final

Shohei looks sharp

From Maddie Lee: Shohei Ohtani’s three straight strikeouts in the fourth inning of his final spring start Tuesday featured a different putaway pitch for each.

He got Angels slugger Jorge Soler to whiff on a sweeper. Jeimer Candelario went down on a curveball. And Jo Adell struck out on a fastball.

“Just shows the confidence he has and different ways he had to attack guys, to get ahead and also put guys away,” manager Dave Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 3-0 loss to the Angels in the Freeway Series finale. “And today the feel was really good, even better than the first outing.”

Pretty much everything was clicking for Ohtani heading into the regular season, even though it was only his second spring training start on the mound. Ohtani recorded 11 strikeouts in four-plus innings. He held the Angels to four hits, three of which were consecutive singles in the fifth, and was charged with three runs, all scored in the fifth.

For the first time in three years, Ohtani is set to begin the season as a fully healthy pitcher. And it will be the Dodgers’ first time managing his two-way schedule all year. Limited the last two seasons by his recovery and build-up from elbow surgery, Ohtani last made 20-plus starts in 2023 with the Angels.

“The desire is high,” Roberts said when asked about Ohtani’s aim to pitch wall to wall. “I think it’s realistic. Then the bigger question is, how are we going to manage that and navigate it?”

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Can Kurt Suzuki lead Angels to success?

From Steve Galluzzo: Anxious may be the best word to describe the vibe in Anaheim before the Angels fly to Houston ahead of Thursday afternoon’s season opener versus the Astros.

New manager Kurt Suzuki has infused enthusiasm into a club that has not finished above .500 since 2015 and has missed the playoffs for an MLB-worst 11 straight seasons. The Angels went 72-90 and finished last in the American League West, though they were nine games better than 2024 — when they set a franchise record for losses with 99. Time will tell if the Halos have enough talent to contend in a division the Seattle Mariners are heavily favored to win.

A special assistant for the Angels the last three seasons, Suzuki signed a one-year contract last October and is the team’s fifth full-time manager since Mike Scioscia stepped down in 2018 after compiling a franchise-record 1,650 victories over 19 seasons. Suzuki spent 16 seasons as a major league catcher, retiring in 2022.

“It’s been fun,” Suzuki said prior to Sunday’s Freeway Series game, a 13-5 loss to the Dodgers at Angel Stadium. “Obviously I’ve never managed before but just being out of the game just as recently as a few years ago I understand the situations of the game, the speed of the game and those type of things. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy by any means. It’s a lot of work, but I’m having a great time, we’re surrounded by great people and the guys have been awesome so it’s been all good.”

As a former player, Suzuki will trust his instincts.

“For me, it’s attention to detail, it’s fundamentals, it’s just really being a baseball player,” he said. “Sometimes in this day and age of analytics and all that stuff you can kind of get lost in that sometimes. Not to say forget about it, but I think the more you can just play baseball how it’s supposed to be played, move guys over, situational hitting, things you grew up doing, if we can kind of keep that style and play hard and all that, I like our chances.”

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Drop Los Angeles from the Angels?

From Bill Shaikin: Two decades after owner Arte Moreno decided the Angels should play under the Los Angeles name, elected officials representing Anaheim are pursuing two paths toward getting their hometown back into the team name.

Assemblyman Avelino Valencia, whose district includes Angel Stadium, has introduced state legislation that could require any sale or new lease of the stadium property be conditioned upon the team reverting to the Anaheim Angels name.

Meanwhile, Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken has asked the city attorney to explore whether the Angels have violated their current lease by dropping the Anaheim name from legal documents.

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Why UCLA women might not win it all

From Mirjam Swanson: Absolutely, this is the best team in UCLA women’s basketball history.

Not the best team in the country this year, but truly a testament to teamwork and hard work and talent retention.

Whether UCLA wins it all this season or not, the Bruins are the envy of teams everywhere, including Oklahoma State, whose season they ended with an 87-68 second-round victory Monday. Afterward, UCLA’s six seniors joined their teammates in one last victory lap around the court, waving to fans, soaking in the adoration, on their way to the Sweet 16 for the fourth consecutive season.

“Seeing a team who gets to host, a team who has stayed together, for the most part, they get to experience all the things that all of us want, and that is so incredibly rare and hard and special,” Oklahoma State coach Jacie Hoyt said.

But how much further those things will take these Bruins in the NCAA tournament after they fought off Oklahoma State?

Maybe all the way, but maybe not.

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Kings lose to Flames

Yegor Sharangovich scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Kings on Tuesday night.

Olli Maatta and Zayne Parekh, each with their first goals of the season, scored in regulation time for the Flames, who have won four games in a row for the first time this season. Dustin Wolf stopped 23 shots.

Quinton Byfield scored both goals and Darcy Kuemper made 21 saves for the Kings, who have points in seven of their last nine but just three victories. They have dropped four straight.

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Kings summary

NHL standings

First-place Ducks beat Canucks

Mikael Granlund scored twice, Alex Killorn had a goal and an assist, and the Ducks beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Mason McTavish and Troy Terry also scored for the Ducks, while John Carlson had three assists and Lukas Dostal stopped 27 shots.

The Ducks grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second period, only to see Vancouver rally and tie the score twice before McTavish scored the winner at the 5:45 mark of the third.

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Ducks summary

NHL standings

This day in sports history

1934 — Horton Smith wins the first Masters golf tournament by one stroke over Craig Wood.

1947 — Holy Cross, led by George Kaftan, beats Oklahoma 58-47 in the NCAA basketball championship.

1958 — Sugar Ray Robinson regains the middleweight title for a record fifth time with a 15-round decision over Carmen Basilio.

1961 — Cincinnati ends Ohio State’s 32-game winning streak with a 70-65 win in the NCAA basketball championship. In the third-place game, St. Joseph’s beats Utah 127-120 in quadruple-overtime.

1967 — UCLA, led by sophomore Lew Alcindor’s 20 points, beats Dayton 79-64 for the NCAA basketball championship.

1972 — Bill Walton scores 24 points to lead UCLA to an 81-76 victory over Florida State and the NCAA basketball title.

1972 — Maryland beats Niagara 100-69 in the NIT championship, becoming the first team to score 100 points in the finals of the tournament.

1973 — The Philadelphia 76ers post the worst mark in NBA history at 9-73 under coaches Roy Rubin (4-47) and Kevin Loughery (5-26).

1982 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the first NHL player to score 200 points in a season.

1995 — Scotty Bowman gets his 900th regular-season coaching victory as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Canucks 2-1 in Vancouver.

2006 — Following the tradition of teenage American women pulling off big upsets, 16-year-old Kimmie Meissner uses the performance of her life to soar to the World Figure Skating Championships title.

2008 — Tennessee gives coach Pat Summitt her 100th NCAA tournament win, a 78-52 rout of host Purdue. The win sends the Lady Vols to the NCAA regional semifinals.

2011 — The Southwest regional is the first in NCAA men’s basketball history with three double-digit seeded teams in the semifinals. Virginia Commonwealth, an 11th seed beats 10th seed Florida State 72-71 in overtime and the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks beat No. 12 seed Richmond 77-57 in the region’s other semifinal.

2012 — In the NBA’s first quadruple-overtime game since 1997, Joe Johnson scores 37 points and Josh Smith adds 22 as the Atlanta Hawks beat Utah 139-133. The four overtimes tie for the third-longest game in NBA history.

2016 — Klay Thompson scores 40 points and Stephen Curry adds 33 to help the Golden State Warriors become the second team to post back-to-back 65-win seasons with a 128-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. The Warriors improve their record to 65-7 following a 67-win season a year ago. The only other team to win at least 65 games in consecutive seasons was Chicago in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

2017 — Arrogate shows his class again in the $10 million Dubai World Cup as he comes from last place to win by an impressive 2 1/4 lengths.

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.

The award-winning series returns for its fifth and final season soon, with fans calling it ‘awesome’

Fans of the series are wishing it would never end.

Fans of comedy dramas are in for a delight as an acclaimed dark comedy is poised to return with a brand new season soon.

The series first premiered on HBO Max back in 2021 and it charts the journey of a stand-up comedian and her comedy writer as they grapple with the shifting dynamics of their partnership.

The popular comedy was renewed for a fifth and concluding season, set to air on April 9, and it features Jean Smart as Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels.

HBO Max has just unveiled the trailer for the final season of Hacks, and within 24 hours it amassed over a million views.

Fans flocked to the YouTube comments to express their opinions, with one viewer exclaiming: “I never want it to end!!!”

Another commented: “I love when a series announces the final season, even though I adore Hacks, to end it’s inevitable, and to conclude with full control and a solid script is even better.”

A third chimed in: “I freaking love this show, I can’t wait for this final season.” Whilst a fourth enthused: “This is gonna be amazing!!!!!!”

A fifth declared: “Hands down, one of the best comedy series ever! Why does it have to end?”

Whilst numerous fans were disheartened that the series was drawing to a close, others were content that the show was concluding on its own terms.

One stated: “I’m so glad they’re going to be able to finish it knowing it’s the end.”

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Sky is giving away free subscriptions to HBO Max with its Ultimate TV bundle, which also includes Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, Hayu, and around 135 channels at no extra cost.

Season five was confirmed to be the final season at the 2025 Emmy Awards, with star Hannah Einbinder revealing: “I think it will feel different.

“We’re going to start [filming] next week, and knowing it’s the last season is really bittersweet. But I think it’s right, you know?”

Einbinder expressed that it was the appropriate time to conclude the show, stating it’s crucial not to “overstay your welcome.

“I think it’s nice to do something as many times as it should be done,” she further commented. “Not overstay your welcome. Rip it and do it and laugh and cry.”

All four preceding seasons of Hacks have garnered critical praise and on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the series as a whole boasts an impressive 99 per cent rating.

Hacks airs on HBO Max.

Scotland assistant coach Steven Naismith hailed Curtis’ drive to move out on loan and not be content with being a squad player at Rangers.

“This desire, this instinctive nature to get chances,” Naismith added on BBC Sportscene when analysing the youngster’s weekend goal.

“He’s got a bit of pace, he’s direct, he commits defenders – these are all things that have caught the eye.”

Former Celtic and Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan added on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast: “When we don’t have Gannon-Doak, we don’t have someone who can really travel with the ball. Curtis does have that.

“Yes, he’s still developing and doesn’t always have that final ball, but that can be worked on. We aren’t blessed with a lot of pace, especially in the attacking areas.

“You have to have pace in those areas, especially when at times we’ll be forced back and when we’re then trying to get up the pitch. Players with pace can be the difference.”

MAFS star Charlene Douglas has revealed the heartbreaking “final days” she spent with her late friend Mel Schilling following her tragic death.

The relationship expert said she was left “devastated” as she opened up about their last moments together.

Mel Schilling has tragically died aged 54 after a brave battle with colon cancer.

The much-loved dating coach was known for her invaluable work on both the Married At First Sight Australia and UK versions of the show.

She worked alongside Charlene Douglas on Married At First Sight UK.

The TV star shared an emotional tribute, reflecting on their close bond and the impact Mel had on her life.

FEARLESS MEL

How Mel Schilling hid cancer hell from legion of fans despite pain off camera

LAST OUTING

Final pictures of late Mel Schilling four months before tragic death

Taking to Instagram, she wrote: “I’m both devastated and heartbroken to hear of the passing of my MAFS queen and friend Mel.

“I had the pleasure of spending time with Mel in her last days and will forever treasure the laughter, the memories and love we had for each other.

“Mel’s love for life, jokes and of course dancing will forever stay in my heart. What I wouldn’t give to be dancing to Beyoncé with you right now.

“Sleep in perfect peace Mel. Love you ♥️”

Mel was previously diagnosed with colon cancer in 2023, which later spread to her lungs and brain.

Her husband Gareth Brisbane announced the heartbreaking news today in an emotional Instagram post.

Alongside touching pictures of Mel, he said: “Melanie Jane Brisbane-Schilling passed away peacefully today, surrounded by love.

“In her final moments, when I thought cancer had taken away her ability to speak, she ushered me closer and whispered a message for Maddie and me that will sustain me for the rest of my life.

“It took all of her remaining strength, and that gesture summed up our wee Melsie perfectly. Even then, her only thought was for Maddie and me.”

He continued: “This is a woman who became a new mum and a TV star at 42 — and nailed both.

“This is a woman who, through two years of chemotherapy, when she could barely lift her head from the pillow, never complained and never stopped showing courage, grace, compassion and empathy, and never missed a day of filming.

“To most of you, she was Mel Schilling — matriarch of MAFS and queen of reality TV. To Maddie and me, she was our wee Melsie: an incredible mum, role model, and soulmate.”

Tributes have poured in for the TV star since the tragic announcement.

Channel 4 hailed Mel as a friend who “radiated joy, warmth and optimism”.

Issuing a statement, it said: “Our thoughts and condolences are, first and foremost, with her family and loved ones.

“We’re privileged to be the channel that is home to Mel’s work, which was at the heart of Married At First Sight‘s phenomenal success, both in the UK and Australia.

“It reflected so much about her – her fierce advocacy for other women, her passion for healthy relationships and her mission to unite people in love.

“For many who work for Channel 4, Mel was not just a colleague but a friend, someone who radiated joy, warmth and optimism, who energized every room she walked into, with humour and positivity.

“Everyone who knew her will miss all this about her and much more. We share in the sorrow that we’re sure many viewers will now feel at this terrible loss.”

The first 45 minutes was the epitome of two teams cancelling each other out – but once the second half began the landscape was set for City’s win.

They were the more progressive, aggressive side. Their attacking intent started to overwhelm Arsenal, the pressure became impossible to resist. Smoother on the ball and more cohesive than an Arsenal side based on organisation, the traffic only flowed one way.

Arrizabalaga already had Arsenal’s nerves on edge with an injudicious dash from goal which resulted in a yellow card for a panicked foul on Jeremy Doku.

Much, much worse was to come for Arsenal and their goalkeeper.

It remains six years since Arteta won his one and only trophy as Arsenal manager, and the way in which his team went into their shell here will be a concern that he must hope is not repeated as the pressure mounts in the closing weeks of the season.

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC Sport: “Manchester City played to win. I think that’s what they’re bred to do over ten, 15 years. I think now they’re very much bred to win. I think they’ve been really disappointed with the FA Cup final at the end of last season [when they lost to Crystal Palace].

“A lot will be read into it putting a marker down or whatever, but I don’t think so. I think it was just about Manchester City winning trophies, which is what they’ve done so regularly recently – and this is another big one.

“It is also a huge day for Pep Guardiola, who’s won everything, but now stands alone in terms of managers winning the League Cup. He’s won it five times, going one clear of Sir Alex Ferguson. How much of a testament is that to his ability, his special touch and what he’s done over the years with Manchester City?”

Arteta is braced for the battle to recover from this setback and focus on three trophies, saying: “We had eight amazing months with this team. Today is a disappointment. We need to use that fire in the belly for the next two months to have an incredible season.”

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s painful, especially for our players and supporters, because we really wanted to lift that trophy. It was two very different halves, especially the first half when I think we were better than them and had the best two chances of the game.

“We didn’t capitalise on that. Credit to them for what they have done. A really sad day.”

He must hope it is the last sad day of what has been an outstanding season so far – for Guardiola, he will hope City’s win, and the manner in which it was achieved, will play on Arsenal’s nerves.

Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh produced the snooker of his life, firing in a maximum 147 break and finishing with three consecutive centuries to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-7 in the final of the World Open in Yushan.

The 41st seed toppled world number one Judd Trump in the semi-finals and came back from 4-0 down to beat arguably the sport’s greatest ever player in the final.

O’Sullivan hit the sport’s highest ever break of 153 on his run to a 66th ranking final and the 50-year-old Englishman had looked back to something approaching his best as he hunted down a 42nd ranking title – and first since January 2024.

“I just wanted to try my best because I didn’t know when I might be in another final again,” said 40-year-old Un-Nooh, whose only previous title came in the 2019 Shoot Out.

Seven-time world champion O’Sullivan had started the final quickly, reeling off the opening four frames in a run that included a 124 break, but the Thai world number 39 rattled off six consecutive frames thanks to some heavy scoring that included five breaks over 50.

O’Sullivan countered with three consecutive century breaks – 114, 116 and 136 – to regain the lead in a match of the highest quality, only for his opponent to level with a break of 77 then score three centuries of his own to clinch victory.

Un-Nooh’s unbelievable burst of scoring included breaks of 132 and 131, either side of his nerveless 147 in the penultimate frame, to provide a fitting climax.

The performance earned Un-Nooh a £175,000 purse in a season when he had failed to make it past the last 16 in any other tournament, while O’Sullivan had to be content with a £75,000 prize for the highest break.

“I just want to say well done to Thepchaiya who played unbelievable snooker,” O’Sullivan told the Yushan crowd.

“I watched him play against Judd Trump last night and he made the number one player in the world look second best. I was hoping he wouldn’t play like that today but he did – he gave me a good hiding, really.”

Follow our live build-up, with team news, before our text commentary stream of the Women’s Asian Cup final.

PHOENIX — Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto went into his final start of the spring with a focus on throwing first-pitch strikes, while also hoping to test his composure with men on base.

He achieved both Friday, limiting the traveling half of the Padres’ split squad to three hits in five scoreless innings. The next time Yamamoto takes the mound for a game, it’ll be on opening day at Dodger Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday.

“There were a few things I wanted to try,” Yamamoto said through an interpreter after his part of the Dodgers’ 4-3 win. “And [Friday] I was able to get into the game very nicely.”

The game featured a possible preview of the Dodger’s opening-day lineup — “I don’t know, we’ll see, it’s some good players,” manager Dave Roberts said with a smile.

Few roster decisions remained, after camp cuts Wednesday included right-handers Kyle Hurt and River Ryan, and infielder Ryan Fitzgerald.

“They’re always difficult with guys hoping, expecting to break with us,” Roberts said of his conversations with cut players. “There’s obviously some good ones where you tell a guy that he’s going to make the club. But I think the main thing that just shouldn’t get lost is, it’s not always just about starting. It’s where you finish.”

As of Friday, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Freeland were still locked in a second-base battle. And the Dodgers had to sort out roles at the back end of the rotation.

Roberts said he expected to carry a swingman who would likely pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen early in the season, when the Dodgers’ schedule includes frequent off days, and later serve as a sixth starter.

Yamamoto, however, had been the clear choice to lead the rotation, long before Roberts made it official Monday.

“It’ll be nice to hand the ball to him and it’s not an elimination game,” Roberts said, referencing Yamamoto’s World Series MVP performance. “That’ll be fun for me.”

Coming off pitching meaningful games in the World Baseball Classic, Yamamoto had one last chance Friday for a tuneup.

He struck out the first three batters he faced, with first-pitch strikes to each.

The next inning, Yamamoto gave up back-to-back one-out singles. He escaped the jam with two more strikeouts. Yamamoto tallied seven strikeouts in an overall smooth performance.

“He came out, really, with a purpose,” Roberts said. “And I thought everything looked good, the fastball — the life to it, the command of it — the cutter, slider, curve ball was good, the split, everything was good. And very efficient. And pretty effortlessly got through five innings, so that was really good to see.”

CHUCK Norris’ heartbreaking final post after his death has been revealed.

The 86-year-old actor died on Thursday after being hospitalized in Kauai for an undisclosed medical incident.

“I don’t age. I level up,” the actor captioned a video of him sparring with boxing gloves on.

“I’m 86 today! Nothing like some playful action on a sunny day to make you feel young. I’m grateful for another year, good health and the chance to keep doing what I love.

“Thank you all for being the best fans in the world. Your support through the years has meant more to me than you’ll ever know.”

The actor turned 86 on March 10.

GOODBYE, TEXAS RANGER

Chuck Norris dead at 86 after suffering ‘medical emergency’ in Hawaii

STILL FIGHTING

Legendary actor Chuck Norris ‘rushed to hospital’ after ‘medical emergency’

The medical emergency that landed him in the hospital reportedly happened suddenly and unexpectedly.

TMZ reported earlier in the week Chuck was training in Hawaii with friends, as shown in his final video.

The actor’s family confirmed his death in a social media statement.

“It is with heavy hearts that our family shares the sudden passing of our beloved Chuck Norris yesterday morning,” the statement, posted on his Instagram, began.

“While we would like to keep the circumstances private, please know that he was surrounded by his family and was at peace.

“To the world, he was a martial artist, actor, and a symbol of strength. To us, he was a devoted husband, a loving father and grandfather, an incredible brother, and the heart of our family.”

The family continued, “He lived life with faith, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to the people he loved. Through his work, discipline, and kindness, he inspired millions around the world and left a lasting impact on so many lives.

“While our hearts are broken, we are deeply grateful for the life he lived and for the unforgettable moments we were blessed to share with him.

“The love and support he received from fans around the world meant so much to him, and our family is truly thankful for it. To him, you were not just fans, you were his friends.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

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Who: Japan vs Australia
What: AFC Women’s Asian Cup final
Where: Stadium Australia, Sydney
When: Saturday at 8pm (09:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 06:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.

Two and a half years after their Women’s World Cup dream on home soil ended in heartbreak, Australia return to the same piece of turf in search of redemption.

The ghosts of the past may still linger, but Saturday’s final offers the Matildas’ golden generation something more: the chance to rewrite their story and lift a first major trophy in front of their own fans.

With eyes on a second continental title, Australia will face heavyweights and two-time champions Japan in a blockbuster Women’s Asian Cup final at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, the same venue on which the Matildas were stunned 3-1 by eventual runners-up England in the 2023 World Cup semifinals.

While many consider Australia favourites to lift the trophy this weekend, history tells a different story. The Matildas have lost both previous continental finals against Japan, leaving the hosts hoping the third time will be the charm.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the final and what to expect from both teams:

How did Australia and Japan reach the final?

Both Australia and Japan have enjoyed an unbeaten route to the final, with the Aussies finishing second in Group A and Japan topping Group C.

Australia, 15th in the FIFA world rankings, opened their campaign with a 1-0 win over the Philippines before thrashing Iran 4-0, but had to fight for a 3-3 draw with South Korea in the final group game.

The knockouts saw Australia overcome North Korea 2-1 in the quarterfinals before they were tested brutally by record nine-time champions China in the semifinals, which they won 2-1.

In contrast, World No 6 Japan, the highest-ranked team in the tournament, were dominant from the get-go, beating Taiwan 2-0 to start their campaign. That was followed by an 11-0 rout of India and a 4-0 mauling of Vietnam, as the Nadeshiko sailed into the knockouts with a perfect record and a clean sheet.

In the quarterfinals, they swept past the Philippines 7-0 before downing South Korea 4-1 in the semifinals, reminding fans of why they are the most dangerous side in this tournament.

How many times have Australia and Japan faced each other?

Australia and Japan are familiar foes, having faced off 30 times. The defining clashes came in the 2014 and 2018 editions of the Women’s Asian Cup, when Japan beat Australia 1-0 both times in the final of those tournaments.

Saturday’s match is also the first time Australia have been in the final since losing the 2018 edition.

Australia and Japan last met a little over a year ago at the SheBelieves Cup in the United States. Japan beat the Aussies 4-0 en route to winning the title.

How many Asian Cups have Australia and Japan won?

Australia have won the Women’s Asian Cup once – their only major title – at the 2010 edition in China, where the Matildas defeated North Korea 5-4 on penalties. Current captain Sam Kerr, then 16 years old, scored the opening goal in that final.

Japan have won the Asian Cup twice, in 2014 and 2018, while they ended runners-up four times (1986, 1991, 1995, 2001).

Japan are also the only Asian team to have won the Women’s World Cup, beating the United States on penalties in the 2011 edition in Germany.

What’s the prize money for the winner?

Along with continental bragging rights, the champions will receive a cheque for $1.8m – the same prize money from 2022, which is lower than any other confederation’s equivalent tournament besides Oceania.

In comparison, the winner at the 2023 men’s Asian Cup took home a prize purse of $14.8 million.

Kerr shines for Australia, Ueki leads the way for Japan

Sidelined for two years by an ACL injury, Australia captain Kerr arrived at the 2026 tournament with questions surrounding her fitness and saddled with a ⁠heavy burden to restore pride in the Matildas.

Now with four goals in five matches, including a sublime winner in Tuesday’s semifinal, the 32-year-old striker has silenced all doubts and carried her team back ⁠into the national spotlight.

“I know I can be one of the best players in the world, and I am showing that at this tournament,” the Chelsea striker said of her recent form.

Along with Kerr, central midfielder Alanna Kennedy has been a goal-scoring machine for the ‘Tillies’, netting five goals in as many matches to sit second on the top-scorers list, while Caitlin Foord has been a key playmaker with three assists.

But the tournament’s spotlight has been captured by Japan’s Riko Ueki, whose six goals in four matches – including a stunning hat-trick off the bench against India – lead the charts.

The striker, often a vital presence in Japan’s front three, poses a headache to the opposition, alongside winger Kiko Seike, who has four goals in four games.

Japan coach says Matildas are ‘massive favourites’

Japan coach Nils Nielsen insists Australia will be “massive favourites” in the final, but his team’s near-flawless progress to the title match suggests otherwise.

Japan’s attacking force has scored a whopping 28 goals in five games, while their solid backline has conceded just one, against South Korea in the semifinals.

The Nadeshiko will have a partisan crowd at the 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia to deal with, and Greenlander Nielsen put the pressure on the Kerr-led Australia by calling the frontrunners.

“The Matildas really have an amazing team; they have adapted to whatever is coming their way,” Nielsen said. “They have a great coach … He hasn’t been here long, and he’s already made so many nice transforms.

“When they play in front of a crowd like this, Australia are big favourites, massive favourites for the final.”

Meanwhile, Australia’s head coach Joe Montemurro believes his side can do better than what they showcased against China in the gruelling semifinal.

“We’re going to have to be better,” he told Australia’s Network 10. “There’s a resilience that we have in our psyche. We need to be better with the ball; we need to be smarter and control tempo.”

Kerr dreams of second Asian Cup triumph

Considered one of Australia’s greatest athletes, Kerr is the only player from the current squad who was also part of the 2010 Asian Cup-winning squad.

But she has never lifted any silverware with the current crop of players, many of whom have been alongside her in the team for more than a decade.

“It would honestly mean everything,” Kerr said of winning the title with them. “We’ve talked about it for ages. This is a dream of ours, and these girls are like family to me.”

Predicted Australia starting lineup

Matildas head coach Montemurro could pick defender Winonah Heatley ahead of Clare Hunt.

Mackenzie Arnold (goalkeeper); Ellie Carpenter, Winonah Heatley, Steph Catley, Kaitlyn Torpey; Kyra Cooney-Cross, Alanna Kennedy, Katrina Gorry; Mary Fowler, Sam Kerr, Caitlin Foord

Predicted Japan starting lineup

Japan head coach Nielsen could stick to the same lineup from the last game.

Ayaka Yamashita (goalkeeper); Hana Takahashi, Toko Koga, Saki Kumagai, Hikaru Kitagawa; Fuka Nagano, Hinata Miyazawa, Yui Hasegawa; Maika Hamano, Riko Ueki, Aoba Fujino

People have been panning Tottenham boss Igor Tudor but they will look upon him in a different light if his side win this game.

Maybe he just needs to identify the opposition’s threat a little bit better than he does opposing managers – that clip of him mistaking someone else for Arne Slot at Anfield last week did make me chuckle.

Nottingham Forest‘s issue is that they don’t score enough goals, and that lack of attacking threat might just cost them here.

I know I keep mentioning it, but Forest manager Vitor Pereira has still not won a Premier League game all season, after 12 attempts with Wolves and Forest.

I don’t think he will win this week, either, although this is going to be an extremely tight game.

Spurs’ first aim will be to avoid any calamities like their red card against Crystal Palace in their previous home league game.

They have a few injuries, but they still have a fair bit of quality in their team.

Tottenham also have a bit of positivity and momentum after Wednesday’s home win over Atletico Madrid, even though it wasn’t enough to turn around their Champions League tie. Now they need to build on that.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-0

Amari’s prediction: If we play like we did against Liverpool and we get some players back from injury too, then we can do this. Forest have got some good players but we just need to get a result, it doesn’t matter how. 3-2

Amari on why he supports Spurs, and his favourite players: It’s down to my dad – every single person on my dad’s side is a Spurs fan. When I was kid, my heroes were Gareth Bale and then Dele Alli – when he first came to us, he was incredible.

Amari on whether Spurs will stay up or not? It’s been such a frustrating time because I don’t know what’s been going wrong. We can say it’s because of injuries but every team has those. We have been missing lots of players, but we still have a good squad.

I’ve been stressed about it before, but I am not stressed about it right now. If we are still in this situation with three games left then it is different, we might be going down. Now? I do believe we can get out of this.

Genesis’ prediction: I am going to give you a strange one here – I think Forest will surprise people. 1-3

AI’s prediction: 2-1

The issue that has created the most noise since Tuchel took charge is about how he has dealt with Jude Bellingham and the battle for the number 10 position.

The Real Madrid midfielder was left out of the October camp after injury despite wanting to join up as Tuchel favoured keeping a settled group after excellent performances.

Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers impressed in qualifying, starting five of England’s eight group games, and has become the first-choice number 10.

“Rather than finding positions for my best players just so that I can have them on the field, I prefer to put everyone in their best positions and have some competition,” Tuchel said when speaking about the pair going up against each other.

There is no denying Bellingham is one of the best midfielders in the world when he is fit and in form, but the midfielder is currently working his way back from a hamstring injury and has not played since 1 February.

It’s easy to forget that Bellingham is just 22, given he has already produced some iconic moments for England such as his last-gasp bicycle kick against Slovakia at Euro 2024 and his assist for Cole Palmer’s goal in the final.

Tuchel has made a point about how his England team need to be settled and united, but if Bellingham is producing his best for Madrid at the end of the season, the England manager has a very difficult decision on his hands.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has also had injury problems this season, has barely played under Tuchel, featuring for just 65 minutes.

And Phil Foden’s role is not clear in this England squad – he was called up as a back-up striker for the last camp and assisted Eberechi Eze in the win over Serbia at Wembley in November from that position.

MIAMI — Venezuela won the World Baseball Classic for the first time, rebounding from a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the United States 3-2 Tuesday night on Eugenio Suárez’s tiebreaking double in the ninth.

Maikel Garcia’s third-inning sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu’s fifth-inning homer off rookie Nolan McLean built a 2-0 lead before a roaring pro-Latin America crowd. Meanwhile, left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez and lights-out relievers limited the Americans to two hits through the seventh.

Bobby Witt Jr. walked with two outs in the eighth and Bryce Harper drove the second straight changeup from Andrés Machado over the center-field fence for a two-run homer that tied it. Harper slowly trotted around the bases and took time at third to salute coach Dino Ebel.

Luis Arraez walked against Garrett Whitlock starting the ninth. Pinch-runner Javier Sanoja stole second just ahead of catcher Will Smith’s throw and came home when Suárez doubled to the left-center gap. Suárez spread his arms wide and pointed to the sky at second base while teammates streamed from the dugout to greet Sanoja at the plate.

Daniel Palencia struck out two in a perfect bottom half to finish a three-hitter and get his third save of the WBC, striking out Roman Anthony to end the game. Venezuelans ran onto the infield to celebrate as the Americans stared while leaning on their dugout railing.

“Nobody believed in Venezuela but now we win the championship,” Suárez said. “This is a celebration for all the Venezuelan country.”

Despite a heralded roster of stars led by Aaron Judge, Harper and Paul Skenes, the U.S. lost its second straight final of baseball’s premier international event and remained without a title since 2017.

Venezuela celebrates its victory.

(Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)

Judge was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts in the championship game and hit .222 with five RBIs in the tournament, while Harper batted .214 with three RBIs and Alex Bregman .143 with four RBIs. The U.S. scored nine runs in the three knockout-round games while batting .188.

Ahead of a matchup with political overtones, players and coaches avoided discussing the government turmoil between the nations, heightened when the U.S. military captured Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in January. The sellout crowd of 36,190 at LoanDepot Park was heavily pro-Venezuela, with some booing American players during the introductions.

Venezuela became the second Latin American nation to win the WBC, after the Dominican Republic in 2013. The U.S. took the title in 2017 and lost the 2023 final to three-time champion Japan on this same field.

While the U.S., Japan and the Dominican Republic got much of the attention ahead of the sixth edition of the 20-nation event, Venezuela’s success was not that surprising. Sixty-three players born in Venezuela appeared on Major League Baseball opening-day rosters last year, second-most from outside the U.S. behind the Dominican Republic’s 100.

Venezuela went ahead in the third inning against McLean, getting the start because Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers decided the two-time Cy Young Award winner would make only a first-round appearance.

Salvador Perez sliced a first-pitch single and Ronald Acuña Jr. walked with one out. The runners advanced when McLean bounced a curveball, and Garcia followed with a sac fly to center.

Abreu doubled the lead when he drove a fastball 414 feet to center. His helmet fell off when he rounded second and he hopped in excitement as he neared the plate, where he was greeted by a line of teammates.

Rodriguez gave up one hit in 4 1/3 innings before Venezuela turned to its bullpen.

U.S. players had arrived at LoanDepot Park in game-worn U.S. Olympic hockey jerseys coordinated by outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and Jack Hughes, who scored the gold medal-winning goal against Canada last month.

In a darkened ballpark filled by fans wearing wristbands with festive blinking lights, Judge and Arraez led the teams down the foul lines for the introductions while carrying their nation’s flags.

Morocco have been declared the winners of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the Confederation of African Football (Caf) overturned the result of their final defeat to Senegal.

Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the final on 18 January in a match which was overshadowed when the Senegalese players refused to play after the hosts were awarded a stoppage-time penalty with the match goalless.

Following a delay of around 17 minutes, the players did eventually return and Brahim Diaz’s penalty was saved before Senegal’s Pape Gueye scored an extra-time winner.

However, that result has now been overturned by African football’s governing body.

A statement from Caf said that Senegal are “declared to have forfeited the final match” with the “result of the match being recorded as 3-0 in favour” of Morocco.

MIAMI — Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony homered and the United States limited the Dominican Republic’s electric offense to win a thrilling semifinal 2-1 on Sunday and move one win from capturing its second World Baseball Classic championship.

The loaded American roster, led by National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and featuring stars Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge, reached its third straight WBC title game after winning in 2017 and falling to Shohei Ohtani and Japan in 2023. The Americans will face the winner of Monday’s semifinal between Italy and Venezuela in Tuesday’s title game.

The Dominicans reached the semifinals for the first time since winning the WBC title in 2013, but missing the championship was not the goal for a roster that featured six players who finished among the top 10 in MVP voting last year and cruised through the early rounds of this WBC.

They faced their biggest test of the tournament against Skenes (2-0), who gave up one run on six hits through 4 ⅓ innings, and the U.S. bullpen, which held the Dominicans scoreless the rest of the way.

The Dominican Republic threatened in the ninth when Julio Rodríguez drew a walk and advanced to third against Mason Miller. With two outs, Miller struck out Geraldo Perdomo for his second save.

Junior Caminero hit a solo drive off Skenes in the second to give the Dominicans a record 15 homers in the tournament, surpassing the mark set by Mexico in 2009. He finished the tournament hitting .350.

The matchup between the two star-studded lineups didn’t fail to deliver big moments, especially on defense.

Judge got it started in the third with a 95.7-mph laser from right field to get Fernando Tatis Jr. at third. The Yankees’ All-Star then found himself on the other side of a huge defensive play in the fifth when Rodríguez — an inning after being hit on the wrist by a 98-mph fastball from Skenes — scaled the center-field wall to rob Judge of a home run.

Henderson, starting at third base over Alex Bregman, homered off Luis Severino to tie it in the fourth before Anthony hit the go-ahead homer, connecting on a 3-2 sinker from loser Gregory Soto.

Medvedev, who arrived in the US after leaving the UAE via Oman amid Iranian attacks, ends world number one’s 16-match run.

Daniil Medvedev has handed top-seeded Carlos Alcaraz his first loss of the year and advanced to the final at the Indian Wells Open after arriving at the tournament from the midst of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The 11th-seeded Medvedev advanced with a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory on Saturday and will face second-seeded Jannik Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev 6-2, 6-4 in the California-based tournament.

Alcaraz had won 16 straight matches this year, including titles at the Australian Open and Qatar Open, but Medvedev ended the possibility of an Alcaraz versus Sinner final.

Medvedev had dropped his last four meetings against Alcaraz, including a loss in the Indian Wells final in 2024. This was Medvedev’s first victory over him since the US Open semifinals in 2023.

The Russian player was stuck in the United Arab Emirates for three days following his title win at the Dubai Tennis Championship on February 28, the day the United States and Israel attacked Iran to launch a region-wide conflict.

Medvedev’s participation in the premier US West Coast-based tournament looked doubtful after he was unable to leave Dubai for two days due to airspace closure.

The 30-year-old was able to exit on the third day by crossing over into Oman by land after a six-hour drive along with fellow players Andrey Rublev and Karen Khachanov.

From Oman, the players boarded a flight to Istanbul before leaving the Turkish city to arrive in the US two days before their opening matches at Indian Wells.

“You feel like you’re in a Hollywood movie,” Medvedev told the Russian media outlet Bolshe of his multi-leg journey to arrive at the tournament that he seemed likely to miss.

Medvedev had been scheduled to play in the Eisenhower Cup, a one-night Tie Break Tens doubles event alongside fellow Russian Mirra Andreeva on March 3, but missed the exhibition event.

Meanwhile, Sinner made quick work of Zverev in the second semifinal, beating the German in one hour, 23 minutes. Sinner notched six aces against the fourth-seeded Zverev.

Zverev won his first eight points on serve. But Sinner broke Zverev in the fifth and seventh games to secure the first set. Sinner now leads the head-to-head series against Zverev 7-4.

Neither Medvedev nor Sinner has dropped a set yet in this tournament. Sinner has won his last three matches against Medvedev, including the US Open quarterfinals in 2024.

In the women’s doubles final, Taylor Townsend and Katerina Siniakova beat Anna Danilina and Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. The victory marked Townsend’s first at Indian Wells and Siniakova’s second. Siniakova also won in 2023 alongside longtime partner Barbora Krejcikova.

In the men’s doubles final, Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard topped Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot 7-6 (3), 6-3. In mixed doubles, Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli beat top-seeded Gabriela Dabrowski and Lloyd Glasspool 6-3, 2-6, 10-7.

Sinner has won 21 of his 24 titles on hard courts and looked on top form as he raced to victory in one hour and 23 minutes.

The 24-year-old is aiming to become just the third man – after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – to capture all six ATP Masters 1000 hard-court titles.

“It was a great performance – very solid from the back of the court. I tried to go for shots and that felt like one of the keys,” he said.

“He has a huge serve so I tried to mix it up. From my side I was very precise and it was a solid performance.

“I thought the match would be more physical but when both serve well it’s difficult to get into a rhythm with short points.”

Sinner has endured a frustrating start to 2026, failing to reach a single final prior to this event, but was inspired as he attempts to correct that record.

It was in the first set where the mental damage was done as the Italian, who has won seven of their 11 meetings, dropped just four points on serve and broke twice.

Zverev struggled to find his rhythm on serve in the opening set and Sinner made him pay – winning six of the eight second-serve return points.

The German, 28, stood firm to save three break points in the opening service game of the second, but was ultimately broken to trail 4-3 with the remainder of the match staying on serve.

SACRAMENTO — With more than 100 fans supporting from the bleachers, Garfield High’s boys’ soccer put on a strong performance at the inaugural CIF state Division V championship game Saturday morning before losing to Ross Branson 2-0 at Natomas High.

Two communication errors on defense proved costly for the Bulldogs, who took a bus from East Los Angeles on Friday, stayed overnight and were set to return after the match.

Coach Pablo Serrano praised his team. “I felt we played outstanding,” he said.

Goalkeeper Javier Zarate turned in another impressive performance. “He can only do so much,” Serrano said.

Zarate, without prodding, went up to CIF executive director Ron Nocetti and thanked him for what will become an annual state soccer championship event.

On Friday, Irvine University won the Division IV boys’ title with a 3-2 win over Del Mar.

Cole Barkett, Jake Raboid and Brendan Leung scored goals.

SACRAMENTO — Heartbreaking loss.

That’s the only way to describe what San Juan Hills players, coaches and fans were feeling on Saturday at Golden 1 Center when Alex Osterloh made two of three free throws with 0.3 seconds left to give Atherton Sacred Heart Prep a 47-45 victory in the Division IV state boys’ basketball championship game.

Osterloh was fouled at the top of the key by Kellen Owens with the scored tied.

“I’m pretty sure I was fouled,” Osterloh said.

San Juan Hills had earlier lost the ball on a turnover, its 19th of the game, surrendering its chance to take the lead.

“It was a tough ending,” San Juan Hills coach Jason Efstathiou said. “We turned over the ball too much. Nineteen is insane. Ultimately we didn’t do a good enough job handling pressure.”

San Juan Hills (22-14) came back from a 12-point deficit in the second quarter to take a four-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Garrett Brehmer finished with 17 points while Rocco Jensen had 10 points and eight rebounds for San Juan Hills. Osterloh scored 15 points and Pat Bala had 13.

“There’s a little distaste,” Efstathiou said, “but at the same time we got to be here.”

The list of candidates running for Los Angeles city and school board offices is set, with a number of incumbents facing what could be competitive primary elections on June 2.

Fourteen Angelenos have qualified to run for mayor, including incumbent Karen Bass, City Councilmember Nithya Raman and former reality TV star Spencer Pratt.

Seven City Council incumbents face at least one challenger, while Councilmember Monica Rodriguez is running unopposed to represent her northeast San Fernando Valley district.

City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto is running against three opponents — deputy attorney general Marissa Roy, human rights attorney Aida Ashouri and Deputy Dist. Atty. John McKinney.

In the race for city controller, incumbent Kenneth Mejia will battle it out against Zach Sokoloff, who is on sabbatical from his job as senior vice president of asset management at Hackman Capital Partners.

For the last week and a half, workers at the City Clerk’s Office have been verifying the legitimacy of voter signatures submitted by the candidates, finishing the last batch on Friday.

Gathering the required 500 signatures is relatively easy in citywide races but harder in council and school board districts. Some candidates who submitted petitions by the March 4 deadline failed to qualify because some of their signatures were deemed invalid.

In each race, if no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in June, the top two finishers will compete in a November runoff.

The field of 14 for mayor narrowed significantly from the roughly 40 who filed initial paperwork on Feb. 7. The qualifiers include a game streamer, a singer-songwriter and a tech entrepreneur, as well as government veterans like Asaad Alnajjar, a longtime engineer for the city. Rae Huang, a pastor and housing advocate, will also appear on the ballot.

Raman, a former Bass ally, shook up the race with her surprise entry, hours before the filing deadline.

A recent poll found that about 51% of Los Angeles voters are undecided on who they want for mayor. Bass led at 20%, followed by Pratt at just over 10% and Raman at slightly more than 9%, according to the Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics poll.

Tech entrepreneur Adam Miller was supported by just over 4% of those polled, with Huang at about 3%.

In District 1, which stretches from Glassell Park and Highland Park to Chinatown and Pico Union, four challengers are looking to unseat City Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez. They are Maria Lou Calanche, a former Los Angeles Police Commissioner and founder of the nonprofit Legacy LA; Nelson Grande, an executive consultant and former president of Avenida Entertainment Group; Raul Claros, founder of CD1 Coalition, which organizes cleanup days; and Sylvia Robledo, a small-business owner and former council aide.

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield is terming out in District 3, leaving the race to represent the southwestern San Fernando Valley open to a newcomer. The three candidates are Timothy K. Gaspar, who founded a private insurance company; Barri Worth Girvan, a director of community affairs for an L.A. County supervisor; and Christopher Robert “C.R.” Celona, a tech entrepreneur.

In District 5, which includes Bel-Air, Westwood, Hancock Park and other West L.A. communities, Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky faces two challengers: tenants rights attorney Henry Mantel and accountant Morgan Oyler.

With Councilmember Curren Price terming out in District 9, six candidates are vying to represent parts of downtown and South L.A. They are Jose Ugarte, who was formerly Price’s deputy chief of staff; Estuardo Mazariegos, a lead organizer at the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment; nonprofit director Elmer Roldan; entrepreneur Jorge Nuño; professor and therapist Martha Sánchez; and educator Jorge Hernandez Rosas.

Councilmember Traci Park, who represents the Westside communities of District 11, including Brentwood, Pacific Palisades and Venice, will face off against civil rights attorney Faizah Malik.

In District 13, which includes Hollywood and East Hollywood as well as parts of Silver Lake, Echo Park and Westlake, Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez is defending his seat against three challengers. They are Colter Carlisle, vice president of the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council; Dylan Kendall, an entrepreneur and founder of Grow Hollywood; and Rich Sarian, vice president of strategic initiatives for the Social District.

And in District 15, which includes San Pedro and other harbor-area communities as well as Watts, Councilmember Tim McOsker is running against community organizer Jordan Rivers, who is continuing his campaign after reports that he stabbed a neighbor when he was 12. Rivers said it was an “accident” that happened a decade ago.

Three seats are open on the Los Angeles Unified School District board.

In District 2, incumbent Rocío Rivas is being challenged by Raquel Zamora, an LAUSD teacher and attendance counselor.

In District 4, incumbent Nick Melvoin is facing off against Ankur Patel, director of outreach at the Hindu University of America.

District 5 school board member Kelly Gonez is running unopposed for her third term.

The Laguna Hills High girls’ basketball fan who was waving the sign, “Hawk Yea!” at the Golden 1 Center on Friday morning didn’t get much of a workout in the first half of the Division V state championship game against Woodland Christian.

The Hawks (21-12) made 15 turnovers and fell behind by 22 points at halftime. They were unable to overcome their slow start in a 63-30 loss. Woodland Christian scored the first 13 points of the second quarter and led at halftime 33-11.

The Sorbello sisters, Siena and Sofia, combined for 17 of the Cardinals’ 33 first-half points. Siena finished with 21 points and Sofia had seven.

Woodland Christian came in with a 32-3 record and was able to get the ball inside. Bailee Broward also made some outside shots, giving the Cardinals unstoppable inside-outside options. She finished with 17 points.