Sadio Mane’s equaliser earned 2022 champions Senegal a 1-1 draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in their heavyweight Africa Cup of Nations clash on Saturday.
Cedric Bakambu had given the Leopards the lead just after the hour mark in Tangier, but Al-Nassr forward Mane replied soon after, and the result ensures Senegal stay on top of Group D with one round of matches still to play.
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Both teams have four points, but Senegal have a superior goal difference before their final group match against Benin on Tuesday.
Benin have three points after a 1-0 victory earlier Saturday in Rabat against Botswana, who are bottom without a point or goal scored.
Sebastien Desabre’s Congolese side were seeking revenge after a dramatic defeat in the last meeting of the nations, in World Cup qualifying in September.
Senegal came from 2-0 down to win that encounter 3-2 in Kinshasa, a result which allowed them to go on and top their group to secure a place at next year’s finals in North America.
DRC were therefore forced to settle for second place, but can still make the World Cup if they win a one-off playoff against either New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico in March.
Senegal, fresh from beating Botswana 3-0 and seen as perhaps the biggest threat to Morocco’s chances of winning the title on home soil, had more of the possession and more chances on the day.
However, the Leopards took the lead in the 61st minute when Theo Bongonda – scorer of the only goal in their opening win against Benin – had a shot at the end of a fine move parried by goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, and Real Betis striker Bakambu pounced to convert the loose ball.
But Senegal were only behind for eight minutes, their equaliser coming after a superb run by teenage substitute Ibrahim Mbaye.
The 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain winger Mbaye, who was born in France and represented them up to Under-20 level, recently committed his international future to Senegal, for whom he qualifies through one of his parents.
He replaced Ismaila Sarr just after Bakambu’s opener, and made the leveller from a penetrating run down the right.
Mbaye burst away from Arthur Masuaku, who appeared to injure himself going to tackle, and then saw his shot blocked by Lionel Mpasi, but Mane was on hand to score.
It was a 10th AFCON goal for former Liverpool superstar Mane, who is appearing at his sixth tournament.
Benin record first AFCON win in their history
Yohan Roche scored a deflected winner as Benin claimed a first-ever victory at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, with a 1-0 Group D success against Botswana in Rabat on Saturday.
Benin move to three points from their opening two games, level with Senegal and the DRC in the table, who meet in their second pool fixture in Tangier later on Saturday.
Benin took the lead in the 28th minute when Roche played a one-two in the box with captain Steve Mounie, and his shot from 9 metres (10 yards) took a wicked deflection off a defender and into the net.
Benin finally celebrated a victory at the continental finals on the 16th attempt, following their debut in 2004, and despite the fact that they were quarterfinalists in 2019. They also have five draws to go with 10 defeats.
Botswana offered little going forward, though Mothusi Johnson struck the crossbar with a curling free-kick that beat the goalkeeper but not the frame of the goal.
Benin had several chances to add to their score, though Botswana goalkeeper Goitseone Phoko made an excellent low stop to deny Tamimou Ouorou.
Dodo Dokou then worked an excellent shooting chance 11 metres (12 yards) from goal in added time at the end of the game, but fired over the bar with the goal gaping.
Botswana become the second team, after Benin, to lose their first five Cup of Nations matches after three defeats on debut in 2012 and an opening 3-0 loss to Senegal this year.
They meet DRC in their final pool game on Tuesday, while Benin face Senegal at the same time.
The top two teams in each pool, as well as the four best third-placed sides across the six groups, qualify for the Round of 16.
Speaking after his side were beaten, Smith said he was “not sure” why MCG head groundsman Matthew Page had opted to leave so much grass on the pitch for the Boxing Day Test – a marquee event in the Australian sporting calendar. Page will talk to the media on Sunday.
“We let them judge it and do what they see fit,” said Smith.
“I said before the game it looked like it was going to offer a fair amount and it probably did more than we thought it was going to.
“It’s tough as a groundsman, always looking for the right balance. Maybe if he took it from 10mm to eight it would have been a nice, challenging wicket, maybe a little bit more even. Groundsmen are always learning and maybe he’ll take something from that.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan had criticised the MCG pitch after day one and said it had “done too much” and the result was an “unfair” contest between bat and ball.
Pitches and outfields that have hosted international matches are given a rating by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Following the 2017 Ashes Test on this ground, the MCG pitch was given a “poor” rating for being too friendly for batting. Only 24 wickets fell across the entire Test and England’s Alastair Cook made an unbeaten 244.
On this occasion, England batter Joe Root, who also played in 2017, said this pitch was “challenging” to bat on.
“The argument is was it too one-sided – bat v ball? People are more qualified to judge that,” said Root. “It was certainly challenging from my point of view.
“You have a world-class attack and the ball is moving a considerable amount. Your job is to get on the right side of the result.”
England captain Ben Stokes says he is proud of the way his players “held firm” to win the fourth Ashes Test after a wave of criticism during the build-up to the match.
A failure to capitalise on good positions after they surrendered the Ashes inside only 11 days of cricket, questions over their preparation and attitude, plus off-the-field issues related to drinking are among the headlines to have blighted the tour.
But a pulsating four-wicket victory in the space of two days in Melbourne, in front of jubilant travelling supporters, meant England avoided the prospect of an Ashes clean sweep.
Stokes said he was “very proud” of the way his side reacted to secure victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, ending an 18-match winless streak in Australia.
“On the back of everything we had to deal with in this game, I couldn’t be prouder of the way we held firm as a group and as individuals as well,” Stokes told Test Match Special.
“You get tested as leaders within sporting teams and organisations in different ways.
“That was a test of character, a test of qualities of leadership. The way we went about it, not only in public, in terms of all the media and all that sort of stuff.”
He said: “Behind the scenes, it was important that everyone’s focus was on the cricket.
“It would have been so easy to put our focus and attention on all that stuff outside the dressing room. At the end of the day, the most important thing is what we need to do out there.
“I thought the way we bowled this week was exceptional, the way we went about that run-chase was exceptional.”
Stokes said his side are now determined to end the series with another victory in the fifth and final Test in Sydney, which starts on 3 January [23:30 GMT, 2 January].
“It is a very proud moment knowing how tough this tour has been and how everything has gone before this tour coming here,” Stokes added.
“So to get that win in over a long period of time we have been waiting for is pretty pleasing.
“We still have one more to go, and the focus has not moved away from that. We had two games, and we want to get two results go our way.”
PORTLAND, Ore. — James Harden had 34 points, Brook Lopez scored 31 points, including a career-high nine three-pointers, and the Clippers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 119-103 on Friday night for their third straight win.
Kawhi Leonard pitched in 28 points, eight rebounds and six assists, including 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Deni Avdija led Portland with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.
The Clippers outscored the Blazers 63-41 in the second half, including a 19-1 run in the third quarter to take control.
A free throw by Donovan Clingan made it 71-59 Blazers with 8:16 left in the third quarter, matching Portland’s biggest lead of the game. After a drought for both teams, the Clippers took over.
After Lopez’s seventh three-pointer made it 72-67, acting Blazers coach Tiago Splitter was called for a technical foul. Leonard made the free throw to make it 72-68.
Harden hit two free throws and then scored on a driving layup to tie the game at 72.
The Clippers took their first lead at 75-72 with 3:23 left in the third quarter on Lopez’s eighth three. Lopez connected on his ninth to make it 78-72.
Harden’s four-point play with 1:06 left in the third quarter pushed the lead to 85-77.
Leonard had a ferocious dunk on Clingan to make it 95-86.
After a basket by Avdija cut the L.A.’s lead to seven, the Clippers had a six-point possession to push their lead to 101-88 with 8:19 left.
After the Clippers cut Portland’s first-half lead to 52-50, the Blazers went on a 9-0 run, capped by a fast break dunk from Shaedon Sharpe to make it 61-50, forcing a Clippers timeout.
After the timeout, a three-point play from Harden and a three-pointer from Kobe Sanders helped cut the Portland lead to 62-56 at halftime.
Up next for the Clippers: vs. the Detroit Pistons at Intuit Dome on Sunday night.
Mohamed Salah has scored as 10-man Egypt have beaten South Africa 1-0 in Agadir to become the first qualifiers for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Liverpool star converted a penalty on 45 minutes on Friday, and South Africa were denied a spot kick late in the second half when Yasser Ibrahim appeared to handle the ball inside the box.
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Salah came to Morocco after not starting in five Liverpool matches and his omission leading to an outburst against manager Arne Slot.
Egypt were reduced to 10 men in first-half added time when right back Mohamed Hany was shown a second yellow card for a stamp, followed by a red.
After two rounds in Group B, record seven-time champions Egypt have six points and are guaranteed a top-two finish in the group stage and a place in the round of 16.
South Africa have three points and Angola and Zimbabwe one each after they drew 1-1 in Marrakesh earlier on Friday.
The first chance fell to Salah after 11 minutes, but he could not move forward quickly enough to connect with a low cross from Hany.
That the majority of the crowd were supporting the Pharaohs became obvious soon after when the Burundi referee ignored Zizo’s appeals for a free kick and loud whistling enveloped the stadium.
When Salah delivered a free kick into the heart of the South African area, three Egyptians darted forward, but none could connect with the ball.
Midway through the opening half, a pattern had developed. Egypt were pushing forward regularly while South Africa defended with calmness and solid tackling.
Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team’s winner during the Africa Cup of Nations Group B match against South Africa [Franck Fife/AFP]
When South Africa’s Teboho Mokoena fouled Omar Marmoush just outside the D, he was yellow-carded. However, the Manchester City striker fired the resultant free kick wide.
As the first half progressed, the sun broke out in the southern coastal city – a welcome sight for players and spectators with many earlier group matches staged in torrential rain.
A rare South Africa attack ended disappointingly as Lyle Foster struck a weak shot that was comfortably saved by 37-year-old Mohamed El Shenawy.
Awarded a free kick close to the touchline, South Africa performed an intricate, multipass move that ended tamely as El Shenawy clutched a cross.
Salah was being closely policed by Aubrey Modiba, and as half-time drew near, the Liverpool star retreated into the Egyptian half to retain possession.
Then, as the Egypt captain chased a loose ball with Khuliso Mudau, the South African right back raised his left arm, striking Salah’s left eye.
Amid Egyptian protests, the Burundian referee viewed the incident on a VAR monitor and pointed to the penalty spot.
A lengthy delay before the kick was taken could not have eased the nerves of Salah, but he comfortably converted the penalty as Ronwen Williams dived in the wrong direction.
More drama erupted in added time when Hany stamped on Mokoena, leading to a second yellow card for the defender.
South Africa, with a numerical advantage, attacked more as the second half progressed, but Egypt came close to a second goal with Williams foiling substitute Emam Ashour after a quick free kick.
El Shenawy displayed his agility with 15 minutes remaining, using his right hand to tip to safety a low shot from Foster. It was one of several saves that kept Egypt ahead.
Angola and Zimbabwe keep alive AFCON hopes
Veteran Knowledge Musona scored as Zimbabwe came from behind to draw 1-1 with Angola in Marrakesh to kick off the second round of AFCON matches earlier in the day.
Gelson Dala put Angola ahead midway through the first half, and recalled Musona levelled deep in first-half added time.
A draw in Group B suited neither team, leaving both two points adrift of joint leaders Egypt and South Africa after having played one match more.
Only the top two finishers in each group automatically qualify for the knockout phase. The best four third-placed teams from the six mini-leagues also will advance.
Bill Antonio wasted a good chance to give Zimbabwe an early lead when he blazed wide from close range before a small crowd.
Angola recovered quickly to establish control and took the lead after 24 minutes through Qatar-based striker Dala.
A superb lobbed pass from To Carneiro dropped in front of Dala inside the box, and he squeezed the ball between the near post and 40-year-old goalkeeper Washington Arubi.
Musona, one of four changes to the Zimbabwe lineup after a 2-1 loss to Egypt in Agadir four days earlier, became increasingly involved as the Warriors sought an equaliser.
Musona wasted a free kick opportunity by hitting the ball into the defensive wall, then shot wide, much to the frustration of Romanian coach Marian Marinica, who repeatedly shook his head.
Hugo Marques, the 39-year-old Angola goalkeeper, had his head heavily bandaged before continuing after a collision with an opponent.
The perseverance of Musona finally paid off six minutes into added time at the end of the opening half when he equalised.
After Angola were dispossessed in midfield, Zimbabwe counterattacked swiftly, and a superb pass found Musona inside the box.
He struck a slow shot between the legs of Carneiro and just wide of the outstretched right leg of Marques into the net.
As both sides sought a second goal and the lead, Marques rescued Angola 12 minutes from the end of regular time with an acrobatic one-hand save of an attempt by substitute Tawanda Chirewa.
Twisting and tying shoelaces into a knot became a formidable task for Justin Herbert in the days following hand surgery.
Every time the Chargers quarterback leaned over to tie his shoes, his cast would nudge in the way, complicating a once-menial task.
For Herbert, it became a constant reminder of the broken bone he suffered during a 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 30 — a helmet-to-hand hit from Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn that required surgery on his non-throwing hand the next day.
And while the 27-year-old, who earned his second Pro Bowl honor Tuesday, has been far from perfect since the injury, the Chargers (11-4) have managed to win four consecutive games, including two against last season’s Super Bowl teams.
“The days went on, and as I got better and more mobility with (the left hand), I think it’s become more normal, and it feels a bit better, so that’s also a positive,” Herbert said earlier this week.
Eking out wins against the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, Herbert increased his yards-per-pass attempt from 5.3 yards to 7.2 yards. His completion percentage improved from a season-low 46.2% against the Eagles to a respectable 65.5% against the Chiefs.
Against the Dallas Cowboys, Herbert recorded a 132.8 passer rating, his best since December 2021 in Week 14 against the New York Giants. He passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-17 win over the Cowboys that led to the Chargers clinching a playoff berth Monday with San Francisco’s win over Indianapolis.
“To me, that’s just a test of the type of person, type of player he is,” said wide receiver Quentin Johnston, who made a spectacular, one-handed touchdown catch and finished with 104 receiving yards against Dallas. “I mean, shoot, still playing and executing at a high level — I’m really happy to be on the team with him. I would rather be with nobody else but him.”
The Houston Texans (10-5) on Saturday at SoFi Stadium will allow Herbert the chance to build on his impressive season, and exorcise at least some of his playoff demons.
Herbert’s nightmare performance against the Texans in the wild-card playoffs last season remains seared into his memory. He threw a career-worst four interceptions in a 32-12 defeat that dropped him to 0-2 in career playoff games.
“No one felt worse than I did,” Herbert said. “I think it’s important to continue to move forward and realize that it’s what happened, and it would be crazy of me to deny the truth of what happened and to live in this reality where, if I tried to block it out, I don’t think that’s gonna be any good.”
Plenty remains at stake for the Chargers. They remain in the hunt for the AFC West title and the AFC’s top playoff seed. If the Chargers beat the Texans and follow with a win over the Denver Broncos in Week 18, they’ll win the division. The Chargers need to win out and hope the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots both lose at least once to secure the No. 1 seed.
While coach Jim Harbaugh says the team is approaching the next two weeks one game at a time, the Chargers’ defense — inspired by Herbert’s efforts — sees the path to continuing their red-hot run.
“It’s a hell of a statement he’s making throughout the building, and everybody can feel it,” outside linebacker Khalil Mack said.
Nikola Jokic recorded a 56-point triple-double and broke a record set by Steph Curry as the Denver Nuggets beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-138 on Christmas Day.
The Serb hit 56 points, recorded 16 rebounds and 15 assists – becoming the first player in NBA history to hit at least 55 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a triple-double.
Three-time MVP Jokic hit 18 of his 56 points in overtime, breaking Curry’s record of 17 overtime points from 2016.
The Timberwolves took the game in Denver to overtime after clawing back a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of the game.
Anthony Edwards top-scored for the Timberwolves with 44 points, including the game-tying three that took the game to overtime.
But the 24-year-old was ejected in the extra period for arguing over foul calls as the Nuggets clamed the win.
The Nuggets are third in the Western Conference, with the Timberwolves in fifth.
A lone goal by the Manchester United forward is enough for Ivory Coast to successfully begin their AFCON title defence.
Published On 24 Dec 202524 Dec 2025
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Holders Ivory Coast squandered a number of chances, but Amad Diallo’s goal early in the second half was enough to beat Mozambique 1-0 and give them a winning start to their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title defence.
In the opening Group F game on Wednesday in Morocco, the Ivorians battled to break down their opponents in a competitive first half but took firm control after the break without converting the many chances they created.
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Diallo side-footed the ball into the net in the 49th minute to ensure the three-point haul in rainy conditions, but the scoreline would have been a lot more emphatic had the Ivorians been sharper in front of goal.
Wilfried Zaha, playing his first international in more than two years after his surprise recall for the Cup of Nations finals, wasted several chances, and Franck Kessie had two point-blank efforts saved by Mozambique goalkeeper Ernan.
Ivorian substitute Vakoun Bayo also had an opportunity with an easy header in front of goal but somehow put it wide, and in the 89th minute, Bayo had an effort cleared off the line with Ernan caught well out of his goal.
Mozambique brought on winger Dominguez as a second-half substitute at the age of 42 years, one month and six days, making him the oldest outfield player in tournament history behind only former Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who was 44 when he played in the 2017 final.
Mozambique are still to win a match at the finals, stretching back to their tournament debut in 1986. This is their sixth appearance with a record of four draws and 12 losses.
Diallo, centre, scores the only goal of the contest in the 49th minute [Khaled Desouki/AFP]
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.
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.
Should the Chargers beat Houston — and if Denver beats the hobbled Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday — the division title will be decided when the Chargers play their regular-season finale at Denver.
Despite a 34-20 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday, the 12-3 Broncos remain the top-seeded team in the conference.
If New England wins out at the New York Jets and at home against Miami, and if the Broncos lose one of their two remaining games, the Patriots are the top seed.
The Chargers have a path to the top seed, but it’s a difficult one. They would need to win out — beating Houston and Denver — and have Jacksonville and New England both lose at least once. If the Chargers and Jaguars win out, Jacksonville would take the No. 1 seed because they beat the Chargers this season.
With Redondo Union dominating in the rebounding department in a semifinal game at the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame proved no match for the Sea Hawks, falling 78-68 on Monday night. Redondo Union (10-2) outrebounded the Knights (8-3) 40-26.
Rebounding was a concern for Notre Dame once Tyran Stokes checked out of school. SJ Madison led Redondo Union with 24 points and 10 rebounds. NaVorro Bowman had 22 points for Notre Dame. Redondo Union will play Timpview from Utah in the championship game. Timpview defeated Santa Margarita 61-59.
FINAL: #FAB50 No. 26 Timpview UT 61, No. 29 Santa Margarita 59
Well played game between two nationally ranked teams.
BYU Dean Rueckert 27 points, 10 rebounds, 6 blocks.
They are methodically compiling victories — the latest, Sunday’s 34-17 thumping of the Dallas Cowboys — and perfectly content on the fringes of the national spotlight.
Lots of people wrote them off when those offensive linemen started falling like tall timber, yet the Chargers have found ways to win in spite of that. Seven times in eight games they have walked away victorious, keeping them in the running for the top seed in the AFC.
“We’re not worried about the outside noise,” said edge rusher Khalil Mack, part of a defense that has pitched second-half shutouts two weeks in a row. “Not getting too high, not getting too low. Staying even-keeled and trying to stack wins.”
Despite all that success, the Chargers (11-4) had yet to cement a spot in the postseason by the time they boarded the bus from AT&T Stadium to the airport. They needed a loss or tie by Houston — which beat Las Vegas later Sunday — or by Indianapolis, playing host to San Francisco on Monday night.
As for the Cowboys (6-8), they were eliminated from playoff contention the week before. They were playing for pride and had the NFL’s No. 1 offense, which showed up with Dak Prescott touchdown passes in the first two quarters.
But the quarterback of note in this game was Justin Herbert, who threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns and plunged across the goal line for another score. He also had a 34-yard scramble up the middle, the longest of the game, which ended with a violent collision that had him prone and wincing for a moment.
Clippers forward John Collins hangs on to the rim after dunking in front of Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36), guard Luka Doncic (77) and center Jaxson Hayes (11) on Saturday at Intuit Dome.
“I was proud that we improved from three [after starting] four for 33,” the coach deadpanned. “So we got better as the game progressed.”
With four starters out because of injuries, the Lakers’ ice cold shooting doomed them to a season low in points. Star guard Luka Doncic left the game with 12 points at halftime after a left leg contusion sustained in the first half. Redick noticed the NBA’s leading scorer limping on the court during the second quarter. Fellow starters Austin Reaves (calf), Deandre Ayton (elbow) and Rui Hachimura (groin) already were sidelined as well as key reserve Gabe Vincent (back).
It left them with just one starter in LeBron James, who had 36 points, four rebounds and three assists as the Lakers (19-8) fell behind by 22 but cut the deficit to seven in the fourth quarter before fading again.
USC center Gabe Dynes dunks during a 102-63 win over the UC Santa Cruz at Galen Center on Sunday. Dynes finished with 16 points.
(John McGillen / USC Athletics)
From Ryan Kartje: The call came Monday morning, just six days before USC was slated to play its final nonconference contest. In light of the deadly shooting on Brown’s campus, its men’s basketball team wouldn’t make the trip west. If coach Eric Musselman hoped to test his Trojans again before the new year, he and his USC staff had less than 24 hours to find a replacement.
Which is how USC found itself facing UC Santa Cruz, a 6-6 Division III team with losses to Chapman, Redlands and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, on Sunday. USC had no trouble overwhelming the Banana Slugs in a 102-63 victory. But given the scrambling it took to schedule Santa Cruz, no one was complaining about the seamless victory heading into the Trojans’ winter break.
Musselman, who notched his 250th career win, initially hoped that USC could find a D-1 program to take Brown’s place. But rules limiting the amount of regular-season games a D-1 program can play narrowed that list considerably. It left USC’s coaches counting by hand to decide which teams would fit.
USC’s Jazzy Davidson controls the ball in front of California’s Mjracle Sheppard during the first half Sunday at Chase Center.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
From the Associated Press: Freshman Jazzy Davidson scored a go-ahead layup with 4:05 remaining and finished with a season-best 24 points, leading the No. 19 USC women past California 61-57 on Sunday in the Invisalign Bay Area Women’s Classic.
After Davidson’s basket, Londynn Jones hit a jumper the next time down as USC used a 6-0 burst to take control. The Trojans answered each Cal threat with a key defensive play or big basket.
Cal called time out with 43.8 seconds left and trailing 56-54, but as the Golden Bears tried to set up a play, USC’s Kennedy Smith made a steal of Sakima Walker’s bad pass.
From Jay Posner: After days of deliberation and faced with a forecast getting soggier by the day, Santa Anita officials have decided to postpone opening day of the 2025-26 race meeting from Friday until Sunday, Dec. 28.
It’s just the second time since 1976 that Santa Anita will not open on the day after Christmas. The other time was in 2019 for the same reason: wet weather. More than eight inches of rain are projected to fall between Tuesday night and Friday at Santa Anita.
Angels star Mike Trout signs autographs for fans before a game against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on Sept. 8.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
From columnist Bill Shaikin: Christmas is three days away, and you’re running out of time to get a gift for the Angels fan in your life. How about a Dodgers cap?
Next year the Dodgers will try to become the first National League team to win three consecutive World Series. The Angels will try to end baseball’s longest postseason drought at 11 years, still without much of a plan beyond rushing first-round draft picks to the major leagues while treading the financial waters until Anthony Rendon’s contract runs out.
On Sunday they missed out on Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami, who signed with the 102-loss Chicago White Sox. Of the Angels’ five acquisitions this winter, three did not play in the majors last season, and not because they are up-and-coming prospects.
Author and journalist Shea Serrano’s new book, “Expensive Basketball,” is a New York Times bestseller that highlights unique, breakthrough moments in NBA history.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
From Gustavo Arellano: When Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy this weekend with another Latino finalist looking on from the crowd, the Cuban-American quarterback did more than just become the first Indiana Hoosier to win college football’s top prize, and only the third Latino to do so. He also subtly offered a radical statement: Latinos don’t just belong in this country, they’re essential.
At a time when questions swirl around this country‘s largest minority group that cast us in a demeaning, tokenized light — how could so many of us vote for Trump in 2024? Why don’t we assimilate faster? Why does Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanaugh think it’s OK for immigration agents to racially profile us? — the fact that two of the best college football players in the country this year were Latino quarterbacks didn’t draw the headlines they would’ve a generation ago. That’s because we now live in an era where Latinos are part of the fabric of sports in the United States like never before.
That’s the untold thesis of four great books I read this year. Each is anchored in Latino pride but treat their subjects not just as sport curios and pioneers but great athletes who were and are fundamental not just to their professions and community but society at large.
1894 — The United States Golf Association is founded, becoming the governing body for the game in the country.
1915 — The Federal League folds. Owners of the American and National Leagues buy out half of the owners (Pittsburgh, Newark, Buffalo, and Brooklyn) of the Federal League teams. Phil Ball, owner of the St. Louis Terriers, is allowed to buy the St. Louis Browns of the AL, and Charles Weeghman, owner of the Chicago Whales, buys out the Chicago Cubs of the NL.
1924 — Babe Dye of the Toronto St. Patricks scores five goals in a 10-2 victory over the Boston Bruins.
1946 — The Cleveland Browns beat the New York Yankees 14-9 in the first AAFC championship game.
1969 — Pete Maravich sets an NCAA record by hitting 30 of 31 foul shots, and scores 46 points to lead LSU to a 98-89 victory over Georgia.
1974 — Boston’s Phil Esposito scores two goals, including his 500th goal, to lead the Bruins to a 5-4 win over the Detroit Red Wings at Boston Garden.
1990 — Paul Coffey becomes the second NHL defenseman to record 1000 points. Coffey reaches the milestone with an assist on Kevin Stevens’ goal in second-period of a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders.
1996 — Brett Hull becomes the 24th player in NHL history to score 500 goals, with a hat trick in the St. Louis Blues’ 7-4 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Brett and his father, Bobby Hull, are the first father-son tandem to each score 500 goals.
2003 — Brett Favre passes for 399 yards and four touchdowns a day after his father dies, moving into second place in NFL history for career TD passes while leading the Green Bay Packers to a 41-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders. Favre passes Fran Tarkenton on the NFL’s career list with his 343rd career TD throw.
2005 — Reggie Campbell of Navy ties the NCAA bowl record with five touchdowns and had 290 all-purpose yards, leading the Midshipmen to a 51-30 win over Colorado State in the Poinsettia Bowl.
2006 — Peter Bondra scores his 500th NHL goal early in the third period to snap a 1-all tie and lead Chicago past Toronto 3-1.
2007 — Eathyn Manumaleuna blocks a field goal as time expires to give BYU a 17-16 victory over UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.
2009 — Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh becomes the first defensive player voted The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year, winning the award after his dominant performance against Texas in the Big 12 title game.
2013 — Peyton Manning finishes 32 for 51 for 400 yards and four touchdown passes to set the single season touchdown mark in Denver’s 37-13 win over Houston. Manning, with 51 touchdown passes, passes Tom Brady (50 in 2007) for the most in a single season in NFL history.
2013 — Tom Brady leads the Patriots to a 41-7 win at Baltimore as New England clinches the AFC East. It’s the 11th division title for Brady, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history.
2016 — Matt Linehan throws for 381 yards and four touchdowns and runs for a another score to help Idaho beat Colorado State 61-50 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. It’s the third-highest scoring game in bowl history. Idaho (9-4) matches its highest victory total since moving to FBS in 1996.
2020 — Argentine soccer superstar Lionel Messi scores his 644th goal for FC Barcelona during 3-0 win over Real Valladolid to break Pele’s record for most goals for one club; Pele, 643 goals for Santos 1956-74.
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.
Charlie Smyth celebrated his new three-year contract as he kicked 17 points in the New Orleans Saints’ 29-6 win over the New York Jets.
Former Gaelic footballer Smyth was rewarded for his match-winning kick against the Carolina Panthers with a spot on the Saints’ 53-man roster, along with a new deal.
The 24-year-old either had to be permanently promoted to the roster or released having been elevated from the Saints’ practice squad on three previous occasions.
Smyth had his best showing in the NFL in Sunday’s win over the Jets as he kicked five field goals and landed two extra point attempts.
“I want to give great credit to the offence and defence today. We are starting to play some real complementary football here,” Smyth said after the win.
“The support from everyone in New Orleans has been unreal. This team has stuck together and that is why the wins have started to come.”
In Smyth’s four NFL outings to date, the Saints have won three times and he has had a successful onside kick, which had a 7% success rate, a match-winning kick and 17 points in a single game.
Host nation Morocco overcome a spirited challenge by Africa Cup of Nations minnows Comoros to kick off the tournament.
Published On 22 Dec 202522 Dec 2025
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Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosts Morocco overcame a nervy start to beat the Comoros 2-0 in the tournament’s opening game on Sunday, after Brahim Diaz and substitute Ayoub El Kaabi scored second-half goals.
It was a far-from-convincing showing from the highly fancied Morocco, who are 97 places above the small Indian Ocean island nation in the world rankings and had to toil hard for the points in the rain at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
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Morocco squandered an early penalty and were goalless at halftime, despite dominating possession, eventually breaking the deadlock in the 55th minute, when Noussair Mazraoui did well to keep the ball from going out of play before passing it square for Diaz to side-foot home.
El Kaabi scored a trademark bicycle kick goal in the 74th minute, 10 minutes after coming on as a substitute, to ease the tension.
Morocco looked initially to be labouring under a heavy burden of expectation, and tiny Comoros comfortably held them at bay before the superior firepower of the hosts ensured victory.
The hosts could have been ahead as early as the 11th minute after a soft penalty was awarded for a challenge by Iyad Mohamed on Diaz. But Soufiane Rahimi hit the spot kick straight down the middle, striking the knee of goalkeeper Yannick Pandor and watching the ball loop away to safety.
But they eventually broke down the resistance, as Diaz got deserved rewards for his continual probing and El Kaabi’s goal ensured a respectable scoreline.
Pandor made several other good stops to keep down the score in the closing stages as his teammates began to tire, although Comoros had a chance for an equaliser four minutes after Diaz’s goal, but Rafiki Said shot straight at Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou in their first chance of the match.
Ayoub El Kaabi scores Morocco’s second goal in the 74th minute [Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP]
‘Difficult’ opening game
“The opening game is always difficult, but we came good in the second half,” said Morocco coach Walid Regragui.
Morocco extended their record-breaking run of successive victories by a national team to 19. In October, they went past the previous best of 15, set by Spain from 2008-09.
There will be concern in the home camp, however, after captain Romain Saiss limped off after 18 minutes, with the centre back leaving the field in tears. He spent the first half of the year sidelined by ankle surgery and only last month returned to the national side after a year’s absence.
Mali and Zambia meet on Monday in the next Group A clash in Casablanca on the second day of the monthlong tournament. There are also two Group B matches as Angola meet South Africa in Marrakesh, and Mohamed Salah leads Egypt against Zimbabwe in Agadir.
Australia has swept to an 82-run win in the third Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval to retain the urn with two matches to spare and leave England facing recriminations over another failed campaign.
Chasing a world record 435 runs to win on Sunday, England battled doggedly on day five but folded for 352 with left-armed quick Mitchell Starc taking three wickets and Scott Boland the last dismissal of Josh Tongue before tea.
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“Three-nil is hugely satisfying for many reasons but particularly with how the chat before the series was how equally poised it was going to be,” Australia captain Pat Cummins, who took six wickets on his return from a back injury, told reporters
“This group’s amazing at just cracking on.”
Much of the talk in the build-up to the Ashes had been the age profile of the Australia squad, but Starc said the veterans had proved their worth.
“We do laugh at some of the comments that get back to us about how old we are,” the 35-year-old said.
“I’m sure experience plays a part going through your highs and lows. … That plays a big part in all of this.”
After eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England have now lost the Ashes in three matches for the fourth consecutive tour while losing 16 of their last 18 Tests in the country.
Although two Tests remain, the latest surrender may top the previous tours for sheer disappointment.
There were expectations of a genuine contest, fighting words from England captain Ben Stokes and hope that “Bazball” might win the urn in Australia for the first time since 2010-2011.
All that was swept aside in Adelaide, where England ditched their trademark aggression, reverted to more traditional Test batting and were still beaten convincingly.
“We obviously came here with a goal in mind, and we haven’t been able to achieve it. It hurts, and it sucks,” England skipper Stokes said.
“They’ve been able to outdo us on a much higher level. … I thought we did incredibly well to take us where we did in this fourth innings.
“We couldn’t do what we came here to do, but there was some good stuff to come out of this game.”
England’s Jamie Smith scored 60 and mounted an England comeback on the final day, but it wasn’t enough to save the match – and the series [Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/Reuters]
The king of Adelaide
On day five while still needing 228 runs to win, England’s hopes were pinned on all-rounder Will Jacks and wicketkeeper Jamie Smith after they resumed on 207 for six.
Jacks turned his ankle when pushing off his crease for a run but battled on for 40 minutes until rain halted play.
England fans cheered, but it was just a passing squall, the ground soon bathed in sunshine.
The Surrey duo brought up a fifty-run partnership with the old ball and were soon spared spinner Nathan Lyon, who came off with a hamstring injury after cutting off a four in the field.
When the second new ball came, Smith attacked with gusto, smashing both Cummins and Starc for back-to-back fours.
But with the deficit trimmed to 150 runs, he threw the bat at a Starc delivery for a third time in succession and was caught for 60 by a back-pedalling Cummins at mid-on.
Jacks played a steadier hand with tailender Carse, who finished 39 not out and hung tough with the all-rounder for 52 runs.
Home fans shifted uncomfortably in their seats as the pair reduced the deficit to under 100 runs, but Starc returned and Marnus Labuschagne flew in the slips to snuff out the danger.
Jacks, on 47, drove at a Starc ball that moved away off the seam, and Labuschagne dived to his left for another terrific one-handed catch, having removed Ollie Pope with a screamer in the slips on day four.
Jofra Archer then tried to slog Starc but sent the ball down the throat of Jake Weatherald at deep point to leave England one wicket from defeat before Boland had Tongue sending another slips catch to Labuschagne.
Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey was named Man of the Match for a first-innings 106 and 72 in the second while Travis Head set up the victory with 170 in the third innings, his fourth consecutive Test ton at Adelaide Oval.
“If he wasn’t before, he’s the king of Adelaide,” Starc said of Head, who also scored a match-winning 123 in Perth.
“He’s not going to have to pay for another beer [here]. I don’t know how he does it, but jeez, it’s bloody good to watch.”
Australia’s captain Pat Cummins, right, shakes hands with England captain Ben Stokes after the third Ashes cricket Test match in Adelaide [William West/AFP]
Real Madrid star forward scores his 59th goal in a calendar year to equal Cristiano Ronaldo’s record tally at the club.
Published On 21 Dec 202521 Dec 2025
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Kylian Mbappe has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s club record of 59 goals in a calendar year for Real Madrid with a late penalty in his side’s 2-0 home win over Sevilla in La Liga, with the French forward celebrating his 27th birthday in style.
Mbappe missed several earlier chances before getting his opportunity from the spot four minutes from time on Saturday, and he made no mistake to net his 59th goal in as many games across all competitions in 2025 to level Ronaldo’s 2013 haul.
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“Today, and because of the record, it’s incredible, in my first year to be able to do what Cristiano did,” Mbappe told RMTV.
“My idol, the best player in the history of Real Madrid and a reference in world football. It’s an honour for me.”
Jude Bellingham put Real in front in the opening half, and Sevilla went down to 10 men with 22 minutes remaining after Marcao received a second booking, but the hosts had goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to thank for keeping them ahead.
Real are second in the La Liga standings on 42 points, one behind Barcelona, who are away to third-placed Villarreal on Sunday, while Sevilla are ninth on 20 points.
Xabi Alonso’s side were looking to end the year on a high note after losing top spot in November with three consecutive draws, and they saw out 2025 with three successive wins in all competitions, but it was far from a straightforward success.
Sevilla created plenty of problems early on, with Isaac Romero chipping a shot narrowly wide when sent through on goal, bringing whistles from the home crowd with Real under pressure.
Mbappe sent a snap shot wide, as the hosts struggled to find a clear-cut chance, and Sevilla’s Lucien Agoume put another strike wide for the visitors before Real went in front seven minutes before the break.
Rodrygo put a free kick into the box, and Bellingham rose to power a header into the far corner to settle Real’s nerves at the break.
Mbappe scores Real’s second goal in the 86th minute, equalling Ronaldo’s record of 59 goals in a calendar year [Oscar Del Pozo/AFP]
Mbappe made to wait
Mbappe sent an effort straight at the keeper and dragged another shot wide, while at the other end, Courtois twice denied Alexis Sanchez and Romero with Real all too easy to open up at the back.
From a corner, Mbappe hit the crossbar with a header, and after Marcao’s sending off, Rodrygo struck a beautiful shot on the turn, but Sevilla keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos touched it onto the bar.
Real were hanging on for the win with Mbappe still labouring to find the net when Juanlu Sanchez fouled Rodrygo in the box and the birthday boy stepped up to score before pulling out Ronaldo’s celebration.
“I wanted to give him a little nod because he has always been affectionate with me,” Mbappe added.
“Normally, I have my own celebration, but I wanted to share that with him, and like I said, he’s been my idol since I was a kid. I have a very good relationship with him; he’s a friend now.”
Mbappe thought he had been gifted the perfect chance to score again when the referee pointed to the spot two minutes later, but the official changed his mind after a VAR check, and the Frenchman had to settle for a share of the record.
UCLA women’s basketball coach Cori Close could not have imagined a better way for her team to wrap up nonconference play than Saturday afternoon’s 106-44 trouncing of Long Beach State at Pauley Pavilion.
Coming off Tuesday’s 115-28 triumph over Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — UCLA’s largest margin of victory during the NCAA era — the Bruins picked up where they left off, leading wire-to-wire for their fifth consecutive win since suffering their lone loss to Texas on Nov. 26.
“We’re growing … we had a couple of lapses today and we’re not there yet, but we’re heading in the right direction,” Close said. “I love the selflessness of this team.”
Senior guard Gabriela Jaquez led the way with 17 points and made five of six three-point shots. Angela Dugalic added 13 points while Gianna Kneepkens had 10 points and 10 rebounds. All 11 Bruins who played scored at least one basket.
UCLA forward Sienna Betts, top, and Long Beach State forward Kennan Ka dive for the ball during the Bruins’ win Saturday.
(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)
Playing their last game in Westwood until Jan. 3, when they will host crosstown rival USC, the Bruins (11-1 overall, 1-0 in Big Ten) looked every bit like the No. 4 team in the country, improving to 6-0 at home. They are ranked fourth in both the Associated Press and coaches polls behind Connecticut, Texas and South Carolina.
“I’m really proud of our nonconference schedule. Not many local teams are willing to play us, so I want to compliment Long Beach State,” Close said. “Our starting guards [Charlisse Leger-Walker and Kiki Rice] combined for 17 assists and one turnover. We have depth and balance and that’s a great luxury to have.”
Jaquez scored nine of the Bruins’ first 12 points. She opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the top of the key and added triples on back-to-back possessions to increase the margin to eight points. Her fourth three-pointer, from the right corner, extended the lead to 21-5.
Sienna Betts’ jumper in the lane put UCLA up by 19 at the end of the first quarter. The sophomore finished with 14 points and senior Lauren Betts added 17. The sisters’ parents, Michelle and Andy, played volleyball and basketball, respectively, for Long Beach State. Sienna wears her mom’s No. 16 while Lauren dons her dad’s No. 51.
Rice’s steal and layup made it 46-18 with 3:28 left in the first half and Leger-Walker’s tip-in at the buzzer gave the Bruins a 34-point advantage at halftime. Rice had a complete game, contributing 15 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, four steals and one block.
The result continued the Bruins’ recent dominance against the Beach. UCLA has won six straight head-to-head meetings, including a 51-point blowout in the schools’ previous matchup last December, when Close became the all-time winningest coach in program history by earning her 297th victory to surpass Billie Moore (296-181). Long Beach State has not beaten the Bruins since 1987 under Joan Bonvicini, who posted a 16-1 record versus UCLA in her 12 seasons at the Beach from 1979 to 1991.
The Bruins’ primary focus on defense was slowing down sophomore guard JaQuoia Jones-Brown, who entered Saturday averaging 17.2 points per game. She scored 10 of the Beach’s 11 points in the first quarter but was held scoreless the rest of the way. She has scored in double figures in nine of 10 games. Guard Christy Reynoso added six points for Beach (0-10 overall, 0-2 in Big West).
The Bruins travel to Columbus on Dec. 28 to face No. 21 Ohio State (9-1).
Denzel Perryman quickly listed name after name as he dove deep into his mental roster of the 2015 Chargers.
Manti Teʻo, Melvin Ingram, Kavell Conner and Donald Butler took Perryman under their wing, the Chargers linebacker said. The 11-year veteran said he relied on older teammates when he entered the NFL as they helped him adjust to the schedule and regimen of professional football.
“When I was a young guy,” Perryman said, “my head was all over the place — just trying to get the gist of the NFL. They taught me how to be where my mind is.”
With the Chargers (10-4) entering the final stretch of the season and on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth heading into Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1), veterans have played an important role in the team winning six of its last seven games.
A win over the Cowboys coupled with either a loss or tie by the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon or an Indianapolis Colts loss or tie on Monday night would secure a playoff berth for the Chargers.
Perryman, who recorded a season-best nine tackles in the Chargers’ win over the Kansas City Chiefs last week, credits Philip Rivers and the rest of the Chargers’ veterans for showing him “how to be a pro” a decade ago. Now he’s passing along those lessons to younger players in a transfer of generational knowledge across the Chargers’ locker room.
“When I came in as a young guy, I thought this happens every year,” safety Derwin James Jr. said of winning, starting his career on a 12-4 Chargers team in 2018. “Remember the standard. Remember, whatever we’re doing now, to uphold the standard, so that way, when guys change, coaches change, anything changes, the standard remains.”
Running off the field at Arrowhead Stadium, third-year safety Daiyan Henley charged at a celebrating Tony Jefferson, a veteran mentor at his position who was waiting for teammates after being ejected for an illegal hit on Chiefs wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.
After the game Jefferson and Henley hopped around like schoolchildren on the playground. That’s the atmosphere the veterans want to create, Jefferson said, one in which younger players in the secondary can turn to him.
“That’s what we’re here for,” Jefferson said. “For them to watch us and follow, follow our lead, and see how we do our thing.”
It’s not just the veteran stars that are making a difference. Marcus Williams, a 29-year-old safety with 109 games of NFL experience, replaced Jefferson against the Chiefs after being elevated from the practice squad. The 2017 second-round pick played almost every snap in Jefferson’s place, collecting four tackles.
“That just starts with the culture coach [Jim] Harbaugh creates,” defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. “It’s really a 70-man roster.”
Harbaugh highlighted defensive lineman/fullback Scott Matlock’s blocking technique — a ba-boop, ba-boop, as Harbaugh put it and mimed with his arms — on designed runs as an example of a veteran bolstering an offensive line trying to overcome the absence of Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.
Harbaugh said his father, Jack, taught Matlock the ba-boop, ba-boop blocking technique during an August practice.
“He’s severely underrated as an athlete,” quarterback Justin Herbert said of the 6-foot-4, 296-pound Matlock, who also catches passes in the flat as a fullback.
With three games left in the regular season, Jefferson said the focus is on replicating the postseason-like efforts they gave in consecutive wins over the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
“It was good that they were able to get a taste of that,” Jefferson said of his younger teammates playing against last season’s Super Bowl teams, “because these games down the stretch are really what’s to come in the playoffs.”
MIAMI — Anthony Joshua knocked out Jake Paul in the sixth round of their heavyweight fight Friday night.
The two-time heavyweight champion displayed why he is one of the sport’s elite punchers when he dropped the fading Paul twice in the fifth round.
Sensing the YouTuber was finished, Joshua rocked him with a right uppercut early in the sixth. The native of England then floored Paul with a combination to the head.
Although Paul (12-2) reached his feet again, Joshua (29-4, 26 knockouts) finally crushed Paul’s upset dream when he dropped him a fourth time with a right to the head. Referee Christopher Young counted Paul out at 1:31 of the round in front of a capacity crowd of 19,600 at the Kaseya Center.
Anthony Joshua punches Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match Friday.
(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
With the victory, Joshua now can angle to reclaim the heavyweight title he lost against Oleksandr Usyk. Joshua also has talked about a long-discussed match with countryman and former champion Tyson Fury. However, Fury is retired following consecutive losses to Usyk last year.
It was Joshua’s first bout since Daniel Dubois knocked him out in five rounds in September 2024.
Joshua methodically established pace against Paul from the opening round as neither fighter engaged early. Midway through the round, Paul threw an overhand right that Joshua blocked with his glove. In the closing seconds Joshua scored with a right to the head near the ropes.
In the second, Joshua began utilizing his six-inch reach advantage by leading with a left jab.
Jake Paul falls on the canvas after being hit by Anthony Joshua during their heavyweight fight Friday.
(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)
Paul scored with a short right to the head early in the fourth. Later in the round Paul twice fell to the canvas awkwardly as he again attempted to cut distance during close exchanges
Paul weighed 216 pounds and Joshua weighed 243 for the bout.
The 28-year-old Paul, who began his career in January 2020, originally targeted an exhibition in Miami with lightweight champion Gervonta Davis last month. But Davis encountered legal problems that scrapped the event. Paul quickly pivoted and landed the bout against Joshua in the same venue.
Celebrities in the crowd included golf champion Rory McIlroy, New York Mets slugger Juan Soto, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and retired NFL receivers Michael Irvin and Brandon Marshall.
In an undercard bout between retired UFC champions, 50-year-old Anderson Silva scored a second-round technical knockout of Tyron Woodley.
ATLANTA — Democrats will not issue a postelection report on their 2024 shellacking after all.
The Democratic National Committee head has decided not to publish a formal assessment of the party’s defeat that returned Donald Trump to power and gave Republicans complete control in Washington.
Ken Martin, a Minnesota party leader who was elected national chair after Trump’s election, ordered a thorough review of what went wrong and what could be done differently, with the intent they would circulate a report as Republicans did after their 2012 election performance. Martin now says the inquiry, which included hundreds of interviews, was complete but that there is no value in a public release of findings that he believes could lead to continued infighting and recriminations before the 2026 midterms when control of Congress will be at stake.
“Does this help us win?” Martin said in a statement Thursday. “If the answer is no, it’s a distraction from the core mission.”
Martin’s decision, first reported by the New York Times, spares top Democrats from more scrutiny about their campaigns, including former President Biden, who withdrew from the race after announcing his second-term run, and his vice president, Kamala Harris, who became the nominee and lost to Trump.
Keeping the report under wraps also means Martin does not have to take sides in the tug-of-war between moderates and progressives or make assessments about how candidates should handle issues that Trump capitalized on, such as transgender rights.
“We are winning again,” Martin said.
Martin’s announcement follows a successful string of 2025 races, both in special elections and off-year statewide votes, that suggest strong enthusiasm for Democratic candidates.
In November, Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill won races for governor in Virginia and New Jersey, respectively. In New York’s mayoral election, Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, defeated establishment Democrat-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo.
In U.S. House special elections throughout 2025, Democratic nominees have consistently outperformed the party’s 2024 showing, often by double-digit percentages. Democrats have flipped state legislative districts and some statewide seats around the country, even in Republican-leaning places.
Although the DNC’s report will not be made public, a committee aide said some conclusions will be integrated into the party’s 2026 plans.
For example, the findings reflect a consensus that Democratic candidates did not adequately address voter concerns on public safety and immigration, two topics that Trump hammered in his comeback campaign. They also found that Democrats must overhaul their digital outreach, especially to younger voters, a group where Trump saw key gains over Harris compared with previous elections.
