A “real togetherness” is helping Rangers, with defender John Souttar saying: “I think we’re building something here”.
Following a troubled start to the season, the Ibrox side will move second in the Scottish Premiership if they avoid defeat at home to Aberdeen on Tuesday.
Victory would move them three points behind Hearts at the summit.
Saturday’s 3-1 derby triumph away to Celtic was manager Danny Rohl’s ninth win in 12 league games since taking over from Russell Martin in October, while there has been just one loss in that run.
Scotland international Souttar said it was “so early” to be talking about silverware but did add: “There’s a real togetherness and I think we’re building something here.
“I think we can feel it. The manager, everyone involved can feel it, but it’s important we keep backing it up.”
Rohl inherited a squad short on confidence, with Rangers eight points behind Celtic and 13 adrift of Hearts.
“He’s clear on what he wants from everyone on the pitch,” said Souttar of the German.
“Tactically he’s really good and he can change it within games and he’s not scared to do it at half-time.”
Referencing the comeback win over Celtic, Souttar continued: “(Mohamed) Diomande came on (for Thelo Aasgaard) and brought real energy. Thelo was really good the other night, so I think it’s hard to pinpoint one or two things he’s good at but I really enjoy working with him.
“We just need to keep the momentum going, take it game by game because if we don’t back up on Tuesday there’s no point in doing that on Saturday, so every game’s massive and we keep going.”
IOWA CITY, Iowa — As I sat at a corner table inside another Courtyard by Marriott over the weekend, a floor-to-ceiling window protecting me from the 25-degree chill on a dreary morning, it struck me how much easier this would all be to do from home.
Nap until game time. Pick up the remote. Get a closeup view of every play.
Of course, that approach would also have deprived me — and Times readers — of so much over the last 10 years of being the only full-time traveling beat writer with the UCLA men’s basketball team.
Feeling a piece of stray confetti float against my cheek inside Lucas Oil Stadium after the Bruins reached the Final Four.
Sign up for UCLA Unlocked
A weekly newsletter offering big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and everything you need to know about UCLA sports.
Seeing Prince Ali bound down a hallway inside Oregon’s Matthew Knight Arena while yelling, “This is highway robbery, baby!” after the Bruins came back from nine points down with 51 seconds left.
Chatting with master storyteller Hep Cronin inside Kentucky’s Rupp Arena the day before an NCAA tournament game.
Interviewing Jaime and Angela Jaquez poolside in Maui before their son and daughter became on-campus celebrities.
People like to say they have the best seat in the house. Mine has often been 11F, window, on a United Airlines flight to some far-flung game that has made me cherish this decade of memories inside arenas all over the country.
There’s been so much more besides the palpable tension one can only feel sitting courtside, or in one of the media seats increasingly far removed from courtside in recent seasons. I caught a glimpse of Jake Kyman’s teammates dousing him with water after he made seven three-pointers against Washington and assistant coach Rod Palmer obligingly pushed the locker room door open a little wider than usual on his way out. Scanned cardboard cutouts of fans and pets inside San Diego State’s Viejas Arena. Wrote on deadline at Colorado while a trash collector roamed the stands blaring old Pink Floyd favorites from his boom box.
Yes, there have been annoying travel delays, crummy hotels and way too much time spent away from home. (A quick check of my Lifetime Titanium Elite status with Marriott shows 1,592 nights — the equivalent of nearly 4½ years — since 2003 while traveling for The Times in a variety of roles.)
But this is something I’m thrilled just to have the chance to do.
It takes an incredible financial commitment in a time of shrinking media resources to send someone on the road for every game with a college basketball team in 2026. That’s why I’m so grateful to my bosses for letting me take all these trips over the years.
Fortunately, I’m not the only one who realizes how special this is. Every time he sees me at a road game, Chris Carlson, UCLA’s longtime associate athletic director, has made a point to thank me for being there. He did it again Saturday, inside a club room deep within Iowa’s Carver-Hawkeye Arena, after UCLA’s frantic rally had fallen short against the Hawkeyes.
Fans often ask me if I travel on the team plane. That would be a resounding no, leading to innumerable layovers at Chicago O’Hare on the way to somewhere else in Big Ten country while the Bruins travel nonstop via charter. I don’t mind in the least.
Life on the road with the Bruins always packs a wallop, even during down seasons. A few years ago, during coach Mick Cronin’s only losing season with the team, it had just snowed in Pullman, Wash., when I exited a regional jet onto an icy outdoor ramp. I took two steps and fell backward onto my head with such a violent thud that my glasses flew back into the cabin. (I survived, or you wouldn’t be reading this.)
Along the way, there’s been far more laughter than frustration, let alone the need to Google “subdural hematoma.”
I’ve enjoyed every destination in an old conference (Pac-12) without truck stops and a new one (Big Ten) with plenty. I’ve sparked a Twitter war with the Memphis International Airport over a baggage office being closed shortly after sundown. I’ve stood in a hallway when coach Steve Alford threw his players under the bus at Cincinnati — “If you lose,” Alford said, “you get in the gym on your day off and you figure things out, not wait and get in the gym when we meet with you” — not long before the firing of Alford led to the hiring of Cincinnati’s coach.
I’ve heard that new coach — Cronin — yell at his team from two rooms over inside T-Mobile Arena after a loss to Baylor. I’ve also heard Cronin’s teams silence arenas with huge early runs against Stanford, Marquette, Maryland and San Diego State.
Traveling to cover the Bruins has had its side benefits, of course. I’ve seen family in Portland, visited wine country in the Willamette and Napa valleys and taken memorable trips to Arizona and the Bay Area during the COVID-19 season in 2020-21. The enduring image from those trips was the bizarre game against Stanford in Santa Cruz (because of health restrictions in Palo Alto), which featured an equally bizarre ending on an inbounds pass to Cardinals forward Oscar da Silva for a buzzer-beating layup.
There have been white-knuckle prop plane flights from Seattle to Pullman and white-knuckle drives across the Bay Bridge thanks to gephyrophobia. Tense drives from Spokane to Pullman because of the dreaded Colfax speed trap and walls of fog that can blindside you like a fearsome backcourt press.
Including stints covering USC basketball and an additional UCLA season under coach Ben Howland, I’ve logged three trips to the Maui Invitational — including one played in Honolulu — one to the old Great Alaska Shootout and one to Mexico for an exhibition game. The one trip that I really wanted to take — to China in 2017 — and was told no because a boss didn’t think it would be worthwhile ended in an international ordeal. Maybe it was the basketball gods’ way of telling him to keep me on the road.
As the pandemic made the prospect of taking flights seem perilous during the 2020-21 season, I covered a handful of road games off television. Admittedly, it was great to get replays and instant injury reports before hopping on a Zoom for postgame interviews.
But something just didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until the Bruins made the NCAA tournament and I accompanied them for every game on that unforgettable run in central Indiana that I fully understood one of the most important rules of quality coverage.
Being there matters.
Olympic sport of the week: Women’s gymnastics
Jordan Chiles helped UCLA rally to win the Best of the West Quad in Seattle by placing first in all four events.
(Courtesy of Jamie Mitchell)
Trailing California after two rotations in its season-opening meet, the UCLA women’s gymnastics team could rely on something else no one had in its comeback bid.
Jordan Chiles.
Predictably, the Olympic gold medalist helped the fourth-ranked Bruins rally to win the Best of the West Quad at Alaska Airlines Arena in Seattle by placing first in all four events.
Sticking her double layout dismount on the uneven bars, Chiles scored a 9.925 to help UCLA overtake the No. 20 Golden Bears and move into third place after the third rotation. Chiles topped herself with maybe her best beam performance at the college level, earning a 10 from one of the two judges and a 9.975 score.
UCLA senior Ciena Alipio contributed a 9.925 on the beam, helping her team edge Cal, 196.875 to 196. Host Washington finished third with 195.625 and No. 19 Oregon State was fourth with 195.550.
The Bruins next face No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 LSU and No. 5 Utah on Saturday at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in West Valley City, Utah. The meet will be televised live on ABC at 1 p.m. PST.
Opinion time
With two months left before the NCAA tournament, UCLA men’s basketball is teetering on the bubble, with bracketmatrix.com — an aggregator of bracket projections — listing the Bruins as a No. 9 seed before they lost to Iowa on Saturday. Where do you think UCLA finds itself on Selection Sunday?
An elite finish leads to a protected seed
A solid Big Ten run puts it in Nos. 5-7 range
The Bruins just barely make it into the tournament
They’re left out for the second time in three years
We asked, “What was your favorite UCLA sports moment of 2025?”
After 453 votes, the results:
The women’s basketball team’s trip to the Final Four, 49% The men’s water polo team’s national championship, 21% The football team’s three-game winning streak, 19% The baseball team makes the College World Series, 9% The softball team makes the Women’s College World Series, 2%
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email me at ben.bolch@latimes.com, and follow me on X @latbbolch. To order an autographed copy of my book, “100 Things UCLA Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die,” send me an email. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Wanna bet? If the wager involved Shohei Ohtani, the answer from gamblers was yes more often than it was for any other player in any sport last year, according to data from BetMGM.
When betting on game results in 2025, gamblers placed the most wagers on NFL games. However, when betting on individual athletes, gamblers placed the most wagers on Ohtani, the two-way superstar for the World Series champion Dodgers and National League most valuable player. Saquon Barkley, the running back for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, ranked second.
That data considered only BetMGM wagers that involved individual players — sometimes for awards such as MVP, a spokesman said, but most often for prop bets determined by individual performance.
By way of example from another sportsbook, Caesars Sports offered these World Series prop bets for Ohtani: Would he hit a leadoff home run? Drive in at least seven runs? Collect at least 10 hits? Hit a 470-foot home run? Hit at least five home runs? Deliver a walk-off hit? Hit two home runs and strike out 10 batters in the same game? Strike out 20 batters in the series? (Ohtani did not do any of those eight things.)
The most popular major leaguers beyond Ohtani among bettors, according to BetMGM, all were sluggers: Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees ranked second, followed by Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds, Riley Greene of the Detroit Tigers and Bryce Harper of the Phillies.
Yet the most notorious MLB prop bets last year involved pitchers, not hitters.
In November, Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted on federal charges that they “rigged pitches” — that is, they tipped bettors about whether they would throw a pitch outside the strike zone in specified situations and how hard they would throw it. Prosecutors say bettors won hundreds of thousands of dollars for themselves and paid Clase and Ortiz thousands of dollars for their help.
The pitchers have pleaded not guilty, with a trial scheduled for May. Prosecutors told the court last month that Clase, a three-time All-Star, likely would face 87 to 108 months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines — that is, up to nine years — if convicted on each of the four counts in his indictment.
The pitchers also face a potential lifetime ban from baseball. Clase, 27, is under contract for $6 million this year; the Guardians hold a $10-million option for 2027 and another for 2028. Investors who pooled their money to support him in exchange for a percentage of his career earnings are at risk of losing their investment.
The types of prop bets placed on Clase and Ortiz may become even less popular next season.
On the day after Clase and Ortiz were indicted, Major League Baseball announced an agreement with sports book operators to cap such pitching prop bets at $200. The operators, MLB said, represented “more than 98% of the U.S. betting market.”
In its announcement, the league noted that most prop bets are not solely influenced by one person — that is, whether Ohtani hits a home run depends in significant part on how he is pitched.
“However, ‘micro-bet’ pitch-level markets (e.g., ball/strike; pitch velocity) present heightened integrity risks because they focus on one-off events that can be determined by a single player and can be inconsequential to the outcome of the game,” the league statement said. “The risk on these pitch-level markets will be significantly mitigated by this new action targeted at the incentive to engage in misconduct.”
Courtenay confirmed the news on his LinkedIn page,, external saying: “I’d like to say a huge thanks to everyone I worked with at Red Bull. I made so many great friends there and I hope I’ll still see many of you in the paddock. It was an incredible two and a bit decades.
“But now I’m looking forward to settling into my new role and team, and hopefully making plenty more new friends, as I do my very best to help McLaren continue its recent success in the coming years.”
Courtenay reports to McLaren racing director Randy Singh in his new role.
Red Bull are expected to promote principal strategy engineer Hannah Schmitz, who has worked closely with Courtenay for the past 15 years, to lead their strategy team.
The new F1 season starts with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on 6-8 March.
Before that, there are three pre-season tests for teams to prepare new cars following major changes to both the chassis and engine rules for 2026 – in a private session at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on 26-30 January, followed by two in Bahrain, on 11-13 and 18-20 February.
He could feel it against his gloves — and the sensation of the ball bouncing out of his grasp before it fell into the arms of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.
Gadsden’s goal-line gaffe was one of several mistakes that played a role in ending the Chargers’ four-game win streak last weekend.
Quarterback Justin Herbert, however, continued to target the rookie tight end after the missed catch, providing a much-needed morale boost, Gadsden said.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepts a pass that deflected off the hands of Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, bottom, during the Chargers’ loss on Dec. 27.
(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
“It means a lot that he’s able to keep looking at me and keep throwing me the ball even after what happened,” said Gadsden, who has caught 47 passes for 641 yards and three touchdowns. “But it’d be better if we just make the plays. I know it can’t always go like that — can’t always go your way.”
Against the AFC West champion Denver Broncos (13-3) on Sunday, Gadsden will have a final chance to fine-tune his game ahead of the wild-card playoffs. But for some of the Chargers’ other starters, the game will offer something different.
Herbert will not play, giving him a chance to rest his surgically repaired left hand ahead of the playoffs. Trey Lance will start in Herbert’s place. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that other starters would play only in a backup or emergency capacity.
Lance, who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said he’s “very thankful” and ready for his first start with the Chargers and fifth overall for the 25-year-old.
“Going through everything my first five years in the league, I’ve just learned to take everything one day at a time, one hour at a time,” said Lance, selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 draft. “If I’m in a meeting, that’s where I’m at. If I’m at home, it’s where I’m at.”
Along with Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) also will not play — a move that could be precautionary since the rookie spent roughly half of the season on injured reserve after fracturing his left ankle.
Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s season-ending injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed doubtful.
Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor took reps at left guard in practice last week, which could be a sign that Zion Johnson, who has started every game at the position, may take a breather against Denver.
“I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Taylor, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.
Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen told reporters he plans to play in order to achieve incentives that could add $1.75 million to his one-year contract. He has 74 catches for 741 yards.
Meanwhile, Denver is expected to play its starters as it tries to clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers would be more than happy to play spoiler against their divisional foe, Gadsden said, as they go for an AFC West sweep on the season.
“I don’t think that us having dudes sit down lessens any chances that we have — any motivation or confidence — to win the game,” Gadsden said.
This is what the Lakers imagined when they nearly broke the NBA with the trade that brought Luka Doncic to L.A.
Doncic and LeBron James both scored 30 or more points in a game for just the third time as teammates Friday to help the Lakers hold off the Memphis Grizzlies 128-121 at Crypto.com Arena. Doncic led the way with 34 points, using 17-for-20 shooting from the free-throw line to maintain his NBA-leading scoring average, while James had 31 points on 12-for-18 shooting with nine rebounds and six assists.
The Lakers (21-11) needed 41-year-old James to be at his best. They squandered 13- and 15-point leads in the first and second quarters, respectively, but pieced together a timely 12-2 run in the fourth to improve their record in clutch games to 11-0.
“It felt like nearly every time we needed a bucket, he just kind of willed [it],” coach JJ Redick said of James, “whether it was driving the basketball, getting to the paint, getting to 2 feet, and he was just phenomenal tonight.”
Here are three takeaways from the win:
Jake LaRavia stars in his role
Laker Jake LaRavia celebrates making a three-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
James and Doncic led the way, but another player set the strongest tone for the night.
“Obviously it started with Jake,” James said.
Jake LaRavia, in the starting lineup for the injured Rui Hachimura (calf), delivered the necessary spark of energy on defense while also getting his shot going early to add a scoring punch. LaRavia scored 21 points, hitting three of six three-point attempts, with nine rebounds, two steals and a block.
“When I just talk about roles and the amount of hats that I can wear with this team, some nights, this is what happens,” LaRavia said. “Other nights I’m that defender, connector, crasher, like all that kind of stuff. So just continuing to play confidently throughout but also understanding what my role is going to be each game.”
The Lakers coveted the 6-foot-7, 24-year-old forward during the offseason for his versatility on defense and three-point shooting. He hit his first three-point shot Friday then nailed a midrange jumper 28 seconds later. He had 11 points in the first quarter and 18 in the first half.
LaRavia knew almost instantly it finally could be his night again.
LaRavia hadn’t scored 20 points in a game since Nov. 2 as his playing time has fluctuated with the Lakers’ ever-changing injury report. He also is shooting a career-low 30.9% from three after shooting 42.3% from long distance last season.
But LaRavia asked teammates to maintain their confidence in him as he worked with assistant coach Beau Levesque to fine-tune his shot.
“He says, ‘Control the input and the output is going to show for itself,’” LaRavia said of the coach. “So that’s kind of what I’m doing right now. I’m just working on my shot, starting with the basics again, and just kind of going from there. And, you know, hopefully I can find my rhythm again. And tonight was just the start.”
Friday was LaRavia’s first game with three three-pointers since Oct. 29 when he made five of six against the Minnesota Timberwolves, prompting the viral moment of fans shouting “Who is No. 12?”
Jaxson Hayes gets the closing nod
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes yells as he dunks in front of Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and center Jock Landale during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena on Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Last year Jaxson Hayes watched the Lakers’ season end from the bench after he fell out of the playoff rotation in the first round against Minnesota. The 7-foot center started the first four playoff games but never played more than 10 minutes in each as his role dwindled to not playing at all in the decisive Game 5.
After the benching, Hayes said, he had something to prove this season. He made a loud statement Friday, earning the closing minutes over starter Deandre Ayton. Hayes played 11 minutes 9 seconds of the tight fourth quarter and finished with 12 points on five-for-six shooting.
Ayton had six rebounds and four points, and the Lakers were outscored by one during his almost 25 minutes compared with a plus-eight scoring margin during Hayes’ 23 minutes.
“He was playing better,” Redick said of the decision to play Hayes at the end.
Hayes has 25 points on 10-for-11 shooting in two games since returning from an ankle injury. Defensively, Hayes added two steals, two rebounds and a block Friday. He’s shooting a career-best 78% but does not qualify for the league’s official leaderboard with 64 makes on just 82 attempts.
Doncic praised Hayes for his improvement in the pick and roll, noting how the center is finding “the right pocket” while Doncic is handling the ball.
“His ability to control the paint for us has been huge,” said guard Marcus Smart, who flirted with a triple-double with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. “… Just his ability to go get the ball at the highest point when we throw it and then defensively to alter shots, whether he’s blocking them or just changing shots for us, allows our defense to pick it up from our guards even more. To have that urgency that he brings, that’s huge.”
Dalton Knecht to get more playing time
Lakers forward Dalton Knecht extends to shoot the ball while being guarded by Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II on Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
(Caroline Brehman / Associated Press)
Diminished defense headlined the Lakers’ December struggles, but the offense also was out of sync during the Lakers’ 5-7 month. They were 18th in offensive rating and shot 33.9% from three-point range, which ranked 25th.
With several of the team’s top shooters injured, Redick is opening the door for second-year forward Dalton Knecht to work back into the rotation. Knecht will get “consistent” playing time the next few weeks, Redick said, and won’t be judged solely on his shooting percentage while he tries to stick in the lineup.
“Play hard,” Redick said before the game of what Knecht needs to do to stay in the lineup. “That’s been the biggest playing emphasis for him all season. He’s not going to be judged on whether he makes or misses shots. That helps. When you go through a stretch and you feel like your team isn’t playing hard, you got to play the guys that are consistently playing hard.”
Knecht was scoreless in almost 11 minutes against the Grizzlies, missing both three-point attempts and turning the ball over once.
Knecht is shooting 37.3% from three in his short NBA career but has struggled to stick in the lineup because of defensive lapses. He grabbed veteran Maxi Kleber’s minutes at the end of the rotation after not playing in the first half of a game since Dec. 23 against Phoenix, a blowout loss.
Kleber is shooting a team-worst 31% and 20% on threes.
The Lakers are digging into their bench while injuries pile up. Austin Reaves remains out at least three more weeks because of a calf strain. Forward Adou Thiero was diagnosed with a sprain of his right medial collateral ligament on New Year’s Eve and will be reevaluated in four weeks.
Guard Gabe Vincent is closing in on a return from a back injury that’s cost him seven games. He had a modified practice with some three-on-three work Saturday, and the Lakers hope he can be available for at least one of their upcoming road games against New Orleans on Tuesday and San Antonio on Wednesday.
The win over Munster was Ward’s seventh Ulster appearance, an occasion the former Ireland under-20 international marked with his first senior try.
As he seeks to establish himself at the Affidea Stadium, there has at least been one familiar face already in the team.
Ward’s brother Zac, an Irish Olympian in rugby sevens at Paris two summers ago, made his own breakthrough for the side last season.
The older of the siblings has five tries from the wing already during this campaign and again caught the eye against Munster.
“We’ve grown up together playing in the back yard and stuff so to now be out there in front of 16,500 in a sold-out Affidea, it’s pretty surreal,” said the back row of playing alongside the brother six years his senior.
“Watching him throughout the sevens and stuff, whenever I was in school and just coming out of school, he’s definitely been really influential on me. It’s just nice to have a familiar face around the place as well and its class to play with him as well.
“I dropped the ball out there and he was the first one to come over and give me a pat on the bum and say, ‘keep your head’, so it’s been really good.”
The younger of the Ward brothers, who are the sons of former Ulster captain Andy Ward, is not the only inexperienced player to make an impact in recent weeks with locks Joe Hopes and Charlie Irvine also playing meaningful minutes.
With the likes of Stuart McCloskey, Iain Henderson, Nick Timoney and Jacob Stockdale around them, Ward believes it has been hugely beneficial to be able to lean on the advice of Test players as they make the step up.
“The biggest thing probably is the speed of the game. Physically, I’ve been playing for Ballynahinch in the AIL [All-Ireland League], so it’s obviously a step up physically when you’re playing South African teams and big interpros.
“It’s definitely just the pace of the game, you’ve got to be so switched on and defensively you’ve always got your head on a swivel.
“Having guys in the club that have so much experience, it’s so good for the young boys coming through that they can give us such a help to make the jump.”
Root has been feast or famine in this series. Until this Test, his landmark century in Brisbane was one of only two occasions when he passed 20. In Sydney, the city where he was dropped for the only time in his Test career and once batted himself into hospital in extreme heat, the former captain was outstanding.
Without Root, England would have squandered their promising overnight position of 211-3. Harry Brook played a limp poke at Scott Boland to be caught at slip for 84 and Stokes edged a beauty from Mitchell Starc for an 11-ball duck, meaning the tourists lost 2-3 in four overs.
On one hand, Smith’s role in a stand of 94 with Root was valuable, but the wicketkeeper was fortunate to last so long. He was caught off a Cameron Green no-ball on 22, then edged and miscued the same bowler. The dismissal to Labuschagne’s bouncer plan as the second new ball approached was an appalling piece of cricket.
By this point, Root had moved to three figures from his overnight 72. After edging Neser over the slips on 94, he drove the same bowler down the ground to join Australia great Ricky Ponting on 41 Test tons – only India’s Sachin Tendulkar and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis have more. He celebrated with the same shrug of the shoulders he pulled in Brisbane.
On he went, adding 52 for the seventh wicket with Will Jacks. He passed 150 for the 17th time in Tests – only four other players have done so more.
Root eventually offered a leading edge to a diving Neser in the bowler’s follow-through, part of England’s final collapse of 4-9. After more than six and a half hours at the crease, he later left the field holding his lower back, and England face an anxious wait on his condition.
They met two days prior to Sunday night’s encounter at Crypto.com Arena, a two-game set between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies reminiscent of a playoff series.
The Lakers won the first game Friday night and knew the Grizzlies were going to bring more intensity and a stronger effort even with star guard Ja Morant (right calf contusion) not playing.
And that was the case, the Lakers falling behind by 16 points in the second quarter, the Grizzlies ramping it up in a big way. But with Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Jake LaRavia leading the way, the Lakers pulled out a 120-114 win.
Doncic almost had a triple-double with 36 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. James had 26 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. LaRavia, starting in the absence of Rui Hachimura, had 26 points, five rebounds and four assists. It was the second straight time LaRavia, who came in averaging 9.1 points, scored 20-plus.
A back-and-forth game featured several lead changes in the fourth quarter, with the Lakers and Grizzlies taking turns delivering in tense moments. The Lakers finally took the lead for good at 100-99 on a basket by Doncic.
Then James scored on a three-point play and made one of two free throws for a 104-99 lead with 3 minutes 49 seconds left.
The Lakers (22-11) had an answer for every Grizzlies counter, the final stamp on the game being Doncic’s back-to-back three-pointers for a nine-point lead with 2:01 left.
The NBA scheduling the Lakers to host the Grizzlies on Friday and again Sunday was not an issue for coach JJ Redick.
“I like it,” Redick said. “I do think it does replicate [the playoffs] in some ways. A playoff series, particularly when it’s not a home-and-away situation, but more of you’re playing a two-game series on somebody’s home court for the day in between. Had a few of these last year. So, I like this for our team and it’s a good growth opportunity. Coming off a win, knowing that there’s a lot of stuff that we can be better at and where can we make improvements. That’s the big challenge to me.”
For Redick, that meant what it always does for the Lakers — improving on defense.
Redick wanted his team to get back on defense faster and not let the Grizzlies (15-20) get so many early offense opportunities.
LeBron James shoots against Christian Koloko of the Grizzlies in the first quarter Sunday.
(Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
The Lakers also wanted to jump-start center Deandre Ayton from a five-game slumber.
Ayton had just four points on two-for-four shooting against the Grizzlies on Friday night and hadn’t scored more than 12 points in that span.
So, the Lakers went to Ayton at the outset, trying to ignite his game. It worked to a degree, Ayton scoring 15 points, grabbing eight rebounds and blocking three shots.
Twice in club history, the Chargers lost playoff games at New England. It was the AFC championship game in the 2007 season and a divisional game in 2018.
That’s little more than a trivia answer, though, as the two teams are entirely different now. This matchup features two outstanding coaches in Jim Harbaugh and New England’s Mike Vrabel, and two elite quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and Drake Maye.
The Patriots haven’t seen many elite quarterbacks this season, instead beating a ho-hum collection of passers that includes Cam Ward, Spencer Rattler, Dillon Gabriel and 40-year-old Joe Flacco. New England did beat Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, and Buffalo star and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen, knocking off the Bills in Week 5 before blowing a 21-0 lead to them in Week 15.
Of course, you play who’s on your schedule in the NFL, so you don’t pick the quarterbacks you face. And the Patriots have routinely gotten the job done. It’s just that Herbert could present a significant challenge.
That said, Herbert has yet to win a playoff game in six seasons, and he has been hit more than any quarterback in the league (witness his broken left hand).
The Patriots figure to lean heavily on their solid running attack to play ball-control in the frigid cold and make it three-for-three against their AFC foes from the opposite corner of the country.
Matthew Stafford remains among the frontrunners for the NFL most valuable player award, though his status took a hit after a three-interception performance in a defeat by the Atlanta Falcons.
On Sunday, the Rams’ veteran quarterback gets a final shot at making his case when he plays against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium.
“Listen, I’m not too worried about it,” Stafford said when asked whether MVP talk enters his mind.
The balloting is in the hands of others.
“People are going to vote how they want to vote,” he said. “They’re going to say what they want to say.”
Share via
The Rams look to end their two-game losing skid and head into the wild-card playoffs with a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
So Stafford is focused on helping the Rams return to their winning ways.
“I’m just trying to put as good of a season together as I possibly can,” he said.
Stafford, 37, has enjoyed one of the best seasons of his 17-year career.
He has passed for a career-best and league-leading 42 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, while leading the Rams to an 11-5 record and third-place finish in the NFC West, the NFL’s toughest division this season.
His main competition seemingly is New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. The second-year pro has passed for 30 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, while leading the Patriots to a 13-3 record and the AFC East title.
The NFL MVP award is voted on by a panel of 50 journalists who regularly cover the NFL, and the panel is assembled by the Associated Press. Los Angeles Times reporters do not participate in voting for awards.
Maye will start Sunday when the Patriots play the Miami Dolphins. If the Patriots win and the Denver Broncos lose to the Chargers, the Patriots will earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round playoff bye.
The Rams and Stafford were on a roll, and held the No. 1 seed in the NFC, until they lost 38-37 in overtime to the eventual NFC West champion Seahawks on Dec. 18 in Seattle. Stafford played well in that defeat, passing for 457 yards and three touchdowns.
But last Monday against the Falcons, Stafford had one interception returned for a touchdown and two more that also cost the Rams in a 27-24 defeat.
Stafford ranks among the top 10 in several NFL career passing categories. But he ranks this season’s statistical performance among his best.
“It’s up there with some of the better ones I’ve played,” he said. “The cool thing about that is I have such a great group around me. … I have great teammates. I try to do my best to get the best out of those guys and help them succeed and help those guys have great seasons and great games as best as I can.”
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford takes the field before a win over the Detroit Lions on Dec. 14.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Coach Sean McVay said Stafford was a coach on the field.
“Do you elevate the people you’re around and the situations you’re a part of? He certainly does that,” McVay said. “And I think that’s been reflected from guys having their best years around him. He deserves a ton of credit for that.”
During seven of his 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, Stafford combined with Hall of Fame receiver Calvin Johnson. In 2021, after being traded to the Rams, he helped Cooper Kupp capture the so-called triple crown of receiving: Kupp led the NFL in catches, yards receiving and touchdown catches.
Two years ago, Rams receiver Puka Nacua burst onto the scene with a record-setting rookie season, and this season he is tied for the league lead with 119 catches. Veteran Davante Adams, who is in his first season with the Rams, leads the NFL with 14 touchdown catches.
“Every single time I go play, I feel like I try to help our guys and our coaches and everybody, put everybody in the best position to succeed,” Stafford said.
Stafford, who sat out all of training camp because of a back issue, was never a scrambler in the mold of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. But he continues to make plays out of the pocket and utilizes multiple arm angles to deliver passes.
“I still play with all the same feel and pocket movement and all that stuff that I used to,” he said. “It probably just doesn’t look the same.”
A few weeks ago, Stafford appeared on his way to his first NFL MVP award.
Now he is aiming to bounce back from his performance against the Falcons and help the Rams enter the playoffs with momentum.
“I would love to play perfect in every game, but I’m not a robot and it happens,” he said. “I’m proud of our team and I’m looking forward to another opportunity.”
Jamie Smith gifts his wicket to Australia as he’s caught for 46 off the bowling of part-time bowler Marnus Labuschagne, as England fall to 323-6 just before lunch on day two of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.
Their 37-20 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, combined with the Atlanta Falcons’ victory over the New Orleans Saints, helped the Rams move up to the No. 5 seed for the NFC playoffs.
The Rams earned a rematch against the No. 4 seed Panthers, who defeated the Rams at Bank of America Stadium in Week 13 but are the only playoff team with a losing record (8-9). They’re seeded higher than the Rams by virtue of winning the NFC South.
Matthew Stafford passed for four touchdowns, Puka Nacua caught a touchdown pass and increased his league-leading receptions total, and the defense was just good enough as the Rams bounced back from losses at Seattle and Atlanta to finish 12-5.
The Seahawks (14-3) are seeded No. 1 and will have a first-round bye. The No. 2 Chicago Bears (11-6) play host to the No. 7 Green Bay Packers (9-7-1), and the No. 3 Philadelphia Eagles (11-6), the defending Super Bowl champions, will play host to the No. 6 San Francisco 49ers (12-5).
Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett was sacked six times in a loss to the Rams at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Stafford started slowly, narrowly avoiding several interceptions, but came on in the second half and finished with a flourish in his last chance to make his case for his first NFL most valuable player award. He led three consecutive touchdown drives after the Rams fell behind 20-16 in the third quarter.
Stafford completed 25 of 40 passes for 259 yards and connected with tight end Colby Parkinson for two touchdowns and Nacua and tight end Tyler Higbee for one each.
Stafford finished with a league-leading 46 touchdown passes and 4,707 yards passing.
Stafford’s second-quarter touchdown pass to Nacua was his 43rd of the season and the 420th of his 17-year career, tying Dan Marino for seventh all time. Stafford took over sole possession of seventh place with a touchdown pass to Parkinson late in the third quarter.
Rams quarterback Matt Stafford passed for four touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Nacua went into the game tied with Cardinals tight end Trey McBride and Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for the NFL lead with 119 catches. Nacua caught 10 passes for 76 yards. McBride caught seven passes for 65 yards.
Ahkello Witherspoon intercepted a pass and Byron Young, Jared Verse, Braden Fiske, Josaiah Stewart and Desjuan Johnson had sacks for the Rams.
The last time the Rams traveled to Charlotte to play the Panthers, on Nov. 30, the Rams’ six-game winning streak ended with a 31-28 defeat that knocked them out of the No. 1 seed.
Stafford had two passes intercepted — ending an eight-game stretch without one — and also was responsible for a crucial delay-of-game penalty and a lost fumble.
Panthers quarterback Bryce Young passed for three touchdowns, and the Panthers amassed 164 yards rushing.
But the Panthers will not enter the playoffs with momentum: They lost 16-14 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their regular-season finale, committing three turnovers and rushing for just 19 yards.
The Rams did not come out much stronger Sunday, but by the end of the first half they built a 16-6 lead on three field goals by Harrison Mevis and Nacua’s spectacular, one-handed catch on a fourth-and-one play in the end zone.
Early in the third quarter the Cardinals executed a fake punt that resulted in a 28-yard completion, and then Jacoby Brissett connected with receiver Michael Wilson for a 43-yard touchdown pass that pulled the Cardinals to within three points.
The Cardinals took the lead late in the third quarter on Brissett’s touchdown pass to tight end Josiah Deguara. But Stafford’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Parkinson at the end of the quarter put the Rams ahead, 23-20.
Stafford’s 22-yard touchdown pass to Higbee early in the fourth quarter all but sealed the victory. It was his first game back after missing six weeks because of an ankle injury, and his five catches for 91 yards were season highs.
The Rams are getting healthier as they enter the playoffs. McVay said last week that safety Quentin Lake would return from an elbow injury and play against the Cardinals, but the Rams chose to give him one more week. Star receiver Davante Adams was inactive because of a hamstring injury but is expected to be ready for the playoffs. Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson also could return.
DENVER — Sometimes, the punching bag punches back.
That was the case Sunday as the Chargers, playing their backups, put up an impressive fight against the division-rival Denver Broncos, vying for the top seed in the AFC.
The Broncos won, 19-3, but both teams were smothering on defense while failing to establish anything close to an offensive rhythm.
The seventh-seeded Chargers (11-6) will play a wild-card game at second-seeded New England (14-3), which rolled over Miami, 38-10, in Sunday’s finale.
Denver (14-3) gets a week off and home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The other AFC playoff matchups feature No. 6 Buffalo (12-5) at No. 3 Jacksonville (13-4) and No. 5 Houston (12-5) at the winner of Sunday night’s game between Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Sunday’s game was far more competitive than the rollicking crowd at Empower Field might have suspected, with the second-string Chargers defense battling them at every turn.
On an unseasonably warm afternoon, the Broncos were disturbingly cold.
The Chargers rested 14 of their starters, including quarterback Justin Herbert, who has played his way into the Most Valuable Player conversation. But they couldn’t generate much offense with backup Trey Lance at the helm.
Lance completed 20 of 44 passes for 136 yards with an interception. He led all rushers with 69 yards, however, and in the waning moments had his team in position to score the game’s only offensive touchdown.
The outcome was never really in doubt because Denver’s defense didn’t budge. But the Broncos offense never got in sync.
Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II catches a pass against Denver Broncos safety P.J. Locke during the first half Sunday.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Denver failed to score a touchdown on offense — their lone such score came on a pick-six — and got four field goals from Wil Lutz.
It was the lowest-scoring game for the Broncos since a 10-7 win over Las Vegas in Week 11.
The matchup was the Chargers’ Next Man Up versus a down Bo Nix, who threw for 141 yards with a lackluster 78.4 passer rating.
Each quarterback was sacked four times.
Denver came into the game with the NFL’s second-ranked defense, behind Houston, with a club-record 64 sacks already in the books. The Broncos wore throwback uniforms from 1977 — blue helmets, orange jerseys, white pants — and their defense swarmed like those “Orange Crush” days of yesteryear.
Granted, it’s now a 17-game season, but the Broncos got to 14 victories for the first time since 1998, the final season of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.
But these Chargers are no pushovers. They were looking to go undefeated in AFC West games, and got to 5-0 with an array of understudies, particularly along the offensive line.
This game was only huge for one Chargers regular: receiver Keenan Allen, who needed six receptions and nine yards to hit contract bonuses totaling $1 million. He achieved both.
Besides Herbert, members of the Chargers offense who didn’t play included receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and the entire starting line.
On defense, the Chargers sat starters Derwin James, Khalil Mack, Daiyan Henley and Elijah Molden.
Denver running back RJ Harvey is tackled by Chargers defenders during the second half Sunday.
(C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images)
Basically, they had no business being in this game, and the score was 10-3 at halftime. The Broncos rolled up 81 yards on their opening drive… and a total of 32 yards the rest of the half.
With so much at stake for his team, Broncos coach Sean Payton was determined to keep precision football the focus. That included an extra padded practice in the week leading up to the game, and no crowd-distracting games on the videoboard. He wanted the crowd to be as loud and zeroed-in as possible.
At once, the Broncos were uncompromising — they were determined to win — and unconvincing.
SANTA CLARA — Zach Charbonnet scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter and Seattle shut down the high-powered San Francisco offense in a 13-3 victory over the 49ers on Saturday night that secured the No. 1 seed for the Seahawks in the NFC playoffs.
Seattle (14-3) won its first division title since 2020 and is two home wins away from returning to Levi’s Stadium for the Super Bowl next month after besting San Francisco (12-5) in just the fourth season-ending game ever where the winner was guaranteed the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
The loss sends the 49ers on the road for the wild-card round next weekend against an opponent that will be determined after Sunday’s games.
Coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive unit flummoxed a 49ers offense that had been the NFL’s most potent since Brock Purdy returned from an injury in Week 11.
The Seahawks didn’t allow a first down in the opening quarter, generated three sacks and made the biggest defensive play early in the fourth quarter when Drake Thomas got an interception at the Seattle three on a pass that went off the hands of Christian McCaffrey.
Sam Darnold did just enough for the Seahawks as he won a Week 18 showdown this season after falling flat a year ago for Minnesota against Detroit in a loss that cost the Vikings a chance at the No. 1 seed. Darnold went 20 of 26 for 198 yards and didn’t turn the ball over once as Seattle relied heavily on the running game.
Kenneth Walker III ran for 97 yards, Charbonnet had the long touchdown and the Seahawks finished with 180 yards on the ground, their second most in a game this season.
Purdy went 19 of 27 for 127 yards and the interception and McCaffrey was held to 23 yards in eight carries as the 49ers had their lowest-scoring game since losing 23-3 to Carolina in coach Kyle Shanahan’s debut in 2017.
The 173 yards gained by the 49ers were their fewest in any regular-season game under Shanahan.
The Seahawks controlled the first half, outgaining the 49ers by 127 yards and allowing only three first downs, but led only 10-3 at the break after two long drives ended with no punts.
Seattle got stopped on fourth and goal from the four on the on the opening drive but managed to force a three-and-out that set up a short field and Charbonnet’s touchdown run.
Jason Myers also missed a 47-yard field goal attempt. He went two of four on the night, missing from 26 yards late in the fourth quarter.
Goals either side of half-time by Junior Tchamadeu and Christian Kofane took Cameroon through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals at South Africa’s expense, as the Indomitable Lions edged their last-16 clash 2-1.
Tchamadeu opened the scoring in the 34th minute at Al Medina Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, and teenage Bayer Leverkusen forward Kofane headed in the crucial second goal two minutes after half-time.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
A late rally from South Africa saw Evidence Makgopa pull one back, but it is Cameroon who go through. The five-time champions now play the hosts, Morocco, in a heavyweight quarterfinal on Friday.
They can go into that match in a relaxed mood, knowing all the pressure is on Morocco as they look to win a first AFCON title in 50 years in front of their home support.
For Cameroon, reaching the last eight means their AFCON is already a success after a chaotic buildup in which Samuel Eto’o, the football federation president and Indomitable Lions legend, sacked the coach, Marc Brys, replacing him with David Pagou.
The new coach got the better of South Africa’s Hugo Broos, who had promised to show no mercy to Cameroon, nine years after leading them to their last continental crown at the Cup of Nations in Gabon.
Bafana Bafana, who finished third at the last AFCON two years ago in Ivory Coast, will be hugely disappointed, but they can console themselves by turning their attentions towards the upcoming World Cup.
Yet, South Africa had chances to take an early lead, with Relebohile Mofokeng squandering a golden opportunity inside seven minutes.
Cameroon defender Che Malone failed to deal with a simple ball forward, to leave Mofokeng in on goal, but the Orlando Pirates forward blazed over.
Lyle Foster then had the ball in the net only to be denied by the offside flag, and instead, Cameroon went in front just after the half-hour mark.
When the South African defence could only partially clear a corner, the ball fell to Carlos Baleba on the edge of the area.
He took a touch and tried a shot which was deflected into the path of Tchamadeu, and the London-born full-back with Stoke City rolled home from close range.
That goal – confirmed after a long VAR check – was celebrated by the Cameroonian fans, who made up the majority of the 14,127 crowd, with two-time AFCON winner as a player Eto’o among those in attendance.
South Africa would have hoped for a strong start to the second half, but instead, Cameroon scored again within two minutes of the restart.
Substitute Mahamadou Nagida crossed from the left, and Kofane headed in his second goal of the tournament so far.
Cameroon goalkeeper Devis Epassy then made good saves from Samukele Kabini and from a Teboho Mokoena free-kick, before Makgopa turned in a low cross by fellow substitute Aubrey Modiba on 88 minutes.
That set up a grandstand finish, but Cameroon nervously held on.
Morocco see off Tanzania
Earlier on Sunday, Brahim Diaz scored his fourth goal for Morocco at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to put the hosts into the quarterfinals with a nervous 1-0 Round-of-16 victory over Tanzania in Rabat.
Morocco dominated possession, but Tanzania had opportunities too, and it took a fine strike from Diaz to book a place in the last eight.
Captain Achraf Hakimi fed Diaz on the right side of the box on 64 minutes, and the Real Madrid playmaker worked his way to the byline before firing into the goal from a tight angle when most expected a cross.
Morocco’s Brahim Diaz celebrates scoring against Tanzania [Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]
Morocco wasted several other chances, but were also fortunate that Tanzania were wasteful too, with Simon Msuva and Feisal Salum missing gilt-edged opportunities for the East Africans, with the score at 0-0.
It was far from a vintage performance from the home side, who have yet to click into top gear at the tournament, but they did enough to keep their campaign on track.
“The competition is hotting up, and we faced our toughest opponent in this Tanzania team,” Diaz said.
“Not everything worked, we know that, but fortunately, we managed to secure our qualification [to the next round]. Now, we are going back to work to be fully ready for the quarterfinals.”
The mood inside the Etihad at full-time felt like one of deflation rather than the expected elation, as City failed to win successive games for only the second time this season.
Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their past 10 games in all competitions, but the draws in their past two could be significant come the end of the season.
Arsenal are aiming for a first top-flight triumph in more than two decades, while City are looking to reclaim the crown having failed to win silverware last season – the results in the first week of 2026 feel important when considering where the title could end up.
Despite going ahead City could not hold on against a stubborn Chelsea side led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, the under-21s coach who was taking charge of his first senior game and denied Guardiola all three points.
“It’s a brilliant result for Chelsea, with no manager,” former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Sport. “And it is a brilliant result and week for Arsenal, who are now six points clear.
“City dropping four points in the last two games is huge at this time of the season. We always say Christmas and new year, with such a busy schedule, is so important and it’s not been a great festive period for Manchester City.”
Erling Haaland has had a prolific campaign scoring 38 goals for club and country this season, but he has now failed to net in his past three games, which has proved pivotal.
The Norwegian was shackled for long periods by the Chelsea backline and struck the post in the first half, while in the second he had little joy as the home side looked to double their lead.
But they were unable to be clinical enough in the final third and Fernandez’s late equaliser not only snatched a draw for Chelsea but ruined a clean sheet for City and handed the initiative to Arsenal.
“Manchester City will be kicking themselves,” ex-City defender Micah Richards said on Sky Sports. “They know they should’ve had three points today with the chances they created.
“They are normally more ruthless. You are looking at it thinking, ‘what has changed?’ Haaland’s not scored in a few games, Phil Foden had near misses, Rayan Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They’ve only got themselves to blame today.”
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added on Sky Sports: “Pep Guardiola could smell it. The City fans could smell it. I don’t think Chelsea could though. City needed to make it 2-0.
“It was a big goal for Chelsea – and a big goal for Arsenal.”
Novak Djokovic says he has “stepped away completely” from the Professional Tennis Players Association that he co-founded, citing concerns about “transparency and governance”.
Serbian Djokovic, 38, and Canadian tennis player Vasek Pospisil founded the breakaway player union in 2021.
In March 2025, the PTPA launched legal action against tennis’ governing bodies – including the ATP and WTA tours – over what it claimed are “anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare”.
The ATP and WTA both strongly rejected the accusations and said they would defend their position.
Djokovic, who has won 24 Grand Slam titles, said at the time that he did not agree with the entirety of the PTPA’s case and has now ended his association with the organisation.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step away completely from the Professional Tennis Players Association,” Djokovic posted on X., external
“This decision comes after ongoing concerns regarding transparency, governance, and the way my voice and image have been represented.
“I am proud of the vision that Vasek and I shared when founding the PTPA, giving players a stronger, independent voice – but it has become clear that my values and approach are no longer aligned with the current direction of the organisation.
“I will continue to focus on my tennis, my family, and contributing to the sport in ways that reflect my principles and integrity. I wish the players and those involved the best as they move forward, but for me, this chapter is now closed.”
Crystal Palace have several targets lined up for January with Bayern Munich’s French right-back Sacha Boey, 25, Wolves‘ Brazil midfielder Joao Gomes, 24, and Auxerre’s French midfielder Kevin Danois, 21, all on their list. (Mail+ – subscription required), external
Chelsea are putting together a package worth £130m in an attempt to convince Real Madrid into selling 25-year-old Brazil winger Vinicius Jr. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Argentina striker Taty Castellanos, 27, is set for a medical at West Ham before completing a £27m move from Lazio. (Talksport), external
Tottenham sent scouts to watch French winger Maghnes Akliouche, 23, feature for Monaco against Lyon on Saturday. (Teamtalk), external
Sunderland are prepared to let Luke O’Nien, 31, depart this month with Birmingham, Coventry and West Bromwich Albion interested in the English defender. (Chronicle), external
England winger Raheem Sterling, 31, looks set to secure a way out of Chelsea in January with Newcastle the latest Premier League club to express an interest. (Football Insider), external
The West Valley League boys’ soccer competition has been dominated by El Camino Real and Birmingham. Both schools usually end up competing for a City title.
Now Cleveland, under second-year coach Julio Chacon, is trying to disrupt the ECR-Birmingham soccer dynasty.
The Cavaliers enter Wednesday’s league opener against El Camino Real with an 11-2 record. Anderson Carranza has 10 goals.
Chacon, a Cleveland graduate, has been trying to get his team to have the confidence to compete against defending City champion El Camino Real and longtime power Birmingham.
“I’m trying to build a new culture,” he said.
This is the first season in years that the City title hunt appears to be wide open. Sylmar owns a win over Birmingham and South East is 14-1-2, including a tie against Birmingham.
El Camino Real is facing a big week, with games against Cleveland, then Birmingham on Friday. On Saturday, ECR passed its first test with a 5-0 win over Sylmar.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
A devastating fire at Le Constellation bar in the Swiss ski resort killed at least 40 people and injured 119 others.
Bodies continue to be identified and a criminal investigation is under way.
“We can’t imagine how it is, but it’s for sure terribly hard,” Rast told BBC’s Ski Sunday.
“I hope they will find the support with their family and everybody around. And I hope that the sport will bring a little smile on their face.”
Rast finished a close second to Shiffrin in the previous World Cup slalom event in Austria but was not to be denied a second time, making sure the World Cup’s greatest skier could not add to her record tally of 106 wins in all disciplines.
Shiffrin was just 0.1 seconds behind leader Rast after the first run, but set an imposing time in the second that opened a 1.69secs lead over the rest of the field.
But Rast went even faster to beat Shiffrin into second place.
“I know Shiffrin is really fast and I had to be really, really fast to beat her. I saw her start and I was like ‘mmm, OK, that’s good, that’s really good’, but I just tried to give my best, and it worked,” she said.
There are two more World Cup slalom events – in Flachau, Austria, on 13 January, and Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic on 25 January – before the Winter Olympics begin in Milan-Cortina on 6 February.
