Category: 6. Sports

It seems bonkers to suggest Rangers would have settled for six at the break, but given Brugge’s final goal came with 40 minutes remaining, it is a realistic thought.

The relentless hosts ended the match with 32 shots, 26 of which were inside the Rangers 18-yard area.

They also had 70 touches in the opposition box. Martin’s side had zero.

Sunday’s first Old Firm derby of the season against Celtic offers Rangers the chance to put a torrid night behind them, but many fans will not want to see Martin in the dugout.

The former Southampton manager revealed he is dealing with a squad that has “disrupted harmony”, but he remains convinced he can turn things around.

Although many supporters have lost patience at such an early stage, Martin says the Rangers hierarchy “understand this might take time”.

The head coach is now aiming to use the “pain and humiliation” as “fuel” for the derby.

“The manner of defeat tonight is not acceptable and hurtful,” Martin added. “But I have no other choice but to keep working and keep focused.

“The weight is heavy on the group and we need to take that off them and move forward. I need to take everything that is thrown at me and so do the players.

“But it’s my responsibility to accept all of it. It won’t affect the work we do moving forward.

“I don’t think we need to win on Sunday to secure my job, we need to win to make ourselves feel better and make the fans feel better, and to give them a performance they can be proud of.”

Novak Djokovic overcame an early scare to reach the third round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday (August 27, 2025) as defending women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka prepared to step up her title bid.

Djokovic, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title, recovered from going a set down against American qualifier Zachary Svajda to complete a 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 win on the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court.

The 38-year-old Serbian legend had not played since his semi-final exit at Wimbledon in July before arriving in New York, skipping most of the North American hardcourt swing.

Djokovic said that while not at his best, he is hoping to play himself into form as the tournament progresses.

“That’s what I’m hoping, the deeper I go into the tournament the better I feel about my game,” he said.

“Obviously a bit different for me the last couple of years body-wise. I get the wear and tear quicker than I used to do.”

Djokovic’s victory sees him into the third round at the U.S. Open for a record-equalling 19th time, where he will face Britain’s Cameron Norrie, who defeated Argentina’s Francisco Comesana 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-7 (0/7), 7-6 (7/4).

Norrie is one of only two British men left in the draw after fifth-seeded compatriot Jack Draper withdrew due to injury earlier Wednesday (August 27, 2025).

Draper reached the semi-finals in New York last year but missed warm-up events in Cincinnati and Toronto this year while nursing a bone bruise in his left arm. Draper’s second round opponent, Belgium’s Zizou Bergs, was given a walkover into the third round.

The withdrawal of Draper clears Jannik Sinner’s path towards defending his title. Sinner was due to face Draper in the quarter-finals.

In other men’s action on Wednesday (August 27, 2025), Norwegian 12th seed Casper Ruud, the 2022 U.S. Open finalist, exited to Belgium’s Raphael Collignon, losing 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Fourth seed Taylor Fritz advanced safely, beating South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-4, while American compatriot Frances Tiafoe, seeded 17, also progressed with a four-set defeat of qualifier Martin Damm. Tiafoe won 6-4, 7-5, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5.

Later Wednesday (August 27, 2025), Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz looks to keep his campaign rolling with a night game against Italy’s Mattia Bellucci.

Raducanu rolls on

In the women’s draw meanwhile, world number one Sabalenka also faces a night game, taking on Russia’s Polina Kudermetova on Arthur Ashe.

In other matches on Wednesday (August 27, 2025), Britain’s Emma Raducanu continued her solid start to the tournament after dispatching Indonesian qualifier Janice Tjen in straight sets, winning 6-2, 6-1.

Tjen had become the first Indonesian player to reach the main draw of a Grand Slam in 21 years and followed that up with a first round upset of 24th seed Veronika Kudermetova.

But she was beaten comfortably by Raducanu, who is aiming to recapture the U.S. Open title she won as an 18-year-old qualifier in 2021. Raducanu will face ninth seed Elena Rybakina in the next round.

While Tjen headed for the exit, another player from Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ Alexandra Eala, also saw her tournament come to an end.

Eala, the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match with her defeat of 14th seed Clara Tauson on Sunday (August 24, 2025), was beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Spain’s Cristina Bucsa.

Fourth seed Jessica Pegula is also into the third round after beating Russian Anna Blinkova 6-1, 6-3. There was a win too for veteran Victoria Azarenka, the 36-year-old two-time Australian Open champion from Belarus, who defeated Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-3, 6-3.

Published – August 28, 2025 04:22 am IST

Manchester United sank to a new low under Ruben Amorim by getting eliminated by fourth-tier Grimsby Town after a marathon penalty shootout in the second round of the English League Cup on Wednesday.

Grimsby won a dramatic shootout 12-11 at the 9,000-capacity Blundell Park, with Bryan Mbeumo missing the decisive penalty. United needed late goals by Mbeumo and Harry Maguire just to salvage a 2-2 draw in regulation, having trailed 2-0 at halftime.

It will go down as one of the most embarrassing results in United’s history and leaves the team winless in three games so far this campaign, after a woeful 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.

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It is the first time Man United have ever been eliminated from a cup competition by a team from England’s fourth tier. While United have been knocked out by nonleague teams when there were just two divisions in England, the most recent of those was in 1914 in the FA Cup against Swindon Town.

“It’s an amazing feeling, one that will live on forever,” said Grimsby’s Charles Vernam.

Vernam scored to put Grimsby into a shock lead before United youth product Tyrell Warren capitalized on goalkeeper André Onana’s latest error to double the home side’s lead before halftime.

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Grimsby had chances to pull further ahead in the second half, only for Amorim’s side to seemingly snatch a late reprieve and force a penalty shootout.

Onana saved new signing Clarke Oduor’s spot kick and Matheus Cunha blew the chance to win it for the visitors, with the goals continuing until Mbeumo thumped his effort off the crossbar as fans poured onto the pitch.

“Going into the penalty shootout, the gaffer (manager) said to us, ‘Lads, all the pressure is on them,’ and it was really,” Grimsby midfielder Kieran Green said.

The home team is currently fourth in League Two, and finished the match with a lineup containing several academy graduates and a Faroe Islands international.

United, meanwhile, had £200 million ($270 million) worth of new signings just in its attack in Mbeumo, Cunha and Benjamin Sesko. Cunha also failed in the shootout by having his weak attempt saved.

The result piles more pressure on Amorim, who came into the game with 16 wins from his 44 matches in charge of United after being hired last November.

United were only playing in the second round — for the first time since 2014 — after failing to qualify for European competition last season. That year, the team lost 4-0 at third-tier MK Dons in the second round.

Information from The Associated Press, PA and ESPN Research was used in this report.

We persevered to find the breakthrough against a stubborn West Ham United defence, winning 2-0 in pre-season on Wednesday night courtesy of a Frida Maanum double.

Our second-half pressure paid off when Jenna Nighswonger crossed for Maanum to head home in front of a bouncing North Bank at Meadow Park, before Pelova found our Norwegian forward on the counter-attack to make it two.

FIRST HALF

Pelova had our first shot deflected behind for a corner after Chloe Kelly won the ball in the final third. The following set-piece came out to Kyra Cooney-Cross, whose delivery was flicked wide by the head of Alessia Russo.

At the other end, Viviane Asseyi’s ball into the box was dealt with by Katie McCabe to concede a West Ham corner, and that one was met at the back post by Shelina Zedorsky, Daphne van Domselaar on hand to stop her shot squeezing in.

Cooney-Cross sent a free-kick into the corridor of uncertainty, hitting Riko Ueki, but quick reflexes from Kinga Szemik to get down to her right and make the save denied us an opening goal.

Asseyi’s next corner was punched clear by Van Domselaar and our goalkeeper was on hand to catch the following cross as well.

Emily Fox read the play well to cut out a clearance from West Ham, and Kelly then teed up Pelova, who fired wide from distance.

With half-time approaching, Van Domselaar stuck out her right foot to clear the danger from a Katrina Gorry cross, and we went into the break goalless.

SECOND HALF

We made seven changes at half-time, with Russo, Kelly, Kim Little and Steph Catley making way for Maanum, Olivia Smith, Laia Codina and Katie Reid.

Nighswonger, Taylor Hinds, and Beth Mead also came on for Lotte Wubben-Moy, Fox, and Foord.

It was Codina who had our first chance of the second half, heading wide from a McCabe corner.

Smith tried her luck from distance but Oona Siren got a touch on the shot for an Arsenal corner. Unfortunately, Cooney-Cross’ delivery evaded everyone and sailed out for a goal-kick.

After Nighswonger’s cross was headed wide by Maanum, Sophie Harwood was next to come off the bench, replacing McCabe in the 65th minute.

We were very much in the ascendancy with around 20 minutes remaining, Mead’s corner coming out to Pelova, whose effort was deflected just wide for another corner.

Hinds put a cross in and Maanum headed over, before Pelova won us a free-kick on the edge of the area, but Mead curled it over the bar.

Eventually, that pressure paid off, when Nighswonger’s cross was headed into the bottom left corner by Maanum for 1-0.

With nine minutes to go, Pelova raced into West Ham’s half on the counter-attack before sending a perfect pass over the top of the defence for Maanum to run onto. The latter made no mistake, picking out the bottom left corner to double our lead.

Pelova then made way for Vivienne Lia following another impressive performance, and Hinds shot straight at Szemik as we continued our pursuit of even more goals. In the end, the 2-0 lead was more than enough.

WHAT’S NEXT

We’ve got the beginning of the 2025/26 Barclays Women’s Super League season to look forward to. Make sure you join us at Emirates Stadium for what promises to be another huge occasion in N5 when we take on London City Lionesses at 1.30pm on Saturday, September 6.

MANAGUA (Nicaragua) – The FIBA AmeriCup 2025 playoffs are finally here.

The quarter-finals tip off on Thursday with a pair of undefeated countries (Canada and Dominican Republic) looking like the favorites to win their first AmeriCup gold medal.

However, several more accomplished squads await, with Argentina trying to retain its 2022 title and Brazil, United States, and Puerto Rico looking to win it all.

These are the matchups:

Canada vs. Colombia

Favorite

Canada swept its group stage games behind a potent offense that featured the highest field goal percentage (52.9) and three-point percentage (42.3). The team’s 89.7 points per game are the second-best mark in the tournament, and they have five different players scoring in double digits, led by Kyshawn George (14.7). The North Americans also feature, by far, the best defense, allowing only 58.7 points per game. That gave them a dominant point differential of 31 points per game.

Underdog

In only their third time playing at AmeriCup, Colombia reached the quarter-finals and secured a top eight finish for the first time, meaning they’re playing with house money the rest of the way. The South Americans led the group stage with 10.7 steals per game and came shockingly close to upsetting Argentina in Group C. Forward Braian Angola was No. 4 in efficiency (21.7) and No. 5 in scoring (19.7 points per game) in the first round.

Previous meettings

Canada is 2-0 in the head-to-head after a narrow 62-61 victory in the 2022 AmeriCup. The North Americans also beat Colombia 107-79 at the 1982 World Championship.

Puerto Rico vs. Argentina

Favorite

Although both teams finished with 2-1 records in the Group Stage, Puerto Rico’s point differential doubled Argentina’s (52 vs. 24). The Boricuas lost a close game to Canada in the last game of Group B but otherwise looked sharp, with three different players averaging 15.3 points per game (José Alvarado, Gian Clavell, and Ismael Romero). Romero and George Conditt IV were also No. 3 and No. 5 in efficiency, respectively.

Underdog

After a strong win over Nicaragua, Argentina alternated between highs and lows in their games against Dominican Republic and Colombia. They were No. 5 in both offense (87 points per game) and defense (79). Gonzalo Corbalán (17.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists) and Juan Fernández (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks) were both among the best players of the group stage, and Pablo Prigioni will lean heavily on them to keep the hope alive of retaining the crown.

Previous meetings

Argentina has a 16-12 edge against Puerto Rico, having won 14 of their last 17 matchups, including four of the last five and the most recent one, a 99-86 victory in the group stage of the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup.

Dominican Republic vs. Brazil

Favorite

Dominican Republic was one of two undefeated teams in the Group Stage, and they did it behind the No. 3 defense in the tournament (allowing just 70.7 points per game). Nestor García’s squad won’t have David Jones-García, who was No. 2 in efficiency (23.5) and No. 4 in scoring (21 points per game), but Joel Soriano has emerged as a defensive force, leading the event in blocks (4.0 per game). Meanwhile, Andrés Feliz is No. 2 in assists (8.7), and combo guard Jean Montero looks fully recovered from his wrist injury.

Underdog

Brazil finished third in Group A due to point differential, but they’re far from an underdog. The defense has held strong and point guards Yago Santos and Alexey Borges are combining for 10 assists per game. Bruno Caboclo (13 points and 6.3 rebounds) in just 24.4 minutes per game has been his usual self, while the shooters have been burning the nets from long range (40.2 on three-pointers).

Previous meetings

Brazil (11-2) dominates the head-to-head and has won the last five contests, including an 80-65 victory in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup Quarter-Finals. The last Dominican win was in September of 2011.

United States vs. Uruguay

Favorite

United States recovered on Tuesday to win Group A with a strong victory over Brazil. The team’s offense was No. 1 (93.3 points per game), a testament to their ball movement (No. 1 in assists at 25 per game). They have four double-digit scorers, led by veteran guard Langston Galloway (15.3) and big man Zach Auguste (14 points and 6 rebounds). Jerian Grant is No. 7 in assists (5.7 per game).

Underdog

Uruguay has the No. 4 offense (87.3 points per game) thanks to the explosive backcourt of Joaquín Rodríguez (17 points per game) and Bruno Fitipaldo (16), who are No. 7 and No. 9, respectively, in scoring. The 34-year-old Fitipaldo also leads the event in assists (9 per game), while shooting 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Previous meetings

United States won 18 of the 20 matchups between these countries, but the most recent one was not ideal. Uruguay upset them, 86-85, earlier in the tournament and will look to get a streak going against the North American giants.

FIBA

Taylor Fritz overcame a jittery start, Jessica Pegula extended her run of consistency and Emma Navarro continued to build on last year’s breakout season as all three Americans advanced to the third round of the US Open with convincing victories on Wednesday.

On a breezy afternoon at Flushing Meadows, Fritz recovered from a sluggish opening set to defeat South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2, 6-4. The fourth seed, runner-up here last year, was forced to navigate a tricky test against the big-serving Harris, who has been rebuilding his career after injuries saw his ranking plummet outside the world’s top 300.

Fritz dropped serve early and ceded the first set as Harris’s forehand found its range. But the American steadied behind his own delivery, pounding 17 aces in all, and dominated the second-set tiebreak to level the match. From there he played with the authority expected of a top-five seed, breaking twice in the third set and riding the crowd’s energy in Louis Armstrong Stadium to finish off the win in just under three hours.

“It’s always difficult when a guy like Lloyd comes out swinging freely,” Fritz said. “He was serving great and putting a lot of pressure on me early. I just had to hang tough, get through the breaker, and then I felt like I found my rhythm.”

If Fritz was made to sweat, Pegula’s passage was more straightforward. The world No 4, who reached her first grand slam final here a year ago, eased past Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-1, 6-3 on the Grandstand court. Showing the patience and precision that have become her calling card, Pegula broke serve six times and struck 30 winners to close out the match in a scant 64 minutes.

The 31-year-old is now the first American woman since Madison Keys to reach the third round in New York for six years running, underlining her reliability at the majors. She will next face two-time major champion Victoria Azarenka, who advanced with a win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

“I knew if Anna got into a groove she could be really dangerous,” Pegula said afterwards. “I just wanted to take control right away, not let her dictate. I’m pleased with how I kept my foot on the gas.”

Pegula, who has already collected tour-high 20 wins on US soil this season, admitted that the challenge of solving problems on court is what keeps her motivated deep into her career. “You’ve got to be fearless to play this sport, because one of you is going to lose out there in front of everyone. But when you work your way through and win, that feeling is pretty unmatched.”

The surge of homegrown players was further bolstered by Navarro, the 23-year-old who backed up her semi-final run here last year with a commanding 6-2, 6-1 dismissal of Caty McNally. Navarro, who strugged in Sunday’s first-round win over Wang Yafan, was ruthless in exploiting McNally’s inconsistency, converting seven of eight break points and sealing the victory in just over an hour.

“It was definitely quicker than I expected, but not easy,” Navarro said. “I feel like there’s something special about being here: the energy, the crowd, it really pushes me.”

Navarro’s next assignment is a daunting one: two-time major champion Barbora Krejcikova, a player she beat earlier this summer at Wimbledon. Should she advance again, a potential fourth-round clash with 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva looms, while a quarter-final date with close friend Pegula remains a possibility.

The victories for Fritz, Pegula and Navarro ensured a buoyant day for American tennis, offsetting the disappointment No 30 seed Brandon Nakashima’s 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (10) defeat to Switzerland’s Jerome Kym on Court 12.

For now, the focus remained on the trio of US contenders who underlined their title credentials. “It’s a long road,” Fritz said, “but days like this, with the support and the atmosphere, it really feels like home.”

The pots for Thursday’s UEFA Champions League draw have been finalised after the playoff round was completed on Wednesday.

It will be the second time a draw takes place under the new format, which sees all 36 teams in one league table.

The draw will begin at 5 p.m. UK / midday ET, with the first fixtures scheduled for Sept. 16-18. UEFA is expected to publish the full order of matches on Saturday.

The league phase will stretch into January, with all 18 games on the final matchday on Jan. 28 being played at the same time.

Rather than placing teams into groups, the draw will create eight fixtures for each club. There will be two matches, one at home and one away, against teams from each of the four pots.

As teams now play games against clubs from their own pot there is no benefit from being in Pot 1. In previous seasons, being in Pot 1 meant you would avoid playing matches against the strongest clubs in the tournament.

Pot 1 used to house the holders of the Champions League and Europa League, plus the champions of the top six domestic leagues. Pots 2 through 4 would then be ordered by strength based on UEFA’s club coefficient, which ranks clubs on performance in Europe over the previous five seasons. Now only the Champions League titleholders will be automatically in Pot 1, all other positions will be on the UEFA club coefficient.

However, the six non-English teams in Pot 1 of the Champions League draw will all have to be given fixtures against any two Premier League clubs. This draw constraint is created by the rule which says clubs from the same country cannot play each other in the league phase.

This season the final will be held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, May 30.

POT 1:
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Manchester City
Bayern Munich
Liverpool
Internazionale
Chelsea
Borussia Dortmund
Barcelona

POT 2
Arsenal
Bayer Leverkusen
Atlético Madrid
Benfica
Atalanta
Villarreal
Juventus
Eintracht Frankfurt
Club Brugge

POT 3
Tottenham Hotspur
PSV Eindhoven
Ajax
Napoli
Sporting CP
Olympiacos
Slavia Prague
Bodo/Glimt
Marseille

POT 4
F.C. København
AS Monaco
Galatasaray
Union St.-Gilloise
FK Qarabag
Athletic Club
Newcastle United
Pafos
Kairat Almaty

RESERVE

Fenerbahce