Novac Djokovic won 102nd match of his career, while ATP 500 tournament victory was Carlos Alcaraz’s third of the year.
Published On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026
Novak Djokovic won the China Open after his opponent Alex de Minaur retired from the final with injury, while Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz retained his Japan Open crown to continue his resurgence after a lengthy wrist injury layoff.
The 39-year-old Serbian won the first set in the tie-break 7-6 (7-3) and was down a game in the second set when the Australian ended the match with retirement on Tuesday.
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Djokovic extended an astonishing unbeaten streak in Beijing and winning the 102nd title of his career.
De Minaur left the court for a medical timeout after losing the first-set tie break but played on with his left thigh heavily bandaged. However, he had to stop after winning the first game of the second set, leaving him trailing 7-6(3) 0-1.
“I don’t feel great … I want to say sorry to all the amazing fans,” de Minaur said at the trophy presentation.
“I didn’t want to finish like this … hopefully see you next year,” added the 27-year-old fifth seed.
The win in China was Novak Djokovic’s 102nd of his career [Tingshu Wang/Reuters]
Alcaraz retains Japan Open crown
Alcaraz made another slow start before cruising past unseeded Czech Jiri Lehecka 7-6(4) 6-4 in the Japan Open final on Tuesday.
The ATP 500 tournament victory is Alcaraz’s third of the year after the Australian Open and Qatar Open, before the 23-year-old was sidelined by an injury for nearly five months and returned at the US Open in late August.
“I’m really happy to be able to lift a trophy again,” Alcaraz said. “It’s been a while and obviously it’s extra special after my injury and my comeback, in the second tournament that I’m playing.
“It was a really tough week and I didn’t play my best tennis and my best level but I did find good solutions and that’s what matters in the end.”
Alcaraz became the first man to go back-to-back in Tokyo since American Pete Sampras won the men’s title in both 1993 and 1994.
The world number three started shakily, dropping serve in the first game, but soon recovered and dialled up the intensity to break world number 19 Lehecka’s serve with a scorching backhand to level at 3-3.
More uncharacteristic errors from Alcaraz gave Lehecka hope in the tiebreak, but the Spaniard unleashed a sublime drop-shot en route to clinching the opening set to lay the platform for his 27th title overall.
Alcaraz says he ‘trusted’ himself
The seven-time Grand Slam champion took control midway through the second set, breaking to claim a 4-3 lead before sealing victory by forcing an error on match point and then celebrating wildly with his team courtside.
Alcaraz said his triumph helped erase the doubts that he faced during his injury break.
“A lot of negative thoughts come to your mind,” Alcaraz added: “If you’re going to come back healthy, if you’re going to come back the same as you were before, if I will be able to hit the ball normally without pain. I trusted myself and it worked out.”
Alcaraz will return to action at the Shanghai Masters where he will take on Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo or a qualifier first. The main draw of the ATP 1000 event begins on Wednesday.
A number of Premier League clubs want Manchester City to be hit with both “retrospective punishments” and sanctions for the future for their mass financial rule-breaking, sources have told BBC Sport.
An independent commission found City guilty of all charges relating to breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons.
However, there is said to be a consensus among a group of top-flight club executives that if City’s appeal is unsuccessful, the sanctions should make reparations for the period when they broke the rules, while also limiting their powers in future.
There is also a feeling from at least four Premier League boardrooms that a “one-hit” points deduction resulting in relegation to the Championship would be an insufficient punishment given the severity of City’s wrongdoing.
There is understood to be nuance in exactly what clubs consider a fitting penalty for the eight-time Premier League champions, who were found guilty of all serious financial rule breaches in a damning verdict by an independent commission.
One senior club source said City should be stripped of their titles, and added there was “no great rush” among clubs to push for the redistribution of trophies, but rather to take honours away and leave them vacant.
The source warned the credibility of the Premier League would be lost if City were allowed to keep the eight major trophies they won during the period they have been found guilty.
However, in a sign of a range of opinions across the league, BBC Sport was previously told there was little appetite among other clubs for City to be stripped of titles.
Regarding the timescale for sanctions in the future, there is a concern among club executives that a sanction applied just to one season would merely provide City with a “bump in the road” given the likelihood of them returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
A number of Premier League figures therefore believe any points deduction should be split over multiple seasons, while there is also a sense that transfer bans that stretch over a number of windows would also significantly hinder City’s ability to regain their top-flight status as quickly as possible.
Embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been accused of a potential abuse of power and conflict of interest after the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) filed formal complaints to two FIFA committees.
Infantino’s aborted plan to open up the World Cup to private investors, the lifting of US forward Folarin Balogun’s suspension at the 2026 World Cup following an intervention by United States President Donald Trump, and FIFA’s awarding of a so-called Peace Prize to Trump form the basis of the filings.
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The first filing made on Tuesday “asks the Ethics Committee to examine the conduct of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and any other individuals identified through the investigation for potential breaches of FIFA’s Code of Ethics”.
The second filing is aimed at FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) and “asks whether FIFA’s governance, financial oversight, internal controls and decision-making processes [have] worked as intended”.
Lise Klaveness, the NFF’s straight-talking president and longtime critic of Infantino, told British media that Trump was the common thread in all three issues.
The venture capital firm of Josh Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared, was to be the chief investor in the ill-fated FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan.
Infantino’s plan, launched just after this year’s hugely successful World Cup cohosted by Canada, Mexico and the US in July, would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in a company created under the FFE initiative.
“FIFA Forward Enterprise is a governance issue, but it’s connected to the two other cases because [of] conflict of interest and abuse of position, potentially,” Klaveness said in her interview with a British newspaper.
“There is a line between all these three cases, and it’s the same political regime.”
Klaveness, a former international footballer, said Infantino had some serious questions to answer over a lack of transparency.
Balogun’s red card in the last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina during the World Cup resulted in an automatic suspension for the match with Belgium.
But FIFA stepped in and suspended his ban, leading to widespread condemnation, especially when it emerged that Trump had intervened by phoning Infantino.
The FIFA Peace Prize award that Infantino presented to Trump in December has also been widely criticised.
“These are three very different factual cases, but they all have something in common that we want examined,” said Klaveness.
“Is it an abuse of power, an abuse of position? Is it a breach of political neutrality?
“Is it in accordance with the rules of governance, as the FIFA Council should be the strategic body, and the president shouldn’t really have any unilateral power?”
‘Misinformation campaign’
Klaveness, 45, had, in August, called upon Infantino to resign and forgo his bid to be elected to a fourth and final term as president.
The 56-year-old Swiss has insisted he will seek re-election in Rabat next March, and as yet no other candidate has declared themself.
Infantino, who was first elected in 2016, must secure a majority of the 211 votes from the organisation’s members in order to be re-elected.
The deadline to declare a candidacy is November 18.
Klaveness has said she will not be a candidate — despite some observers, including Infantino’s predecessor Sepp Blatter, believing she would be a good fit as FIFA chief.
Aleksander Ceferin, president of European football’s governing body UEFA, has said he is not interested.
UEFA have been unsparing in their verbal assaults on Infantino and FIFA, dismissing the FFE plan as “a shady and opaque backroom deal”.
The likeliest rival is thought to be Canadian Victor Montagliani, president of CONCACAF, whose body, along with UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has formed an anti-Infantino alliance.
However, while a swath of UEFA’s members have publicly withdrawn their support for the 56-year-old Swiss, some of the AFC’s associations, such as 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia and 2022 hosts Qatar, have pledged their loyalty to him.
African football’s governing body CAF and South America’s CONMEBOL are also supportive.
UEFA has also gone to a court in Florida in an attempt to access documents related to Infantino’s failed plan, hoping to gather evidence for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland, where UEFA and FIFA are based.
The latter responded by accusing UEFA of a “misinformation campaign” and saying it was attempting to “influence” the election.
Fred Claire was an unorthodox choice for general manager, a former sportswriter and public relations man who didn’t play baseball beyond the junior varsity level in high school, and his 1987 promotion to head the Dodgers’ front office was met with skepticism around the game.
A year and a half later, after his shrewd moves helped turn the Dodgers into World Series champions in 1988, Claire was named Major League Baseball’s executive of the year by the Sporting News.
Claire, who spent 30 years in the Dodgers’ front office, died Monday on his 91st birthday. The news was shared on social media by former Dodger broadcaster Ross Porter.
An avid runner and golfer fit and trim enough to pass for a man a decade younger, the silver-haired Claire was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in 2015 when what looked like a harmless spot on his lip turned out to be cancerous.
The growth was surgically removed, but the cancer returned in August 2016, and spread into the left side of his face. Claire underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments to kill the malignant cells in his body, but the cancer returned again in 2017.
An immunotherapy clinical trial saved his life, according to a story in Pasadenanow.com, but then an infection forced him to undergo even more extensive facial reconstruction surgery at City of Hope in Duarte, replacing his jawbone with a bone from his leg.
Claire was so impressed with his treatment at City of Hope that he teamed with author Tim Madigan in 2021 to publish a book chronicling his career and capturing the hospital’s history as well the stories of patients and doctors. The book, “Extra Innings,” can be purchased at Amazon, with all net proceeds donated to City of Hope.
“The main thing that I liked and appreciated about the book was people buying it because of their interest in baseball,” Claire told the Desert Sun in 2021, “then to discover what a great place [City of Hope] is after reading it.”
Claire was also active in helping fund research — he and his wife, Sheryl, set up a scholarship fund with the USC Keck School of Medicine for research in head and neck cancer.
Claire was born Oct. 5, 1935, in Jamestown, Ohio. His parents moved the family — Claire had a brother and a sister — to Torrance when Claire was a teenager. After graduating from Torrance High, Claire earned a degree in journalism from San José State in 1957 before taking his first newspaper job.
“I graduated on a Sunday afternoon,” Claire told The Times in 1997, “and by Monday morning, I had a job at the Whittier Daily News.”
For 30 years, Dodger Stadium was Fred Claire’s home. “Honestly, in my heart and soul, it was a thrill and honor to have the opportunity to walk into Dodger Stadium every day and go to work,” Claire told the Times in 2017.
(Jack Harris / Los Angeles Times)
Claire spent 11 years as a sportswriter and was covering the Dodgers for the Long Beach Press-Telegram in the spring of 1969 when a position opened in the team’s public relations department.
Claire, who always longed to be involved in baseball, expressed interest in the job and was hired as a public relations assistant, remaining in the position until 1975, when he was promoted to vice president of public relations.
He was instrumental in creating the branding that came to be known as “Dodger Blue” and was directing the team’s marketing efforts when the Dodgers passed the 3-million mark in attendance for the first time. He also hired Ross Porter, a Dodgers broadcaster from 1977 to 2004.
In April 1987, then-Dodgers general manager Al Campanis was fired after making controversial and what many said were racist remarks about Black Americans on “Nightline,” during which he told the show’s host, Ted Koppel, that Black people may lack “some of the necessities” to be the field manager or GM of a major league baseball team.
Claire was then-Dodgers President Peter O’Malley’s surprise choice to replace Campanis, and his hiring raised the eyebrows of his new peers, who saw Claire as an outsider with no background as a player, coach, manager or scout.
“I knew some people might say, what does this guy know about baseball, he covered it from behind a typewriter?” O’Malley said in 2017. “But I knew Fred could do it. And he did it. He deserves a lot of credit for stepping in quickly, without advance notice, and doing a great job.”
The Dodgers suffered their second straight losing season in 1987, but Claire made several off-season moves — acquiring outfielders Kirk Gibson and Mike Davis, shortstop Alfredo Griffin and pitchers Jay Howell and Jesse Orosco — that fortified the club.
The Dodgers, led by National League Cy Young Award-winning pitcher Orel Hershiser and most valuable player Gibson, won the National League West in 1988 and upset the 100-win New York Mets in the NL championship series.
The gimpy Gibson hit his memorable pinch-hit, walk-off homer off Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series to push the Dodgers toward their fifth championship since moving from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.
Kirk Gibson reacts to his game-winning two-run homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
(John Swart / Associated Press)
Claire dealt a smallish and seemingly fragile pitcher named Pedro Martínez to Montreal for second baseman Delino DeShields in what turned out to be one of the game’s most-lopsided trades. DeShields hit .241 in three years in Los Angeles, while Martinez went on to have a dominant 17-year career that earned him a 2015 Hall of Fame induction.
But during Claire’s 11-year tenure as GM, the Dodgers won a World Series, two division titles, a wild-card berth and a first-place finish in the strike-shortened 1994 season.
Claire also changed the culture in the front office, hiring an analytics expert, holding regular conference calls with coaches and scouts and canvassing the clubhouse to talk with players about everything from their families to their on-field performance.
“Fred gave us that first edge of being progressive and aggressive,” Hershiser told the Times in 2017. Added former Dodgers utility man Mickey Hatcher: “Fred Claire was amazing. For a guy who was suddenly put into the limelight, he asked all the right questions, listened to everyone and believed in all of us.”
Claire was fired along with then-Manager Bill Russell on June 21, 1998, five weeks after executives from Fox News Corp., which purchased the Dodgers earlier that year, engineered a blockbuster trade — deflating to many fans — of All-Star catcher Mike Piazza to the Florida Marlins without Claire’s involvement.
Claire, a man of “integrity and dignity,” as former Times baseball columnist Ross Newhan wrote, walked away with no harsh words or public regrets.
“Honestly, in my heart and soul, it was a thrill and honor to have the opportunity to walk into Dodger Stadium every day and go to work,” Claire told the Times in 2017. “This is truly enough for me.”
After his departure from the Dodgers, Claire worked as a columnist and analyst for MLB.com, a radio show host, an instructor at USC and a consultant to companies involved with sports. He co-authored an autobiography, released in 2004, titled “Fred Claire: My 30 Years in Dodger Blue.”
His response during an interview with Business Renaissance Quarterly in 2007 shed some light on Claire’s philosophy. The question: What do you want to be remembered for?
“I was once in the presence of the late Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley when he was asked this question by a reporter from United Press International,” Claire said. “Mr. O’Malley spun his ever-present cigar, paused for just a second and replied, ‘I want to be remembered for planting a tree.’
“Walter O’Malley’s answer, in my mind, overshadowed the great question. He wanted to be remembered for helping things grow, and in my mind, that meant his family, his friendships, the good causes he was involved in.
“I have seldom planted a tree, but I would proudly borrow Mr. O’Malley’s answer to this question.”
Claire is survived by his wife, Sheryl, and their three children, Jen, Jeff and Kim.
The newbies have a lot of work to do: The Lakers lost 50.8% of their points, 55.7% of their rebounds and 47% of their assists from last year. As coach JJ Redick acknowledged during his preseason press conference alongside Rob Pelinka, “There’s a lot of minutes … up for grabs.”
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We know three of the starters. We start with the biggest question mark in that rotation:
Position battle we’re watching most this preseason
Austin Reaves has tormented the NBA with his crafty finishes in the lane and step-back threes. In many of his new Lakers’ teammates, he has found equally frustrating counterparts, defenders that twist him into knots like he does to them.
It’s the best — and most important — problem for the Lakers to have. The Lakers’ deep group of perimeter defenders have the most to prove and could be the biggest X-factor in the season’s success.
The wing group felt so unsettled late into the offseason that the Lakers were among the final teams willing to wait out the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes. The 6-foot-7 forward did not make his decision until Aug. 26, spurning the Lakers for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Kings’ Darius Acuff Jr. dribbles under pressure from Laker Ziaire Williams during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
The only other offseason bandaids the Lakers could acquire were Williams and Thybulle. After signing minimum contracts, they were both in the starting lineup for the Lakers’ preseason opener Monday.
Williams, the 6-foot-9 forward from Sierra Canyon High, is relishing the chance to play for his hometown team. The former top-10 pick is on his third NBA team in six seasons, never finding solid footing with Memphis or Brooklyn. He is coming off a career-high 10.3 points per game for the tanking Nets. The expectations will be drastically different with the Lakers and the Lancaster native is ready to meet them.
“There’s not really anything I’m not comfortable with,” said Williams, who reported he currently weighs 215 pounds, up 30 from his previously listed weight with Brooklyn. “If it’s a smaller guy bringing the ball up, I pick up 94 [feet]. If it’s a bigger wing who likes to play off a live dribble and jab step, being more physical off the ball.”
Thybulle is listed at 6-foot-5, but renowned for a nearly 7-foot wingspan. Not only does he torment opponents with his length, his defensive anticipation is “top-tier,” Reaves gushed.
The Washington alumnus was a two-time second-team all-defensive honoree with the Philadelphia 76ers. The hope has always been that his three-point shot could match that defensive talent.
Thybulle is a 34.9% three-point shooter, averaging only 2.6 attempts per game during his career, although his attempts increased in Portland. Thybulle and Williams (32.2% on threes in his career, four attempts per game) are consistently shooting threes after every practice. Williams made all three of three-point attempts in Monday’s preseason game while Thybulle made two of four.
Lakers forward Sandro Mamukelashvili drives to the basket in front of Kings guard Daeqwon Plowden during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Sara Nevis / Ap Photo/sara Nevis)
“For me personally, at this point, [it’s about] having the confidence in my shot to know that when it comes, I’m ready for it, as opposed to just hoping for the best,” Thybulle said. “I think it goes a long way as well.”
Mamukelashvili offers three-point shooting that stretches the floor. Redick described the 6-foot-9 forward as “an offensive connector” who can revive seemingly dead plays with a simple pass or a cut. After shooting 38.9% from three last season (115-of-296) with Toronto, he’s a potential starter at power forward, but the defensive matchups could be different when he and Walker Kessler share the floor compared to one of the other perimeter-oriented wings pairing with Kessler.
Young wing players including Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr have also impressed coaches and teammates with their athleticism and eagerness to learn. Reaves affectionately hailed Thiero, who was Reaves’ primary matchup during offseason pickup games, as a “freak of nature” and “one of the best athletes in the league.” That talent was obvious during his injury-plagued rookie season when Thiero scored his first NBA basket on a high-flying dunk last November.
Redick said Thiero’s development in the summer has been “unbelieveable.” The most critical part has been his health, said Thiero, who battled nagging injuries to both knees last season.
Between the veterans trying to prove themselves and the young players hoping to make an impact, the Lakers could go six or seven deep at the wing, Redick said. Depth is a critical ingredient of this era of the NBA. The Lakers are confident in theirs.
“We got some dogs on this team,” Williams said. “Everyone plays one through four. All the wings are great. There’s no slack; you see four or five wings out there playing hard, everybody else has to pick it up a notch.”
Position we should watch this preseason
Lakers center Kevon Looney drives to the basket under pressure from Kings Dylan Cardwell and Nique Clifford during a preseason game in Sacramento on Monday.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
There is no reason to panic about Kessler’s preseason absence. He jammed his left pinky finger on the backboard in practice last week and Redick said Kessler is “day-to-day.”
But the sight of the star center on the sideline is still an unnerving way to start preseason games, especially after the Lakers invested so much to get Kessler. The 7-foot-2 center, who cost the Lakers four first-round draft picks and a four-year, $130-million contract, is supposed to be a lynchpin of their defense. Without him, the Lakers’ entire plan could fall apart.
The only true center the Lakers have behind Kessler — who only played in five games last year because of a shoulder injury — is Kevon Looney. The former UCLA star started in Kessler’s place Monday, playing 18 minutes with nine rebounds, three assists and two points. Mamukelashvili, a power forward, can also rotate to center.
The Lakers have so much riding on the center position this year. Their backup options don’t feel strong enough to bear the weight of a possible Kessler injury. But Redick said the team’s wing players could shoulder some of that burden.
“Loon, Mamu, those guys, they’re not going to be Kessler,” Redick said. “Mamu is versatile enough that he can do different things, whether that’s a hedge or a switch or a drop, and we’ll figure out what works best for this team with that when we’re in man. Then with Loon, I think he’s smart enough and savvy enough that he can get the job done. But again, none of that matters if we’re not guarding the basketball.”
Looney, 30, is the unexpected veteran on a team of 20-somethings. Redick used the three-time champion’s experience with the Warriors for inspiration on the first day of practice, saying Looney faced plenty of adversity during those years. The Warriors fell behind in multiple series and still clawed back to win, Redick said. The Lakers expect Looney to stablize the team during the inevitable rocky periods of the season.
“What a great vet,” Kessler said. “He’s done it before. He knows what it takes to win a championship on and off the court.”
On tap
Tuesday at Warriors, 7 p.m. PDT
The Lakers open the preseason with a road back-to-back. Expect that while the Lakers have no pressing injury concerns, most of the key players will be on an early load management schedule.
Thursday vs. Kings, 7:30 p.m. PDT
The Lakers’ third game in four days – a workload that should be banned in the preseason – will be the debut of Lakers public address announcer Derrin Horton. The former KTLA broadcaster will take over for franchise legend Lawrence Tanter, who died last week at 76. Tanter retired from his game day role in June after 43 iconic years as the “Voice of the Lakers.”
Favorite thing I ate this week
From Broken Spanish Comedor, the ceviche (left) and the camote, a coal-roasted Japanese sweet potato served with pork rinds.
(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)
I’d been reading great things about Broken Spanish Comedor, and after finally trying the new Culver City restaurant, I’m surprised to report that my favorite dish from a modern Mexican restaurant was a Japanese sweet potato. The camote was an ideal combination of textures thanks to the creamy coal roasted sweet potato and crunchy pork rinds and sweet, smokey and spicey flavors. We also ordered the ceviche, which came with a deserved heat warning, and the chicharron. The server insisted we get the hand-pressed tortillas and who’s saying no?
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Reports have indicated in recent months that Derry attempted to terminate McClean’s contract because of persistent injuries, a matter alluded to in Tuesday’s statement by the PFAI.
The statement says that Derry had attempted to invoke Section 18 of the Standard Players Contract, which permits them to terminate a contract with six months’ notice when a player is deemed to have a “permanent incapacity”, as confirmed by an independent physician.
“For any club to feel it is OK to attempt to terminate a player’s contract without any due process or just cause is incomprehensible, and it sets a dangerous precedent for every player in this league,” said McClean.
“I am not permanently incapacitated, or anything even remotely close to that. I am capable of contributing and doing well in the League of Ireland. I train as hard and give as much as anyone.
“I will decide when I retire. Nobody else will make that decision for me. When that time comes, my body will tell me. This is my life and my career. I deserve the same duty of care and fairness given to the majority of other players at Derry City FC.”
The PFAI gave further information on the nature and extent of the player’s injury.
“In short, James has had a hip injury which had been causing intermittent issues for him. This has caused him to miss some games and occasional training sessions,” the statement read.
“He has sought medical treatment for this and is currently fit and well.
“He has trained fully for the last nine weeks and has made himself available for selection. He recently played in an internal match arranged by the club. He believes he can help the team and has not been provided with a satisfactory reason for being left out of the squad.”
BBC Sport NI contacted Derry City for comment but a spokesperson said that the club were presently “solely focused on this weekend’s FAI Cup semi-final against Galway United (Saturday, 15:00 BST kick-off).
While England’s League A campaign has gone well so far, Wales’ has been trickier.
In a tough group with Portugal, Denmark and Norway, Wales have picked up three points from four games after beating Norway 2-1 in Cardiff.
With Portugal already qualified for the last eight, Wales will need close to maximum points in their final matches against Norway and Portugal to stand any chance of making the last eight.
A third-place finish would put them in a play-off to avoid relegation in March, while coming last in the group would guarantee a drop down to League B.
Like England, Scotland have three rounds of fixtures remaining. They face Slovenia at Hampden Park on Tuesday.
Going into that tie, they are third in League B1 but only behind Slovenia on goal difference. A win for Sebastien Pocognoli’s side would put them second behind Switzerland heading into the November break.
With Scotland’s penultimate match coming against bottom of the table North Macedonia, wins in their next two games would all but seal a place in the top two heading into their final match against Switzerland, who are expected to clinch the automatic promotion spot.
Northern Ireland have had a successful international break with two wins, two draws and no goals conceded in their four matches in Group B2.
They sit top of the group by a point, with their remaining matches against bottom side Georgia and second-place Hungary.
Should they beat Georgia and Hungary fail to beat Ukraine in November’s first round of fixtures, they will guarantee top spot and promotion. A win for them and Hungary doing the same would mean the two sides face off in a promotion-decider in the final round of games.
The Republic of Ireland are third in Group B3 following five points from their first four matches.
Their remaining two fixtures are against the top two teams Austria and Kosovo. Wins in both would guarantee a top-two finish and would also put them in a strong position to win the group, depending on goal difference and the result of Austria’s meeting with Israel.
ATLANTA — When Edwin Díaz envisioned his first season with the Dodgers, it looked nothing like this. He was going to stay healthy all year, pitch like an All-Star. He certainly was going to throw in more than 21 regular-season appearances.
A slew of injuries, with mechanical issues layered on top, had other plans. But everything resets in the postseason. And against the odds, the right-hander is back in the closer conversation.
“It means a lot,” Díaz said in a conversation with the Times Monday. “Because I was nowhere, basically this season. They gave me the last week and a half of the season to come and pitch. And I was ready every day.”
If he can keep pitching the way he has since returning from the IL in September, it’ll strengthen the Dodgers’ chances at a three-peat. They went into the postseason with a closer-by-committee approach. But manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ workout at Truist Park on Monday that they could get to a consistent closer by the end of the postseason.
“Certainly that last outing was as good as we’ve seen him throw, and it’s hard to imagine throwing any better,” Roberts said of Díaz’s perfect inning against the Atlanta Braves Sunday, which included three fastballs over 100 mph. “We built him up, regained the confidence in himself. So, I think that it’s certainly a viable option for [Tuesday] night. I feel very confident [with] him finishing a game.”
Though his first postseason outing for the Dodgers was in the sixth inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Díaz has been mainly in high leverage in his playoff career — he owns a 2.19 ERA in nine postseason appearances. The former Mets closer even recorded a four-out save at Dodger Stadium in Game 2 of the 2024 National League Championship Series.
“I don’t try to think, ‘Oh, there’s many thousands of fans here,” he said. “Just me against the hitter, and I trust myself. And like I always tell myself, ‘You are a warrior, you are you are the best, and go and compete.’”
The Dodgers’ closer situation has been in flux all year. They had signed Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract with that role in mind. And even when he missed three months for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, and lefty Tanner Scott took over in the ninth inning, the spot was open for Díaz when he returned.
That was not the case after his second IL stint. And it was during that month-long road back that he finally re-found himself on the mound.
“I was like this maybe in the [World Baseball Classic] and first couple games early in the year before I got hurt,” Diaz said. “But now I feel way better than everything. So I think this is the best I ever felt this year.”
The process started with treating his neck. Díaz was feeling tightness around the front side of his right trapezius muscle, which could have contributed to Díaz dropping his arm angle. He received medication and needling therapy to address the issue, he said.
Trainers used manual manipulation to find Diaz’ ideal arm slot and build muscle memory, and he was quickly cleared to resume throwing.
“I’ve been doing that for so long, I just lost it for a little,” Díaz said of his arm angle. “And we’ve got a really good group of coaches right here, and they found it right away.”
Díaz began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City in early September. But it wasn’t smooth sailing. In his fourth outing, Díaz issued three walks and surrendered five runs in just two-thirds of an inning.
“I got mad at myself because I knew I was better than that,” Díaz said. “I wasn’t able to control my fastball. So after that game, I talked to the pitching coaches in Triple-A to say, ‘We need to find something because I want to be back in the big-leagues, I want to help this team to win.’”
They dug into Díaz’ biomechanics and found that his hip position was different from last year. When he’s right, Díaz explained, his leg lift starts with his hip. But he’d begun to rush the move, which caused his arm to lag behind.
He threw a bullpen with the adjustment and then took it into one final rehab appearance, a one-hit outing.
“I told the team, ‘I’m ready to go,’” Díaz said.
He sure was. Díaz posted a spotless ERA in six games down the stretch, limiting opponents to one hit combined. And that success carried into his Dodgers postseason debut.
“He’s put himself in a position to be the closer,” Roberts said. “And in October, I don’t pay too much attention to the long sample of a season in a lot of cases because in October things happen quickly, and you’ve got to be willing to read and react.”
For Díaz, the season may not have gone as planned, but his vision of the next few weeks is as clear as ever. He wants to record the final out of the World Series.
“I know how to control my emotions,” he said. “I learned that during my career, and I’m pretty good at that. I just can’t wait to be in that position, and if I’m in there, I will give my 100%.”
Rams coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday that he had spoken with his assistant coaches about the way some of them behaved toward the end of the team’s 24-20 win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
“We did talk about it,” McVay said, “and that won’t be an issue moving forward.”
Videos posted on X by user @RBPhillyTake appear to show some Rams coaches inside a glass-enclosed booth interacting with Eagles fans sitting outside directly below them. The caption on one of the videos says the coaching staff was “taunting Eagles fans after the game-winning touchdown.”
“The Rams coaches started to bang on the windows and flip off Eagles fans which caused retaliation (which also isn’t right),” the caption reads. At least one person in the Rams’ booth can be seen giving the middle finger to those outside. A fan appeared to throw a water bottle at the glass window, while others yelled and displayed their own middle fingers.
In another post, the user wrote that “the Rams coaches started banging on the windows for about 30 seconds after the touchdown which then resulted in the Eagles’ fans turning around and chirping back.”
Trailing 20-10 late in the fourth quarter, the Rams appeared to be on their way to a second-straight loss and a 1-3 start to a season in which they were considered by many to be the Super Bowl favorites. But Kyren Williams rushed for touchdowns of one and seven yards in the final four minutes to lift the Rams to a stunning comeback victory.
The sudden turn of events may have gotten folks in the Rams’ coaching booth a little too amped up.
“We’ll be better in those situations,” said McVay, a former assistant coach in Washington. “I’ve been a part of that situation where when I was with Washington calling it from the booth, and you get excited and emotional. … You know, we’ll learn from that. We’ll be better.
“Those fans are really into it. But I know we want to make sure we’re representing the class and just the calm steadiness that we want to have while also being emotionally into it. And there’s ways that we can have that reflected.”
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter. Its personal conduct policy states that “everyone who is a part of the league” must refrain from behavior detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the NFL. Earlier Monday, two officials were suspended for separate instances of “unprofessional conduct toward a player” during Sunday’s games.
Staff writer Gary Klein contributed to this report.
Salman Agha axed before T20 home series against Sri Lanka, but Shaheen Shah Afridi is retained as ODI captain.
Published On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026
Sahibzada Farhan has replaced Salman Ali Agha as Pakistan’s Twenty20 cricket captain, ushering in changes to the leadership and squad for the upcoming three-match home series against Sri Lanka.
Farhan led Pakistan to a silver-medal finish at the Asian Games, losing to India in the final on Sunday.
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Batter Hasan Nawaz and fast bowler Naseem Shah were recalled to the T20 squad.
Nawaz had been out of favour since November, but in the Asian Games final he hit 96 and was out off the final ball as Pakistan lost by 19 runs.
Shah last played in the shortest format at the T20 World Cup in February. He was also added to the one-day international squad for the following tri-series with Sri Lanka and England.
Rising star Razaullah was rewarded for his impressive performance on his Test debut against England last month in Birmingham and was included in the T20 and ODI squads. He is yet to make his white-ball debut.
Fast bowler Shaheen Afridi was retained as ODI captain of a team that included Agha and Babar Azam.
But the selectors ignored Mohammad Rizwan because the wicketkeeper was under investigation by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Authority. Rizwan was one of the seven players who were summoned home after Pakistan lost the second Test to England at Lord’s in August.
Khawaja Nafay was the specialist wicketkeeper for the T20s while Ghazi Ghori, who made his Test debut in England, was the first-choice gloveman for the ODIs.
Rawalpindi will host the three Sri Lanka T20s from October 9-13. The tri-series begins on October 18.
Tait back as bowling coach
Former Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait was named as Pakistan’s bowling coach after his recent stint with the Bangladesh team. Under Tait, Bangladesh beat Pakistan 2-0 in the Test series this year.
Tait replaced Ashley Noffke, who has been contracted by the Netherlands.
Pakistan T20 squad: Sahibzada Farhan (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Arafat Minhas, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Muhammad Imran Randhawa, Khawaja Nafay, Maaz Sadaqat, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saim Ayub, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim.
Pakistan ODI squad: Shaheen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Salman Ali Agha, Arafat Minhas, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Ghazi Ghori, Haris Rauf, Hasan Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Razaullah, Saad Baig, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Sufiyan Moqim.
ATLANTA — As the Dodgers mull potential lineup changes for Game 3 of the National League Division Series, manager Dave Roberts said he is “open” to moving Shohei Ohtani lower in the batting order.
In his three seasons with the Dodgers, Ohtani has batted first or second in every game he has started. However, as he has admitted he is trying to “manage” in the aftermath of knee and arm injuries, and as Roberts has acknowledged Ohtani is “not 100%,” the lack of success could compel the manager to replace him at the top of the lineup with a more productive hitter at some point.
“I would,” Roberts said Monday. “I would. I think it’s something that, you know, I think moving him from 1 to 2 — but going further than that? I’m open to it.
“And it’s something that if I do, I would obviously have the conversation with Shohei to explain why. And at the end of the day every conversation I’ve had with him is whatever’s best for the team, he’s all-in on. So I know that undoubtedly.”
The Dodgers are batting .215 through the first two games of the NLDS, with the Atlanta Braves scheduled to pitch left-handed ace Chris Sale in Game 3 on Tuesday. If the Dodgers lose, they would need to win back-to-back elimination games to advance beyond this series.
Roberts said the lineup changes he would consider include starting Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas, both of whom hit well against left-handers. That could mean infielders Max Muncy (0 for 7 against Sale, with five strikeouts) and Tommy Edman (0 for 11 against Sale) might not start.
Center fielder Andy Pages, who batted so poorly last October he was benched for the final three games of the World Series, is hitless in seven at-bats in this series, with four strikeouts.
“I’m gonna continue to give Andy leash,” Roberts said. “I believe in him. I feel that for us to win the World Series this year, we’re gonna need him to be an active part of our team.
Roberts said he did not envision benching catcher Will Smith, who is 0 for 8 in the series. The Dodgers’ backup catcher, Hunter Feduccia, is a career .205 hitter with no postseason experience.
But, even with the Dodgers’ star-studded lineup, the spotlight shines brightest on Ohtani.
Ohtani has not homered since Aug. 18. He hit .157 between then and the end of the regular season, striking out in 41% of his at-bats. In this series, he has two hits and two strikeouts in eight at-bats, and his inability to refrain from swinging at pitches outside the strike zone has become a glaring weakness.
“He’s not 100%,” Roberts said. “But, at the end of the day, he can still do a better job of staying in the strike zone.”
Ohtani hasn’t given the Braves a reason to challenge him within the strike zone.
“Everything orbits around Shohei, in the sense of his talent,” Roberts said. “And the Braves are going to enter with caution. And, so, knowing that, they’re going to continue to expand as long as we keep giving that to them. So until we show some discipline, they’re going to continue to kind of use that playbook.”
The 37-year-old is the longest-serving cricket captain, among both men and women, to have captained in more than 150 T20I games.
Published On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026
India’s long-serving captain of the women’s cricket team, Harmanpreet Kaur, has stepped down from the role across all formats, bringing down the curtain on a successful stint as she led the South Asian team to their first ICC Women’s World Cup title at home in 2025.
Kaur announced her decision in a social media post on Tuesday, two weeks after leading India to a successful defence of their gold medal at the Asian Games.
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“Today, I step down as captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team across all formats,” she wrote in an Instagram post.
“This is not an easy decision. It carries years of memories, emotions, sacrifices, and moments that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
The 37-year-old was the Twenty20 captain for more than a decade after assuming the role in 2016, followed by ODI and Test captaincy in 2022.
Kaur, who made her T20I and ODI debuts for India in 2009, has had an illustrious career as skipper.
Indian media reports said Kaur’s decision came a day after she met Devajit Saikia, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), to discuss the future of the women’s team.
Opening batter Smriti Mandhana, who has been Kaur’s deputy since 2022, is the favourite to take over the captain’s role.
Most recently, she led India to title defence at the Asian Games, thrashing Sri Lanka, just after lifting the Women’s Asia Cup trophy earlier in September.
The top-order batter helped India reach the semifinals of the 2018 and 2023 Women’s T20 World Cups, as well as finish runners-up in the 2020 edition.
Kaur has captained India in five Tests, 51 ODIs and 155 T20Is, and is also the first cricketer — male or female — to captain her side in international cricket in more than 150 T20I games.
“I leave the captaincy today with a heart full of emotions, but also with peace … because I genuinely believe my team is in a good place,” she said in her Instagram post. “I feel I have done my duty.
“Captaincy may end today, but my love for Indian cricket never will.
“Now, I’m ready to play for the love of the game again. Captaincy ends. The journey continues.”
The credit firm, which provides financing to middle-market companies, said the funding would support the next phase of LIV Golf, under which players would become equity owners of both the league and its teams.
The financing remains subject to bankruptcy court approval and customary conditions.
“This investment is an important step forward for LIV Golf,” said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil in a statement.
“We’re delivering on our major milestones, and while there is still work ahead, today marks meaningful progress toward a player-owned, team-focused, truly global league that complements the wider game and creates new opportunities for players, fans, partners, and the next generation of golfers.”
Since LIV’s controversial launch in 2021, more than $5bn (£3.7bn) has been spent by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), with major winners including Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau lured by lucrative contracts and vast prize money.
However, the future of the concept – and its star players – has been shrouded in uncertainty, with the 2026 season having ended early.
Documents in the petition outline money owed to LIV Golf’s creditors with the 30 largest unsecured claims.
Two-time major winner Rahm tops that list with an unsecured claim of $7.5m (£5.5m).
DeChambeau ($5.7m – £4.2m), Dustin Johnson ($5.5m – £4.1m), Cameron Smith ($4.8m – £3.5m) and Tyrrell Hatton ($3.4m – £2.5m) are also among the top 30 creditors, as well as Brooks Koepka, who left to rejoin the PGA Tour in January but has an unsecured claim of $1.7m (£1.25m).
The total amount owed to the 14 current and former LIV players in the top 30 creditors is just over $45m (£33m).
A source familiar with the figures told BBC Sport the creditors list outlines the “amount owed and not paid for Q3” of 2026, not the full amounts.
Chapter 11 protection postpones a US company’s obligations to its creditors, giving it time to reorganise its debts or sell parts of the business.
PIF is providing a bankruptcy loan of $49.6m (£36.6m) – called ‘debtor in possession’ (DIP) financing – to help fund the process.
The drama surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s international future took another turn after Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus left the door open for the 41-year-old superstar’s return following his abrupt departure from the national team’s training camp.
The sentiment is shared by the Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca, who believes the episode is a mere misunderstanding that could be resolved internally.
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But how did the apparent rift start, and will Ronaldo ever play again for Portugal?
What happened between Ronaldo and Jesus?
Ronaldo left the Portugal squad late on Wednesday, shortly after the head coach’s news conference, where Jesus confirmed that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would be left out of his starting lineup for the match against Denmark, marking a second consecutive Nations League game absence.
Ronaldo’s decision to walk out came as a shock, as he had been due to train with his teammates at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Portugal’s leading scorer had already spent the entirety of the 2-1 Nations League win away to Norway on September 27 on the bench, having captained the side in the 1-0 home victory over Wales three days before.
The game in Oslo was the first time since November 2024 that Ronaldo had not featured for Portugal despite not being injured or suspended.
What has Ronaldo said?
Ronaldo appeared to indicate that the reasons behind Jesus’s decision to bench him ran deeper and hinted at a departure from the national team he has graced for more than two decades.
“In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated,” Ronaldo said in a cryptic Instagram post, announcing his sudden exit from the camp.
Spanish sports daily Marca said Jesus and Proenca followed Ronaldo to Copenhagen airport in an attempt to persuade him to stay with the squad, before the player boarded his private jet.
There were reports that Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro had even discussed the issue of Ronaldo’s involvement with the coach on Wednesday.
Jesus insisted that there was no rift between them, although the 72-year-old, who was appointed in July, acknowledged that his captain was disappointed to remain on the bench against Norway.
How did Portugal play without Ronaldo?
Despite his absence, Nations League title holders Portugal won, defeating Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen and Norway 2-1 in Porto. They also became the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals, ensuring a top-two finish in Group A4.
Forward Goncalo Ramos stepped up in Ronaldo’s absence, scoring three goals to be the team’s joint top scorer along with Joao Felix, while the AC Milan player also bagged an assist.
What did Portugal’s coach say about Ronaldo?
On Sunday, coach Jesus said Ronaldo could return to the national team if he chooses to.
“If he wants to, he’ll return to the national team. We can talk before the next call-up, but Cris is the one who’s going to decide,” said Jesus, who also coached Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.
“He’s the one who should decide how he wants to end his time with the national team. In my first call-up, I said, ‘I need you, I need you to be close to me, playing or not playing, I need you’. And now I’m saying the same thing.”
Jesus expects the forward to be available for the next international window if he wants to return.
What have the Portugal players said about Ronaldo?
Midfielder Bruno Fernandes said on Saturday he had spoken to Ronaldo and dismissed suggestions of a rift within Portugal’s squad.
“I had a chat with him and what I said to him is what I’ll repeat here: the most important thing is that, whatever happens, Cristiano Ronaldo will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team, of our football and of the country,” Fernandes told a news conference.
“For what he has achieved not only in Portugal, but all over the world. He has a place reserved not only amongst the all-time greats, but also in the hearts of all Portuguese people.”
“The most important thing is that we stop stirring up trouble; there are no divisions within the national team. It is one team and will remain so, despite any noise that may come from outside.”
Fernandes called for unity after a tumultuous few days in which Portugal fans’ opinions have been split over Ronaldo’s decision.
“We are outside of this controversy, but what I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices, that it respects all sides, but, at the same time, Cris is and will be the biggest icon of our national team. He deserves everyone’s respect, regardless of who likes him more or [who likes him] less,” Fernandes added.
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo applauds fans as he is substituted against Wales [File: Pedro Nunes/Reuters]
When was Ronaldo’s last match for Portugal and how did he perform?
Ronaldo featured just once for Portugal during this year’s Nations League, playing 67 minutes in their 1-0 home win over Wales.
It was a frustrating night for the Al-Nassr forward, who misfired several times. He found the side netting once and shinned an inviting volley high over from close range.
Around the hour mark, Ronaldo slid the ball into the Wales net but, to his evident disbelief, was ruled offside.
He was still shaking his head when Jesus substituted him seven minutes later.
Will he play for Portugal again?
The jury is still out.
Ronaldo, who made his Portugal debut in 2003 at the age of 18, has said this will “probably” be his final year in football. The forward has been a fixture of the national team for more than two decades and has played at six World Cups.
Former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker Ronaldo is Portugal’s record scorer and most-capped player, with 146 goals in 234 international appearances.
He reached the World Cup semifinals in 2006 and captained his country to glory at Euro 2016. Ronaldo and Portugal were eliminated by eventual winners Spain in the last 16 of this year’s World Cup.
When is Portugal’s next match?
Portugal have completed their quota of four Nations League fixtures in this extended international window.
Their upcoming matches are in the next window: a home game with Norway on November 14 and an away match against Wales three days later.
Those matches will wrap up Portugal’s league phase in the Nations League, which they have won twice.
Coming on the back of a 10-match winning streak, Spain face Croatia with sights on the Nations League quarterfinals.
Who: Croatia vs Spain What: UEFA Nations League 2026-27, Group A3 match Where: Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia When: Tuesday, October 6, at 8:45pm local time (18:45 GMT) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 15:45 GMT.
FIFA World Cup holders Spain can confirm their ticket to the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals when they face Croatia on their trip to Split.
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With a perfect record in the tournament and an overall 41-match unbeaten streak, the odds swing heavily in Spain’s favour to clinch victory.
La Roja’s attack has been on fire this term – they have netted 10 goals from seven scorers in three games, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal leading the scoring charts.
Unlike Spain, Croatia’s performance has been far from exemplary, with Luka Modric’s side suffering their heaviest defeat in history in the last fixture.
Before the clash of generations 2.0 between Yamal and Modric, Al Jazeera breaks down everything you need to know:
What is the UEFA Nations League?
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure, which features promotion and relegation.
How does the UEFA Nations League work?
The teams compete across four divisions, facing every other team in their group twice: Once at home and once away. The league phase ends in November.
In the top league, League A, the top two teams from each group advance to the quarterfinals, which take place in March 2027.
The finals will again be contested between four teams. The host and dates of the finals have not been confirmed yet.
How have Croatia and Spain played in the Nations League?
Croatia are third in this group with three points from three games.
Luka Modric, 41, is Croatia’s captain [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Croatia vs Spain: Form guide
(Last five matches; latest match first)
Croatia: L-L-W-L-W
Spain: W-W-W-W-W
Who are the top players to watch?
Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic (Croatia): The evergreen Modric, very much the heartbeat of the Croatian midfield even at 41 years old, has found the net once in this campaign. His fellow experienced teammate, Perisic, has also been impactful with his two assists.
Lamine Yamal and Alex Baena (Spain): With four goals in three games, Yamal is the joint leading scorer in this year’s Nations League, alongside three others, including England’s Harry Kane. The Barcelona star has found the net in each game, including a double against Croatia in the initial face-off in Seville. Atletico Madrid’s Baena, on the other hand, has been influential in more ways than one, bagging two assists and a goal.
Team news and predicted lineups
Croatia
Centre-back Martin Erlic is sidelined with injury until mid-October, while Josip Juranovic is unavailable due to illness.
Probable Croatia XI: Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Luka Vuskovic, Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic; Luka Modric; Franjo Ivanovic, Petar Sucic, Mateo Kovacic, Martin Baturina; Petar Musa
Spain
As many as four Spain squad players are doubtful due to injuries: Ferran Torres (physical discomfort), Alejandro Grimaldo (thigh), Joan Garcia (knee) and Nico Williams (thigh).
Probable Spain XI: David Raya; Ivan Fresneda, Robin Le Normand, Aymeric Laporte, Fran Garcia; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Alex Baena; Roberto Fernandez
Croatia vs Spain: TV channel, livestreaming
Croatia: gol
Spain: RTVE PLAY
United Kingdom: Prime Video UK
United States: FOX Sports, FuboTV, ViX
India: Sony Sports Network
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
South Africa: DStv Stream
You can find your regional broadcaster on UEFA’s official list.
The Manchester City star asked to be substituted and was replaced in the 67th minute of the 2-1 defeat in Porto.
Published On 6 Oct 20266 Oct 2026
Norway coach Stale Solbakken has revealed that he had a “heart-to-heart conversation” with Erling Haaland regarding concerns about the striker’s heavy workload ahead of a Nations League loss to Portugal, in which the Manchester City star asked to be substituted.
Haaland gestured to Norway’s bench that he needed to come off and was replaced in the 67th minute of the 2-1 defeat in Porto on Sunday.
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He was seen limping on the field in advance of the substitution, raising concerns about his fitness before his return to City — a club under heavy scrutiny as the subject of a huge financial scandal in the Premier League.
Norway’s Erling Haaland asks for substitution during the match against Portugal [AFP]
Speaking after the Portugal match, Solbakken did not say Haaland had sustained an injury but talked about the heavy workload the striker had been facing after playing the full game in each of Norway’s first three Nations League fixtures — a win over Denmark and losses to Portugal and Wales.
That came after a busy start to the English season with City, after reaching the World Cup quarterfinals with Norway over the summer.
“He [Haaland] was tired against Wales. That’s why we had a heart-to-heart conversation yesterday. We went through the possible options,” Solbakken said in quotes carried in the Norwegian media.
“He might have played the last 45 minutes against Portugal. That was a discussion. But he has very bad vibes and feelings about it … I am very pleased that he managed to pull out 60 good minutes.”
Haaland did not score on Sunday or against Wales on Thursday — the two games Norway has played since the verdict by an independent commission on City’s financial case was published. He had scored in the first two games in this international break and is on a record 65 goals in 59 appearances for his country.
Haaland is the only senior, out-and-out striker in City’s squad whose first match back after the internationals is at Liverpool on Sunday.
“He plays pretty much everything on the club team,” Solbakken said.
SACRAMENTO — The Lakers pressed, switched and swarmed from the opening whistle. After the Sacramento Kings were caught for a shot-clock violation on the first possession of Monday’s preseason game, Luka Doncic raised his fists toward the Lakers bench with a triumphant grin to symbolize the successful start.
But Doncic’s smile toward his teammates had a hint of sarcasm; this is still just an exhibition.
The Lakers teased their new defensive identity in a 127-103 preseason win against the Sacramento Kings on Monday at Golden 1 Center, rolling out their deep group of wings to overcome a short-handed bench.
Playing without star center Walker Kessler, who missed the game with a finger injury, and guard Austin Reaves (ankle), Doncic led the Lakers with 21 points. He took a hard knee to the side of his quad midway through the second quarter, but stayed in the game. With the Lakers up 26 points at halftime, Doncic didn’t need to return.
The star guard actually was bringing down the team’s shooting average. While he was three-for-nine from three-point range in the first half, his teammates combined to make nine of their first 13 three-pointers. Ziaire Williams led with perfect three-for-three shooting from distance with 13 points and one steal while serving as the Lakers’ top on-ball defender. Matisse Thybulle, another key defensive offseason addition, had two steals and made two threes.
The lengthy wings could unlock a new style of defense for the Lakers, who remade their team to support Doncic with three-and-D wings and a rim-running center.
“I think for the first time since I’ve been here, we have multiple guys that go pick up the ball full court and be disruptive at the point of attack,” coach JJ Redick said before the game. “We’re going to ask those guys to do that.”
The Lakers deployed what they call “a line of confrontation.” Williams, Thybulle, second-year forward Adou Thiero and guard Quentin Grimes were among the players who guarded the ball full court. The Lakers forced four steals in the first quarter and 15 for the game. They averaged 8.5 per game last season.
The product Monday is far from what the Lakers hope to show in their regular-season opener Oct. 21 against the Golden State Warriors.
Kessler was wearing a splint on his left pinky finger after he jammed it on the backboard during practice last week. Redick doesn’t expect any of the injuries that kept Reaves, guard Collin Sexton (lower body) and two-way forward Arthur Kaluma (lower body) to be long-term.
Reaves, who tweaked his ankle in practice, still went through his pregame warmup routine Monday.
Even without two of their three top players, the Lakers overwhelmed the Kings, who are expected to be among the worst teams in the Western Conference again. Rookie point guard Darius Acuff, the No. 7 pick in last April’s draft, had 19 points with four assists and five turnovers.
Coco Gauff says she suffered racial abuse on social media following an incident in her win over 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open.
The American had been serving at 4-5 in the first set her Chinese opponent thought she had hit a winner.
However, Gauff raised her hand to halt play because of a flickering light in the side panels surrounding the court.
Gauff won the next three points to hold for 5-5 before she closed out the set, and then dropped just one game in the remainder of the contest as she claimed a 7-5 6-1 victory to reach the last 16 in Beijing.
The world number four gave a lengthy explanation of why she stopped the point in a post on X and said it was “an unfortunate situation” but “out of my control”, adding that Sun had understood and accepted her apology.
Gauff then responded to a reply to her original post which included racist language.
“You can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote.
“The amount of racist comments/direct messages I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
Gauff is far from the first player in the women’s game to suffer social media abuse.
A report in July said female players were subjected to more than 12,000 abusive posts and messages on social media in 2025.
The WTA and World Tennis said “collective action” was required to make “significant progress” in tackling abuse.
Coco Gauff is calling out the racist abuse she’s received online after following the rules during her latest match at the China Open.
The two-time Grand Slam champion defeated 16-year-old Sun Xinran 7-5, 6-1 on Monday to move on to the round of 16 at the Beijing event. After the match, Gauff took to social media to address the racist comments and messages she’d received for halting a point mid-rally and explained the point in question.
“[H]ey everyone, you can dislike me or disagree about what happened without being racist,” Gauff wrote in a post on X, replying to a user who directed profanity and a racist slur toward her. “[T]he amount of racist comments/dms I’ve received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I’m not a cheater or a thief.”
The tennis star then shared a screenshot of the lengthy explanation she posted to Instagram explaining the rules and why she stopped play when she did.
The point in question occurred during the first set, when Gauff was serving and down 4-5. She raised her hands to halt the point toward the end of a lengthy rally, just before Sun returned a volley that could have put her just two points shy of winning the first set.
But just as Sun closed into position to take her shot, the electronic advertising boards around the court flickered as it changed what was displayed.
“I saw it flicker in the beginning of the point but was not sure if that is what I actually saw,” Gauff wrote in her explanation. “[W]hen it flickered again I raised my hands before she hit her shot because this is when I was sure I saw the light flicker and it wasn’t my mind doing tricks.”
The chair umpire then conducted a video review of what happened, and ruled that the flickering ad constituted a “hindrance” outside of the control of the players, like some paper getting blown onto the court. According to the WTA rules, a point should be replayed from the beginning in such instances.
In her Instagram post, Gauff also explained that players are told that they can keep playing a point and challenge once it is over. Both Sun and Gauff would have been permitted to challenge the point regardless of who won it.
She called it an “unfortunate situation” and added that “it’s weird” that she’s “getting hate for following the rules.” Gauff also praised Sun and her talents, saying “it was an honor to share the court in front of her home crowd.”
