Facing Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea inside a week – a run any side would find an extreme test – and earning two wins and a battling draw cannot be considered anything other than a positive return but Arsenal may be left feeling they could have done even better.
After superb performances in beating rivals Spurs before dispatching Bayern at the Emirates, Sunday’s match with Chelsea was always going to be difficult with recovery time limited.
And preparations were further hit with key centre-back William Saliba ruled out with a knock picked up in training – the France international set for more tests.
Given that context, a 1-1 draw secured through Mikel Merino’s header to leave the Gunners five points clear at the top of the table is far from a poor result. But having seen his side play against 10 men for the majority of the match following Moises Caicedo’s red card, manager Mikel Arteta also admitted an opportunity to extend the lead further had been missed.
“It’s been a big week, starting with the derby,” he said. ” Then to play Bayern Munich three days later [and] we lost players in those games.
“Today, for example, we had to play a partnership [in defence] that we never played before in a really difficult match.
“The captain is still not here (Martin Odegaard), the nine is still not here (Viktor Gyokeres), Kai (Havertz) is still not here, We lost Leo (Trossard) in midweek as well, But the team had to react to that.”
Odegaard and Gyokeres did come off the bench for the Gunners in the second half at Chelsea.
“I think overall it’s been a really positive week because the difficulty was immense,” added Arteta.
“But I have this flavour that today we should have and we could have won the game and we haven’t. That’s a learning point from it.”
Alexander Isak scored his maiden goal for Liverpool as the Reds ended their two-game EPL losing streak at West Ham.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak scored his first English Premier League goal for the Reds as the under-pressure football champions snapped a woeful run of form with a much-needed 2-0 win at West Ham United on Sunday.
Liverpool had endured their worst spell in over 70 years, losing nine of their previous 12 games, and manager Arne Slot took drastic measures, leaving Mohamed Salah out of his starting lineup for the first time in the Premier League.
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Salah’s replacement Florian Wirtz looked sharp, though he squandered Liverpool’s best chance of the first half with his tame effort from close range, allowing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola to save.
Isak, who had looked short of form and fitness, spurned two opportunities before the break, drawing a fine reaction stop from Areola midway through the half.
But the Sweden striker slotted home a Cody Gakpo pullback on the hour mark to give the Reds the lead they marginally deserved and rarely looked like giving up.
Liverpool’s cause was helped by Lucas Paqueta, who was bizarrely booked twice for dissent within 60 seconds with less than 10 minutes to play, before Gakpo added a second goal in the 92nd minute to seal the three points.
Liverpool’s victory, only their second in eight league games, moved them up to eighth place with 21 points from 13 matches, while West Ham are 17th with 11 points, level with 18th-placed Leeds United.
Cody Gakpo, right, scores Liverpool’s second goal against West Ham [Adam Davy/PA Images via Getty Images]
Liverpool’s losing run ended by Isak
West Ham – whose players and fans paid tribute to former captain, coach and manager Billy Bonds, who died aged 79 on Sunday – came into the match after back-to-back home victories and had seemingly turned the corner.
But Liverpool ultimately had too much quality and, crucially for Slot, managed to keep their fifth clean sheet of the season after shipping 10 goals in their last three games.
Isak could have put Liverpool in front inside four minutes, but spooned his effort well over the bar, with his protracted move from Newcastle United still seemingly affecting him.
West Ham looked sharper after the break, with Paqueta sending an audacious half-volley from 30 yards narrowly wide as the home fans believed Liverpool were there for the taking.
In the 60th minute, however, Isak was left unmarked in the box as Liverpool recycled possession from a throw-in and the striker coolly side-footed into the bottom corner.
Paqueta saw red in the 83rd minute to make West Ham’s task all the harder before Gakpo sent the home fans streaming for the exits with a clinical finish.
Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen closed to within 12 points of leader Lando Norris heading into final round in UAE next weekend.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Four-time Formula One (F1) world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing kept the three-way 2025 drivers’ championship battle alive with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri after securing victory in the penultimate race of the season at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday.
Verstappen closed to within 12 points of McLaren’s Norris, who finished fourth at Lusail Circuit, heading into the 24th and final round in Abu Dhabi next weekend.
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Norris’s teammate Piastri finished second in the race after starting on pole position and is now 16 points behind in the championship battle. But the Australian is still in with a chance to win the drivers’ title.
Carlos Sainz of Williams finished third in Qatar to round out the podium behind Verstappen and Piastri.
The victory was Verstappen’s 70th grand prix career victory.
The top three drivers now each have seven wins for the 2025 season.
Max Verstappen leads the race during the Qatar Grand Prix at Lusail Circuit, Qatar on November 30, 2025 [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
McLaren get it wrong on early safety car call
Piastri won the holeshot to the first corner with Norris alongside him on the front row, only to be overtaken by Verstappen, who began the race from third spot on the grid.
During lap seven, Red Bull pitted Verstappen under a safety car, resulting in a free pit stop, unlike McLaren, which kept its two drivers out on the track, resulting in Norris and Piastri losing valuable time later when they made their final stop.
This played into Verstappen’s hands, with the Dutchman able to control the race for the remainder of the 57-lap contest, crossing the finish line ahead of Piastri by just under eight seconds.
“Clearly, we did not get it right tonight,” conceded Piastri.
“I drove as fast as I could, but it wasn’t to be. In hindsight, it is pretty obvious what we should have done, but we’ll discuss that as a team. [It’s] a little bit tough to swallow at the moment,” the Australian added.
Verstappen said: “An incredible race for us. We made the right call to box under that safety car. A strong race for us on a weekend that was tough.”
The McLarens now head to Abu Dhabi with a hard-charging Verstappen looking to repeat history by clinching a championship in the last race at Yas Marina, having done so when he overtook Lewis Hamilton on the final lap after a controversial finish in 2021.
“It’s possible now, but we will see,” said Verstappen, who had written off his chances earlier this season. “I don’t really worry about it too much.”
Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Formula One Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail International Circuit [Karim Jaafar/AFP]
Great Britain earned their first win of the 2027 Fiba World Cup qualifiers with a 90-82 victory over Iceland.
GB were beaten on the buzzer in an 89-88 defeat by Lithuania in their Group D opener last Thursday but were much more in control against the Icelanders at the Laugardalsholl in Reykjavik.
The scores had been level at 17-17 at the end of a competitive first quarter between two sides separated by just three places in the Fiba rankings with GB 43rd to Iceland’s 46th.
However, GB seized the initiative and had an 18-point cushion at 69-51 heading into the final quarter.
Iceland reduced the deficit to eight points with one minute 47 seconds left on the clock, but GB held their nerve after a timeout to kill the home side’s hopes of a late fightback.
Carl Wheatle led the way for GB with a game-high 22 points while Myles Hesson and Quinn Ellis chipped in with 17 and 16 respectively.
Martin Hermannsson top scored for Iceland with 18 points while Tryggvi Hlinason collected 17.
All four teams in the group will face each other twice in the first round of the qualifiers before the top three qualify for the next stage.
Mikel Merino rescued Arsenal as the Premier League leaders battled to a 1-1 draw at 10-man Chelsea in a bad-tempered London derby.
Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo was sent off for a crude foul on Merino late in the first half at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
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Despite Caicedo’s dismissal, Trevoh Chalobah headed Chelsea into a second half lead, but Merino’s second half leveller ensured Arsenal emerged with a point from a bruising encounter between the title rivals.
Arsenal are five points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who beat Leeds United on Saturday, and sit six points above third-placed Chelsea.
When the dust had settled on a contest of relentless intensity, Arsenal were left to rue a missed opportunity to extend their lead over Chelsea in the title race, while the Blues were relieved to avoid a damaging defeat.
Arsenal remain the favourites to win their first Premier League crown since 2004, but Chelsea’s combative display suggested they could emerge as the biggest threat to the Gunners’ title aspirations.
Arsenal are unbeaten in 17 games in all competitions, winning 14 of those matches, while Chelsea have gone seven matches without losing in all competitions.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca had played down his young side’s title hopes, but they went toe to toe with Arsenal, who were without injured centre-back William Saliba.
A thunderous first half included a rash of bookings as both teams tried to impose themselves.
Gunners midfielder Martin Zubimendi hauled down Reece James, Chelsea left-back Marc Cucurella crunched into Bukayo Saka, Mosquera pole-axed Joao Pedro and Riccardo Calafiori cynically tugged James.
Saka almost exacted immediate revenge on Cucurella with a stinging strike that Robert Sanchez saved at his near post.
Sanchez saves a shot from Saka [Justina Tallis/AFP]
Teenage sensation Estevao Willian started for Chelsea after his star role in their 3-0 midweek win over Barcelona.
The 18-year-old could not replicate his stunning goal against Barca however as he lashed over from 9 metres (10 yards) to squander Chelsea’s first serious chance.
Enzo Fernandez tested Arsenal keeper David Raya from the edge of the area as Chelsea began to exert pressure on the visitors’ reshuffled defence.
The war of attrition turned ugly in the 38th minute when Caicedo caught Merino on the ankle with a nasty foul that was upgraded from a booking to a dismissal after a VAR review.
It was the Blues’ sixth red card in all competitions this season.
Caicedo and Merino lie on the ground after the Chelsea midfielder’s foul [Ryan Pierse/Getty Images]
The Ecuador midfielder’s premature exit was followed by a dangerous Hincapie elbow on Chalobah, provoking Chelsea cries for a red card that went unheeded.
Gabriel Martinelli nearly added to Chelsea’s angst on the stroke of half-time with a fierce blast that forced a fine save from Sanchez.
Arsenal arrived as the best set-piece team in the league with 10 goals in 12 matches.
But Chelsea ranked second with eight and Chalobah grabbed their ninth in the 48th minute.
It was a goal straight from the Arsenal playbook as James curled a corner to the near post and Chalobah rose highest inside the six-yard box to glance his header into the far corner.
Arteta responded by sending on Martin Odegaard and Noni Madueke, who was jeered and barraged with chants of “Chelsea reject” on his return to his former club.
The Arsenal changes reaped an instant reward as Merino snatched the 59th minute equaliser.
Saka danced past Cucurella with a mesmerising run and cross, picking out Merino for a powerful close-range header that flashed past Sanchez.
It was Merino’s fourth goal this season as Arteta once again used the Spain midfielder as a makeshift striker.
A frantic finale featured Sanchez making superb stops to deny Saka and Merino, but Arsenal could not land the knockout blow.
Chelsea’s captain Reece James told Sky Sports that he was “disappointed” not to come away with the three points but that the sending off limited his side.
“Arsenal have been on the top for the last few years. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Their midfield is tough. We done what we could today to play our game and hurt them off the ball,” he said.
He added: “[Maresca] changed the formation slightly, and he knew they were going to come at us. So we tried to soak up the pressure, and then try to catch them [on the counter].
“I am proud of the boys. It was electric at the Bridge today. We are happy to take the point.”
Merino said Arsenal were also disappointed not to get the win.
When you wear this shirt, you want to win every game.” he told Sky Sports. “This is a really tough stadium to come and take a point. We could have done things better but the team showed good mentality.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, Liverpool’s record signing Alexander Isak scored his first Premier League goal for the Reds as the under-pressure football champions earned a much-needed 2-0 win at West Ham United.
Manchester United ended Crystal Palace’s nine-month unbeaten home run with a 2-1 comeback victory, Aston Villa climbed into the top four with a 1-0 victory over lowly Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Brighton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest to go fifth.
The Lakers (14-4) are playing the first of two games in as many nights at home. They host the Phoenix Suns on Monday, which will be the team’s third game in four days after a win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday.
Playing in just his fourth game of the season, James played 34 minutes in the 129-119 win, scoring 13 points with seven assists. He missed the beginning of the season for the first time in his 23-year NBA career because of right sciatica that sidelined him for 14 games.
Despite James’ limited time, the Lakers have still thrived behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Doncic leads the NBA in scoring with 35.1 points per game. The dynamic duo combined for 72 points in Friday’s win, led by 38 points on 12-for-15 shooting from Reaves. The Lakers guard scored 31 points in the team’s first matchup against the Pelicans, a 118-104 win on Nov. 15 in New Orleans.
The Pelicans (3-17) have the worst record in the Western Conference. The Lakers need James for the tougher matchup against the Suns (12-9) on Monday before playing in Toronto on Thursday, the first game of a three-game East Coast road trip.
The Lakers will also be without guard Marcus Smart (back spasms) for the second consecutive game.
In a matter of weeks, Ventura High football coach Tim Garcia will help move his son, quarterback Derek Garcia, into the dorms at Nevada Las Vegas. They’re having one last hurrah, and the memories are going to be priceless.
On Saturday night, Ventura won the Southern Section Division 6 football championship with a 63-28 win over St. Pius X-St. Matthias. It means Ventura’s season keeps going with next week’s state regional playoffs to be announced on Sunday.
Derek passed for 288 yards and one touchdown. Dad was also happy that running back James Watson had 247 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
Earlier this week at the championship luncheon, the Garcias were smiling even though the coach/son role will soon be ending at Ventura. It’s a rite of passage leaving the nest for the son to explore the world.
Derek is thankful he’s had his father at his side for four years of fun and excitement, and what a way to celebrate with a Southern Section championship and maybe even more.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].
Crystal Palace manger Oliver Glasner believes the club should have spent more in the summer given their European commitments, arguing that January is too late to bolster his squad.
The most important college football story in these parts is about the downtrodden program from Westwood and whether it will leave its dump of a stadium in Pasadena.
UCLA’s incompetence has overshadowed every team in this market outside of the Dodgers and Lakers, and that includes USC.
Which speaks to where USC stands right now.
The Trojans have become afterthoughts in a market they once owned, and they only have themselves to blame.
The 17th-ranked team in the country, the Trojans are by no means a bad team.
They’re something worse.
They’re stuck.
USC coach Lincoln Riley congratulates tight end Walker Lyons after a successful two-point conversion attempt against UCLA at the Coliseum on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
USC literally can’t afford to buy out coach Lincoln Riley’s contract, which means that until further notice the Trojans will be known as the team that’s good enough to not embarrass itself but not good enough to reach the College Football Playoff.
In this particular time in this particular market, that pushes USC to the margins of Los Angeles’ congested sporting landscape.
About to complete his fourth season with the Trojans, Riley seems to be aware of the perception of his program, or at very least what this market expects of a program defined by championships.
“I understand Los Angeles is a place where people aren’t going to show up just because,” he said. “You have to win. You have to give them something. And when you do, there’s no sports town better.”
Riley pointed to the packed Coliseum on Saturday night as evidence the Trojans were doing something right. Almost 70,000 tickets were distributed for the UCLA game.
The loyalty of USC’s fans, however, shouldn’t be mistaken for excitement. In the eyes of the program’s most fervent supporters, the team has underachieved.
Riley talked up the Trojans’ 7-0 home record, which included victories over Michigan and Iowa, but the truth is that the season will be defined by the games that weren’t won.
The loss at Illinois.
The loss at Notre Dame.
The loss at Oregon, which effectively knocked USC out of CFP contention.
As a program that defines itself by championships, the Trojans measure success on a binary scale. They’re either competing for a national title or they’re not. These Trojans aren’t.
Riley made the case that this season helped establish a foundation on which future teams will be built.
“This year was better than last year, and then next year is going to be better, even better than this, just going to keep growing and growing,” he said.
USC backup quarterback Gage Roy leaps into the arms of offensive lineman Tobias Raymond after Roy completed a two-point conversion pass against UCLA at the Coliseum on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
He’s made similar statements before, and USC’s fans are still waiting for the return to glory that he promised.
By now, words alone won’t convince many people about the program’s future. Riley will have to deliver results, and he will have to deliver them soon.
The team Riley will coach next season will look a lot like the team he coached this season but almost certainly without receiver Makai Lemon. No. 2 receiver Ja’Kobi Lane could also declare for the NFL draft.
As much as Riley spoke about USC’s improved physicality, the Trojans couldn’t stop the run in any of their three defeats, which raises legitimate concerns about whether he will be able to address the problem in the coming months.
The Trojans will welcome the country’s top-rated recruiting class, but how many freshmen could they realistically count on to produce right away?
Ryan Kartje, the Times’ USC beat reporter, wrote a story last week about a situation at quarterback involving starter Jayden Maiava and five-star freshman Husan Longstreet. Kartje raised the possibility of Longstreet entering the transfer portal if Maiava returns for his senior season.
In another time or place, this would be a major story. That’s basically Riley’s job now, to return USC’s profile to where the next quarterback controversy is front-page news. The Trojans aren’t close to that at the moment.
In midweek, they were also knocked out of the Count Antrim Shield, going down 4-1 at home to Cliftonville which ended a three-game unbeaten run.
“Ballymena United Football Club can confirm that the club has parted company with first team manager Jim Ervin, this morning,” the club confirmed in a statement.
“The board would like to put on record their upmost thanks to Jim and his staff for their efforts and support during his two and a half years at the Showgrounds.
“Jim will always be remembered as a legendary player for the club, and as manager for successfully guiding Ballymena United through one of the most challenging periods of our recent history.
“The club will now commence the recruitment process for the next first team manager.”
Current U20 manager Ciaran Caldwell will step in as interim boss with Patrick McEleney and Sean O’Neill assisting him for Tuesday’s BetMcLean Cup quarter-final against Larne.
By midweek, as a handful of reporters watched his every move, Nico Iamaleava looked like someone on the verge of the offseason, not a rivalry game.
In the early stages of practice Wednesday, the UCLA quarterback threw one pass softly before shifting into observer mode for the rest of the open viewing period.
Three days later, as thousands of probing eyes watched his every move, Iamaleava was slinging passes with considerably more zip.
His efficiency in completing one pass after another against No. 17 USC on Saturday helped the Bruins take a halftime lead, silencing a Coliseum crowd and triggering a brouhaha between the teams on one corner of the field as they headed for the tunnel.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) scampers for a first down against USC at the Coliseum on Saturday.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
It was the kind of moment Iamaleava had dreamed of growing in Long Beach and attending the cross-town rivalry as a kid.
“Meant a lot, man,” Iamaleava said of being able to compete against the Trojans.
But in keeping with the trajectory of a down-and-up-and-down-again season, the dream ended amid a flurry of sacks and failed third- and fourth-down conversions. There was no way Iamaleava could grit his way to victory, the Bruins eventually succumbing during a 29-10 loss to the Trojans in which their quarterback was sacked four times — all in the second half.
And so a season that started with Iamaleava being the talk of the college football world after his contentious departure from Tennessee ended with him taking a solitary walk up the Coliseum tunnel toward an uncertain future.
“It was a great learning year for me,” Iamaleava said after completing 27 of 38 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against the Trojans. “You know, a lot of firsts for me throughout the season. Just the way we started off, and then dealing with little, minor injuries, there’s a lot. And I think, man, it just showed that I’m willing to go out there and put my life on the line for my teammates, man, whatever is needed.”
Iamaleava showed many sides in fighting to the end of a 3-9 season. There was accountability, Iamaleava facing reporters after every loss. There was leadership, Iamaleava telling teammates that if they wanted to leave amid the dismissal of their head coach and the departure of their offensive coordinator, go ahead. Nobody did.
Over the last few weeks, there was resolve, Iamaleava coming back from one injury after another. He missed only one game after sustaining a concussion against Nebraska and sat out only a few practices after taking a crunching hit against Washington last weekend that led to neck spasms.
“Every day he got better and better,” UCLA interim coach Tim Skipper said, “and then today he went out there and gave it his all, so I love that kid, he’s a battler. He fought and he kept leading us all the way to the end. … He’s a tough dude, man, and he’s a competitor. That’s what I’ll say about him.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 29, 2025: Southern California Trojans linebacker Eric Gentry (18) tackles UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) for a loss in the second half at the Coliseum on November 29, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
For more than a half, it appeared that Iamaleava might go down in rivalry lore.
Orchestrating a short, efficient passing attack, Iamaleava pulled UCLA into a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter when he found wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer for a two-yard touchdown on a crossing route.
Then came a rarity from someone usually happy to absorb contact as the Bruins drove for a go-ahead score. On third-and-seven at the Trojans’ 26-yard line, Iamaleava scrambled before sliding into a ferocious hit from cornerback Alex Graham.
Coming up a yard short of the first down, Iamaleava tried to draw USC offsides with a hard count on fourth down before kicker Mateen Bhaghani trotted onto the field for a 38-yard field goal.
Little went Iamaleava’s way during the second half. One third down ended in an eight-yard sack. Another fell short on a pass that was broken up.
Things somehow deteriorated further. With UCLA having fallen behind 21-10 and clinging to faint hopes midway through the fourth quarter, the Bruins faced a fourth-and-15 at USC’s 45-yard line. A short pass to Gilmer went for only 10 yards.
Drive over. Game over.
That left Iamaleava to contemplate his future. Back in late July, he acknowledged wanting to go to the NFL if he put together a successful season. It was hard to say if this qualified after he finished the season completing 64.4% of his passes for 1,928 yards with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
What’s next?
“I haven’t really even thought about that, man,” Iamaleava said. “I’m right here where my feet are, man. You know, we just lost a tough game and my mind is still on that one — what we could have done better to go out there and win that game.”
After answering a final question, Iamaleava glanced at a bottle of orange sports drink in front of him on a table.
“Can I have this?” he asked.
Granted permission to take the bottle, he grabbed it, rose from his seat and walked out the back of the interview tent, the offseason finally having arrived.
David Puig became the first Spanish winner of the Australian PGA Championship since Seve Ballesteros in 1981 with a two-shot victory in Brisbane.
The 23-year-old, who also competes on the LIV Golf Tour, carded a bogey-free five-under 66 in Sunday’s final round to claim his first DP World Tour title on 18 under.
It is Puig’s third title as a professional after two wins on the Asian Tour in 2023 and 2024. His previous best on the DP World Tour was third at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in January.
“It feels amazing,” said Puig, who finished 10th in the 2025 Liv Golf Rankings. “I’ve really had a lot of close calls in a few events throughout this year and last year and I wasn’t able to pull it through.
“I was pretty nervous, especially thinking about the past a little bit, what I could have done a little better. But I kept my composure really well.”
As well as emulating legendary compatriot Ballesteros, Puig is also the first European winner since England’s David Howell in 1998.
China’s Ding Wenyi also carded a final-round 66 to finish second on 16 under, with Australian Marc Leishman and New Zealand’s Nick Voke tied for third one shot further back.
Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia began the final day as joint-leader but struggled to a one-over 72 to finish tied for eighth with Australian Daniel Gale.
Goalscorers Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo help Barcelona fight back against Alaves and return to top of La Liga table.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Barcelona recovered from an early setback to secure a 3-1 victory over Alaves in La Liga on Saturday, with first-half goals from Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo and a late second for the latter sealing the win at the Nou Camp.
The triumph lifts last year’s champions to the top of the standings on 34 points, two ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand at Girona on Sunday.
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In their second match back at the partially renovated Nou Camp after two and a half years of redevelopment, Barcelona overcame a shaky start amid uncharacteristic scenes of long pre-match ticketing delays that left the stadium half-empty at kickoff.
According to the club, the problems were caused by technical difficulties that left thousands of fans unable to access their tickets through the club’s mobile app, creating long lines at the fan support office and forcing the match to begin with swaths of empty seats.
Alaves stunned the hosts in the first minute when Pablo Ibanez struck from close range. Barcelona defender Marc Bernal misjudged a corner, allowing Ibanez to pounce on the loose ball inside the six-yard box and neatly slot it into the net with his first touch.
However, Barcelona hit back just seven minutes later. Alejandro Balde darted down the left flank before feeding Raphinha, who delivered a low cross into the box. The 18-year-old Yamal met the ball at the far post with a powerful one-touch finish into the top corner to level the score at 1-1.
Raphinha was instrumental again in the 26th with another assist, this time for Olmo, who expertly curled the ball home first-time from inside the box as the Blaugrana went ahead.
Yamal was inches away from doubling his tally in the 44th minute after receiving a brilliant pass from Robert Lewandowski, but his effort hit the post with the goal gaping.
Alaves nearly found an equaliser just before the break, when Lucas Boye fired narrowly wide following a swift counterattack.
Barcelona’s Dani Olmo scores their third goal against Alaves in the 90th minute [Albert Gea/Reuters]
Olmo seals Barca comeback
Barcelona dominated the second half, with Lewandowski denied by a spectacular reflex save from Alaves keeper Antonio Sivera in the 56th minute. Boye squandered another chance for the visitors in the 77th minute, missing wide from inside the box.
Olmo put the result beyond doubt in added time, finishing off a smooth one-two with Yamal, whose through ball left him free inside the box to slot home with composure.
The match also marked the return of 23-year-old midfielder Pedri, who made his first appearance in more than a month following a muscle injury.
He came on in the second half to give Barcelona a much-needed boost before Tuesday’s crucial clash against Atletico Madrid.
Fourth in the La Liga standings with 28 points, Diego Simeone’s side have not lost in the league since their opening fixture in August.
They have a game in hand and will host last-placed Oviedo later on Saturday, aiming to extend a six-game winning run in all competitions.
The Rams currently hold the top seed for the NFC playoffs. Now their greatest challenge might be shutting out the distraction of being deemed a favorite to win the Super Bowl.
“Humility is only a day away,” coach Sean McVay said. “Our guys understand that.”
On Sunday the Rams will play a potential trap game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Panthers are 6-6 and coming off a 20-9 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Panthers are the Rams’ third NFC South opponent. The Rams already dispatched the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They play the struggling Falcons on Dec. 29 in Atlanta.
The Rams are 10-point favorites over the Panthers — and with good reason.
They have won six games in a row and scored at least 34 points in four of their last five games, including their 34-7 victory over the Buccaneers last Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
The Panthers feature quarterback Bryce Young, the top pick in the 2023 draft. Young has passed for 15 touchdowns with nine interceptions for a team that counts victories over the Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys among its wins.
Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and outside linebackers coach AC Carter are former Rams assistants. The roster includes seven former Rams: defensive linemen Bobby Brown III and A’Shawn Robinson, offensive lineman Austin Corbett, cornerbacks Robert Rochell and David Long, linebacker Christian Rozeboom and safety Nick Scott.
There have been so many big days for this group of Slaughtneil hurlers with 13-straight Derry titles and now a sixth Ulster crown.
Of course, there have been disappointments on the provincial stage along the way too and O’Doherty says they have made victories like Saturday’s all the sweeter.
“Mark [McGuigan, captain] alluded to it in his speech – these are special days for the club and something we don’t take for granted,” he continued.
“That’s shown in our hunger and desire, year after year. We lose games and have setbacks, but we always bounce back up again and days like this are so special, so worth it.”
Slaughtneil now have an All-Ireland semi-final against Galway’s Loughrea to look forward to with the game pencilled in for Saturday, 20 December.
Last year, they fell agonisingly short when losing out to Sarsfield’s of Cork by one point, so the ambition now turns to taking the next step and reaching a final for the first time.
“Last year hurt us a lot – there’s no point saying any different,” O’Doherty acknowledged.
“We thought we had a great chance and we did but for whatever reason we didn’t get over the line.
“We are exactly where we want to be now. [We’ve] three weeks to prepare for a massive battle in another All-Ireland semi-final – what else would you want coming up to Christmas?”
Somehow, someway, Los Alamitos is your Southern Section Division 2 football champion. A team of overachievers filled with a roster of best friends combined chemistry, determination and toughness to overcome all odds.
Saturday night before an overflow crowd at San Clemente High, the Griffins recorded seven sacks and took advantage of one of the strangest touchdowns scored by a lineman to beat the Tritons 33-20. This same Los Alamitos team lost to San Clemente 28-9 in a league game on Oct. 24.
“I’m not smart enough to articulate how I feel and how proud I am of these guys,” said Los Alamitos coach Ray Fenton, who was hugging one player after another.
Los Alamitos (12-2) received a sensational performance from quarterback Colin Creason, who completed his final 13 passes and combined with the Griffins’ strong running back tandem of Kamden Tillis and Lenny Ibarra to generate enough offensive firepower to end San Clemente’s five-game winning streak and deliver the Griffins their first championship since 2002.
The game changed on consecutive plays late in the third quarter after San Clemente took a 20-17 lead on a 35-yard field goal by Ethan Miller. Creason completed a shovel pass to tight end Beckham Hofland inside the five-yard line, but he fumble the ball. It went off the leg of a San Clemente defender and was picked up by offensive guard Luke Wehner, a rugby player who knew exactly what to do to score his first high school touchdown — run toward the goal line. He went seven yards for a 24-20 lead.
“I was so scared,” Hofland said.
Said Wehner: “I was not expecting that at all.”
Then Los Alamitos forced a San Clemente fumble on the next offensive play that was recovered by Hunter Eligon. Tillis scored a 22-yard touchdown for a 30-20 lead. The momentum and the game had switched to Los Alamitos.
Individuals kept stepping forward to deliver big moments for the Griffins. Jackson Renger had two of his team’s seven sacks. Hofland had a 24-yard touchdown catch and two field goals. Tillis rushed for 141 yards. The versatile Ibarra had an interception, a 65-yard punt and rushed for 99 yards. And Los Alamitos’ offensive line kept creating opportunities for Creason and the running backs.
The first half ended in a 17-17 deadlock when Hofland made a touchdown catch for Los Alamitos with 39 seconds left. San Clemente had opened a 17-3 lead behind Jaxson Rex, who had a 25-yard catch, forced a fumble and made an interception. Colin Granite scored two touchdowns on short runs.
Los Alamitos’ no-huddle, up-tempo offense started to cause problems for San Clemente’s defense. Tillis had 100 yards rushing at halftime while Creason had 156 yards passing.
Los Alamitos won the Southern Section Division 2 championship with a 33-20 win over San Clemente.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Los Alamitos started the season 8-0, then lost to San Clemente and Mission Viejo in consecutive Alpha League games. The Griffins regrouped and never stopped believing in themselves. They are expected to face San Diego Section champion Cathedral Catholic in a state playoff game next weekend.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami will host Vancouver in the MLS Cup final after a dominant victory against New York City FC.
Published On 30 Nov 202530 Nov 2025
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Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano hailed Lionel Messi as “extraordinary” after the Argentinian superstar steered the club into their first Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup final with a 5-1 thrashing of New York City FC on Saturday.
A Tadeo Allende hat-trick and goals from Mateo Silvetti and Telasco Segovia sent a revitalised Miami roaring into the championship game next Saturday at their home field in Fort Lauderdale.
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While Messi did not get on the scoresheet, the 38-year-old provided a crucial, classy assist for Miami’s third goal scored by Silvetti that killed off the game as New York chased an equaliser.
“Leo has accustomed us to the extraordinary,” Mascherano said of his former Barcelona and Argentina teammate.
“He’s someone extraordinary, someone we’ll never see again. Today, perhaps we’re surprised that he didn’t score, but he gave us peace of mind with the third goal, an assist that only he can see. He practically sealed the game.”
Miami will host the Vancouver Whitecaps in next Saturday’s MLS showpiece.
Vancouver, spearheaded by former Germany and Bayern Munich star Thomas Muller, advanced to the final with a superb 3-1 victory over San Diego in California on Saturday to claim the Western Conference crown.
Messi and his teammates will head into the final bristling with confidence after another ruthless, high-scoring demolition job that followed on from their 4-0 drubbing of FC Cincinnati in the previous round.
Allende – who scored twice in the victory over Cincinnati – was once again the focal point of the Miami attack.
The 26-year-old Argentinian forward opened the scoring in the 14th minute after cleverly springing the New York offside trap and then headed in a superb second to make it 2-0.
New York rallied back with a headed Justin Haak goal in the 37th minute and came within a whisker of an equaliser when Julian Fernandez forced a fine one-handed save from Miami goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo in the 66th minute.
That near-miss was to prove crucial.
Miami immediately swept upfield and a flowing move saw Rodrigo De Paul and Jordi Alba combine before Messi slipped a pass to Silvetti who rifled home to make it 3-1.
Tadeo Allende #21 of Inter Miami scores his hat-trick in the 89th minute against New York City FC [Rich Storry/Getty Images via AFP]
‘Unbreakable’
Segovia then eliminated any doubt with Miami’s fourth goal in the 83rd minute before Allende completed his hat-trick a minute from time to prompt wild celebrations.
The victory leaves Miami just one win away from completing a remarkable transformation after a season that appeared to be unravelling in disarray earlier in the campaign, following a string of defeats.
“We strengthened as a group and reached the end of the season with a brotherhood within the team, where everyone pulls together, and it doesn’t matter who starts,” Mascherano said. “We are a group, and the power of a group is unbreakable.”
Meanwhile, Vancouver – who thumped Miami 5-1 on aggregrate when they met in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals in April – signalled that they will be ready to take on the star-studded Florida outfit with a masterful display to beat San Diego.
The Canadian club got off to a dream start with Brian White firing them into the lead after only eight minutes.
More relentless Vancouver pressure forced an own goal from San Diego goalkeeper Pablo Sisniega three minutes later, and a second White goal on the stroke of half-time made it 3-0.
San Diego raised hopes of an unlikely fightback when Mexico striker Hirving Lozano lashed in a long-range effort in the 60th minute.
But Vancouver continued to look the likelier team to score, and Sisniega was shown a red card for bringing down Ryan Gauld when the Whitecaps player rounded him to go in on goal.
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi, left, greets one of his children after the match against New York FC [Chandan Khanna/AFP]
