Real Madrid stars including Kylian Mbappe rolled up T-shirts showing support for Ceuta, but President trip ‘unrelated’.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Real Madrid President Florentino Perez attended an event at Ceuta city hall on Friday in a visit to show solidarity with the Spanish territory, saying that it was not related to any recent developments.
On Tuesday, before Real’s La Liga match with Elche, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Ibrahima Konate obscured the message “We are all mackerels”, which appeared on T-shirts worn by the rest of the players. “Mackerels” is a nickname for people from Ceuta, and the shirts were designed to show support for them.
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Mbappe said on Wednesday that he did not want to prioritise the suffering of one group over another. Real told the news agency Reuters that they respected their players’ freedom to make their own decisions, but noted that they had shown support for Ceuta a week earlier with a tifo during their Champions League match with Inter Milan.
Perez was accompanied by honorary Real Madrid President Jose Martinez Pirri, a native of Ceuta. They were welcomed by Regional President Juan Jesus Vivas.
“I want to emphasise, to avoid any doubts, that today’s event has been prepared over several weeks with the president of Ceuta, not due to any recent news,” Perez said at the city hall.
“And I also take this opportunity to convey all our support, all our affection, and our solidarity during these very difficult times to all Ceutans. It is our wish that normality resumes as soon as possible in Ceuta.”
In July, more than 70,000 irregular crossings into Ceuta from Morocco took place, causing disruption in the territory. Real Madrid’s show of solidarity is one of many gestures that have taken place across Spain since the mass crossings.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal says most racism he has suffered has come from people unaware of their own comments or behaviour.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal said he has experienced racism “a thousand times”, with many people unaware that their comments or behaviour are racist.
The 19-year-old has been the target of racial abuse during his rapid rise to prominence.
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In October 2024, footage appeared to show Lamine, Raphinha and Ansu Fati being racially abused during Barcelona’s match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia said in a bulletin published in March that Lamine and Vinicius Jr were the most frequent targets of online racist abuse in Spain in the final quarter of 2025.
Asked by former Argentina international Jorge Valdano in an interview with Spanish broadcaster Movistar whether he had directly experienced racism, Lamine said: “A thousand times.
“People are indirectly racist toward you, but maybe don’t realise it. There are a lot of comments or looks that are racist, and they don’t even notice.
“If someone calls me Black, it’s not going to bother me at all, ultimately I’m Black, I’m not any other colour. Another thing is whether it’s good or bad, whether they’re saying it to offend me.
“But if I’m playing a match and they paid for a ticket to see me, I’m not going to get angry just because they disrespected me.”
La Liga has stepped up efforts to combat racist abuse in stadiums following several high-profile incidents in Spanish football in recent years.
Ex-Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo named in Portugal squad to face Norway and Denmark.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Cristiano Ronaldo has been included in new Portugal manager Jorge Jesus’s first 25-man squad for the defending champions’ upcoming four Nations League matches.
In August, Ronaldo fuelled speculation about his retirement plans after saying the coming year would probably be the last of his playing career.
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The 41-year-old Portugal captain is one of the most decorated players in football history, having won major trophies with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and current club Al Nassr since making his senior debut for Sporting in 2002.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was unable to add a World Cup title to his list of honours after Portugal were knocked out in the last 16 by eventual champions Spain, leaving the sport’s biggest prize absent from his trophy cabinet.
Ronaldo confirmed in July that the 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup would be his last in that competition, but he was unwilling to make a hasty call on his international future.
“His performance is what matters. The past doesn’t count,” Jesus told a news conference on Friday.
“In this squad, there are 13 players who have worked with me. I don’t have a set core, so within this group, there were several players who were important for this squad.
“Cris is a player like any other. If he performs, he plays; if not, he doesn’t. He has a different status – he has five Ballon d’Or awards – but does that factor into my decisions? No. However, the fact that he is different is.”
Jesus will make his debut as Portugal manager against Wales at home on September 24. Portugal then travel to face Norway and Denmark on September 27 and October 1 respectively, before hosting Norway on October 4.
Portugal appointed the 72-year-old former Al Nassr boss in July, days after Spaniard Roberto Martinez stepped down following the country’s World Cup exit.
Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of German football’s vice presidents, adds to list calling for Gianni Infantino’s resignation.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Gianni Infantino must leave the FIFA presidency “no ifs or buts”, according to Hans-Joachim Watzke, one of the vice presidents of the German Football Association (DFB), as he spoke at a festival dedicated to artificial intelligence in Berlin.
The DFB was one of the few federations not to sign a letter of support for Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president in six months’ time.
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“He has to go, no ifs or buts,” declared Watzke, who said late on Thursday that three points in particular counted against the Swiss.
The first was the FIFA Peace Prize, launched by Infantino and awarded in December 2025 to US President Donald Trump, to whom Infantino is close, during the draw for the 2026 World Cup.
Infantino “created this prize himself, and he decided on it himself,” said Watzke.
“You can’t just invent something on your own and then announce it, it’s madness,” said Watzke.
Watzke also condemned the controversial handling of the Folarin Balogun red card during this year’s World Cup, which was hosted in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The American forward was sent off in the last 32 but his automatic one-match suspension was lifted after a phone call from Trump to Infantino.
“It can’t be that when someone gets sent off, the head of state calls the FIFA president, and, remarkably, the whole thing is immediately overturned. That’s madness,” said Watzke.
The third issue was the project, unveiled on July 28 and dropped four days later, to create a commercial company that would have been open to private investors and became a focal point of the rebellion against Infantino.
“It’s completely insane,” said Watzke. “Nobody knew about it, his vice presidents in FIFA knew nothing, the Council knew nothing.”
DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said earlier in the week in an interview with RTL/ntv television that it was also time for Infantino to depart.
“The relationship of trust with Gianni Infantino, under this FIFA leadership, has of course been completely shattered,” he said.
“It’s important that this Infantino system comes to an end.”
For now, Infantino is the only candidate for the FIFA presidency in the election scheduled for March 18, 2027, with candidacies open until November 18.
World Cup winners Spain choose Cueta to announce Nations League squad in solidarity with migration crisis in region.
Published On 18 Sep 202618 Sep 2026
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente announced his Nations League squad from Ceuta on Friday in a show of support for the Spanish city in northern Africa that has become the centre of a migration crisis.
For his first squad announcement since Spain won the World Cup in July, De la Fuente revealed his list in a video featuring him in Ceuta accompanied by residents of the Spanish exclave. More than 70,000 people stormed across the border in late July from Morocco, with more than 100 dying in the chaos. Most quickly returned, but a few thousand remain in the city of just over 80,000.
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De la Fuente did not directly mention the border crossing or its impact, but did say: “This is Ceuta, this is Spain.” It echoed the rise in sentiment in Spain that Ceuta – a territory that until the mass crossing was mostly an afterthought for most mainland Spaniards – needs to be supported.
Spain opens the Nations League against England at Wembley Stadium on September 26 , when its players will wear two stars on their shirts for the first time since winning their second world title.
After visiting London, Spain will host Croatia on September 29 and the Czech Republic on October 3 , before visiting Croatia on October 6 .
De la Fuente kept his World Cup squad mostly intact.
Inter Milan goalkeeper Josep Martinez replaces Barcelona’s Joan Garcia, who is out with a minor knee issue. Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen is in for Marcos Llorente, who retired from international football. Fermin Lopez replaces fellow Barcelona midfielder Gavi, while Espanyol striker Roberto Fernandez got his first call-up, replacing Borja Iglesias.
Ceuta is one of two Spanish territories on the north African coast along with Melilla. Ceuta has been in Spanish possession since 1580. Christians and Muslims, Spanish and Moroccan residents and day workers all live there in relative harmony behind a border fence that many migrants from across Africa attempt to cross or swim around for a better life in Europe.
A Real Madrid supporters’ group has demanded a public apology from their star striker Kylian Mbappe and two of his teammates after the trio declined to fully wear a T-shirt in support of the people of Ceuta.
Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Ibrahima Konate wore a tribute shirt along with the rest of the squad ahead of Madrid’s 3-2 win at Elche on Tuesday in La Liga, although theirs were partially rolled up to cover the message.
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
City Section
Carson 32, Wilmington Banning 19
Contreras 18, RFK Community 7
Contreras 33, Roybal 0
Foshay 34, Manual Arts 7
Franklin 37, Chatsworth 0
Fremont 30, Marquez 12
Garfield 12, Huntington Park 0
Granada Hills Kennedy 20, Birmingham 9
Hollywood 26, Bernstein 6
Hollywood 30, Mendez 0
Jefferson d. Los Angeles, forfeit
King/Drew 50, Gardena 0
Legacy 16, South Gate 14
Los Angeles Hamilton 20, Palisades 0
Los Angeles University 22, LACES 16
Narbonne 8, San Pedro 0
RFK Community 20, Roybal 13
Santee 25, West Adams 0
Venice 33, WISH Academy
Westchester 13, Fairfax 6
Southern Section
Agoura 24, Oaks Christian 14
Antelope Valley 6, Knight 0
Aquinas 59, Riverside Notre Dame 7
Brentwood 21, Burbank Providence 6
Burbank Burroughs 19, South Pasadena 0
Castaic 44, Golden valley 0
Culver City 14, Hawthorne 12
Eastside 53, Littlerock 7
Hart 27, Canyon Country Canyon 12
Lawndale 7, Inglewood 6
Newbury Park 36, Calabasas 0
North Torrance 13, Wiseburn-Da Vinci 6
Oxnard 53, Rio Mesa 0
Oxnard Pacifica 47, Del Sol 0
Palmdale 2, Lancaster 0
Pasadena Poly 39, Village Christian 34
Quartz Hill 19, Highland 12
Redondo Union 32, Mira Costa 0
Santa Ana Foothill 19, Brea Olinda 6
Santa Barbara 20, Channel Islands 2
Santa Paula 33, Hueneme 16
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 54, Flintridge Sacred Heart 6
Sierra Canyon 46, Louisville 0
Simi Valley 26, Royal 14
South Torrance 50, West Torrance 0
Tesoro 50, Dana Hills 0
Woodbridge 47, El Toro 13
Intersectional
Saugus 45, Verdugo Hills 13
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
City Section
Arleta 63, Grant 0
Arleta 26, Grant 0
Collins Family 19, Smidt Tech 0
East Valley 47, AMIT 0
GALA 6, Los Angeles Marshall 0
Los Angeles Hamilton 19, Fairfax 13
Los Angeles Wilson 47, Monroe 6
Los Angeles Wilson 12, Panorama 6
Lincoln 27, Legacy 0
Orthopaedic 36, East College Prep 0
Panorama 49, Monroe 0
Rise Kohyang 40, Animo De La Hoya 13
San Fernando Arroyo 37, Reseda 7
SOCES 50, Valley Oaks CES 0
Stern 12, Camino Nuevo 0
Sun Valley Magnet 69, Valor Academy 0
VAAS 20, MSAR 0
Van Nuys 12, Immaculate Heart 0
Van Nuys 33, Chatsworth 0
Southern Section
Baldwin Park 30, Sierra Vista 7
Bell Gardens 45, Keppel 6
Bishop Amat 18, St. Paul 7
Bonita 19, Ayala 6
Cajon 34, Eastvale Roosevelt 12
California Military 61, United Christian Academy 0
Camarillo 33, Oxnard Pacifica 20
Century 39, Bolsa Grande 25
Cerritos 26, La Mirada 16
Chaminade 59, Flintridge Sacred Heart 26
Charter Oak 12, Hacienda Heights Wilson 0
Colony 48, Arlington 13
Compton 28, Dominguez 0
Compton Centennial 12, Compton Early College 6
Corona del Mar 23, Los Alamitos 13
Cypress 20, Anaheim Canyon 7
Don Lugo 33, Ontario 0
Downey 25, California 13
El Dorado 20, Sunny Hills 18
El Monte 6, Rosemead 0
El Rancho 34, Schurr 6
Etiwanda 19, Bishop Montgomery 6
Fountain Valley 43, Marina 0
Fullerton 14, Segerstrom 13
Gabrielino 33, South Pasadena 12
Gardena Serra 38, St. Mary’s Academy 6
Garden Grove 6, Laguna Hills 0
Garden Grove Pacifica 18, Santa Ana Foothill 12
Garden Grove Santiago 27, Savanna 0
Glenn 41, Whitney 0
Godinez 12, Buena Park 0
Hemet 20, West Valley 6
Highland Entrepreneur 28, Fontana Entrepreneur 0
Huntington Beach 18, Newport Harbor 6
Irvine University 8, Northwood 0
La Canada 12, Monrovia 7
Laguna Beach 12, Rosary 6
Lakewood 37, Los Angeles Jordan 18
La Serna 28, Gahr 8
Long Beach Poly 20, Millikan 6
Linfield Christian 19, Ontario Christian 6
Mission Viejo 20, Trabuco Hills 12
Montclair 19, Chaffey 12
Mountain View 24, Arroyo 0
Nogales 20, Garey 0
Ocean View 6, Katella 0
Orange 18, Loara 12
Palm Desert 19, Elsinore 13
Paramount 13, Artesia 6
Pomona 19, Edgewood 6
Redlands 28, La Sierra 8
Rio Hondo Prep 13, Westridge 6
Riverside Poly 14, Corona Santiago 7
Rowland 8, Covina 6
San Clemente 30, San Juan Hills 6
San Marino 12, Burbank Burroughs 6
Santa Ana Valley 6, Western 0
Sierra Canyon 40, Palos Verdes 12
Sonora 13, Villa Park 7
South El Monte 31, San Gabriel 14
St. Lucy’s 27, Ramona Convent 13
St. Margaret’s 45, Irvine 13
St. Monica 33, Animo Leadership 0
Temple City 24, Cantwell-Sacred heart 12
Troy 12, La Habra 7
Tustin 7, Costa Mesa 0
Valley View 24, Indio 13
Van Nuys 12, Immaculate Heart 0
Vasquez 56, PACS 0
Warren 59, Mayfair 0
West Covina 7, Northview 6
Western Christian 68, Vista Meridian 0
Westminster 2, Placentia Valencia 0
Westminster La Quinta 7, Los Amigos 0
Whittier 33, Oxford Academy 6
Woodbridge 19, Sage Hill 13
Woodcrest 22, Riverside Notre Dame 6
Workman 41, Bassett 0
Whittier 34, Oxford Academy 6
Yorba Linda 27, Crean Lutheran 19
Results from CIF City and Southern Section high school football games on Thursday, Sept. 17.
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Arsenal are eyeing Bournemouth youngster Eli Junior Kroupi, Real Madrid are considering a move for Everton‘s Jarrad Branthwaite, and Chelsea are interested in Nico Williams.
Arsenal are extremely keen on a move for Bournemouth and France Under-21s forward Eli Junior Kroupi, 20, but the Cherries would expect a huge fee. (Football London), external
Real Madrid are weighing up a move for Everton‘s 24-year-old English defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who is also on the radar of several Premier League clubs. (Goal), external
Chelsea are keen to explore a £69m deal for Spain and Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams, 24. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Arsenal have no intention of selling 27-year-old Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi in January. (Football Insider), external
Real Madrid and Barcelona have made fresh enquiries about American teenager Cavan Sullivan, 16, who is set to move to Manchester City from Philadelphia Union when he turns 18. (Teamtalk), external
Liverpool will have to pay the full £130m release clause to buy 20-year-old Brazilian Rayan from Bournemouth despite manager Andoni Iraola’s relationship with the midfielder from his time as Cherries boss. (ESPN Brazil via Caught Offside), external
Atletico Madrid and Argentina midfielder Julian Alvarez, 26, who counts Arsenal and Barcelona among his suitors, is considering leaving his long-term agent after a summer of transfer speculation. (Mundo Deportivo), external
Everton are unlikely to pursue Tottenham and Brazil forward Richarlison despite the 29-year-old being linked with a return to the Toffees over the summer. (Football Insider), external
Alvin Man/iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Chelsea announce that Clearlake will acquire the stakes of Todd Boehly and director Mark Walter.
Published On 17 Sep 202617 Sep 2026
Xabi Alonso said Chelsea’s ambition was “very clear” after Clearlake Capital took full control of the Premier League club, ending Todd Boehly’s chairmanship.
Chelsea announced late on Wednesday that Clearlake, led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano, would acquire the stakes of Boehly and director Mark Walter.
US billionaires Boehly and Walter partnered with Clearlake to buy the London club from Roman Abramovich in May 2022 in a sale mandated by the British government.
Prior to the new deal, private equity company Clearlake had owned 61.5 percent of the club, with Boehly and Walter carving up the remaining shares with another investor, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.
Chelsea said Wyss would “remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group”.
Boehly and Walter are among the co-owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, while Walter recently sold the Los Angeles Lakers basketball franchise for $12.5bn.
The Financial Times reported that the pair were set to receive 950 million pounds ($1.27bn) for their combined stakes in Chelsea, in a deal that values the club at about five billion pounds, including debt.
In a new statement on Thursday, Chelsea said: “Our ambition is clear: to compete at the highest level, to win major trophies, and to build sustained success”.
Blues boss Alonso, who started at Chelsea on July 1 , told reporters that the change was “an important day for the club”.
“Thanks to the former owners for what they’ve done. I was not here, but I know they played an important role,” he said on the eve of Chelsea’s Premier League match at Brentford on Friday.
“And now that Behdad is taking more control, almost full control, I think it’s good that the main one is clear.
“I have very good relations with Behdad. He was the one that came to Madrid to explain to me the project, to convince me and we are working well together.”
“We know where we want to be, we know that everything takes time, but the ambition for that is very clear,” the Spaniard added.
Since the takeover in 2022, Chelsea’s highest Premier League finish is fourth in 2024/25, when the club won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen coach Alonso has a brief to revitalise the underachieving Chelsea squad, which finished a dismal 10th in the Premier League last season.
The Blues have made a mixed start to the new campaign, taking seven points from their four Premier League games to sit sixth in the table.
Boehly and Walter have also sold their stakes in Chelsea’s partner club, French Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, giving full control to Clearlake.
Basketball superstar Kyrie Irving has offered to pay a fine for American football player Azeez Al-Shaair, who was penalised for wearing the name of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Al-Shaair was handed a fine of $11,941 by the National Football League (NFL) on Wednesday as he was found to be in breach of the NFL’s rules on players’ equipment and clothing during his team Houston Texans’ game against the Buffalo Bills last weekend.
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Shortly after the fine was announced by an NFL reporter on X, the pro-Palestine basketball player responded to the tweet by saying he would “take care” of it.
Al-Shaair, 29, is a linebacker for the Houston-based NFL team and a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights.
During his team’s last NFL game, Al-Shaair wrote Rajab’s name on his eye black, a sticker or paint frequently used by NFL players to reduce glare.
Five-year-old Rajab was killed in Gaza after Israeli soldiers opened fire on her family’s stranded car. A phone call by the Palestinian Red Crescent documented her final moments and was the subject of an Oscar-nominated docudrama.
Al-Shaair, a Black American Muslim player, has frequently spoken about the plight of Palestinians and has paid the price for it.
He was also fined in January, during the NFL’s last season, when he displayed the message “Stop The Genocide” on his nose tape. While it did not specifically refer to a particular conflict, it was widely understood to be about Gaza and Sudan.
The NFL’s fine on Al-Shaair comes at a time when Robert Kraft, the owner of the Boston-based team New England Patriots, confirmed that he pressured pop star Ed Sheeran to drop rapper Macklemore from his tour of the United States.
The billionaire is the owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, one of the venues where Macklemore was due to appear on stage as the opening act for Sheeran’s US tour in late September.
Letting Macklemore perform in Gillette Stadium would, Kraft said, cross a line, as he described the rapper’s recent performances as including a “broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery”.
Kraft is known for launching a so-called “anti-Semitic campaign” during Israel’s genocide in Gaza in 2023, when players, coaches and executives from his Patriots team wore blue pins.
On October 15, 2023, the NFL observed a moment of silence for Israel during a game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans in London, United Kingdom, while the league has sanctioned its player for raising awareness for Palestinians.
The NFL was criticised on social media for slapping a fine on Al-Shaair, with one user calling the move “inhumane”.
“He is advocating for the murder of this innocent child Hind Rajab in Palestine and they fine him?! Nah, that is so inhumane. You should be ashamed of yourself,” the user wrote.
Prominent American Muslim scholar Omar Suleiman questioned whether Al-Shaair would have faced a similar punishment if his tape carried the name of Holocaust victim Anne Frank instead.
“Why is honoring murdered Palestinian children ‘an unauthorized message’?” he asked in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations backed Al-Shaair over his continued advocacy for Palestinians.
“We commend Al-Shaair for using his platform to highlight the memory of Hind Rajab, one of the many children murdered by the Israeli government during its genocide in Gaza,” the rights group said in a statement on its website.
“The NFL has no problem with coaches wearing pins developed for genocide supporter Robert Kraft’s “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign, and it should have no problem with an NFL player mentioning the name of a girl killed in that genocide,” the statement went on to add.
“Al-Shaair’s message was rooted in basic human decency and concern for innocent lives. That should not be controversial, much less subject to a fine.”
Meanwhile, nine-time National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Irving has previously made his pro-Palestine stance on Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza clear.
In February, Irving wore a shirt reading “PRESS” at the NBA All-Star Game to honour journalists who had been killed in Gaza while covering the war.
According to reports, the tag on his shirt read: “Dedicated to our beloved journalists in Gaza showing the world the truth.”
In April, Irving changed his display picture on Instagram to an image of a Palestinian child blocked from attending school by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank.
During a pre-game interview in 2024, he was seen wearing a chain with the Palestine flag in the shape of Israel’s landmass.
In 2023, the basketball player wore a keffiyeh, a cotton headdress with a distinctive checkered pattern worn in many parts of the Arab world that represents Palestinian identity, during a post-match news conference.
HIGH SCHOOL FLAG FOOTBALL
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Southern Section
Adelanto 25, San Gorgonio 6
Antelope Valley 16, Palmdale 0
Aquinas 13, Riverside Poly 12
Arroyo Valley 14, Victor Valley 2
Beaumont 26, Redlands East Valley 6
Bishop Montgomery 40, Vasquez 12
Cajon 20, Citrus Valley 0
California Military 54, Pomona 0
Carter 7, Colton 7
Charter Oak 25, Duarte 7
Chino 7, Sunny Hills 6
Colony 25, Los Altos 0
Colton 7, Carter 7
Dos Pueblos 31, Oxnard 20
Esperanza 13, St. Paul 6
Etiwanda 38, Los Osos 0
Grand Terrace 12, Eisenhower 8
Hart 14, Saugus 0
Harvard-Westlake 32, Alemany 0
Hemet 18, Hillcrest 14
Heritage 24, Liberty 15
Highland 18, Eastside 6
Indian Springs 32, Fontana 0
JSerra 39, Mater Dei 7
Kaiser 19, Summit 6
Laguna Hills 20, La Palma Kennedy 0
La Mirada 6, Santa Fe 0
Lancaster 27, Littlerock 6
Mission Viejo 25, Aliso Niguel 13
Moreno Valley 34, Arlington 7
Mountain View 13, Rosemead 6
Newbury Park 26, Oaks Christian 18
Nogales 8, Sierra Vista 2
Orange 19, Oxford Academy 0
Orange Lutheran 26, Santa Margarita 20
Oxnard Pacifica 24, Channel Islands 6
Paloma Valley 32, Perris 0
Palos Verdes 27, Inglewood 13
Patriot 33, Norte Vista 0
Quartz Hill 12, Knight 6
Rancho Cucamonga 44, St. Lucy’s 13
Rancho Verde 33, Orange Vista 6
Redondo Union 41, El Segundo 7
Rialto 7, Jurupa Hills 6
Rim of the World 33, Bloomington 14
Royal 19, Moorpark 6
San Bernardino 25, Rubidoux 0
San Marino 15, Gabrielino 6
Santa Paula 56, Bishop Diego 0
SEED LA 34, Yeshiva 14
Shadow Hills 37, Temecula Prep 12
Simi Valley 26, Oak Park 21
South Hills 48, San Dimas 0
Tahquitz 26, West Valley 0
Temescal Canyon 31, San Jacinto 14
Tesoro 34, Capistrano Valley 7
Thousand Oaks 46, Calabasas 0
Upland 15, Chino Hills 0
Valley View 20, Lakeside 0
Ventura 33, Rio Mesa 0
Village Christian 33, Rio Hondo Prep 0
Western Christian 35, Cerritos Valley Christian 7
Westlake 21, Agoura 0
West Ranch 18, Canyon Country Canyon 13
Westridge 19, Pasadena Poly 14
Yucaipa 19, Redlands 18
Intersectional
Culver City 34, Vistamar 6
Santa Monica 27, Venice 0
MONDAY’S RESULTS
City Section
Bell 34, South East 0
Camino Nuevo d. Collins Family, forfeit
Carson 18, Los Angeles Wilson 6
East College Prep 50, Belmont 12
Fremont 36, Dymally 0
Fremont 28, Crenshaw 6
GALA 33, Washington Prep 0
GALA 19, Port of Los Angeles 0
Garfield 21, Huntington Park 0
Granada Hills Kennedy 25, Sylmar 6
Jefferson 26, Manual Arts 6
Legacy 6, South Gate 0
Los Angeles University 12, Palisades 0
Orthopaedic 33, Annenberg 0
Panorama 42, Sylmar 0
Santee 31, Diego Rivera 0
Stern 12, Rise Kohyang 6
Taft 12, SOCES 0
Van Nuys 26, Sun Valley Magnet 0
Venice 49, Westchester 12
Washington Prep 12, Port of Los Angeles 6
Southern Section
Adelanto 37, Indian Springs 6
Alemany 32, Flintridge Sacred Heart 12
Alhambra 13, El Monte Arroyo 12
Alta Loma 14, San Dimas 12
Arrowhead Christian 14, Woodcrest Christian 7
Baldwin Park 33, Duarte 0
Bishop Amat 38, St, Mary’s Academy 0
Calvary Baptist 12, United Christian Academy 0
Castaic 14, Vasquez 6
Cerritos 22, Santa Fe 8
Chaffey 7, Don Lugo 6
Chino 26, Montclair 0
Chino Hills 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6
Compton 21, Long Beach Cabrillo 0
Compton Early College 13, Compton Centennial 12
Corona Centennial 43, Corona 18
Covina 20, West Covina 6
Downey 26, Warren 6
Edison 27, Fountain Valley 12
Eisenhower 42, Bloomington 6
El Modena 15, Villa Park 12
El Rancho 32, San Gabriel 6
Etiwanda 20, Upland 7
Fillmore 42, St. Bonaventure 26
Gahr 12, Bellflower 0
Gardena Serra 51, St. Anthony 0
Glendora 68, Claremont 0
Grand Terrace 13, Colton 0
Heritage 27, Rancho Christian 16
Hillcrest 15, Riverside North 12
Huntington Beach 38, Marina 6
Indio 13, Palm Desert 6
Jurupa Hills 19, San Gorgonio 13
La Canada 13, Burbank Burroughs 0
Laguna Beach 19, Rosary 0
La Serna 40, Mayfair 6
Long Beach Poly 26, Long Beach Wilson 7
Mater Dei 21, St. Joseph 6
Murrieta Mesa 18, Temecula Valley 6
Newport Harbor 25, Corona del Mar 0
Nogales 7, Azusa 6
Norco 26, Eastvale Roosevelt 14
Northview 26, Charter Oak 14
Orange 7, Garden Grove 0
Paramount 6, La Mirada 0
Pasadena Poly 39, Ramona Convent 0
Ramona 25, Miller 6
Rancho Verde 60, Citrus Hill 0
Rim of the World 6, Carter 0
Riverside King 39, Corona Santiago 19
Riverside Poly 33, Canyon Springs 0
Saddleback 18, Los Amigos 13
Sage Hill 25, Northwood 0
Santa Ana Foothill 25, La Habra 12
Schurr 34, Bell Gardens 6
Segerstrom 20, Laguna Hills 19
Serrano 19, Lancaster 0
Shadow Hills 31, Desert Hot Springs 8
Sierra Canyon 48, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 14
Sonora 32, El Dorado 7
South El Monte 47, Keppel 0
South Hills 13, Los Altos 0
St. Lucy’s 8, Los Osos 7
St. Margaret’s 41, Irvine 0
Trabuco Hills 13, El Toro 7
Valley View 13, Arlington 0
Vista del Lago 32, Lakeside 7
Whittier 21, Glenn 0
Windward 26, Brentwood 0
Woodbridge 46, Portola 14
Workman 26, Pomona 6
Yorba Linda 25, Anaheim Canyon 13
Intersectional
Cleveland 27, Valencia 7
Mira Costa 27, Wilmington Banning 7
Sotomayor 13, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary 6
Torrance 20, San Pedro 13
Howard Webb says the referees’ body is disappointed with the decision to allow Haaland’s goal against Manchester United.
Published On 16 Sep 202616 Sep 2026
Pro Ref chief Howard Webb said “tunnel vision” led video assistant referee (VAR) officials to wrongly award Erling Haaland’s goal in Sunday’s Manchester derby at Old Trafford.
Haaland’s second-half strike was initially ruled out for offside before being allowed to stand following a VAR review that concluded the Manchester City forward was onside.
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Pro Ref, the body responsible for refereeing in English professional football, later acknowledged the goal should not have been awarded because VAR failed to properly assess the involvement of teammate Enzo Fernandez, who attempted to play the ball from an offside position.
“I was really disappointed with this outcome. We all are. None more so than the officials themselves,” Webb, Pro Ref’s chief refereeing officer, said on Match Officials Mic’d Up on Sky Sports and TNT Sports.
“They take a lot of personal pride in what they do, and they’re obviously hurting now having fallen short in this situation.”
VAR is a refereeing support tool designed to enable the checking, reviewing and correction of clear and obvious errors during a match, according to FIFA. It was intended to be a combination of human expertise and technological accuracy, but has instead become a sour topic in football circles.
Current and former United players, including club legend Wayne Rooney, labelled the use of VAR “horrendous”, while football experts told Al Jazeera the technology has become “far too dominant” in decision-making.
Webb confirmed that VAR officials Matt Donohue and assistant VAR Blake Antrobus would not officiate again until after the international break.
“We’ve reached out to Manchester United and acknowledged the error, as we do when these things happen,” Webb said.
Explaining the decision-making process, Webb said the semi-automated offside system quickly established that Haaland was onside, but the VAR became overly focused on the striker’s position and failed to fully consider Fernandez’s influence on the play.
“But of course, when he then runs it back through the full APP, he doesn’t truly evaluate the full impact of Fernandez’s position,” Webb said.
“He has a look to see if he touches the ball, because then that relates to potentially knocking it to Haaland, who goes on to score. He doesn’t touch the ball, but he doesn’t truly evaluate other elements of offside. In that moment, he gets tunnel vision.”
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick criticised the decision after his side’s 1-0 home defeat, their second loss in four Premier League matches this season.
United next host Brighton in the League Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Fulham in the Premier League on Sunday.
Test your ball knowledge against today’s Who Am I?, Five in Five and Brainteaser.
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North Korea, enjoying support in the stands, were up 7-0 by half-time and are the favourites for the gold.
Published On 14 Sep 202614 Sep 2026
North Korea’s formidable women’s football team, cheered on by several hundred pro-Pyongyang fans in Osaka, Japan, launched their Asian Games campaign with a 10-0 hammering of Bangladesh.
The North Koreans have enjoyed stunning international success at the youth level and start among the favourites for gold in Japan.
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They were far too hot for Bangladesh to handle and were seven goals ahead by half-time on Monday.
Striker Ri Song-a, who was born and raised in Japan, was in North Korea’s starting lineup and scored in the second half.
North Korea were cheered on by a large group of red-clad fans, who sang and chanted throughout the match.
The men’s and women’s football teams were welcomed by supporters waving flags as they arrived for the games last week wearing white blazers and pink ties.
More than 100 North Koreans are set to compete in 14 sports at the games, which take place in Nagoya-Aichi and officially open on September 19.
North Korea suspended participation in international sporting competitions during the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned at the Asian Games in China in 2023 and also took part in the Paris Olympics.
North Korea’s women face South Korea in a Group F grudge match on September 21.
The men’s team begin their campaign against China on Wednesday.
Spanish manager has been appointed South Korea’s interim head coach following a disastrous World Cup campaign.
Published On 14 Sep 202614 Sep 2026
South Korea’s new interim football coach Robert Moreno has denied allegations that he relied on artificial intelligence during his last coaching role but admitted to using technology in his work.
Addressing his first news conference as the Taegeuk Warriors’ temporary coach on Monday, Moreno promised to make South Korean football fans “happy”.
The Spaniard was appointed as the Asian giants’ temporary coach following a disastrous few months for the team and the country’s football federation, during which on-field results and off-field controversies left the fans bitterly disappointed.
Moreno, who was forced to deny earlier this year that he used ChatGPT to prepare for games, will be in charge for friendly matches in the coming months.
He addressed allegations that he used artificial intelligence during his time in charge of Russian club Sochi, saying “It was a piece of news that is completely false and went viral.”
Moreno left the top-flight side in September 2025 after a poor run of results, and reports said he had heavily relied on ChatGPT in his role, even using it to decide between potential signings.
“Obviously, I use technology,” he said.
“Anyone who spends 10 minutes looking into it can see that everything has been taken out of context and put together to cause harm.”
The Korea Football Association (KFA) said Moreno could stay on for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January-February, “subject to an evaluation”.
Moreno named captain Son Heung-min in his squad for four upcoming home friendlies and said he wanted to put a smile back on South Korean fans’ faces.
“We’re going to try to do our work honestly and with the aim of making all Korean football fans happy,” said the 48-year-old, who is the first Spaniard to coach South Korea.
“Good matches, and trying to help the players.”
Moreno will lead the team against Ecuador and Uruguay in September and Venezuela and Uzbekistan in October.
South Korea had been without a coach since Hong Myung-bo quit following their shock group-stage exit from the World Cup in North America in June.
Hong’s departure did little to quell public outrage over the disappointing campaign and added fuel to pre-existing questions about how he was hired.
Police raided KFA headquarters last month as part of an investigation into Hong’s 2024 appointment.
The KFA also apologised for allegations that it provided sexual entertainment for foreign referees.
Moreno named striker Son, now in the United States’ Major League Soccer with Los Angeles FC, in his first squad along with Atletico Madrid’s Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae.
Hong’s decision to leave Son on the bench in the first half of the decisive match against South Africa at the World Cup baffled and angered many supporters.
“We’re all aware of Son’s versatility,” said Moreno.
“For me, he can play in three positions.”
Erling Haaland’s goal for Man City should not have been overturned by VAR in derby at United, admits referee body.
Published On 13 Sep 202613 Sep 2026
Professional Game Referees (Pro Ref) admitted on Sunday that the decision to allow Erling Haaland’s winner in Manchester City’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United was an “error of judgment”.
With City down to 10 men after Phil Foden’s dismissal for kicking Bruno Fernandes, Haaland netted on the hour mark with a close-range finish from Josko Gvardiol’s cross.
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The goal was initially disallowed for offside against Haaland, but VAR eventually overturned that decision, even though City midfielder Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position and attempted to reach the ball before the Norwegian forward.
Fernandez did not touch the ball, so the goal was given, allowing Haaland to celebrate his ninth league strike in Manchester derbies.
Premier League Match Centre posted on social media after the goal to say the VAR “determined that Haaland was in an onside position” and “deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn’t play the ball”.
However, Pro Ref later on Sunday said the VAR “did not recognise the likely impact” of the Argentine midfielder’s position and “should have recommended an on-field review”.
“Contact has been made with Manchester United this evening to acknowledge what we deem is an error of judgment. A review of the incident will take place,” the statement added.
After the match, United manager Michael Carrick said it was “worrying” that a team of officials had come to the conclusion that Haaland’s goal should stand.
Lisandro Martinez was the United defender at the centre of the controversy.
The Argentine said he was clearly impacted by the presence of his international teammate Fernandez and branded the City goal an “injustice”.
“I went to him because he was in front of me. That’s why Haaland was free at the back,” Martinez told Sky Sports.
“Five or six people [officials] doing this kind of mistake in the Premier League is unacceptable.
“We have to go home with this injustice.”
A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 3:
Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking
1. SANTA MARGARITA (4-0) def. Sacramento Inderkum, 41-0; vs. Norco at Saddleback College, Friday; 1
2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (3-1) def. Kahuku (Hawaii), 49-3; at Honolulu St. Louis, Saturday; 3
3. SIERRA CANYON (3-0) def. Honolulu St. Louis, 52-0; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; 4
4. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-1) def. Gardena Serra, 35-0; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 5
5. MATER DEI (4-0) def. Corona Centennial, 10-9; vs. Las Vegas Bishop Gorman at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 6
6. CORONA CENTENNIAL (1-2) lost to Mater Dei, 10-9; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 2
7. MISSION VIEJO (3-1) def. San Diego Lincoln, 56-0; vs. Pittsburg, Friday; 7
8. SAN CLEMENTE (4-0) def. La Costa Canyon, 31-21; at Murrieta Valley, Sept. 25; 8
9 . CHAMINADE (4-0) def. Beaumont, 42-24; vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; 9
10. PALOS VERDES (4-0) def. Huntington Beach Edison, 28-3; at Wilmington Banning, Friday; 10
11. JSERRA (3-1) def. Oak Hills, 63-0; at Bishop Amat, Friday; 11
12. YORBA LINDA (4-0) def. Esperanza, 42-7; at Huntington Beach, Friday; 12
13. SERVITE (2-2) def. St. Paul, 69-14; at Damien, Sept. 25; 14
14. CORONA DEL MAR (4-0) def. Newport Harbor, 16-6; vs. La Serna, Thursday; 15
15. BISHOP AMAT (4-0) def. Culver City, 65-13; vs. JSerra, Friday; 16
16. CREAN LUTHERAN (2-2) lost to El Dorado Hills Oak Ridge, 28-21; at Oakdale, Friday; 13
17. CHAPARRAL (2-2) def. Rancho Cucamonga, 20-15; vs. Herriman (Utah) Mountain Ridge, Friday; 18
18. CARSON (3-1) def. Long Beach Poly, 17-14; at North Torrance, Friday; 19
19. OXNARD PACIFICA (4-0) def. Palmdale Highland, 35-6; at Sierra Canyon, Sept. 25; 21
20. GARDENA SERRA (2-2) lost to Orange Lutheran, 35-0; vs. Oaks Christian, Friday; 22
21. LA SERNA (3-0) def. Northview, 45-6; at Corona del Mar, Thursday; 25
22. WESTLAKE (4-0) def. Laguna Beach, 28-23; vs. Tustin, Friday; 23
23. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (2-2) lost to Chaparral, 20-15; at Corona Centennial, Friday; 17
24. TUSTIN (3-1) def. Damien, 21-10; at Westlake, Friday; NR
25. LA HABRA (4-0) def. Mira Costa, 29-24; vs. Orange Vista, Friday; NR
ONCE dubbed “the most boring man in football” Michael Owen’s choice to sign up for a fly-on-the-wall Amazon documentary about his family was unexpected to say the least.
The former England striker turned pundit, 46, allowed cameras to follow him, his wife Louise and their children Gemma, James, Emily and Jessica as they balance family life with running a horse racing business in Cheshire.
And it was a distinctly left-field move from Michael, who – unlike celebrity documentary subjects David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and the larger-than-life Tyson Fury – has largely stayed out of the spotlight.
He is seen joking in six part series Meet The Owens that he is now best known as a “boring p***k” or “Gemma Owen’s dad” after she appeared in Love Island, raising questions about why he would agree to film the at-home-with style show.
And we can reveal that the ex-footballer – often referred to as ‘the most boring man in football’ – signed up for his TV payday after ploughing £13 million into his racing business pushed him to his financial limit.
While he may have other streams of income, accounts for Michael’s company Owen Promotions show it holds just £7,219 in cash and owes £2.3m to creditors.
It also has three outstanding loans, two of which were taken out in March 2022 and February 2024 with Leeds-based MR Denton Properties.
A further loan was taken out in February 2024 with Andrew Black, who co-founded Betfair.
Two other loans with Grosvenor Funding, which claims to offer “fast and flexible” bridging loans were paid off in 2023.
And all five loans were secured using parts of the Owens home estate – a 42-acre estate he bought in 2001 for £4million.
Speaking in Meet the Owens, which is now number 3 on the Amazon Prime UK chart, Michael revealed he has had to put “£12 or £13 million” into Manor House Stables to build it to its current level.
But he admits the business – which makes cash by persuading investors to back the horses they buy at auction – still desperately needs investors.
And he describes their current status as: “Premier League. Brighton, but not seventh, but kind of bottom half.”
Footage from the first episode shows the racing enthusiast giving pal Jamie Carragher a tour of the impressive grounds and stables, showing off a horse owned by Sir Alex Ferguson and another he owns along with Paul Scholes, Steve McManaman and Owen Hargreaves.
Drone shots show the impressive site from the air, while graphics also flash up on screen showing how the structure works – a handy guide for any would-be investors.
One source told us: “Michael is passionate about Manor House and racing, and he has done an incredible job on Manor House.
“The problem is that it is a big money pit and you can pour millions into it without any guarantee of winning horses.
“He loves it, and would never walk away, but it would be naive to say it hasn’t had a massive impact on his finances.
“And the pressure is never ending because as a business, you have to buy horses each year – for £90,000 or more – and try to find investors for them.
“Then the million-dollar question is whether or not those horses win, as the stables need winners to succeed.
“But the reality is that you only win a very small percentage of the races in which you have horses.”
Michael is now the sole shareholder for Manor House Stables LLP, which owns the stables, after director and co-owner Andrew Black resigned in March 2022 after six years.
Accounts show the company has healthy assets of approximately £13.6million.
Yet the source said the business still has a way to go before it becomes a money-spinner, rather than a money pit.
They added: “The Amazon payday has come at a good time for Michael, but he is also hoping the airtime for Manor House will attract more investors.
“The more money that comes in, the better the horses and the more winners we will see here.
“That will help the business move higher up the rankings among the top British stables.
“Michael loves racing and he is driven by passion for the sport, but he is also very competitive and wants to win.”
Previously, a source told us: “Michael is extremely determined to succeed in racing. He has poured millions of his own money into Manor House, and he will not stop until he’s at the very top.
“Signing up to broadcast this to the world was a huge risk for him, and he’s desperate for it to work.
“Michael is keen to show off how much Manor House is a reputable and successful stable, and he hopes putting the business on screen ends up being a help rather than a hindrance.”
A spokesperson for Michael declined to comment.
Follow updates from our live text commentary stream coverage as Bruno Fernandes and Erling Haaland star in the derby.
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Jackson Renger, the star outside linebacker on Los Alamitos’ Southern Section Division 2 championship football team last season, packed his bags and boarded a flight on Aug. 14 to begin life as an Ivy Leaguer at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y.
Armed with a 4.4 grade-point average and memories of winning a championship with his best friends, Renger is entering the world of college football while competing in an academic environment featuring the best of the best.
“I’ve been told football might be the easiest part,” he said. “I’m coming in to be surprised.”
The Ivy League continues to recruit players from Southern California. Former St. John Bosco quarterback Caleb Sanchez is entering his junior year at Columbia, which has 10 Southland products on its roster. St. John Bosco defensive back Dorian Franklin is committed to Harvard.
Aiding Renger are eight other players from Southern California on the Cornell roster.
“They said it will be fine and help me,” he said of the transition.
Renger visited Cornell three times last year but has done little preparation this year for what he will be facing in his balancing act of football and academics. He’s going to trust his skills and previous experiences.
“My biggest concern is the academics,” he said. “Throw on top of that football, that’s going to be a real challenge. They said you have to be on top of your stuff and can’t let either get on top of you.”
When Renger left home last month, he packed what he could, flying to New Jersey to visit family, then drove to New York with his parents before moving in on a Sunday. He had hernia surgery in July and spent six weeks recovering and still believes he should be able to contribute on the field as a freshman.
One thing he didn’t bring to Cornell was a warm jacket for snow. He didn’t trust the stores in Orange County.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” he said. “They’re going to sell me something useless.”
So he’ll trust the stores in New York or maybe receive recommendations from teammates once the snow comes.
He’s going off to college to explore and test himself on and off the field. That’s what Ivy Leaguers do.
“Cornell is such a unique and big school,” he said. “I’m not sure what I want to do. I want to try different things when I’m there.”
Football has taught him the most important lesson for anyone who plays sports — never quit.
“This is a whole new challenge. I’ll put my head down and try,” he said.
Friends are welcome to send mittens, ski caps and hot soup when the snow comes. Football begins on Sept. 19. The Southern California natives are sure to shake hands after games and discuss happenings back home while never forgetting that “Winter is Coming.”
The breath of a dragon won’t save them but a warm coat will.
A look at players from local schools on Ivy League rosters:
Harvard: DB Chase Mason, San Juan Hills; DB Iroc Cordova, Inglewood; K Dylan Fingersh, Capistrano Valley; OL Nate Turk, Loyola; DL Mikhal Johnson, Sierra Canyon.
Brown: DL Caden Harman, Sierra Canyon; DL Mitch Mooney, San Marino.
Yale: DB Dillon Rickenbacker, St. John Bosco; WR Davis Wong, Brentwood.
Pennsylvania: LB Trevor Pajak, Mater Dei; WR Tyler George, Corona Centennial.
Columbia: WR Caden Butler, Chaparral; WR Bryce Coleman, Crean Lutheran; WR Elliot Cooper, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; DB Ethan Fullerton, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; QB Caleb Sanchez, St. John Bosco; DL Austin Coronado, Glendora; WR Jarod Sersansie, JSerra; DL Will Matthew, Orange Vista; TE Santiago Hernandez, Harvard-Westlake.
Cornell: WR Cameron Shannon, JW North; DL Darryl Davis, Culver City; TE Brandon Gilbert, Murrieta Valley; TE Adrian Ortiz, Redondo Union; LB Jackson Renger, Los Alamitos; K AJ Salo, Chaminade.
Dartmouth: OL Ryan Turk, Loyola; LB Timothy Ioane Jr., Tustin.
Princeton: LB Fifita Tauteoli-Moore, Corona Centennial; QB Wyatt Becker, Sierra Canyon; RB Kai Honda, Gardena Serra.
Arsenal maintain perfect start to the season with their fourth win, thanks to goals from Guimaraes and Saka.
Published On 12 Sep 202612 Sep 2026
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has labelled the decision to award Sunderland a penalty ‘unacceptable’ after watching his side grind out a 2-0 win to maintain their 100 percent start to the season and move clear at the top of the Premier League.
The defending champions made it 12 points out of 12 on Saturday as David Raya’s penalty save in the 55th minute proved crucial for the visitors, who went ahead two minutes later with Bruno Guimaraes’s first goal for the club.
Bukayo Saka wrapped it up deep in stoppage time from the penalty spot to make it four league wins out of four for the reigning champions.
It could have been different had Enzo Le Fee found the net, but Arteta blasted the decision by referee John Brooks to award a penalty when Ezri Konsa was penalised for pulling down Dan Ballard as a corner was played in.
“It was a huge win , but it could have been something very different,” an angry Arteta said when referring to the penalty award after the match.
“It’s unacceptable at this level; this can change the course of a season and the championship. It’s not acceptable. I’ve seen it 10 times to make sure, and it’s not possible at this level that it can be a penalty. It cannot happen.
“It’s not a penalty in any context, in any league.”
It was far from a vintage Arsenal display against a tenacious Sunderland, who deserved something for their endeavour, but they dug deep and showed the resilience that helped them win a first title for 22 years last season.
They have now kept four clean sheets in their five games since the start of the season, including in the Champions League win at Napoli in midweek.
Summer signing Guimaraes replaced Myles Lewis-Skelly at half-time and made a stunning impact.
After receiving a pass from Declan Rice, he sent a right-footed curler into the top corner.
Arsenal were forced to defend desperately at times as Sunderland’s physicality rattled them, but Saka netted his third goal of the season when he beat Robin Roefs with his spot-kick after being fouled by Reinildo Mandava, who was sent off.
“It’s unbelievable the spirit and the courage we have to go again and again and again,” Arteta said. “So pleased in one sense and so worried in another.
“David Raya was unbelievable. He is a player that decides football matches when we need it.
“Sunderland deserve a lot of credit for the way they make it so hard for you.”
Manchester City, the only other side not to have dropped Premier League points this season, can join Arsenal on 12 points if they beat Manchester United on Sunday.
