49 San Marino 49, Royal 41 Silverado 40, Fontana 34 Valley View 48, Elsinore 37 Walnut 35, Santa Ana Foothill 27 West Torrance 73, Marina 47 Whittier Christian 54, Savanna 46 Woodbridge 37, Loara 33
INTERSECTIONAL
Birmingham 72, Palo Verde 30 Cardinal Newman 54, Lynwood 49 Coeur d’Alene (ID) 60, Villa Park 44 Denver South (CO) 54, St. Monica 48 Dublin 63, Westchester 57 Etiwanda 64, Clayton Valley Charter 32 Gardena Serra 61, Carson 29 Gilbert (AZ) 64, Marlborough 24 Gunderson 63, Granada Islamic 18 Las Vegas (NV) 47, Narbonne 45 Laurel (MD) Pallotti 53, San Clemente 49 Mary Star of the Sea 51, LA Marshall 30 Montgomery 61, Dominguez 15 Newcastle (OK) 61, Mater Dei 35 North County San Marcos 57, Vista Murrieta 33 Quartz Hill 61, Justin Garza 53 Reno (NV) 52, South Torrance 46 Sage Hill 57, Francis Parker 55 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 67, Aurora (CO) Overland 44 Sierra Vista 49, Palisades 33 Spokane (WA) Gonzaga Prep 70, Xavier Prep 28 St. Anthony 68, Inderkum 40 Washington Prep 56, Arcadia 41
From a financial perspective, well-placed sources insist interested clubs are all willing to pay a very similar remuneration package to Semenyo, whose final decision will be made with an emphasis on his personal sporting ambitions.
He turns 26 on 7 January and there is a recognition he is entering the prime of his career.
“I know there is lots of noise around him,” said Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola. “[It is] not my concern, my concern is it doesn’t affect his performances. It is not doing, he is very committed to the team and I hope we can keep him here.
“[A] situation we cannot control, but Antoine right now is our player, going to continue playing for us. If you ask me, I don’t want to lose him, definitely don’t. But every time the market opens, you never know what is going to happen.”
With that in mind, it is understood Semenyo will prioritise a club he believes can provide him with what he views as the most suitable project to compete for major trophies on a long-term basis.
The location and impact on his family will also be a contributing factor to his decision and it is understood he does not want the saga to become a long drawn-out process.
It’s been one surprise after another lately from Lindsey Vonn. And the announcement that the 41-year-old slopes queen has qualified for the Milano Cortina Olympics in February isn’t the last of it.
It might have been her post on Instagram that stated unequivocally that this will be the end.
“I am honored to be able to represent my country one more time, in my 5th and final Olympics!” Vonn said.
Vonn’s remarkable and inspiring comeback from injuries and a seven-year hiatus from top-level competitive skiing has injected the U.S. team narrative with an irresistible story line. That her quest will culminate in the mountains of northern Italy just two months from now will make it must-watch television and social media video.
The last two weeks have thrust Vonn back onto the international stage as well as the podium, which she climbed in four of her first five races this season. That includes a spectacular win in the downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Dec. 12.
That marked her first World Cup victory since 2018. And now it’s official that Vonn will compete in her fifth Olympics where she won gold in the downhill and bronze in the super-G at the 2010 Games in Vancouver and bronze in the downhill in the 2018 Games in PyeongChang.
Much of the astonishment circles back to her age. Vonn’s win in St. Moritz made her the oldest woman to win a World Cup race — by seven years. Federica Brignone of Italy set a record a year ago when she won 10 races at age 34.
She also is the first World Cup winner with titanium implants in her right knee. And she’ll become the first quadragenerian to lead the U.S. Alpine skiiing squad seven years after she had all but retired.
In a moving column on Feb. 10, 2019, at the World Championships, The Times’ Helene Elliott wrote what essentially was a sendoff for Vonn: “She went all out to the very end, because that’s the only way Lindsey Vonn knew how to ski. She was bruised and battered as she went to the start gate on Sunday for the final race of her career, sore all over and her right eye blackened by the impact of a crash she suffered during a super-giant slalom race earlier in the week at the World Championships. Her ligaments tore and her bones sometimes broke but her competitiveness was never dimmed, never dented, never compromised.”
Well, 2026 is around the bend and Vonn is back and intact, her competitiveness never compromised still. She has not officially qualified for the Olympics in the super-G, but she’s the fastest American and No. 3 in the world, so count on that as her next headline.
“Lindsey qualifying for the 2026 Olympic team is a testament to her resilience and dedication, and the remarkable results she’s delivered on the World Cup this season,” Sophie Goldschmidt, U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “She’s proven once again that elite performance isn’t just about past success, it’s about rising to the moment, race after race.
Herbert, receiving Pro Bowl recognition for the second time, is the third player in NFL history to begin a career with six consecutive seasons with at least 3,000 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.
James, a five-time Pro Bowl pick, is the only defensive back in the NFL this season to collect at least 80 tackles (five for loss) with multiple sacks and interceptions.
Dicker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history and the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. He leads all AFC kickers with 36 made field goals and 141 points scored.
Tulipulotu, a former USC standout, is ranked third in the NFL with 13 sacks, and has a career-high 20 tackles for loss.
The only surprise in that group is Alt, who made the transition from right to left tackle after left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. Alt was a stalwart on the line for the first three weeks of the season before sustaining an ankle injury 10 snaps into the Week 4 game against the New York Giants. He returned in Week 8 to face Minnesota, but was carted off in Week 9 at Tennessee an injury to the same ankle, this time requiring season-ending surgery.
Nonetheless, he’s an outstanding tackle and earned his first Pro Bowl honor, which is determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches.
Four more Chargers were named Pro Bowl alternates: outside linebacker Khalil Mack, linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips for special teams, cornerback Donte Jackson and fullback/defensive lineman Scott Matlock.
Two goals in 18 minutes from forward Nicolas Jackson set the tone for Senegal’s Group D win over Botswana at AFCON 2025.
Published On 23 Dec 202523 Dec 2025
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Bayern Munich striker Nicolas Jackson grabbed a brace as Senegal eased to a 3-0 victory over Botswana in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Tuesday.
Jackson, on loan at the Bundesliga giants from Chelsea, struck either side of half-time in Tangier, with Cherif Ndiaye completing the scoring late on.
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The victory took Senegal to the top of the table in Group D on goal difference, ahead of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), who beat Benin 1-0 in Rabat earlier.
It was a predictable outcome to the first match of the tournament for both teams as Senegal are 119 places above Botswana in the world rankings.
Senegal and DRC, both former champions, are expected to fill the top two places and qualify for the round of 16.
Benin and Botswana will view their clash on Saturday as a must-win affair, giving potential victors a chance to fill one of four places in the knockout stage reserved for third-placed teams.
Torrential rain greeted the teams as they walked onto the pitch at the 75,000-seat stadium, the biggest by capacity of the nine being used in Morocco for the tournament.
Senegal had a great chance to take the lead within three minutes in a one-on-one situation, but goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko blocked a shot by Jackson.
Two-time African Player of the Year Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye and Jackson all came close to breaking the deadlock as the Teranga Lions dominated possession, while the Zebras defended in depth.
Jackson scores during the match against Botswana [Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP Photo]
Botswana waste chance
While Senegal and former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was a mere spectator, Phoko was constantly in action, using his hands, feet and legs to keep the West Africans at bay.
But endless Senegalese pressure finally reaped a reward in 40 minutes when Germany-born Ismail Jakobs and Germany-based Jackson combined to put one of the title favourites ahead.
Jakobs cut in from the left and pulled the ball back to Jackson, who reacted instantly, using his left foot to steer the ball wide of Phoko and into the net.
Botswana, who qualified at the expense of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers Cape Verde, finally threatened to score in added time at the end of the opening half.
But they failed to take advantage of a free kick just outside the area. A weak shot was deflected for a corner that was overhit and went out of play beyond the far post without being touched.
A flowing move from midfield with quick, crisp passing set up Jackson to double the lead after 58 minutes.
When the ball was worked to him in the box, the 24-year-old rounded Mosha Gaolaolwe and tapped home.
Cherif Ndiaye put the cherry on the cake for Senegal as he finished smartly at the end of another fine team move in the 90th minute.
Confident his team were cruising to victory, Senegal coach Pape Thiaw introduced 17-year-old Ibrahim Mbaye from European champions Paris Saint-Germain midway through the second half.
The teenage striker last month became the youngest Senegalese scorer in an international when he netted in an 8-0 rout of Kenya in an AFCON warm-up match.
Norwegian biathlete Sivert Guttorm Bakken, who had been hoping to compete at the Winter Olympics in February, has died aged 27.
Bakken returned to competition in 2024, having been kept out since 2022 with the heart condition myocarditis.
The president of the International Biathlon Union said his return to the sport had been “a source of immense joy”.
“Sivert’s comeback to biathlon after a period of great hardship was a source of immense joy for everyone in the biathlon family and an inspiring demonstration of his resilience and determination,” Olle Dahlin said.
“His passing at such a young age is impossible to comprehend but he will not be forgotten and he will forever remain in our hearts.”
Local media reported that Bakken was found dead in his hotel room in Lavaze, in the Italian Alps, where he had been attending a training camp.
Real Madrid and Brazil forward Endrick has agreed to join French side Lyon on loan until the end of the season.
The highly-rated 19-year-old signed for the Spanish giants in the summer of 2024 from Palmeiras after winning back-to-back Brazilian league titles.
However, after making 37 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign he has seen his opportunities limited at the Bernabeu this term under Xabi Alonso, featuring on just three occasions.
The teenager has scored three goals in 14 matches for Brazil but his last international cap came in March during a 4-1 World Cup qualifying defeat against Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Endrick will be hoping that his switch to Ligue 1 allows him to impress and force his way back into the Brazil squad in time for next summer’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, receiver Puka Nacua and edge rushers Jared Verse and Byron Young were voted to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced.
Stafford, 37, has passed for a league leading 4,179 yards and 40 touchdowns, with five interceptions, for a Rams team that is 11-4 and currently seeded sixth for the NFC playoffs. The Rams play the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night in Atlanta in the second-to-last game of the regular season. Stafford also made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2023.
Quarterbacks Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks and Dan Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys also made the NFC roster.
Nacua, a third-year pro, leads the NFL with 114 catches and ranks second with 1,592 yards receiving. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl as a rookie in 2023.
Young, also a third-year pro, has amassed 11 sacks, which ranks ninth in the NFL. This is his first Pro Bowl recognition.
Verse has 6 1/2 sacks and is regarded as one of the league’s most disruptive forces. He also made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season, when he was also voted NFL defensive rookie of the year.
The Pro Bowl Games will be held Feb. 3 in San Francisco.
Arne Slot has faced challenge after challenge this season, from Liverpool‘s horrid run of nine defeats in 12 to Mohamed Salah’s explosive interview at Leeds.
How Slot deals without Alexander Isak is the next big question.
The Swede has hardly had a flying start to life at Anfield since making the £125m move from Newcastle in the summer, but the movement and finish for his goal against Tottenham on Saturday showed exactly why Liverpool signed him.
“You need to be at the top of the game to impact a game. And it took months before we could bring him up. We always knew it would take him time. And that’s why it’s so unlucky that he’s now injured,” said Slot.
“We all saw he was getting closer and closer to the player that he was last season at Newcastle.”
Slot said it is a “long injury” and Isak would be out for “a couple of months” and that is probably the best case scenario for Liverpool. It will, in all likelihood, be March by the time Isak can play football again.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will make a move for another attacker in January, with expensive solutions to short-term problems not part of the club model.
Hugo Ekitike is also thriving with eight league goals this season, with Slot saying the 23-year-old has “already adapted to the Premier League.”
Asked about the possibility of recalling Harvey Elliott – who hasn’t played since October – from Aston Villa, Slot said: “Harvey is an Aston Villa player and he is supposed to be going there for a year. If the question is about him then the best thing to ask is at Villa, who are doing quite well by the way.”
Isak has only made 10 starts for Liverpool since signing but with him now out of contention and Salah away on duty at the African Cup of Nations, Slot may be forced into a tactical restructure to deal with the Swede’s absence.
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has told his players to “enjoy themselves” but to “use common sense” over christmas. His comments follow Pep Guardiola’s admission that Manchester City’s players will be weighed when they return to training to check their fitness has not dropped over the festive period.
Ainslie had a strained relationship with Manchester United co-owner Ratcliffe regarding plans for the 38th America’s Cup.
Ainslie told the BBC on Tuesday that splitting with Ineos after the “fallout” was “a difficult decision” but stemmed from “different opinions on how to move forwards with the team”.
Ainslie, who will retain significant shareholding in Athena Racing under the new investment and remain as team principal, said he had been “funding the team myself”.
He told Reuters: “It’s been pretty stressful. But I believed in the team, I believed in the partnership and I was willing to take that risk.”
Ainslie was Ineos Britannia’s team principal and skipper, having got the backing of Ratcliffe in 2018 in a bid to a deliver a first win for Britain since the America’s Cup started in 1851.
The most successful sailor in Olympic history, Ainslie won the America’s Cup in 2013 with Oracle Team USA.
On Monday it was announced that the America’s Cup would be held every two years after 2029 and there will be a 55m euros (£48m) cap on costs, after the five founding teams, including Athena, formed an alliance.
Describing the move as “groundbreaking”, Ainslie said he was confident the new structure would help attract further investment and interest from broadcasters.
“Traditionally America’s Cup has been a winner-takes-all environment,” he said.
“You win it, you effectively run the next event – you decide where it is, when it is, the size of the boat, the rules and regulations.
“It’s pretty quirky – that’s what created a lot of uncertainty. Now we’ve changed that.”
“USC and Notre Dame recognize how special our rivalry is to our fans, our teams, and college football, and our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh,” the schools said in a joint statement Monday. “The rivalry between our two schools is one of the best in all of sport, and we look forward to meeting again in the future.”
Discussions between the rivals broke down in recent weeks, shortly after the College Football Playoff field was announced, a person familiar with negotiations not authorized to speak publicly told The Times.
In the wake of Notre Dame being left out of the 12-team field, Yahoo reported that College Football Playoff officials came to an agreement with the school in March 2024 that assured the Irish of a playoff berth if they were ranked among the top 12 at season’s end starting in 2026. That agreement, if applied this year, would have meant slotting Notre Dame in the field over Miami, which defeated the Irish to open the season.
The two schools nearly announced a continuation of the series around the time of their October matchup in South Bend, Ind. A person familiar with the negotiations told The Times that USC was ready then to compromise and stick with the rivalry’s usual cadence over the next two seasons, with Notre Dame coming to the Coliseum in 2026.
But at the time USC officials were not aware Notre Dame reached an agreement with CFP officials that guaranteed the Irish a playoff spot if they finish in the top 12 of the final rankings starting in 2026, the person said. To USC officials the agreement felt like “a material advantage” to the Irish, whose place as an independent and scheduling flexibility already afforded them a considerable edge in positioning for the playoff over other programs, like USC, that are tethered to a conference.
From columnist Bill Plaschke: The world of college football may be awash in uncertainty, but the last several weeks have proven one thing beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Nobody runs like Notre Dame.
When the Irish got jobbed by the College Football Playoff committee and insanely were left out of the CFP, they refused to play another game this season.
Notre Dame ran from the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Then came Monday’s announcement that Notre Dame no longer will regularly play USC, essentially ending a 100-year-old rivalry because the Irish didn’t want to change the dates of the game.
Notre Dame ran from the Trojans.
Call them the Fightin’ Chickens, a once-proud Irish program that demands acquiescence or it will take its ball and go home.
Nico Iamaleava has agreed to return to UCLA for next season, giving the Bruins a top-level quarterback as part of their new coach’s bid for a quick turnaround from a 3-9 season under his predecessor and an interim coach.
Iamaleava announced his intentions on Instagram, posting a highlight video alongside a caption reading, “NO PLACE LIKE HOME. Back with my brothers. Same vision. Same goals. Same grind. Locked in. Time to work!”
The possible benefits go beyond improving Iamaleava’s NFL draft stock with a strong season. Another important plus could be the reputational boost associated with staying put after Iamaleava left Tennessee during spring practice in 2025 as part of an emotionally charged falling out with the Volunteers that sparked widespread criticism.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert warms up before a win over the Eagles on Dec. 8.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
From Sam Farmer: The Chargers got an early Christmas present Monday night courtesy of San Francisco, and they’re still hoping for more under the tree.
With the 49ers beating the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27, the Chargers secured a postseason wild-card berth. The AFC West title is still in play too, and even the top seed in the AFC.
The NFL on Monday suspended Perryman without pay for two games for repeated violations of rules designed to protect player health and safety, including an incident during Sunday’s win over the Dallas Cowboys.
In the second quarter Perryman was penalized for unnecessary roughness after delivering a blow to the helmet of Ryan Flournoy while the Cowboys receiver was on the ground following a catch. The play violated a rule prohibiting the use of any part of the helmet or face mask to initiate forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.
Why the Rams fired their special teams coordinator
Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn interacts with coach Sean McVay during a game against the Seattle Seahawks in November 2024. Blackburn was fired by the Rams following the team’s loss to the Seahawks on Thursday night.
(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
From Gary Klein:Rams coach Sean McVay worked with Ben Kotwica for three NFL seasons in Washington when McVay was the team’s offensive coordinator and Kotwica was the special teams coordinator.
“I know his capacity, I know the accountability, I know the core belief that he has,” McVay said of Kotwica, who has been a Rams assistant this season after working as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator the previous two. “This late in the year, you’re not naive to, you’re going to keep a lot of the foundational things.
“But I think there’s some things that we want to have reflected in our style of play, and the way we go about our overall approach that I think will be improved.”
From Broderick Turner: As Lakers coach JJ Redick talked after practice Monday about the long list of players who would be listed as day-to-day for Tuesday night’s game at Phoenix, he at least knew that center Deandre Ayton will be back after missing two games because of left elbow soreness.
Redick said Luka Doncic (left leg contusion), Austin Reaves (mild left calf strain) and Rui Hachimura (right groin soreness) were day-to-day. Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness), however, is expected to be out longer.
A few hours later, Reaves was upgraded to questionable, while Doncic, Hachimura and Vincent were officially ruled out for the Suns game.
Redick said Doncic was injured when he was kneed by Clippers guard Bagdan Bogdanovic during Saturday night’s loss at Intuit Dome.
LA28 track to meet revenue goals for 2028 Olympics
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: John Slusher shouldn’t admit this. When the former Nike executive signed on to oversee LA28’s commercial operations last year, he looked at the private organizing committee’s lofty financial goals with some concern. Sales were “incredibly slow.” There was momentum around the first Olympics in L.A. in more than 40 years, but not many results.
Yet.
Weeks after celebrating his one-year anniversary with the group responsible for organizing and delivering the 2028 Games, Slusher and his team delivered a $2-billion present.
After announcing 15 partnerships in 2025, LA28 met its goal of reaching $2 billion in corporate sponsorship by this year, which Slusher said puts the group well on track to meet or exceed its $2.52-billion goal for domestic partnerships that serves as the largest line item funding the 2028 Games.
Kings struggle to stop Blue Jackets on power play in loss
From the Associated Press: Mason Marchment scored two power-play goals, Kirill Marchenko had one, and the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Kings 3-1 on Monday night.
Jet Greaves made 23 saves and Damon Severson had two assists as Columbus snapped a four-game road losing streak.
Columbus was without defenseman Zach Werenski, who is day to day with a lower body injury sustained blocking a shot against the Ducks on Saturday. Werenski leads the Blue Jackets in goals, assists and points, and his 14 goals are tied with Washington’s Jakob Chychrun for most in the NHL by a defenseman.
From the Associated Press: Jordan Eberle scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period and added an empty-netter in the final minute, and the Seattle Kraken beat the Ducks 3-1 on Monday night.
Frederick Gaudreau also scored and Kaapo Kakko had two assists for the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer stopped 39 shots.
Matty Beniers set up the go-ahead goal when he slid the puck past defender Radko Gudas and onto the stick of a wide-open Eberle, who snapped a shot from the left circle into the upper-right corner of the net for a 2-1 Kraken lead with 9:56 left.
Montreal’s Howie Morenz scores his 251st goal to become the NHL’s career goal-scoring leader. Morenz’s goal caps the Canadiens’ 3-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings.
1951 — Norm Van Brocklin’s 73-yard touchdown pass to Tom Fears in the fourth quarter gives the Los Angeles Rams a 24-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns for the NFL title.
1962 — Tommy Brooker kicks a 25-yard field goal 17:54 into overtime, giving the Dallas Texans a 20-17 victory over Houston for the AFL title.
1972 — The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 13-7 on Franco Harris’ “Immaculate Reception,” in an AFC Divisional playoff game. On 4th-and-10 on their own 40-yard line with 22 seconds remaining and no time outs. Terry Bradshaw, under pressure, throws a pass over the middle to Oakland’s 35-yard line which is deflected by Oakland’s Jack Tatum. Running back Franco Harris catches the deflection at the Raiders’ 43-yard line and runs down the left sideline for a touchdown.
1978 — Bryan Trottier has five goals and three assists to lead the New York Islanders to a 9-4 victory over the Rangers. Trottier sets an NHL record with three goals and three assists in the second period.
1982 — Chaminade, an NAIA school, beats top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 center Ralph Sampson, 77-72, for one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. The game is played at Honolulu’s International Center in front of 3,383 fans.
1996 — Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions rushes for 175 yards in a 24-14 loss to San Francisco to finish with 1,553 yards for the season. It’s Sanders’ third straight season with at least 1,500 yards rushing, a first in the NFL.
2007 — The New England Patriots set an NFL record with their 15th win, the best start in league history, with a 28-7 victory over the Miami Dolphins 28-7.
2007 — Chris Johnson sets an NCAA bowl record with 408 all-purpose yards, and Ben Hartman kicks a 34-yard field goal as time expires to give East Carolina a 41-38 victory over No. 24 Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl.
2008 — The Boston Celtics set a franchise record with their 19th consecutive victory, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 110-91. The Celtics improve to 27-2 — the best start for a two-loss team in NBA history. The 19-game winning streak breaks the Celtics record set in 1981-82.
2012 — New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees passes for 446 yards and three touchdowns in the Saints’ 34-31 overtime win at Dallas. Brees, with 4,781 passing yards, becomes the first player in NFL history to record at least 4,500 yards in three consecutive seasons.
2013 — Andrew Luck throws for 205 yards to break a single-season rookie record, and his touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne late in the fourth quarter puts Indianapolis in the playoffs with a 20-13 win over Kansas City. Luck, with 4,183 yards, surpasses Cam Newton’s year-old record of 4,051 yards passing by a rookie in the second quarter.
2022 — Washington Capitals center Alex Ovechkin scores two goals to move past Gordie Howe on most NHL career goals list in 4-1 win over visiting Winnipeg Jets.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Next summer’s World Cup will be the largest, most complex and most lucrative sporting event in history, with 48 teams playing 104 games in three countries. The tournament is expected to draw a global TV audience of nearly 5 billion and FIFA, the event’s organizer, is hoping for revenues of between $10 billion-$14 billion — which is why lower-bowl tickets for Iran-New Zealand at SoFi Stadium cost nearly $700.
All that seemed unlikely after the first tournament in 1930, when the idea of a soccer World Cup was nearly killed in the cradle, the victim from lack of planning, lack of money and lack of interest. That the competition survived, much less thrived, is nothing short of a miracle, says English writer and podcaster Jonathan Wilson, author of the deeply researched “The Power and Glory: The History of the World Cup.”
“1930, it’s incredibly amateurish in many ways,” Wilson said. “It’s got that sort of almost like a school sports day feel to it.”
Only 13 countries took part in the first tournament; it was supposed to be 16 but the Egyptian team missed its boat to Uruguay while Japan and Siam (now Thailand) couldn’t afford the travel costs and pulled out. England, meanwhile, not only refused to play, but the British press ignored the event, as did much of Europe.
That seemed like a wise decision at the time since the first two matches of the inaugural tournament were affected by snow, with one of the opening games drawing just 4,444 fans. The smallest crowd in World Cup history, estimated at about 300, showed up for another first-round game between Romania and Peru and the TV audience … well, there was none since TV had yet to be invented.
The officiating was beyond suspect — Romania’s manager, Constantin Radulescu, also worked two games as a linesman — and the U.S. trainer, Jack Coll, had to be stretchered off the field during his team’s semifinal — yes, the U.S. made the semifinals! — with Argentina when he lost consciousness after inhaling the fumes from a bottle of chloroform that shattered in his pocket.
In another game, the penalty spots were mistakenly marked 16 yards from goal instead of the regulation 12 — and nobody noticed.
“Some of the details don’t make sense,” Wilson said. “The whole thing is so sort of low grade compared to today.”
When Argentine captain Nolo Ferreira left the tournament and returned home to take his law exams his replacement, Guillermo Stábile, scored a tournament-high eight goals in four games — then never played for the national team again (although he did coach it, leading the La Albiceleste to six South American titles and the 1958 World Cup).
Given the farcical nature of the 1930 World Cup, the tournament probably should have ended right there. Instead, 1930 has become the foundation on which next year’s competition was built.
The origins of the tournament, however, actually make sense. Before 1930, FIFA recognized the winner of the Olympic competition as the world champion. But that event was for amateurs, a point on which the International Olympic Committee would not budge.
With professional soccer growing in popularity, FIFA decided to stage its own breakaway event and play it in Uruguay, the country that had won the last two Olympic titles.
Argentina’s goalkeeper can’t stop a shot by Uruguay during the 1930 World Cup final against Argentina in Montevideo, Uruguay.
(Associated Press)
That quickly proved to be a big mistake. The growing effects of the Great Depression left many countries unable to afford the long, slow steamship trip to South America. The first tournament was open to any country that wanted to play, yet two months before the first game no European teams had agreed to come.
“It was taken very seriously by Uruguay and Argentina,” Wilson said, but not by many others.
That changed shortly after Romania’s King Carol II, who ascended to the throne in a coup that deposed his son, personally selected his country’s World Cup roster and sent it on its way. France quickly agreed to go too, entering a makeshift team under pressure from FIFA president Jules Rimet, a Frenchman. Belgium also buckled under FIFA pressure and all three teams boarded the same ship for the trip to Uruguay, working out together on the 15-day voyage aboard the SS Conte Verde, an Italian ocean liner.
“Even the four European nations who go it’s not entirely clear how seriously they took it,” Wilson said. “The French and Romanians, they kept diaries. They seem to have regarded this as a laugh. We’ll try to win but it doesn’t really matter.”
Things didn’t really get loony until the tournament began. The Bolivian team, for example, played in berets, as did an Argentine midfielder, while the 15 referees who worked the games, some of whom had traveled and socialized with the players on the long boat ride from Europe, dressed formally in knickers, long-sleeve shirts, blazers and ties.
The well-dressed officials spent much of the tournament working with police to break up fights; play was so violent at least two players sustained broken legs and the U.S.-Argentina semifinal descended into a full-out brawl, with one American having four teeth knocked out and another hospitalized with injuries to his stomach.
The tournament finally finished with the hosts beating Argentina 4-2, after which the Argentines broke off diplomatic relations with their neighbor and an angry mob in Buenos Aires stoned the Uruguayan embassy.
Uraguay’s team before the 1930 World Cup final against Argentina.
(Keystone / Getty Images)
Argentina’s soccer team before preparing for the 1930 World Cup final.
(Associated Press)
“It ended,” Wilson said of the tournament, “with everybody sort of fighting each other.”
Few disagreed with the Argentine magazine El Gráfico, which seemed to predict there was little future for the fledgling event. “The World Cup is over,” it wrote. “The development of this competition brought not only an unpleasant atmosphere, but also an ungrateful one.”
Yet nearly a century later, the World Cup is still here. And that, too, was foretold in 1930 in the story of Romanian midfielder Alfred Eisenbeisser (who was also known as Fredi Fieraru because, why not?).
On the journey home from the first World Cup, Eisenbeisser contracted pneumonia and a priest was called to administer the last rites. The ship eventually docked in Genoa and he was taken to a sanatorium while the rest of the team continued on to Romania.
Assuming her son had perished in Italy, Eisenbeisser’s mother arranged a wake — only to have her son stroll into the ceremony very much alive, causing the woman to faint. Eisenbeisser would play 12 more years of professional soccer and compete in figure skating in the 1936 Winter Olympics, where he finished 13th in the pairs competition.
Turns out the reports of Eisenbeisser’s demise, like those of the World Cup, were greatly exaggerated.
⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.
The PGMOL, the body responsible for refereeing all Premier League matches, has been approached for comment.
Newcastle were 2-1 up at the time, but Chelsea forward Joao Pedro equalised midway through the second half after a slip by Malick Thiaw.
No team have thrown away more points – 13 – from winning positions in the Premier League this season than Newcastle.
They are 11th in the table, have won only once away from home and travel to Manchester United on 26 December.
“My glass is very much half full,” said Howe. “I know everyone else might have a different opinion, but I feel we’re improving.
“We have been moving in the right direction, but we have got lots of work to do to be the team that we ultimately want to be and that’s consistently winning.
“That’s what’s eluded us this season – the ability to put winning runs together, which is the defining thing we need to do.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says star forward Alexander Isak will be on the sidelines until at least late February.
Published On 23 Dec 202523 Dec 2025
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Alexander Isak is expected to be out of action for two months after fracturing his leg against Tottenham, with Liverpool manager Arne Slot accusing Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven of making a “reckless challenge”.
The Sweden striker was injured in a tackle from the defender in the act of scoring the opening goal in Saturday’s 2-1 victory and limped off the pitch.
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Liverpool said in a statement on Monday that the forward had had an operation on an ankle injury that included a fibula fracture.
“It’s going to be a long injury, for a couple of months,” Slot told reporters on Tuesday, “So, yeah, that’s a big, big, big disappointment for him. And as a result, also of course for us.”
Slot described Van de Ven’s tackle as “reckless”.
“I think I said a lot about the tackle of Xavi Simons [sent off earlier in the game for Spurs], which for me was completely unintentional, and I don’t think you will ever get an injury out of a tackle like that.
“The tackle of Van de Ven, if you make that tackle 10 times, I think 10 times there’s a serious chance that a player gets a serious injury.”
Isak, centre, gets injured in a challenge with Tottenham Hotspur’s Dutch defender #37 Micky van de Ven at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on December 20, 2025 [Justin Tallis/AFP]
Isak’s challenging year continues
Isak’s injury is the latest setback for the forward after he signed from Newcastle for a British record 125 million pounds ($168m) in September.
A dispute with Newcastle meant he did not have a proper preseason programme and arrived at Liverpool well behind his teammates in terms of fitness.
His season was then interrupted by a groin injury.
The 26-year-old has scored just three goals in 16 appearances since completing his protracted move to Anfield.
Isak’s absence will be a major blow for Reds boss Slot, with Mohamed Salah at the Africa Cup of Nations and Cody Gakpo not ready to return from a muscle injury until early in the new year.
It leaves Slot with Hugo Ekitike, who has five goals in his past four games, and the little-used Federico Chiesa as his only senior forwards.
Liverpool, whose Premier League title defence collapsed after a shocking run of results, have climbed to fifth in the table after extending their unbeaten league run to five games.
Isak’s injury raises the prospect of Liverpool moving to boost their attack in the January transfer window, with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo linked with a move to Anfield.
It may also change the conversation around Salah, who had been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia following his recent claim that he had been thrown under the bus by the club and no longer had a relationship with Slot.
Salah’s rant, which came after he was left on the bench for three successive matches, prompted Liverpool to leave him out of the squad for a Champions League match at Inter Milan.
But he returned to action as a substitute against Brighton before leaving for international duty.
Having won just four Championship games in the first half of last season, Oxford were staring at an immediate return to League One.
But they appointed the experienced Rowett – who had managed Millwall, Birmingham City, Derby County and Stoke City in the second tier – with the aim of securing Championship survival.
He turned Oxford’s fortunes around quickly, winning three successive matches over the Christmas period to open up a nine-point gap to the relegation zone as part of a nine-game unbeaten run in the league that ultimately secured United’s survival.
Despite going on a run of five games without a win, Rowett’s side rallied with four wins and two draws in the final nine games of the season to end the campaign in 17th place, four points above the drop zone.
But despite keeping a large chunk of their squad this season, Oxford have struggled – their tally of 22 goals scored is the fourth-worst in the division with on-loan 20-year-old Tottenham striker Will Lanskhear their top scorer with five goals.
They lost their opening three league games this season and were thrashed 6-0 at home by Premier League side Brighton in the second round of the Carabao Cup during a difficult August.
It took until 21 September to get their first league win – a 3-1 victory at Bristol City – but they won just three more games under Rowett, the last a 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town on 28 November.
With Sheffield Wednesday effectively relegated – sitting 30 points from safety on minus nine points after deductions for financial infringements – Oxford’s hierarchy have decided to act now in the hope they can avoid being one of the other two sides who will join them in League One come May.
Rams coach Sean McVay worked with Ben Kotwica for three NFL seasons in Washington when McVay was the team’s offensive coordinator and Kotwica was the special teams coordinator.
“I know his capacity, I know the accountability, I know the core belief that he has,” McVay said of Kotwica, who has been a Rams assistant this season after working as the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator the previous two. “This late in the year, you’re not naive to, you’re going to keep a lot of the foundational things.
“But I think there’s some things that we want to have reflected in our style of play, and the way we go about our overall approach that I think will be improved.”
Ben Kotwica will oversee special teams for the Rams moving forward, coach Sean McVay said.
(Associated Press)
Matt Harper, the San Francisco 49ers’ assistant special teams coach from 2021 to 2024, will join the staff to assist Kotwica, McVay said.
Kotwica assumes a leadership role as the Rams (11-4) prepare to play the Atlanta Falcons (6-9) on Monday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Blackburn’s departure marked the first time in McVay’s nine seasons with the Rams that he fired a coach during the season.
McVay said he informed Blackburn of his decision Friday morning, the day after Rashid Shaheed of the Seahawks returned a fourth-quarter punt for a touchdown that sparked a comeback from a 16-point deficit and helped send the Rams to defeat.
It was the latest in a series of costly special teams miscues that included several blocked field-goal and extra-point attempts early in the season, which resulted in losses to the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers.
In early November, the Rams signed kicker Harrison Mevis to replace Joshua Karty, who is on the Rams’ practice squad, and signed veteran snapper Jake McQuaide to replace Alex Ward. Mevis made his first eight field-goal attempts — including three against the Seahawks — before missing from 48 yards in Seattle.
McVay said that as head coach he was ultimately responsible for the special teams’ performance. But he made the move to change leadership for that unit.
“There’s been some things that we need to be better at in critical moments,” McVay said. “It was just what we thought was best for the collective. … As simple as it gets.”
After the Rams play the Falcons, they will conclude the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.
“I do think this is an opportunity that gives us a chance to be able to use the last couple of weeks, and then leading into the playoffs, to be able to establish some of the things that we want,” McVay said of special teams.
Etc.
It would be “hard” for offensive lineman Kevin Dotson, who left the game against the Seahawks because of an ankle injury, to be ready for Monday night’s game, McVay said. Receiver Davante Adams (hamstring), who sat out against the Seahawks, is making progress toward returning but he will be monitored this week before determining his status for the game against the Falcons, McVay said. … Tight end Tyler Higbee and offensive lineman Rob Havenstein will remain on injured reserve this week, McVay said. “They’re not quite ready yet,” he said.
Columbus was without defenseman Zach Werenski, who is day to day with a lower body injury sustained blocking a shot against the Ducks on Saturday. Werenski leads the Blue Jackets in goals, assists and points, and his 14 goals are tied with Washington’s Jakob Chychrun for most in the NHL by a defenseman.
However, newcomer Marchment made up for it, scoring twice in the first period, giving him three goals in two games since being acquired from Seattle on Friday. He opened the scoring 4:07 into the game with a wrist shot off Forsberg’s blocker, before making it 2-0 with 23.5 seconds remaining in the first period when Boone Jenner’s shot took a double deflection and went in off Marchment’s shoulder.
Kuzmenko got the Kings on the scoreboard with 1:19 remaining in the second, but Marchenko added a third power-play tally for the Blue Jackets with 5:46 remaining in the third. The three goals with the man-advantage were a season high, and it was the third time the Blue Jackets had multiple power-play goals.
The Kings were playing for the first time since trading third-line center Phillip Danault to Montreal on Friday, but newly promoted bottom six centers Alex Turcotte and Samuel Helenius struggled to make a consistent impact with frequent penalties creating a choppy game flow.
Up next for the Kings: vs. Seattle at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
Mohamed Salah puts Liverpool controversy behind him with dramatic winner against Zimbabwe in their AFCON opener.
Published On 23 Dec 202523 Dec 2025
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Mohamed Salah snatched a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Egypt came from behind to beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in their first fixture at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco on Monday.
Egypt’s captain, starting his first game after four successive matches on the bench at Liverpool, fired home a left-footed effort in the 91st minute to earn the seven-time champions a late victory after Zimbabwe had stunned them by going ahead in the first half.
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Egypt laid an early siege to Zimbabwe’s goal, but it was the underdogs who netted first through Prince Dube in the 20th minute.
It was left to Egypt’s Premier League contingent of Omar Marmoush, who equalised in the 64th minute, and talisman Salah to see them to a last-gasp victory.
Salah had come into the tournament in Morocco under the spotlight following a fiery outburst after being dropped by the Premier League champions, and struggled to find his rhythm for most of the match at the Grande Stade d’Agadir. When it counted, however, he swept home the winner to see Egypt join South Africa, who beat Angola 2-1 earlier in Marrakesh, at the top of Group B.
It was as much as Egypt deserved, breaking a run of six successive draws over the last two editions of the Cup of Nations.
They had four good chances in the opening 10 minutes as they put Zimbabwe under intense pressure but fell behind when Emmanuel Jalai fed the ball inside for Dube, who turned in possession and placed his effort into the bottom left corner.
It could have been 2-0 as Daniel Msendami’s pace set up a scrambled chance for Washington Navaya that Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy managed to gather before it could be bundled over the line.
Salah, centre, puts Egypt ahead 2-1 in stoppage time [Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Marmoush sole effect
Marmoush equalised in the 64th minute, picking up a long pass on the left wing before cutting inside and firing home with his right foot from an acute angle for a superb solo goal.
“We created many chances without being able to score early, but in the end everything went well,” Marmoush said.
“We kept a good mindset and finished the match strongly. We will learn from everything that happened in tonight’s game.”
Substitute Ahmed Zizo should have headed home at the back post from Mohamed Hamdy’s inviting cross but put his effort wide, and missed again four minutes from the end when Salah teed him up with a good chance.
It was left to Salah to secure the three points, holding off his marker to bring the ball under control before steering it home for his first goal since early last month.
In the next set of Group B fixtures, Egypt meet South Africa in Agadir on Boxing Day while Zimbabwe and Angola clash on Friday in Marrakesh.
