List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

An injury scare for back-rower Jack Conan has taken the shine off Ireland’s comfortable 33-17 win over Italy in a Rugby World Cup warmup at Lansdowne Road

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has expressed his concern about the demands on players in light of changes such as an expanded Club World Cup and more time being added on in games. After winning the Champions League to complete their treble last term, City will compete in December’s Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia – what is planned to be the final edition featuring seven teams, with the next a 32-side competition taking place in the United States in the summer of 2025. Meanwhile, the significant increase in time added on seen at last year’s World Cup in Qatar, designed to tackle timewasting, is something set to apply to Premier League matches this season. Every year is getting worse and worse, and will be worse. I don’t know how it is going to end, honestly Pep Guardiola on the physical demands faced by players Speaking ahead of his side opening their 2023-24 campaign with Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Arsenal, Guardiola said: “I know at the end of next season, we are going to make a (Club) World Cup in the United States after finishing the season, two or three more weeks. That means the holidays will be 15 days or maybe three weeks. “I think it doesn’t exist already, pre-seasons. The problem is here (touching his head) – exhausted. Look already how many players are injured in pre-season, in bad conditions, humidity, hot, the pitches are not really good, especially in the States. “It is what it is, so we have to adapt, adjust – but it is not normal. “Now, for example, every game we’re going to play for 100 minutes. Wasting time – from my point of view it is not going to be solved by extending 10 more minutes. It’s more tiring for the players. It’s too much. “FIFA, UEFA – more competitions. The World Cup – more teams. This (Club) World Cup – I don’t know how many teams. “I don’t know what (is going to happen) in the future, for the players, even the managers, to prepare. That’s why you have to see exactly how much you demand of the players. “Every day, season by season, it’s difficult to handle for the players. They love to play but they need also recovery, with the stress and tension they have. They make a show like they do in front of 55-60,000 people – that is a lot of energy, mental energy, and every week, to do it, is a lot. “But every year is getting worse and worse, and will be worse. I don’t know how it is going to end, honestly.” As City prepare to hunt down further silverware, Guardiola has stressed the need for a game-by-game approach in which they “respect incredibly the opponent, do our best to win in the way we believe is better – and after we will see”. And he added: “I would say honestly we are closer to not repeating the treble than winning it, we are closer to not winning the Premier League than winning it. And no team ever won four in a row. “Last season – I didn’t start thinking we are going to win the treble. We started, ‘let’s go to try to win (the Community Shield) against Liverpool’ and we lost 3-1. “And after (that) we won and step by step, good moments. Normally we arrive (in the last few months of the season) in a good mentality and shape, and this is what we are going to try to do again.” June’s maiden Champions League triumph for City added to five league titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups they have won since Guardiola took charge in 2016. The Catalan signed a new contract running to 2025 last November, and when asked if he had thought at all about leaving after securing the treble, he said: “I signed a contract because I feel comfortable. “Nothing changed, for the fact of win or not win. It is how I am happy, and the people is happy, the board especially, the hierarchy, because in the end they decide which manager has to lead this group of players. If they are satisfied, I still am satisfied. “I want to defend what we won and year by year, maybe at the end of the season I am tired, or I say we will talk with the club, or maybe extend more, I don’t know.”

Maria Sakkari has recovered to take the last four games and beat top-seeded Jessica Pegula 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 after letting a huge lead slip away in the DC Open semifinals

Jake Rogers drove in three runs and Akil Baddoo homered and the Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2

Justin Verlander pitched seven innings, allowed a go-ahead home run to Jake Bauers in the fifth inning and began his second stint for the Houston Astros with a 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees

Sauce Gardner made a promise to his mother before he became a first-round NFL draft pick

Martin Truex Jr. is returning for another run with Joe Gibbs Racing, signing a deal to compete in NASCAR races again next year

The Chicago Bears have signed veteran tight end Marcedes Lewis to a one-year contract

Jake Paul will box another UFC star today as he faces Nate Diaz. YouTube star Paul has gone 6-1 as a professional boxer in recent years, and the 26-year-old holds wins over ex-UFC champions Tyron Woodley and Anderson Silva – including a knockout of the former – and a KO of Ben Askren, who was also an MMA champion before joining the UFC. Now the American, who was outpointed by Tommy Fury in February, goes up against fan favourite Diaz, who left the UFC in September and is making his boxing debut here. Diaz, 38, holds a special place in the hearts of many mixed martial arts fans, and he became a crossover star in 2016 when he submitted Conor McGregor. With that victory, as well as his submission of Tony Ferguson in his final UFC fight last year, Diaz showed off his immense jiu-jitsu skills. However, the American is also known for his impressive cardio and resilience, and he will look to use those against his younger opponent. Here’s all you need to know. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. When is the fight? Paul vs Diaz will take place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday 5 August. The main card is due to begin at 1am BST on Sunday 6 August (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET on Saturday). Ring walks for the main event are then expected at around 4am BST on Sunday (8pm PT, 10pm CT, 11pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The event will air live on the streaming platform Dazn. It will be available to existing subscribers, and it will also be purchasable on Dazn Pay-Per-View for non-subscribers – at a cost of £14.99. A Dazn subscription is available to purchase here, with monthly plans starting at £9.99. In the US, the fight will also be available to watch on ESPN+. Odds Paul – 1/3 Diaz – 3/1 Draw – 14/1 Via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz (cruiserweight) Amanda Serrano (C) vs Heather Hardy 2 (undisputed women’s featherweight titles) Shadasia Green vs Olivia Curry (women’s super-middleweight) Ashton Sylve vs William Silva (lightweight) Alan Sanchez vs Angel Beltran Villa (welterweight) Kevin Newman II vs Quilisto Madera (middleweight) Chris Avila vs Jeremy Stephens (super-middleweight) Noel Cavazos vs Jose Aguayo (welterweight) Luciano Ramos vs Cee Jay Hamilton (super-lightweight) Read More KSI vs Tommy Fury: When is fight and how to watch Justin Gaethje stuns Dustin Poirier with brutal head-kick knockout at UFC 291 Terence Crawford’s masterclass puts him in conversation to be an all-time great What time does Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz start tonight? How to watch Jake Paul vs Nate Diaz online and on TV tonight Jake Paul’s latest fight is not about Jake Paul

Ryan Reynolds, Rob McElhenney and fellow Hollywood star Hugh Jackman watched Wrexham’s long-awaited English Football League return end in a 5-3 home humbling at the hands of MK Dons. Saturday’s encounter was an emotional occasion in north Wales as a sell-out crowd watched their side play their first Sky Bet League Two game since 2008. But Wrexham returned with a bump in front of ambitious owners Reynolds and McElhenney, with the dominant Dons becoming the first side to win at the SToK Racecourse since November 2021. These sides were two divisions apart just three months ago and the visitors quickly showed their quality, taking a two-goal lead just 10 minutes into Graham Alexander’s first game in charge. Ben Foster could not prevent Eoghan O’Connell’s own goal or Mohamed Eisa’s excellent solo effort, with Jacob Mendy reducing the deficit just before half-time as Wrexham celebrated a first EFL goal in 5,572 days. But the start of what manager Phil Parkinson called a “new era” proved a chastening one, with Jonathan Leko drilling home from distance and then beating Foster again as the Dons pulled further ahead. Wrexham grabbed one back through hometown hero Jordan Davies, before the Dons’ Daniel Harvie and home substitute Anthony Forde completed the scoring in stoppage time. The hosts were without injured star striker Paul Mullin and new signing James McClean at the Racecourse, where Parkinson’s men looked nervy and went behind in the sixth minute. O’Connell headed Ethan Robson’s free-kick into his own goal, with MJ Williams soon seeing a shot hit the post before the Dons’ second arrived in the 10th minute. Eisa showed excellent skill and perseverance before eventually prodding underneath Foster to stun the Racecourse faithful and delight the 1,115 away fans. Ryan Barnett had cut in to flash a strike over at the other end shortly before, but Wrexham struggled to deal with the two-goal gut punch and created little in the way of clear-cut chances. Foster did well to stop a Leko effort from the edge of the box as MK Dons pushed for a third, only for Wrexham to reduce the deficit in the 42nd minute. Billy Waters saw his effort denied by Dons goalkeeper Craig MacGillivray, with Mendy firing home the rebound and restoring hope. Wrexham looked to kick on when the second half got under way, only to fall further behind to a thumping 51st minute Leko strike as referee Tom Reeves allowed play to continue despite Andy Cannon being left in a heap. Parkinson made a triple change but his side were soon further behind, with impressive Leko beating the offside trap and then Foster to net his second of the afternoon in the 64th minute. Substitute Ollie Palmer saw an effort smothered and fellow introduction Davies flashed narrowly over as Wrexham looked to pull one back, with the latter finally burying home a stunner in the 82nd minute. Wrexham pushed for more and Forde curled home brilliantly in stoppage time, although Harvie had just extended the visitors’ lead as the Dons ran out deserved winners. Read More Why James McClean needs Wrexham just as much as the club needs him ‘Finally snagged an invite!’ Hugh Jackman joins Ryan Reynolds at Wrexham game Why Wrexham can’t bank on another Hollywood ending Rangers stunned by Kilmarnock as season begins with defeat at Rugby Park Carl Starfelt makes likely farewell Celtic appearance in opening day SPL win Andre Onana and Mason Mount have Old Trafford debuts to forget in pre-season friendly

Rangers’ cinch Premiership title challenge suffered the earliest of blows with a shock 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock in the opening day of the season. Michael Beale’s disjointed side had laboured in the first half at Rugby Park and there was no improvement after the break before they were stunned by Brad Lyons’ counter after 65 minutes. The 26-year-old Northern Irishman pounced inside the box to fire the home side ahead and in the end it was enough to keep the three points in Ayrshire. The defeat was a huge setback for Light Blues boss who has signed nine new players so far. Beale knows the margin for error over 38 games in the traditional two-horse title race in Scotland is slim and there is little time for ironing things out on the training ground – the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Servette is at Ibrox on Wednesday night. Champions Celtic began their campaign earlier in the day with a 4-2 win over Ross County at Parkhead so there was immediate pressure on the visitors to get the win, but there was a lack of cohesion in both teams, perhaps understandably. Derek McInnes’ side had only four players from last season in the starting line-up – stand-in captain Lyons, Danny Armstrong, David Watson and Lewis Mayo, who was signed on a permanent deal from Rangers after a loan spell. Of Beale’s new boys; Jack Butland, Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers made their competitive debuts and Brazilian striker Danilo would come on later. Killie, with four ViaPlay Cup games under their belt already, made it difficult for the Govan side, nullifying most of the threat. In the 28th minute, backtracking Mayo brilliantly took the ball off Dessers’ toe as the former Cremonese striker raced through from a Sima pass but the offside flag was up. Killie keeper Will Dennis, on loan from Bournemouth, dived bravely inside his busy six-yard box to gather a loose ball from a James Tavernier corner before he saved a decent low drive from Dessers. The 23-year-old then tipped a powerful John Lundstram drive over the crossbar for a corner which he comfortably clutched out of the air, but it was a relatively quiet 45 minutes for him and the Killie defence. Rangers tried to press with more vigour after the break but the home side remained resolute in defence and increasingly confident when they broke. On the hour mark, seconds after Dowell headed wide following a corner, he was replaced along with Dessers. Todd Cantwell, a surprise omission, and Danilo came on for Rangers while for Killie, Marley Watkins made way for club captain Kyle Vassell. And then Killie took the lead. Rangers defender John Souttar failed to deal with a long throw-in from Watson and Lyons swept the ball past Butland from six yards. Minutes later, with the Light Blues in disarray, Butland did well to save a ferocious drive from Kyle Magennis before Armstrong curled a shot just wide. Ryan Jack came on for Lundstram and Kemar Roofe replaced Lammers as Rangers, in some desperation, tried everything to rescue a point at least but Dennis was well-protected for the 90 minutes and the six minutes of added time.

Josef Newgarden can cap a week that started with Tennessee naming a day after him by taking a big step closer to a third IndyCar Series championship