Football

Oct. 16, 2026 10:06 PM PT

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. SANTA MARGARITA (8-0) def. St. John Bosco, 21-7; vs. JSerra, Friday

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 21-7; at Servite, Friday

3. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Chaminade, 41-0; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-3) def. Norco, 46-14; at Chaparrel, Friday

5. MATER DEI (6-2) def. Servite, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) at San Clemente, postponed; at Los Alamitos, Friday

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-3) def. JSerra, 48-13; at Servite, Friday

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) vs. Mission Viejo, postponed; at San Juan Hills, Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) at Capistrano Valley, Saturday; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday

10. JSERRA (4-4) lost to Orange Lutheran, 48-13; at Santa Margarita, Friday

11. SERVITE (3-5) lost to Mater Dei, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

12. BISHOP AMAT (7-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 48-28; vs. Loyola, Friday

13. LA SERNA (7-1) def. Cerritos, 57-7; vs. Mayfair, Friday

14. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) vs. La Habra, late; at Corona del Mar, Friday

15. INGLEWOOD (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 33-7; at Leuzinger, Friday

16. PALOS VERDES (7-1) def. Mira Costa, 34-14; at Redondo Union, Friday

17. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-1) lost to Bishop Amat, 48-28; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday

18. CARSON (7-1) def. Narbonne, 48-14; vs. San Pedro, Friday

19. CHAMINADE (5-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-0) def. Western, 34-14; vs. Troy, Thursday

21. SAN JACINTO (8-0) def. Elsinore, 49-16; vs. Granite Hills, Friday

22. GARDENA SERRA (4-4) def. Loyola, 26-0; at Chaminade, Friday

23. ORANGE (8-0) def. Beckman, 51-14; vs. Irvine, Thursday

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1) def. Yorba Linda, 14-10; vs. San Clemente, Friday

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) vs. Corona del Mar, Saturday; vs. Villa Park, Friday

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham ready to commit his future to the Bernabeu, Arsenal and Liverpool told price of Brentford‘s Kevin Schade, Manchester United and Chelsea among clubs monitoring Jules Kounde’s future at Barcelona.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham, 23, has reached an agreement to extend his contract with Real Madrid until 2031. (AS – in Spanish), external

Arsenal and Liverpool would have to pay in excess of £60m to prise Germany winger Kevin Schade, 24, from Brentford. (Teamtalk), external

Leeds are keeping tabs on Brazil forward Igor Paixao’s situation at Marseille with the 26-year-old among players the French club may need to offload amid financial concerns. (Football Insider), external

Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are monitoring French defender Jules Kounde’s situation at Barcelona, with the 27-year-old considering his future at the Catalan club. (4-4-2.ch – in German), external

Barcelona are unwilling to get involved in a bidding war for 16-year-old Manchester United attacking midfielder JJ Gabriel with Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain willing to offer more money. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Newcastle are no closer in tying 27-year-old English midfielder Joe Willock down to a new deal even though Magpies boss Matthias Jaissle is a fan of the player. (Newcastle Chronicle), external

Leeds boss Daniel Farke has reached agreement over a new contract which will keep the 49-year-old German at Elland Road until 2029. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl says talks are going well with England striker Harry Kane over a new contract but there has been no formal commitment yet. (Sky Sports Germany – in German), external

AC Milan’s English defender Fikayo Tomori, 28, will leave the club at the end of the season when his contract expires with no scope for a new deal for the former Chelsea player at San Siro. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external

Real Madrid could allow Morocco forward Brahim Diaz, 27, out on loan in January after 20-year-old Brazil forward Endrick leapfrogged him in the pecking order at the Bernabeu. (Marca – in Spanish), external

Who: Leeds United vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Elland Road, Leeds, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, October 18, at 2pm local time (13:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up from 9:00 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

Manchester United against Leeds United has long been one of the fiercest rivalries in football.

The former’s closest shot to ending their wait since 1967 for an English top flight title came in 1993 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were pipped to the title by the latter.

The following year United’s wait was over as Ferguson’s side – buoyed by the arrival of Eric Cantona from Leeds – lifted the inaugural Premier League crown.

The rest for United and Ferguson was history, but since the most successful manager in English football retired the Old Trafford club have been in decline.

The fortunes of Leeds, who have won three league titles, dipped dramatically after that last piece of domestic silverware. Ten years later, they were relegated and three years were even spent in League One, the third tier of English football.

Now the Elland Road club are back in the top flight, having won the Championship two seasons ago, and have an eye on the top four this weekend.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the match that for Leeds marks the arrival of their fiercest rivals, who have lurched to a 40-year low.

How have Leeds United fared this season?

Leeds have lost only one of their six league games this season, a 2-1 reverse at Arsenal in their last match when the Premier League holders were second best for much of the match and were forced to come from behind.

Two wins and two draws in their first five league matches saw Leeds holding onto the coat-tails of Arsenal and City.

That run culminated with a stunning 4-1 home win against Newcastle United.

A disappointing home draw with Crystal Palace sat in between the defeat at Arsenal.

A 6-3 defeat at Chelsea ended their League Cup hopes, but the home side needed two goals in the last ten minutes to pull clear in the thrilling encounter.

How have Manchester United fared this season?

United’s season – and Michael Carrick’s start as permanent manager – couldn’t have got off to a worse start with a 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull City.

When the Red Devils fell a goal behind against another promoted side, Ipswich Town, at Old Trafford in their next match, the warning signs were there.

Carrick’s side came back to win 5-2 – and that remains United’s only league win of the season.

A contentious 1-0 home defeat by Manchester City – in which a controversial VAR decision separated the sides – has been one of United’s better performances with deflating draws against Everton, Fulham and Tottenham surrounding the derby.

United were also dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton, who overcame the home side’s early 2-0 first-half lead to the disbelief of Old Trafford.

What is the latest on Lisandro Martinez’s Manchester United criticism?

Defender Lisandro ‌‌Martinez will be available for Sunday’s game after ⁠⁠United accepted ⁠⁠his apology for criticising its transfer policy, Carrick told reporters on Friday.

Martinez met Carrick and senior club officials on Thursday, two days after suggesting United ⁠⁠needed greater investment to compete at the highest level following their 2-0 Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid.

The centre back later apologised for his remarks and Carrick ⁠⁠sought to downplay the episode when he spoke to reporters on Friday.

“We’ve moved on from that. It was one of those things. It’s really not a drama for the group,” Carrick said.

“The squad have trained really well and they are in good spirits. There is ‌‌a freshness about the group…

“He’s part of the squad [for Sunday].”

What happened the last time Leeds played Manchester United?

Leeds were 2-1 winners at Old Trafford when the sides met in the Premier League in April.

Noah Okafor scored both goals for Leeds to inflict the only defeat of Carrick’s interim tenure, having replaced Ruben Amorim as manager.

Martinez was sent off early in the second half, but Casemiro offered United some hope just after the hour mark.

What happened in the corresponding Leeds-Man Utd game last season?

The teams shared a 1-1 draw in the Premier League match at Elland Road last season. Leeds’ Brenden Aaronson opened the scoring in the 62nd minute with Matheus Cunha levelling three minutes later.

When did Manchester United last beat Leeds?

United were 2-0 winners when the sides met at Elland Road in Leeds’ relegation season in 2022-23.

Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho netted the goals.

When did Leeds last beat Manchester United at home?

Leeds haven’t beaten United at home since Harry Kewell scored the only goal of the game in a Premier League match in 2002.

There have been seven matches between the sides at Leeds since then, with United winning five of those.

Prediction – Leeds vs Manchester United

The Opta supercomputer has given Leeds a 42 percent chance of victory, while offering United a 32 percent chance of winning.

Head-to-head – Leeds vs Manchester United

This will be the 116th meeting between the sides, with United winning 50 and Leeds claiming the spoils on 27 occasions. Another 38 matches were draws.

Leeds United team news

Joe Rodon and Mateo Joseph will both miss the game due to injury, while former United winger Daniel James is a doubt with a back problem.

Predicted Leeds United starting lineup

Trafford, Justin, Elvedi, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Tanaka, Gudmundsson; Stach, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin

Manchester United team news

Patrick Dorgu, Manuel Ugarte and Benjamin Sesko all remain sidelined by injury, while Luke Shaw and Kobbie Mainoo face late fitness tests. Matthijs de Ligt is nearing a return to action following his long-term back injury.

Predicted Manchester United starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Martinez, Maguire, Shaw; Baleba, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Diallo; Cunha

On Friday morning, with a power outage at Simi Valley High in effect out of concern that power lines could ignite a wildfire to erupt because of strong Santa Ana winds, Simi Valley football coach Jim Benkert was frantically checking locations available to help keep on schedule a homecoming game against Newbury Park on Friday night.

But with Ventura County facing increased outages, the Simi Valley home game has been moved to Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Another change involves St. Bonaventure hosting Oaks Christian at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Southern California Edison warned about possible shutoff of electricity because of the wind. Simi Valley students remained in classes on Friday because the school has emergency generators.

Westlake coach Rick Clausen said his team’s game at Ventura High remains on because the school has generators if power is cut off.

The Valencia-Canyon game has been moved to 4 p.m. at Canyon High on Friday due to possible power outages.

Neither USC nor UCLA has made the College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014. Yet the Trojans finished six of those 12 seasons ranked in the Associated Press top 25, while UCLA finished in the top 25 twice and is currently ranked No. 12.

Reports that the CFP is nearing a deal to expand the field from 12 to 24 teams in 2027 should be tremendous news for both schools. UCLA (5-0) is surging after its rousing upset over Oregon, and USC (6-1) is ranked No. 19 after beating Washington and Penn State.

Arduous tests loom during the second half of the season, however, making the chances of getting the nod from the CFP selection committee a coin flip at best.

Next season, however, all it would take is being among the top 24 teams as deemed by the 13-member committee, which considers on-field performance, head-to-head results and strength of schedule the primary criteria.

The Big Ten was the primary driving force behind the expansion, which gained momentum recently when the Southeastern Conference gave its blessing. The CFP management committee, made up of 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director, met Thursday to discuss the negotiations with ESPN, according to the Athletic and ESPN.

“When you get a room of 50 coaches or whatever we have in this conference together, it’s hard to get everybody to be unanimous on something,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said earlier this season. “This is something where our room has been unanimous.”

ESPN reported that the network would acquire the additional games and continue to be the exclusive home of the CFP through the length of its current six-year contract.

“Constructive discussions with ESPN continued this week,” the CFP said in a statement Thursday night. “We have enjoyed a strong partnership with ESPN since our inception and are appreciative of the productive dialogue we have had throughout the negotiating period and continuing over the last several days. We will provide additional updates on the matters of future format and media rights when appropriate.”

Expanding the CFP would not be without concessions. The lengthier postseason would force the regular season to begin one week earlier and likely eliminate Power 4 conference championship games, which while lucrative, can be redundant and potentially problematic in impacting the CFP slate. Lower and mid-tier bowl games might become extinct, although the six prominent bowls on and around New Year’s Day — Rose, Fiesta, Sugar, Orange, Cotton and Peach — should continue to host the CFP quarterfinals and semifinals.

The format has not been formally approved, but one scenario would give the top eight seeded teams a first-round bye and a home game in the second round. The other 16 teams would play first-round games hosted by the higher seed. It would take five games for a team seeded from nine to 24 to win the championship and four games for one of the top eight.

That’s a lot of football beyond the regular season. The wildly popular NCAA men’s basketball tournament will expand from 68 to 76 teams next spring, but the physical demands of the two sports are markedly different, making the expansion there less onerous on players. Still, if the expansion is approved, the CFP will have its own version of the NCAA’s trademarked titles Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight and Final Four.

March Madness is another trademarked term, although the NCAA would need to come up with something new for the CFP: December Delirium, anyone?

USC and UCLA presumably would be happy with any name as long as they are invited to the festivities.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick says club have ‘moved on’ from Lisandro Martinez blast before Leeds trip.

Michael Carrick said Manchester United had “moved on” from Lisandro Martinez’s outburst aimed at the club’s hierarchy this week, saying it was “really not a drama for us as a group”.

Argentina defender Martinez took aim at the hierarchy of the struggling club following United’s 2-0 Champions League loss to Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, saying Carrick had been left with an under-strength squad.

The centre-back criticised technical director Jason Wilcox, saying he had “100 percent” expected more investment during the summer transfer window after United finished third in the Premier League last season.

It is understood Martinez has been fined for his outburst, but Carrick said he would be in United’s squad for the Premier League match at Leeds on Sunday.

“It’s done, really,” Carrick said at his pre-match news conference on Friday when asked about Martinez’s comments and his subsequent apology and punishment.

“We’ve moved on from that,” he said. “It was one of those things. He has come out and acknowledged the situation, and as a group we’ve moved on.

“It is really not a drama for us as a group. The boys have trained really well; there was a really good feeling around training this morning.”

Martinez issues apology, but Keane calls Man Utd a ‘circus’

Martinez, 28, issued an apology on Thursday, saying he had held positive talks with the club’s leadership and Carrick.

“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity,” he said in a post on Instagram.

“The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.”

Former United captain Roy Keane branded the situation at his former club as “a bit of a circus”.

United travel to Elland Road, the home of one of their fiercest rivals, with just two wins from nine games in all competitions this season.

They are 13th in the Premier League, with just one win from six matches and drew their last match 1-1 against 10-man Tottenham.

Spain sanctioned by FIFA after incidents at Espanyol’s stadium in Barcelona, which staged the friendly with Egypt.

Spain have ‌‌‌‌been fined $20,000 and ordered to partially close their stadium ⁠⁠⁠⁠for their ⁠⁠⁠⁠next friendly after supporters twice chanted Islamophobic slogans during the game against Egypt in March, FIFA said ⁠⁠⁠⁠in a statement.

The sanctions relate to incidents at the RCDE Stadium near Barcelona, home of LaLiga club Espanyol, ⁠⁠⁠⁠where some Spain fans chanted, “Who doesn’t jump is a Muslim” during a World Cup warm-up match which ended in a 0-0 draw.

After the second occurrence of the chant, the stadium announcer ‌‌‌‌issued a warning and the scoreboard displayed a message against discriminatory behaviour.

Spain winger Lamine Yamal, who is Muslim, condemned the chants at the time, describing them as disrespectful and intolerable and calling those responsible “ignorant and racist”.

Spanish police launched an investigation the following day, while world governing ⁠⁠⁠⁠body FIFA later started disciplinary proceedings against ⁠⁠⁠⁠the Spanish football federation (RFEF).

It argued that the word ‘Muslim’ was “neither insulting nor pejorative”, adding that the fans’ conduct should be assessed under FIFA’s Article 17, ⁠⁠⁠⁠which covers political, ideological, religious or offensive messages, rather than Article 15, which deals ⁠⁠⁠⁠with discrimination and racist abuse.

However, FIFA’s disciplinary ⁠⁠⁠⁠committee rejected that argument, saying Article 15 does not require the explicit use of a slur and that a term can be discriminatory when ‌‌‌‌used in context as “an insult, taunt, or marker of inferiority”.

FIFA fined the RFEF and ordered the closure of at least ‌‌‌‌15% ‌‌‌‌of available seats for Spain’s next friendly.

Al Jazeera has contacted the RFEF for comment.

Croatia’s Hajduk Split hosted Ajax on Thursday, but chants for pre-World War II regime precede UEFA Europa League game.

Croatian leaders have slammed pro-Nazi and anti-Semitic chants by Hajduk Split football fans before their UEFA Conference League match against Ajax, while Israel’s embassy voiced shock.

Groups of Hajduk Split fans, known as the Torcida, marched through the coastal town of Split before Thursday’s match chanting: “Crush the Jews”, “Rise up Adolf (Hitler)” and “Let’s go Ustasha”, referring to the country’s World War II pro-Nazi regime, local media reported.

Dozens of fans were detained before Thursday’s match for violence. During the match, Torcida fans set off flares and other pyrotechnics in the stands, forcing more than a 10-minute stoppage.

An investigation was opened into the pro-Nazi chants and suspects are being detained, police said.

President Zoran Milanovic in a Friday statement condemned the incident as “unacceptable and shameful”.

He urged swift action against the perpetrators to “show that there is no place in Croatia for the glorification of Nazism and Ustasha ideology”.

Israel’s embassy in Zagreb said on X it was “deeply shocked by the serious antisemitic incident that took place in Split and condemns it in the strongest possible terms”.

Conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic also condemned “messages of anti-Semitism … completely at odds with the values we want to uphold in Croatian society”.

Hajduk Split, who won the game 2-1, in a statement apologised to UEFA and Ajax who “witnessed scenes which we do not want Europe to remember”, while the Croatian football federation also condemned the incident.

Croatia’s ultra-nationalist hardcore supporters have tainted the country’s image for years, notably by chanting pro-fascist slogans and displaying Ustasha symbols.

The Ustasha regime killed and persecuted hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs, Jews, Roma and antifascist Croatians.

Croatia were docked a point by UEFA after their fans painted a swastika on the pitch in Split in 2015, before a Euro 2016 qualifier with Italy.

The perpetrators were never found.

In recent years, the country has seen a growing tolerance for its pro-Nazi past, and critics accuse authorities of failing to sanction the use of Ustasha emblems.

Asian Cup preparations continue for January, but Asian Tour delays golf’s Saudi Invitational after Houthi attacks.

The Asian Cup football tournament is on track to take place in Saudi Arabia early next year, local organisers say, but golf’s Asian Tour has postponed the Saudi International indefinitely in the aftermath of a series of attacks on Riyadh.

Yemen’s Houthi group claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack, which took place on Saturday on Riyadh’s international airport. It killed 14 people and ⁠wounded more than 300.

Australia also withdrew its team from the urban cycling World Championships on Friday, citing safety concerns over travelling to Riyadh, where the event is scheduled to take place in early November.

The Six Kings Slam exhibition tennis tournament in Riyadh has already been moved from October to December while FIFA on Thursday postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026 video game competition in ‌Jeddah until an unspecified future date.

In that environment, serious questions were being asked about whether the 24-team Asian Cup could still go ahead in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5.

Three Saudi Pro League matches, including one featuring Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, were postponed this week while Al-Nassr’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League game on Monday was delayed by an hour after Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence said it had intercepted a missile fired towards Riyadh.

AFC chief Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said earlier this week that a postponement of the continental championships until 2028 was possible if necessary, but the local organising committee (LOC) said on Friday that it was sticking to the original schedule.

“Preparations across all organisational and operational areas are progressing according to the approved schedule, including work on venues, facilities ⁠and supporting services,” it said in a statement.

The LOC “will continue to monitor developments ⁠relevant to the tournament and ensure the appropriate conditions are in place for its successful delivery”.

Attacks in Saudi Arabia disrupt sport calendar

The $5m Saudi International, which is sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is the flagship event on the Asian Tour and had been scheduled to take place at Riyadh ⁠Golf Club on November 18-21.

“The decision to postpone was taken following an assessment of the organisational and logistical challenges associated with hosting the tournament and ensuring the event is ⁠delivered to a standard befitting its international stature,” an Asian Tour statement ⁠said.

AusCycling said its decision to withdraw the Australian team from the urban World Championships was made “with the safety and wellbeing of our athletes and staff our highest priority”.

The Australian government is advising travellers to “reconsider” trips to Saudi Arabia in general and Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport in particular “due to recent ‌security incidents”.

The Saudi government has invested heavily in sport through the PIF in recent years, and the Asian Cup was pitched as an early rehearsal for hosting football’s FIFA World Cup in 2034.

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Birmingham 32, Taft 0

Eagle Rock 26, Lincoln 0

El Camino Real 34, Chatsworth 0

Franklin 27, Los Angeles Marshall 6

Fremont 8, Crenshaw 0

Fremont 34, Dymally 0

GALA 30, Port of Los Angeles 0

GALA 12, Washington Prep 0

Jefferson 36, Foshay 0

Manual Arts 13, Los Angeles 0

Monroe 26, Smidt Tech 13

San Pedro 27, King/Drew 0

Sun Valley Magnet 27, AMIT 0

Verdugo Hills 32, Arleta 7

View Park 24, Stella 12

Washington Prep 28, Port of Los Angeles 0

Southern Section

Antelope Valley 27, Highland 18

Aquinas 32, Woodcrest Christian 0

Arroyo 25, El Monte 6

Ayala 7, Glendora 6

Azusa 25, Garey 9

Bishop Diego 7, Cate 6

Brentwood 13, Windward 6

Burbank Burroughs 20, Monrovia 18

Cantwell-Sacred Heart 34, Whitney 12

Capistrano Valley Christian 51, Legacy College Prep 0

Castaic 13, West Ranch 0

Chino 14, Montclair 6

Compton 19, Long Beach Cabrillo 16

Compton Early College 44, Compton Centennial 0

Crean Lutheran 19, Cypress 2

Edison 19, Western Christian 7

El Modena 13, Sonora 6

El Rancho 13, Santa Fe 0

Gabrielino 39, Temple City 20

Gardena Serra 33, St. Mary’s Academy 0

Hawthorne 13, Beverly Hills 0

JSerra 19, Orange Lutheran 12

Keppel d. San Gabriel, forfeit

La Canada 14, San Marino 13

Laguna Beach 28, San Juan Hills 7

La Habra 32, Troy 0

Lakewood St. Joseph 40, Anaheim Canyon 12

Lancaster 13, Knight 6

La Sierra 21, Norte Vista 0

Linfield Christian 40, Riverside Notre Dame 12

Loma Linda Academy d. United Christian Academy, forfeit

Long Beach Poly 48, Long Beach Jordan 0

Long Beach Wilson 26, Bishop Montgomery 0

Marina 24, Corona Santiago 12

Montebello 13, Rosemead 0

Mountain View 26, Alhambra 7

Ontario Christian 42, Arrowhead Christian 28

Palmdale d. Littlerock, forfeit

Quartz Hill 13, Eastside 0

Rancho Verde 13, Orange Vista 6

Redlands Adventist Academy 30, Public Safety 0

Redlands East Valley 31, Temecula Valley 7

San Jacinto Valley Academy 6, Hemet 0

San Marcos 13, Ventura 12

Santa Ana Foothill 30, Fullerton 13

Santa Ana Valley 14, Magnolia 6

Schurr 36, South El Monte 0

Shalhevet 12, Animo Leadership 6

Shalhevet 48, Environmental Charter 12

St. Bonaventure 36, Fillmore 6

St. Lucy’s 42, Sierra Vista 6

St. Margaret’s 40, Rosary 6

St. Monica 71, Mary Star of the Sea 0

Village Christian 40, Chadwick 7

Workman 31, Edgewood 6

Xavier Prep 13, Banning 7

Yucaipa 21, Arlington 7

Intersectional

Granada Hills Kennedy 19, Golden Valley 18

Vasquez 7, Panorama 6

THURSDAY’S RESULTS

City Section

Angelou 25, Diego Rivera 6

Bernstein 35, Mendez 0

Carson 62, Gardena 0

Contreras 19, Roybal 0

Contreras 7, Hollywood 0

Garfield 42, South Gate 0

Los Angeles Hamilton 12, Palisades 7

Manual Arts 6, Foshay 0

Maywood CES 12, Elizabeth 0

Narbonne 20, King/Drew 6

Orthopaedic 30, Belmont 20

RFK Community 33, Mendez 0

RFK Community 14, Bernstein 0

San Pedro 20, Wilmington Banning 19

Santee 37, West Adams 0

Torres 7, Sotomayor 6

Venice 35, WISH Academy 0

Westchester 7, Fairfax 6

Lisandro Martinez meets with his Manchester Untied manager Michael Carrick before apologizing for criticism of the club.

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez apologised on Thursday for criticising the club’s hierarchy following their Champions League defeat by Atletico Madrid, after holding talks with manager Michael Carrick and senior officials.

Martinez met Carrick and club executives after training, two days after saying the club needed greater investment to help the team compete at the highest level following Tuesday’s 2-0 loss.

“Today I met with the club’s leadership and the manager,” Martinez said in an Instagram post, in his second statement since the interview.

“It was a very positive conversation where we were able to exchange views and speak openly about what happened after Tuesday’s game.”

A club source said that any internal disciplinary action would remain private, adding that it had been Martinez’s decision to apologise publicly and that all parties considered the matter closed.

British media, including the BBC, reported that United fined the defender over the outburst.

Martinez acknowledged that his frustration following the defeat had got the better of him and apologised for choosing the wrong moment to air his feelings.

“Everyone knows that I am a passionate person and that I live football with great intensity,” he said.

“The frustration of the defeat led me to express how I felt at a time and place that perhaps were not the right ones, and for that I want to apologise.”

The Argentina international had singled out director of football Jason Wilcox in the post-game interview, saying United needed more signings to compete with their rivals and build a squad capable of challenging in Europe.

Martinez said his comments had not reflected the unity required at Old Trafford and stressed his belief that everyone at the club was working towards the same goal.

“Our club is at its best when we are all united, and I recognise that my words in that moment did not help with that,” he said.

“I know that every single person at Manchester United is doing everything possible to achieve our shared ambition, bringing the success that this club and its supporters deserve.”

Martinez finished his statement by drawing a line under the episode.

“With this situation now behind us, we are fully focused on winning together.”

United are 13th in the Premier League after six games in their worst start in 40 years. They travel to seventh-placed Leeds United on Sunday.

Harry Kane is close to signing a new deal at Bayern Munich, Arda Guler has agreed a new contract with Real Madrid and Liverpool are leading the race for Bournemouth‘s Alex Scott.

England striker Harry Kane, 33, has agreed a new deal in principle with Bayern Munich, who are finalising the paperwork on a contract extension until summer 2029. (Sky Sports), external

Turkey midfielder Arda Guler, 21, has agreed a new deal at Real Madrid after summer interest from Arsenal and Manchester City. (Teamtalk), external

English winger Jacob Murphy’s current deal at Newcastle United runs until next summer and the 31-year-old is close to agreeing a one-year extension. (Mail – subscription required), external

Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on 22-year-old Italy midfielder Issa Doumbia, who joined Sporting from Venezia in the summer for 26m euros and has an 80m euro release clause in his contract. (Tuttomercatoweb – in Italian), external

Liverpool are in pole position to sign Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, 23, with the England international valued at £100m. (Mail – subscription required), external

A number of Premier League clubs watched Austria’s 19-year-old midfielder Jacob Hodl at Vitality Stadium on Thursday as Sturm Graz played Bournemouth. (Football Insider), external

Leeds United striker Lukas Nmecha, 27, is yet to agree a new deal as the German, who is out of contract in the summer, wants more playing time. (Teamtalk), external

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is under increasing pressure at the Championship club and ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is open to the role should a vacancy arise. (Talksport), external

French Football Federation’s ethics body calls on fans to keep politics out of stadiums amid student protests.

The ethics body of the French football federation is urging fans to stay neutral amid the nationwide student protests that are drawing international attention.

The police response to the largely peaceful demonstrations has prompted widespread accusations of brutality, and football fans in stadiums have expressed their support for students.

Officers have made extensive use of tear gas and batons to disperse crowds. More than 6,600 arrests were made nationwide as of last week, an unusually high number for a French protest movement.

A police tear gas grenade shattered a 14-year-old’s jaw and many of his teeth, while a 15-year-old lost a hand in an incident involving a stun grenade. Other teenagers have also suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police weaponry during protests.

During a Ligue 1 match between Lens and Lyon last week, the home fans unfurled a banner calling for an end to the “disproportionate and systematic police violence,” according to the National Council for Football Ethics (CNE).

The CNE also noted that at the half-hour mark of the match between PSG and Le Mans, supporters displayed a banner reading: “Your militias repress; our youth resists.”

The ethics body said in a statement that it was easy to understand why young supporters, who are often students, might take advantage of matches to publicly express their support for the demonstrators.

However, it added that the principle of political neutrality is “enshrined” in the laws of sport, both internationally through the Olympic Charter and FIFA statutes, and at a national level.

The CNE recalled that any speech or display of a political, ideological, religious or trade union nature are prohibited, as is the wearing of symbols or clothing that expresses political, philosophical, religious or trade union affiliation.

“Sport should unite, not divide,” it said. “The National Council for Football Ethics therefore calls on all supporters, who are an integral part of the football family, to uphold the principle of neutrality in all circumstances.

“The aim is to ensure that the stadium does not become a political or trade union battleground, but remains a place of celebration and shared enjoyment centred on sport.”

Football’s global governing body is expected to change a rule that allowed a red card for USA forward Folarin Balogun to be controversially overturned during the World Cup, according to media reports on the agenda for Thursday’s FIFA council meeting in Zurich.

The decision-making body is convening for the first time since this year’s tournament, and a ⁠⁠motion to prohibit such actions in the future will be top of the agenda. Members will also discuss the organisation’s funding, rules and other matters amid a turbulent time in the sport.

During the World Cup’s round-of-32 match, Balogun received a red card for stepping awkwardly on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemovic of Bosnia in a 2-0 win for the home team. It triggered an automatic one-game suspension.

However, United States President Donald Trump urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the case, and Balogun’s red card was overturned, allowing him to play in the USA’s round-of-16 match against Belgium.

The decision to overturn Balogun’s red card ignited one of the tournament’s biggest controversies, with widespread criticism from football federations, former FIFA officials, experts and coaches.

The 37-member FIFA council is expected to vote on whether to prohibit disciplinary committees from overturning automatic match suspensions at the World Cup, but the Balogun controversy is unlikely to go away.

FIFA Vice President Debbie Hewitt is among the sport’s leaders who have asked ‌‌‌‌Infantino to release all documents related to the case.

Thursday’s FIFA council meeting is the first since Infantino came ‌‌‌‌under ‌‌‌‌fire earlier this year for a now-shelved plan to sell a 20 percent stake in the World Cup’s commercial business to private investors.

Infantino has faced calls to resign from the leaders of three regional football confederations – UEFA (Europe), AFC (Asia) ⁠⁠⁠⁠and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) – and their representatives will be present in Zurich for the FIFA meeting.

They will be joined by their counterparts from Africa, South America and Oceania.

On the agenda will be a discussion of the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, which Infantino was forced to abandon ⁠⁠⁠⁠within days of announcing it in July.

Under the plan, Infantino proposed selling a minority stake in a FIFA commercial subsidiary to private investors, with a company launched by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, identified as the proposed lead investor.

The council will also address FIFA’s governance, with some of the sport’s most powerful figures determined to limit Infantino’s powers if they cannot force him out of office.

Infantino, 56, will stand for re-election in March 2027, with a ‌‌‌‌November 18 deadline looming for potential candidates to submit their nominations.

A string of mazy runs down Barcelona’s right flank, two goal assists within three minutes, and a player of the match award cap off yet another impressive night in European football; Lamine Yamal continues to rack up remarkable statistics and mesmerising performances eight weeks into the club football season.

While this isn’t Yamal’s breakthrough year by any means – the Spanish forward first burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in the 2023-24 season – his consistency for both club and country in the past eight weeks has led to comparisons with some of the greatest prodigies of recent years.

Since returning from the FIFA World Cup as a champion, Yamal has enjoyed scintillating form with the Catalan side.

Across the eight match weeks in club football, the 19-year-old has scored eight goals and provided nine assists in his 10 matches in all competitions for Barcelona, bringing his total number of goal contributions to an impressive 17.

All-time Barcelona and Argentina great Lionel Messi had 14 goal contributions – eight goals and six assists – to his name in the 2008-09 season, when he won his first Ballon d’Or award as a 19-year-old.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal vs Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe

Yamal has made no secret of his desire to win the award in 11 days, but he will face stiff competition from French star Kylian Mbappe and England captain Harry Kane.

Mbappe, who has broken goal-scoring records of his own, leads the attack at Real Madrid – Barcelona’s fiercest rivals and the undeniable kings of European football.

While Real have not won the Champions League since the 2023-24 season, which brought their record-extending 15th trophy, Mbappe helped them beat Italian giants Inter Milan in their first match last month.

Before joining Real in 2024, Mbappe was on a goal-scoring spree with French champions Paris Saint-Germain. He joined the club as an 18-year-old in 2017 and enjoyed great success a year later.

As a then-19-year-old, Mbappe scored 12 goals and made four assists in his first 10 games, bringing his goal contribution to 16 – one behind Yamal’s current record after the same number of matches.

The master Messi vs apprentice Yamal?

While comparisons between Yamal’s overall career with Messi’s would be grossly unfair, the Spaniard is following in his club legend’s footsteps.

Both players enjoy the unique statistic of having scored braces in their first five La Liga games. Messi’s came as a 25-year-old in the 2012-13 season, while Yamal has achieved the same feat this season.

In April 2007, Messi scored his famous solo goal against Getafe, dribbling from his own half past five players as Camp Nou watched in awe.

Three months later, Lamine Yamal was born, and not long after, Messi was seen with baby Yamal in a photo that went viral this year.

The hype reached fever pitch during the World Cup as a young Messi bathed baby Yamal during a TV commercial. At first, many thought it was an AI-generated image, but it’s indeed real and dates back to 2007.

During a UNICEF fundraising shoot at Camp Nou stadium, a 20-year-old Messi met Yamal, who was only five months old at the time.

The two Barcelona stars faced off in the World Cup final on July 19, with the Argentinian walking away in tears as Yamal’s Spain lifted the trophy, but not before they exchanged a warm embrace.

Yamal later revealed what he said to Messi on the pitch in New York.

“I said thank you for everything you gave football,” Yamal told a British newspaper.

Before the final, much of the attention had centred on the battle between 39-year-old Messi and 19-year-old Yamal, with the match likened to a master vs apprentice clash.

Nineteen years on from that iconic photo, Yamal is already chasing Messi’s Barcelona milestones. Here’s how old each of them was when they played their 150th game for the club.

Barcelona boss says ‘Everyone’s watching Lamine’

During the current season, Yamal’s incredible goal tally overshadows that of three other La Liga teams.

His seven individual goals in the league are more than what Valencia (six), Getafe (four) and Malaga (four) have managed as teams.

The forward’s form and skills are not lost on his manager, Hansi Flick.

The Barcelona boss heaped praise on his number 10 after the 4-1 win over Galatasaray in Istanbul.

“When you see the chances Lamine creates in every training session, it’s the same in matches. I have a lot of top-quality players. Everyone’s watching Lamine – that’s only natural.”

“It’s incredible to have players like that; he’s turned the game around for us.”

Rams left tackle Alaric Jackson’s suspension for punching a Buffalo Bills player after a game has been reduced from two games to one, an NFL spokesman said Wednesday.

Jackson was suspended for striking Bills linebacker Bradley Chubb in the face after the Bills defeated the Rams, 37-34, in overtime on Monday night.

Jackson appealed the suspension.

“Hearing officer Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has reduced the two game suspension of Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson to one game,” Michael Signora, the NFL’s senior vice president of football and international communications said in a post to X.

Jackson must sit out Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals but is eligible to return for an Oct. 25 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

David Quessenberry is on track to start in place of Jackson, coach Sean McVay said Tuesday.

The Rams will also start the 21-day window for rookie Keagan Trost to return from injured reserve.

Paris Saint-Germain score three first-half goals, but Erling Haaland brace nearly drags Manchester City back in UCL.

Paris Saint-Germain further soured the mood at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City’s first home game since the guilty verdict on widespread flouting of Premier League financial rules ended in a 4-2 Champions League defeat on Wednesday.

The European champions turned on the style to strike three times inside the opening 35 minutes through Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.

But City stormed back in the second half as Erling Haaland scored twice on either side of Maghnes Akliouche’s strike, which briefly restored PSG’s three-goal cushion.

The 10-time English champions face swingeing sanctions unless they can successfully appeal last month’s ruling by an independent commission, which found the club guilty on more than 100 charges of financial impropriety.

City shrugged off the uncertainty over their future to win 3-0 at Liverpool on Sunday and remain top of the Premier League, but PSG showed why they are the favourites to win this competition for a third consecutive season.

Former City manager Pep Guardiola returned to the Etihad for the first time since his departure in May, sitting behind the club’s embattled chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and CEO, Ferran Soriano, in a show of solidarity.

City made passing reference to the guilty verdict with a lengthy pre-match video detailing the club’s historic moments of celebration both before and after an Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2008 that transformed their fortunes.

Behind one end, supporters unfurled a giant banner reading: “I’m City till I die.”

Yet the fighting talk in the stands didn’t match the on-field action as City were blown away by a scintillating first 45 minutes from the visitors.

Luis Enrique’s decision to leave Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on the bench proved inspired, as it meant Doue started wide on the left.

Gianluigi Donnarumma had a point to prove after the Italian goalkeeper was let go by the PSG coach just months after helping deliver the club’s first Champions League title in 2025.

However, it turned out to be a night to forget for the giant Italian.

Donnarumma was caught out at his near post by Doue’s outside-the-box effort after a lightning counter-attack to open the scoring.

The move for the second goal two minutes later was even more impressive, as Doue and Dembele exchanged an elaborate one-two before the latter headed in at the far post.

Achraf Hakimi hit the post before Vitinha rattled in PSG’s third from the edge of the box.

Maresca responded with a triple substitution at half-time and managed to salvage some pride, even if the deficit proved too much to overturn.

Antoine Semenyo and Enzo Fernandez missed glaring chances to pull a goal back even before Haaland glanced home a header from Iliman Ndiaye’s cross.

Yet City were hit by a sucker punch when Donnarumma got a hand to Akliouche’s effort, but the ball looped high and spun back into the net.

Nuno Mendes made a brilliant clearance off his own line, and Haaland hit the bar before the Norwegian slotted home his second of the night.

Donnarumma saved a late Ferran Torres penalty, denying the French champions a fifth goal.

But in the battle between two state-backed projects that have reshaped European football, Qatar-owned PSG are the top dogs right now as City face a scandal that puts their trophy haul over the past 15 years in question.

Jose Mourinho enjoyed a Roma reunion to remember as Real Madrid completed an astonishing comeback by scoring three late goals to claim a 4-3 away win in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Marten de Roon gave the hosts a deserved opener before Kylian Mbappe struck back on his 100th Champions League appearance to level the scores at the break.

Two Donyell Malen strikes in the space of six minutes early in the second half seemed to take the game away from the 15-time European champions as Roma ran rampant.

But Real scored three goals in the space of seven minutes late on, all stemming from corners, to turn the game on its head as Carlos Espi, Endrick and ex-Roma defender Antonio Rudiger struck at a stunned Stadio Olimpico.

Mourinho was a popular figure, leading Roma to the UEFA Conference League title and an Europa League final during two-and-a-half years in charge.

The home crowd honoured the Portuguese with banners and chants in Roma’s first home Champions League match in more than seven years, and the hosts started strongly as Mario Hermoso forced Thibaut Courtois into a flying fingertip save.

Roma took a deserved lead when De Roon swept a shot past Courtois from 25 yards in the 20th minute, and almost doubled it when Malen’s powerful shot squirmed under Courtois before being plucked off the line.

However, one costly moment of switching off proved enough to send them back to square one within five minutes of the opener being scored.

Hermoso misjudged an interception to allow Mbappe a clear run at goal, and the French striker’s deflected shot flew into the roof of the net to level the scores with Real’s first meaningful chance of the game.

Mbappe marked his Champions League centurion status – he is the youngest player to reach the milestone, aged 27 – with his 72nd tournament goal, one that moved him into the all-time top five ahead of Real legend Raul Gonzalez.

The equaliser appeared to subdue Roma and steady Mourinho’s men, who twice threatened a second before the break as Marc Cucurella and Jude Bellingham came close.

Roma take game to Real Madrid

But Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini insisted pre-match that Roma would not compromise on their full-throttle style regardless of opposition, and he was true to his word as they came out firing after the break.

Roma quickly retook the lead when half-time substitute Rodrigo Mora fed the ball to Malen, who finished brilliantly by taking the ball in his stride with his first touch and lifting it over Courtois with his second.

Things got even better for the Italians just six minutes later when Malen raced onto a through ball to power home his second, given following a VAR review after initially being flagged for offside.

Real looked for a response as Mbappe twice tested Pierluigi Gollini, before having his second goal of the night ruled out for offside.

But set-pieces proved to be the key to unlock the Roma defence, as Espi tucked home a close-range rebound from a header to pull one back before Endrick powered home a header from another corner just two minutes later.

The final blow was struck by Rudiger in the 90th minute, the defender getting in front of his marker to guide home a close-range finish and complete an extraordinary turnaround.

The result leaves Real Madrid with six points from their opening two league phase matches, while Roma are on one point.

Shakhtar Donetsk beat AEK Athens in London debut

Nomadic Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk celebrated moving into their new Champions League “home” at Stamford Bridge by storming back to beat AEK Athens 3-1.

Fans of the club turned up in the thousands to support the team, who emerged from the tunnel draped in blue-and-yellow national flags.

The Greek side took the lead in the 28th minute through Lovro Majer but Pedrinho levelled confidently from the penalty spot just six minutes later.

With about 10 minutes of normal time to go, Vinicius Tobias found the net from a tight angle and substitute Gleiker Mendoza made the game safe, smashing home after cutting in from the left.

The result leaves Shakhtar on four points after two games, following a draw against PSV Eindhoven in their opening match in the league phase of the Champions League.

Giant-killers Bodo sink Dortmund in Champions League

Fredrik Sjovold’s 52nd-minute strike secured a 1-0 victory for Bodo/Glimt over Borussia Dortmund, extending the Norwegian side’s remarkable home record against Europe’s elite.

Bodo were a cut above the 2024 Champions League runners-up and took the lead through Sjovold just after the break.

Dortmund improved in the final half hour but were unable to strike back, despite a late chance for Felix Nmecha.

Dortmund join Manchester City, Inter Milan and Sporting as recent big-name scalps on the artificial turf of Bodo’s Aspmyra stadium.

Aston Villa put six past Fenerbahce in record rout

Aston Villa recorded their biggest ever European victory as Nicolas Jackson inspired a 6-0 rout of Fenerbahce.

Unai Emery’s side won at Villa Park for the first time this season to maintain their 100 percent start in Europe’s elite club competition.

Swiss forward Johan Manzambi put Villa in front, and Jackson was on target twice before the interval.

Ross Barkley scored twice in the second half before Tammy Abraham’s late strike completed the rout.

Lisandro Martinez’s future in doubt at Manchester United, Newcastle United‘s Bazoumana Toure eyed by Manchester United and Arsenal, Getafe interested in free agent Jadon Sancho.

Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez’s future at Manchester United is uncertain following his criticism of the club’s hierarchy, with doubts the 28-year-old’s contract will be extended beyond its current expiry next summer. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester United and Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Newcastle United‘s Ivory Coast attacker Bazoumana Toure, despite the 20-year-old only having moved to St James’ Park this summer. (CaughtOffside), external

Getafe are interested in signing England winger Jadon Sancho on a free transfer and are looking at ways they can meet the 26-year-old’s salary demands. (DAZN, via Mundo Deportivo) , external

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho says Brazil striker Endrick does not need to leave the Spanish club on loan in January and believes the 20-year-old will be a “huge success” at the La Liga side. (TNT Sports Brazil, via the Athletic), external

Former Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira is targeting a return to management in the Premier League amid being linked with struggling Fulham. (Talksport), external

Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler is the standout candidate among current Premier League head coaches should Manchester United‘s board choose to move on from Michael Carrick. (The Sun), external

Former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte and ex-Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann also have admirers among Manchester United‘s bosses. (Talksport), external

Liverpool have stepped-up their pursuit of Mexico midfielder Gilberto Mora, 18, and hope to complete a deal for the Club Tijuana player in January. (Teamtalk), external

Leeds fear they may lose Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic, 23, next summer, with Bayern Munich among the clubs interested. (Football Insider), external

Barcelona are tracking Germany under-21 striker Nicolo Tresoldi, 22, who scored a hat-trick for Club Brugge against Inter Milan on Tuesday. (Fichajes), external

Vinicius will miss El Clasico on October 25, the first of his four-match ban for pulling Saliba’s hair in La Liga.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior will miss the upcoming match against Barcelona in the Spanish league after being issued a four-match suspension for pulling an opponent’s hair during a La Liga game last week.

The Brazilian forward will miss Madrid’s next four league fixtures, including the highly anticipated October 25 El Clasico against fierce rivals and league champions Barcelona.

The Spanish federation’s disciplinary committee announced the ban on Wednesday after Vinicius received the red card against Villarreal last week.

The number seven thought he had scored Real’s second goal in the match on Saturday, but his effort was disallowed after a video assistant referee (VAR) review found he should be dismissed for pulling Nathan Saliba’s hair in the build-up.

The Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee confirmed the Brazilian will be banned for several matches, including the visit to face league leaders Barca, because of both the red card and his subsequent protests.

After the match, Vinicius, ⁠⁠⁠⁠who came on in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠52nd minute and was red-carded 20 minutes later, posted on social media, saying, “sorry to the team and the ⁠⁠⁠⁠fans”.

Vinicius was celebrating after scoring when referee Isidro Diaz de Mera was called by the VAR to review the moments before his goal. The referee waved off the goal and pulled out a red card for Vinicius, who also goes by his nickname Vini Jr.

When he thought Vinicius had doubled the lead, Real manager Jose Mourinho ran to join the celebrations with his players.

But moments later, Vinicius was left livid by the referee’s decision. He screamed at Diaz de Mera while his teammates tried to calm him down as he left the field.