Neymar left the soccer field in tears after yet another injury in what has become an all-too familiar sight

Brighton enjoyed a comprehensive first victory in the Europa League as a goal in either half from Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati eased them to a 2-0 win against Ajax at the Amex Stadium. It took until the final minutes of a first half that Brighton had dominated for the breakthrough to arrive, Pedro tapping home on the rebound after an opening period in which Ajax – second-bottom of the Eredivisie – did little more than look to preserve parity, as Brighton dictated things from the first minute. The Dutch side have endured their worst-ever start to a league season, and after sacking manager Maurice Steijn on Monday they went down with barely a whimper, Fati’s goal early in the second half laying bare the gulf between Roberto De Zerbi’s team and the four-time European champions. It was a first half that Brighton controlled but were for the most part frustrated by an organised, obdurate Ajax. Pedro wanted a penalty for a shove in the back inside of three minutes, waved away by the referee with barely a glance, before Brighton’s top scorer on their European campaign tucked the only real chance of the opening exchanges wide of the near post from Karou Mitoma’s cut-back. Pedro appealed again for a spot-kick, this time with more gusto, when he appeared to be bundled to the ground by Jorrel Hato. The defender was adjudged narrowly to have reached Mitoma’s through-ball ahead of the Brighton striker as the Amex howled for a penalty. The hosts’ central-defensive pair spent much of the first half 10 yards inside the Ajax half. The plan to lure out the visitors and exploit the resulting space was resisted by caretaker boss Hedwiges Maduro’s team, who seemed content to sacrifice attacking ambition for the sake of clogging the gaps in between their lines. Simon Adingra had the best chance of the opening half-hour when he lashed a right-footed effort over the bar from Lewis Dunk’s header back across goal, as Brighton’s threat was stymied by Ajax in what was a ponderous first half from De Zerbi’s side. Mitoma and Pedro’s partnership looked the most likely avenue of success. The pair carved out the clearest opening yet when Pedro dashed into a channel down the right to reach his team-mate’s threaded ball and drove low at goal, only for goalkeeper Diant Ramaj to beat it away with a strong right hand. The breakthrough came three minutes before the break. Dunk’s pass was weighted into the path of Mitoma who dashed into the box and dragged the ball inside Josip Sutalo to make space to shoot. His effort was pushed out by Ramaj, but only to the feet of the onrushing Pedro who continued his fine European scoring run to end a frustrating half for Brighton on a high. Fati’s goal, slotted home brilliantly eight minutes after the break, cemented Brighton’s superiority. Adingra began the move from midfield, patiently stewarding the ball until Fati’s run was made, checking inside and feeding the on-loan Barcelona forward who beat his man with a devastating first touch and dispatched deftly beyond Ramaj. The game had sprung suddenly to life. Fati was inches from making it three and burying Ajax, his driven effort licking inches wide of the post, before Steven Berghuis at the other end struck the upright with Jason Steele beaten, a rare foray forward from the visitors. It was to be the closest the 2019 Champions League semi-finalists came, as Brighton’s debut European season finally got going in earnest. Read More Tyson Fury has ‘no doubt’ he will knock out former UFC fighter Francis Ngannou Aston Villa prove European credentials with triumph at AZ Alkmaar – Unai Emery David Moyes defends team selection as West Ham’s unbeaten European run ended

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Formula 1 will produce the television coverage of the Monaco Grand Prix next week – ending a longstanding grip on the event from local broadcasters. F1 produces the world feed for every race on the calendar, with Monaco previously being the anomaly among a season of 22 races in 2023 – a figure which has dropped from 23 after Imola’s cancellation this weekend due to flooding in the Emilia Romagna region. Local TV station Tele Monte Carlo had been the producers of one of the sport’s most famous races, but F1 will now control the broadcasting of the event, including the world feed. The local hosts have been criticised in recent years for their feed, with examples of key action being missed and shots shown at random times. A memorable instance was in 2021, when a battle for position between Sebastian Vettel and Pierre Gasly after a pit-stop was cut-out for a random replay of Lance Stroll’s car running wide at the swimming pool chicane. The event’s production is now set to improve by F1 moving it in-house, with new and improved angles in addition to traditional shots around the twists and turns of the principality. Monaco has been out on its own in locally producing their F1 race for the last 11 years, since Fuji Television stopped producing the Japanese Grand Prix in 2011. Previous to that, F1 gradually took the reigns at grands prix around the world from local hosts to in-house production. 2023 marks the first in a three-year deal between F1 and the Automobile Club of Monaco (ACM), in the short-term stamping out doubts about the future of the blue-ribbon race. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez won last year’s Monaco Grand Prix in wet conditions. The Mexican trails team-mate Max Verstappen by 14 points heading into this year’s race. Hometown favourite Charles Leclerc will be eyeing his first ever podium at a race he has notoriously struggled at since his F1 debut in 2018. The Ferrari star has secured pole positions in the last two years but was unable to take to the start line in 2021 due to a mechanical failure and a pit-stop blunder in 2022 meant he finished fourth. Read More F1 race schedule: What time is the Monaco Grand Prix next Sunday? Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes are the biggest losers from Imola Grand Prix cancellation F1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix cancelled after heavy flooding in region Will Imola Grand Prix be rescheduled?