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Organisers of January’s off-road race say it will be relocated due to recent developments in the region.

The Dakar Rally, one of the world’s toughest and best-known off-road races, has been moved out of Saudi Arabia for the 2027 edition due to the “recent developments in the region”, organisers say.

The rally, scheduled for January, will now be held “in a different territory” to be announced later before a planned return to Saudi Arabia in 2028, the Amaury Sport Organisation and Saudi Motorsport Company said in a statement on Sunday.

A new location will be announced in the “coming days”, the statement added.

It’s the latest in a series of sports events to be moved out of Saudi Arabia this year over the US-Israel war on Iran and deadly attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has hosted the Dakar Rally since 2020. Reports in specialist race media said a move to Morocco or Spain is being considered.

If it is moved to Morocco, it would be the first time the Dakar has been held in Africa since 2007. The event began as a competition from Paris to Senegal’s capital, Dakar. It was cancelled on short notice in 2008 over security concerns in North Africa. Since then, it has been held first in South America, then in Saudi Arabia.

Organisers said they intend to bring the rally back to Saudi Arabia in 2028 to celebrate its 50th edition.

This season’s Formula One grand prix in Jeddah was cancelled while the race in Bahrain was called off and later rescheduled under the same name in Malaysia.

The final round of the World Rally Championship in Saudi Arabia next month has also been scrapped.

An exhibition tennis tournament in Saudi Arabia due to feature Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev has been postponed until late December.

The WTA Finals were also scheduled to be held in Riyadh next month but will instead take place at Indian Wells, California, in the United States.

The last two races of the F1 season in Qatar (November 29) and Abu Dhabi (December 6) are still on the calendar, as is the Qatar MotoGP next month, but they are the subject of intense internal debate.

Dakar Rally organisers had hoped to keep the 2027 race in Saudi Arabia by working on a new route in the northern part of the country.

But the latest strikes, including a series of attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month, which killed 18 people and injured hundreds more, have rendered that impossible.

Fighting between government forces and Houthi fighters has intensified across multiple fronts in Yemen in recent weeks, causing a spiralling humanitarian crisis.

The war in Yemen escalated sharply when the Houthis seized strategic territory from forces loyal to the country’s internationally recognised government along the Red Sea coast last month.

The Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition supporting Yemen’s government forces, have dealt a huge blow to the kingdom, the world’s biggest exporter of crude oil, disrupting its businesses, airlines and normal life and damaging its international image.

LAS VEGAS — What happened in Vegas cannot stay in Vegas.

Not if the Rams want to make a run to the playoffs.

Matthew Stafford must continue to flash his 2025 MVP form. Star receiver Puka Nacua and Rams tight ends must keep carrying a Davante Adams-less receiving corps. Kyren Williams and Blake Corum must build on an impressive combo rushing performance.

And the Rams’ defense must negate potential comebacks.

The Rams displayed all those attributes Sunday in a 35-21 victory over the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 35-21 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Stafford became the franchise’s all-time leader in touchdown passes by connecting with tight end Davis Allen for two and with Nacua for another in a victory that improved the Rams’ record to 3-4.

“A good step in the right direction,” coach Sean McVay said.

Williams and Corum each rushed for a touchdown as the Rams bounced back from consecutive defeats by the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals to keep alive their turnaround from their third poor start in three seasons.

For the first time in the Rams’ last five games, the outcome did not come down to the final play.

“I like those,” said Stafford, who ranks fourth all-time in fourth-quarter comebacks. “It’s nice feeling a little bit more comfortable in the fourth quarter.”

It was not a perfect performance — Williams lost a fumble and penalties nullified two Corum touchdown runs.

But that did not matter against a Raiders team that served as a welcome antidote for the injury-depleted Rams.

The Raiders (3-4) went into the game having lost three in a row, and they showed no sign that their struggles against quality opponents will end anytime soon.

Next up for the Rams: The winless Chargers.

After that, trips to Washington (1-4-1) and Arizona (2-5) before a bye.

Rams running back Blake Corum tries to fend off Raiders safety Treydan Stukes during the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Candice Ward / Getty Images)

If the Rams keep playing the way they did Sunday, they could begin to round into a semblance of the team they were projected to be when they opened the season as Super Bowl favorites.

They certainly might be healthier.

Edge rusher Myles Garrett and tight end Terrance Ferguson are eligible to come off injured reserve. Cornerback Trent McDuffie, who sat out the last two games because of a groin injury, could make his way back.

Defensive lineman Kobie Turner will be out at least three more games but could possibly return for the matchup against the Green Bay Packers the night before Thanksgiving. Adams also will be back at some point.

In the meantime, McVay needs Stafford to play with the efficiency he showed Sunday.

The 18th-year pro completed 23 of 29 passes for 195 yards. A catchable fourth-quarter pass to tight end Colby Parkinson bounced off Parkinson and into the hands of Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean. Stafford has passed for 14 touchdowns, with seven interceptions.

His second-quarter touchdown pass to Nacua was the 155th since he joined the Rams in 2021, moving him past Roman Gabriel into first on the team’s all-time list. Stafford is also the first player in NFL history to lead two different franchises in touchdown passes; he had 282 with the Detroit Lions.

Nacua was questionable for the game because of a calf injury he suffered during practice. But the fourth-year pro caught eight passes for 68 yards, including his catch-and-run for an 11-yard touchdown.

Williams rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries. Corum gained 93 yards and scored a touchdown in 17 carries. He would have amassed more than 100 yards rushing if a 43-yard touchdown had not been nullified by a penalty.

Rams running back Kyren Williams stiff-arms Raiders cornerback Hezekiah Masses in the second quarter Sunday.

(Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

“It feels great being able to have a partner back there like Kyren,” Corum said. “It just makes you want to go harder, seeing him do some of the things that he does on the field.

“You’re just like, ‘All right, it’s my time. Let me go do it.’ And so I feel like we just make each other proud and feed off each other’s energy.”

On a day when the NFC West-leading San Francisco 49ers lost for the first time, the Rams avoided falling further behind and appeared capable of possibly engineering turnarounds similar to the ones they produced in 2023 and 2024.

The Rams led 14-3 early in the second quarter on Stafford’s touchdown passes to Allen.

A few minutes before halftime, Nacua scored. Williams’ 17-yard touchdown run gave the Rams a comfortable 28-6 lead.

The Raiders threatened in the fourth quarter when Kirk Cousins connected with Tre Tucker for a 37-yard touchdown pass and, after Dean’s interception, found Ashton Jeanty for another.

But Corum sealed the victory with a four-yard touchdown run.

The Rams’ performance was more than enough against the Raiders.

Now they must build on it.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Shai-Gilgeous Alexander scored 34 points, Ajay Mitchell had 18 off the bench, and the Oklahoma City Thunder stayed undefeated with a 108-101 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night.

Isaiah Hartenstein added 12 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which won its third straight to start the season but lost three players to injury, including All-Star guard Jalen Williams, who went down hard on a drive to the basket with 1:14 left. Williams left the court on a stretcher with towels covering his left leg.

Guard Cason Wallace (left shoulder soreness) and forward Jaylin Williams (right wrist soreness) left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Mitchell was eight-for-14 shooting with six rebounds, four assists and three steals in 28 minutes.

Darius Garland scored 16 points for the Clippers (1-2). Kris Dunn and Brook Lopez had 15 points each for the Clippers, who pulled to 97-96 on a three-point shot by Derrick Jones Jr. with three minutes left but never tied the game or took the lead.

Up next for the Clippers: vs. the Lakers at Intuit Dome on Wednesday night.

Leo Walta scored the tying goal in the 62nd minute, and LAFC clinched a playoff spot by rallying from two goals down in the second half for a 2-2 draw with the Galaxy on Sunday night.

Joseph Paintsil scored his first two goals since August as the Galaxy hung on impressively for a point, but endangered their own playoff hopes by blowing the lead in another thrilling El Tráfico derby.

The final seconds of injury time were breathtaking: Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and defender Justin Haak both made spectacular stops on LAFC chances before Denis Bouanga scored on a redirection of Tyler Boyd‘s bicycle kick — only for the play to be ruled offside.

Bouanga scored the first goal for LAFC, which is headed to the MLS playoffs for the eighth time in its nine seasons of existence. LAFC is currently sixth in the Western Conference standings, while the Galaxy sit ninth.

The El Tráfico series remains even at 10 wins and 10 losses apiece with eight draws.

LAFC has produced one win and three draws from four matches since interim head coach Xavi Tamarit took over for the fired Marc Dos Santos on Oct. 1.

Son Heung-min thought he had scored on a rebound of Bouanga’s shot midway through the first half, but the play was ruled offside and confirmed by a lengthy video review. Moments later, the Galaxy’s Robert Taylor intercepted a pass and set up Paintsil to hammer home his first goal in a competitive match since Aug. 19.

Paintsil doubled the Galaxy’s lead in the 51st minute when Hugo Lloris spilled a rebound directly to him. LAFC fans threw drinks at the celebrating Galaxy players after both of their goals.

But just two minutes later, LAFC’s Armindo Sieb ripped a shot off a counterattack and Bouanga chipped home the rebound for his 18th goal in 30 MLS matches this season.

LAFC remained on the attack and tied it when Emiro Garces’ defensive misplay allowed Walta to score his second goal in the Finnish international’s four matches with the club.

The Galaxy played without star German midfielder Marco Reus, a late scratch due to illness. Striker Hirving “Chucky” Lozano is also out with a hamstring injury that occurred during international duty with Mexico.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

The race for the 2026 Ballon d’Or is heating up with less than 24 hours to go before the winner is announced at a glitzy ceremony in London.

A three-way contest between Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane leads the debate in the run-up to football’s most prestigious individual honour.

Yamal, Spain’s 19-year-old prodigy, and France’s 2018 World Cup winner Mbappe have both publicly endorsed themselves for the honour, while the unstoppable Kane of England has been relatively shy in campaigning for himself.

Predictions are pouring in thick and fast as we inch closer to the award ceremony at the London Palladium.

Ballon d’Or predictions: Who has AI picked as the winner?

According to data released by Avisia, a French data analysis and artificial intelligence firm, Yamal is the favourite to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

The Barcelona winger is tipped to have a 23 percent probability of lifting the trophy, awarded to the best footballer of the 2025-26 season.

The data and AI consulting firm chose Kane as a close second, with a 21 per cent probability, while Mbappe ranked third at 19 percent, tied with Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

The top five list is rounded out by Lionel Messi given an 18 percent chance to win for a record-extending ninth time.

Avisia claims it correctly identified the top five for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, won by Ousmane Dembele.

Even though Yamal is Avisia’s top pick, it is Kane who the bookmakers see as the outright favourite, with about 70 percent probability.

What are the predictions of players and experts?

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone thinks his compatriot Messi, who recently retired from international duty, deserves to lift the golden ball.

“After the World Cup, he played at his age… No doubt about it,” Simeone said.

Former Italy international Marco Materazzi echoed those thoughts.

“With all due respect to Yamal, I think Messi showed, at 38 years old, he’s in a different league,” he added.

Jude Bellingham, also shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or, backed England captain Kane and his attacking partner at the 2026 World Cup.

“He works so hard for it, and he’s a very honest and hard-working person,” Bellingham said. When asked if Kane could win, he added, “It’s definitely possible”.

Fellow England international Anthony Gordon sided with his Barcelona teammate Yamal.

“What Lamine has achieved at such a young age… the kind of player he is, is ridiculous. He’s on a whole other level,” said Gordon.

Mbappe, on the other hand, has the backing of his Real Madrid teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, who said the Frenchman had “an incredible season”.

Yamal, Kane or Mbappe: Who will win the Ballon d’Or?

Looking purely at individual statistics, Mbappe leads the race as La Liga’s top scorer with 25 goals and the Champions League’s leading marksman with 15.

Mbappe, furthermore, also won the World Cup’s Golden Boot and set the record for most World Cup goals (12).

Those staggering statistics make him a strong contender alongside Kane, who scored an incredible 73 goals last season – the most by any player since Messi netted 82 in 2011-12.

But Mbappe failed to win a trophy with either club or country, while Kane won the Bundesliga with Bayern but guided England only to a third-place finish. The lack of major titles weakens their case.

This is where Yamal stands out.

The youngster won the World Cup with Spain and La Liga with Barca, even though on the personal front, his statistics weren’t the greatest, with injury marring his campaign.

Recent history suggests that winning a title in one of the major tournaments has become almost a prerequisite.

Only four of the previous 19 Ballon d’Or winners failed to lift any of the Champions League, World Cup, European Championship or Copa America during the year they were honoured.

That bodes well for Yamal, who is bidding to become the youngest winner, hoping to surpass Brazilian Ronaldo, who was 21 when he won in 1997.

Championship leader Kimi Antonelli sealed his ninth victory of the season with victory at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third.

Mercedes’ Antonelli, 20, can become the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history if he finishes ninth or higher at the Mexico City Grand Prix next weekend.

Here are my ratings for how the drivers performed across the whole weekend in Texas.

Kimi Antonelli – 10/10

A superb weekend under the added pressure of having his first opportunity to seal the championship. Produced an outstanding lap for pole and then controlled the race beautifully, making the one-stop work while many around him needed two.

Charles Leclerc – 9.5/10

Very close to a perfect weekend himself. Fastest in both Friday practice sessions, qualified fourth and then raced brilliantly in his Ferrari to second, including late passes on Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen – 8.5/10

Quick all weekend and put the Red Bull on the front row, but the poor start immediately made his race more difficult. Recovered well despite problems with the car and still came away with a sixth consecutive podium.

Lewis Hamilton – 7.5/10

Another strong weekend but behind team-mate Leclerc for the majority of it. Fastest in final practice, only narrowly behind Leclerc in qualifying and fought his way back to fourth after Ferrari committed to the two-stop strategy.

Lando Norris – 8/10

Recovered well from eighth on the grid but qualifying should have been better as his quickest Q3 lap was deleted for track limits. McLaren’s decision to leave him out on ageing tyres cost him late on, so fifth was not entirely of his own making.

Isack Hadjar – 8.5/10

An excellent turnaround after struggling badly with the Red Bull during practice. Qualified a superb third, ran strongly in the race and eventually finished sixth despite throttle mapping problems and moving aside for team-mate Verstappen.

Oscar Piastri – 6.5/10

A fairly subdued weekend by the McLaren man’s standards. Seventh in qualifying and seventh in the race, although the first-lap battle with George Russell went against him and the stewards decided the Mercedes driver was at fault.

George Russell – 5.5/10

A disappointing weekend given what the other Mercedes achieved. Admitted both of his Q3 laps were poor and then picked up a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage in his battle with Piastri, eventually finishing eighth.

Liam Lawson – 8/10

Another quietly excellent weekend from Lawson. Racing Bulls sacrificed a proper Q3 attempt to preserve tyres for Sunday and he converted ninth on the grid into ninth at the finish to score again.

Pierre Gasly – 8/10

Probably extracted just about everything available from the Alpine. Missed Q3 but fought his way back into the points after an early dice with Haas’ Oliver Bearman.

Match of the Day pundits Toby Alderweireld and Ashley Williams analyse Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat by Bournemouth, with Alderweireld suggesting there is no “togetherness” among the United squad.

MATCH REPORT: Manchester United 0-3 Bournemouth

Available to UK users only.

Jose Mourinho has done it again.

The Real Madrid manager celebrated Kylian Mbappe’s late winner at Barcelona on Sunday with a trademark knee slide, as he maintained his midas touch over their bitter rivals.

Mourinho has become just the third Real boss to go six El Clasicos in a row without defeat – 13 years after he last led Los Blancos in this fixture.

Four wins and two draws in his past six matches in charge of Real Madrid against Barcelona put him up there with Miguel Munoz (1962 to 1965) and Vicente del Bosque (2001 to 2003) as Real managers who have gone six in a row without defeat against the old enemy.

It was also just a second victory in eight games against Barcelona for Real, with the return of Mourinho to the fixture haunting the reigning champions

And more importantly for Mourinho, Mbappe’s double in Real’s 2-1 win ended Barcelona’s nine-game unbeaten domestic run with a crucial Clasico victory at the Camp Nou.

A Real defeat would have allowed Barcelona to establish a commanding nine-point advantage but the result has transformed the top of La Liga, bringing Mourinho’s side to within three points of their rivals.

“In my view, Real Madrid do not play to win at the Camp Nou, Real Madrid play to win La Liga,” he said.

“We could win with luck, but we won with calmness and with all merit,” he said. “It’s a very strong group. Everyone works very hard. Everyone was ready to win.

“The credit goes to the players. When you win, the credit goes to the players. But when you lose, the blame falls on you. And that’s why we see coaches being sacked from their positions every week.”

The Portuguese, who returned to Real 13 years after his first stint in charge this summer, has now won six and lost six El Clasicos.

He said: “I’ve learned that I have an extraordinary group, with the quality and mindset to play.

“In midfield, having a mix of talents gives us more than just having two players with similar characteristics. This mix of talents gives us balance when defending and quality when we go on the attack.

“We’ve beaten several teams by four or more goals, but this is Barca, and the players put on a great performance. We need to continue like this and don’t go over the moon after this win.”

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said he didn’t want to give excuses for the defeat but admitted his team lacked fresh legs after a demanding few weeks.

“We missed the freshness,” he said. “It’s not easy for our players. We have to recover well, train well and we have to respond from this defeat.

“In big games, small things are important and they decide the games and today, it wasn’t on our side.

“I can see that today we were not fresh and this is what we have to change.”

In the most complimentary way, I ask: What the heck was that first half, UCLA?

Yes, really. With Saturday’s 28-10 victory over Michigan State, Bob Chesney has the Bruins football team 7-0 for the first time since 2005. Still undefeated and still the only team in the Big Ten — and SEC — conferences that can say so. Ranked No. 9 in the nation and moving on up.

And so I ask: Two lost fumbles before halftime? Two drops? Two holding penalties? A meager 84 yards through the air and a modest 14-7 halftime lead? Against a majorly depleted Michigan State team fielding a freshman third-stringer at quarterback — that also lost two more of its best players to injury in the first half?

These Bruins are too good to be letting the wounded Spartans (2-6, 0-5 Big Ten) hang with them for even a half.

And yet, for a hot moment, doubt started to creep back in: Was this the day Chesney’s chariot turned back into a pumpkin? Was the last petal from the enchanted rose about to fall, this beauty of a season due to turn ugly? Was the fairy tale almost over?

No. The nation’s best second-half team gathered itself — “at halftime in the locker room, guys coming over, ‘Let’s go, man. We got you!” quarterback Ty Dieffenbach said — exerted its will and outscored the Spartans 14-0 in the third quarter. They mercifully ran out the clock with a commanding 28-7 lead going into the fourth and improved to a tidy 5-0 in the Big Ten.

It’s what Chesney’s teams do.

Last season at James Madison, the Dukes led the nation in second-half scoring, averaging 20.9 points per game.

And this charmed season at UCLA, the Bruins came into Saturday’s game averaging the second-most second-half points in the nation (20.8).

Being able to bear down and wear down opponents is a sign of a good team.

Being able to jump on them at the outset would be the sign of a great one.

Let’s fast-forward a year. You’ve stopped pinching yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming and the Bruins — who were unranked and unheralded to start the season after so many years of ineptitude — really are in control of their own College Football Playoff destiny.

UCLA linebacker Donavyn Pellot celebrates with linebacker Sammy Omosigho, left, after a 67-yard interception return against Michigan State on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A year from now, you’ll have been conditioned to expect them to win these games, and you’ll no longer be worried about whether this was all a dream.

But you would be concerned about slow starts. You’d bemoan sluggish opening acts and fret about how that might bite the Bruins in the big games that are looming.

Chesney doesn’t have to make that imaginative leap into the future.

He’s worried about it now. And that’s why his Bruins are legitimately a team to contend with, because he’s coaching them to be that. He expects it: “When you walk on that field on Saturday, you walk out and know that you’ve done it the right way, and that’s how you treat something that’s important. Not special, but important.”

And so I ask: Why didn’t UCLA treat the first half like it was important Saturday?

“Two fumbles, two drops, two holding penalties? You can’t do it, you just can’t do it if you want to win really close games,” said Chesney, the first-year UCLA coach, who said he’d spend the week before the Bruins host Nevada in a nonconference Halloween game by emphasizing ball security at practice and that he’d watch the tape to determine what triggered the holding penalties.

“We’re taking three, four touchdowns off the board by doing that,” Chesney added. “Never going to let this happen again.”

UCLA can’t because it doesn’t have any room for error.

UCLA coach Bob Chesney works with players before a 28-10 win over Michigan State at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

If the Bruins win out, Chesney will have directed an underdog to a surprise CFP berth for the second consecutive season. But if the Bruins lose a game, it gets dicey.

Never mind the rows of recruits at Saturday’s victory, and forget for a moment about the fans who are slowly finding their way back to the Rose Bowl for Bruins football games. UCLA needs to continue to impress the computers and the pollsters and CFP committee members who could eventually determine UCLA’s fate if the Bruins don’t do it themselves.

And though no fault of Chesney’s, UCLA is playing a soft schedule. Per ESPN, the Bruins’ slate was the 51st easiest coming into the season and what remains of it is the 64th easiest.

And UCLA, which is winning behind a backup quarterback, which went 3-9 last season and which had so much ground to cover after starting the season outside of the top 25 — won’t likely get anyone’s benefit of the doubt if a first-half lull leads to a loss.

The Bruins are proving themselves probably the best team in the nation after halftime.

If they can do that, why not aim to be the best team in the nation?

Fours (quarters) up!?

French superstar Kylian Mbappe scores brace for Madrid to inflict Barcelona’s first domestic defeat of the campaign.

Kylian Mbappe struck twice to earn Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid a 2-1 El Clasico victory over La Liga leaders Barcelona at Camp Nou, cutting the gap to three points.

French superstar Mbappe opened the scoring before half-time on Sunday and then slotted home late on to inflict Barca’s first domestic defeat of the campaign after Raphinha had equalised for the champions.

Real Madrid remain third, behind Atletico Madrid and Hansi Flick’s Barca, who had won their first nine games before a chastening week.

The Catalans suffered a second straight defeat after losing on Tuesday against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Barca had won six of the seven previous Clasicos since the German arrived but were surprisingly subdued against Mourinho’s side.

“In general we didn’t have a great game, in the first half we weren’t ourselves, there were a lot of things we could have done better,” Barcelona midfielder Pedri told DAZN.

“We wanted to win the Clasico in front of our fans, but the season is very long … a league is not won here.”

Los Blancos, without suspended winger Vinicius Junior, won their fifth straight game across all competitions and are finding their footing under veteran Portuguese coach Mourinho.

After two trophyless seasons Madrid turned back to Mourinho to try and stop Barca’s dominance, and this result will give them hope they are on the right track.

The opening period of the game was cagey, with few opportunities.

Barca defender Pau Cubarsi twice reacted well to shut down Mbappe, while Real Madrid’s Marc Cucurella took a rapid liking for Lamine Yamal’s shirt, constantly grabbing at the 19-year-old winger.

Anthony Gordon, playing in his first Clasico since joining Barcelona from Newcastle, backheeled the ball to Raphinha, who fired narrowly wide as Barca threatened.

The hosts were dealt a setback when young defender Xavi Espart pulled up hurt and needed to be replaced by Alejandro Balde before the half-hour mark.

Andriy Lunin, playing in goal for Madrid after Thibaut Courtois pulled out of the squad with flu, saved at his near post from Gordon before the visitors took the lead.

Mbappe scored his 10th league goal of the season and also his easiest, with Barca’s Gerard Martin clearing a cross straight at the Frenchman, who deflected it into the net.

Barca responded by carving out a glorious chance for an equaliser but teenage sensation Yamal for once miscued in front of goal, firing wide when poised to level.

The game opened up and Yan Diomande came close to doubling Madrid’s lead before half-time, drilling into the side-netting.

Martin redeemed himself early in the second half as he held off Jude Bellingham, who could neither beat the defender nor find a free Mbappe.

Raphinha, who had a quiet first half, pulled Barcelona level just after the hour mark.

Pedri fed the Brazilian, La Liga’s top goalscorer with 13, who fired through Bellingham’s legs and Lunin could not keep the shot out.

The Ukrainian goalkeeper did make a superb save to deny Martin at a corner, as Barcelona flowed forward with the wind finally in their sails.

Yamal bent an effort wide with Lunin at full stretch and Barca substitute Frenkie de Jong had a shot desperately blocked by Dean Huijsen.

There was a sting in the tail for the Catalans though as substitute Gabriel Jesus lost possession and Madrid raced through on goal.

Eduardo Camavinga beat Cubarsi and unselfishly cut the ball back for Mbappe to tuck home his second of the night into an empty net with Joan Garcia drawn out of position.

Oct. 25, 2026 3 AM PT

KALAMA, Wash. — Colorado and Washington are reliably Democratic states where elected officials have rejected moves to ban transgender women and girls from female sports competitions. Now activists have gone around lawmakers to put proposed bans on both states’ ballots.

At a time when some Democratic leaders nationwide are recalibrating their approach to transgender issues, particularly sports, and polls show Americans generally back the bans, supporters are optimistic they will pass and open the door to similar efforts in other places where lawmakers have blocked bans.

Though the issue has been debated in many legislatures, this is the first time it’s going to voters.

“What is happening in 2026 is a testing ground for the future,” said Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, executive director of the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which supports LGBTQ+ rights.

Twenty-seven states — including all where Republicans control both the legislature and governor’s office — already have such laws.

The efforts are billed as a way to protect women and girls and keep separate spaces for them, tapping into a concern that’s gained momentum. President Trump has taken steps to roll back transgender rights. The Supreme Court has upheld state sports bans.

A June poll from Quinnipiac University found that about 7 in 10 registered voters think transgender women and girls should not be allowed to play on female sports teams. About one-quarter think they should. Democrats are divided, with about half saying transgender women and girls should be allowed and about half saying they should not.

Robert Preuhs, a professor of political science at Metropolitan State University of Denver, said the absence of public polls on Colorado’s ballot measure, which also covers college sports, makes it hard to predict whether it will pass. “It’s probably going to get more support than some of the Republican candidates that will run,” he said.

Since transgender restrictions gained traction this decade, states with Democratic-led governors’ offices and legislatures generally have rejected proposals such as banning transgender people from the bathrooms that match their gender identity and restricting gender-affirming care. Most Republican-led states have adopted those policies.

In addition to the two blue-state questions, a measure in Arizona would broaden an existing ban to include private schools, and one in Nebraska would add an existing state law to the state constitution.

There’s not a clear consensus on whether transgender women and girls have a competitive advantage. Factors include the age of the athlete, the sport, whether the athlete went through male puberty and how long they’ve received hormone therapy.

But the idea that girls are being cheated is personal for some athletes.

Ahnaleigh Wilson, a 17-year-old junior at Eastmont High School, about 25 miles north of Seattle, has been speaking out against allowing transgender girls to compete in girls’ sports since she was in junior high. She said she’d won all of her 1,600-meter races in seventh and eighth grade — until she finished second to a transgender athlete in a major meet.

“Women have fought for Title IX and our own categories and it’s very important that we keep the dignity of that, and let women have their own sports and their own spaces to be safe and completely fair,” she said, referencing the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities.

Opponents say excluding transgender girls is also unfair.

“They will say that they want to protect kids and in particular, young girls,” said Nadine Bridges, executive director of One Colorado, which is leading the opposition to the measure there, “but I don’t understand how you can protect kids and discriminate against kids at the same time.”

The Washington measure would require that a healthcare provider verify the student’s “biological sex, relying only on one or more of the following: The student’s reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup, or normal endogenously produced testosterone levels.”

“We see that as being as simple as a checkbox,” said Let’s Go Washington spokesperson Hallie Herzberg. “Doctors can use the history of the patient from treating them all their lives or their medical history forms.”

But Dr. Libby Loft, who opposes the measure, says the language calls for a genital inspection as part of a physical, or expensive testing.

“I think it doesn’t make any sense to force the working families of … girl sports players in Washington to pay for unnecessary medical tests to be able to weed out an estimated five or 10 girls in the state of Washington, trans girls,” Loft said.

She fears the verification requirement will lead to fewer girls — transgender or not — playing sports.

Mulvihill and Cooper write for the Associated Press. Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, N.J.

In retrospect, conventional wisdom might not be all that wise. Just check out this postseason.

The Atlanta Braves should have started Chris Sale in Game 2 of the division series against the Dodgers. They didn’t. They won.

The Braves then had an edge with Sale starting Game 3. They didn’t. They lost that game, and they were eliminated in the next game.

The Milwaukee Brewers should have considered trading rookie pitcher Logan Henderson in a package for Tarik Skubal, a win-now proposition for a team that has dominated the regular season but had not appeared in the World Series in 44 years. They didn’t. Skubal and the Dodgers missed the World Series, and Henderson started Game 2 for the Brewers on Saturday, helping them move within two victories from their first championship.

That brings us to Freddy Peralta, who starts Game 3 for the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday. Peralta was one of the top pitchers in the majors for the Brewers last year, and he has been one of the top pitchers in the majors since the Rays acquired him from the New York Mets three months ago, but in between he performed so poorly for the Mets that he cannot really explain why.

“Sometimes I ask the same question myself,” Peralta said.

So poorly that, when the league’s website ranked the most impactful trades at the deadline, the Peralta deal did not make the top 10, behind trades for six other starting pitchers: Skubal, Casey Mize and Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes to the Chicago Cubs, and Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Conventional wisdom? No big deal.

For the Mets, Peralta put up a 4.99 ERA and a negative WAR. For the Rays, he put up an 0.79 ERA in his last six starts of the regular season and a 1.07 ERA so far in the postseason, honored as American League Championship Series MVP.

“I feel like he’s kind of come back to being Freddy Peralta with us,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.

Peralta went 17-6 with a 2.70 earned-run average for Milwaukee last year, leading the National League in victories and posting 5.5 WAR, third behind Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Cy Young winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

If you wonder why the Brewers would trade Peralta, well, you don’t know the Brewers.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta throws against the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS on Oct. 19.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

Peralta was approaching free agency, and the Brewers routinely trade All-Star pitchers like that for prospects: Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Devin Williams.

This is how the Brewers restock: The Burnes trade brought two pieces of this World Series team, pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz. The Hader trade brought Game 3 starter Robert Gasser and journeyman outfielder Estuery Ruiz, and within a subsequent three-team trade, the Brewers swiped All-Star catcher William Contreras for Ruiz.

The Mets wanted Peralta for what they considered an inevitable playoff run, with the largest Opening Day payroll of any major league team, the Dodgers included. The Mets finished in last place, and Peralta’s ERA exceeded 6.00 in each of the two months preceding the trade deadline.

“I was feeling bad,” Peralta said, “because I couldn’t do anything.”

The adjustments the Mets asked him to make, he said, were “a little different” than the ones that reversed the course of his season with the Rays.

The Rays let him pitch from the stretch, as he had in Milwaukee. They modified his delivery, including having him start it from the third-base side of the pitching rubber. His fastball got faster: 94 mph with the Mets, hitting 97 mph in the playoffs.

“We see that he’s in his element, man,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “That’s Fastball Freddy.”

In Milwaukee, it’s all love for Peralta. The fans even cheered his bullpen session there before Game 1.

He’ll start Game 3 in Tampa Bay and, after that, who knows, but he would be lined up to start a potential Game 7 in Milwaukee.

“I know how special it is to pitch on this mound here in Milwaukee,” Peralta said. “I would like to pitch here during the postseason.”

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Freddy Peralta celebrates during Game 2 of the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians on Oct. 13.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

He would have liked to pitch in New York during the postseason too.

“They had a lot of big expectations for me, the fans too, in New York,” he said. “They were waiting for something great from me.”

Conventional wisdom can boomerang. The conventional wisdom on Peralta’s free agency in the spring: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal; in the summer: this is a bad year to take into free agency; in the fall: he should make more in free agency than any pitcher besides Skubal.

But, given what happened in New York, what were the realistic expectations in Tampa Bay?

“I was able to go to a new team that probably needed me for …” Peralta said, his voice trailing off.

The World Series?

Peralta beamed.

“Crazy,” he said. “For the World Series, yeah.”

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick left the Old Trafford pitch on Sunday to the sound of his name being sung by the adoring home support, but he may never lead the team onto the field again.

His players followed him and the message delivered to them and the club captain Bruno Fernandes, who was an unused substitute, was quite different.

The 3-0 thumping by Bournemouth was a result that marked a 40-year low for the crisis club and plunged it to new depths – and the fans were determined to let United’s owners and playing staff know it.

The opening seven league matches marked United’s worst start since 1986. The latest defeat, their sixth of the season, leaves the club just a point above the relegation zone and without a win in eight matches in all competitions.

What has happened between Fernandes and Carrick?

Fernandes, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Player of the Year last season, was left among the substitutes on Sunday as a result of criticising Carrick after Wednesday’s 4-1 humiliation at Como in the UEFA Champions League.

The Portuguese player has been the Red Devils’ darling since he arrived in 2020, and seemed to have sealed his place as a club legend in a time of darkness with his accolade achieved on the back of United’s third-place finish, which they have only twice bettered in 13 years.

The award came as a result of his record number of assists in a Premier League season – all the more impressive in a side that lacked a spark anywhere else on the pitch.

The upturn in fortunes under Carrick’s interim position last term, when he replaced Ruben Amorim in January, resulted in his full-time appointment in the summer.

A tenure that may now have run its course, with him and United’s best player seemingly at loggerheads.

How have fans reacted to the Premier League giant’s fall?

The United fans are famously loyal to their managers and players. Boos for anyone associated with the home side at Old Trafford were relatively unheard of until the last two seasons.

Now the boss receiving the adulation on exiting one of world football’s greatest stages – the Theatre of Dreams – may be the one on whom the curtain is being pulled.

Fernandes is no villain in this piece, but United’s fans have delivered a clear message directly to the heart of the dressing room – sending it via the player who could do no wrong in the eyes of the supporters will leave the ears of every member of the squad ringing.

Enough is enough.

Outplayed is one thing, but being outrun and outfought is another.

What is the context of Man United’s demise?

United’s history has been one of rebuilds and comebacks. They have known difficult days – their most successful manager Sir Alex Ferguson was on the verge of the sack in 1990 before winning the FA Cup and beginning one of the greatest runs of trophy-laden eras in football.

Their wait for a league title stretched from 1967 – and the Holy Trinity of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law – to 1994, when Ferguson’s inspired signing of Eric Cantona ignited glory days even the biggest club in the world at the time had never seen.

Now, United are on the edge of a precipice – quite literally if the gap to the drop zone is even to be realistically contemplated. Perhaps United’s cross-town rivals City won’t be the only Manchester club facing relegation this season.

That is demise no one is truly considering yet.

Is it a case of Carrick or Fernandes for Man United?

They are, however, at a crossroads – and the divide between Carrick and Fernandes – his captain, who criticised the tactics that stopped United pressing their Italian opponents in midweek, is likely to see the axe fall on the manager rather than a valuable asset.

“Manchester United need to make the change tonight (Sunday),” former England team-mate of Carrick, Jamie Carragher, told British broadcaster Sky Sports when asked if a sacking was needed.

“The fans have taken the side of the manager, which is not about him being the manager, it’s about him being a huge figure in United’s history – and those players have done nothing compared to teams of the past.

“So Carrick is always going to win that fight – and rightly so – with Fernandes, no matter how talented a player he is.

“But also United – one of the biggest clubs in the world – are 16th in the table right now and that can’t happen – it can’t continue and Carrick needs to be relieved of his duties.

“He wants to be sacked. It’s become untenable. He doesn’t want to be sat in the dugout with those players.

“Imagine going into training with Fernandes after not bringing him on? It’s a rancid dressing room. He wants to be put out of his misery.”

Gary Neville, former Manchester United defender and team-mate of Carrick’s for club and country, added: “Carrick is popular, but the owners, the sporting department and the players are not.

“They will probably make a decision that will disgust United fans, but it is probably necessary.

“The club is a mess.”

What has Carrick said amid rumours of the sack?

The final word of the day belongs to the man in the middle of a power battle that has seen him win the popular vote, but one that is unlikely to sway the United hierarchy.

“I take the responsibility,” Carrick said in the post-match news conference. “I totally understand the situation, I’m not expecting anything, I’m carrying on as normal and I love this place.”

In something of a reference to dropping the club captain and the response he received from the crowd at the end, Carrick continued: “I always do what I feel is going to be the best for the club, whatever decision is made.

“I’ve tried to do everything I can to not be in this position and for a number of reasons, whatever they are, we’ve not been able to stop that happening to the position we’re in.

“I’ve always felt that support and always felt that connection with the [fans].

“I have to say it is mixed emotions, I didn’t really expect that from the supporters. The respect that I have for them and for them to show that back meant an awful lot.”

Emotions are running high at Old Trafford and, even though Carrick denied it, his fanfare at the end may well prove to have been his farewell.

The Theatre of Dreams has become a house of horrors – for the 11th manager since Ferguson retired and with United’s last Premier League title now stretching back to 2013.

Wilda Leidhammar scores the only goal as Birmingham secure their first win of the WSL season, beating bottom club Charlton Athletic 1-0 at St Andrews, as the away side’s wait for a first point of the season goes on.

MATCH REPORT: Birmingham 1-0 Charlton

Available to UK users only.

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 9:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week’s ranking

1. SANTA MARGARITA (9-0) def. JSerra, 36-12; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 63-6; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 2

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-2) def. Servite, 54-7; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 3

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (6-3) def. Chaparral, 41-27; at Murrieta Mesa, Thursday; 4

5. MATER DEI (7–2) def. Orange Lutheran, 52-38; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (7-1) def. Los Alamitos, 58-7; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-4) lost to Mater Dei, 52-38; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 7

8. BISHOP AMAT (8-1) def. Loyola, 7-0; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 10

9. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-1) def. San Clemente, 16-0; at Mission Viejo, Friday; 24

10. SAN CLEMENTE (7-1) lost to San Juan Hills, 16-0; vs. Huntington Beach Edison, Friday; 8

11. JSERRA (4-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 36-12; vs. Servite, Friday; 9

12. CREAN LUTHERAN (6-2) def. Corona del Mar, 31-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 13

13. LA SERNA (8-1) def. Mayfair, 42-14; at Downey, Friday; 12

14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 41-0; Southern Section playoffs; 14

15. SERVITE (3-6) lost to St. John Bosco, 54-7; at JSerra, Friday; 11

16. PALOS VERDES (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 28-7; vs. Leuzinger, Friday; 15

17. CARSON (8-1) def. San Pedro, 35-0; vs. Mary Star of the Sea, Friday; 17

18. CHAPARRAL (5-4) lost to Corona Centennial 41-27; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; NR

19. CORONA DEL MAR (7-2) lost to Crean Lutheran, 31-17; at La Habra, Friday; 16

20. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 63-6; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 18

21. CHAMINADE (6-3) def. Gardena Serra, 21-7; at Loyola, Friday; 19

22. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (8-1) def. Villa Park, 30-18; at Tustin, Thursday; 25

23. HUNTINGTON BEACH (9-0) def. Troy, 37-22; vs. Laguna Beach, Friday; 20

24. ORANGE (9-0) def. Irvine, 55-17; at El Toro, Friday; 23

25. GARDENA SERRA (4-5) lost to Chaminade, 21-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 22

Prince Ali bin Hussein said nobody was allowed to speak, question, debate or talk with the media at the AFC Congress.

The head of Jordan’s Football Association (JFA), Prince Ali bin Hussein, has accused FIFA President Gianni Infantino of hijacking the Asian Football Confederation Congress for political purposes ahead of his re-election bid for a fourth term.

At the AFC’s extraordinary congress in Tokyo on Friday, its president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa endorsed Infantino’s bid for re-election as FIFA president.

Months after the confederation accused Infantino of a “fundamental breach of trust” over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, Sheikh Salman told the congress that Asia was now united behind Infantino.

But JFA’s Prince Ali, who has been a vocal critic of FIFA’s leadership, painted a starkly different picture of events in Tokyo.

“Having come back from Tokyo where the AFC Congress took place, the first two days were about football, which we all serve. The last day was pure politics at the behest of Gianni Infantino,” Prince Ali wrote on X.

“There were reports that Asia has a united position when it comes to electing the next FIFA President. In fact, nobody was allowed to speak, question, debate or talk with the media.

“Lack of transparency leads to lack of accountability. No amount of coercion, threats or bribes should be allowed.”

Prince Ali did not elaborate on his statement.

Al Jazeera reached out to FIFA and the AFC for a comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Infantino also addressed the AFC Congress, giving Sheikh Salman his backing for another term.

In August, Prince Ali launched a public attack on Infantino, accusing him of “blackmail” and saying FIFA had offered to help solve the kingdom’s problems in exchange for his endorsement.

Two days later, Prince Ali confirmed Jordan’s players and staff had received outstanding reward money for their participation in the 2025 Arab Cup.

The association had been waiting since December for prize money for reaching the Arab Cup final in Qatar.

On Saturday, Infantino laughed off questions about whether he had considered resigning in the wake of the failed FFE proposal, pointing to what he described as overwhelming support from member associations around the globe.

The Swiss-Italian administrator’s re-election prospects were strengthened significantly after the AFC endorsement, leaving Europe increasingly isolated and exposing the lack of a challenger.

Manchester United’s 0-3 home loss to Bournemouth has left the 20-time champions winless in eight Premier League games.

Amid increasing pressure on his team and a growing threat to his own position as manager, Michael Carrick says he will do what is best for Manchester United after a 3-0 demolition by Bournemouth plunged his future into doubt.

Winless in eight games in all competitions, the 20-time English champions slipped to within one point of the relegation zone after a damaging defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday.

“It’s a tough situation,” Carrick told British broadcaster Sky Sports. “What is next? I don’t know.

“I’ll always do what’s best for this football club. I’ve said it all along; I don’t change that now. I love what I do. I love the responsibility, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Asked in a post-match news conference if he expects to be sacked in the coming days, Carrick replied: “I totally understand the situation. I’m not expecting anything in particular, to be honest. I’m carrying on as normal. I love this place.”

Despite a dismal run of results, the United fans largely supported the former midfielder as he made his way off the field at full-time before they turned on the club’s players.

“I have mixed emotions to have that connection with the supporters in the moment we’re in. I need time to digest that,” added Carrick.

“I appreciate their support but the situation is where it’s at. We haven’t been good enough.”

Carrick’s decision to drop captain Bruno Fernandes to the bench and not even introduce the Portuguese international as a substitute backfired.

Fernandes, last season’s Premier League player of the year, had criticised Carrick’s tactics after the 4-1 thrashing by Como on Wednesday.

Carrick said before the game that his call was a “pure football” decision, but it was hard to believe Fernandes was not being punished as he was left on the bench for the entire match.

“There’s always times in games when you are trying to change the course of the game and to make a difference,” said Carrick as he swerved questions on Fernandes’s absence. “Those were the decisions we made today.”

Carrick was appointed on a two-year deal only in May after a successful caretaker spell in charge led United to third place in the Premier League last season.

However, he has been unable to arrest the club’s steep decline since his former boss Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.

United were outspent by many of their rivals in the transfer market as they added just three midfielders – Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba.

But Carrick said a lack of investment did not justify such a decline in results.

“Last season to finish third was a really good achievement in the circumstances,” added Carrick.

“We understood where that left us, what was next, what needed to be done and how we needed to improve, and where we were at as a team and as a group at that stage.

“I definitely knew that we hadn’t cracked it and there was a lot of work to be done, but that doesn’t mean to say that it should have gone this way.”

WEEK 10 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

(Games at 7 p.m. unless noted)

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE

SOUTHERN SECTION

Sigma League

Saddleback at Costa Mesa, 3:30 p.m.

THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Marine League

Wilmington Banning at Gardena

Valley Mission League

Canoga Park at San Fernando

SOUTHERN SECTION

Baseline League

Chino Hills at Upland

Damien at Rancho Cucamonga

Big West League

Chaparral at Vista Murrieta

Corona Centennial at Murrieta Mesa

Norco at Murrieta Valley

Riverside King at Corona Santiago

Bravo League

Capistrano Valley at Tustin

Camino Real League

St. Genevieve at Bosco Tech

Citrus Belt League

Cajon at Redlands

Citrus Valley at Beaumont

Yucaipa at Redlands East Valley

Conference 12 League

El Monte Arroyo at Mountain View

Delta League

Western at El Modena

Desert Sky League

Adelanto at Barstow

Foxtrot League

Irvine at El Dorado

Golden League

Eastside at Antelope Valley

Hacienda League

Baldwin Park at South Hills

Iota League

Laguna Hills at Garden Grove Pacifica

Ivy League

Vista del Lago at Rancho Christian

Kappa League

Esperanza at Portola

Manzanita League

Nuview Bridge at California Military Institute

San Jacinto Valley Academy at Anza Hamilton

Miramonte League

Bassett at Ganesha

Garey at Workman

Mission Valley League

Arroyo at Mountain View

Sierra League

Ayala at Colony

Charter Oak at Northview

Glendora at Bonita

Sunbelt League

Moreno Valley at Paloma Valley

Valley View at Hillcrest

Sun Valley League

Cathedral City at Desert Mirage

Tango League

Century at Santa Ana Valley

Garden Grove Santiago at Loara, 6:30 p.m.

Godinez at Magnolia

Valle Vista League

Diamond Ranch at Chino

Nonleague

Compton Centennial at Dominguez

Hemet at Heritage

Riverside Prep at Riverside Notre Dame

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

City League

Stella at New Designs Watts

Valley League

Valley Oaks CES at South LA College Prep, 3 p.m.

SOUTHERN SECTION

Majestic League

Cornerstone Christian at Calvary Baptist

Public Safety Academy at United Christian Academy

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

CITY SECTION

Central League

Maywood CES at Hollywood

Mendez at Contreras

Roybal at Bernstein

Coliseum League

Crenshaw at Washington Prep

King/Drew at Dorsey

Eastern League

Garfield vs. L.A. Roosevelt at East L.A. College, 7:30 p.m.

Legacy at South East

South Gate at Huntington Park

East Valley League

Arleta at Sun Valley Poly

Fulton at North Hollywood

Monroe at Arroyo

Verdugo Hills at Grant

Exposition League

Fremont at Santee

Marine League

Narbonne at San Pedro

Metro League

Dymally at Hawkins

Rancho Dominguez at L.A. Jordan

Northern League

Eagle Rock at L.A. Marshall, 3:30 p.m.

Franklin at L.A. Wilson

Southern League

Diego Rivera at West Adams, 4 p.m.

Valley Mission League

Panorama at Sylmar

Reseda at Granada Hills Kennedy

Western League

L.A. Hamilton at Fairfax

L.A. University at Venice

Westchester at Palisades

West Valley League

Birmingham at El Camino Real

Chatsworth at Cleveland

Taft at Granada Hills

Nonleague

Locke at Lincoln

Los Angeles at Belmont

SOUTHERN SECTION

Alliance League

Alhambra at Montebello

San Gabriel at South El Monte

Alpha League

Edison at San Clemente

San Juan Hills at Mission Viejo

Yorba Linda at Los Alamitos

Angelus League

Bishop Montgomery at St. Paul

Cathedral at St. Pius X-St, Matthias Academy

Paraclete at St. Francis

Arroyo League

Crescenta Valley at La Canada

Bay League

Leuzinger at Palos Verdes, 3 p.m.

Redondo Union at Mira Costa

Big West League

Corona at Great Oak

Boulder League

South Pasadena at San Marino

Bravo League

Corona del Mar at La Habra

Villa Park at Crean Lutheran

Camino Real League

St. Monica at St. Bernard

Channel League

Moorpark at Westlake

Oak Park at Oxnard

Rio Mesa at Ventura

Santa Barbara at Thousand Oaks

Citrus Coast League

Carpinteria at Nordhoff

Channel Islands at Grace

Santa Clara at Del Sol

Coastal 101 League

Agoura at Calabasas

Buena at Camarillo

Oak Park at Oxnard

Conference 12 League

Keppel at Rosemead

Cottonwood League

Arrowhead Christian at Vasquez

Riverside Prep at Riverside Notre Dame

Webb at Whittier Christian

Crest League

Hoover at Glendale

Del Rey League

Alemany at La Salle

Crespi at Salesian

Harvard-Westlake at St. Anthony

Del Rio League

California at Santa Fe

Delta League

Dana Hills at Troy

Laguna Beach at Huntington Beach

Desert Empire League

Palm Desert at La Quinta

Palm Springs at Rancho Mirage

Shadow Hills at Xavier Prep

Desert Sky League

Silverado at Granite Hills

Desert Valley League

Banning at Coachella Valley

Desert Hot Springs at Yucca Valley

Epsilon League

Aliso Niguel at Santa Ana Foothill

Tesoro at Brea Ollinda

Trabuco Hills at Newport Harbor

Foothill League

Saugus at Castaic

Valencia vs. Hart at College of the Canyons

West Ranch vs. Golden valley at Canyon Country Canyon

Foxtrot League

Beckman at Segerstrom

Orange at El Toro

Gano League

Chaffey at Don Lugo

Nogales at Rowland

Walnut at Montclair

Gateway League

La Mirada at Mayfair

La Serna at Downey

Warren at Cerritos

Gold Coast League

Brentwood at Viewpoint

Golden League

Knight at Littlerock

Palmdale at Highland

Quartz Hill at Lancaster

Hacienda League

Covina at West Covina

Diamond Bar at Los Altos

Hub City League

Dominguez at Compton Centennial

Long Beach Cabrillo at Compton Early College

Inland Valley League

Arlington at Canyon Springs

Citrus Hill at Lakeside

Iota League

Cypress at Northwood

Marina at La Palma Kennedy

Ivy League

Liberty at Riverside Poly

Orange Vista at Rancho Verde

Ironwood League

Aquinas at Capistrano Valley Christian

Heritage Christian at Cerritos Valley Christian

Village Christian at Western Christian

Kappa League

Fullerton at St. Margaret’s

Sunny Hills at Anaheim Canyon

Lambda League

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Fountain Valley

Sonora at Placentia Valencia

Woodbridge at Westminster

Manzanita League

Desert Chapel at Silver Valley

San Jacinto Valley at Anza Hamilton

Marmonte League

Bishop Diego at Oaks Christian

Newbury Park at St. Bonaventure

Simi Valley at Oxnard Pacifica

Mesquite League

Linfield Christian at Maranatha

Santa Rosa Academy at Ontario Christian

Metro League

El Monte at El Rancho

Schurr at Bell Gardens

Mid-Cities League

Gahr at Bellflower

Paramount at Norwalk

Mission League

Bishop Amat at Sierra Canyon

Chaminade at Loyola

Gardena Serra at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame

Mojave River League

Apple Valley at Sultana

Hesperia at Oak Hills

Serrano at Ridgecrest Burroughs

Montview League

Duarte at La Puente

Ontario at Hacienda Heights Wilson

Sierra Vista at Azusa

Moore League

Millikan at Long Beach Wilson

Mountain Pass League

Tahquitz at Elsinore

West Valley at San Jacinto

Mountain Valley League

Rubidoux at La Sierra

San Bernardino at Jurupa Valley

Ocean League

Lawndale at Hawthorne

South Torrance at Peninsula

Omicron League

Buena Park at Garden Grove

Los Amigos at Irvine University

Santa Ana at Estancia

Pioneer League

El Segundo at West Torrance

Santa Monica at Culver City

Torrance at North Torrance

Rio Vista League

Glenn at Pioneer

Lynwood at Artesia

Whittier at Firebaugh

River Valley League

Miller at Pacific

Norte Vista at Ramona

Patriot at Big Bear

San Andreas League

Colton at Kaiser

Rialto at Rim of the World

Sigma League

Anaheim at Saddleback

Costa Mesa at Katella

Rancho Alamitos at Ocean View

605 League

Glenn at Pioneer

Skyline League

Carter at Fontana

Indian Springs at Bloomington

San Gorgonio at Arroyo Valley

Sunbelt League

Riverside North at Perris

Sunkist League

Eisenhower at Grand Terrace

Jurupa Hills at Summit

Sun Valley League

Cathedral City at Desert Mirage

Indio at Twentynine Palms

Tango league

Bolsa Grande at Westminster La Quinta

Tri-County League

Royal at Hueneme

San Marcos at Dos Pueblos

Santa Paula at Fillmore

Trinity League

Santa Margarita vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College

Servite at JSerra

St. John Bosco vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

Valle Vista League

Claremont at Alta Loma

Los Osos at San Dimas

Nonleague

Burbank at Burbank Burroughs

Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Verbum Dei

Crescenta Valley at La Canada

Monrovia at Arcadia

Pasadena at Muir

Rio Hondo Prep at Desert Christian Academy

Temple City at Gabrielino

INTERSECTIONAL

Mary Star of the Sea at Carson, 7:30 p.m.

Victory Christian Academy at St. Jeanne de Lestonnac, 7:30 p.m.

8-MAN

CITY SECTION

Valley League

SOCES at East Valley

City League

USC Hybrid at Animo Robinson

Nonleague

TEACH Tech at Sotomayor

SOUTHERN SECTION

Agape League

Hesperia Christian at PAL Academy, 3:30 p.m.

Lucerne Valley at Academy of Careers & Exploration

Coast Valley league

Cuyama Valley at Maricopa

San Luis Obispo Classical Academy at Coastal Christian, 6 p.m.

Express League

Vista Meridian at Legacy College Prep

Freelance League

Laguna Blanca at Villanova Prep, 4 p.m.

Tri-Valley League

Sage Hill at Flintridge Prep

Nonleague

California Lutheran at California School for the Deaf Riverside

Thousand Oaks Hillcrest Christian at Malibu, 6 p.m.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE

8-MAN

SOUTHERN SECTION

Express League

Southlands Christian at Downey Calvary Chapel, 12 p.m.

Heritage League

Faith Baptist at Desert Christian, 6 p.m.

Lancaster Baptist at Santa Clarita Christian

Tri-Valley League

Chadwick at Pasadena Poly, 11 a.m.

Nonleague

Avalon at Trinity Classical Academy, 12 p.m.

Thacher at Cate, 2 p.m.

When it comes to top individual performances from Friday night football, few can challenge Santa Barbara High’s secret weapon, Cade Mault, a junior soccer player committed to Cal Poly who taught himself how to kick and punt.

Against Westlake, Mault accounted for all of Santa Barbara’s points in a 13-10 win over Westlake. He had an 85-yard touchdown reception. He made field goals from 49 and 43 yards. He made the PAT. He even picked up a first down on a fake punt.

“We believe in him,” coach Nathan Mendoza said.

He’s four for four on field goals this season, has not missed a PAT, is booming punts and still plays club soccer on weekends while practicing soccer four times a week from 6 to 9 p.m.

Soccer is his sport, but he’s progressing so well in football, options could be opening up for someone who insists no one taught him how to kick or punt.

His family is all about competing in sports. He has an older brother, Kai, who was an All-Southern Section receiver for Santa Barbara and now plays baseball for UC Davis. A younger brothers plays football and lacrosse.

He has a 3.9 grade-point average, so all options are open. Mendoza hopes he keeps playing football for at least one more year.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Jake Jarman becomes the first British male gymnast to win two individual medals in the World Gymnastics Championships, after winning silver in a thrilling men’s vault final in Rotterdam.

WATCH MORE: Gymnastics World Championships BBC iPlayer

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