List of All Articles with Tag 'ba'

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will face-off on Sunday Night Baseball for the second straight week.This time, it'll take place at Fenway Park and will serve as the second game in a double-header.Luis Severino (6.48 ERA) will take on Brayan Bello (3.78 ERA) in a battle of right-...

Folarin Balogun has made waves by selecting USMNT as his international team. The striker could earn a big transfer away from Arsenal this summer.

North Macedonia head coach Blagoja Milevski believes England have some of the best players in the world and admits his side need a “miracle” to get a result in their Euro 2024 qualifier at Old Trafford. England top Group C having won their opening three games and can take a large step to reaching the finals in Germany next summer if they continue that run in Manchester on Monday night. North Macedonia, meanwhile, let a two-goal lead slip to lose at home to Ukraine on Friday night and Milevski knows things are not about to get easier. “We shouldn’t waste words talking about the quality of this England team,” he said. “Individually or as a team, they are one of the best, have the best players in the world and showed their quality a few days ago. “On an international level and at club level, if we are talking about English football it is the best in the world and it will be a great pleasure to play against them. “On one way it is the easiest (game). England is obvious the strongest in our group so there is no pressure on North Macedonia because our players are going to perform their best and – without that pressure – they are going to enjoy competing with England. Macedonia, as they were known at the time, secured a memorable 0-0 draw at Old Trafford when they last faced England as part of Steve McClaren’s ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifying campaign. Milevski, though, will not be looking at that game as inspiration for his side, who he wants to enjoy the occasion. He added: “From 2006 – that is 17 years ago now – but now Macedonia show not only in this moment but back for quite a few years that we can be competitive in Europe. “I don’t have to mention what they achieved already in the past, we know that Macedonia has enough strength to be competitive in these qualifiers. “It is very rare to have this chance to play in front of such a crowd and in such a stadium. “Just the competition and the league that is played in England is very impressive and as soon as you enter this kind of environment, you don’t need any more motivation than that, you have a chance to show the maximum you possess. “As far as this competition is concerned, we are such a team that we need to make a miracle, any nervousness we have before the match we are going to forget about it on the pitch. “This, in front of us tomorrow, maybe happens once or twice in your career as a player and a management team and we need to show we are able to do miracles like we did in other competitions. “We have shown many times this team has the ability to compete against the biggest international teams and we are going to do our best.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Hampshire beat Surrey by nine wickets to stay on course for quarter-final place Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick says US Open course is ‘not my cup of tea’ James McClean wants to carry on playing for Ireland for as long as possible

The Arizona Diamondbacks have a four game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West and today are going for the sweep in their interleague series with the Cleveland Guardians. Yesterday Arizona took a 6-3 win on a night they hit four home runs and are now 43-28. The Guardians are 32-38 and in second in t...

Nikola Jokic made it back to Serbia in time to watch his beloved horses race in his hometown

James McClean has vowed to prolong his Republic of Ireland career for as long as possible after manager Stephen Kenny tipped him to follow in Luka Modric’s footsteps. The 34-year-old old Wigan midfielder will win his 100th senior cap for his country in Monday night’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar in Dublin, with the Ireland boss marking the achievement by handing him the captain’s armband. Kenny voiced the opinion last week that McClean is so fit, there is no reason he cannot do what Croatia star Modric has done and play international football at the age of 37. Asked if that was in his mind, McClean said: “Physically I feel great. I don’t feel I have slowed down too much. If I stay injury-free and I’m still enjoying it, if I continue to get picked, why not?” Derry-born McClean won his first cap for Ireland as a substitute against the Czech Republic in February 2012 during his time at Sunderland, and was part of the squads which qualified for the finals of both Euro 2012 and 2016. A winger by trade, he has scored winning goals in key World Cup qualifiers in Austria and Wales, but latterly has been used by Kenny as a wing-back. He will join some of Ireland’s biggest names in reaching a century with only Robbie Keane, Shay Given, John O’Shea, Kevin Kilbane, Steve Staunton and Damien Duff currently ahead of him. Speaking before Kenny confirmed he will start the game, McClean said: “To hopefully get 100 caps and join the illustrious names on that list will be pretty special, not just for my family, but everyone who helped me make that happen.” McClean, who won his 99th cap as a substitute in Greece on Monday evening, will hope to reach his personal landmark in style after a bruising experience for him and his team-mates in Athens. But for all the big nights he has enjoyed in a green shirt, McClean insists the honour of pulling it on in the first place represents the biggest thrill. Asked what was his proudest moment on the international stage, he said: “Representing Ireland. “Being able to do that just once was special. I’ve never hidden the fact of how proud I am to be Irish. To be given the opportunity to step on the pitch and effect games for your country, that’s what I’m proudest of.”

With the Bradley Beal trade market heating up tremendously, the Miami Heat are heavily in the mix and their offer to the Wizards has been revealed.The Miami Heat are reportedly one of the top suitors to work a Bradley Beal trade with the Washington Wizards as trade rumors around the All-Star gua...

Lou Williams, the NBA's all-time top reserve scorer and a three-time winner of the Sixth Man of the Year award, announced his retirement from the...

Croatia are aiming for its first tournament trophy as it plays Spain in the final of the Nations League in Rotterdam. Croatia finished third in the World Cup last year and runners-up in 2018, and winning the Nations League would cap 37-year-old Luka Modric’s international career in what would be the Real Madrid midfielder’s 166th game for his country. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente can win a trophy in only his fourth game since taking over in December following Spain’s World Cup round-of-16 exit to Morocco under Luis Enrique. Spain’s last tournament win came at the 2012 European Championship. Earlier, host nation the Netherlands played Italy in the third-place game in Enschede. Here is everything you need to know. When is the final? Croatia vs Spain kicks off at 7.45pm BST in Rotterdam, Netherlands. TV channel and live stream The Nations League final will be broadcast live in the UK on Channel 4. Viewers can also stream the match live via the Channel 4 website and app. Who finished third? Italy claimed the consolation bronze medals at the Nations League finals, and added to a disappointing week for hosts the Netherlands, as they edged the Dutch 3-2 in Sunday’s third place playoff tie at the Twente Stadium. Federico Dimarco thrashed the ball home at the far post in the sixth minute and Davide Frattesi doubled the score from in front of goal in the 20th minute to give Italy a comfortable halftime lead. But the Dutch launched a concerted second half comeback, making three attacking changes at the break, laying siege to Italy’s goal and seeing Steven Bergwijn pull a goal back in the 68th minute. Federico Chiesa restored the two goal advantage at the end of a 73rd minute counterattack but there was an exciting conclusion as Georginio Wijnaldum got a second for the Dutch in the 89th. But even though nine minutes of stoppage time was added on, Italy held out under home pressure for victory. Read More Italy finish third in Nations League after beating the Netherlands Joselu fires Spain to Nations League final with late winner against Italy Gareth Southgate facing ‘complicated’ decision on Man City stars for Malta game Gareth Southgate undecided on whether to select Man City stars against Malta Focus on Republic of Ireland’s opponents Greece and the threat they may pose Home support can be Malta’s 12th man against England – ex-player David Carabott

The latest FC Barcelona transfer news, including Paris Saint-Germain's bid for Pedri, interest in Adrien Rabiot and alternative targets to Ilkay Gundogan.

Today's USMNT rumors include Folarin Balogun being linked with Crystal Palace. Carlos Bocanegra has beeninterviewed by Rangers to become theirdirector of football and there are MLS teams interested in Bryan Reynolds.USMNT rumors: Folarin Balogun to Crystal PalaceMost of the interest in Fola...

Stephen Kenny has brushed off speculation over his future as Republic of Ireland manager amid a tide of criticism in the wake of a disastrous start to the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Kenny woke on Sunday morning to reports he could be replaced following Friday night’s 2-1 defeat in Greece, which left his side without a point from the first two fixtures and with their hopes of making it to the finals fast receding. However, despite seeing England Under-21s manager and former Ireland international Lee Carsley, Ghana boss Chris Hughton and Sam Allardyce linked with his job, Kenny remained bullish ahead of Monday night’s must-win fixture against lowly Gibraltar. Asked if he expected to be in charge for the remainder of the campaign, he said: “Yes, I definitely do. My contract is up to the end of the campaign and whether it’s renewed will depend on how people feel the campaign went overall, but certainly I fully expect to be. “We want a positive result tomorrow and that’s firmly what I’m focused on.” Anything other than a win over Gibraltar, ranked 201st by world governing body FIFA, some 152 places below Ireland, would simply fuel the fires of those who want a change of manager. Asked if anything less was unthinkable, Kenny replied: “In terms of European Championship qualification, yes, it is, yes.” It is not the first time during the three years since he replaced Mick McCarthy at the helm that Kenny has found himself in the firing line, and that clamour would increase significantly if his team did not come out on top – and handsomely so – on Monday evening. His background, unlike recent predecessors Giovanni Trapattoni, Martin O’Neill and McCarthy, is largely in the League of Ireland, and the success or otherwise of his attempts to play an enterprising brand of football has been a topic for debate throughout. Asked how he maintains his optimism in the face of such a backlash, Kenny said: “It’s irrelevant, to be honest, it’s irrelevant, I just really focus on developing the team and preparing the team for tomorrow. “There is a lot of criticism, some of it justified, and I have to accept that. Likewise some of it inaccurate, that’s the nature of it. From my point of view, I’m not fixated with it. I’m just firmly focused on what we have to do and just focused on the task at hand, which is managing this group of players. “We’re not perfect, but I really believe in the players. I know people have other viewpoints, but I believe in the players. “We wanted to win against Greece, we didn’t win. That’s a reality. If we had won the other night against Greece, everything would have been on track, we’d have been going into the Gibraltar game with everything great. “Now because we didn’t, it’s a catastrophe, and I do get that, but we’ve got to focus on tomorrow and Gibraltar, make sure we are ready.” Kenny has no fresh injuries, but has indicated he will make changes, one of which will see Wigan midfielder James McClean wear the captain’s armband as he wins his 100th cap.