thrilling

World champion Luke Littler hit a sensational 152 checkout in the deciding leg of a thrilling World Grand Prix quarter-final against Gerwyn Price to reach the last four in Leicester.

That wonderful finish capped the 18-year-old’s fightback from two sets down against 2020 World Grand Prix winner Price, who missed three match darts at doubles in the fourth set.

Littler had seemed poised for victory in the final set before Price took out an incredible 156 finish to send the match into a sudden-death leg, in which the Welshman had the advantage of throwing first.

Both players struggled to find an opening double in the decider and neither scored heavily, until the English teenager’s moment of magic finished the match.

After Littler found double 16 to complete his memorable win, former world champion Price smiled and applauded from the back of the stage before the pair shared a warm embrace.

Julian Alvarez scores twice as Atletico came from behind to inflict a first defeat of the season on city rivals Real.

Julian Alvarez scored twice as Atletico Madrid came from behind to thrash city rivals Real Madrid 5-2 in a pulsating derby that handed the La Liga leaders their first loss after a perfect start to the season.

The thrilling encounter at a raucous Metropolitano stadium saw Atletico fight back from 2-1 down to claim a memorable victory that lifted them to fourth place with 12 points.

Real Madrid remain top of La Liga on 18 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who have a game in hand.

Atletico’s aggressive start paid off when Robin Le Normand opened the scoring with a header in the 14th minute.

However, Kylian Mbappe burst through to level with an unstoppable strike from close range in a quick counter in the 25th minute, with Arda Guller netting a volley from a Vinicius Jr cross 11 minutes later to put the visitors in front.

Alexander Sorloth’s header in added time before the break gave Atletico a boost and they regained the lead five minutes into the second half when Alvarez converted a penalty after Guler’s high boot clipped rival Nico Gonzalez on the face inside the box.

After Alvarez extended their lead in the 64th minute with a sublime free kick into the top corner, substitute Antoine Griezmann sealed the win in a quick counter in added time.

Alvarez’s performance was sweet redemption after his controversial double-kick penalty contributed to Atletico losing to Madrid in last season’s Champions League.

Diego Simeone’s Atletico dealt Xabi Alonso his first loss of the season after Madrid had won all six La Liga games and its Champions League opener. Alonso’s only other loss since taking over as Madrid’s coach in the summer was against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup semifinals in July.

Barcelona can overtake leader Madrid with a win at Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Real Madrid coach Alonso admitted that his side deserved to lose the game.

“We were bad at everything. We couldn’t string passes together, we couldn’t win duels, we couldn’t create chances,” he said.

“We need to analyse what happened and get better, and we will.”

The Madrid coach tried to find positives from this painful defeat as he looked ahead to the rest of the season.

“This is a process,” he said. “We’re in a phase where we’re building an identity. We will get better, for sure.”

Three weeks into the NFL season and already the Chargers have planted a flag atop the AFC West — and a Mt. Rushmore collection of coaches.

They dispatched of the Denver Broncos on Sunday, after beating the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders in the previous two weeks.

If you’re keeping a scorecard, those are wins over Andy Reid, Pete Carroll and now Sean Payton, all Super Bowl winners, in a historic start for Jim Harbaugh, who is quick to remind people not to “put me on that dance floor” because he has yet to win a ring.

But Sunday’s 23-20 triumph might have been the most impressive considering the Chargers were flat as day-old soda for a considerable stretch yet still found a way to come back and win.

“It’s a signature win,” said Harbaugh, whose 3-0 start matches the club’s best since 2002.

His team’s first home game of the season, when the SoFi Stadium stands were mostly orange, had the Chargers taking a 10-0 lead before surrendering 17 unanswered points that left them chasing the entire second half.

The game-tying touchdown was a beauty, a sidearmed, cross-body, 20-yard sling by Justin Herbert to ageless receiver Keenan Allen, who was blanketed in the end zone yet still came up with the catch.

“I was lower than he was,” Allen said of cornerback Riley Moss. “I put my hands out there and the ball just kind of stuck.”

Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, right, celebrates with tight end Oronde Gadsden II after catching a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter Sunday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Everyone in the stadium watched in amazement. Everyone, that is, but Herbert. He was on the ground, so he didn’t see the touchdown but heard it.

“I’m sure it was an incredible catch by Keenan,” said the quarterback, who planned to watch the replays when he got home Sunday evening. “The defender wasn’t looking. That’s advantage Keenan.”

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Sam Farmer breaks down what has gone right for the Chargers over the course of their 3-0 start to the season.

That play locked the score at 20-20, but it was the ultra-accurate Cameron Dicker who broke that tie a couple minutes later with a 43-yard field goal as the clock expired. It was the eighth winning kick of his career and extinguished a remarkable effort by the Broncos, who sacked Herbert five times and pulled off the most creative touchdown in Payton’s two-season tenure with the team.

The play in question came with 46 seconds left in the first half with Denver trailing, 10-0, and facing a fourth-and-two at their 48.

Denver gave every indication it planned to run, and the Chargers called timeout to prepare their defense. When the Broncos emerged from the timeout, they loaded up the right side of their line with both starting tackles and a tight end between them. The ball was definitely going to that side.

Quarterback Bo Nix rolled right then surprised everyone by throwing left to a wide-open Courtland Sutton who essentially was ignored by defenders and raced untouched 52 yards for a score. It was the longest Broncos touchdown pass on fourth down since 1978 and a testament to the play-drawing artistry of Payton.

“He’s a master at scheming it up,” said Chargers safety Tony Jefferson, in his 11th season. “Ever since I got into the league, I’ve played the Saints so much [Payton’s former team] and you’ve always got to be on your P’s and Q’s with them.”

The Chargers had to watch their P’s and Q’s, and their old J.K. — running back J.K. Dobbins, who played for them last season and Sunday made them pay. He caught a screen pass for the Broncos at the beginning of the second half and turned it upfield for a 19-yard touchdown. He dashed down the sideline as if sprinting on a tightrope before diving across the goal line to give Denver its first lead of the day.

Cameron Dicker kicks the winning field goal as time expires in the Chargers’ 23-20 win over the Broncos on Sunday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Payton lamented his team’s slow start and the 10 penalties, compared to three for the Chargers.

“Tomorrow’s an important day,” he told reporters afterward. “Tomorrow’s more important than the game we just played. Because we’re in this accelerated … we’ve got to get better fast. And if we do, I think this will be all right.”

Whereas Dobbins led all rushers with 83 yards, the Chargers are still looking to get their ground attack rolling. That just got a lot tougher as the team lost veteran running back Najee Harris to an ankle injury in the second quarter. He had to be helped off the field, and the replays were cover-your-eyes cringeworthy, although the severity of his injury was not disclosed.

That piles even more of the running burden onto the shoulders of rookie first-round pick Omarion Hampton, who ran for 70 yards in 19 carries including his first NFL touchdown, from three yards out.

The Chargers, who had to reshuffle their offensive line with the loss of left tackle Rashawn Slater before the season, had to do so again Sunday when right guard Mekhi Becton sustained a concussion.

Those are the realities of the game, though, just as the Chargers already had to adjust to losing edge rusher Khalil Mack (shoulder) as well as defensive backs Elijah Molden (hamstring) and Cam Hart (hip).

Chargers linebacker Troy Dye (43) tackles Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin in the third quarter Sunday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

“That’s the unfortunate part of the NFL,” Herbert said. “You’re going to have to deal with adversity.”

Against the Broncos, the Chargers dealt with it and wound up on top. That makes this victory particularly impactful, a touchstone that Harbaugh and others can point to in future high-pressure situations.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if this does a lot for morale, and that was already high,” said Harbaugh, adding his team has “gravel in our gut.”

With that in mind, they have sent an unambiguous message to their three division foes: kick rocks.

Dutch rider Olav Kooij won the opening stage of the Tour of Britain after fending off a strong challenge from Tord Gudmestad.

The pair went toe-to-toe in the closing stage of the 167.6km route between Woodbridge and Southwold.

But the 23-year-old Team Visma-Lease a Bike rider crossed the finish line ahead of Norway’s Gudmestad, of Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, to claim a fifth stage win at the Tour of Britain since his debut in 2023.

“It’s a really good feeling, of course. It’s always nice to win a race, and I have good memories from here two years ago,” Kooij said.

“I was happy to come back to this race, and I’m really happy to continue the success of two years ago.”

France’s Hugo Hofstetter of Israel-Premier Tech finished third, while Ineos Grenadiers’ Samuel Watson was the first British rider to cross the line in sixth place.

Kooij leads the general classification with Gudmestad in second and Hofstetter third after stage one, which needed an early diversion because of a burst water main.

Great Britain’s Joshua Golliker, meanwhile, is fifth in the overall standings.

The 2025 Tour of Britain will also be the final professional race of Geraint Thomas’ illustrious 19-year career.

The 39-year-old Welshman, who won the Tour de France in 2018, sustained a puncture on the opening stage but recovered to finish with the main field.

The second stage on Wednesday will start and finish in Stowmarket, with the sixth and final stage finishing in Thomas’ home city of Cardiff on Sunday.

SEATTLE — Dearica Hamby had 27 points and 11 rebounds, Rickea Jackson added 23 points and the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm 91-85 on Monday night.

Seattle led 85-80 with 2:47 to play but Hamby scored five points and Jackson four in an 11-0 closing run to pull the Sparks within 1½ games of the Storm and Indiana for the final two playoff spots. Seattle missed its last five shots.

Kelsey Plum added 14 points for the Sparks (19-20) and Rae Burrell had 11. Hamby had 11 rebounds as the Sparks dominated the boards 37-23. The also had a 60-30 advantage on points in the paint.

Nneka Ogwumike had 21 points on five first half three-pointers and two second half three-point plays for the Storm (22-20). Skylar Diggins also had 21 points and Ezi Magbegor added 11.

Gabby Williams had two baskets and an assist to fuel a 10-0 run for the Storm, who led 25-20 after one quarter.

Ogwumike had three three-pointers in less than a minute, making her five for five, for a 36-25 lead 3½ minutes into the second quarter. The Storm had six threes in the quarter, with Erica Wheeler’s in the closing seconds making it 53-39 at the half.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, left, drives to the basket in front of Seattle guard Erica Wheeler during the first half Monday.

(Steph Chambers / Getty Images)

Diggins opened the second half with a three for a 17-point lead, but the Sparks hit their first five shots and were 12 for 17 in the quarter. The final shot was a buzzer-beating one-handed three-pointer by Jackson from beyond the top of the key to cut the Storm’s lead to 73-68 entering the fourth quarter.

The Sparks play at second-place Atlanta on Wednesday and Friday. The Storm are home against New York on Friday.

DEAR DEIDRE: WHENEVER I check into a hotel with my lover for sex, I feel judged by the staff and guilty about cheating on my husband.

I can see them glancing at each other, whispering that I’m a cheat, and laughing at me when they think I’m not looking at them.

But I’m not a bad person. I just want to be loved and wanted, and my husband doesn’t appreciate me.

I’m in my mid-thirties and have been married for five years. My husband is ten years older. He is a nice guy and I love him, but our sex life is rubbish and he bores me.

Last year, I was so frustrated and unhappy that I started browsing hook-up sites. I didn’t want a relationship, just sex and excitement.

I found a guy there who, like me, was unhappily married.

We agreed to meet in a seedy hotel on the outskirts of town for sex. The first time, it was thrilling. I felt like I was playing a role in a film. The sex was rough and energetic, and I really enjoyed it.

But afterwards, my lover — who is my age — cuddled me for about 30 seconds. Then he jumped up to shower, as he had to go back to his wife.

I felt grubby. But the feeling soon passed, and it wasn’t long before we then repeated the experience.

Now we meet whenever it’s convenient. We don’t have meals out or dates — it’s purely sex.

But I’ve started feeling increasingly used and guilty.

When you walk into a hotel in the middle of the day and check out an hour or so later, everyone knows why you’re there. It’s humiliating.

I’ve realised cheating isn’t making me any happier. But I also need to feel wanted.

What should I do?

DEIDRE SAYS: You’ve tried to fill the big void in your marriage with no-strings sex.

But sex with your lover is empty, and so it can’t fill anything. Instead, it’s making you feel more unhappy, and worse about yourself.

Perhaps it’s time to put an end to your affair before you and your lover get discovered by one of your spouses.

If you love your husband, it’s worth putting your energies into improving your relationship. My support pack, Looking After Your Relationship, should help.

Seeing a couple therapist will give you a safe space to talk about the problems in your marriage and sex life.

You can set up an appointment with Tavistock Relationships (tavistockrelationships.org, 020 7380 1975).

If this doesn’t work, or isn’t an option, perhaps you need to think about ending your marriage.

THANK YOU FOR HELP ESCAPING MY ABUSIVE MALE PAL

DEAR DEIDRE: WHEN I found myself in a toxic situation with a male friend who had sexually assaulted me several times, I didn’t know what to do.

I was confused because we’d stayed close after he did it the first time, and I felt I’d encouraged him by getting drunk, dancing and flirting.

He’d touch my breasts and private parts, force me to kiss him and take his clothes off uninvited. We’d been pals since we were students. I’m 32, he’s 33.

After the assaults, he’d always apologise and promise it wouldn’t happen again. You were so understanding and made me see it wasn’t my fault.

You advised me to contact Rape Crisis (rapecrisis.org.uk, 0808 500 2222) for support and to think about reporting him to the police.

You also acknowledged how ending my friendship would be hard, and helped me think about how I could make my life better, improve my self-esteem so I was less vulnerable and stop feeling lonely.

And you followed up to see if I was OK. I did go to the police and learned I wasn’t the only woman he’d assaulted.

Although I’m still struggling, I am now getting help.

I know it will take a long time to deal with what I’ve been through.

Thank you for being there, Deidre.

DEIDRE SAYS: Hopefully he won’t now be able to do this to another woman. It will take time for the pain to ease, but you are brave and strong.

ONLINE BOYFRIEND WILL NOT SHOW ME HIS FACE

DEAR DEIDRE: MY relationship is in trouble – although so far we have only chatted online, and he is too shy to even show his face.

He is an influencer and I’ve become super-jealous of all his female fans.

We connected on Instagram six months ago. We’re both in our late twenties and live hundreds of miles apart.

We soon moved on from DMs to WhatsApp and quickly realised we were falling for each other.

So, we agreed to be in an exclusive long-distance relationship.

We message back and forth all day, every day and talk about everything. I feel like we know each other inside out – he’s my soulmate.

But even though I’d quite like to do a video call some time, he says he’s too shy, and he always chickens out at the last minute.

That really bugs me because he’s not too shy to make content for his fans – most of whom are other girls.

We argue about it a lot and I can’t help feeling jealous. He says he doesn’t know them, and that I’m the one he loves.

He talks a lot about the future and how we’re going to get married – even though we haven’t set a date to meet.

But I worry he’s going to fall for one of his thousands of fans.

What can I do to cope with this better?

DEIDRE SAYS: It’s strange that your boyfriend is confident enough to make video content for his fans, but too shy to show his face to the woman he professes to love.

I’m afraid to say, that’s ringing alarm bells for me. I wonder if he’s not the person you think he is and doesn’t want you to find out.

Long-distance relationships can work, but you do need to meet up at some point, or there’s no future.

Perhaps you need to ask him to be really honest with you about why he refuses to show you his face.

My support pack, Love Online, has more information about this which may be of help to you.

Reigning Spanish League champions recovered from a two-goal, halftime deficit to pull off a stunning comeback against Levante.

Barcelona fought back from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 at Levante with a late own-goal by the hosts in La Liga.

Defending champions Barcelona needed Pedri Gonzalez and Ferran Torres to score early in the second half to equalise after the newly promoted Levante had rolled to a surprise two-goal lead at halftime on Saturday.

Lamine Yamal then helped to produce the winning goal when he curled a cross into the 6-yard box, and Levante’s Unai Elgezabal headed into his own net.

Levante striker Ivan Romero earlier struck from a counterattack in the 15th minute that started with a ball lost by Yamal. Jose Luis Morales made it 2-0 in first-half injury time by converting a penalty after a video review called a handball by Alejandro Balde when he blocked Morales’s shot.

But Pedri started the fightback in the 49th when he received Yamal’s pass well outside the area, picked his spot in the corner of the net and blasted in a shot from long range.

Ferran, who had hit the woodwork in the first half, levelled in the 52nd when he fended off his marker and volleyed in Raphinha’s corner kick.

Barcelona then pressed for the decider, which Yamal helped find just after the 90 minutes were up.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick praised Pedri for his goal, saying that “it changed the match”.

“The first goal we scored helped us a lot to get our confidence in the box, but until the end, it was not easy for us to get the three points.”

Barcelona won its opener at nine-man Mallorca 3-0 last weekend.

Rashford makes first league start

Newcomer Marcus Rashford made his first league start for Barcelona since his loan move from Manchester United as a left-side forward for Flick.

The English international was replaced by Dani Olmo at halftime, after the biggest threats had come from Pedri’s passes in the middle and Yamal’s incursions down the right.

“I think Marcus [Rashford] had some situations in the first half where he showed how good he is and how he can help us, and that is how we have to continue,” Flick said.

Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski played his first minutes of the season as a late substitute after recovering from a muscle injury.

Barca will visit Rayo Vallecano next week as it continues its title defence. Levante, which has lost both its opening fixtures, will travel to Elche, hoping for a more positive result.

A fan-favourite Grey’s Anatomy spin-off has landed on Prime Video in its entirety

A “thrilling” medical drama that’s better than Grey’s Anatomy has landed on Prime Video.

The much-loved Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, Station 19, centres around a team of firefighters from the Seattle Fire Department.

The series delves into the lives of the crew, from the captain to the newest member, showcasing their professional challenges and personal entanglements.

The gripping drama debuted in 2018 with a backdoor pilot during Grey’s Anatomy’s 14th season, which introduced viewers to protagonist Andy Herrera (Jaina Lee Ortiz).

Andy is part of the Station 19 team alongside Ben Warren (Jason George), the husband of Grey’s Anatomy icon Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), who had recently swapped his surgical scrubs for a firefighter’s uniform, reports the Express.

This career shift wasn’t new for Ben, who had previously served as an anaesthetist at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.

Throughout its tenure, Station 19 saw its characters cross paths with the Grey’s Anatomy cast in several thrilling crossover episodes.

Despite its popularity and strong viewership, Station 19 was axed last year following seven seasons. However, fans now have the chance to watch the entire series again as it has been released on Prime Video.

Since its arrival on the streaming platform earlier this month, Prime subscribers have been devouring episodes, with many holding out hope for a revival of the show.

“Station 19 just dropped on Prime Video UK, proof that global demand is still burning strong. Fans never stopped watching. Season 8 was outlined. The cast is ready. The world is watching. Bring back #Station19. We’re not done,” one hopeful fan penned on X (formerly Twitter).

Another chimed in: “Omg Station 19 on Prime! A season 8 will be perfect. Definitely Station 19 deserves more seasons. ONE TEAM, ONE FAMILY.”

Even over a year after the show’s cancellation, fans continue to express their enthusiasm, with one viewer posting on IMDb: “Station 19 is nothing short of a blazing masterpiece that keeps the flames of excitement burning from the very first episode to the last.”

“Station 19 is so much more than a Grey’s Anatomy spin-off. This show is deep, thoughtful, thrilling, and so much more than just your run-of-the-mill emergency show,” another fan contributed.

A third enthusiast remarked: “The show is probably one of, if not, the best firefighter drama on television. It’s defo better than Grey’s Anatomy.”

Echoing the widespread adoration, a fourth admirer commented: “Station 19 is without a doubt one of the best shows I’ve ever seen. Can’t believe it was cancelled.”

Station 19 is available to stream on Prime Video

Drenched in sweat and tears, Diego Montes could finally gasp for air in the sweltering heat of the San Fernando Valley summer.

It wasn’t the high-90s heat that lingered through the three-plus hour City Section showdown Friday night that left the five-foot-11 senior quarterback of Granada Hills Kennedy emotional, burrowed into family members’ arms after the game ended. Montes had just surged into the end zone for a winning five-yard rushing touchdown — the last of a career-best seven-touchdown performance — in a 59-56 triumph over Eagle Rock and quarterback Liam Pasten.

If Friday served as a litmus test for the City Section squads, both vying for league titles (Eagle Rock in the Northern League and Kennedy in the Mission League), their quarterbacks more than met the challenge.

An hour before kickoff, three Kennedy students called Montes over to the football field’s side gate.

“How many touchdowns are you going to score tonight?” one student asked.

Montes replied: “I got five.”

He didn’t just secure five. His seven scores — three passing and four rushing — combined with his 280 passing yards and 164 rushing yards helped Kennedy rally, even when the Golden Cougars trailed by two scores at two points in the game.

“That’s the most tired I’ve ever been in a game,” said Montes, who scored the winning touchdown with just 11 seconds remaining. “My last first game. It means so much to me.”

Montes connected with Jay Saucillo three times — the last of which placed Kennedy ahead 51-50 with 4:11 left.

Pasten, who tallied 389 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown against the Golden Cougars, had more than enough time to strike back. Battling blow for blow with Montes — who earned All-City honors alongside Pasten a year ago — the Eagles senior tossed a 15-yard touchdown to Aidan Sierra to give Eagle Rock a 56-51 lead with 1:11 left.

“I was in the twilight zone for a little bit,” Kennedy coach Troy Cassidy said about the back-and-forth battle. “It was such a hot day today and just draining. And there were so many plays run between two no-huddle offenses.”

While Pasten is well on his way of surpassing the 36 passing touchdowns he had last season ultimately couldn’t lead Eagle Rock to victory, he embraced Montes after the game and complimented him on his standout performance.

Montes jogged to Eagle Rock’s sideline as the team prepared for the bus ride home, making a beeline for Eagles coach Andy Moran to shake his hand.

For Pasten and Montes, this is what the City Section is all about.

“Don’t underestimate us,” Pasten said. “A lot of people look towards that Southern Section, but I mean, City Section players got heart. They battle every game. So just don’t, don’t underestimate the talent.”

Damon Heta beats James Bailey 6-0

SEATTLE — Dearica Hamby‘s layup with 4.3 seconds left gave the Sparks a 108-106 win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night in the first double-overtime game in the WNBA this season.

Hamby put up a contested shot but Skylar Diggins’ similar shot on the other end fell off the rim as time expired.

Rickea Jackson had 27 points to lead the Sparks (12-15), who have won six of seven. Kelsey Plum added 22 points and seven assists, while Hamby and Azurá Stevens both had 21. Hamby also had 13 rebounds.

Sparks center Azurá Stevens reacts after scoring against Seattle in overtime Friday.

(Soobum Im / Getty Images)

Cameron Brink had seven points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and five fouls in 12 minutes in her second game back after ACL surgery last season.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 37 points, one shy of her career high when she played with the Sparks nine years ago, and grabbed 12 rebounds for Seattle (16-12). She became the sixth player to reach 7,000 points for her career. Diggins had 18 points, Erica Wheeler 15 and Gabby Williams 14 points and eight assists. Ezi Magbegor had nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

There were 14 ties and 12 lead changes. Plum’s three-point play following her three-pointer gave the Sparks a 69-68 lead, their first since ending the first quarter up 18-16.

Williams hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 106 with 16.4 seconds to play in the second overtime.

Diggins tied the game at 99 with 18 seconds left in the first extra session before Plum missed at the buzzer.

Jackson tied the game at 86 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation and Wheeler missed a contest 3 at the buzzer.

There was a six-man breakaway as the riders began climbing, with the peloton more than six minutes adrift, and Enric Mas went clear of Julian Alaphilippe and Thymen Arensman.

Vingegaard’s Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates took turns to push the pace in the peloton and, with Pogacar getting isolated from his team-mates early in the climb, Vingegaard launched three attacks, but each time the three-time Tour winner stayed on the Dane’s wheel.

Up the road, Healy and Paret-Peintre managed to catch Mas about 3.5km from the line and the trio got engaged in a tactical stalemate, allowing Santiago Buitrago to join them and set up a gripping final 2km.

After Mas faded, Ilan van Wilder suddenly charged into the lead inside the final kilometre and signalled for team-mate Paret-Peintre to follow.

And although Healy kicked first in the final 250m, Paret-Peintre had enough left in the tank to snatch victory.

Pogacar mounted one late attack and, although Vingegaard stuck to his wheel, the Slovenian then managed to sprint to the line to gain two seconds on the two-time Tour winner.

Merlier could go for a third stage win on Wednesday, as the race continues with a 160.4km flat stage from Bollene to Valence.

Kylian Mbappe was among the scorers as the French forward continues comeback in Real Madrid’s 3-2 win against Dortmund.

Kylian Mbappe’s spectacular bicycle kick was among three goals in the second-half stoppage time, as Real Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a Club World Cup quarterfinal match.

The drama was not restricted to the late goals, with Real keeper Thibaut Courtois using his fingertips to palm away the potential levelling goal from the game’s final play.

Gonzalo Garcia and Fran García scored in the first 20 minutes as Madrid built a 2-0 lead.

Dortmund’s Maximilian Beier scored three minutes into stoppage time, and Mbappe, who entered in the 67th, restored a two-goal lead with his bicycle kick one minute later.

Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty kick in the eighth minute of added time after he was fouled by Dean Huijsen, who received a red card and will miss the semifinals.

Courtois used all of the lengthy arm on his 200cm (6ft 7in) frame to tip away Marcel Sabitzer’s shot just before the final whistle.

Madrid advanced to a semifinal match against Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a day after Chelsea meets Brazilian club Fluminense.

On a sunny afternoon, in 30 degrees Celsius (86 F) at the 3pm kickoff, Gonzalo Garcia scored in the 10th minute and Fran Garcia in the 20th.

Garcia, a 21-year-old who made only five Spanish league appearances in the past two seasons, was given the start by new Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso over Mbappe, who is still regaining fitness after acute gastroenteritis.

Garcia has four goals, tying Benfica’s Angel Di María and Al Hilal’s Marcos Leonardo for the tournament lead.

Mbappe came on for Jude Bellingham, who missed a chance to play against his brother, Jobe, who was suspended for yellow-card accumulation.

Madrid beat Dortmund 2-0 in the 2024 Champions League final and overcame a two-goal halftime deficit in a 5-2 victory in this season’s league phase. Los Blancos were eliminated by Arsenal in this year’s Champions League quarterfinals.

Madrid has won five consecutive games against Dortmund and is unbeaten in seven since a 2014 Champions League quarterfinal defeat.

American midfielder Gio Reyna did not get off the bench and finished the tournament with one 13-minute appearance for Dortmund in five matches.

This game drew 76,611 fans to MetLife Stadium, the site of next year’s World Cup final. Seats looked filled, except for a completely empty suite level on one side.

There was a moment of silence before kickoff for Liverpool’s Diogo Jota and his brother, Penafiel’s Andre Silva, who died in a car crash on Thursday.

A superb century from Ben Duckett helped steer England to a sensational five-wicket win in the first Test against India after a thrilling final day, the hosts reaching a target of 371 – the 10th highest successful run chase in Test history.

Having turned the cricket match on its head at Headingley after India had been 430-3 in their first innings, England appeared to be cruising to a dramatic win on Tuesday.

Openers Duckett and Zak Crawley eased their side to the break at lunch on 117-0 in their second innings.

Duckett continued his imperious form with another four through the covers to reach his sixth Test hundred, before Crawley fell for 65.

Their 188-run partnership was the second-highest England opening fourth-innings stand in Tests.

Two wickets in two balls – Duckett and Harry Brook – dragged India back into the enthralling contest. And when Ben Stokes fell for 33 attempting an ambitious reverse sweep, England’s hopes of victory lay precariously in the balance.

Joe Root’s unbeaten 53 calmed the nerves around his home ground, with the former skipper and Jamie Smith, who hit a six to seal victory, seeing England home as India, having scored five centuries in the match, somehow contrived to start the five-Test series in defeat.

“Incredible, what a Test match. It was a huge number of runs and we have been lucky with the weather,” Duckett said. “I am lost for words.

“We only had to look at the scoreboard to know that if we batted the overs, we would win the game. There were moments when I thought about stepping into another gear, but the breaks in the game helped us to stay calm.

“To start this series with a 1-0 win is huge for us. It felt calm in the dressing room. To have Root out there, it’s pretty easy to be calm.”

Resuming day five on 21-0, uncharacteristically for a team renowned for their ultra-aggressive batting, Crawley and Duckett took 99 balls to bring up their 50 partnership – the longest it has taken the pair to do so for England – before upping the ante.

There was slight concern for England when first-innings centurion Ollie Pope quickly followed Crawley back to the pavilion midway through the afternoon session, the number three becoming Prasidh Krishna’s next victim in back-to-back overs.

Duckett continued to accumulate runs quickly, however, before attempting one big shot too many to fall to Shardul Thakur for 149 – the second-highest Test fourth-innings score by an English opener.

The contribution of Duckett, in such a pressurised situation, cannot be underestimated – it is 15 years since an England opener last scored a fourth-innings hundred: Alastair Cook at Mirpur in 2010.

Nerves set in around the ground when Brook departed for a golden duck, two in two balls for Thakur, with further scares forthcoming as England looked edgy.

Stokes was left shaking his head at the way he fell to Ravindra Jadeja shortly after tea, but Root and Smith both dug in, stopped offering up chances and got the runs required, with Smith rounding off a remarkable victory in style.

Plenty of dropped catches and two batting collapses ultimately cost India. From 430-3 in the first innings, they lost their final seven wickets for just 41 runs, with the tail crumbling again in the second innings, 31 runs accumulated for the fall of the final six wickets.

It is the first time in cricket history that a team has managed five centuries in one Test and not emerged victorious, but also the first time those five centurions have been joined by six batsmen who fell for ducks – three in each innings – in the same match.

“We had our chances,” India captain Shubman Gill said. “A few dropped catches and the lower order not contributing as much as we would like [cost us], but I am proud. Our young team is learning.

“It just didn’t go our way in this match. We have to rectify [the batting collapses] in the upcoming matches.”

For England, at the start of a crucial period with the Ashes to come later this year, their summer could not have got off to a more promising start, with their aggressive approach, even if it has been toned down and refined, achieving their second-highest run chase in their Test history.

The high-speed La Jefa is described as a ‘towering centrepiece’ for families to ‘slip, slide and splash’ across the water at the aqua par

An aqua park known for its gleaming turquoise lake, is upping the ante with its latest addition described as the “ultimate summer slide experience”.

The new high-speed attraction, La Jefa, stands as a monumental feature at St Andrews Lakes in Halling, beckoning families to “slip, slide and splash” in the sun.

St Andrews boasts a pristine 70-acre lake filled with spring water and is continuously expanding with various floating play areas, slides, jump points and splash zones, in scenes that wouldn’t be out of place on the Med.

La Jefa, translating to ‘the female boss’ in Spanish, is the latest thrilling complement to the park’s highly popular 20ft slide, El Jefe – ‘the male boss’.

St Andrews Lakes’ operations director Stuart Bishop said: “La Jefa is the perfect next step for our Aqua Park. Guests already loved El Jefe, but we wanted to bring something new, something a bit different and something just as fun. We can’t wait to see families and friends tackle it this summer,”

In addition to the aquatic thrills, the attraction close to Rochester also features a private sandy beach area, paddleboarding, kayaking, zip wiring, and axe throwing activities, reports Kent Live.

Not to mention wall climbing, archery, sailing courses, paddleboard classes and children’s activity days throughout the school holidays.

The old quarry has been turned into a stunning blue lake reserve, offering fun for everyone on water and land. And if you want to relax, the wellness space boasts wood-fired lakeside saunas, steaming hot tubs and even a cold plunge lagoon, not to mention a chill-out zone with snug chairs and a fireside to cosy up to.

Aqua park tickets are £25 person for a 50-minute session and family deals and concessions are available. Your ticket covers buoyancy aids, vigilant lifeguards and an essential safety rundown before making waves.

Information on bookings, activities needing inductions and session timings is available on the website. There are also all-day charges for the beach.

Nestled in Halling, a quaint village perched in the Medway area snug between Cuxton and Snodland and within a stone’s throw from Rochester, St Andrews Lakes is where you’ll find the paradise pit. The lake gets its clear blue hue from the suspended chalk particles that reflect the light.

St Andrew’s says the lake’s waters gush from a spring, making them “incredibly clean”.