League

Who: Aston Villa vs Manchester City
What: English Premier League
Where: Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom
When: Saturday, October 22 at 12:30pm (11:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera will bring you all the build-up, before our live text commentary stream from 9:30am (08:30 GMT).

Manchester City can continue to put their off-field woes to one side in Saturday’s early kickoff in the Premier League when they travel to Aston Villa, where they will move six points clear at the top with a win.

Holders Arsenal entertain Everton later in the day and will very much hope to extend their winning run in the league to a third match.

City do, however, have a 100 percent record from their first seven games in the league this season, a run that defies the guilty verdict by an independent commission regarding more than 100 breaches of the competition’s financial rules.

The Manchester club have appealed the decision and no sanctions have, as of yet, been imposed.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at City’s trip to Villa Park, where the Cityzens ’ siege mentality is expected to continue.

Foden can be one of Premier League’s best again, says Maresca

Enzo Maresca said it is his job as Manchester City boss to help Phil Foden rediscover his best form after the England international ended his long goal drought.

Foden had not scored for 10 months before netting in City’s 3-2 win over Ipswich last weekend and then scored a Champions League hat-trick in a 5-1 rout of AEK Athens on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old swept the board of personal awards for the Premier League’s best player in the 2023/24 season after a 27-goal campaign.

But Foden, who has admitted struggling with mental health issues, has failed to hit top form for the past two seasons.

“Since we started, I sat down with Phil two or three times, especially at the beginning. Just to show him, I don’t know if love is the right word to use, but just to show him how important he is,” said Maresca, who took charge of City in June.

“I said many times that I know Phil from years ago, so I know how, for different reasons, the last few years it was not good enough.

“When you have more players like Phil available, you are a better team because again it’s a matter of improving players. If you improve the players, you improve the team.

“So for me, I think it’s my duty to try to help Phil to be again one of the best players in England.”

How have Maresca and Man City shaped up this season?

Other than a 4-2 Champions League defeat by holders Paris Saint-Germain, Maresca has made a flawless start to the daunting task of succeeding Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.

The Italian is the first manager ever to win his first seven Premier League games in charge of a new club.

However, City’s fine form has been overshadowed by the threat of severe sanctions against the club for the widespread flouting of Premier League financial rules.

A large points deduction, which could lead to relegation, is likely unless City win their appeal.

Maresca said the mood in the dressing room remained buoyant despite the cloud hanging over the club.

“In any club, when you lose important players, many important players, and you lose the manager after 10 years, it always takes time to compete again,” he said on Thursday.

“But this organisation last summer changed many important players, changed the manager after 10 years, and we are competing at the moment.”

How have Aston Villa fared this season?

Villa sit 12th in the table, but a win would propel them to sixth, at least for a couple of hours. Under former Arsenal manager Unai Emery, Villa have been regulars among the European spots in recent seasons, and were even challengers for the title at one point.

This term has provided a sterner examination of their credentials after the exit of a number of the top stars of recent campaigns, including Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Martinez to Chelsea, Youri Tielemans to City’s rivals United and Ollie Watkins to Al-Hilal.

The Midlands club, who beat Freiburg 3-0 to win last season’s UEFA Europa League, are on a six-match unbeaten run – of which they have won five – across the league and Champions League.

What happened the last time Aston Villa played Manchester City?

Villa were 2-1 winners at City in Pep Guardiola’s last game in charge on the final day of last season.

Antoine Semenyo gave City the lead, but an Ollie Watkins brace turned the game.

What happened in Aston Villa and Man City’s corresponding fixture last season?

Villa emerged with a 1-0 win in their Premier League clash at Villa Park last October. Matty Cash scored the only goal.

When did Man City last beat Aston Villa?

City last beat Villa when they were 2-1 winners in the Premier League fixture between the sides at Etihad Stadium in April 2025.

Marcus Rashford, on loan from United, levelled matters from the penalty spot after Bernardo Silva’s opener, but Matheus Nunes sealed the win for the home side.

When did Man City last win at Aston Villa?

City have not won at Villa Park since December 2021, when Ruben Diaz and Silva netted in the first half of the Premier League match. Watkins’s strike in the second period proved only a consolation.

Prediction – Aston Villa vs Man City

The Opta supercomputer has given City a 43 percent chance of winning the match, while offering Villa a 32 percent chance of victory.

Head-to-head – Aston Villa vs Man City

This is the 186th meeting between the sides, with City winning 82 times and Villa emerging victorious on 61 occasions. There have been 42 draws in the fixture that dates back to 1899 – and a 2-1 home win for Villa.

Aston Villa team news

Amadou Onana, Matteo Ruggeri and Aaron Wan-Bissaka miss out through injury. Johan Manzambi and Modou Keba Cisse both face fitness tests.

Predicted Aston Villa starting lineup

Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Kamara, Gomes; McGinn, Manzambi, Buendia; Jackson

Manchester City team news

Forward Antoine Semenyo is set for a lengthy spell out ⁠with a knee injury, while wing back Nico O’Reilly and midfielders Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes are doubts.

League-leading scorer Erling Haaland was rested for Tuesday’s 5-1 Champions League thrashing of AEK Athens because of a knock but is expected to be available against Villa.

Predicted Manchester City starting lineup

Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Bouaddi, Fernandez; Foden, Haaland, Doku

Samoa score 14 unaswered tries as they thrash Wales 76-0 to secure their first win in Pool A at the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, whilst the result leaves Wales with two defeats from two.

MATCH REPORT: Samoa run in 14 tries to thrash Wales at World Cup

Available to UK users only.

With England’s points difference currently 92 worse than Ben Gardiner’s Samoa team in a combined Pool B and C table, they will almost certainly also need to defeat Papua New Guinea on Friday, 30 October (09:05 GMT), to have any chance of reaching the last four.

The format of this tournament features an unbalanced group stage, which has not helped England’s prospects.

Pool A has four teams – Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and the Cook Islands – fighting for two semi-final places in a round-robin format.

But Pools B and C are combined into one six-team league, from which only the top two will make the semi-finals. England, drawn in Pool B, are playing the three Pool C teams – Tonga, France and Papua New Guinea.

Tonga are currently in pole position to make the knockout stages after adding to their win over England with a 36-0 victory over Lebanon on Friday.

Sione Katoa and Jojo Fifita scored two tries each against a spirited Lebanon side who had chances themselves before fading in the final 20 minutes.

Lebanon might reflect on a key moment towards the first half when, trailing 10-0 and chasing a try to bring them back into the match, Alex Conti tried to kick towards the corner for Jason Saab, who was unable to collect and only batted it back for Tonga centre Tolutau Koula to run the length of the field and score at the other end.

Paul Alamoti and Leka Halasima scored the other Tonga tries against opponents playing only their third game since the previous World Cup and with only a couple of a youthful squad that lost to Italy in 2025 still involved.

“We had 12 debutants last week, so we just need more footy,” said Lebanon coach Michael Cheika.

“We tried to get a warm-up game here. We weren’t allowed, but I don’t know who [which governing body] it was [that stopped us]. We need to have a warm-up game.

“We can prepare and start to get ready. It’s not easy for us. We haven’t played a game since the last World Cup.

“Last year we tried to get the spot against the team who had the bye in the second tier of the Pacific Championships, so either a Papua New Guinea or [someone of that ilk] another. They put a line through it.

“They said: We’re lining it up with the teams individually. They put a line through it. I don’t even know why. We never got an answer. So it’s really out of our hands.”

Real Madrid maintain their 100 per cent start in the Champions League as they comfortably beat Leipzig 4-1, with Bernardo Silva scoring his first goal for Madrid since moving from Manchester City in the summer.

MATCH REPORT: Champions League – Real Madrid 4-1 RB Leipzig

Available to UK users only.

Match of the Day pundits Nedum Onuoha and Stephen Warnock analyse Manchester United’s performance after their 4-1 Champions League defeat to Como, and discuss midfielder Bruno Fernandes’ criticism of team tactics.

WATCH MORE: Champions League video on BBC Sport

Available to UK users only.

Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande score stunners as Real beat Leipzig to make it three from three in Champions League.

Real Madrid claimed a third Champions League victory in as many games, thrashing RB Leipzig 4-1 on Wednesday, with Kylian Mbappe and Yan Diomande among the goalscorers for Jose Mourinho’s side.

Bernardo Silva opened the scoring for Madrid from close range late in a tight first half, with Arda Guler doubling the advantage of the record 15-time European champions soon after the interval.

Mbappe bent home a third before Tidiam Gomis pulled one back for the German side, and Diomande rammed a volley into the top corner late on to cap Madrid’s triumph.

Their fourth consecutive win across all competitions will boost Madrid’s morale ahead of Sunday’s La Liga Clasico against bitter rivals Barcelona.

Without a major trophy in two seasons and after a shaky domestic start, Madrid can at least boast a perfect record in Europe, unlike Barca after their defeat at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Mourinho started Vinicius, serving a four-match ban in La Liga, on the left flank and benched former Leipzig winger Diomande, despite his improving form.

The coach also brought Bernardo Silva and Eduardo Camavinga into midfield and put midfielder Federico Valverde at right-back again, as he did in Sunday’s win at Sevilla.

Visitors Leipzig created the first big chance, with Madrid stopper Thibaut Courtois getting down low to make a superb save from Romulo Cardoso.

Vinicius, who improved on a poor showing at Roma last week without breaking out of his rut, drew a full-stretch save from Leipzig’s Maarten Vandevoordt.

Madrid carved out an advantage in the final stages of a low-key first half when Valverde cut the ball back for Guler, whose shot Vandevoordt saved. However, the goalkeeper could not clear it, and Silva darted in to prod over the line.

It was the former Manchester City midfielder’s first goal for the club after joining this summer.

Vandevoordt saved well from Valverde’s fierce effort before Guler put Madrid two goals ahead in the 52nd minute.

Jude Bellingham crossed to the back post and Mbappe nodded the ball across goal, with Guler able to hold off a defender and turn home.

Mbappe lashed a shot into the side netting after Bellingham teed it up, as Madrid looked to put the game out of sight.

Mourinho sent on Diomande for Vinicius with 20 minutes remaining, and the Brazilian looked disappointed on the bench, knowing he cannot play again until November 4, when Madrid visit AEK Athens.

Madrid’s record 140 million-euro ($157m) signing, Diomande, pulled the ball back to Mbappe on the edge of the box for Madrid’s third, and the French forward bent it home.

Leipzig quickly grabbed a consolation goal at the other end as Dean Huijsen switched off, with Gomis firing past Courtois.

Diomande ended proceedings with a bang, rattling an emphatic volley from Brahim Diaz’s cross into the top corner for his third goal in his last four appearances.

A day after the Tennessee Titans released defensive tackle Jordan Elliott after an alleged incident involving a gun at the team’s practice facility, coach Robert Saleh defended the veteran player as “a good man” who “had a terrible lapse in judgment that I recognize as a call for help more than a criminal act.”

The Titans announced Elliott’s dismissal on Tuesday but provided no details on the incident that prompted it. The NFL confirmed Wednesday that it was looking into the matter.

“The league’s firearm policy prohibits any personnel from bringing a firearm to club facilities, stadiums, and team hotels and on team planes or buses,” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in an email. “The club promptly notified the league of the matter which is under review.”

Details have since emerged that Elliott got into an altercation with offensive lineman JC Latham at practice last Thursday, then went out to his car in the players’ parking lot to get his gun, according to reports by multiple media outlets. Latham told reporters Wednesday that the incident between him and Elliott just happened in the “heat of the moment” and “we’d actually never had an argument leading up to it.”

“It’s no bad blood,” Latham said. “Nothing personal on my end.”

Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers reportedly helped Elliott regain his composure before anything happened involving the gun. Latham said he was still on the practice field and not with Elliott when Franklin-Myers intervened.

“The D-line room is really close,” Saleh told reporters Wednesday, “and for JFM to go out there and just kind of help Jordan with whatever he was dealing with at that moment I thought was really admirable on JFM’s part.”

Elliott played five seasons with the Cleveland Browns and two with the San Francisco 49ers before signing a two-year, $8-million deal with the Titans this past offseason. Saleh, who was the 49ers’ defensive coordinator last season, told reporters Wednesday that the Titans and the league provided Elliott “with clinicians he needed to speak to help him in that moment.”

“He’s never committed a crime in his entire life, and he pulled a gun in the parking lot,” Saleh said. “And the first question that I think everyone forgets to ask is why would a great man, a great father, a man who shows up on time every day, works his ass off every day, contributes the way he’s supposed to contribute, is well-liked in the locker room — why did he go off the rails and grab a gun?

“To me, those are small signs of a cry for help, in terms of obviously there’s something greater happening,” he continued. “And I thought the team and the NFL did an outstanding job with regards to pausing and asking those questions and checking every single box with regards to getting him the help that he needs.”

Saleh added: “I will stand on the table for Jordan’s character. Unfortunately, rules are rules with regard to guns on property, and sometimes it’s far greater than the knee-jerk reaction of kicking somebody when they’re down. My message to 31 other teams would be: If you need a hell of a run-stopping D-tackle that can help you on a playoff run, give me a call. I’ll tell you everything you need to know about him.”

Former Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen has become the latest high-profile player to quit LIV Golf, describing it as the “hardest decision he has had to make in his career”.

The league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States in September after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund withdrew its multibillion-dollar backing.

Oosthuizen, 44, joined LIV Golf in 2022 and was captain of the Southern Guards GC team.

The South African now plans to return to the DP World Tour in 2027.

“Five years ago, I made one of the best decisions of my life, moving away from the traditional golf world and into something very special with LIV Golf and Southern Guards GC,” Oosthuizen posted on social media.

“I’m the biggest supporter of team golf and always will be. Golf needs more of it.

“This is probably the hardest decision I’ve had to make in my career, but I have to do what I believe is right for my golf.”

The 2010 Open champion, who has finished as a runner-up at least once in each of the other three majors, said a more flexible playing schedule will help him to compete at a high level.

“I realised I have a lot more in me, and my biggest fear was that the schedule on LIV 2.0 would be tough to manage,” said former world number four Oosthuizen.

“I feel I have a few more years of good, competitive golf left in me, and the only way to be really sharp and competitive is through a schedule I control.”

Oosthuizen joins Thomas Pieters, Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Adrian Meronk in announcing his departure.

Last week, two-time major winner Jon Rahm gave up a reported £75m owed to him by LIV Golf after reaching a separation agreement.

Some former LIV Golf players, including Brooks Koepka, have since rejoined the PGA Tour, which rewrote its rules in December to allow the five-time major winner to return, subject to certain sanctions.

Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, told BBC Sport earlier this month that players who continue with LIV will not be allowed to be members of the European tour next season.

LIV has secured a possible $300m (£224.2m) in financing from BC Partners Credit in order to try to move forward with the 2027 season.

Jasmin Strange’s withdrawal from the England squad with a knee injury is a “devastating blow” to their World Cup prospects says head coach Stuart Barrow.

The Sydney Roosters second-row forward impressed on her debut, scoring a try as England thrashed Wales 70-6 in their World Cup opener.

Strange, 23, whose mother was born in Yorkshire, was one of five NRLW players included in Barrow’s squad to face the reigning world champions Australia in Perth.

“Jasmin joined us when we arrived here and has been outstanding. She’s mixed with the girls really well and to lose her yesterday in training was a devastating blow for all the girls,” said Barrow.

“It was almost a freak accident. It was a defensive session but Jasmin was with the ball, did a step and unfortunately suffered a serious knee injury. It was a real disappointing outcome for someone who has been excellent for us.

“It’s affected the camp but Jasmin will want us to recover and bounce back and she’s coming back into camp this evening so the girls will get around her.

“It flatlined the group and it flatlined the coaching staff but we’ve bounced back today. Within seven hours Jas had a scan and got the results. I went to the hospital with her last night and the scan confirmed our worst fears.”

Strange, 23, who comes from a rugby league family, had looked set to be a key player for Barrow’s new-look side which has altered significantly since England fell to a record defeat 90-4 defeat to the Jillaroos in March 2025.

Barrow confirmed that Leeds Rhinos second-row Lucy Murray will replace Strange this weekend and that there are no plans to bring in another player for the remainder of the tournament.

“She [Jasmin] played very well at the weekend so we lose a bit of quality but we’ve brought 23 players who are all competing for shirts so we are confident we can cover that loss,” Barrow added.

“It’ll be a straight swap. Lucy [Murray] was very close in the first selection and was close again this week so with Jas playing that back-row spot, Lucy will come straight in.”

England women: Fran Goldthorp, Anna Davies, Molly Jones, Connie Boyd, Amelia Brown, Isabel Rowe, Jenna Foubister, Liv Wood, Keara Bennett, Hollie-Mae Dodd, Lucy Murray, Eva Hunter, Megan Williams.

Interchange: Jodie Cunningham, Vicky Whitfield, Georgia Roche, Lucie Sams.

Reserves: Hope Millard, Mary Coleman, Georgia Wilson.

Bayern Munich host Arsenal on Wednesday, as the teams clash for the 16th time in Europe’s premier club competition.

Who: Bayern Munich vs Arsenal
What: UEFA Champions League, match day 3
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany
When: Wednesday, October 21, at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 16:00 GMT.

The Champions League will live up to its name as the title holders from two top European leagues face-off in the group stage on Wednesday.

Bundesliga winners Bayern Munich host Premier League champions Arsenal at their Allianz Arena Munich fortress.

Bayern are on a 10-game unbeaten streak across all competitions this season, largely thanks to the striking prowess of Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

But the German giants, aiming for a seventh UCL crown, face an early test of their title credentials when they play Arsenal in Munich without in-form winger Olise. London-born Olise, who started in Arsenal’s junior system, is unavailable following a silly suspension in the last game.

The Frenchman’s absence hands a huge advantage to Arsenal, who have made a strong start to their English top-flight title defence, losing just one game all season. Bukayo Saka and Victor Gyokeres have led from the front, while Declan Rice has lived up to his reputation as a playmaker.

Bayern and Arsenal are familiar foes in the UCL, and it’s Vincent Kompany’s side that leads the head-to-head record, having won eight of the previous 15 meetings in the competition.

Before Wednesday’s fixture, here’s everything you need to know:

How have Bayern Munich played this season?

Bayern are top of the Bundesliga table with 14 points after six games. They have won four games and drawn two.

How have Arsenal played this season?

Arsenal are second in the Premier League standings with 18 points after seven games. The Gunners have won six games and lost just once.

What happened in the first and second Champions League rounds?

Bayern thrashed 10-man Bodo/Glimt 5-0 at home to kick off their UCL campaign and were held to a 3-3 draw by Viking in their next away game.

Arsenal started their campaign with a 1-0 away win over Napoli before beating Lille 3-0 at home in the second game.

Those results keep Arsenal seventh in the Champions League standings on six points and Bayern 10th on four points.

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal: Predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has given Bayern a 46.4 percent probability of winning this fixture, while Arsenal have a 29.3 percent chance.

There are 24.3 percent odds of the game ending in a draw.

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal: Head-to-head

(Only in the Champions League)

• Matches: 15
• Bayern wins: 8
• Arsenal wins: 4
• Draws: 3

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal: Form guide

(Last five matches across all competitions; latest game first)

Bayern Munich: W-D-D-W-W

Arsenal: W-W-W-L-W

Who are the top players to watch?

Harry Kane and Luis Diaz (Bayern Munich): Forward Kane has been unstoppable for Bayern this season, with his nine goals in all competitions making him their joint leading scorer alongside Olise. The England international also has six assists. Winger Diaz, on the other hand, has five goals, which include a hat-trick over RB Leipzig in the last match.

Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice (Arsenal): Winger Saka is Arsenal’s joint-top scorer this season, alongside Victor Gyokeres, with four goals in all competitions. Rice, on the other hand, leads the chart for the most assists (four).

Team news and predicted lineups

Bayern Munich

Olise is suspended after picking up two yellow cards inside a minute in Bayern’s 3-3 draw with Viking last week.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is doubtful, while midfielder Jamal Musiala is out for a few weeks with a thigh injury.

Predicted starting XI:

Manuel Neuer; Konrad Laimer, Dayot Upamecano, Jonathan Tah; Alphonso Davies; Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic; Lennart Kartl, Ismael Saibari, Luis Diaz; Harry Kane

Arsenal

Arsenal have three injuries in the squad – Piero Hincapie (ankle), Christos Tzolis (hamstring) and William Saliba (back).

Predicted starting XI:

David Raya; Jurrien Timber, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori; Declan Rice, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Noni Madueke; Kai Havertz

Ever since Uefa announced its plans to alter the format of the Champions League in 2021, the impact on matches has been a hot topic. Scrutiny has only increased since the changes were implemented in time for the 2024-25 season.

After beginning life as a six-team invitational tournament in 1955-56 before growing to a 32-team knockout tournament in 1967, the Champions League as we know it began in 1992.

A group stage was added, with the last 16 entering a knockout phase. There was a brief spell with two group stages, but this was reverted back to the single group-stage format for the 2003-04 tournament.

The group stage previously featured 32 teams in eight groups of four, with the top two sides from each of those groups qualifying for the last 16.

For the start of the 2024-25 season, the group stage was replaced with a 36-team league phase, with each side playing eight one-off fixtures instead of six games against three teams.

The top eight finishers qualify directly for the knockout stages, with those placed ninth to 24th entering a two-legged play-off stage.

The bottom eight are eliminated, meaning that after eight matches, 24 sides are still in the competition. Some argue that that creates a lack of jeopardy, which encourages teams to play more expansively.

But do more goals equal better quality?

“I think the entertainment has gone up, although I’m not sure the quality has gone up,” The Times football writer Tom Arnott told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“If I’m looking at the games it’s brilliant to watch and thrilling because the football itself is fantastic – but what do they mean?

“The lack of jeopardy, why would PSG and Barcelona play for a draw, why not go for it? If you need five wins from the eight games you know you’ve got some margin there. If you lose it’s OK. I think the format allows all the teams to loosen up.

“The entertainment value is there but I think you come away from these matches sometimes and still think ‘what does it all mean?’. The lack of jeopardy early on does deliver entertainment.”

Who: Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona
What: UEFA Champions League, match day 3
Where: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
When: Tuesday, October 20, at 9pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 16:00 GMT.

One of the most eagerly awaited Champions League matches of the season will be played against the backdrop of turmoil on the streets of the French capital as holders Paris Saint-Germain host Barcelona on Tuesday.

The fate of the match has been subject to debate as the French government seeks to control the violent protests gripping the country.

However, once the match gets under way at the Parc des Princes, fans can expect a mouthwatering battle between the Champions League’s top two teams as the back-to-back holders welcome five-time winners.

Boasting a perfect record across all competitions, Spanish giants Barca are arguably one of Europe’s best teams this season.

PSG too have been nothing short of lethal – the Parisians lead the UCL points table and have scored a whopping 10 goals in two games.

There will be plenty of star power on display when the match kicks off as the dazzling duo of Ferran Torres and Ousmane Dembele will headline the star-studded home side.

Lamine Yamal, who is enjoying one of the best starts to a La Liga season for a forward, will be joined by Raphinha for Barcelona.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of PSG vs Barcelona:

How have PSG played this season?

After seven matches, PSG are second in Ligue 1 with 14 points, behind Lyon on goal difference. They have won four times, drawn twice and lost once in the French top division.

How have Barcelona played this season?

Barcelona are five points clear at the top of La Liga table with nine wins from nine. Their blistering attack has scored 39 league goals.

What happened in the first and second Champions League rounds?

Two-time holders PSG thrashed Slovan Bratislava 6-1 in their UCL opener at home before beating Manchester City 4-2 in a thrilling away fixture.

Barcelona thumped Feyenoord 5-1 at home and bounced back from a goal down to smash Galatasaray 4-1 away.

Those results keep PSG top of the table and Barcelona second, with both on six points.

Will PSG vs Barcelona go ahead amid the protests in France?

Despite the violent protests and nationwide arrests, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said the match will not be postponed or cancelled.

Lecornu said on Monday that he had asked regional authorities to impose “partial” and “localised” curfews in some cities to protect businesses after weekend demonstrations spilled over into some of the worst street violence in recent years.

“These curfews must be local and partial. It is out of the question to put all of Paris ⁠⁠⁠⁠under curfew.”

At the same news conference, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told reporters there were no plans to cancel the ⁠⁠⁠⁠match.

Police have arrested at least 2,400 people across France after violent groups clashed with officers and looted shops during nationwide demonstrations that attracted hundreds of thousands of people to denounce rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

PSG vs Barcelona: Predictions

Opta’s supercomputer has given PSG a 39.7 per cent probability of winning, while Barcelona have a 37.7 per cent chance.

There are 22.6 per cent odds for a draw.

PSG vs Barcelona: Head-to-head

(Only in the Champions League)

• Matches: 15
• PSG wins: 6
• Barcelona wins: 5
• Draws: 4

PSG vs Barcelona: Form guide

(Last five matches across all competitions; latest game first)

PSG: W-W-W-W-W

Barcelona: W-W-W-W-W

Who are the top players to watch?

Ferran Torres and Ousmane Dembele (PSG): Torres, who joined PSG after four seasons at Barcelona, is their leading scorer with seven goals in all competitions, including an opening day Champions League hat-trick. Dembele has had an all-round impact with six assists and four goals.

Raphinha and Lamine Yamal (Barcelona): With 14 goals, Raphinha is the most prolific striker in European club football this season. Such is his dominance that even a brief injury absence did not take away his top spot. Yamal, on the other hand, has been unstoppable in his own way – the 18-year-old winger’s nine goals and 10 assists make him a once-in-a-generation talent.

Team news and predicted lineups

PSG

PSG suffered a major blow shortly before Tuesday’s trip when left-back Nuno Mendes suffered a thigh injury during their 3-1 Ligue 1 victory at Strasbourg on Saturday.

Mendes will be unavailable for the “next few weeks”, according to the team who are also without Senny Mayulu with a similar issue.

Predicted starting XI: 

Matvey Safonov; Achraf Hakimi, Marquinhos, Willian Pacho, Lucas Digne; Warren Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz; Maghnes Akliouche, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue

Barcelona

Barcelona have been strengthened by the return of striker Raphinha and midfielder Frenkie de Jong.

Raphinha picked up a knock on recent international duty with Brazil and missed Barca’s wins over Getafe in the league and Galatasaray in the Champions League. Dutch international De Jong has not featured this season due to a knee issue sustained during the World Cup.

Both were on the bench in Barca’s last game, a 5-2 win over Real Betis, with Raphinha coming on as a second-half substitute.

However, defenders Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde are sidelined. Garcia will spend between “three to four weeks” out with a thigh injury, while right-back Kounde suffered an ankle sprain and will miss the game against PSG.

Predicted starting XI: 

Joan Garcia; Xavi Espart, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo; Fermin Lopez, Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon

Who: Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
What: English Premier League
Where: City Ground, Nottingham, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, October 18 , at 4:30pm (15:30 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up from 12:30 GMT ahead of our live text commentary stream

Arsenal will try to end their goal drought at the City Ground when they play Nottingham Forest on Sunday – the Gunners failed to score in their last two visits, as both matches ended in goalless draws.

Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said his side had learned lessons from their “extremely average” performance at Brighton before the international break as they returned to winning ways against Leeds last weekend.

The Spaniard was left to stew for 21 days after the 3-0 humbling at the Amex last month – the first defeat of the season for the Premier League champions.

But the Gunners got that performance out of their system at the Emirates last Saturday, coming from behind to beat Leeds 2-1.

Arsenal also cruised to a 3-0 home win over Lille in midweek to extend their perfect start in the Champions League.

Nottingham Forest boss Oliver Glasner was beaten on his return to Crystal Palace as Daichi Kamada’s first Premier League goal inspired the Eagles’ 3-1 win last weekend.

Arsenal headed into this weekend in second place in the Premier League, three points behind Manchester City, while Nottingham Forest were 15th.

What happened in Arsenal’s last Premier League game?

Arsenal got back on track as the Premier League champions survived a scare to beat Leeds, although Arteta’s side were in danger of a second successive loss when they fell behind at the Emirates Stadium.

James Justin fired Leeds ahead in the 55th minute after Arsenal failed to clear Gabriel Gudmundsson’s cross.

Arteta had admitted Arsenal were nursing a “pain in the tummy” from the Brighton loss, but Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori found the cure when he converted Ben White’s header from close range in the 62nd minute.

Arsenal showcased their strength in depth as substitute Bruno Guimaraes drilled the winner from the edge of the area just six minutes after coming off the bench.

The Brazilian’s first goal at the Emirates since his close-season move from Newcastle made it five wins from six league matches for the Gunners.

What happened in Forest’s last Premier League game?

Glasner had led Palace to a shock FA Cup final triumph over Manchester City in 2025 and masterminded their UEFA Conference League success in May.

But the 52-year-old Austrian opted to quit Selhurst Park after reported issues with the club’s hierarchy over their transfer policy, opening the way for his move to Forest.

He was greeted warmly by Palace fans before kickoff and it looked like being a victorious return for Glasner when Forest’s Dan Ndoye opened the scoring in the third minute.

But Forest wasted a host of chances to increase their lead and Japan midfielder Kamada levelled in the 41st minute to end his long wait for a top-flight goal.

Jefferson Lerma nodded Palace in front in first-half stoppage time and Yeremy Pino’s 59th-minute goal sent Glasner home empty-handed.

What have the managers said about the game?

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager:

“We’re going to try really hard to score goals and to prevent goals as well. It’s going to be a really tough match, they’re an extremely well-coached team.

“We know that, we already have experience with Oliver [Glasner] in the past and they’re a team that at home can create a really special momentum, so we are ready for it.”

Oliver Glasner, Forest manager:

“In every game this season [Arsenal] were outrunning the opposition. It’s incredible. The effort and the mindset Mikel [Arteta] has created there is incredible.

“This makes it so tough to play against them and you see it from every single player. They have so many world-class players they can react from the bench.”

Prediction:

The Opta supercomputer has made Arsenal the clear favourites, with a win probability of 58.3 percent. Forest were given a 20.4 percent chance of winning, a draw is 21.3 percent.

Head-to-head

• Matches: 109
• Arsenal wins: 56
• Forest wins: 29
• Draws: 24

Last five encounters:

• January 17, 2026: Forest 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
• September 13, 2025: Arsenal 3-0 Forest (Premier League)
• February 26, 2025: Forest 0-0 Arsenal (Premier League)
• November 23, 2024: Arsenal 3-0 Forest (Premier League)
• January 30, 2024: Forest 1-2 Arsenal (Premier League)

The last time Forest beat Arsenal was a 1-0 victory at the City Ground in May 2023, courtesy of a goal by Taiwo Awoniyi, which ended the Gunners’ title hopes that year.

What happened the last time the clubs played?

Arsenal missed a slew of chances in a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest in January as a dogged defensive performance from Forest and wasteful finishing from the Arsenal forwards meant they took only a point from a game they dominated for long spells.

The best chance of the game fell to Arsenal substitute Bukayo Saka, who headed a Declan Rice cross back towards the far post, but Forest keeper Matz Sels pulled off a superb fingertip save to deny him.

Forest’s team news

Striker Igor Jesus and defender Nicolo Savona remain unavailable due to calf and knee injuries, respectively.

Key playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White is struggling with a minor muscular problem and is a doubt, while centre-back Nikola Milenkovic is back in training after a knee injury and could feature.

Predicted starting XI:

Sels (goalkeeper); Aina, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Delap

Arsenal’s team news

Winger Christos Tzolis (hamstring) and centre-back William Saliba (back) are unavailable for the Gunners.

Arteta said midfielder Martin Zubimendi could be fit to face Forest, but defender Piero Hincapie would likely miss the trip to the City Ground.

The pair suffered freak ankle injuries during a training session on the Emirates Stadium pitch after last week’s win against Leeds.

“Piero is evolving really well,” said Arteta. “Knowing his character and the way he pushes everybody, I’m sure it’s not going to take long, but he will probably need another week or two.

“Zubi looks much better, he already looked much better today. We have another session tomorrow (Saturday) and after that we will assess whether he’s available to play against Forest.”

Predicted starting XI:

Raya (goalkeeper); White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori; Guimaraes, Rice; Saka, Odegaard, Eze; Havertz

England (0) 12

Try: Brimson, Young Goal: Savala 2

Tonga (10) 30

Tries: Olakau’atu 2, Utoikamanu, Koula Goals: Katoa 3 Penalties: Katoa 4

Four years ago, England were left shocked and shattered by Samoa in the Rugby League World Cup semi-finals.

Now in 2026, Tonga – another Pacific island nation – have done the same with a victory to put England’s Australian campaign in immediate jeopardy.

Tonga combined classy attacking play with staunch defence, mixed with a pinch of luck – while being cheered on by a ferociously partisan crowd in Perth – to cause a major upset.

It was expected that Brian McDermott’s team – ranked third in the world – would have enough to open their Group B-C campaign with victory over opponents ranked fifth.

But they will now have to pick themselves up for coming group games against France and Papua New Guinea to try to secure a top-two finish in the combined six-team group table and secure a semi-final spot.

England’s day came apart amid seemingly endless mistakes, wastefulness and a few dodgy refereeing decisions.

Arguably the turning point came on 22 minutes, when England got to within a few yards of the opposition line but Victor Radley knocked on after an absolute boneshaker from Tonga captain Jason Taumalolo.

The ball was turned over, and the Tongans scored two minutes later. Stefano Utoikamanu streaked through after Isaiya Katoa’s superb inside pass cut out George Williams and Kai Pearce-Paul, to the delight of the massed Tongan fans in Perth.

For England, it seemed as if the universe was against them.

The impressive Katoa converted two penalties given following debatable calls. First, Harry Smith was penalised for obstruction when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ran into him. Then, Herbie Farnworth conceded a sloppy penalty on the verge of half-time when accidentally tripping Watene-Zelezniak off the ball.

England badly needed half-time, and they came out refreshed.

Their first flowing move of the home game led to a try for full-back AJ Brimson after being set up by a sensational driving run from Young, holding off two tacklers over 20 metres.

Waves of England attacks began to crash on the Tongan defence, but Tonga stood firm and benefited from a moment of fortune as Haumole Olakau’atu pounced after his sketchy first grubber kick was kicked on behind the England line.

And with England wobbling, Tonga landed a one-two punch when Tolutau Koula drove over the line.

Young went over in the corner to give England false hope, but in front of their delirious fans Tonga scored their fourth try as Katoa’s grubber kick exploited defensive gaps for Olakau’atu to touch down.

While Wales provided threat going forwards, in defence they provided little resistance as England’s powerful attack pierced through with frightening ease.

A slick move after three minutes resulted in Amelia Brown scoring the England opener, before Wales got their time in the sun.

A series of England errors allowed Wales to apply pressure, and they deservedly scored through Travis – who represented England at the World Cup four years ago.

The shock concession brought England focus, and a well-constructed move ended in Georgia Wilson scoring in the corner.

From then, England were motoring.

Hollie-Mae Dodd’s drive and offload ended in Boyd scoring her first, before Dodd deservedly got on the scoresheet herself, following up after Fran Goldthorp was held up on the line.

On 27 minutes, a quick move of the ball through hands to the left allowed Boyd to power through, before Davies ran more than half the length of the field to score under the posts.

Rowe got a try of her own before the interval, making it 40-6 at half-time.

The heavy scoring continued after the break.

Another debutant, Jasmin Strange – one of two heritage players not born in England – also bagged her first try, before Rowe rolled over her second.

The match was summed up by England’s 10th try, when a promising Wales attack involved a chipped kick to the corner, but the bounce went kindly for Brown behind her own try line.

Brown raced 109 metres up to the other end to score one of the longest-range tries in women’s rugby league history, and thoroughly demoralise Wales.

Boyd and Davies wrapped it up with three tries in the final five minutes.

When England and Wales met for the first time, at Headingley in 2024, England won 82-0 in a match which could be best described as women against girls.

Two years down the line, they took to the field as teams who had each earned their spot on the World Cup stage – but England showed why they remain by far the more dominant force.

Jameson Della Bella ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns while Robert Holohan ran for a touchdown and threw for one more as Palisades dominated Hamilton 35-18 Friday night in a Western League showdown.

The Dolphins’ defense was up to the task against Hamilton’s highly touted quarterback Thaddeus Breaux, intercepting two of his passes and sacking him four times.

“It was fourth down, we had to make something happen, I saw him throw and I just ran full speed and dove for it,” said safety Aidan Wilson-Turner, who picked off a pass over the middle at Palisades’ 18-yard line to keep the Yankees off the scoreboard late in the first half.

Breaux, a sophomore who has received a scholarship offer from UCLA, threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s 46-30 loss to Palisades but was 27–of-44 passing for 217 yards Friday — most of that yardage in the fourth quarter with the outcome long decided. He threw scoring passes of eight, 11 and four yards.

“The defensive line did a great job putting pressure on him,” Wilson-Turner added. “Our job in the secondary was to stay deep, playoff off them and stay true to our zones.”

Palisades (4-3, 3-0) took a major step toward defending the league title with only games at fifth-place Fairfax and at home versus last-place Westchester remaining.

Thaddeus Breaux threw for three touchdowns in Friday’s loss at Palisades.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Hamilton, which fell to 3-5, 2-1, last won the league in 2014.

Della Bella’s six-yard run gave Palisades a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter and the Dolphins increased their advantage to 35-0 early in the third quarter on Holohan’s 13-yard pass to Go Moriya and his four-yard quarterback keeper.

“Touchdown Trent Mosley.”

It’s understandable that the P.A. announcer at St. John Bosco High on Friday night misspoke after seeing Mosley’s brother, Grant, catch a 49-yard touchdown pass for Santa Margarita and run like Trent in a showdown game between the No. 1 Eagles and No. 2 Braves.

“Pretty good,” Trent, USC’s star freshman receiver, said on the sideline when asked about Grant’s touchdown. “He’s healthy.”

As if unbeaten Santa Margarita (8-0) didn’t have enough weapons, the return of Grant Mosley after two seasons of dealing with a shoulder injury means it’s time for opponents to start feeling very uncomfortable.

“I’m back,” Grant announced afterward.

Santa Margarita won its 15th consecutive game in defeating St. John Bosco 21-7.

“He looked great,” coach Carson Palmer said.

“We knew when as he got healthier, he was going to be a threat,” St. john Bosco coach Jason Negro said. “He’s a dynamic player like his brother.”

Santa Margarita High sophomore Rayshawn Brandon returns an interception 51 yards for a touchdown Friday night against St. John Bosco.

(Craig Weston)

The touchdown pass happened during a trick play, in which quarterback Fletch Palmer handed the ball to Adrian Petero, who lateraled the ball back to Palmer, who threw a perfect spiral down the middle to Mosley. That play was Santa Margarita royalty at its best — a Mosley catching a touchdown pass from a Palmer, the son of the head coach.

It gave Santa Margarita a 21-7 lead in the third quarter.

“What a pass,” Carson Palmer said. “What execution. What protection.”

Santa Margarita came up with two interceptions in the first half leading to two touchdowns and a 14-7 halftime lead.

After St. John Bosco (6-2) had taken a 7-0 lead on a 28-yard touchdown catch by Kuika Moaalii, sophomore Rayshawn Brandon picked off a pass by quarterback Koa Malau’ulu, who was rolling to his left under pressure, and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. Then Ca’ron Williams came up with another interception deep in Braves territory, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Petero.

At the end of the half, Jaion Smith of Santa Margarita deflected a possible third-down touchdown pass in the end zone and Jake Martin followed by blocking a St. John Bosco field-goal attempt.

If anything was learned about Santa Margarita last season in its first year under Palmer, it’s that the Eagles have one of the best coaching staffs in the state and keep improving each week. By the end of the 2025 season, Santa Margarita was 35 points better than its closest opponent.

Could a similar situation be occurring now?

“I just feel we have the best staff in the nation,” Grant Mosley said. “So every week, we’re just developing. And we’re still not at our highest state. Once we get to the playoffs, that’s when we’ll be at our best.”

With Trinity League wins over St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, the Eagles have moved into the driver’s seat to win the league title.

Before the game, Carson Palmer was walking around the field feeling excited and confident.

“We’re ready,” he said.

He wasn’t kidding.

As for his brother getting initial credit for the touchdown, Grant said, “Oh well.”

“I’m still not even at my full state yet,” Grant said.

That’s scary coming from a brother with the Mosley genes.

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

Australia beat New Zealand 24-22 in a dramatic Rugby League World Cup opener in Sydney, with debutant Jack Bostock scoring a hat-trick to see the hosts snatch victory late on.

READ MORE: Australia edge New Zealand in epic World Cup opener

Available to UK users only.

Australia (10) 24

Tries: Bostock 3, Trbojevic, Walsh Goals: Walsh 2

New Zealand (10) 22

Tries: McLean, Ponga 2 Goals: Isaako 3 Penalties: Isaako 2

Australia underlined why they are favourites for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup by fighting back from a mauling at the hands of New Zealand’s powerful pack to win a thrilling opening match of the tournament.

This was as good as it gets in terms of international rugby league, with more than 40,000 fans – the biggest Test match crowd in Sydney for 50 years – witnessing the ultimate smash-and-grab victory by Kevin Walters’ side.

Casey McLean’s stunning early try gave New Zealand the impetus and they were on top until the final five minutes, when Jack Bostock marked a stunning Kangaroos debut with his third try to decide an epic match.

Bostock’s dream debut – which included one interception try and two by winning aerial battles to claim spiralling Cameron Munster kicks – was one of many fascinating sub plots.

Kalyn Ponga’s match-up against his Australia counterpart Reece Walsh, arguably the sport’s biggest star, was another.

The Kiwi full-back scored twice and looked to be coming out on top in their personal battle until Walsh conjured up a superb long-range try to lay the platform for the defending champions’ last-gasp triumph.

Ponga left the field injured with the game in the balance and had his left arm in a sling at full time, which does not bode well for the rest of his tournament.

More to follow.