upset

Bayern Munich remain top of the league standings after staging a road win over reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Bayern Munich have made it 16 wins from 16 games this season to underline their credentials as early UEFA Champions League favourites, beating holders Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 away as Luis Diaz scored two goals and was shown a red card.

The Colombian winger struck twice on Tuesday before being sent off for a violent tackle on Achraf Hakimi on the stroke of half-time.

PSG, who reduced the arrears through Joao Neves, dominated possession after the break but failed to make it fully count and slipped to their first defeat in the competition since last season’s quarterfinal second leg against Aston Villa.

The result kept Bayern top of the 36-team league on a maximum 12 points with PSG in third, three points adrift and with more injury concerns after Hakimi and Ousmane Dembele were replaced early.

“Most importantly I hope that it’s not too bad for Hakimi. We went through this in the US [at the Club World Cup against PSG] with [Jamal] Musiala,” Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said at a news conference.

“What I tell players is that when there’s some hype, don’t believe it. We’ve won 16, but from tomorrow onwards, it’s back to zero. Nobody has won the Champions League today.”

His PSG counterpart, Luis Enrique, echoed that point of view, saying: “Today’s standings mean nothing. What matters is February, March, April, May.”

“It’s always hard to lose at home. We need to assert ourselves and play better. We faced a well-organised team, especially physically. We couldn’t get our game going,” PSG captain Marquinhos said.

“There are still some positives to take from this match. The team remain ambitious, but we have to do better. They were superior to us. In the second half, we were on top, but it was after the red card.”

Ten-man Bayern hold on for dramatic victory

Dembele made his first Champions League start of the season, but his night was short-lived, the France forward being replaced by Lee Kang-in after 25 minutes.

PSG, who had beaten Bayern 2-0 in the Club World Cup quarterfinals in July, came out flying with their trademark high pressing but were caught cold in the fourth minute when Diaz smashed home after Lucas Chevalier had parried Michael Olise’s effort.

Dembele thought he had levelled midway through the half, only for his goal to be ruled out for offside as PSG pressed but looked unusually fragile at the back.

Moments later, Manuel Neuer pulled off a spectacular save to deny Bradley Barcola, who had raced to a pinpoint long ball from Fabian Ruiz.

Bayern stayed a step ahead, and after Serge Gnabry struck the post, Diaz pounced on a sleepy Marquinhos to steal the ball and slot home a second in the 32nd minute.

Diaz’s evening ended abruptly just before half-time when he was shown a straight red card for a brutal lunge on Hakimi, who limped off in tears with a suspected ankle injury.

Long possession spells ensued for PSG in the second half, but the hosts lacked a cutting edge until the 74th minute when substitute Neves reduced the arrears with a spectacular scissor kick from Lee’s cross.

Neves came close to levelling a few minutes later with a header as PSG further increased the pressure. Despite the hosts’ late flurry, Bayern held firm.

Mater Dei trailed 24-3. The Trinity League title appeared destined to belong to St. John Bosco, another win to cap an undefeated for the consensus No. 1 team in the nation.

Until Chris Henry Jr. emerged for two touchdowns and 214 yards on five receptions.

“He could be a track star,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara, referencing Henry’s 70-yard touchdown catch near the end of the second quarter.

Until Kayden Dixon-Wyatt took over alongside his teammate — both Ohio State commits — and turned on the burners for three second-half scores.

“I wish I could be the quarterback,” Lara joked about his senior wide receivers.

Testing the wide receiver corps of Mater Dei — who outpowered the Braves’ impressive trio of Division I-committed receivers — left St. John Bosco hapless on Friday night in Bellflower. Mater Dei (7-2, 4-1) finished on a 33-7 run, Ryan Hopkins tossing five touchdowns in that span to help the Monarchs defeat St. John Bosco 36-31 in comeback fashion.

Mater Dei High’s CJ Lavender Jr. leaps high to make an interception during the game against St. John Bosco on Friday night.

(Craig Weston)

Hopkins finished 13-of-21 passing for 295 yards and the five touchdowns.

All of the doubts over the Monarchs’ regular-season campaign could be close to washed away as the second-half domination confirmed another year when Mater Dei at least owns a share of the Trinity League title.

Since Santa Margarita (7-3, 4-1) also won Friday — defeating JSerra 41-14 — the Eagles, along with Mater Dei and St. John Bosco (9-1, 4-1) earned a share of the Trinity League crown.

Defensive stands set up plays such as Henry’s 70-yard touchdown grab to cut the Braves’ lead to seven with 4:12 remaining in the third quarter. Mater Dei defensive back CJ Lavender Jr. forced and recovered a fumble in the first quarter to set up the Monarchs’ first points: a field goal.

Lavender then intercepted St. John Bosco sophomore quarterback Koa Malau’ulu twice more.

One pick created a silver-platter touchdown for Dixon-Wyatt, who finished with four receptions for 46 yards and three touchdowns, while the other turnover allowed Mater Dei to seal the game on fourth and 10 from its own 10-yard line.

“Anything he threw, I was going to go get it,” said Lavender, who now has a team-high seven interceptions on the season.

Mater Dei receiver Chris Henry Jr. hauls in a pass over his shoulder ahead of two St. John Bosco defenders on Friday night.

(Craig Weston)

Before the final interception — which came with 1:34 remaining in the game — St. John Bosco was driving. An unsportsmanlike penalty even provided the Braves at first and inches from the goal line.

But a bad snap to Malau’ulu pushed the Braves backward to the seven-yard line. A run for a loss brought St. John Bosco to the 10-yard line that then led to an interception.

Henry, who hadn’t played since Oct. 10 against Orange Lutheran, said he was itching to get back out on the field to play St. John Bosco.

“It was really difficult,” Henry said of his time off the field. “But I was ready for a game like this.”

Henry will have plenty more opportunities upcoming in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, starting next week.

The trio of Trinity League teams likely will see Sierra Canyon (10-0) — which finished its Mission League-winning campaign with a 52-3 victory over Loyola — among the teams they could face off against in the playoffs.

It was a who’s who of the British heavyweight scene in the arena with Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, Moses Itauma, Derek Chisora and Dillian Whyte among the onlookers.

Usyk was not here, but he was the man this bout was all for.

Wardley walked to the ring decked out in Ipswich Town colours with the football club’s crest emblazoned on his kit.

He spoke in the build-up how it was remarkable that when Parker was winning the WBO heavyweight title in 2016, he was only competing in white-collar boxing.

Yet here he was on the same stage as the veteran Kiwi in a fight to determine the next challenger for Usyk, the greatest heavyweight of this era.

With Lee in his corner, Parker was a red-hot run coming into this bout of six wins including victories over the likes of Zhilei Zhang, Deontay Wilder and Martin Bakole.

As cries of ‘Oh Fabio Wardley’ rang around the arena, Parker established control with a ramrod of a jab that soon brought blood from the bridge of the Ipswich fighter’s nose.

The finish to the first three minutes was emphatic from the favourite as Parker powered through with a rocket of a right hand.

Parker’s control vanished when a right hand from Wardley rocked him in the second.

It would be a precursor to what would follow later in the fight. It was a beautiful shot and brought those ringside to their feet as the New Zealander looked unsteady on his.

The experience of Parker, in his 40th professional fight, looked like it was going to be crucial here. Wardley was always dangerous, but Parker was landing the better shots through the middle rounds.

The Kiwi’s left uppercuts to the body and right hands over the top were a particular highlight, but Wardley’s own backhand remained a threat.

The fight appeared to be fizzling out in the eighth before it burst back into life and swung firmly back in Wardley’s favour in the 10th.

He ensured his stunning story would get another chapter against Usyk when he swarmed Parker in the 11th with a barrage of shots which forced Foster to step in.

It may have been early but Wardley will argue that Parker was taking significant punishment.

Vicky Pattison left fans in stitches after her Strictly partner Kai Widdrington exposed how she acts during rehearsals on the Get A Grip podcast

Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison’s partner Kai Widdrington has revealed a hilarious behind-the-scenes habit.

Appearing together on the Get A Grip podcast hosted by Angela Scanlon, 41, and the TV star, 30, Kai teased that his celebrity partner pulls funny facial expressions during training. “We discovered this week the ‘Stank face’,” the 30-year-old joked. “When she’s really trying she’ll (acts it out).”

To which Vicky replied: “It’s like a toddler doing a poo. It’s awful. And I am not proud of it. I’m really upset.” Angela chimed in, “It is like an upside-down puppy,” while Vicky agreed, laughing, “Yeah… it’s like an old man.” This week, Vicky has been candid about the pressures of the competition. In a recent interview with Women’s Health UK, the 37-year-old admitted training has felt like “a baptism of fire.”

“All the pros are carved like angels, and I’m there sweating away in my gym gear,” she said.

“It’s both intimidating and overwhelming. But as you get older, you don’t often get the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. I like to prove I’m capable.”

While she’s built physical strength through weight training, Pilates, and charity treks, Vicky fears it’s the cardio that might hold her back. “Everyone is so fit,” she added.

Reflecting on her earlier reality TV days, Vicky said she felt less pressure entering the I’m A Celebrity… jungle in 2015, saying, “When you went into the jungle, everyone thought you were an arsehole, but you knew you could go in and change people’s perceptions,” a friend once told her.

“Now I’ve spent 10 years working to show people that I was young, making mistakes, and I wasn’t the best version of myself… I’m scared that under this spotlight, I’ll mess up.”

The Heart radio presenter also revealed she’s returned to therapy. “Maybe it’s working-class feelings of being undeserving. Maybe it’s deep-rooted self-doubt. I don’t know what it is, but it’s all come back,” she said.

Last week on Strictly Come Dancing, the Geordie Shore star and her partner performed a Gatsby‑themed Charleston and earned a total of 25 points from the judges, despite receiving mixed feedback from the judges.

For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

One glorious afternoon at the Rose Bowl isn’t enough.

That’s why after they fielded the congratulatory phone calls and text messages, made a celebratory champagne toast and smiled while rewatching game footage for the first time this season, UCLA players and coaches eagerly resumed the pursuit of something more.

“We don’t want to be one-hit wonders,” interim coach Tim Skipper said Monday, “that’s the whole key to this thing — do not be a one-hit wonder, get back to work.”

While beating Michigan State on Saturday at Spartan Stadium wouldn’t generate the same recognition that came with the previously winless Bruins’ recent victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, it would erase any lingering doubts that things just fell into place one wonderful weekend.

UCLA (1-4 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) hopes it discovered a winning formula beyond Jerry Neuheisel’s playcalling, quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s heroics and Skipper’s putting everything together. After seeing his team look listless the previous week against Northwestern, particularly in the game’s early going, Skipper adopted the word “strain” as a rallying cry going into the game against the Nittany Lions.

“It’s just draining your tank and doing everything possible that you can possibly do on every single play for us to achieve success,” Skipper said. “So, strain was mentioned every single day, it was mentioned after the game, and I think that was the major difference. Our guys strained, from the opening kickoff to the very end of the game. We had to strain on every play to get the game to be a positive outcome for us.”

It was favorable for everyone on the team, including position groups that had previously struggled.

Not long after the Bruins held off the Nittany Lions for an epic 42-37 triumph, UCLA offensive line coach Andy Kwon gathered his players for a group photo in the end zone. Kwon posted the photo on the social media platform X, adding a one-word caption: “STRAIN!”

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava passes against Penn State on Saturday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The word also was uttered twice during a short video in which athletic director Martin Jarmond delivered the game ball to Skipper.

Two days later, there was some further basking in UCLA’s first victory over a top-10 team since toppling Oregon in 2007. Skipper was named the Dodd Trophy coach of the week, Iamaleava the Associated Press national player of the week and Neuheisel the CBS Sports coordinator of the week.

More important, it was fun to be back in the football practice facility again.

“Smiling. Laughing. Talking,” Skipper said of the scene compared to previous weeks. “When you’re sore after a game, it actually feels pretty good, you know what I mean? Like, a lot of things, just the flow. People laugh at bad jokes now and stuff, you know? Just, man, just joy.”

Meanwhile, Penn State’s falling out of the national rankings was a reminder of how quickly a college football season can change.

The Bruins finally hope to have some stability going into the game against the Spartans (3-2, 0-2) after having installed a new defense one week and a new offense the next in the wake of multiple coaching changes. Skipper said Neuheisel’s ability to explain why he wanted to run plays in certain situations to counter what the defense was doing led to an offense that rolled up a season-high 435 yards of offense, including a season-high 269 on the ground.

“He explained it in a way that he was totally confident in what he was saying,” Skipper said. “And I think everybody felt that and believed in that, and it just carried over into the game.”

Those who fear UCLA’s offense might not be as effective now that there’s footage of what Neuheisel likes to do may not need to worry. Skipper said the playbook would be specifically tailored to each opponent because the team did not have spring practice or fall training camp to install its offense.

“We’re going to watch our opponents in all phases,” Skipper said, “and then we’re going to game plan for them, and then the things that work that we’ve done previously, we’re going to do, and the new things we have to do to establish the game plan the way we want it to go, we’re going to add that to the game plan. So we’re just a work in progress, man.”

One win down, the rest of the season to go.

India given scare by Oman but winning run continues after 21-run victory at 2025 Asia Cup.

World champions India overcame a gutsy Oman team to win the last group match of the Asia Cup by 21 runs and stay unbeaten in the T20 tournament.

India had already qualified for the Super Four stage and posted 188-8 after they elected to bat first at Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Oman – ranked 20th in world T20 rankings – put up a spirited batting show and finished on 167-4 after top knocks from Aamir Kaleem, who made 64, and Hammad Mirza, who hit 51.

The left-right batting pair of Kaleem and Mirza put on 93 runs for the second wicket and attempted to pull off the chase with some late boundaries that gave India a scare.

Hardik Pandya broke the stand with a stunning outfield catch to dismiss Kaleem off Harshit Rana and then sent back Mirza with his pace bowling in the next over.

Left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh snared the fourth wicket of the innings and his 100th in T20 internationals — the first Indian bowler to reach the century mark.

Earlier, wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson top-scored with 56, and his second-wicket partnership with explosive opener Abhishek Sharma, who made 38 off 14 balls, laid the platform for India’s total.

Oman struck regular blows in their first meeting with the reigning T20 World Cup winners.

Shah Faisal, fellow left-arm quick Jiten Ramanandi and left-arm spinner Kaleem took two wickets each.

India and Pakistan moved into the Super Four from Group A and face each other again on Sunday, a week after India’s players refused to shake hands with their neighbours after victory in a group match.

Sri Lanka clash with Bangladesh in the first match of the Super Four on Saturday after the two teams made the next stage from Group B.

Stadium lights were flashing on and off Friday night after the latest Corona Centennial touchdown against No. 1-ranked Mater Dei in the first half of a 43-36 Huskies victory, and fans couldn’t believe what they were seeing. One overjoyed Husky fan shouted, “Mater Dei who?”

It was Centennial 28-0 after the first quarter and 33-7 at halftime. Defensive end Jonathan McKinley of Centennial was making a bunch of college-bound offensive linemen look confused and ineffective with two sacks and a pressure rush on quarterback Ryan Hopkins that produced a pick six by Jaden Walk-Green.

Then came the strangest 12-minute third quarter — Mater Dei dominated with a 29-0 outburst to take a 36-33 lead. As if the game couldn’t get wilder, the fourth quarter saw Centennial rally to finish a historic victory.

It was the first time Mater Dei has been beaten by a Southern Section team other than St. John Bosco since Centennial did it 10 years ago en route to a Division 1 championship. Guess who were stars on that team —quarterback Anthony Catalano and receiver Javon McKinley. On Friday night, it was their younger brothers leading the way.

McKinley had three sacks and recovered a fumble. Dominick Catalano, playing quarterback like big bro, displayed toughness and leadership throughout.

“This was for him,” McKinley said of his brother watching from the bleachers. “From the spring, I’ve been practicing every night for this game. I’ve had dreams about this game.”

It was the first loss for coach Raul Lara since he took over as Mater Dei head coach last season. He came in 16-0.

Mater Dei lost two fumbles, had an interception and another fumble resulted in a Centennial safety, all in the first half. Mater Dei finished with five fumbles and two interceptions.

Corona Centennial quarterback Dominick Catalano flies through the air carrying the football against Mater Dei.

(Craig Weston)

“It’s awesome,” Dominick Catalano said. “It’s an incredible feeling.”

It was victory No. 298 for future Hall of Fame coach Matt Logan, who said, “I had a dream we were up 21-0 and I woke up and was so excited.”

Mater Dei caught fire in the third quarter. A one-yard touchdown run by Justin Lewis was followed by a 42-yard touchdown run by Hopkins and a 76-yard touchdown reception by Kayden Dixon-Wyatt. When Kennie Leggett scored on a one-yard run, Mater Dei’s comeback was complete for a 33-30 lead.

But Walk-Green, who returned a pick six in the first quarter, made his second field goal of the night from 36 yards to tie the score. Then Mater Dei’s fifth fumble gave the Huskies the ball on the Mater Dei 31. Soon Centennial faced a fourth-and-10 from the 31. Catalano connected with Keawe Browne for a 12-yard pass. That kept the drive alive and enabled Malaki Davis to score on a four-yard run to take the lead with 2:27 left.

“This proves how good we are,” Browne said. “We played our hearts out. I did all my training in the offseason. I was watching for my moment.”

Kayden Dixon-Wyatt of Mater Dei leaps trying to catch pass, but Jaden Walk-Green came down with the game-clinching interception for Corona Centennial.

(Craig Weston)

Centennial (3-1) clinched the win with Walk-Green’s second interception, taking the ball away from Dixon-Wyatt as the two came down with both holding onto the ball. The officials ruled in favor of Walk-Green. So began a Centennial celebration repeated from 10 years ago when another Catalano led the Huskies to victory.

“It’s a Catalano thing,” Dominick said.

Mater Dei (3-1) received 248 yards passing from Hopkins, but the repeated mistakes, from fumbles to personal-foul penalties, left the Monarchs hardly looking like the No 1 team in California and facing a new challenge next week with a trip to Las Vegas to face Bishop Gorman.

It’s only the fourth week of the season, but Centennial’s victory changes the equation in Southern California high school football similar to when Servite knocked off St. John Bosco in the Division 1 playoffs in 2021. It’s been Mater Dei and St. John Bosco on a nine-year run winning championships. The Huskies put a little bit of uncertainty for 2025.

Bolivia pulled off one of the biggest shocks of the South American qualifiers to reach the World Cup playoff round.

Bolivia shocked Brazil 1-0 to secure a spot in the intercontinental playoffs for next year’s World Cup, while Argentina suffered a 1-0 defeat by Ecuador in the final round of South America’s 2026 qualifiers on Tuesday night.

Bolivia’s Miguel Terceros converted a penalty in first-half stoppage time to secure the home win over five-time World Cup winners Brazil in La Paz, a result which saw Carlo Ancelotti’s side drop to fifth in the standings.

Bolivia will be joined in the playoffs by two teams from CONCACAF as well as one each from the African, Asian and Oceania confederations, in the hunt for two places at the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The playoffs will take place in Monterrey and Guadalajara in March.

Messi-less Argentina stunned by Ecuador

While Ecuador and reigning champions Argentina had already qualified for the World Cup, there was no shortage of intensity in their match in Guayaquil.

Argentina’s Nicolas Otamendi was sent off in the 31st minute, and the hosts capitalised on their numerical advantage when Enner Valencia scored a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Ecuador were also reduced to 10 men when Moises Caicedo was dismissed in the 50th minute, but they held firm to claim the 1-0 victory and go second in the table.

Argentina star Lionel Messi, who played his last official match at home last Thursday, did not suit up.

Despite the loss, Argentina retained top spot in the standings with 39 points, nine ahead of Ecuador.

Colombia secured third place with a 6-3 victory over Venezuela in Maturin, with Luis Suarez stealing the show by scoring four goals to extinguish Venezuelan hopes of clinching the playoff place.

Uruguay finished qualifying in fourth place following a 0-0 draw with Chile in Santiago, while Matias Galarza’s strike gave Paraguay a 1-0 win over Peru in Lima, leaving them in sixth place.

Gary: Embarrassing when a club the size of Celtic can’t keep hold of their best players. And, even worse, they can’t seem to replace them when they get sold on for profit. Lack of ambition at the top level and Brendan would be justified to leave his position this time.

James: Celtic have proven once again they are not a serious football club. I used to think it was because the board lacked ambition. More worryingly, it has become clear that they are also lacking the capability. Unfortunately, there will be no consequences. Nothing will change.

Charlie: Underwhelmed, disappointed, but not surprised. This is not progress, it’s not even consolidation.

James: I think supporters should be told why the club is in the position it is at the moment. Does Rodgers have full control of signings? And if so, he must be held to account and explain why his big signings have not produced. There has to be more transparency between the board, manager, players and supporters.

Gordy: There is only one word – appalling. We have had the whole summer to look for replacements for the players we knew were leaving. It leaves the club in a ridiculous situation, where we have a fantastic support base, a fantastic stadium, and bang average manager (for not pushing the board for what he knew he needed). The board and recruitment team are shameful for leaving us in this predicament.

Stephen: The recruitment team, and board, have massively let down everyone associated with the club. The decision to let Idah leave, after starting the day knowing we needed to add options up front, beggars belief and feels like self sabotage. Embarrassed and disappointed to be a Celtic fan.

Benny: Where do you start? Ineptitude? Unlucky? No, it’s mismanagement and arrogance from a board who have previous for this shambolic amateurism. The manager would be more than justified for walking away. Shameful and embarrassing are the only words to describe this window and others. I dread the Europa League upcoming ties with this squad.

Paul: We’re in the same position every year; craving reinforcements that are ready for the starting XI. Instead, we get loans, past-it pros, and project players. The board are an embarrassment. They continually favour a great bank balance at the expense of a decent squad.

Seventeenth seed Krejcikova’s preparations for the tournament were not dissimilar last year, when she arrived at the All England Club having played just nine matches and struggling with injury.

Returning to the site of her emotional triumph by opening Tuesday’s play on Centre Court, Krejcikova looked somewhat out of sorts in the opening set against an in-form opponent.

Eala memorably stunned Iga Swiatek at the Miami Open in March, then made more history by becoming the first Filipina to reach the final of a WTA Tour event at Eastbourne last week, where she lost to Australian teenager Maya Joint.

That has catapulted her to 56th in the rankings, and all of that talent was on display on day two at the Championships.

The pair traded breaks early on as Krejcikova’s exquisite lob to take Eala’s serve was cancelled out by a double fault to put the match back on serve.

Mistakes from the reigning champion and an impressive range of shots from Eala secured a second break, and this time Krejcikova could not convert her break-back opportunity, missing the forehand on break point.

She seemed to be struggling on serve, uncomfortable with her ball toss and hit five double faults in the first set – perhaps an indication she is still battling that back injury.

After a lengthy game at 5-2 where Krejcikova saved a set point, Eala held her nerve to brilliantly serve out the set.

Krejcikova came back in the second set and, while she still looked uncomfortable on serve – frequently redoing her ball toss – she motored to a 5-0 lead.

Looking somewhat disappointed and desperate to avoid a second-set bagel, Eala rallied to hold her serve, then overturned one of the breaks, but could not prevent Krejcikova levelling the match.

A more comfortable third set followed as Krejcikova tidied up the errors and finally showed her emotion as she put herself on the brink of victory by securing the double break for 5-1, letting out a roar after her passing winner.

And a similar outburst of emotion followed as she booked her place in the second round.

BBC’s Gardeners’ World is facing a wave of backlash as fans have accused the programme of becoming “a lifestyle program”.

The BBC’s treasured show Gardeners’ World has left its viewers reeling with some claiming the programme is leaning more towards becoming “a lifestyle program.”

The episode, which aired on June 20 to coincide with the summer solstice, took viewers to Damson Farm’s enchanting setting in the stunning Somerset countryside where Frances Tophill was gardening.

Yet, seasoned watchers promptly alleged that the series had veered dramatically from its original intentions.

One irate viewer vented on X, once known as Twitter, saying “Percy Thrower would be turning in his grave. He was a great gardener,” recalling the esteemed presenter who led the show during the 1970s.

On screen, Frances delved into edible gardens and wildlife-conscious planting and Carol Klein dispensed advice for creating vibrant summer pots.

Meanwhile, Adam Frost visited a gardener customising her garden to withstand recurring flooding. Despite the captivating scenes and moving narratives, a portion of the audience remained discontented.

But the gripes don’t stop at the perceived shortage of actual gardening advice – even the birdsong at Monty Don’s Longmeadow abode has been caught in crossfire, with dubious viewers levying charges against the BBC for allegedly adding artificial chirps, reports the Express.

Monty himself, however, has assured fans that the mix of bird calls is completely authentic, though sometimes it’s more overwhelming than intended.

Monty Don has responded to a common gripe from Gardeners’ World viewers on the podcast, saying: “We’ve had a number of letters along the lines of, ‘I watch Gardeners’ World and I really enjoy it, but it’s spoiled for me by the fact that you impose this bird song which is so unrealistic and so over the top… why don’t you just record the natural sounds?’ And the answer is, ‘I hate to disappoint you, but that is the natural sound’.”

One disgruntled fan tweeted their dissatisfaction with the show’s direction, commenting: “Not much horticultural guidance on #GardenersWorld these days.”

Another viewer expressed their longing for the programme’s past focus, tweeting: “#GardenersWorld is becoming a lifestyle program for people with chronic anxiety. I remember when it taught you how to garden. Now anything goes.”

Monty also revealed that the birdsong at Longmeadow is sometimes so overwhelming it disrupts production: “It is really loud. And occasionally when we’re filming, we delay filming because the bird song is so loud, that even to us it feels a bit odd and unnatural.”

Since Monty and his wife Sarah took charge of Longmeadow in 1991, they have turned a two-acre patch of neglect into a verdant sanctuary featured on the series.

The couple’s garden stands out as a wildlife refuge amidst neighbouring farmland ravaged by excessive use of chemicals.

“So Longmeadow is like, literally an oasis surrounded by not-so-good,” Monty said. “We have great density of blackbirds and song thrushes and blackcaps and all kinds of songbirds.”

Gardeners’ World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

The FIFA Club World Cup is just six days old, but it has already provided a mixed bag of memorable experiences for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, whose trip to Southern California with Paris Saint-Germain marked his first visit to the U.S.

“I was in shock,” the veteran winger said. “It’s very beautiful here. I like it very much. One day we [went] bowling. And played mini golf. I was thinking when I finish football, to come to live.”

Then there’s the soccer, where not all the memories have been good ones.

After contributing two assists to a win in PSG’s tournament opener, Kvaratskhelia was unable to get any of his game-high five shots past goalkeeper John Victor in Thursday’s 1-0 loss to Brazilian club Botafogo before an announced crowd of 53,699 at the Rose Bowl.

The upset, the tournament’s most shocking result so far, snapped PSG’s win streak at six games in all competition, marked the first time it has been held scoreless since March 5 and leaves in doubt the team’s spot in the second round. Botafogo (2-0) leads the four-team group with PSG and Atlético Madrid (both 1-1) tied for second with a game remaining. With just two teams moving on, PSG will need a victory over the Sounders on Monday in Seattle to advance.

A draw would also send it through if Atlético Madrid loses its final group-stage match with Botafogo.

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard for PSG, the reigning French and European champion and a heavy pre-tournament favorite. Botafogo, which won last year’s Copa Libertadores, is the reigning South American champion, but it is just eighth in Brazil’s 20-team Serie A 11 matches into the current season.

Whether Thursday’s upset helps the struggling Club World Cup find an audience, it’s far too early to tell. But it can’t hurt, especially since Inter Miami also made history Thursday with a second-half goal from Lionel Messi in a 2-1 win over FC Porto, marking the first victory by an MLS club over a European rival in a competitive match.

Igor Jesus of Botafogo celebrates after scoring against Paris Saint-Germain in FIFA Club World Cup group play Thursday.

(Jam Media / Getty Images)

The Club World Cup is the largest and most lucrative global club competition in soccer history but attendance has lagged in the early going, averaging just 36,433 through 20 matches. Nearly half the seats have been empty.

Six games have drawn more than 50,000 fans, including both of Paris Saint-Germain’s matches at the Rose Bowl. But two got fewer than 5,300, with just 3,412 showing up in Orlando for a game between South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and South Korea’s Ulsan HD and 5,282 for Pachuca-RB Salzburg at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

And that’s despite the fact that FIFA, alarmed at the slow pace of ticket sales, slashed prices on the eve of the tournament.

“The atmosphere was a bit strange,” Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said after his team beat LAFC in its tournament opener before nearly 50,000 empty seats at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “This is a world tournament. It deserves more.”

That the competition hasn’t produced more interest is largely FIFA’s fault. World soccer’s governing body has been unable to convince fans or players that the tournament — a 32-team, month-long competition wedged between the end of one European season and the start of the next — was necessary, or even desired.

And until Thursday the tournament had produced little real excitement, with three of the first nine matches — including the opener featuring Messi and Inter Miami — ending in scoreless draws while Bayern Munich, ranked sixth in the world in the Opta Power Rankings, beat Auckland City, ranked 5,068 places lower, 10-0.

With many games kicking off at midday or in the early afternoon, the hot and sticky summer weather has also been a factor on both the play and the attendance. Powerful Real Madrid, playing with Kylian Mbappe in 89-degree temperatures and 71% humidity in suburban Miami, struggled to a draw against Saudi club Al-Hilal while Atlético Madrid wilted under bright summer skies at the Rose Bowl in its first game.

“Playing in this heat is impossible,” Atlético’s Marcos Llorente told reporters. “The heat is terrible. My toes hurt, even my toenails.

“No one in Europe is used to it. I couldn’t stop or start running. It’s unbelievable, but since it’s the same for everyone there’s no point complaining.”

It will be no cooler next year when the real World Cup returns to North America for the first time in 32 years. And in that sense, this summer’s tournament is making good on one of its aims by exposing national team players to the kind of weather, travel and atmosphere they can expect then.

“We’re going to come prepared next year,” said Inter Milan’s Marcus Thuram, who played in the 2022 World Cup final for France. “It’s good preparation to manage the jet lag. America is very big. You get can a taste of what you will get next year. It’s a great preparation.”

As for Thursday’s game, Kvaratskhelia, PSG’s most dangerous attacker, was frustrated twice in the first 10 minutes, with Victor batting down his first shot and the second curling wide of the far post. That allowed Igor Jesus to put Botafogo in front to stay shortly before the intermission, splitting a pair of PSG defenders to run on to Jefferson Savarino’s perfectly weighted through ball, then beating keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma from the top of the box.

It was the first goal PSG has allowed in 366 minutes in all competition and it was all Botafogo would need, although Savarino nearly doubled the lead eight minutes into the second half, putting a strong header on goal that Donnarumma batted down.

Bradley Barcola appeared to tie the score in the 79th minute, but two PSG players were well offside on the play. Then on the first touch of stoppage time, Kvaratskhelia sent a free kick just over the crossbar.

PSG dominated statistically, controlling the ball for three-quarters of the game, making more than three times as many passes, taking 10 corners to one for the Brazilians and outshooting Botafogo 16-4. But all four of Botafogo’s shots were on target while Victor was called on to make just two saves.

Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this story.

Evans is looking to rebuild his ranking, having dropped from a career-high 21st in the world a couple of years ago to 199th.

Given a wildcard entry at Queen’s, the 35-year-old was handed a tough start against American Tiafoe, who reached the quarter-finals of the French Open this year.

But Tiafoe has often struggled on grass and Evans took full advantage, playing some of his best tennis in years to claim an impressive straight-set win.

Evans dropped more than 110 ranking spots last year when he opted to focus on partnering Andy Murray in the doubles at the Paris Olympics, so it was apt that this impressive display came at the arena newly named after the Scot.

The pair reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, with the match the last of Murray’s long and illustrious career.

Asked afterwards about how much Murray has inspired his own career, Evans said: “Not just mine but the whole of British tennis.

“He always has time for everyone and it’s fitting he has an arena called after him.”

Evans started strongly against Tiafoe, fending off a break point before securing the break himself at 3-3.

Tiafoe broke back immediately when Evans overcooked his forehand and momentum appeared to swing the American’s way in a 10-minute spell where his opponent had little answer to him.

But Evans, encouraged by the vocal home crowd, dug in and battled from 5-4 down to secure a second break before closing out the set – helped on his way by coming out on top of a gruelling 37-shot rally.

The momentum was now with Evans and a five-game winning streak put him 2-0 up at the start of the second set.

Evans got a stroke of luck at 3-1 up when his forehand clipped the net cord to drop over and secure a double break.

From then on he closed out the match before receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

“Days like today, whatever happens this week, is why I’ve been carrying on – to get out here and put my game on the court and enjoy it,” Evans added.

Paolini had a breakthrough year in 2024, reaching the French Open and Wimbledon finals and was regarded a title contender in Paris.

The 29-year-old came into the tournament in good form after winning the Italian Open last month, and started well, taking the opening three games.

After the pair traded breaks, Paolini pummelled a forehand winner past Svitolina for the decisive one to take the first set 6-4.

As both struggled to hold in the second set, Paolini served at 5-3, but Svitolina saved two match points and forced a tie-break.

The 30-year-old held off another match point in the tie-break before winning the set and taking control in the deciding third set.

Svitolina dominated with her forehand, hitting 10 winners to Paolini’s four, before a backhand down the line secured her place in the last-eight.

Mikel Arteta says he is “unsatisfied and upset” that Arsenal are finishing another season without a major trophy.

The Gunners manager delivered a powerful and emotional speech as he addressed fans at Emirates Stadium after Sunday’s 1-0 win over Newcastle – Arsenal’s final home match of the season.

The result guarantees Arsenal a place in next season’s Champions League but it is now five years since the Gunners last won a major trophy – the FA Cup in 2020.

They were comfortably beaten to the Premier League title by Liverpool, were knocked out of the Champions League and Carabao Cup in the semi-finals, and went out of the FA Cup in the third round.

Arteta said he is ready to “give his life” to deliver a trophy for Arsenal.

“Liverpool have a trophy – we don’t have a trophy,” Arteta, who has delivered one FA Cup since he was appointed head coach in December 2019, said in his media conference.

“We are unsatisfied and upset. But I think we are on the right trajectory.

“What I can promise is that I will do my very best [to win a trophy] and I will give my life, and get every drop of everybody here to squeeze it and get the best out of them.”

Asked whether he thought fans still backed him, Arteta added: “That’s what I feel but they want more, they have expectations. We need to believe we are going to do it together.”

LUCAS PAQUETA is getting ill and feeling stressed by the delay to his spot-fixing probe.

And West Ham boss Graham Potter wants the FA to resolve his case before next season so the club know if he will be part of a rebuild.

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In May 2024, the Brazilian playmaker, 27, was charged with four counts of spot-fixing and two of obstructing an FA investigation.

This followed allegations he intentionally got a yellow card for betting purposes in four Prem games between November 2022 and August 2023.

The club say they have NO idea when the findings of this will be revealed, so do not know if he will be banned for life or found not guilty.

Being in limbo is taking its toll on Paqueta, who denies any wrongdoing, and he broke down in tears of frustration after being booked in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham on May 4.

Today’s clash against seventh-placed Nottingham Forest is the Hammers’ final home match of the season and it could be the last time he ever dons the claret-and-blue colours.

He was an unused sub against Manchester United last week with a  cold.

Potter said: “The week he had was  particularly tough  for him personally, which I think everybody can  understand.

“And then, as a result of that, he was feeling under the weather on the day before the game at Manchester United and during the game.

“So I didn’t want to risk him and make it worse for him. But he’s trained really well, he wants to be part of the team to help and we’ll see how to use him for the weekend.”

When he broke down in tears against Spurs, wife Duda Fournier took to Instagram to express her concerns about her husband’s mental state.

She said: “My husband has a posture and a strength that I admire and impresses me. We have been living this nightmare for two years.”

Asked if the situation was taking  its toll on Paqueta, Potter replied: “Obviously, you know what it’s like, sometimes you are in stress and  pressure, it can manifest itself in a different way.”

Asked if he wants clarity by the start of next season, Potter said: “For everybody concerned, yes. The sooner the better for everyone.

“In fairness to Lucas, he’s handled it brilliantly. Generally he’s come in and conducted himself in a really good way. He’s just ready to help the team.

“I think coming into work is a  distraction for him. It takes his mind off things.

“For me, I’m just there to support him, the same with his team-mates.”

The FA declined to comment when approached by SunSport.

It will be an emotional afternoon in East London also for the likes of Aaron Cresswell, Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal and Danny Ings.

The quartet, who were part of the 2023  Conference League-winning squad, have not been offered new contracts and will leave this summer.

Czech defender Coufal, 32, joined in 2020 from Slavia Prague.

And in a message to Hammers fans, he said: “I knew that once this time would come but I could not imagine how emotional it would be for me and my family.

“I can say with all honesty in my heart that I enjoyed every minute of being at West Ham. I am taking a lot of unforgettable memories with me.” 

Yet there are NO guarantees any of them will play a role today and be given a proper send-off as Potter is eyeing up a possible 13th-place finish.

He added: “There’s a lot at stake in the Premier League in terms of our points and what Forest are fighting for, so we have to make sure we pick the right team to try to win.

“Of course, emotion is always part of football so that can help. But we have to make the decision based on everything to try to win.”

Crystal Palace win their first major trophy by beating Manchester City 1-0 in the FA Cup final at Wembley stadium.

Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze sparked a massive south London party by scoring the only goal to win the FA Cup 1-0 against Manchester City and claim the club’s first major trophy in their history.

Local man Eze volleyed in after 16 minutes, former Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson performed heroics in the Palace goal, and City contrived to waste a sack-load of chances, including a penalty, in an enthralling final on Saturday.

After England forward Eze, whose goals in the last eight and semis fired his team into the final for the third time, scored completely against the run of play, Palace had to survive a City siege to spark wild celebrations.

Omar Marmoush had a first-half penalty saved by Henderson as City lost in the Cup final for a second successive season, summing up a harrowing campaign in which they have been dethroned as the powerhouse of English football and will go without a domestic trophy for the first time since 2016-17.

For Palace’s massed ranks decked in purple and blue, it was a day of unbridled joy as Oliver Glasner’s team rode their luck to make it third time lucky after suffering defeats in their previous two FA Cup final appearances in 1990 and 2016.

Glasner, who took charge of the club 15 months ago, becomes the first Austrian coach to win the FA Cup.

City have been a pale imitation of the side that has dominated the English game for most of the past decade.

But the way they began at Wembley suggested that Pep Guardiola’s side were determined to prove that talk of their demise had been greatly exaggerated.

Having picked an ultra-attacking lineup shorn of defensive midfielders, City hemmed Palace deep inside their own half for the opening 15 minutes with Kevin De Bruyne pulling the strings on what was his last Wembley appearance in City’s colours.

His lofted ball picked out Erling Haaland, whose stretching effort at the far post was brilliantly saved by Henderson, who also shortly afterwards beat out Josko Gvardiol’s header.

Palace finally broke the siege, and in their first foray beyond the centre circle, they ripped through City’s lines.

Jean-Philippe Mateta played in Daniel Munoz, and his cross was met by Eze, who flashed a first-time volley past Stefan Ortega to provoke an eruption of noise from the Palace fans.

Ismaila Sarr nearly made it 2-0, but Ortega saved, and Palace’s hearts were in their mouths when Henderson appeared to have handled the ball outside his area under pressure from Haaland, but a subsequent VAR check spared him a possible red card.

There was no escape for Palace defender Tyrick Mitchell when he tripped Bernardo Silva, and referee Stuart Attwell pointed to the spot. Surprisingly, Haaland did not take it and instead Omar Marmoush stepped forward for his first penalty since joining City in January, but his effort lacked conviction and Henderson dived to his right to save.

Henderson made a flying save to keep out Jeremy Doku’s curling effort as Palace reached half-time ahead despite having only 19 percent of possession.

Munoz thought he had made it 2-0 just past the hour mark, but a lengthy VAR check ruled his effort out for offside.

Seven-time winners City went close numerous times after the break, with Henderson and his defenders performing heroics to preserve Palace’s lead.

A huge groan went up from the Palace fans as 10 minutes of stoppage time, but after more close shaves and nail-biting, the final whistle sounded and the club’s anthem Glad All Over bellowed around the stadium.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High was supposed to be a year or two away from softball prominence with its collection of six talented freshmen.

Well, the Knights have already arrived after a 9-7 victory over Trinity League champion Orange Lutheran on Thursday in an opening game of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs in which freshman Jackie Morales hit three home runs.

Notre Dame, the Mission League champion, was leading most of the game until Orange Lutheran scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead. Morales tied the score with a home run in the top of the seventh. Then the Knights scored two more runs on an RBI single from freshman Keira Luderer and an RBI single from junior Ellayne Tellez-Perez.

Orange Lutheran was the Division 1 runner-up last season. For Notre Dame to go on the road and win is quite an accomplishment for coach Justin Siegel and the Knights.

“Big players show up in big situations and Jackie Morales has been a big player for us all season,” Siegel said.

Huntington Beach 8, Charter Oak 7: The Oilers hung on for the Division 1 win. Tea Gutierrez and Maleah Humble each had three hits.