‘I previously said there was something we’re not seeing between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, and it turns out their secrets and sex are being held from the group, too’
17:18, 21 Oct 2025Updated 17:18, 21 Oct 2025
Zara Woodcock is a London-based reporter from Thailand and England and works as a Showbiz Reporter for The Mirror. She lived in Saudi Arabia before moving to the UK to study for a BA and MA in Journalism at Kingston University, London. Zara joined Reach in 2021 and loves writing about all things celebrity, movies and music. She spends too much time watching horror movies and reality television. You can contact Zara at [email protected]
MAFS icon Emma Barnes: ‘Julia-Ruth might be using sex with Divarni to stay on television’(Image: Getty Images)
I’m starting to feel like I should disregard everything I say about most of the couples in this experiment, because the twists and turns of Married at First Sight are never-ending! This week, we saw the drama unfolding between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, Maeve and Joe, and Grace and Ashley over a steamy spa day and a dinner party where the heat was SERVED, even though the actual food is cold.
Last week, I said there was something we’re not seeing between Julia-Ruth and Divarni, and it turns out the secrets and sex are being held from the group, too.
Julia-Ruth feels like, instead of owning up that she’s just not into Divarni, she’s using sex to stay in the experiment (or on TV) for longevity. This programme is about authenticity, real people, real highs and lows of relationships, so you can smell “the extra 15 minutes of screen time” that Keye voiced at the dinner party a mile off.
I predict we’ll see a “stay” from this couple at the commitment ceremony to solidify that they just want another week on the telly.
A quick follower count shows the popularity of the cast plain as day – the audience likes Leah, Ashley, and Maeve the most. These are all relatable, day-to-day cast members who deserve the world for coming in and being true to themselves.
I think that was mine and Kristina’s story, too. I genuinely went into the experiment expecting a great story to tell in the pub for the rest of my life; anything and everything else that has come my way is a fabulous bonus. I genuinely think these three would say the same.
Haven’t we seen a turnaround for the girls?! I said on Saturday that Leigh and Leah have no chance, but I’ve completely changed my mind in two nights, and I’m proud of them.
I met Leigh a couple of weeks into the show and remember saying to her, “My gosh, you can smile in real life!” She was lovely, we had a laugh, and I’m glad we’re seeing her warm up on screen.
I’m also glad her resting bitch face hasn’t moved, the edit have obviously had a play with that at the beginning but remind me not to get on the wrong side of that stare!
So, onto the retreat, one of my favourite memories of the show, clambering onto the coach like a school trip.
With Leah’s dresses getting bigger by the week, let’s hope she’ll fit the next one through the sliding doors at the dinner party, and let’s hope the retreat serves drama, a wife swap and gives Leisha some more memes to make because they’re killing me on TikTok!
CORVALLIS, Ore. — Oregon State fired coach Trent Bray on Sunday after the team fell to 0-7, its worst start to a season since 1991.
Robb Akey will be the interim head coach for the rest of the seson pending a national search for Bray’s successor, athletic director Scott Barnes said.
“I want to thank Coach Bray for the energy and determination he brought to the role. A former student-athlete, proud graduate, and dedicated mentor, Trent’s connection to Oregon State runs deep — he will always be a Beaver,” Barnes said. “This was a difficult decision, but the results on the field were not acceptable and after evaluating every aspect of the football program, I believe it is in the best interests of OSU football student-athletes, our fans and our university.”
The move came a day after backup quarterback Deshawn Purdie threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns in his first start for Wake Forest and the visiting Demon Deacons beat Oregon State 39-14 in front of a listless home crowd. The Beavers haven’t started this poorly since 1991, when they started 0-10.
After the game, Bray said he planned to keep showing up “until they tell me I can’t.”
“I’m frustrated. I’m disappointed. I look at myself, and I’ve got to fix it,” Bray said after the game. “It’s unacceptable to me where we’re at. That’s just how I look at it. What can I do? I’ve got to look at it. What can I do different to get these guys going?”
A week ago, Oregon State fired special teams coach Jamie Christian and Barnes said he and Bray were evaluating the program with an eye toward making immediate changes.
The buyout of Bray’s contract will be paid “exclusively using donor-generated funds,” the school said.
Akey is a veteran coach with experience in college and as an NFL assistant.
MAFS UK’s Emma Barnes knows first-hand what it’s like to walk down the aisle towards a stranger and is ready to give her insight in her weekly Mirror column
‘Sarah’s disrespect and unwillingness to get to know Dean went over the line’(Image: Channel 4)
Welcome back to my MAFS weekly column!
Well, haven’t things heated up a tad over the last week of Married at First Sight UK? Six out of the nine brides were unhappy with their matches. I’m not sure whether we’re going to see more Julia-Ruth walk-outs by the end of the series or hear more self-penned songs (currently 3:4 on the tally, by the way). I needed half an hour to stare at a wall after last night’s explosive dinner party.
Where else to start than with the storyline of the week? I’m trying to see past the edited faces Sarah pulls, knowing she’s uncomfortable and disappointed in her experience. It’s difficult seeing fireworks around that table while you’re imagining going home, head hanging in shame after just one week and zero snogs.
Sarah’s disrespect and lack of willingness to get to know Dean went over the line. “I need to understand why the experts matched us, because you’re not what I asked for” is a quote I heard a few times during that first dinner party.
It hurts, and no one deserves that. It’s great to see the room backing Dean, and putting a mirror up to her unkind words, kudos to Davide! I genuinely hope that if they stay another week, Sarah relaxes and learns for the public to witness because the backlash (and body-shaming back) has also been over the line.
There are a few couples with real legs developing (or abs in the case of Bec- phwoar!). Maeve and Joe are cute as a button, and I’m totally team Kevide and team Grashley.
Of course, I’m rooting for the people’s princess, Nelly, and if Stephen breaks her heart, the nation won’t have it. There’s something telling me it’s not going to be sunshine and daisies for these two. Maybe it’s an ex spilling tea online about him?
There’s a debate about whether the cast should have access to social media at all to avoid leaks of the show. This is their time to shine, I say.
I used to love putting my daily pictures up and choosing my backing track. They’ve waited nine months for this! I’m trying to stay out of the gossip, but I’ve even heard some stories about a groom or two… I may or may not reveal more; you’ll just have to keep reading!
I’m now firmly in a habit of sending late-night voice notes to half the cast for their thoughts and trying to be friends.
Yes, I’m that beg from the previous seasons but I don’t care! I think the group are fantastic, I don’t get creeped out by any of the boys which is a green flag, and the fact I’ve had now two parents DM me with pride or concern shows they’re from solid foundations too.
We’re being treated to two dinner parties this week and a commitment ceremony tonight, and I fear Anita and Paul may leave. Let’s hope he takes his post-it to remember to ask how she’s feeling. I’m off to do some sit ups in hopes of getting abs like Rebecca by Christmas.
MAFS icon Emma Barnes’ warning for couples(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty I)
The autumn chill is settling in, and what better way to celebrate than with a dose of wedding chaos!
Luckily, we have Married At First Sight legend Emma Barnes here to give her verdict for the Mirror on all the weekly tears and madness the E4 show…
Firstly… Welcome to my weekly column! Honoured to pen my thoughts on, let’s face it, the UK’s welcome to Autumn. Darker nights, drama-filled dinner parties and clinging onto the hope of some happy endings while our dating life is in tatters: MAFS IS BACK PEOPLE!
What a first couple of episodes! The series will fly by with this new format, switching between weddings and honeymoons. We all get a bit bored of the often repetitive nuptials and personally I’d send Mel, Charlene and Paul to the honeymoons, some of these couples need them.
The cast seem a kind, calmer collective than the previous couple of series (for now, we all know!). I think I’d totally fit in with this group had I not made it into last series. Love that there’s two same sex couples, and I want to be bezzies with Nelly immediately.
This week Davide and Keye hitched in a classy, emotional day (round of applause on their guest’s pure style please!). Sarah’s asked for a bad boy and her new husband pre-wrote an acapella number that went down like a lead balloon, and we all learnt some lessons in feminism from Grace’s protective pal.
If you go into this experiment expecting the full package, you’re going to be disappointed, and emotions were running high. Types come up every year, two brides had tears after their vows. Sarah’s never dated someone like Dean. She likes a flirt, a cheeky wink and someone to through her down on the bed and rip her clothes off. Dean with the dimples is a kind, gentle, poet, and that’s not helping his sex appeal.
Grace expected an instant spark, (Ashley is going to have queues at his door if this doesn’t work out, he’s totally a bit of me!) but here’s the thing; from my experience women are more open to getting to know the person if the spark isn’t there. It will be a refreshing twist on blokes wanting fit birds and nothing else. Mark my words I predict one of these couples will go some distance with a sprinkling of expert help.
This is why we get hooked, the twists, turns, feedback and growth. The happiest couples on their wedding day face rocks in the road, while what starts off Grace’s tears after the ceremony could turn in a river of love by Christmas. Plenty of weddings to go so strap in, get hitched onto that sofa and get a wine and crisp in hand.
P.S I hate taking out the bins – totally a blue job if I had a boyfriend…
DREAM TEAM managers have until 11am on Saturday morning to confirm their transfers for Gameweek 3.
We’ve assembled some tempting transfer targets separate from the too-obvious-to-list options for your consideration.
4
Horses for coursesCredit: Dream Team
Harvey Barnes (£4m)
Anthony Gordon (£4.5m) would have been a viable option this week had he not seen red against Liverpool on Monday night.
But Dream Team managers can follow the same logic with Newcastle’s No11.
The Magpies are due to face Leeds this Saturday with the Whites having been hammered by Arsenal in Gameweek 2.
Daniel Farke’s side were also humiliated by Sheffield Wednesday’s youngsters in the Carabao Cup.
Newcastle may have had their hearts broken by Arne Slot’s troops last time out but they showed they pack a punch even when a man down to the champions.
Barnes is a true horses-for-courses selection as he boasts a formidable record against Leeds of five goals in six Premier League appearances.
The 27-year-old should be guaranteed playing time while Gordon serves his suspension with Newcastle’s next home game also a favourable match-up in the form of Wolves.
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Wood already has two goals to his name this seasonCredit: Reuters
Chris Wood (£4.3m)
Dream Team bosses could do a lot worse than targeting West Ham’s weaknesses at present.
The Hammers lost 3-0 to Sunderland on the opening weekend and got thrashed 5-1 by Chelsea in Gameweek 2, not to mention a Carabao Cup capitulation at Wolves.
Nottingham Forest will feel confident of a positive result against Graham Potter’s mob this Sunday and their big target man might be first in line to benefit.
Alternatively, four of their midfielders are already into double figures for points: Morgan Gibbs-White (£4.7m), Callum Hudson-Odoi (£3.7m), Dan Ndoye (£3.3m) and Elliot Anderson (£3.7m).
September brings a tricky trip to Arsenal for Nuno Espirito Santo’s men but that’s more than countered by favourable fixtures against Burnley and Sunderland.
Forest will also commence their Europa League campaign after the international break.
Dream Team bosses should ensure they have plenty of players active in Europe once the midweek fixtures start coming thick and fast.
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Set-piece specialistCredit: Getty
Pedro Porro (£5.1m)
Both Brennan Johnson (£4.7m) and Richarlison (£3.3m) are among the most popular recruits ahead of Gameweek 3 at this stage.
And that’s perfectly understandable.
But we’re choosing to shine a light on Tottenham’s defence after two clean sheets from as many outings.
Cristian Romero (£3.6m), Micky van de Ven (£3.8m) and Djed Spence (£3.8m) are all more affordable but it feels like Porro is on the brink of a mega haul.
The Spaniard continues to take up advanced positions and, in the absence of James Maddison (£4.5m), he’s on set-pieces.
It’s worth remembering that Porro racked up a whopping 51 bonus points last season.
Spurs host Bournemouth this weekend but it’s their trip to West Ham in Gameweek 4 that looks most inviting.
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Cunha came close against FulhamCredit: Getty
Matheus Cunha (£5m)
A pure one-week punt to finish.
Manchester United are at home to Burnley on Saturday and their new No10 will be licking his lips at the prospect.
Only two players have registered more shots than Cunha across the first two league games and the Brazilian forward is the outright leader for shots on target.
It feels as if his first goal in red is just around the corner and what better platform than Old Trafford against a newly-promoted team?
Many gaffers will feel they can’t accommodate a short-term move such as this (a Manchester derby awaits in Gameweek 4) especially with the European competitions looming large but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Cunha bagged a big double-digit haul against the Clarets.
*18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
It would be nice if the Dodgers could schedule a special day to honor Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor, giving fans and teammates a chance to provide a proper farewell for this pair of beloved, true-blue Dodgers.
Anthony Moretti Lomita
I’m sure Taylor and Barnes are nice guys, but they’ve been making millions of dollars and haven’t performed for years. I don’t think anyone has to feel sorry for them.
Mike Schaller Temple City
Fans of ’70s-era sci-fi movies can see clear parallels between the classic “Logan’s Run” and the Dodgers’ front office behavior. Like the movie’s plot, the Dodgers have concluded that former impact players now over age 30 are expendable and must be immediately eliminated. The struggling Max Muncy, Kiké Hernández must be taking note.
Four years later, the memory remains uncomfortably fresh.
The last time the Dodgers tried to defend a World Series title, they racked up 106 victories. They matched the best winning percentage in the franchise’s Los Angeles history. They had seven All-Stars and three Cy Young vote-getters.
And it still wasn’t enough to win them the National League West.
The San Francisco Giants, the Dodgers still well remember, won 107 games in the 2021 season, marking the only time in the last dozen years someone else has claimed the division crown. The Dodgers eventually knocked the Giants out of the playoffs that October, but their elongated path through the postseason as a wild card team left them gassed in the NL Championship Series. They were eliminated six wins shy of a repeat title.
For president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, the experience underscored an all-important truth.
“Our primary goal during the regular season is to win the division,” Friedman said. “That is what we feel like puts us in the best position to accomplish our ultimate goal.”
Thus, with another tight division race looming this year, the Dodgers didn’t wait to act aggressively this week.
Austin Barnes and Chris Taylor were struggling. Dalton Rushing and Hyeseong Kim looked like intriguing big-league options. And in two moves that were made in an effort to “win as many games as we can” in this season’s World Series title defense, Friedman said, the longtime veterans were released to make room for the rookies. Sentimentality lost out to the odds of even slightly better regular-season success.
“This has been a very emotional week for all of us,” Friedman said, addressing reporters hours after Taylor was released on Sunday. Barnes was designated for assignment earlier in the week. “Barnsey and CT have been in the middle of some huge moments for this organization. Both guys have left an indelible mark on our culture and where we’re at this point. So the decisions were incredibly difficult. The conversations were tough.”
“But,” Friedman countered, “with where we are, the division race, the composition of roster, everything — we felt like this was in the Dodgers’ best interest … [to] put us in a position to best win the World Series this year.”
Note the first factor Friedman mentioned in his answer.
Though the Dodgers are tied for the best record in the National League at 29-18, they continue to nurse the slimmest of NL West leads, entering Monday just one game up on the rival San Diego Padres (27-18) and upstart San Francisco Giants (28-19), and only four games clear of even the fourth-place Arizona Diamondbacks (25-22).
With their pitching staff already in tatters, at least temporarily, because of a wave of early-season injuries, the importance of consistent offense has also suddenly heightened; the Dodgers needing to maximize the production of their lineup to help offset a 4.18 team ERA that ranks 21st in the majors.
In a world where the Dodgers were running away with the division, or pitching the way they expected after two offseasons of spending heavily on the mound, maybe they could have tolerated Barnes’ and Taylor’s combined .208 batting average. They might have been more comfortable giving two longtime cornerstones of the franchise a longer leash to turn things around.
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Instead, as club brass surveyed this year’s competitive division landscape, they recognized that — this season more than most — every single victory could matter come the end of the campaign. That every single loss would make the challenge of winning another World Series incrementally tougher.
So, as Rushing crushed triple-A pitching and Kim excelled in what was initially planned to be only a brief big-league call-up, the Dodgers did what they felt like they must. Rushing replaced Barnes as backup catcher. Taylor was cut loose so Kim wouldn’t be sent back to the minors. And a roster that once seemed too top-heavy now has, at least in theory, more potential impact options to bring off the bench.
“We didn’t feel like coming into the season this was something that we would necessarily be doing in May,” Friedman said. “But with where we were, all things factored in, while not easy, we felt like it was the right thing to do.”
There were other reasons, of course, the Dodgers felt motivated to make such emotionally conflicting decisions now.
Manager Dave Roberts noted that Rushing (who was batting .308 in the minors this year, and has started his big-league career an impressive four-for-10) and Kim (who has hit .452 since arriving in the majors, and has impacted games with his versatile glove and lightning-quick speed) deserved opportunities for more prominent roles.
With most of the team’s core players on the wrong side of 30, there are longer-term considerations about developing younger talent as well.
“I think some of it is the [division] race,” Roberts said. “Some of it is, you still want to continue to develop young players and give them opportunities with a veteran ball club.”
Eventually, it was always likely that Rushing would force his way to the majors, and that Kim would carve out a niche with his well-rounded skill set.
But the early pressure being applied by the team’s NL West rivals still sped up that timeline. The Dodgers remember what happened in 2021. And, wary of having that reality repeat itself, they didn’t wait to begin acting with urgency this year.
“We saw it in 2021, winning 106 games and not winning the division,” Friedman said. “We have a tough division [again this year]. We’ve got some really good teams in our division who are playing well. And so for us, it’s about doing everything we can each night to try to win a game.”
And it came at the expense of the Dodgers’ longest-tenured position player.
In a major midseason roster shuffled Wednesday, the club called up Rushing, the big-hitting catcher who was ranked as the top prospect in their organization, and designated backup catcher Austin Barnes for assignment, closing the book on Barnes’ two-time title-winning tenure in Los Angeles while opening a new one on Rushing’s highly anticipated MLB career.
It’s no surprise that Rushing, a 2022 second-round pick out of the University of Louisville, is getting a crack at the majors. Over four minor-league seasons, the catcher slugged his way through the farm system by batting .277 with 54 home runs, 185 RBIs and a .931 OPS. After winning the organization’s minor league player of the year award last year, Rushing opened this season in triple-A Oklahoma City, hitting .308 in 31 games and ranking seventh in the Pacific Coast League with a .938 OPS. Even back this spring, manager Dave Roberts said Rushing’s bat was big-league ready.
“Pretty excited, obviously,” Rushing said from the Dodgers Stadium dugout on Wednesday afternoon, fresh off his first batting practice after arriving in the Southland in the afternoon. “Any person is gonna be excited in this situation. I think the biggest thing is just get around these guys and be as comfortable as possible. Understand that it’s still the same game, and I get to play with some of the best players in the world.”
No. 1 Oklahoma City vs. No. 4 Denver Nuggets Denver 121, at Oklahoma City 119 (box score) at Oklahoma City 149, Denver 106 (box score) at Denver 113, Oklahoma City 104 (OT) (box score) Oklahoma City 92, at Denver 87 (box score) at Oklahoma City 112, Denver 105 (box score) Thursday at Denver, 5:30 p.m., ESPN Sunday at Oklahoma City, 12:30 p.m., ABC*
No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves vs. No. 7 Golden State Golden State 99, at Minnesota 88 (box score) at Minnesota 117, Golden State 93 (box score) Minnesota 102, at Golden State 97 (box score) Minnesota 117, at Golden State 110 (box score) at Minnesota 121, Golden State 110 (box score)
Eastern Conference
No. 1 Cleveland vs. No. 4 Indiana Indiana 121, at Cleveland 112 (box score) Indiana 120, at Cleveland 119 (box score) Cleveland 126, at Indiana 104 (box score) at Indiana 129, Cleveland 109 (box score) Indiana 114, at Cleveland 105 (box score)
No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 New York New York 108, at Boston 105 (OT) (box score) New York 91, at Boston 90 (box score) Boston 115, at New York 93 (box score) at New York 121, Boston 113 (box score) at Boston 127, New York 102 (box score) Friday at New York, 5 p.m., ESPN Monday at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT*
*if necessary
ANGELS
Xander Bogaerts hit a three-run homer in the first inning and Randy Vásquez pitched six innings of four-hit ball in the San Diego Padres’ 5-1 victory over the Angels on Wednesday night.
Manny Machado extended his hitting streak to 13 games with two hits and two walks as the Padres took two of three from the Angels.
Brandon Lockridge added a two-run single in the eighth for San Diego, which has won 10 of 14 to keep pace with the Dodgers in the NL West.
The Rams will open their 2025 season on Sept. 7 against the Texans at SoFi Stadium, a presumably comfortable start to a 17-game schedule that will see the Rams travel the second-most air miles in the NFL.
The NFL announced the full schedule on Wednesday, and the Rams in the first seven weeks will board flights for the majority of the 34,832 miles they will travel for games against opponents in the NFC West, NFC South, NFC East and AFC South, including one in London.
The Rams, who advanced to the NFC divisional round last season, are regarded as a Super Bowl contender.
Sept. 7, HOUSTON, 1:25 p.m. (CBS) Sept. 14, at Tennessee, 10 a.m. (CBS) Sept. 21, at Philadelphia, 10 a.m. (Fox) Sept. 28, INDIANAPOLIS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox) Oct. 2, SAN FRANCISCO, 5:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime) Oct. 12, at Baltimore, 10 a.m. (Fox) Oct. 19, at Jacksonville in London, 6:30 a.m. (NFL Network) Oct. 26, off week. Nov. 2, NEW ORLEANS, 1:05 p.m. (Fox) Nov. 9, at San Francisco, 1:25 p.m. (Fox) Nov. 16, SEATTLE, 1:05 p.m. (Fox) Nov. 23, TAMPA BAY, 5:20 p.m. (NBC) Nov. 30, at Carolina, 10 a.m. (Fox) Dec. 7, at Arizona, 1:25 p.m (Fox) Dec. 14, DETROIT, 1:25 p.m. (Fox) Dec. 18, at Seattle, 5:15 p.m. (Amazon Prime) Dec. 29, at Atlanta, 5:15 p.m. (ESPN) Week 17, ARIZONA, TBD (TBD)
CHARGERS
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen: As Jim Harbaugh said last year in preparation for an extended road trip: Bring the board games and snacks.
This will be a long ride.
The Chargers will cover the most air miles of any NFL team in 2025, traveling more than 37,000 miles, according to Bookies.com. The itinerary starts with a trip to Sao Paulo to face AFC West rival Kansas City on Sept. 5 in the NFL’s second regular-season game played in South America.
The season opener is the first of three consecutive divisional games to kick off the Chargers’ second year under Harbaugh. The AFC West added former Seahawks and USC coach Pete Carroll in Las Vegas, where the Chargers will play at 7 p.m. PDT on Sept. 15 in a “Monday Night Football” showcase. It’s one of five prime-time games for the Chargers.
From Ben Bolch: In his later years, John Wooden liked to muse about one oddity of his first 12 years as UCLA’s basketball coach.
His paychecks were always signed by the student body president.
One of those presidents, Rafer Johnson, also played for Wooden, meaning that Johnson in effect could have been considered his coach’s boss.
The arrangement stemmed from an ethos that gave UCLA students a large measure of control over their own campus from the 1920s through the late 1950s. The students ran the campus bookstore, the cafeteria and intercollegiate athletics, all of it managed by an organization called Associated Students UCLA that was overseen by a student-majority board of directors.
Change came after a dispute about abandoning the Pacific Coast Conference as the result of a scandal involving payments to players. The University of California regents, irked by the lack of direct authority that the chancellors at UCLA and sister school UC Berkeley had over the intercollegiate athletic programs at each campus, decided that starting in the summer of 1960, the athletic departments at each campus would be university departments reporting directly to their respective chancellor. That move came with the mandate that each athletic program was considered an auxiliary enterprise similar to campus parking and housing, with the expectation that they would be similarly self-sustaining.
Tai Baribo scored two second-half goals, including the winner in stoppage time, and the Philadelphia Union rallied to beat the Galaxy for the first time at home with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night.
The Galaxy (0-9-4) continued the worst start by a defending champion in MLS history despite Diego Fagúndez becoming the eighth player in league history to reach 75 goals and 75 assists in a career.
Baribo scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time after tying the match 2-2 with a goal in the 50th for the Union (8-3-2), who are on a five-match unbeaten run. Baribo has a league-leading 10 goals this season.
From Kevin Baxter: The weather is starting to heat up and so is LAFC, which ran its unbeaten streak to a season-best six games Wednesday with a 4-0 win over the Seattle Sounders at BMO Stadium.
The four goals, which marked a season high for LAFC, came from Cengiz Under, Jeremy Ebobisse, Denis Bouanga and Yaw Yeboah, and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris made three saves to earn his second clean sheet in three games. It was his league-leading sixth shutout of the season.
LAFC went in front to stay in the 26th minute on Under’s second MLS goal, a left-footed strike from well outside the box that appeared to hit a Seattle defender before one-hopping past keeper Andrew Thomas, who was making his second start of the season.
That’s apparently the conclusion the Kings came to in their search for a general manager because they chose Ken Holland, the architect of an Edmonton Oilers team that knocked the Kings out of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round in each of the last four seasons.
Holland, 69, will replace Rob Blake, who stepped down last week. The Kings made the playoffs five times in eight seasons under Blake, a former Hall of Fame defenseman, but lost in the first round each time. The team hasn’t won a playoff series since the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, a record 11-year drought for the franchise.
“As we did our due diligence, we identified Ken as the absolute best option and acted decisively to make him our general manager,” Kings president Luc Robitaille said in a statement Wednesday. “His track record of success is undeniable and after our conversations with him, we were clearly convinced he was the right person for us at this time.
Pacific 1 Vegas vs. Pacific 3 Edmonton Edmonton 4, at Vegas 2 (summary) Edmonton 5, at Vegas 4 (OT) (summary) Vegas 4, at Edmonton 3 (summary) at Edmonton 3, Vegas 0 (summary) Edmonton 1, at Vegas 0 (OT) (summary)
C1 Winnipeg vs. C2 Dallas Dallas 3, at Winnipeg 2 (summary) Winnipeg 4, at Dallas 0 (summary) Dallas 5, at Winnipeg 2 (summary) at Dallas 3, Winnipeg 1 (summary) Thursday at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m., TNT Saturday at Dallas, TBD* Monday at Winnipeg, TBD, ESPN*
Eastern Conference
Atlantic 1 Toronto vs. Atlantic 3 Florida at Toronto 5, Florida 4 (summary) at Toronto 4, Florida 3 (summary) at Florida 5, Toronto 4 (OT) (summary) at Florida 2, Toronto 0 (summary) Florida 6, at Toronto 1 (summary) Friday at Florida, TBD, TNT Sunday at Toronto, TBD, TNT*
Metro 1 Washington vs. Metro 2 Carolina Carolina 2, at Washington 1 (OT) (summary) at Washington 3, Carolina 1 (summary) at Carolina 4, Washington 0 (summary) at Carolina 5, Washington 2 (summary) Thursday at Washington, 4 p.m., TNT Saturday at Carolina, TBD* Monday at Washington, TBD, ESPN*
* If necessary
THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
1937 — War Admiral, ridden by Charles Kurtsinger, battles Pompoon from the top of the stretch and wins the Preakness Stakes by a head.
1948 — Citation, ridden by Eddie Arcaro, wins the Preakness Stakes by 5½ lengths over Vulcan’s Forge.
1952 — Johnny Longden becomes 2nd jockey to ride 4,000 winners.
1953 — In his first world heavyweight title defense, Rocky Marciano KOs former champion Jersey Joe Walcott in the 1st round at Chicago Stadium.
1963 — Tottenham Hotspur of England win 3rd European Cup winner’s Cup against Atlético Madrid of Spain 5-1 at Rotterdam.
1971 — Canonero II, ridden by Gustavo Avila, captures the Preakness Stakes by 1½ lengths over Eastern Fleet.
1985 — Everton of England wins 25th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Rapid Wien of Austria 3-1 in Rotterdam.
1990 — Petr Klima scores at 15:13 of the third overtime to end the longest game in Stanley Cup Final history for the Edmonton Oilers — a 3-2 series-opening victory over the Boston Bruins in a game delayed 25 minutes because of a lighting problem.
1991 — Manchester United of England win 31th European Cup Winner’s Cup against FC Barcelona 2-1 in Rotterdam.
1994 — LPGA Championship Women’s Golf, DuPont CC: Laura Davies of England wins her second major title, 3 strokes ahead of runner-up Alice Ritzman.
1998 — Notah Begay III joins Al Geiberger and Chip Beck as the only players to shoot a 59 on a U.S. pro tour. He does it at the Nike Old Dominion Open.
1999 — Charismatic wins the Preakness and a chance to become the 12th Triple Crown champion, finishing 1½ lengths ahead of Menifee. It’s the 12th Triple Crown race victory for trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
2002 — 10th UEFA Champions League Final: Real Madrid beats Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 at Glasgow.
2003 — The three-year championship reign of the Lakers ends. Tim Duncan has 37 points and 16 rebounds, and Tony Parker adds 27 points to help the San Antonio Spurs overpower the Lakers 110-82 to win the Western Conference semifinal series 4-2.
2004 — With one breathtaking surge, Smarty Jones posts a record 11½-length victory in the Preakness. Rock Hard Ten, in his fourth start, finishes strong for second ahead of Eddington.
2005 — Annika Sorenstam cruises to a 10-stroke win in the Chick-fil-A Charity Championship, finishing with a 23-under 265 total, matching the biggest 72-hole win of her career.
2010 — English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (88,335): Chelsea beats Portsmouth,1-0; Didier Drogba scores 59′ winner; Blues’ 6th title.
2011 — Finland scores five late goals to beat Sweden 6-1 and claim its second title at the hockey world championships. The Finns also beat rival Sweden in the 1995 final.
2011 — English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (88,335): Chelsea beats Portsmouth,1-0; Didier Drogba scores 59′ winner; Blues’ 6th title.
2015 — Stephen Curry scores 32 points, including a 62-footer to end the third quarter, and Golden State advances to its first Western Conference finals since 1976 by beating Memphis 108-95. The Warriors the first team since 1985 to hit 14 or more 3s in three consecutive playoff games.
2016 — PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: World #1 and reigning PGA Champion Jason Day of Australia leads wire-to-wire to win by 4 strokes ahead of Kevin Chappell.
THIS DAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1918 — Washington’s Walter Johnson pitched a 1-0, 18-inning victory over Lefty Williams of the Chicago White Sox, who also went the distance.
1919 — After 12 scoreless innings, Cincinnati scored 10 runs off Al Mamaux in the 13th to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 10-0.
1933 — The major leagues advance the cut-down date a month, limiting rosters to 23 players today instead of June 15th.
1935 — Lou Gehrig steals home in a 4-0 Yankee win over the Tigers. It is his 15th and last steal of home, all of which were double steals.
1941 — Joe DiMaggio began his 56-game hitting streak against Chicago’s Eddie Smith, going 1-for-4 with one RBI.
1944 — Clyde Shoun of the Reds tossed a no-hitter against the Boston Braves for a 1-0 victory in Cincinnati. Chuck Aleno’s only home run of the year was the difference.
1951 — At Fenway Park, the Red Sox celebrate the 50th anniversary of their first American League game in Boston.
1952 — Detroit’s Virgil Trucks pitched the first of his two no-hitters for the season, beating the Washington Senators 1-0. Vic Wertz’s two-out homer in the ninth off Bob Porterfield won the game.
1960 — Don Cardwell became the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in his first start after being traded. The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-0 at Wrigley Field.
1973 — Nolan Ryan of the Angels pitched the first of a record seven no-hitters, beating the Kansas City Royals 3-0. Ryan tossed his second gem two months later.
1978 — His 7th-inning, two-run homer moves Willie Stargell past the late Roberto Clemente into sole possession of second place on Pittsburgh’s all-time RBI list, his total of 1,307 now trailing only Honus Wagner’s 1,475.
1981 — Len Barker of Cleveland pitched the first perfect game in 13 years as the Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 at Municipal Stadium.
1993 — The Montreal Expos retired their first number, No. 10 for Rusty Staub.
1996 — Chicago outfielder Tony Phillips went into the stands to confront a heckling fan during the White Sox’s 20-8 victory at Milwaukee. Phillips, who already had changed into street clothes after being taken out of the game in the sixth inning, went after a 23-year-old fan in the left-field bleachers.
2005 — Morgan Ensberg hit three home runs and finished 4-for-4 with five RBIs in Houston’s 9-0 victory over San Francisco.
2005 — New York’s Tino Martinez hit two homers and drove in three runs in the Yankees’ 6-4 win over Oakland. The two homers gave Martinez eight homers in his last eight games.
2018 — Two days after being sidelined by a broken bone in his hand, 2B Robinson Cano of the Mariners is suspended for 80 days for testing positive for a banned substance in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
2019 — Pitcher Edwin Jackson makes history by playing for his 14th team when he starts today’s game for the Blue Jays against the Giants.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
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