What used to be an intense AFC West rivalry is now a bit muted with the Chargers limping into the fourth quarter of the season and the Raiders fumbling around in the dark, having lost nine of their last 10 games.
The Chargers, who began the season with three consecutive divisional victories, have a chance to pull off their first sweep of the season. The Raiders are looking to bounce back from a humiliating loss at home by two touchdowns to Cleveland.
Despite the Raiders’ record, the home team can’t get too comfortable.
“Raiders, it’s a rivalry,” Coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And we know they’re going to bring it.”
How the Raiders can win: Get in an offensive rhythm with interim play-caller Greg Olson, cleaning up the communication issues that were a problem in Chip Kelly’s system. Establish a ground game with Ashton Jeanty and mix in more Brock Bowers at tight end. Protect Geno Smith, who has been sacked 18 times in the past three games, including 10 times by Cleveland last week. Get after Justin Herbert, especially off the edges with Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson.
How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a cobbled-together and constantly-changing offensive line and get some traction with the ground game. The Raiders can bring pressure off the edge, but their linebackers struggle in coverage and they are vulnerable at corner opposite Eric Stokes. The Chargers have the receivers to get open, particularly Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II. The Raiders have some of the same offensive line problems as the Chargers. Smith could be in trouble.
Who: Palmeiras and Flamengo What: Copa Libertadores final Where: Monumental Stadium, Lima in Peru When: Saturday, November 29 at 4pm (21:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 18:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
The recent Brazilian dominance of the Copa Libertadores continues on Saturday when a team from the South American nation will lift the continental trophy for the eighth time in the last nine years.
Flamengo lead Palmeiras by five points with two games to play in the current season in Brazil’s Serie A after the sides finished second and third last season behind Botafogo.
In the meantime, the showpiece trophy on the continent is up for grabs in the Peruvian capital of Lima, and perhaps with it, the bragging rights for the winner, no matter who comes out on top in the domestic league.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at Saturday’s final between two of the biggest names in the global club game outside of European football.
Who are the current Copa Libertadores holders?
Botafogo did the double last season with Brazil’s Serie A title, while also lifting the Copa Libertadores trophy.
It was Botafogo’s first appearance in a final, and they sealed the win with a 3-1 victory against Atletico Mineiro in the match staged in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires.
How did Palmeiras reach the Copa Libertadores final?
Raphael Veiga scored twice, and Palmeiras overturned a 3-0 first-leg deficit with a 4-0 victory over Liga Deportiva of Ecuador in the Copa Libertadores semifinals.
Midfielder Veiga scored in the 68th and 82nd minutes after Ramon Sosa and Bruno Fuchs’s first-half goals.
Abel Ferreira’s side won all six of their group stage matches, while seeing off Argentina’s River Plate in the quarterfinals.
How did Flamengo reach the Copa Libertadores final?
Flamengo reached the Copa Libertadores final after salvaging a scoreless draw against Argentinian side Racing Club in the second leg of their semifinal.
The Brazilian club managed to hold on to the 1-0 lead it took in the first leg despite playing most of the second half with 10 men after Gonzalo Plata was sent off in the 56th minute.
Flamengo had limped to second spot in their group with three wins and one defeat from six games, and needed penalties to beat Estudiantes of Argentina in the quarterfinals.
What is Palmeiras’s record in the Copa Libertadores?
Palmerias are three-time winners, with their first victory coming in 1999. Their second win came in 2020, with their third title coming the following season – when they beat Flamengo in the final.
What is Flamengo’s record in the Copa Libertadores?
Flamengo will also be aiming to win the prestigious South American tournament for the fourth time, having previously claimed victory in 1981, 2019 and 2022.
Flamengo football fans see their team off as it arrives at the airport before flying to Peru for the Copa Libertadores final [Bruna Prado/AP]
How dominant are Brazil in the Copa Libertadores?
This is the eighth title in the past nine editions of the tournament that will be competed for by Brazilian sides.
Brazilian teams have won every Copa Libertadores title since 2019, with Saturday’s finalists winning two each in that period.
What happened the last time Palmeiras played Flamengo?
Flamengo were 3-2 winners in October against their nearest rivals for the Serie A title in Brazil. They also won 2-0 at Palmeiras earlier in the campaign, in what now appears the first of a decisive league double as the domestic season draws to a close.
Is there expected to be trouble at the Copa Libertadores final?
Rio de Janeiro police officers and football fans clashed on Wednesday near the city’s international airport as Flamengo’s squad prepared to travel to Peru to face Palmeiras.
Local media reported that about a dozen fans entered the Flamengo bus from the ceiling as thousands cheered outside. Footage showed officials using tear gas and rubber bullets amid the clashes, with some fans fighting back.
Flamengo midfielder Saul Niguez joked about the incident on his social media channels, showing fans entering the bus from the top.
“We have some new signings,” the former Atletico Madrid player wrote.
The Brazilian club did not comment on the incident. Authorities also did not comment on injuries or arrests.
Head-to-head
This is the 48th meeting between the sides, with Flamengo claiming 16 victories and Palmeiras taking the spoils on 15 occasions.
Palmeiras team news
Figueiredo remains sidelined following a cruciate ligament injury sustained in March.
Lucas Evangelista misses out with a thigh problem, while former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho is ruled out by a shin injury.
Weverton’s fractured hand means the goalkeeper remains a heavy doubt, but his return hasn’t wholly been ruled out after his recent return to light training.
Flamengo team news
Gonzalo Plata misses out through suspension following his red card in the semifinal against Racing Club. Pedro misses out due to a thigh injury.
Henrique scored a late equaliser after coming on as a substitute against Atletico Mineiro in the most recent league match and is pushing for a start.
Wales captain Jac Morgan will miss the start of the 2026 Six Nations after dislocating his shoulder in the autumn series opener against Argentina at the start of November.
The 25-year-old flanker has undergone surgery, with Ospreys head coach Mark Jones saying Morgan now faces “four to five months” on the sidelines.
Wales kick-off their campaign away to England on 7 February before home matches against France on 15 February and Scotland a week later.
If his rehabilitation goes well, Morgan could potentially have a chance of returning for the final two games against Ireland on 6 March and Italy on 14 March.
“He’s had his operation, it’s all gone really well and he’s on the road to recovery,” said Jones. “He’s in that race now to get back as soon as he can.
“It will be four to five months based on what we’ve heard, but obviously those things can change, we’re just working off that at the moment.”
Treble winners Hull KR will start the defence of their Super League title with a visit to newly promoted York Knights in the opening game of the 2026 season.
Rovers will travel to York’s LNER Community Stadium on Thursday, 12 February (20:00 GMT).
Hull KR won the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield and Grand Final last season, sealing the title by beating previous champions Wigan Warriors 24-6 at Old Trafford in October.
York are one of three new clubs in Super League for next season as part of an expanded 14-team competition.
The Knights and Toulouse Olympique were selected to join the top flight by an independent panel, while Bradford Bulls were promoted in place of financially troubled Salford Red Devils after climbing to 10th in this year’s grading system.
York will play in Super League for the first time while Toulouse return to the top tier after their one-season stint in 2022.
Both the Bulls, who return to Super League after an 11-year absence, and Toulouse start the campaign with away games on Saturday, 14 February.
Bradford will make the journey east to face Hull FC, while Toulouse travel to Wakefield Trinity.
Who: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich What: Matchday 5, League Phase, UEFA Champions League Where: Emirates Stadium, North London, England, UK When: Wednesday at 8pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.
English Premier League leaders Arsenal host the German Bundesliga’s top-ranked team Bayern Munich in a heavyweight UEFA Champions League (UCL) matchup of the two frontrunning European mega clubs on Wednesday.
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The sides are also ranked No 1 and No 2 in the current UCL standings, with both clubs protecting perfect records in the League Phase of the competition.
Here is all to know ahead of their top of the table clash at Emirates Stadium:
Who have Arsenal and Bayern Munich beaten so far in the UCL League Phase?
After four matchdays in the League Phase, Bayern Munich sits top of the standings with four wins and a maximum 12 points against Chelsea (3-0), Pafos (5-1), Club Brugge (4-0) and most recently, a victory over reigning UCL champions Paris Saint-Germain (2-1) away in France on November 4.
Arsenal is second on the table, equal with their German rival on points (12) and goal difference (+11). Their four wins have come against Athletic Bilbao (2-0), Olympiacos (2-0), Atletico Madrid (4-0) and Slavia Praha (3-0).
The only other team remaining in the competition with a perfect 4-0 record is Inter Milan.
Will Odegaard play against Bayern Munich?
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is a strong possibility to play against Bayern Munich in what would be his first match since injuring his knee in early October.
The Norwegian midfielder participated in training on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to be in the squad.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed Odegaard is under consideration for Wednesday’s fixture.
“He [Odegaard] was very close for the previous game. We are hopeful that tomorrow [Wednesday] he can be in the squad as well.”
Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard during training at the Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, UK on November 25, 2025 [Peter Cziborra/Action Images via Reuters]
Where did Arsenal and Bayern Munich finish in last season’s Champions League?
The Gunners reached the semifinals of the Champions League for the first time since 2008–09, upsetting Real Madrid in the quarterfinals (5-1 on aggregate) before losing to eventual champion Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern Munich’s UCL campaign came to an end at the quarterfinal stage with a closely contested defeat to Inter Milan (4-3 on aggregate).
Form guide: last five matches
Arsenal: W-W-W-D-W (Premier League, most recent result last)
Bayern Munich: W-W-W-D-W (Bundesliga, most recent result last)
Head-to-head: Arsenal-Bayern Munich
The sides last played on April 17, 2024, with Joshua Kimmich’s 63rd-minute header handing Bayern Munich a 1-0 quarterfinal victory (3-2 on aggregate) over Arsenal in the Champions League, sending the Germans through to the last-four of the 2023-24 competition.
In total, the sides have played against each other 14 times, with Bayern dominating the historical matchup:
Bayern Munich – 8 wins
Arsenal – 3 wins
Draws – 3
Arsenal’s team news
Arsenal will line up against Bayern without a recognised striker, with Kai Havertz (knee) and Viktor Gyokeres (hamstring) still rehabbing injuries.
Gabriel Jesus will also be held back from the Champions League fixture, although the Brazilian forward is back in full training after undergoing knee surgery.
“He is quite close, to be fair, and earlier than we expected,” Arteta said.
“In the next few days, he is going to have another step to make with a game that we are going to organise for him. After that, he is just going to be knocking on the door.
Kimmich, the player who buried Arsenal the last time they played back in 2024, was a question mark at the beginning of the week after sustaining a knock picked up during the FIFA international break, but is believed to be ready to play on Wednesday.
Explosive winger Luis Diaz is suspended for the Arsenal clash. The Colombian might be replaced by rising 17-year-old star Lennart Karl, who became Bayern’s youngest-ever Champions League scorer when he started against Brugge on October 22.
Injured duo Jamal Musiala and Alphonso Davies will be unavailable for selection.
Bayern manager Vincent Kompany will again lead the line with English international Harry Kane, who returns to his home city of London for this fixture.
Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, centre, and Nicolas Jackson, second from right, during training at the Bayern Munich Training centre in Munich, Germany, on November 25, 2025 [Angelika Warmuth/Reuters]
Who: Chelsea vs Barcelona What: League Phase, UEFA Champions League Where: Stamford Bridge, London, UK When: Tuesday at 8pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Chelsea will host Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday in a hugely consequential Matchday 5 League Phase clash in the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
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Chelsea and Barcelona, both former Champions League winners, head into this highly anticipated showdown with an identical seven points from their opening four fixtures, making this match pivotal as both sides aim to climb the standings in search of automatic top-eight qualification into the last-16 of the competition.
The star-studded clubs are riding recent hot streaks with Chelsea, bolstered by a trio of recent wins against Tottenham, Wolves and Burnley, closing in on the Premier League’s top spot behind table-topping Arsenal, while reigning La Liga champions Barcelona are again competing with archrival Real Madrid for the domestic title.
Here is all to know before their epic clash at Stamford Bridge:
What happened in Chelsea’s last Premier League match?
Goals from Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez earned Chelsea a 2-0 victory at lowly Burnley on Saturday.
The result moved the Blues past Manchester City and into outright second on the English Premier League (EPL) table behind leaders Arsenal.
Enzo Maresca’s side will clash with the Gunners next Sunday in a top-of-the-table premiership showdown at Stamford Bridge.
What happened in Barcelona’s last La Liga match?
Barcelona secured a dominant 4-0 victory over 10-man Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in their first match back at their home venue Nou Camp since May 2023.
Ferran Torres had two goals for Barca with Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez also adding to the scoresheet.
Athletic lost midfielder Oihan Sancet to a red card in the 54th minute after he was sent off for a crude challenge on Lopez.
Lewandowski, who scored the opener, said he will remember kicking the first goal at the team’s rebuilt Nou Camp stadium “forever”.
“Today was a special day, not only for me but for everyone. Because of this I’m very happy that I could score the first goal, coming back to the Nou Camp,” Lewandowski told Barca One.
“I have so much experience playing in different stadiums, but here is something special. I’m very proud of myself and also of the team because we did a great job today and we won.”
Lewandowski (#9) opened the scoring against Athletic Bilbao after four minutes to get Barca’s inauguration party started at the Nou Camp after two and a half years playing away from their home stadium [Josep Lago/AFP]
What happened in the last UCL League Phase match for both clubs?
Chelsea were held to a shock 2-2 draw by Azerbaijan side Qarabag in their last outing on November 5, while Barcelona had to rally from a goal down and split the points in a 3-3 result against Club Brugge in Belgium.
Where do Chelsea and Barcelona sit on the UCL League Phase standings?
Barcelona are currently 11th on the UEFA League Phase standings with Chelsea right behind in 12th position. Both sides have two wins, one draw and one loss from their four fixtures.
Teams need to finish the League Phase standings in a top-eight position to secure direct qualification into the round of 16. Those clubs that finish in ladder positions 9-to-24 will enter into a home and away playoffs to reach the last-16.
Where did Barcelona finish in last season’s Champions League?
The Catalan club were widely expected to reach the Champions League final but were eliminated by Inter, who staged a late comeback in the second leg of their record-equalling semifinal.
Palmer out of Barca clash
Chelsea star Cole Palmer is close to returning but will miss the UCL clash with Barcelona before the top-of-the-table Premier League showdown against Arsenal, Maresca said on Monday.
Palmer, who suffered a groin injury in August before returning with back-to-back goals against Brentford and Bayern Munich, was nearing his comeback, but an accident at home delayed his return.
The 23-year-old England international stubbed his toe on a door during the night, resulting in a fracture.
“Cole is wearing a (protective) boot,” Maresca told reporters.
“We don’t know when he will be back but for sure it will be soon. He’s already on the pitch, he’s already touching the ball and the feeling (for him) is good.
“I don’t think he will be available for these two games (Barca and Arsenal), but he is doing well.”
Injured Chelsea star Cole Palmer is close to returning to the training pitch but will miss this week’s important Barcelona and Arsenal fixtures [File: Jan Kruger/Getty Images]
Barca’s Lopez showing summer suitors Chelsea what they missed
Fermin Lopez, 22, is establishing himself as a regular starter for manager Hansi Flick’s side, even though outside of Spain he is not yet a household name.
Chelsea know plenty about Lopez, though, having had a 40-million-euro ($46m) bid rebuffed by Barcelona in the summer. In Tuesday’s Champions League fixture, the attacking midfielder will be one of their main goal threats.
Flick was eager to keep Lopez, while Barca were open to selling him at the right price, which Chelsea did not reach.
“I’m convinced that he will stay, but in the end I don’t know what happens. We have to wait. I am really happy when the market is closed,” said Flick in August, eventually getting his wish.
Despite his improvement and obvious utility for Barca – or maybe even because of it – he is an asset the Catalan giants could cash in.
If he shines at Stamford Bridge, it would be no surprise to see Chelsea’s interest in the midfielder reawaken and his price tag rise further.
Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder #16 Fermin Lopez is a rising star in La Liga [File: Lluis Gene/AFP]
Form guide: last five matches
Chelsea: W-L-W-W-W (Premier League, most recent result last)
Barcelona: W-L-W-W-W (La Liga, most recent result last)
Head-to-head: Chelsea-Barcelona
The two clubs have faced each other 14 times, with both teams winning four times while six ended as draws.
The sides last met at the round of 16 in the 2017-2018 Champions League with Barcelona progressing to the quarterfinals 4-1 on aggregate. Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi was the standout in the second leg with two goals – including his 100th UEFA Champions League goal – on the night.
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi celebrates scoring his 100th UEFA Champions League goal against Chelsea in their UEFA Champions League last-16 second leg match at the Nou Camp, Barcelona, Spain on March 14, 2018 [Albert Gea/Reuters]
Chelsea’s team news
Oft-injured Reece James was taken off at halftime of Saturday’s EPL fixture at Burnley, but the Chelsea captain’s early finish was preplanned and not the result of a new injury, according to Maresca, so he is expected to be available for team selection.
“The idea was to manage Reece,” said Maresca. “This is the reason why he played 45 minutes [only]. It was planned.
“It’s not easy, because me personally, I would like Reece to continue, but we need to protect Reece.”
French centre-back Wesley Fofana, who was omitted from the matchday squad against Burnley, is believed to be match fit ahead of the Barca clash.
Levi Colwill (knee), Dario Essugo (thigh) and Romeo Lavia (thigh) all remain sidelined for the Blues.
On-loan Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford missed Barca’s 4-0 victory over Bilbao on Saturday with illness but was back on the training pitch the following day, prompting rumours that he might suit up against Chelsea on Tuesday.
First-choice goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will miss the fixture as he continues to recover from a back issue. Joan Garcia will stand in for the German.
Pedri (hamstring) and Gavi (knee) are unavailable for the La Liga champions.
Dynamic winger Raphinha, who returned on the weekend from a hamstring injury, is a strong possibility to regain his starting role against the Blues.
Barcelona’s possible starting XI
J. Garcia (goalkeeper); Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Casado, De Jong; Yamal, Lopez, Torres; Lewandowski
Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford, who is battling illness, might still play in Tuesday’s important Champions League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge [File: Quique Garcia/EPA]
Who: Manchester United vs Everton What: English Premier League Where: Old Trafford, Manchester When: Monday at 8pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 5pm (17:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Manchester United host Everton and are looking to extend a five-game unbeaten run under Ruben Amorim although they have drawn their past two against Nottingham Forest and Spurs.
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A win could see them move into the top four with Bryan Mbeumo’s scoring streak a key factor in their recent resurgence.
But Everton are just three points below Man United in a congested table, and David Moyes will be extra motivated to get a result at his former club.
Happyish anniversary for Amorim
Monday’s fixture at Old Trafford marks a year to the day since Amorim’s first match in charge.
Amorim’s reign as United manager started with a 1-1 draw away to Ipswich, and since then, the Portuguese boss has experienced plenty of lows in charge of the English football giants, including finishing 15th in the table and failing to qualify for Europe.
But recent results have been encouraging, and Amorim said consistency is key.
“Right away, I knew we would struggle in some things, but the feeling was it is the best league in the world, maybe the best club,” he said.
“[Now] I think we are showing [consistency], but the important thing is that it doesn’t matter what we did in the recent games,” he said. “We cannot forget we suffered a lot in those games and play every game like it is the last one.
“[We are] more dominant, playing better football, and more competitive in every way.”
Cunha credits United resurgence for Brazil call-ups
Man United forward Matheus Cunha has credited the club’s resurgence under Amorim with helping him cement a spot in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad before next year’s World Cup in North America.
Cunha, 26, has seamlessly adapted to playing in Amorim’s system as a hybrid attacking midfielder and forward, a trait he believes has strengthened his case for World Cup inclusion.
“Knowing that the manager [Amorim] trusts me to play in multiple positions is important,” Cunha said.
“Manchester United is a club that should always be at the top,” he said. “I’m grateful to be playing in a side that’s delivering and competing well. To earn a spot in the national team, you have to consistently show your worth at club level.”
Cunha is thriving under Amorim’s style of play in the 2025-2026 English Premier League season [File: Matt McNulty/Getty Images]
Moyes says Everton in midst of a rebuild
Everton received a significant boost after appointing Moyes as manager for the second time in January with his side steadily rising up the table.
Speaking before the game against Man United, Moyes said his team were continuing to work towards finding “solid ground” but it would take time.
“We’ve said many times about us trying to get on solid ground again. We’ve done that with the new owners, new stadium and staying up last year. So we have to try and make sure that we go steady,” he said.
“If anybody thought that we were going to completely switch everything around, then they’re completely off their head.”
Moyes continued: “I used to always look at the real managers from eras before me who I look up to now – Bobby Robson, Brian Clough, Don Revie – all those ones who’d been given long periods at their clubs, and if you look at the success, it tended to work better that way.”
What happened in Man United’s last EPL match?
Matthijs de Ligt equalised in the sixth minute of a dramatic period of stoppage time to earn Manchester United a 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on November 8.
Tottenham had looked like they would claim all three points when Richarlison glanced in a header in the first minute of added time, completing a Spurs comeback from a goal down.
There was still time for de Ligt to find space at the back post at a corner to direct a header goalwards and over the line before Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clawed the ball away.
Trailing after Mbeumo’s 32nd-minute header, Tottenham dominated the second half and grabbed an equaliser in the 84th through substitute Mathys Tel’s shot that deflected in off de Ligt.
De Ligt celebrates scoring the equaliser against Spurs [Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters]
What happened in Everton’s last EPL match?
Everton defeated Fulham 2-0 at home on November 8 just before FIFA’s international window, ending a three-match EPL winless streak going back to October 5.
Idrissa Gueye gave Everton the lead in the first half, and Michael Keane made it 2-0 in the second as Moyes’s side also had a number of goals chalked off for offside in what was a dominant victory.
Gueye of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s first goal against Fulham [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Head-to-head: Last six matches
United are unbeaten against Everton in their last six fixtures with four wins and two draws.
The teams last played in a preseason friendly two weeks before the start of the 2025-2026 English Premier League season:
Manchester United 2-2 Everton (August 4)
Everton 2-2 Manchester United (February 2)
Manchester United 4-0 Everton (December 1)
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (March 9, 2024)
Everton 0-3 Manchester United (November 26, 2023)
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (April 8, 2023)
Form guide: last five Premier League matches
Manchester United: W-W-W-D-D (most recent result last)
Everton: W-L-L-D-W
United’s team news
Benjamin Sesko will be out of action “for a few weeks” after hurting his knee before the international break, Amorim said on Friday.
The forward, who joined United from RB Leipzig for 74 million pounds ($97m) in August, was injured during the 2-2 draw at Tottenham and missed Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers.
United will also be without Harry Maguire against Everton after the defender picked up an injury in the Spurs draw.
Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could be available to face Everton, and Lisandro Martinez is getting closer to a return after being involved in the Argentina camp over the break.
Meanwhile, Cunha missed a Christmas lights switch-on event in Altrincham after organisers revealed the forward suffered “an accident in training” on Saturday, raising doubts over his availability on Monday.
Stakeholders are gathering to start negotiations based on a text that the EU believes mostly favours Russian demands.
Published On 23 Nov 202523 Nov 2025
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Senior Ukrainian, European Union, United Kingdom and United States officials will soon start talks in Geneva as ambiguity and deep-seated concerns hover over the fate of the 28-point plan put forward by Washington to end the war with Russia.
At the talks, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be the top representative of the administration of President Donald Trump, who has given his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy until Thursday to take the deal.
“It is offered as a strong framework for ongoing negotiations,” he wrote. “It is based on input from the Russian side. But it is also based on previous and ongoing input from Ukraine.”
The comments came in rejection of a claim made by a bipartisan group of veteran US senators, most focused on foreign policy, who told a panel discussion at the Halifax International Security Forum in Canada that the plan is a Russian “wish list” and not the actual proposal offering Washington’s positions.
“This administration was not responsible for this release in its current form,” said Republican Mike Rounds from South Dakota, adding that “it looked more like it was written in Russian to begin with”.
State Department deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott called the claim “blatantly false”.
The senators earlier Saturday said the plan would only “reward aggression” by Moscow and send a message to other leaders who have threatened their neighbours.
Critics of the plan have said it heavily leans into the Kremlin’s oft-repeated demands and war narrative.
The plan would stress Ukrainian sovereignty and provide a security guarantee that it will not be attacked in the future, but also includes Ukraine ceding territory and making its army smaller.
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed the proposal late Friday, saying it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement” if Washington can get Ukraine and its European allies on board.
Ukraine has been careful with its rhetoric, with Zelenskyy saying he will “work calmly” with the US and his Western allies to get through what he called “truly one of the most difficult moments in our history”.
Ukraine’s European allies are not happy with the plan, either, saying the military limitations would leave Ukraine “vulnerable to future attack”, so more talks are necessary.
France, the UK and Germany, also known as the E3, will have national security advisers at the Geneva talks.
The troubled US-led diplomatic efforts are inching forward as intense fighting continues to rage in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces are pushing to take control of more territory in Zaporizhia and in Donetsk, part of the eastern Donbas region that is seeing fierce fighting and that Russia wants in its entirety, while also fending off Ukrainian air attacks on their oil and fuel infrastructure.
That performance, one of five games Mayfield started to finish that historic Super Bowl-hangover season for the Rams, jump-started Mayfield’s then-stalled career.
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Gary Klein previews Sunday’s game between the Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at SoFi Stadium.
In 2023, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him to a one-year contract, and he led them to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. In 2024, he signed a three-year contract that includes $55 million in guarantees and could be worth as much as $100 million, according to Overthecap.com.
And on Sunday, he returns to SoFi Stadium to face a Rams team that is 8-2 and looks very much like a Super Bowl contender.
“There is no way for me to sugarcoat it. … It was pivotal in my career and in my journey,” Mayfield, speaking about his time with the Rams, told Tampa Bay reporters this week, adding, “It helped me find the fun in football again. … It was instrumental in my career, something I am forever grateful for, and it will be fun to go back and see some familiar faces.”
During his short stint with the Rams, Mayfield brought “a spark” and displayed “pretty impressive mental stamina” to process and put into action so much information, Rams coach Sean McVay said.
“It’s one thing to absorb it, it’s a totally different thing to be able to bring it to life when the enemy has a say,” McVay said. “It was impressive. I think when you watch what he’s done and who he is, I think it’s probably more on par for what we expect of Baker than the outlier when you look at the totality of everything he’s done.”
Mayfield, 30, has passed for 17 touchdowns, with three interceptions this season for the Buccaneers (6-4), who lead the NFC South.
The game matches Mayfield, the top pick in the 2018 draft, against Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, the top pick in 2009.
“His ability to come in and play pretty darn well on a shortened timeline was really awesome,” Stafford said, adding, “He’s been through a lot and came out on the other side playing about as good as ball as anybody.”
The Rams are coming off a 21-19 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, a victory that extended their winning streak to five games and gave them sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
Stafford has passed for a league-leading 27 touchdowns, with only two interceptions. Davante Adams has a league-best 10 touchdown catches.
The Rams will be without three veteran starters — tight end Tyler Higbee, right tackle Rob Havenstein and safety Quentin Lake — who were placed on injured reserve this week.
The former president is taken in the capital Brasilia days before starting his prison time for leading coup attempt.
Published On 22 Nov 202522 Nov 2025
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Brazil’s federal police have arrested former President Jair Bolsonaro, days before he was set to begin his 27-year prison sentence for leading a coup attempt, according to his lawyer and a close aide.
Bolsonaro, who has been under house arrest since August, was transferred to detention on Saturday, his lawyer said.
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“He has been imprisoned, but I don’t know why,” Celso Vilardi, one of his lawyers, told the AFP news agency.
A close aide told The Associated Press news agency that the embattled former leader was taken to the police headquarters in the capital, Brasilia.
Bolsonaro’s aide Andriely Cirino confirmed to AP that the arrest took place at about 6am (03:00 GMT) on Saturday.
The force said in a short statement, which did not name Bolsonaro, that it acted on the request of Brazil’s Supreme Court.
Neither Brazil’s federal police nor the Supreme Court provided more details at the time of publication.
Sentenced for coup attempt
The 70-year-old former president was taken from his house in a gated community in the upscale Jardim Botanico neighbourhood to the federal police headquarters, Cirino said.
Local media reported that Bolsonaro, who was Brazil’s president from 2019 to 2022, was expected to begin serving his sentence sometime next week after the far-right leader exhausted all appeals of his conviction for leading a coup attempt.
The 70-year-old Bolsonaro’s legal team had previously argued that he should serve his 27-year sentence for a botched coup bid in 2022 at home, arguing imprisonment would pose a risk to his health.
Bolsonaro was convicted in September over his bid to prevent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from taking power following the 2022 election, which he lost.
The effort saw crowds of rioters storm government buildings a week after Lula’s inauguration, evoking comparisons with the January 6 riot at the United States Capitol after his close ally, President Donald Trump, lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden.
Trump has branded the prosecution of his far-right ally a “witch-hunt” and made it a major issue in US relations with Brazil, imposing stiff tariffs on the country as a form of retribution.
Trump and Lula held what Brazil described as a constructive meeting on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur last month, raising hope for improved relations after stinging US tariffs.
Lula said the meeting with Trump was “great” and added that their countries’ negotiating teams would get to work “immediately” to tackle tariffs and other issues.
Kara Dunn held her right wrist aloft for an extra beat. Just to be sure.
It had been a while, by that point in the second quarter, since USC had seen a deep jumper drop. As Dunn lifted off from behind the arc against Portland on Tuesday, 19 of the Trojans’ previous 20 three-point attempts, going back to Saturday’s battle with South Carolina, had missed, a stretch of futility strange to a team that mostly scored at will a season ago.
But before any of those early concerns grew too glaring Tuesday night, Dunn watched as her jumper safely found the bottom of the net. Within a few minutes from there, USC found its offensive mojo again, bouncing back from Saturday’s South Carolina loss to beat Portland, 78-51.
It hasn’t been the smoothest ride for USC this season as it tries to fill the void left by injured superstar JuJu Watkins, who averaged 24 points last season.
Jazzy Davidson has done an admirable job stepping into that leading role early on. She led the way again Tuesday, stuffing the stat sheet with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
The question through four games has been who might step up alongside the Trojans’ talented freshman. Londynn Jones scored 12 while Kennedy Smith overcame an inefficient start to score 13 on five-of-14 shooting.
There have been no such concerns this season about USC’s defense, which forced a stunning 29 turnovers. It was the most turnovers forced by the Trojans since last November, when they tallied 42 against California State Northridge.
It looked bleak through the first quarter Tuesday. USC opened the game one for seven from the field, with its offense looking out of sorts, and scored a meager 10 points in the first 10 minutes. Portland, fresh off an NCAA tournament invite last season, opened an early eight-point advantage and led for most of the first half.
Until Dunn’s three-pointer at the 5:42 mark of the second quarter, USC had hit just one shot outside of the paint.
But the mere sight of a long-distance jumper was apparently enough to jump-start things on that end. Davidson snagged a steal on the next possession, the third turnover of the quarter she’d turn into a breakaway lay-in. Kennedy Smith followed with a steal and a lay-in. Then, Jones pulled up from three-point range and sunk one.
By the end of the barrage, USC had turned an eight-point deficit at the start of the second quarter into a 13-point lead, just seven minutes later. It finished the half on a 24-5 run.
Davidson was the spark plug. She scored 14 on seven-of 10 shooting in the first half. The rest of the team was eight of 24 in that span.
Portland cut USC’s lead to just seven points midway through the third quarter. But the Trojans kicked into high gear again. A few minutes into the fourth, Smith hit a three-pointer. Then Jones followed with two more.
Unbeaten Spain (5-0-0) is guaranteed direct qualification into the FIFA World Cup 2026 if they beat Turkiye in their last Group E fixture on Tuesday in Seville.
Armed with a three-point lead – and a huge goal difference – Luis de la Fuente’s side are in a highly advantageous position to clinch a 13th consecutive appearance at football’s global showpiece.
Turkiye (4-0-1), for their part, still have a mathematical chance to steal the top spot from Spain in their Matchday 10 finale – but they will need to rain down a plethora of goals on the reigning European champions to avoid the runners-up spot.
Here is all to know about their Group E return clash:
Current Group E standings (one fixture remaining):
Spain – 15 points (from five matches)
Turkiye – 12 points (from five matches)
Georgia – 3 points (from five matches)
Bulgaria – 0 points (from five matches)
How can Spain qualify for the World Cup?
Spain currently sits at the top of their Group E with five wins out of five fixtures and have a perfect record with 15 points.
Scenario 1:
A draw or a win in their final match against Turkiye would seal their spot at the 2026 World Cup with an insurmountable lead in the group.
Scenario 2:
A loss to Turkiye would mean both teams conclude the qualification period with 15 points from six matches – but with Spain having a vastly superior goal difference.
To finish first in Group E, Turkiye would have to pull off a stunning seven-goal victory away to Spain to pip La Roja for automatic World Cup qualification.
How can Turkiye qualify for the World Cup?
Turkiye sit in second position in Group E with 12 points – nine points clear of next-best Georgia.
Unless they can defeat Spain by seven goals, Turkiye will enter the UEFA playoff competition in March as the group runners-up.
Turkiye last took part in the World Cup finals in 2002, finishing a surprise third place in the tournament that was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
Spain’s Mikel Merino celebrates scoring his side’s fifth goal against Turkiye in their UEFA World Cup Qualifier Group E fixture at Konya Buyuksehir Arena, Konya, Turkiye on September 7, 2025 [Murad Sezer/Reuters]
What happened the last time Spain and Turkiye played?
Mikel Merino’s hat-trick helped Spain thrash hosts Turkiye 6-0 in their last World Cup qualifier on September 7.
The home side had no answer to Spain’s dominance, undone time and again by the visitors’ speed and finesse, with a helpless Turkish defence torn apart on every counterattack.
That loss remains Turkiye’s only defeat in Group E.
Will Lamine Yamal play for Spain?
Barcelona star forward Lamine Yamal will miss Spain’s final World Cup qualifier against Turkiye as he continues to manage an ongoing groin issue.
Yamal, 18, underwent a small procedure in Barcelona on November 10 to try and fix the problem. Doctors estimate his recovery time from the surgery at 7-10 days.
Star forward Lamine Yamal is one of several key players missing from Spain’s final Group E fixture against Turkiye on Tuesday [File: Murad Sezer/Reuters]
Head-to-head
Spain has never lost to Turkiye in the six international fixtures they have played since 2005.
Spain – won 5
Turkiye – won 0
Draws – 1
Form Guide:
Spain: W-W-W-W-W (UEFA World Cup qualifiers, most recent result last)
Turkiye: W-L-W-W-W (UEFA World Cup qualifiers, most recent result last)
Spain team news
In addition to Yamal’s unavailability, Spain heads into the Turkiye fixture without other key players Dani Carvajal, Pedri and Rodri.
Dean Huijsen is also questionable with a groin issue and is likely to be a game-time decision for De la Fuente.
Mikel Oyarzabal, who has scored eight goals in his last eight international appearances, will again be the No 1 choice to lead the line for Spain on Tuesday.
Turkiye team news
The Turkish Football Federation has officially ruled out Inter Milan midfield star Hakan Calhanoglu against Spain after he picked up a wrist injury during the previous international match against Bulgaria on Saturday.
Calhanoglu, who is the top goalscorer in Italy’s top-flight Serie A this season, will likely be replaced in an attacking midfield position by Isak Vural, who has been brought into the squad.
Head coach Vincenzo Montella will almost certainly be without Galatasaray defender Kaan Ayhan, who is highly questionable after he was substituted on Saturday with a groin injury.
Midfielder Ismail Yuksek will serve a one-match ban after picking up a second yellow card in the qualifying campaign against Bulgaria.
Hakan Calhanoglu’s omission from the Turkiye side to play Spain makes their monumental task of outscoring the European champions by seven goals all the more difficult [Umit Bektas/Reuters]
The Spain head coach is not taking his team’s unbeaten Group E run for granted before Tuesday’s fixture with Turkiye.
“Our aim is to qualify for the [FIFA] World Cup,” he said.
“Regardless of the results in this phase, we want to win to secure our place in the qualifiers, and that means fighting, working hard and doing things right to give ourselves the best chance of winning.
“It’s very difficult to win and we want to continue on our path, but one game at a time and one day at a time,” De la Fuente said.
“Every now and then it’s good to keep our feet on the ground. What this team is doing is very difficult, but we want to keep improving.”
Montella:
The Turkiye head coach has deployed a strong tactical game plan against Spain, but concedes his side’s chances of overtaking the European champions in the points table are slim.
“It [the fixture] won’t have much effect on the points table, but it’s important for us nonetheless,” he said. “I believe in my players.”
When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The tournament is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The first match will be played in Mexico City on June 11, while the final will be staged in New Jersey, US, on July 19.
Due to the expansion of the tournament – from 32 teams to 48 – the 39-day event is the longest in its history.
The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, US, will stage the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 19 [File: Kena Betancur/VIEWpress via Getty Images]
Different team. Different time. But it’s back to the scene of the crime for the Chargers, who three years ago succumbed to a 27-point comeback in a playoff loss at Jacksonville.
This season’s Jaguars got off to a 4-1 start but have lost three of their last four to slip back into the pack. They don’t have star rookie Travis Hunter, who underwent surgery this week and will miss the remainder of the season.
The team plays hard for first-year coach Liam Coen, who said he wants quarterback Trevor Lawrence to “cut it loose and let it rip” when he sees opportunities down the field.
After opening the season 3-0, the Chargers lost three of four, but are now riding another three-game winning streak. Justin Herbert has been outstanding at times, despite being the most-hit quarterback in the NFL.
The Chargers defense is coming off a gem of a performance in a win over Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of 41 years old, and at one point the Steelers were 0 for 9 on third down.
How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a patchwork offensive line. Jacksonville has struggled to pressure quarterbacks, especially with Travon Walker at less than full strength and a beat-up secondary. Get the ball to Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II, with some Keenan Allen mixed in. Don’t allow the Jaguars to control the game with the run.
How the Jaguars can win: Jacksonville can look like a playoff team when it wins at the line of scrimmage but tends to collapse when it gets pushed around. The Jaguars need to establish the run early and grind out some long drives because they do not get a lot of explosive plays. Get to Herbert quickly before he has a chance to attack that weakened secondary. Contain Herbert, too, because he can burn you with his feet.
Jameis Winston entered last Sunday as the New York Giants’ No. 3 quarterback.
This week, he appears to be set to make his first start of the season.
Winston has been moved ahead of fellow veteran quarterback Russell Wilson on the Giants’ depth chart, according to multiple media outlets. The move puts Winston in line for what appears to be a likely start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers as regular starter Jaxson Dart remains in concussion protocol.
It’s the first major decision made by interim coach Mike Kafka since the Giants’ firing of coach Brian Daboll on Monday. New York went 20-40-1 in three-plus seasons under Daboll, including a 2-8 start to this season.
A 10-time Pro Bowl selection and a Super Bowl champion with the Seattle Seahawks, Wilson started 11 games for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2024, his 13th NFL season. He was signed during the offseason by the Giants to be their 2025 starting quarterback.
Winston was signed to be Wilson’s backup. In his previous 10 NFL seasons, Winston had gone 36-51 as the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New Orleans Saints and Cleveland Browns, with 154 touchdowns and 111 interceptions.
In April, the Giants traded up nine spots in the draft to select Dart with the No. 25 overall pick. The rookie out of Mississippi ended up earning the No. 2 quarterback spot. But Wilson was largely ineffective during the Giants’ 0-3 start, and Dart was promoted to starting quarterback in Week 4.
Dart helped spark the Giants to wins over the Chargers and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles in two of his first three starts. Overall this season, Dart is 2-7 as a starter, completing 63% of his passes for 1,417 yards passing with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Last week against the Chicago Bears, Dart hit his head on the ground during the third quarter and eventually was checked for a concussion for the fourth time this season. Wilson entered the game mid-drive and led the Giants to an eventual field goal and a 20-10 lead.
Overall, however, Wilson was ineffective again — he completed three of seven passes for 45 yards and was sacked twice — as the Giants collapsed and lost the game 24-20.
Unbeaten Portugal (3-1-0) will seal direct qualification to the FIFA World Cup 2026 if they beat Ireland in their penultimate Group F fixture at the Aviva Stadium.
Armed with a five-point lead, Roberto Martinez’s team are in the box seat to seal a seventh consecutive appearance at football’s global showpiece.
Ireland (1-1-2), for their part, still have a mathematical chance to keep their World Cup aspirations alive by causing a huge upset on Thursday night against an opponent that is fifth in the FIFA world rankings.
They are currently third in the group – but only a point behind second-placed Hungary with two matches still to play. Ireland last qualified for the World Cup in 2006.
Here is all to know about their Group F return clash:
Current Group F standings (two fixtures remaining):
Portugal – 10 points (from four matches)
Hungary – 5 points (from four matches)
Ireland – 4 points (from four matches)
Armenia – 3 points (from four matches)
How can Portugal and Ireland still qualify for World Cup in Group F?
Scenario 1:
Group leaders Portugal require a win against Ireland to ensure direct World Cup qualification into next year’s tournament, which is being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In this scenario, Portugal would have 13 points – an insurmountable lead over the other three teams in the group with just one match remaining.
Scenario 2:
If Portugal were to draw its final two fixtures against Ireland and Armenia, they would also finish top of the Group F standings with 12 points from six matches.
Scenario 3:
If Portugal lose its final two matches against Ireland and Armenia, and Hungary – which currently has five points – wins its final two fixtures against Armenia and Ireland, then Hungary would move top of Group F with 11 points vs Portugal’s 10 points.
If Ireland win their final two games, and Portugal lose their final two games, then the teams would be level on 10 points at the top of the standings with the group winner being decided by goal difference.
All 12 group winners in Europe qualify directly for the World Cup while the runners-up go on to the playoffs for the remaining finals places taking place in March.
Hungary midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai’s equalising late goal against Portugal in Lisbon on October 14, 2025, has kept the Group F race for direct World Cup qualification alive for his side and Ireland [Armando Franca/AP]
What happened in Portugal’s last match against Hungary?
Portugal were on the brink of punching their ticket to the World Cup as they led Hungary 2-1 in stoppage time in Lisbon, knowing a win would confirm first place in Group F.
However, Hungary snatched a late draw when Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai finished from close range in injury time.
What happened the last time Portugal played Ireland?
The teams last played on October 11 in Lisbon.
Portugal’s Ruben Neves scored a stoppage-time goal to snatch a dramatic 1-0 home win in Group F after his teammate Ronaldo had a penalty saved earlier in the match as Ireland threatened to hold the unbeaten hosts to a draw.
Is the 2026 World Cup Ronaldo’s last major international tournament?
Yes. With Portugal on the verge of qualifying for the World Cup, Ronaldo confirmed the tournament in North America will be his swansong on football’s biggest stage.
“Definitely, yes, because I will be 41 years old [at the World Cup],” said Ronaldo, who is also the top scorer in history with 143 international goals.
“I gave everything for football. I’ve been in the game for the last 25 years. I did everything. I have many records in the different scenarios in the clubs and also in the national teams.
“I’m really proud. So let’s enjoy the moment, live the moment.”
Ronaldo’s Portugal can qualify for their seventh World Cup in a row with a victory over Ireland on November 13, 2025 [File: Pedro Nunes/Reuters]
Head-to-head
This is only the 18th meeting between the European sides with Portugal winning 10 and Ireland winning four.
Ireland’s last win came in a friendly in 2005, courtesy of Andy O’Brien’s solitary strike in Dublin. There have been four subsequent matches, of which Portugal have won three.
Ireland’s last competitive win against Portugal came in a European Championships qualifier in 1995.
The fixture dates back to 1946 and began with a 3-1 home win for Portugal in a friendly.
Portugal’s form
W-W-W-W-D (most recent result last)
Ireland’s form
D-D-L-L-W (most recent result last)
Portugal team news
Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has withdrawn from Martinez’s squad after he suffered a groin injury in his side’s 3-0 Premier League victory over Wolves on Saturday. Rafael Leao is the most likely replacement for Neto.
Sporting Lisbon midfielder Pedro Goncalves is also out for a month after an undisclosed injury playing against Santa Clara on the weekend.
“[I’m] out of these next two games and not being able to be present in the World Cup qualifiers. Something I always dreamed of was representing the National Team, and not being able to go hurts. Now it’s time to recover properly, even though I’m not doing what I love the most! Thank you to the team for the effort until the end! We still have a lot to achieve,” Goncalves wrote on social media.
Ronaldo, who has yet to score away to Ireland in four career meetings, will lead the line for Portugal.
Ireland team news
In a big blow to Ireland’s chances, star striker Evan Ferguson is out of the Portugal fixture with an ankle issue and is in doubt for their final World Cup match against Hungary, which may decide who finishes second in Group F.
Manager Heimir Hallgrimsson will also be without three other injured regulars in the squad: Callum O’Dowda (minor knock), Mark Sykes (shin) and Sammie Szmodics (knee).
Ryan Manning and Jayson Molumby are serving one match suspensions.
Injured forward Evan Ferguson, who has scored three of Ireland’s four goals in World Cup qualifying, will be sorely missed as an attacking option against Portugal [File: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images]
“If Armenia wins or there is a draw, a win in Hungary is enough for us, so that is two of four scenarios for us,” the Ireland manager said.
“If Hungary win, we need at least a draw, but if they win by two or three goals, we will need a draw [against Portugal] and win by maybe three goals away in Hungary.
“We will know what we need in this game against Portugal before we kick off, which is a benefit to us, but it doesn’t change how we start and play the game, but may need to take calculated risks as the game progresses.”
Martinez:
“November is always a difficult stage. Even so, our focus is on qualifying for the World Cup. … We have to improve, especially in the final 20 minutes of games,” Portugal’s manager said.
They say a week is a long time in football, never mind 99 of them.
Sam Kerr knows that all too well, as her 692-day wait to start a match for Chelsea came to an end on Tuesday.
After scoring in her side’s 3-1 Champions League victory against BK Hacken on 20 December 2023, Kerr’s career was rocked by injury.
An anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained during a warm-weather training camp in January 2024, followed by several setbacks, kept her out of competitive action until September this year.
“It feels good. It felt like I had to work myself into it but yeah, happy to score,” Kerr told Disney+.
“Of course, I prefer to play more minutes. When you come on for 20 minutes it’s a bit hectic, there’s lots of subs and it can be a bit wishy-washy. I feel like today was good.
“I had a few chances in the first half. I’m just happy to be back out here playing in the Champions League again, with an amazing team. I’m relishing every moment.”
For a while it looked like it just wouldn’t be Kerr’s night.
She may have started two friendlies for Australia last month but her sharpness is still coming back and, in the first half, missed three chances she would be expected to take.
Her wayward finishing continued when she blazed over early in the second half, while her poorly timed run led to team-mate Naomi Girma’s first-half header being ruled out for offside.
Then emerged the Kerr Europe’s defenders hoped they might not see again.
A superb first touch from Wieke Kaptein’s cross got the ball out of her feet, before a sweeping right-foot strike left goalkeeper Carina Schluter helpless.
For her second, Kerr dropped back off the defensive line into space, adjusted to meet the flight of Niamh Charles’ cross and planted a header high into the net.
“It feels a bit sweeter but it feels a bit weird,” Kerr said on whether the feeling of scoring has changed after her injury.
“I didn’t score for so long that I was like I haven’t celebrated, really. I haven’t got that celebration thing yet. I’ve got to score a few more.”
Next Kerr will target a first WSL start since 17 December 2023. With Aggie Beever-Jones missing the last two games with a dead leg, it could come against Liverpool on Sunday.
“I feel 100% but I was out for a while, so I have to build myself up,” Kerr said.
“Today was a good set, right? Getting some good minutes in the national team was a good set. I’m definitely fit enough, it’s just about getting miles in the legs now. I’m ready to go.”
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) playoffs begin on Thursday with four teams – Cameroon, Gabon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – slugging it out to decide which nation will progress to the FIFA intercontinental playoff tournament in March, which is the final hurdle for qualification into the World Cup 2026 in North America.
The four teams were the best runners-up across the nine African qualifying groups – and the playoff winner will keep alive their nation’s hopes of becoming the continent’s 10th representative at next year’s finals.
Here is all to know about the CAF playoffs:
Where are the African playoffs being held?
Morocco’s capital Rabat will host the African World Cup playoffs, using three different stadiums for the three matches.
Al Barid Stadium and Moulay El Hassan Stadium will be used for the semifinals.
The newly built Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which will host the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final on January 18, will be the venue for the CAF playoff final.
What time do the African playoff matches start?
The two sudden-death semifinal playoffs will be played at the following times:
Nigeria vs Gabon: Thursday, November 13 at 5pm (16:00 GMT) at Moulay El Hassan Stadium
Cameroon vs Congo DR: Thursday, November 13 at 8pm (19:00 GMT) at Al Barid Stadium
The winner-take-all final will be played at the following time:
CAF final (Teams TBD): Sunday, November 16 at 8pm local (19:00 GMT) at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
How was the draw made for the CAF playoff matches?
The draw was based on the current FIFA world rankings of the four teams as of October 17.
Nigeria was ranked highest (#41), followed by Cameroon (#54), Congo DR (#60) and Gabon (#77).
Based on the rankings, FIFA implemented a No.1 (Nigeria) vs No.4 seed (Gabon) matchup for the first semifinal and a No.2 (Cameroon) vs No.3 (Congo DR) second semi.
Nigeria’s key forward Victor Osimhen is hoping to lead his nation to a seventh FIFA World Cup finals appearance in 2026 [File: Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters]
What does the African playoff winner still need to do for World Cup qualification?
The winner of Sunday’s CAF playoff must still overcome teams from other continents in a FIFA intercontinental playoff scheduled for March in Mexico to decide the final two qualifiers for the World Cup.
The intercontinental playoff will feature two teams from the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and one team apiece from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) and the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC).
How many African nations have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026?
Nine African countries have already qualified via direct entry from the CAF group stage: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Tunisia.
When and where is the FIFA World Cup 2026?
The tournament is being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The first match will be played in Mexico City on June 11, while the final will be staged in New Jersey, the US, on July 19.
Due to the expansion of the tournament – from 32 teams to 48 – the 39-day event is the longest in its history.
The MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in the United States will stage the FIFA World Cup 2026 final on July 19 [File: Kena Betancur/VIEWpress via Getty Images]
What are the African squads for the CAF playoffs?
⚽ Cameroon:
Goalkeepers: Andre Onana (Trabzonspor, Turkiye), Devis Epassy (Dinamo Bucuresti, Romania), Simon Omossola (Saint-Eloi Lupopo, Congo)
Midfielders: Frank Anguissa (Napoli, Italy), Martin Hongla (Granada, Spain), Jean Onana (Genoa, Italy), Yvan Neyou (Getafe, Spain), Carlos Baleba (Brighton & Hove Albion, England), Arthur Avom (Lorient, France), Wilitty Younoussa (Rodez, France)
Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (c) (Azerbaijan Neftci, Azerbaijan), Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (New York Red Bulls, US), Moumi Ngamaleu (Dynamo Moscow, Russia), Christian Bassogog (Al-Okhdood, Saudi Arabia), Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United, England), Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (Diriyah, Saudi Arabia), Frank Magri (Toulouse, France), Danny Namaso (Auxerre, France), Patrick Soko (Almeria, Spain), Karl Etta Eyong (Levante, Spain)
Defenders: Aaron Appindangoye (Sivasspor, Turkiye), Jonathan do Marcolino (Bourg-en-Bresse, France), Jacques Ekomie (Angers, France), Bruno Ecuele Manga (Paris 13 Atletico, France), Yannis Mbemba (FC Dordrecht, Netherlands), Johan Obiang (Orleans, France), Mike Kila Onfia (Hafia, Guinea), Anthony Oyono and Jeremy Oyono (both Frosinone, Italy)
Forwards: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Olympique de Marseille, France), Teddy Averlant (Amiens, France), Denis Bouanga (Los Angeles FC, US), Alan do Marcolino (Lusitania Lourosa, Portugal), Randy Essang Matouti (Khenchela, Algeria), Noha Lemina (Yverdon Sport, Switzerland), Bryan Meyo (Oympique Lyonnais, France)
⚽ Nigeria:
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa), Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania), Maduka Okoye (Udinese, Italy)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Nantes, France), Semi Ajayi (Hull City, England), Calvin Bassey (Fulham, England), Benjamin Fredericks (Dender, Belgium), Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiakos, Greece), Bright Osayi-Samuel (Birmingham City, England), Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal), William Troost-Ekong (Al-Kholood, Saudi Arabia)
Midfielders: Alex Iwobi (Fulham, England), Wilfred Ndidi (Besiktas, Turkiye), Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium), Frank Onyeka (Brentford, England), Alhassan Yusuf (New England Revolution, US)
Both the Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off victories, with the Chargers winning in Tennessee, and the Steelers forcing six turnovers to hand the Indianapolis Colts just their second loss.
The Chargers lost left tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury and once again have to reshuffle an offensive line that has been in a constant state of flux.
Rodgers has rediscovered his spark in Pittsburgh and consistently puts the football in the right places.
How the Chargers can win: Protect Herbert with quick-developing pass routes that allow him to get the ball out of his hands. Pittsburgh’s edge rush of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig can create havoc if Herbert holds the ball too long. Attack the corners. Joey Porter Jr. has been penalty-prone, and Darius Slay isn’t as fast as he once was. The Steelers often struggle covering tight ends, so Oronde Gadsden II could be in line for a big game.
How the Steelers can win: Generate pressure and turnovers. When the Steelers force mistakes, they win. Let Watt and Highsmith collapse the pocket and make Herbert uncomfortable behind a patchwork Chargers line. Keep Rodgers clean and balanced with an efficient mix of Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren runs to control tempo. Defensively, stay disciplined in coverage with Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger as the new safety tandem.
Who: Manchester City vs Liverpool What: English Premier League Where: Etihad Stadium, Manchester When: Sunday at 4:30pm (16:30 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 13:30 GMT in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Games between Manchester City and Liverpool have often been regarded as key battles in Premier League title races in recent seasons, but Sunday’s encounter may merely point to which of the two clubs is best equipped to try to chase league leaders Arsenal.
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By the time the weekend’s big game kicks off at the Etihad Stadium, Arsenal – who visit surprise-package Sunderland on Saturday – could be 10 points clear of champions Liverpool and nine ahead of Pep Guardiola’s City.
That scenario would increase the pressure on City and Liverpool, who head into the last round of fixtures before another international stoppage second and third respectively.
There are signs that both clubs are finding form. City have lost only once in their last 13 games in all competitions and on Wednesday pummelled Borussia Dortmund 4-1 in the Champions League with Erling Haaland scoring his 18th club goal this season and a rejuvenated Phil Foden bagging a brace.
Liverpool have also emerged from a run of six defeats in seven matches in all competitions to beat Aston Villa and Real Madrid in their last two games.
Guardiola ‘desperate to play against Liverpool’
City lost home and away to the Reds last season as they were dethroned as champions, and City boss Pep Guardiola admitted he was surprised at Liverpool’s stumbles this season.
“Of course, but sometimes it’s about momentum,” Guardiola stated. “All the clubs are there except Arsenal, who are more consistent than anyone.
“But the season is long, so we try to be there and see what happens. To be hones,t I’m so excited and happy to prepare for Sunday. I’m desperate to play against Liverpool.”
Guardiola on the touchline during his side’s 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund [Oli Scarff/AFP]
Foden is ‘back’ warns City’s boss
The City and England forward lit up the win over Dortmund, scoring twice to register his first European goals this season and double his tally in all competitions.
City’s star academy graduate struggled for much of last season, opening up about off-field issues and injuries that affected him, but the signs are that the 25-year-old is back to his best, having been the stand-out player in City’s Premier League-winning 2023/24 campaign.
“Phil is back,” Guardiola said. “How many times have we seen Phil score these type of goals? We miss this a lot last season but this season I think he is going to help us a lot.”
Guardiola added, “He’s a special player [and] we need his goals and hopefully today was the first step to do it. It’s important to have him for the big, big match on Sunday [against Liverpool].”
Foden grabbed a brace against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Van Dijk says Liverpool must build from the back
Prior to a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, Liverpool had gone 10 matches without a clean sheet.
“It is easy to say now because we won twice in a row. In a world of chaos you have to stay calm and see perspective of things,” captain Virgil van Dijk said. “We all know how football works – it can change overnight.”
Liverpool face another huge test of their title defence on Sunday when Van Dijk faces Haaland, who has struck 26 times this season for club and country.
“You can see at the moment Arsenal are flying, and it is down to clean sheets and not conceding chances,” added Van Dijk.
“We have the quality to hurt anyone on the break – it starts with the defending. Today, you saw the hard work.
“We have to keep going. Sunday is going to be another difficult one.”
Van Dijk celebrates as Alexis Mac Allister, not pictured, scores against Real Madrid [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Slot looking forward to ‘Clasico’ against City
Liverpool boss Arne Slot said he was not surprised by his team’s return to form to win their last two games, but warned that playing at Manchester City would pose a far more difficult challenge.
“Our main focus is on consistency at the moment, as you know we’ve lost a few games, much more than we usually do … We were consistent but we were consistently losing. That wasn’t the idea,” a laughing Slot told reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash.
“It wasn’t a surprise for me how the last two games went. It was helpful that the other team did what we expected them to do,” he added.
Slot said Guardiola’s City were his immediate focus rather than the league table.
“Similar to the ‘Clasico,’ these are the few games everyone is looking forward to,” he said.
“What I like about Pep Guardiola’s teams is that 10 out of 10 times you get what you are hoping for – a great game of football, no time wasting or those kinds of things that I start to dislike more and more about football,” Slot said.
Head-to-head
Liverpool boast by far the better win ratio from the two clubs’ 218 encounters, with the Reds winning 110 matches, City winning 60, and 58 ending as draws.
The Reds’ league double over City last year included a 2-0 win at the Etihad in February, courtesy of goals from Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai, that sent the eventual champions 11 points clear of City.
City’s last win over the Reds was a 4-1 thrashing at the Etihad in April 2023, on a tense day that included an apparent attack by Liverpool fans on the City team bus and Guardiola being accused of disrespectfully celebrating directly in front of Liverpool substitutes.
City’s team news
Guardiola seems to have the luxury of a fully-fit squad to choose from, with talismanic midfielder Rodri set to come into the team after recovering from injury to likely form a double-pivot with Nico Gonzalez.
While left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri has recovered from injury, Nico O’Reilly has excelled in his absence and may be the one tasked with trying to shackle Salah.
The Reds’ first choice keeper Alisson Becker remains injured, but Liverpool have the impressive Giorgi Mamardashvili to rely on between the sticks instead.
Slot confirmed that record signing Alexander Isak may be fit enough to make the squad following a groin problem but he may not be risked, while Curtis Jones is back in training after also suffering a groin injury.
Conor Bradley put in a sensational defensive display against Real Madrid in midweek and will surely retain his spot at right-back with Jeremie Frimpong ruled out for another six weeks, while Andy Robertson also impressed at left-back and may start again as new signing Milos Kerkez continues to adjust to life at Liverpool.
Liverpool’s predicted starting lineup
Mamardashvili; Bradley, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson; Gravenberch, Mac Allister; Salah, Szoboszlai, Wirtz; Ekitike
