Lucknow beats Mumbai to stay in contention for top-four in IPL 2023
Mohsin Khan held his nerve to defend 11 runs off the final over as Lucknow Super Giants beat Mumbai Indians by five runs to move one step closer to the knockouts in the Indian Premier League
2023-05-17 02:50
Column: Shaun Micheel's name is on the PGA Championship trophy and he's proud of it
Shaun Micheel is back at Oak Hill 20 years after he won the PGA Championship there
2023-05-17 02:24
CTE cases in soccer players raise fresh questions about safety of heading the ball
Four more former professional soccer players have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy
2023-05-17 01:59
Philadelphia 76ers part ways with head coach Doc Rivers
The Philadelphia 76ers have parted ways with head coach Doc Rivers following the team's chastening Eastern Conference Semifinals defeat to the Boston Celtics.
2023-05-17 01:27
From Netflix embarrassment to the Premier League? Sunderland seek to leave chaos behind
In stark contrast to their money-laden neighbours, Sunderland are within touching distance of the Premier League’s riches with one of the youngest squads in the Championship. Holding a 2-1 advantage over Luton after the first leg of their semi-final, the Hatters stand in their way of reaching the richest game in football – the play-off final – and the means to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds available to those who play in England’s top flight. The Black Cats spent a decade in the Premier League, before they were relegated with four games remaining at the end of the 2016-17 season. Sunderland’s plight is better known than most, in large part due to Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die fly-on-the-wall documentary which started with optimism of an immediate return to the top tier, but instead catalogued the disastrous, often embarrassing relegation to League One. That documentary helped inspire Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney to buy Wrexham but now the Black Cats are hunting a Hollywood fairytale of their own. The third level of the English footballing pyramid is arguably one of the most difficult divisions to escape, as Leeds too found in recent years, and Sunderland finished in the play-offs three times before moving back into the Championship in the 2021-22 season. However, Tony Mowbray is on the brink of something extraordinary. After Alex Neil’s departure on 21 August to take charge of Stoke – despite having led the Black Cats back into the second tier – Sunderland have flourished. Despite having one of the youngest squads in the Championship, with an average age of just 23.4 years, they are unbeaten in their last 10 matches. The Hatters’ meteoric rise eclipses even that of Sunderland, having been outside the Football League as recently as the 2013-14 season, though they are more established in the Championship, playing in their third season. But Sunderland will be encouraged by their 1-1 draw with Premier League side Fulham in the FA Cup – although the Cottagers made a number of changes from their usual starting XI – and Mowbray has argued against those who believe promotion would come too soon for his youthful side. They have the potential. And a 46,000 seater stadium with passionate fans who would relish the opportunity to take on their old rivals Newcastle in the first northeast derby since March 2016. However, Sunderland – if they return – will be returning to a wholly different local footballing landscape. While they have travelled to Grimsby and Port Vale, their local rivals are on the cusp of a return to the heights of Europe and have become one of the richest football clubs in the world. In contrast, Sunderland have had a chaotic near-constant change of ownership which has been a source of contention for the fans. Their path to the play-offs was also far from straightforward, having started the final round of matches outside the top six, but Millwall’s capitulation from a two-goal lead to suffering a 4-3 defeat against Blackburn, who went into the game without a win in eight, allowed Sunderland to sneak into sixth. Securing promotion could also be a fitting final tribute for Manchester United’s Amad Diallo, who scored at the Stadium of Light last week, and Paris Saint Germain’s Edouard Michut. Diallo has netted 14 times this season in 41 appearances and is likely to be welcomed back to Old Trafford after impressing during his spell on loan. Sunderland have the experience and they won a play-off final as recently as last year, but the knockout matches are notoriously difficult and Luton will prove tough opposition tonight at Kenilworth Road. Read More Coventry City aiming to come full circle after journey to hell and back When are the play-offs? A tiny ground and a squad costing less than a Man City sub. So how are Luton within reach of the Premier League? Manchester City remember a legend and Real Madrid prepare for Euro showdown Curtis Jones relishing Liverpool run after keeping the faith during ‘tough time’ How Luton Town climbed to within touching distance of the Premier League
2023-05-17 01:24
WNBA suspends Hammon 2 games for player's allegation she was bullied for being pregnant
The WNBA has suspended Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon for two games for violating league and team respect in the workplace policies
2023-05-17 01:19
76ers fire coach Doc Rivers after 3 seasons and 3 second-round exits from playoffs
The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Doc Rivers following a third straight exit in the second round of the playoffs
2023-05-17 00:27
Folarin Balogun opts to play for US instead of England
Promising striker Folarin Balogun has opted to play for the United States at international level instead of England
2023-05-16 23:53
Ed Woodward accepts first job since Man Utd departure
Former Manchester United executive vice-chair Ed Woodward has accepted a first job since departing Old Trafford last year. Woodward has joined the board of educational esports company EStars as a non-executive director. EStars is “at the heart of the fastest-growing sport in the world”, using esports to bring classmates together, both during and after school hours, to foster great academic goals, inclusion, diversity and positive outcomes. Ex-Newcastle, Netherlands and current Norwich goalkeeper Tim Krul has been a shareholder in the company since its inception in 2017 and Woodward explained his decision to accept the new role. He said: “When you put together esports, education and a dynamic region such as the Middle East, where curriculum decisions can be made faster than Europe, it is a recipe for success. “Joining the team is an easy decision when you add the exceptional leadership and entrepreneurial energy of Mags [founder Mags Byrne]. I’m excited about EStars delivering a path of learning for the next generation in the (relatively) new industry of esports.” Having qualified as a chartered accountant and then worked at JPMorgan as an investment banker, Woodward joined Man United in 2005 to oversee their commercial operations, having advised the Glazer family on their purchase of the club. He was appointed to the board of directors in 2008 and became executive vice-chair in 2013 when David Gill retired. He became an incredibly unpopular figure at Old Trafford due to his association with a Glazer regime that fans turned against and despite the £1bn he sanctioned in transfer fees, his tenure is regarded as a failure, with the club struggling on the pitch – in relative terms at least – in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era. It has been mooted that he could help the Glazer family negotiate any potential sale of Manchester United as the takeover saga drags on. Read More What would a Sir Jim Ratcliffe takeover mean for Manchester United Erik ten Hag unsure what funds will be available to strengthen Man Utd’s squad Louis Van Gaal suggests Ed Woodward’s departure from Man Utd could spell success
2023-05-16 23:51
Pep Guardiola: My Manchester City legacy is already exceptional
Pep Guardiola insists the coming weeks will not define his legacy at Manchester City because it is “already exceptional”. City are on the brink of their fifth Premier League title in six years under the Spaniard and could land the treble as they also chase FA Cup and the so far elusive Champions League glory. Wednesday brings the chance to reach the final of the European competition as they host Real Madrid in the second leg of a semi-final delicately poised at 1-1. Winning the Champions League has long been viewed as the club’s ultimate goal, but Guardiola – a two-time European champion with Barcelona who has collected nine major trophies in total with City – does not think his reputation depends on it. He said: “My legacy is already exceptional! “(We have been) here many times already. We are not stupid, (we) know how important tomorrow is – maybe the most important since we’ve been here. “I say to the players, live it, enjoy the moment and how fortunate we are. It’s in our hands, it depends on us. “We don’t have to do anything exceptional – be ourselves, give everything. I have an incredible feeling about the team. Whatever happens, thank you for bringing us here again. “The legacy is that we’ve had one hell of a time and for many years they (the fans) will remember a generation of players who for five or six years scored lots of goals and conceded very few, and that we won lots of things and won very well, and people should remember that. It would be a good book. “Whether or not they will remember us I don’t know, but we have had a good time.” City dominated for large spells of last week’s first leg at the Bernabeu but Real were more incisive on the counter-attack and created more clear-cut opportunities. City now have home advantage for the return but Guardiola feels his side will have to take their performance up a level. He said: “The emotion is there and will be high – (it) has to be high – but just this is not going to beat a team like Real Madrid. “We need a bit better gameplan, to adjust a little bit, create more chances for our strikers. “We play against Real Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League, the toughest opponents. It’s a challenge but we go for it. “We arrive really good. We’re in the FA Cup final, one game from the Premier League, but we have to play better than Madrid. We have to perform well, not just have the desire.” City are again without defender Nathan Ake due to a hamstring injury but otherwise have a fully-fit squad. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Rory McIlroy lowers expectations for US PGA Championship after his Masters agony Manchester City ‘owe’ club’s owners Champions League success – Kyle Walker Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun’s switch from England to USA approved by FIFA
2023-05-16 22:59
Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun’s switch from England to USA approved by FIFA
Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has switched allegiance from England to the United States, FIFA has confirmed. The New York-born 21-year-old, who is currently on loan at French club Reims, has represented England at Under-21s level but has opted to play his senior international football for the country of his birth. A FIFA spokesperson told the PA news agency said: “The change of association of the player Folarin Jolaoluwa Balogun from England to the USA has been approved.” The news comes just weeks before England are due to launch their European Under-21 Championship finals campaign in Georgia and Romania. Balogun has made 13 appearances for Lee Carsley’s side, but withdrew from the squad in March due to injury. Having been born in America, Balogun moved to England when he was two years old and also qualifies for Nigeria through his parents. Qualifying players are allowed to switch associations before they have played a competitive match for a nation’s senior team. Balogun has made 10 first-team appearances and scored two goals for the Gunners, and spent the second half of the 2021-22 season on loan at Sky Bet Championship Middlesbrough. However, he has made a name for himself in Ligue 1 this season with 19 goals in 34 appearances to date. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-05-16 22:08
Tory treasurer to become one of US football’s biggest investors with £400m deal
A senior treasurer of the Conservative Party looks set to become one of the biggest investors in football in the US on the brink of buying a Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise in a record $500m (£400m) deal. Mohamed Mansour, who has donated £600,000 to the Tories since 2016 and was appointed treasurer by Rishi Sunak last December, is expected to be officially awarded the new franchise, based in San Diego, California, on Thursday. The £400m price tag would be the sixth biggest football deal in the world, behind Chelsea, AC Milan and Manchester United, but less than the £300m Saudi takeover of Newcastle in 2022. He is expected to create the club from scratch by recruiting a full set of players, staff and an academy, which sources suggest could add an extra $200m to the bill. Mansour, a 75-year-old British-Egyptian billionaire Manchester United fan who was an early backer of Facebook and Twitter, has already invested in football with Right to Dream, a group of football academies based in Ghana, Egypt and Denmark. His company Man Capital – the London-based investment group of which he is the founder and chair – became the majority shareholder at Danish Superliga club Nordsjaelland in January 2021. Mansour has previously admitted in an interview with The Daily Telegraph that he was looking to add an English club to his portfolio following the success at Nordsjaelland. “Is England on our radar screen? Definitely,” he explained. The new MLS team in San Diego will be jointly owned by Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, an indigenous American tribe which is believed to have lived in the San Diego area for more than 12,000 years. According to Forbes, Mansour’s net worth is $3.6bn (£2.9bn). The San Diego franchise look set to join MLS in 2025, ahead of the 2026 World Cup being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, but the $500m price tag is the most that has ever been paid for a US football franchise. It will take the number of teams in the MLS to 30. The previous record was the $325m for the team based in Charlotte, North Carolina and, by contrast, David Beckham paid just $25m for Inter Miami following a deal he negotiated when signing for LA Galaxy as a player. MLS recently signed a global $2.5bn, 10-year TV deal with Apple TV, which starts this summer, while San Diego plan to rent the 35,000-seat Snapdragon Stadium, owned by San Diego State University, which has previously hosted international matches. Read More Budget 2022: Hunt says UK in recession as he announces huge tax rises Jeremy Hunt increases energy windfall tax in budget Jeremy Hunt freezes tax allowances and hits 45p rate payers Lionel Messi's next move fuels frenzy of speculation Ceferin would not rule out a Champions League final being held in United States Messi the latest pawn in proxy rivalry in Middle East
2023-05-16 22:01
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