sport

The match began with five successive breaks of serve – mostly due to excellent returning by both players – but it was Sabalenka who finally took charge.

Doubles specialist Townsend, who walked out wearing a long, black-feathered outfit, continued to frustrate Sabalenka and forced her to serve out the set at the second opportunity, before making the breakthrough in the second set.

But Sabalenka, aware she must lift the trophy to have a chance of retaining her number one ranking, produced an immediate reply as she broke back to love.

That signalled the start of Sabalenka’s dash to the finish line. The top seed lost just five points across the final five games to end Townsend’s challenge in 75 minutes.

Sabalenka was full of praise for Townsend, saying: “What an incredible player she is, approaching the net, a great returner, moving well, very brave.

“You can see how focused she was. It was really challenging playing her, especially here.

“Thank you so much [to the crowd] for being so respectful to me. I knew coming into this match that you guys would be on her side, but you were sometimes cheering for me and I really appreciate that.”

At home on the US Open hard courts, Sabalenka has not failed to reach the semi-finals here since 2020.

But, following a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, she is aiming to avoid a first season without a major title since 2022.

Noskova’s sense of relief was cleared as she crouched to the ground after taking her sixth match point about an hour after earning her first.

The 21-year-old served for the match in the second set, but missed her first two match points as Kostyuk battled back from 5-3 down to force a decider.

The players exchanged breaks of serve in a tense final set, but it was Noskova who emerged, once again, with a 5-3 advantage.

Noskova failed to take her next two match points as a couple of misses helped Kostyuk to deuce, and missed her fifth after saving a break point, before finally getting over the line after an emotionally draining two and a half hours on court.

“I am more than relieved, this match was so tough, emotionally a bit more than physically,” Noskova said.

“Today was very close, it could have ended both ways. With all the chances I had in the second set, it was tough to still kind of restart.”

Emiliano Martinez: There was concern when the Argentina goalkeeper was accidentally kicked in the head by Gabriel early on, but he was beaten too easily at his near post for Havertz’s equaliser. He later made a high-quality save from Saka in the second half. 5

Josh Acheampong: Often dragged into uncomfortable areas by Tzolis from a tactical perspective, but handled his individual defensive duties well. 6

Maxence Lacroix: Miscontrolled a ball early on and allowed Havertz’s shot to pass through his legs but also impressed at other times. 6

Wesley Fofana: Unconvincing defensively against Saka, Odegaard and, ultimately, Havertz for the equaliser, but the most composed of Chelsea‘s defenders in possession. 6

Pedro Neto: Tasked with marking Calafiori while also providing an attacking threat. Hit the post just before half-time with a brilliant curling effort. 7

Reece James: Saw a well-struck long-range effort saved after 22 minutes and was arguably Chelsea‘s best passer. 7

Romeo Lavia: Produced a superb defensive header to clear the danger in the 32nd minute and competed aggressively throughout. 6

Jorrel Hato: His determination helped create Rogers’ volley and he matched that effort defensively, although he struggled to contain Saka at times. 6

Cole Palmer: Had one effort on target in the first half and was booked for a professional foul. Also had a second-half shot saved. Arsenal largely kept him quiet. 5

Morgan Rogers: Opened the scoring with a first-time volley after just two minutes. Later curled an effort narrowly wide in the 31st minute and was Chelsea‘s most dangerous attacking player. 7

Joao Pedro: Unconvincing defensively at set-pieces and had few opportunities in front of goal, including an ambitious effort from distance. Still made a significant contribution through his work-rate, physical presence and ability to bring team-mates into play as the number nine. 6

Subs:

Malo Gusto (on 60, Lavia): Poor effort moments after coming on, albeit playing out of position in central midfield. 5

Pep Chavarria (on 60, Hato): Struggled to track his runners on a few occasions. 6

Estevao Willian (on 80, Neto): The Brazilian’s sensational curling effort almost levelled but was saved by Raya.

Danny Welbeck (on 87, Rogers)

Subs not used: Penders, Colwill, Barco, Quenda, Gittens

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call from Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, official ministry statements said Sunday.

Officials from both countries reviewed the state of bilateral relations and discussed recent regional developments, including the ongoing crisis in the region.

The ministries stated that the conversation addressed efforts to contain the crisis and promote peaceful solutions through dialogue and negotiation, with the aim of reducing tensions and preserving security and stability in the region.

سمو وزير الخارجية الأمير #فيصل_بن_فرحان” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/hashtag/%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B5%D9%84_%D8%A8%D9%86_%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%86?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#فيصل_بن_فرحان @FaisalbinFarhan” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/FaisalbinFarhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@FaisalbinFarhan يتلقى اتصالاً هاتفياً من معالي نائب رئيس الوزراء وزير خارجية جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية محمد إسحاق دار. pic.twitter.com/puIUe1VwKg

&mdash” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://t.co/puIUe1VwKg”>pic.twitter.com/puIUe1VwKg— وزارة الخارجية (@KSAMOFA) September” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>https://x.com/KSAMOFA/status/2096540134522966457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>September 6, 2026

Former Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy has joined Burnley until the end of the season.

The 39-year-old, who is Leicester’s record Premier League scorer with 145 goals, departed for Cremonese in 2025.

Vardy left the Italian side in the summer and now joins the winless Clarets who are bottom of the Championship.

“This club has a proper footballing history and passionate fans who deserve a team that represents them and their town,” Vardy told the club website., external

“I can’t wait to get going on the pitch and help the team move in the right direction.”

Vardy, who won 26 caps for England, scoring seven goals, spent 13 years at Leicester after signing from non-league Fleetwood Town in 2012.

He went on to score 200 goals in all competitions in 500 appearances.

Burnley, relegated from the Premier League last season, have made a poor start back in the second tier and have not won in five matches under new boss Nicky Hayen.

On Saturday they conceded two goals in the final 10 minutes to lose 2-1 at home to Bristol City.

“His experience and leadership will be invaluable to our squad, and we believe he can make a significant impact on our campaign,” Hayen added.

“Jamie has a proven track record, and we are looking forward to seeing him in a Claret shirt.”

The NFL mountaintop this season sits 10 stories underground.

That’s the subterranean field at SoFi Stadium, playing host on Feb. 14, 2027 to its second Super Bowl. The first came five years earlier when the Rams beat Cincinnati on their home field.

It will mark the ninth Super Bowl in the Los Angeles area across three venues: the Coliseum (two), Rose Bowl (five) and SoFi (two). But in some ways, all those previous games were a drumroll leading up to this one — Super Bowl LXI, in a futuristic $5-billion stadium, absent the lingering restrictions of a pandemic.

“Super Bowl LVI was an amazing experience, but it was still on that tail end of COVID, and it was not everything that this Super Bowl LXI could be,” said Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of club business, international and league events.

“We didn’t do a Super Bowl Opening Night — it was virtual — and there were a lot of things we were still adjusting. … It was absolutely spectacular during the weekend and on game day, but I do think this Super Bowl gives us all the chance to do it full-on, in the way an L.A. Super Bowl can and should be.”

In the weeks leading up to the first Super Bowl at SoFi, there were misguided rumblings that the game might be moved to Dallas, because the NFL had secured that city as a backup. But those type of contingency plans are in place for every Super Bowl, and the game was not in serious peril of being moved. Still, there was a cloud of public doubt lingering over the event.

“Those rumors created a lot of havoc and uncertainty in our market,” said Kathy Schloessman, chief executive of the Los Angeles Super Bowl Host Committee for both games. “It was hard to get the excitement going because people didn’t know if the city was open or closed. I almost hate to say it because I don’t want to jinx anything, but this is our first normal Super Bowl planning.”

Super Bowls can take over a city. Look at the games played in New Orleans, Indianapolis or Houston. Seemingly every resident was aware the game was happening. But in some of the bigger cities — New York, Los Angeles, Miami — there aren’t reminders everywhere you turn.

Something that might offset that this season is ESPN is broadcasting the game for the first time, and has been hyping it ever since the most recent Super Bowl ended.

“It’s a year of the Super Bowl for them that ends in Los Angeles,” O’Reilly said. “That feels natural and poetic. I can’t say enough good things about the way they’ve embraced it.”

South side view of the field at SoFi Stadium.

(Sam Farmer / Los Angeles Times)

Disney is the parent company of ESPN, and likewise has embraced the game, which feels like a true confluence of the sports and entertainment industries.

“When I think about L.A. and brands coming together — Disney, SoFi Stadium, the Rams — I think it takes advantage of what the NFL had always hoped when bringing a Los Angeles team back,” Rams president Kevin Demoff said. “SoFi Stadium is that marriage of the NFL and entertainment.”

Whether they play in the game or not, the Rams are intimately connected to this Super Bowl, as they are the host team. That means they have a degree of financial responsibility to make good on the commitments made to the NFL when Los Angeles was awarded the game. They also are allotted more tickets to the game than the other franchises not hosting (or playing in) the event.

Although the Chargers were co-hosts for the first Super Bowl at SoFi, they opted not to host this one. According to a Chargers spokesman, they chose to cede the stage to Rams owner Stan Kroenke, whose vision they credit for the stadium and Hollywood Park development, but will make a “significant seven-figure financial commitment” to the host committee in the run-up to the game.

Part of Kroenke’s vision in moving the Rams and building the stadium and surrounding campus was to shift the center of gravity of the sporting world to Los Angeles. It’s worth noting that SoFi was a central location of the World Cup — the first U.S. goal was scored there — and will play host to swimming events in the 2028 Olympic Games.

“[SoFi] is now established as one of the world’s greatest sporting stages, which the Super Bowl helped put on the map the first time,” Demoff said. “But now it’s in the middle of this global run.”

It isn’t just the Super Bowl. SoFi will also play host to the NFL’s first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game — Rams versus Green Bay Packers — on Netflix.

“If you’re looking at the arc — not as a Super Bowl but how the NFL wanted to come back to Los Angeles — you have Disney, a longstanding, old-school entertainment partner,” Demoff said. “And then you have this element of streaming and new media and where the NFL is heading. It’s a really interesting juxtaposition.”

Fifa president Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election in March, says football’s world governing body.

Infantino, who has filled the role since 2016, has been under pressure following his scrapped plans to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investment firms.

Infantino’s lucrative plan sparked a global outcry, with European football’s governing body Uefa threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.

“The Fifa president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027,” read a Fifa statement.

“Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election.”

It is the first time Fifa has said he will aim to run for a fourth term since the scandal began following the summer’s World Cup.

Fifa this week accused Uefa of a “smear campaign against it and its leadership”, in a challenge to litigation over Infantino’s plan.

Last week Uefa filed legal papers in the US requesting disclosure of evidence and documents from Fifa, warning it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland.

BBC Sport understands Uefa is confident that a candidate can be found to stand against Infantino.

A candidate must received the backing of at least 106 of the 211 Fifa member associations.

Uefa has abandoned the idea of trying to force a vote of no confidence.

It would require three-quarters of the members – 159 votes – to pass the motion through a change of Fifa statutes, which is considered unrealistic.

No other candidates to challenge Infantino have been named, although Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is considered a serious option.

Nominations must be submitted by 18 November.

More to follow.

Iva Jovic outlasted the fellow young tennis sensation from the Philippines, Alex Eala, in an epic three-hour showdown.

American teen Iva Jovic was moved to tears while talking about her off-court friend and on-court opponent Alex Eala, whom she beat in a three-set thriller to enter the round of 16 at the US Open.

Jovic outlasted the fellow young tennis sensation from the Philippines in an epic three-hour showdown on Saturday to book a meeting with fourth-seeded former champion Coco Gauff.

The 14th-seed Jovic won five of the last six games for a 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 triumph over 17th-seed Eala after three hours and three minutes.

“That felt like a marathon, and I felt like I lost my sanity five times over to win that match,” Jovic said. “But it’s really worth it for this feeling.”

Two of the top rising stars of women’s tennis made their Arthur Ashe Stadium debut a memorable battle that featured 17 service breaks in 33 games.

“That match, definitely the way it finished, deserved that court,” Jovic said.

“It literally took everything to somehow squeeze my way through that.”

When the emerging US tennis star’s win was sealed, her Filipina friend went around the court to congratulate her instead of waiting at the net as players usually do at the end of tennis matches.

When Jovic was asked about Eala’s gesture in her post-match news conference, the American was moved to tears and said it showed her friend’s character.

“It says a lot about her as a person,” Jovic said while wiping away tears. “I’m gonna start crying, but it says a lot about her as a person to be able to do that after that type of match and still come over to hug me and wish me all the best. And even in the locker room behind closed doors … so that just says a lot about her and her character. Yeah, she’s incredible.”

Jovic, 18, and Eala, 21, are friends and sometimes doubles partners, knowing each other’s skills and style well. That helped produce seven service breaks in the first 11 games.

“I’m usually not one that shows that many emotions, but this one really meant a lot to me. It’s everything to have another match here at the US Open,” Jovic said.

That match will be against compatriot Gauff, the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open champion.

“I’m going to be more than happy to just bring this fight and this energy, and whatever happens I can leave with my head high,” Jovic said.

‘Put on a show’

Jovic broke four times to win the first set but was broken three times by left-hander Eala to drop the second.

“The level was absolutely incredible from both sides,” Jovic said.

“We definitely put on a show, and it literally took everything to get through that … losing my earrings, falling literally flat-out on the floor, cuts on my knees, mental breakdowns,” she said.

Eala admitted: “I had my chances. I’m happy with the match in general. Of course there is disappointment in losing, but trying to see the positive side. It was a really good match. The level was really high.

“I left everything out there. I fought through the ups and downs … What I know for a fact is that I fought, so I’m happy with that.”

A quarterfinalist at this year’s Australian Open, Jovic won her first WTA title last year in Guadalajara at age 17.

She beat Eala at the French Open and Queen’s Club in London earlier this season in their prior meetings, but that was before Eala won her first WTA title at Washington.

“She played an outrageous level tonight. She was serving very good. She was showing a lot more versatility with her returns,” Jovic said of Eala.

“She’s playing some of the best tennis in the world right now, so it’s no doubt it takes a hell of an effort to beat her.”

Shades of 2021.

That was the year, after going all-in with blockbuster moves before and late in the season, the Rams won Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.

Five years later?

After a series of head-turning trades, signings and one legendary player’s return from retirement, the Rams and 10th-year coach Sean McVay are well beyond all-in.

On paper, the star-studded offense is seemingly invincible, the reconstructed defense inarguably impenetrable.

“It gets down to: how do we come together as a team,” McVay said. “But it’s hard to say top to bottom that the collection of individuals is not very special.”

The Rams are an overwhelming favorite to win Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.

It’s Super Bowl or bust. Again.

McVay said at the outset of training camp that the season would not be considered a success or a failure by whether the Rams win the Super Bowl.

Tell that to Rams fans.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford is the reigning NFL most valuable player — and shows no sign of slippage as he enters his 18th NFL season.

Receiver Puka Nacua led the league in receptions last season, and future Hall of Famer Davante Adams led the league in touchdown catches.

After their secondary was exposed in an NFC championship game defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams traded for All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie. They signed cornerback Jaylen Watson, McDuffie’s former Kansas City Chiefs teammate. And then general manager Les Snead pulled off another stunning deal for defensive end Myles Garrett, a two-time NFL defensive player of the year.

And that was before Aaron Donald, a three-time defensive player of the year, ended a two-year retirement to join a team about to embark on a boom-or-bust season.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

Defensive lineman Aaron Donald has come out of retirement to join the Rams’ Super Bowl title push.

“You know all these other teams probably hate us,” Rams safety Quentin Lake said, chuckling. “They think we’re like the new Dodgers or something like that.”

Lake made that comment before Rams owner Stan Kroenke agreed to buy the Angels. But baseball parlance was already in the air.

Defensive line coach Giff Smith described the acquisition of Garrett, who amassed an NFL-season record 23 sacks last season, as “a grand slam.”

So what could possibly go wrong?

Nacua and left tackle Alaric Jackson are under investigation by the NFL regarding separate off-the-field incidents. If the league determines they violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, they could be suspended.

The offensive line is experienced but short on quality depth at tackle. If Jackson is injured or suspended, Stafford is at more risk of injury.

Garrett sat out most of training camp and preseason practices because of a knee issue. Donald has not played a snap in two years.

Kicker Harrison Mevis came on last season and solidified a suspect field-goal unit, but it remains to be seen whether new coordinator Bubba Ventrone turns special teams from a liability into a strength.

Regardless, the Rams are built to win another title on their home turf.

“It’s special to be part of a team that can truly go all-in and bring in some new firepower to help us be able to reach the goals that we have in store for ourselves,” defensive lineman Kobie Turner said.

The Rams open the season this week against the San Francisco 49ers in Melbourne, Australia. The 49ers traveled there last week. The Rams are scheduled to depart Tuesday evening, arrive Thursday morning and play on Friday.

Unlike after other previous international trips, there will be no off week before the Rams play their home opener against the New York Giants. Then it’s consecutive road games against the Denver Broncos and the Philadelphia Eagles before a home game against the Buffalo Bills.

Rams defensive end Myles Garrett smiles during training camp in July.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The Rams then host the Arizona Cardinals before playing three of the next four games on the road at Las Vegas, Washington and Arizona.

It doesn’t get easier after a shortened bye week. The Rams play the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving. Then it’s a home game against the Chiefs, a trip to Santa Clara to play the 49ers, and a home game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Rams play the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks twice in the final three weeks, with a game at Tampa Bay sandwiched in between.

After all the buildup, the Rams are ready to embark on their quest.

They plan to finish it by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy at SoFi Stadium.

“It’s our time,” Turner said, “to go and make those dreams a reality.”

It was more than three minutes outside her best time for the course and well outside her British record for the distance of 1:05:43.

Britain’s Jack Rowe missed out on a record fourth consecutive victory in the men’s race, finishing in second place, 14 seconds behind Birchfield Harriers’ Kadar Omar Abdullahi, who won in a time of 1:01:51.

Britain’s David Weir defended his title in the men’s wheelchair event, winning the race for the fifth time in its nine-year history in a new record time.

The 47-year-old, who retired from Paralympic competition in 2024, knocked 45 seconds off his own record for the course, which he set last year, winning in 46:13.

Eden Rainbow Cooper won the women’s event in 52:47 to defend her title.

While her trophy cabinet is overflowing with gold medals and world title belts, perhaps her greatest legacy is leaving women’s boxing in a vastly better place than she found it – that Serrano trilogy lifting women’s boxing to new heights.

Taylor broke through the barriers with a grace which belied the obstacles she faced yet her quiet determination and humble nature will serve as an example of what can be achieved by belief, hard work and a refusal to accept her lot as young girls can now walk the path she laid.

Fierce inside the ring yet unassuming outside of it – even factoring in an impulse-buy speedboat, since sold – superlatives such as trailblazer, icon and Ireland’s greatest sportsperson are not hyperbolic, for Taylor’s status as a legend is in no way cliched.

She has indicated she will remain in the sport, but for now, there is time to savour an extraordinary career, with her place among boxing’s greats set in stone.

Irish boxing is going to be a lesser place.

“I’m retired now so I can eat what I want, but I’m just going to enjoy a nice celebration and look back on a dream ending to a dream career.

“My story is the story of everyone in this room: we all have our ups and downs. I think people resonate with your vulnerabilities and your successes – saw me cope with the heartbreak of Rio, the Chantelle Cameron loss and personal difficulties.

“My story is the story of everyone in this room.”

Upon arrival at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Infantino remained tightlipped on his re-election as FIFA president.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is staying mum on the leadership challenge he faces as a result of his failed plan to sell rights to private investors in the World Cup, and he declined to answer questions about his re-election upon arrival at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

Infantino, who faces continuing pressure and the prospect of a criminal case, was in the stands speaking with Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza as hosts Poland faced Argentina on the opening day of the tournament on Saturday.

However, when he arrived at the Arena Katowice, the 56-year-old avoided questions about his future at the global governing body for football.

“There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It’s not today, it’s not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football,” Infantino told British broadcaster Sky News outside the venue.

“We are continuing at FIFA, of course, to work to give every corner of the world a chance, an opportunity, a dignity, to find ways and means for them to become better and to participate and to celebrate football, which we all love.”

Infantino did not answer when asked if he had considered resigning or whether he still intends to stand for a fourth term next year.

Infantino had mostly kept out of the spotlight in the weeks since his World Cup sell-off plan fell apart amid opposition from many FIFA member nations and some of his own officials.

The European nations — a quarter of the 24-team field — backed down on a boycott threat last week, citing assurances from FIFA that the plan would not be revived.

Legal action over the original attempt continues, and Europe has a leading role in efforts to oust Infantino ahead of next year’s FIFA election.

A court filing by FIFA on Thursday accused UEFA of running a “smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership” as the European football body seeks discovery of evidence related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.

Infantino infuriated football leaders worldwide in July, shortly after the World Cup ended, when his plan for a $20bn subsidiary controlling FIFA commercial rights, including the World Cup, was revealed by British daily The Times.

The spinoff was to be 20 percent owned by investors led by a New York fund created by Joshua Kushner, whose initial money was to pay offers of $20m to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations. They were given a mid-September deadline to accept.

The FIFA president dropped his proposal within four days. UEFA had support from the Asian Football Confederation and North American football body CONCACAF, and there was criticism of the plan and of Infantino from senior FIFA officials.

Keys appeared on course for a first fourth-round appearance at her home slam since 2023 after taking a commanding third set lead against Olympic champion Zheng.

But the 2025 Australian Open winner would miss a match point and lose each of the final seven games in a 1-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 loss that stunned the crowd.

The 31-year-old Keys said she felt as though she “couldn’t play tennis anymore” in the final set.

“I obviously got off to a really good lead, and then I got really scared, like I couldn’t swing [the racquet],” Keys said.

“I felt like I couldn’t play tennis anymore. It just felt like it was a much bigger deal than just playing a tennis match all of a sudden.”

Keys, who lost the 2017 US Open final to fellow American Sloane Stephens, went out in the fourth round at the other three majors in 2026.

“I feel like I’ve been struggling for a while now. I’m going to have to make some sort of changes,” Keys said.

“I just kind of keep putting it off because that’s how the tennis world works. It’s just to the point where I actually need to do something about it.”

Anisimova, beaten by world number one Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s US Open final, lost in straight sets to Russian-born Austrian 24th seed Anastasia Potapova.

The 25-year-old was visibly frustrated with herself throughout the contest, losing her serve twice in the first set and four times in a topsy-turvy second.

Meanwhile, two-time champion Naomi Osaka fought back from a break down in the decider to see off Belgian 23rd seed Elise Mertens.

Osaka, seeded 13th, won 6-3 3-6 7-5 to set up a last-16 match against second seed Elena Rybakina.

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina, who knows she will be guaranteed to become the new world number one if she reaches the semi-finals, demonstrated her quality in a 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 victory over Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva.

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has not played since Wednesday, when he struck out four times and winced noticeably at the plate.

On Saturday, the Dodgers held him out of the lineup for the third consecutive game because of pain in his right biceps.

Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani’s path back to the field is predicated on how he responds to hitting in the cage, which he planned to do before Saturday night’s game against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium.

“My expectation is that he’s going to hit today in the cage,” Roberts told reporters. “Once he hits and how he comes out of it, that’ll be telling for tomorrow.”

The injured list becomes a consideration if Ohtani is not trending in a positive direction Sunday, Roberts said.

Ohtani falls under the 15-day category for the IL, which covers pitchers and two-way players, as opposed to the 10-day list for position players. The Dodgers can backdate the move up to three days, akin to time served. So a 15-day window would be reduced to 12 days.

Although Roberts said he has not spoken to Ohtani about how he feels physically, the manager said he can get a hint from the player’s demeanor.

“When he doesn’t feel well physically, he gets more short and he’s not the same personality,” Roberts said, adding that Ohtani has seemed looser and more easygoing the past couple of days.

The crux to defeating California is clear.

At least, UCLA coach Bob Chesney made it so on Monday.

“We have a chance to put it together against another opponent, a really good opponent, very well-coached, phenomenal talent on this team, but it all starts with No. 3,” Chesney said.

And while No. 3, Cal quarterback Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele, may be familiar with UCLA’s defensive scheme and personnel — telling reporters Tuesday that the offense has been studying film from James Madison’s 2025 unit for the past few weeks — he may not be as accustomed with the defense’s new identity.

Defensive lineman Sahir West, who transferred to from James Madison to UCLA, says the Bruins have embraced their coach’s emphasis on toughness and attention to detail.

(Robert Simmons / Associated Press)

UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, who has made stops as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at JMU, Alabama, Wisconsin and Cincinnati during the past six years, wanted his defense to enter 2026 with a brand — a reputation to describe the team’s play.

And after presenting his team with different options, the defense settled on the “Bruin Bullies,” a name based on the 1970s Philadelphia Flyers “Broad Street Bullies” — an homage to Hitschler’s home city.

“It’s a lifestyle, it’s a mentality more than anything,” Hitschler said. “It’s what we need to do to win the next play. That toughness, that internal belief. That’s what it’s about.”

Since arriving in Westwood, Hitschler has consistently been touted for his toughness and encouraging his players to compete with an unwavering belief — values he developed as a wrestler.

Hitschler, who won a national prep championship at William Penn Charter School and then wrestled at the University of Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2010, grew up in Philadelphia surrounded by the sport, with his older brother, father and grandfather all lettering at his alma mater, and his father working as a longtime football and wrestling coach at his high school.

“Wrestling is a unique sport in that it’s an individual sport, and you walk out on a mat and you win or lose, and it’s all about just you,” Hitschler said. “It’s a glorified fight with rules. Winning your individual battle in football is what leads to team success, and when those guys really buy into that toughness that it takes to beat the guy across from you, then you’re going to have a really good defense.”

Beyond toughness, Hitschler wanted the Bruins to show intensity and relentless attention to detail, emphasizing the importance of “being intentional in everything you do.”

“The first fundamental is effort and attitude, which is four to six, A to B, and nasty intentions,” UCLA sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor said. “He won’t tolerate low effort or low intensity, and it could be on any play. … We might do all the things we want to do, and then we’re going to come back to meeting that night, and he’s going to pull up the three bad clips from practice and go, ‘This is unacceptable. We better fix it tomorrow.’”

Hitschler’s emphasis on attacking extends to the secondary.

“All 11 guys want to tackle the ball. We have some really tough kids playing [defensive back.] … Those guys love hitting,” Hitschler said.

Hitschler’s track record developing elite defensive backs — such as the Indianapolis Colts’ Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Chicago Bears’ Coby Bryant and San Francisco 49ers’ Darrick Forest — drew players such as Derrick Barksdale to UCLA.

“His intensity level, the way he approaches the game, is something that inspires a player to even play even harder, play with even more technique, or play with more detail,” Barksdale said.

James Madison’s Derrick Barksdale said UCLA defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler’s history of developing players inspired him to join the Bruins.

(Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)

Hitschler’s revitalized defense will have to create splash plays — something the Bruins lacked last season, finishing last in the nation in sacks and tying for third worst in interceptions — if it wants to stop the potent Cal offense.

“Takeaways are all about playing longer and harder than the offense does, and our job doesn’t stop till somebody or the ball is on the ground,” Taylor said. “Personnel aside, the way we’re going to attack offenses, and the way we’re going to play on defense, is going to create stress and chaos for every team we play. Inherently, with how we play, there’s going to be a lot of big plays, and we’re not going to sit back and hope that the offense messes up.”

Junior defensive lineman Sahir West said the UCLA defense has fully embraced the challenge of being “Bruin Bullies” all season.

“That’s who we truly want to be. That’s not just a moniker. That’s what we live by. That’s basically the brand of football that we want to play,” West said. “Be bullies on the field. Be dominant. Take play by play. Just play hard. That’s who we are.”

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• Justin Clinton, Bishop Amat: Rushed for 119 yards and one touchdown in win over Valencia.

• Myles Cross, Granada Hills: Rushed for two touchdowns and made game-saving interception in win over Palisades.

• Moyosoreoluwa Odebunmi, Cleveland: Rushed for 138 yards in 15 carries and scored one touchdown in win over Castaic.

• Will Biddle, L.A. University: Rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns in win over Santee.

• Levin Whitney, South East: Rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns in win over Fremont.

• AJ McBean, Gardena Serra: Rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns in win over Los Alamitos.

• Brandon Hernandez, Panorama: Rushed for 275 yards and five touchdowns in win over Fulton Prep.

• Jordan Bonilla, La Serna: Rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns in win over Salesian.

• Matt Quintanilla, Granada Hills Kennedy: Rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

• Gatsbee Gumban, Nogales: Rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns in win over Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

• Rocky Martinez, Redondo Union: Set a school record with 306 yards rushing in 31 carries and one touchdown in win over Culver City.

• Ryan Christianson, Orange Lutheran: Had 32 carries for 165 yards and one touchdown in win over Chandler (Ariz.) Basha.

• William Fredericksen, JSerra: Rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns in win over Crean Lutheran.

PASSING

• Jacob Anzaldua, Banning: Passed for 462 yards and seven touchdowns in win over Carter.

• Ryan Rakowski, Palos Verdes: Ran for three touchdowns, passed for two touchdowns in win over Carson.

• Seth Solorio, San Pedro: Set a school record with seven touchdown passes in win over Westchester.

• Domenico Doran, Bishop Amat: Completed nine of 10 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns vs. Valencia.

• Chase Curren, Crespi: Passed for 230 yards and two touchdowns, ran for two touchdowns in comeback win over St. Francis.

• Nathaniel Cadet, L.A. Marshall: Passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns in win over Bernstein.

• Donovan Shirley, Salesian: Passed for 319 yards and three touchdowns in loss to La Serna.

• Talon Spencer, Capistrano Valley: Passed for 225 yards and three touchdowns, ran for 177 yards in win over Great Oak.

• Trent Lux, Great Oak: Passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns in loss to Capistrano Valley.

• Bryce Johnson, South East: Passed for 223 yards, ran for 94 yards and three touchdowns in defeat of Fremont.

• Angelo Gutierrez, Marquez: Passed for 356 yards and five touchdowns, ran for 96 yards in loss to Mayfair.

RECEIVING

• Jordan Slye Jr., Salesian: Three catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns in loss to La Serna.

• Anthony Jacobs Jr., Oxnard Pacifica: Caught three passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns in win over Hart.

• Matthew Crowson, Great Oak: Caught five passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Capistrano Valley.

DEFENSE

• Reginald Duncan, Crenshaw: Recorded three sacks in win over Hamilton.

• Chase Madrid, Hart: Had eight tackles and two interceptions in loss to Oxnard Pacifica.

• Alifeleti Tuihalamaka, Oaks Christian: Had 12 tackles, including a sack, in loss to Liberty.

• Malaika Sione, Oxnard Pacifica: Had 12 tackles in win over Hart.

• Nolan Scott, Corona del Mar: Had one sack, one interception and 65 receiving yards in win over Edison.

• Adrinn Ry and Isaac Guzman, Nogales: Had two interceptions each vs. Cantwell-Sacred Heart.

• King Rich Johnson, Orange Lutheran: Returned interception 84 yards for touchdown vs. Chandler (Ariz.) Basha.

• Elyjah Staples, Marquez: Credited with 21 tackles and scored on a blocked punt vs. Mayfair.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Diego Mendez, Cleveland: The soccer player made six of six PATs and a 40-yard field goal vs. Castaic.

• Jorden Wells, Servite: Returned punt for touchdown in loss to Arizona Centennial.

• Stephen Nunez, Crespi: Returned a kickoff 57 yards, returned a punt 53 yards and had six catches for 93 yards and one TD in win over St. Francis.

• Connor White, El Toro: Blocked field-goal attempt and returned it 70 yards for touchdown in win over Aliso Niguel.

• Noah Ahrari, Chino Hills: Made 43-yard field goal in loss to San Juan Hills.

Who: Everton vs Manchester United
What: English Premier League
Where: Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, United Kingdom
When: Sunday, August 6, at 2pm (13:00 GMT).
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have all the build-up from 10:00 GMT ahead of our live coverage.

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said he is delighted with the additions to his squad despite being outspent by Premier League rivals in the transfer window and short on depth in some areas.

United put their efforts into rebuilding Carrick’s midfield, with Casemiro’s exit and a serious injury to Manuel Ugarte offset by the acquisitions of Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba for a combined 155 million pounds ($210m).

The Red Devils’ fiercest rivals spent almost that budget on a single player as Manchester City broke the British transfer record for Enzo Fernandez, while Liverpool splashed up to 123 million pounds ($166m) on French winger Bradley Barcola.

Despite returning to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons, Carrick hinted at having to work within financial restrictions.

“We went into the window wanting to come out stronger from the group that we had last season. We’ve definitely added to that,” Carrick told a pre-match media conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Everton.

“I think we’ve done a lot of good work in that respect and the situation is what it is in terms of finances and what we can work with and what we’re trying to get the most of.

“Certainly, the players that we’ve brought into the group I’m absolutely delighted with and I think we’ve done some really good business there.”

What areas of doubt remain for Manchester United?

United look particularly short in defence with the injury-prone Luke Shaw their only senior option at left-back.

“What squad ever is the perfect squad? You’ve always got to find ways of adapting,” Carrick added.

“When you’re building and trying to push to go through a period where we’re trying to get to the top – that’s the ultimate goal – you’ve got to make steps.”

Joshua Zirkzee was among those expected to leave Old Trafford to boost the funds available to Carrick.

Despite interest from Fiorentina and Juventus and a deadline-day approach from Everton, the Netherlands international remains at United, despite limited game time over the past two seasons.

“He wants to play more than he has done and that’s the good competition and healthy competition for places,” said Carrick.

“Josh can do some really, really top things. I’ve seen it myself, and I know he can do that and looking forward to him doing that a little bit more often for us.”

How have Manchester United started the Premier League season?

After a dreadful 2-0 defeat at newly-promoted Hull on the opening weekend of the season, United bounced back to thrash Ipswich 5-2 thanks to a Bruno Fernandes hat-trick last time out.

Moyes laments Everton’s squad after frustrating transfer window

Everton boss David Moyes conceded ‌he is left with a small squad after a disappointing transfer window in ⁠which key players departed ⁠and a deadline day medical fell through as they tried to sign American striker Folarin Balogun.

Moyes expressed frustration at his club’s close-season business, ⁠revealing they did not want to lose Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye but were powerless when bigger teams like Manchester City look to sign their players.

“Disappointed we didn’t do more business ⁠and disappointed things didn’t go our way in the end. Sometimes in football you have to live with disappointment and we will move on,” Moyes told reporters on Friday.

“I know what I needed and I know what it’s like to build a squad for the Premier League, I know ‌the numbers you need. I’ve been around long enough to know that, but some things went against us and some things could have gone better.

“Ultimately, we didn’t want to lose a lot of the players, but for different reasons that had to happen.”

AS Monaco chief executive Thiago Scuro said Everton raised concerns over Balogun’s medical late on deadline day and that the US international pulled out because he was uncomfortable with the doubts ⁠raised by the Merseyside club over his health.

“It wasn’t anybody’s fault. ⁠It happens in football a lot,” Moyes said.

“The player had a problem in his medical and that was simply it. There’s no other story behind it.”

Everton face fans backlash over transfer window business

Everton’s Fans’ Forum also criticised the club’s planning and recruitment after the transfer ⁠window closed, saying supporters deserved answers after another window marked by late activity and a failed pursuit of key targets.

With a thin ⁠squad, Moyes said Everton’s academy players would have to step ⁠up but was unsure if they could fill the gaps.

“Are they ready to make the step up? I’m not sure about that. We will see how that goes, some of them might be pushed in,” Moyes said.

“They’re all ‌going to have to be able to muck in as we’ve got a real small squad now,” he added.

“It gives opportunities to some people who have not had them and sometimes ‌in ‌football you need to be given that chance so that you can show what you can do. Let’s see if some of them can do that.”

What happened the last time Everton faced Manchester United?

Manchester United were 1-0 winners in the last meeting of the sides, which came in a Premier League fixture at Hill Dickinson Stadium in February.

Benjamin Sesko scored the only goal after 71 minutes.

When did Everton last beat Manchester United?

Everton won 1-0 in the Premier League fixture at Old Trafford last season – despite being reduced to ten men early on.

Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 14th minute, while Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall came up with what would be the winner on the halfway mark.

Prediction – Everton vs Manchester United

The Opta supercomputer is giving Everton a 38.3 percent chance of winning, while offering United only a 33.3 percent chance of claiming the spoils.

Head-to-head – Everton vs Manchester United

This will be their 216th meeting with United winning 97 times and Everton 69.

The first meeting came in 1892 with Everton winning the English top flight encounter 6-0. The Toffees hit 10 against United that season as they completed the double with a 4-3 away win.

Everton team news

Jack Grealish is set to come straight into the matchday squad following his transfer deadline day loan from Manchester City.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles could also appear following the September 1 move for the ex-Arsenal defender. Christian Norgaard, another former Gunner, misses out with a knock.

Everton predicted starting lineup

Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Armstrong; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

Manchester United team news

Carlos Baleba’s ankle continues to prevent his United debut. Manuel Ugarte, Amad Diallo and Matthijs de Ligt are all injured.

Luke Shaw, Mason Mount and Tom Heaton all face late fitness tests.

Manchester United predicted starting lineup

Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Mainoo, Tielemans; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Rashford; Cunha

Arizona State hockey player Matthew Mayich remains incapacitated more than two weeks after he collapsed during an outdoor team practice in Tempe.

“Matthew’s injuries [are] from exertional heat stroke that caused the lack of oxygen to his brain,” the family’s attorney, Robert Carey, told The Times on Thursday. “There were no other contributing conditions, only exertion-related heat. This is not a coma, and the family is at his bedside praying for a miracle.”

While the family has not given up on the 21-year-old former draft pick of the St. Louis Blues, Carey said the prognosis they have received is not good.

“He’s been incapacitated from the moment he left the field, and with no chance of recovering,” said Carey, who added that he is limited on what he has been authorized to discuss concerning Mayich’s condition.

He added that the family is “just giving him a chance to have a miracle. And when they decide that’s not coming — I don’t know. They’re in a position no parent should ever be in.”

Mayich was selected by the Blues in the sixth round of the 2023 draft but never signed with the team. He played four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League and one at Clarkson University last season before transferring to Arizona State.

Arizona State and its police department referred questions from The Times to a recent statement from the university. In its statement, the university did not mention Mayich by name because of “privacy interests” but talked about an ASU hockey player “who collapsed during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20” and “remains hospitalized.”

Arizona State said that the workout was a team event at which coaches and training staff were present, “along with a third party who had previously worked with the ASU Hockey team.”

The university stressed that it has policies regarding the engagement of “outside entities who interact with ASU student-athletes” and heat-illness guidelines for outdoor workouts. It added that James Rund, senior vice president for educational outreach and student services, would lead a review into the “circumstances surrounding the workout and related university policies, procedures and training protocols.”

“The review will take the time needed to collect and assess information in a manner that is thoughtful, respectful of the student-athlete, his family, his teammates and ASU’s privacy obligations,” the statement says.

The practice took place on a field outside the team’s on-campus arena. According to the university’s statement, the campus police department responded to a 911 call at approximately 8:30 a.m. “and began investigating as they would anytime they are called to a serious incident.”

The temperature at around that time in Tempe that morning was in the upper 80s.

Carey said that from talking to people who were present at the practice and relying on “other objective evidence,” he has determined that it was a military-style practice that ran “nonstop for well over an hour. And there was no rest, and there was almost no water.”

“Matthew was struggling,” Carey said, based on the information he has gathered. “He was disoriented, confused, dizzy, well before he collapsed. … Matthew was demonstrating signs of a problem well before he collapsed, and they did nothing.”

After Mayich’s collapse, Carey said, the staff was “completely and utterly unprepared” to treat him.

“So when he left the field that day, by the time he got to the hospital, there was almost zero chance of recovery,” Carey said.

Carey, who was chief deputy attorney general of Arizona during the 1990s, said he has been retained as the family’s counsel to help guide them through the situation, but no decision about any kind of legal action has been made at this point.

“They’re not going to make any decisions, and I’m not going to make any recommendations, until we get an investigation completed that’s transparent and robust and competent,” Carey said. “We need to know what happened before we can say you have rights or here’s a way to fix things for other kids down the road. …

“We just need to see what the evidence is. That’s our main goal right now, let’s go get the evidence and figure out what happened.”

He added that the family wanted him to express their gratitude for the outpouring of support they’ve gotten during this time.

“They’re from Canada and they’re in Arizona, where they had no connection really, and they’re sitting in a hospital every day,” Carey said, “and they’re just very appreciative of the support they’ve received across the country to help them.”

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

City clung on to a nervy victory against the Sky Blues to maintain their 100% winning start to the season, but managed to get the job done courtesy of a string of saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Haaland continued his fine start to the season by converting his third goal in as many games from Antoine Semenyo’s deep cross, which came after Fernandez played through a slide-rule pass to the Ghanaian.

Playing in the number eight role, Argentina international Fernandez was given licence to roam and make late bursts into the box – he touched the ball six times in the opposition area, with only Haaland managing more with 11.

Fernandez could have had a dream debut but saw two shots blocked, before being replaced after 76 minutes by fellow summer signing Ayyoub Bouaddi.

The 18-year-old Morocco international was part of City’s midfield rebuild and highlights the options available to Maresca despite the departures of Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez.

Ndiaye, meanwhile, became the first Senegalese player to represent City and is bound to give opposition defenders with his trickery and pace. No player attempted more dribbles in the match than his eight.

Maresca said: “Enzo and Iliman [played their] first game with us and then Ayyoub and Ryan [McAidoo] their first game in front of our fans.

“That is why I said there are many reasons I am happy about our win. I think they were all good.

“Ili just had two sessions with us. He needs to understand how to move. Most of the time he was moving in the wrong way, wrong position, but he needs to learn and for sure he is going to learn.”

Asked to elaborate on Ndiaye’s performance, Maresca said: “When Marc Guehi has the ball and he was dropping a lot and we don’t need that.

“We need him in the last third so he can be a little bit more higher. That space was more for Josko Gvardiol.

“It is the same thing in this [other] side. But it is normal and with time they will learn the way we want them to play.”

India claim seven-wicket win after Pakistan lose 10 wickets for just 28 runs as they are bowled out for 55.

India produced a dominant display to defeat Pakistan by seven wickets in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Dubai, bowling their rivals out for their lowest total in the format before rattling off their target inside nine overs.

Pakistan, having won the toss and elected to bat at the Dubai International Stadium on Saturday, made a promising start but collapsed spectacularly after an opening partnership of 27.

India eventually dismissed them for just 55 in 18.1 overs, with their spinners responsible for much of the damage.

Shree Charani and Prema Rawat were the stars of the bowling attack, taking three wickets apiece. Charani finished with remarkable figures of 3 for 7 from four overs, while Rawat returned 3 for 9. Deepti Sharma added two wickets for only five runs.

Pakistan’s innings initially appeared under control. Muneeba Ali made 13, and Shawaal Zulfiqar scored 14 for the first wicket.

But Shafali Verma broke the partnership by bowling Muneeba, and Charani then struck twice in the sixth over. She dismissed Gull Feroza for a duck before removing Zulfiqar, leaving Pakistan 29 for three.

The collapse continued almost immediately as Pakistan slipped to 32 for four in the eighth over before Rawat and Deepti Sharma intensified the pressure. By the 13th over, Pakistan were 45 for seven, and there was no prospect of recovering to a competitive total.

The final three wickets eventually fell with Pakistan on 55, giving India an exceptionally modest target. The total was Pakistan’s lowest in women’s T20I cricket, surpassing their previous low of 63 against India in the 2012 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup.

India survive brief wobble

Despite requiring only 56, India did not have everything their own way at the start of the chase.

Pakistan’s bowlers claimed three wickets, giving their opponents a brief glimpse of an unlikely route back into the contest. Fatima Sana was Pakistan’s most successful bowler, finishing with 3 for 17.

The target, however, was simply too small. India reached 57 for three in 8.4 overs, completing a seven-wicket victory with Harmanpreet Kaur unbeaten on 18. The Indian captain ensured there was no late drama and guided her side across the line with plenty of deliveries to spare.

The victory maintained India’s perfect start to the tournament. They now have six points from three matches and have already secured their place in the semifinals.

For Pakistan, meanwhile, the defeat leaves their qualification hopes dependent on their final group match against Hong Kong. They remain on two points and need a victory to give themselves a chance of progressing.