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With the race for the last two National League wild card spots still wide open, MLB's final weekend did not disappoint, delivering plenty of memorable moments. These five in particular were especially unforgettable.

Max Fried's Gem Keeps Braves' Playoff Hopes Alive in Potential Last Start at Truist Park

If Friday's start was the last of Fried's career at Truist Park, then it was one to remember. With the Atlanta Braves needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, Fried, a free agent after the season, was nearly perfect. The 30-year-old lefthander scattered three hits and a pair of walks over 8 2/3 innings pitched, striking out nine Kansas City Royals batters. Fried's game not only provided a crucial victory, but it also gave Atlanta's bullpen a much-needed rest day.

Not to mention that it forced Braves fans, already riding the emotional roller coaster of a playoff chase, to face the harsh reality of Fried potentially leaving this winter. That only made the standing ovation Fried received from the crowd even more special.

"I’d be lying [if I said free agency] didn’t cross my mind," Fried told reporters after the game.

White Sox, Doomed to History by Incompetence, Help Tigers End Playoff Drought

What makes a good team successful and a bad team, well, not successful? It's easy to ponder that question at times when watching sports. But, unfortunately, the answer was not so difficult to arrive at when watching the 2024 Chicago White Sox. Sometimes, it's as simple as this: Bad teams find a way to hand their opponents chance after chance to win, and good teams happily oblige them. That's exactly what happened at Comerica Park on Friday night during the Detroit Tigers' 4–1 win over the White Sox.

The two teams traded zeroes on the scoreboard for four innings. Then, after loading the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning, White Sox reliever Jared Shuster threw a wild pitch, allowing Tigers catcher Jake Rogers to score. Detroit outfielder Matt Vierling then lifted a sacrifice fly to give the club a 2–0 lead.

Later in the bottom of the seventh inning, the White Sox couldn't get out of their own way again. Tigers infielder Andy Ibáñez, who doubled with one out in the seventh, advanced to third on a throwing error by White Sox outfielder Dominic Fletcher. After an intentional walk to Vierling, Chicago reliever Fraser Ellard delivered a cutter that caught too much of the zone to Tigers outfielder Riley Greene, who promptly lined it into center field for a run-scoring double. Then, a wild pitch from Ellard allowed Vierling to scamper home and handed the Tigers a 4–1 lead.

When White Sox designated hitter Andrew Vaughn's lazy fly ball landed in the glove of Tigers right fielder Wenceel Perez (somewhat scarily for Detroit fans given the near collision with Parker Meadows), the Tigers' magical run culminated in their first postseason berth since 2014. And the White Sox were doomed to the history books.

Travis d'Arnaud Plays Hero for Braves With Dramatic Walk-Off

Oftentimes, September and October baseball beckon for unsung heroes to emerge. On Saturday night, one day after Fried's gem, it was Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud's turn to put on the Superman cape against the Royals.

d'Arnaud, no stranger to October greatness, stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the ninth inning with one out and the game tied 1–1. d'Arnaud, with just six hits in his last 42 at bats, took the first two pitches from Royals reliever Sam Long for balls. Then, the Braves backstop got a juicy fastball right down Broadway and crushed it 421 feet to dead center, watching it fly with a Carlton Fisk-esque hop down the first base line. d'Arnaud raised his arms in the air as the ball soared over the fence for a walk-off home run. Truist Park went ballistic. Ballgame, Braves.

The moment was made even sweeter by the fact that the rival New York Mets had lost earlier Saturday, though that point would become moot on Sunday. More on that in a moment.

Francisco Lindor Keeps Mets' Playoff Hopes Alive With Huge Game

There was understandably some concern surrounding Mets star Francisco Lindor's health, as the veteran shortstop missed nearly two weeks as he dealt with lower back pain before returning to the lineup on Friday. On Sunday, Lindor seemingly erased those concerns—and kept the Mets' season alive.

Lindor, bad back and all, was quite simply inevitable during Sunday's 5–0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. In the top of the first inning, Lindor drew a walk, stole second base and then scored on a Brandon Nimmo single. 1–0 Mets. The Mets star was slow to get up after sliding into home, but he wasn't about to let a bad back stop him.

In the top of the fourth inning, Lindor, after a Francisco Alvarez RBI single, tacked on an insurance run of his own with a run-scoring single. 3–0 Mets. Lindor then swiped his second bag of the game. Finally, in the top of the sixth inning, the Mets shortstop turned on a 2-1 splitter and crushed it over the right field wall to cap off a monster day. 5–0 Mets.

Thanks to seven shutout innings from southpaw David Peterson and another two scoreless frames from the bullpen, the Mets walked away with the victory. And with the Braves' loss Sunday, New York and Atlanta, thanks to untimely weather postponements, will play a Monday doubleheader to determine their—and the Arizona Diamondbacks'—postseason fates.

"Our destiny is in our hands," Lindor said after the game. "We've got to go out there and do whatever it takes to win."

Diamondbacks Power Their Way to Three-Way Tie for NL Wild Card Spot

After losing five of their last six games—and getting blanked in a 5–0 loss on Saturday, the Diamondbacks needed something to change on Sunday to keep their season alive. And boy, did it ever.

After getting blanked for the first three innings again, one could hardly blame the Chase Field fans for feeling a bit anxious. But all that changed in the bottom of the fourth inning when the Diamondbacks put up a six spot, courtesy of a pair of RBI singles, an RBI double, a run-scoring groundout and a Ketel Marte two-run homer.

But Arizona was far from finished. The D-backs proceeded to tack on runs in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings to win the game over the San Diego Padres 11–2. The offensive awakening kept the Diamondbacks' playoff hopes alive, as they sit in a three-way tie with the Mets and Braves for the final two wild card spots in the National League prior to Monday's doubleheader between New York and Atlanta.

The Diamondbacks' postseason fate is, unfortunately, out of their hands at this point. As Tom Petty once aptly put it, the waiting is the hardest part.

Honorable Mentions

Paul Skenes Cements Case for NL ROY With Stunning Sequence vs. Yankees Sluggers

Did Skenes win the National League Rookie of the Year award with the two perfect innings he pitched Saturday? Certainly not. But striking out New York Yankees sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, the Yankees' duo who represents the closest thing baseball has seen to Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the modern era, was the perfect capper to a truly memorable season. He's no ordinary rookie.

Luis Arraez Hits His Way Into History Books

Not only did Luis Arraez, who doubled in Sunday's 11–2 loss to the Diamondbacks, collect 200 hits for the second straight season, he also secured another batting title, denying Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani the Triple Crown in the process. The Padres infielder became the first player in MLB history to win three consecutive batting titles with three different teams (Minnesota Twins, Miami Marlins and Padres). That Arraez managed to lead the league in hitting again in a year where MLB hitters posted the fifth-lowest batting average of all-time dating back to 1871 is nothing short of remarkable.

Mother Nature Denies Jose Ramirez Chance at Rare Season

The final game of the year for the Houston Astros and Cleveland Guardians carried no meaning for either postseason-bound club. But it sure did for Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez, who, with the Sunday contest's postponement, finished one home run shy of just the seventh 40-homer, 40-stolen base season in MLB history. It's a real bummer for the six-time All-Star. Perhaps he will use it as October motivation to help the Guardians end the longest World Series drought in the sport.

Gill confirmed Bumrah will play at Lord’s next week as India left out Thakur and Sai Sudharsan

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes and Shubman Gill at toss at Edgbaston•Getty Images

Ben Stokes has won the toss and opted to bowl first at Edgbaston, as England seek to exploit whatever movement there is on this Edgbaston surface to steal a march on India in the second Test, after taking a 1-0 lead at Headingley.The headline news is that Jasprit Bumrah sits out, ensuring he still has two Tests in the chamber to be used in the final three matches from Lord’s onwards. His resting is one of three changes for India, with Akash Deep, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar drafted into the XI.Those changes give India a decidedly different feel from the one that suffered the defeat at Headingley, with B Sai Sudharsan and Shadrul Thakur dropped. Karun Nair will bat at No.3.Explaining the decision to rest Bumrah, Shubman Gill revealed the India management felt Lord’s will offer Bumrah more than this track.”We did get a good break… but the third match of the series being at Lord’s, there might be a little bit more in the wicket so we thought we’d play him in the third one,” said Gill.While confirming he would have also opted to bowl first, Gill revealed Kuldeep Yadav came close to selection, only for Washington to get the nod because of his superior batting. Boosting the tail after numbers eight to 11 scored nine runs between them across both innings of the first Test was a priority.”We were very tempted to play him (Kuldeep). But looking at the last match, the lower order did not score many runs,” Gill said.All the intrigue over the last 48 hours was very much focussed on India after Stokes named an unchanged XI on Monday. The last time England fielded same XI across the first two Test matches of a home series was in 2017 against South Africa.Victory for the hosts would increase their superiority over India at Edgbaston. They have won seven out of eight meetings here, with one draw.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Brydon Carse, 10 Josh Tongue, 11 Shoaib BashirIndia: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Karun Nair, 4 Shubman Gill (capt), 5 Rishabh Pant (wk), 6 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna

West Indies captain won’t be available for selection after consulting with specialist

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2025

Hayley Matthews drills one through the covers•Getty Images

West Indies captain Hayley Matthews has been ruled out of the team’s third and final ODI against England at Taunton on Saturday. Matthews suffered a shoulder injury while fielding in the first game of the series in Derby, and subsequently sat out Wednesday’s encounter in Leicester.The precautionary move to prevent further aggravation of the problem comes after Matthews visited a specialist in London on Thursday. With the series already lost, West Indies also have an eye on their upcoming home series against South Africa, which starts with an ODI in Barbados next Wednesday.”It’s unfortunate Hayley’s picked up an injury and she won’t be available for the last ODI here in England,” West Indies head coach, Shane Deitz, said. “She’s played a lot of cricket over the past few years and obviously injuries are part of being an elite level athlete in all sports.”We will miss her greatly on and off the field, but there’s a great opportunity for other players to step up as Realeanna Grimmond did in the second ODI. She stepped up in Hayley’s role and played a great innings so it’s a great opportunity for other players to be able to fill the void that Hayley leaves with bat and ball and leadership on the field.”The medical team are looking at options now for what’s best for her long-term future to get her body 100 percent right and continue her fantastic career.”Matthews was named Player of the Series during the T20I leg of their tour, despite a 3-0 defeat for her side. She added an innings of 48 in the first ODI, as West Indies went down by 108 runs, and then watched from the sidelines as England took an unassailable lead with a 143-run victory in the second game.In her absence, West Indies will once again be captained by Shemaine Campbelle as they look to end a disappointing tour on a high note.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s spell at Tottenham Hotspur was certainly one to forget for the manager and the supporters after the dismal form endured during his tenure.

In the 17 matches he was in charge of the Lilywhites, the 51-year-old only won 52% of the matches he was in charge of – subsequently only being in the role for a total of four months.

Such an appointment raised eyebrows at the time, with the former Wolves boss tasked with the responsibility of taking the side to the next level after José Mourinho’s tenure.

The aforementioned period may not have been enough to make the desired changes, with Daniel Levy arguably making a harsh decision in cutting ties so early into his spell in North London.

The decision allowed the former Portuguese goalkeeper to make an impact elsewhere in the Premier League – subsequently making himself a success at Nottingham Forest.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s time under Nuno at Forest

Nuno joined Forest back in December 2023, leading the club back to European football for the first time in 30 years – but was handed his marching orders earlier this week after a fall-out with owner Evangelos Marinakis.

He was overseeing the progress of attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White at the City Ground, once again linking up with the Englishman after their previous spell together at Wolves.

The 25-year-old enjoyed an incredible campaign throughout 2024/25, subsequently registering his highest tally of combined goals and assists in the Premier League under Nuno’s guidance.

He ended the year with 15 goal contributions, a tally which saw the Lilywhites even make a £60m bid for his services during the recent summer transfer window.

Such a deal was agreed between all parties for Gibbs-White to join Thomas Frank’s side, but Marinakis voiced his displeasure at the transfer and publicly threatened legal action against the club.

As a result, a deal hit a stumbling block, leading to the Englishman penning a new three-year contract at the City Ground and putting a deal off until January at the earliest.

There’s no denying that the failure to secure his signature would’ve been a disappointment to the fanbase, but they needn’t worry, given the talent already on their books in North London.

The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Gibbs-White

Whilst Nuno was only in the role for a short period of time, he managed to have a positive impact that has been showcased in recent months – arguably laying some of the foundations for the recent Europa League triumph.

He oversaw the arrival of centre-back Cristian Romero, with the Argentine now a key member of the first-team squad four years on from his switch to England from Atalanta.

The 27-year-old has been named the club captain in recent months, highlighting the importance to the side, with Frank putting huge faith in the defender to lead the club forward.

However, he wasn’t the only first-team member brought in during Nuno’s tenure, with midfielder Pape Matar Sarr also making the move to North London in the summer of 2021.

Whilst he spent his first year back out on loan at Metz, the Senegalese international has established himself as a key member of the side over the last couple of months.

The 22-year-old has started all three of the Lilywhites’ Premier League outings this campaign, showcasing the backing he has from Frank to make an impact in their quest for added success.

Sarr’s importance is further highlighted by his tally of 55 appearances in all competitions last campaign, starting and playing the vast majority of the Europa League final in Bilbao.

Despite being a deeper-lying option than Gibbs-White, he’s also operated in a number ten role in recent months – even managing to outperform him in numerous areas, subsequently making him a bigger talent at present.

Sarr, who’s been labelled “incredible” by journalist Umir Irfan, managed to post a higher shot on target accuracy rate (38%) than Gibbs-White in the Premier League last season.

How Sarr & Gibbs-White compared in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Sarr	MGW
Games played	36	34
Goals & assists	5	15
Shot on target accuracy	38%	34%
Pass accuracy	86%	78%
Passes into final third	4.2	4.1
Carries into final third	1.7	1.6
Tackles made	1.7	0.7
Aerials won	1.6	1.2
Stats via FBref

Such a tally showcases the threat the youngster possesses in attacking areas, arguably making him more of a goal threat when in possession of the ball in attacking areas.

The main responsibility of a number ten is creativity, but Sarr managed to complete more passes into the final third per 90 (4.2), along with a higher tally of carries into the final third per 90 (1.7).

The aforementioned tallies once again highlight the quality the youngster possesses in dangerous areas – something which will develop further given his tender age.

Many supporters will have been bitterly disappointed by the failure to land Gibbs-White, but it’s clear they already have a top-level talent on the books with the Senegalese international.

Nuno’s time at the club may have been one to forget, but the fanbase certainly must be thankful for his dealings in the market, which have given the Lilywhites the chance to compete with Europe’s elite once again.

Worth more than Kudus: Spurs have hit the jackpot on Postecoglou signing

Tottenham Hotspur’s excellent work in the market has previously been evident during Ange Postecoglou’s reign.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 11, 2025

Spain and Como midfielder Jesus Rodriguez praised Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal as “the best player in the world” after joining the national team setup. Speaking about his development under Cesc Fabregas and adapting between Serie A and La Liga, the 19-year-old said Yamal’s talent in training surprised him and called him a “role model” for young players.

• From Como to Spain’s senior squad

  Rodriguez addressed the press at Ciudad del Futbol after being called up to Spain’s senior squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. “The reception has been exceptional,” said the Como midfielder. “Alvaro [Morata] helped me a lot with the group. He told me he’ll keep working to get his next opportunity. He’s a role model.”

  Rodriguez admitted it took time to believe his call-up was real. “It was hard for me to believe I’d be here, but I took it calmly and quietly. What I did was keep working and hope for the second opportunity to come.”

  He also spoke about the leap from club football to the national setup, where his interaction with Barcelona’s Yamal left a deep impression.

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  Rodriguez claims Lamine Yamal is the best in the world

  Rodriguez described Yamal as the most impressive player he has trained with. The Spaniard further explains how training with him makes you want to improve yourself and your game.

  “He's the player who has surprised me the most. He's very capable in training. For me, he's the best player in the world; he'll surely achieve many things. I always try to learn as much as possible from him. He's a role model,” he said.

• Rise of Rodriguez from Betis to Como

  A product of Real Betis' youth academy, Rodriguez was signed by Como this summer after just one year featuring for Betis' first-team, in which he played 44 games, scoring five goals and registering four assists. The 19-year-old winger has started seven games for the Serie A side, scoring two goals and two assists across all competitions.

  “The truth is that La Liga changes a lot. It’s more tactical, more about touch. Italy is more defensive, more physical,” he explained when asked about the differences between the leagues. “I’ll adapt and keep improving. I hope to reach my best level there soon.”

  The player says it's the Como manager's trust in him and that he has been given the freedom to express himself on the pitch that he's got the national team call-up.

  "He's an incredible coach, very approachable. Cesc told me to make myself known, to be bold. That's why they called me, and if I do what I do here, I'll have a chance to keep coming back.”

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  Rodriguez is eager to seize the opportunity

  The Como midfielder is determined to make an impact in Spain’s senior squad and catch the eye of coach de la Fuente. “I always give it my all. I imagine he’ll like me because I’ve been doing things well. I always try to repay the trust he’s placed in me,” said the 19-year-old.

  With Yamal sidelined by injury, Rodriguez sees a chance to establish himself and is focused on performing at his best in training and matches, hoping to secure future call-ups and grow within the national setup.

تحدث الهولندي آرني سلوت، المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول عن إصابة لاعبه قبل مواجهة آينتراخت فرانكفورت ضمن منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويواجه ليفربول نظيره آينتراخت فرانكفورت في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا غدًا الأربعاء، الموافق 22 من شهر أكتوبر الجاري.

ومن المقرر أن يحل ليفربول ضيفًا على الفريق الألماني مساء غد الأربعاء في تمام الساعة العاشرة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة.

وكان ليفربول قد خسر بثنائية مقابل هدف، أمام مانشستر يونايتد في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثامنة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

اقرا أيضًا | قائمة ليفربول لمباراة آينتراخت فرانكفورت في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. موقف محمد صلاح

ولمدة 4 مباريات متتالية، لا يعرف ليفربول طعم الفوز أو حتى التعادل إذ خسرهم جميعًا في جميع المسابقات، 3 منهم في الدوري الإنجليزي أمام كريستال بالاس وتشيلسي ومانشستر يونايتد، وواحدة في دوري أبطال أوروبا أمام جالطة سراي.

وأصيب ريان جرافنبيرخ، في مباراة الفريق أمام مانشستر يونايتد ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي، في الكاحل، ليغيب عن مواجهة فرانكفورت غدًا.

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نقلها الموقع الرسمي لناديه: “كنت مضطرًا في عدم اصطحاب جرافنبيرخ لمباراة فرانكفورت لأنني رأيته “يعرج” قليلًا المباراة الماضية، لذلك فضلت استبعاده”.

وأكمل: “غيابه سيؤثر علينا بالطبع ويكون دائمًا فرصة للآخرين، رأينا في مباراة كريستال بالاس بالدرع الخيرية وأمام بورنموث ماذا حدث لنا في غيابه، هو يحمي الرباعي الخلفي، لكن في نفس الوقت ينبغي أن أختار لاعبًا جديدًا آخر في تشكيل الغد”.

وأردف: “ريان لن يكون متاحًا لمباراة فرانكفورت، ونأمل أن يكون متاحًا في نهاية الأسبوع”.

وأتم: “هي إصابة في الكاحل، علينا أن ننتظر ونرى، ونمنحه بعض الوقت ونرى أين سيكون عندما نعود من مباراة فرانكفورت”.

Birmingham City are now waiting to be given the “green-light” over the signing of a “valuable” £3m attacking player on deadline day.

Davies wants last-gasp signings for Birmingham

The Blues were beaten 2-0 away to Leicester City on Friday evening – their first Championship defeat of the season – perhaps highlighting the need for late summer transfer business.

That’s certainly the opinion of Birmingham manager Chris Davies, even though he has stressed that not a huge amount needs to be done on deadline day.

“I think we’re trying to finish the squad off in the next few days. I don’t think there’s going to be loads and loads going on, but we do need reinforcements in certain areas. We need to add to it a little bit, but there’s a lot of moving parts to that, like most clubs. So, I haven’t been too focused on that this last couple of days, but we can pick that up now this game’s finished.

“I think we need a little bit of reinforcement, just depth in our defensive area and again, we could do with a bit more depth, maybe higher up the pitch as well. But we have to see what the squad looks like in the next couple of days because there’s a lot of moving parts to it, as I said. But everyone’s trying, we’ll see what happens.”

Birmingham waiting for "green-light" over signing

Now, writing on X, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claimed on Sunday that Birmingham are awaiting the “green-light” to sign Hyun-jun Yang for £3m from Celtic, following talks over the weekend.

Signing Yang before the window closes would be ideal for the Blues, giving Davies that extra bit of attacking quality that he could crave in his side’s Championship promotion push. The South Korean can shine on both flanks and in a central role, so he feels ideal.

The 23-year-old has 16 goal contributions in 70 appearances, and his end product should only improve with age, with Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers praising him as a player.

“He’s obviously a young player still developing and adapting to the culture and everything about the game here and the size of the club. But he’s made a valuable contribution for us this season. When he’s been asked to play, he’s done well.”

Birmingham City in "talks" to sign" 23 y/o attacker in "permanent" transfer

The forward has been praised for his work ethic.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 28, 2025

Hopefully, a deal for Yang is agreed as soon as possible, potentially making him Birmingham’s final signing of a strong summer in the market.

Robert Sanchez made unwanted history with a disastrous early red card against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday evening. The Blues’ goalkeeper endured a shaky start, fumbling simple touches, but matters escalated catastrophically when Bryan Mbeumo surged through on goal.

Sanchez given his marching orders

Benjamin Sesko’s flick-on sent Mbeumo behind Chelsea’s defence, and Sanchez made a split-second decision to charge from his line. The moment backfired spectacularly. Mbeumo toyed with the Spanish stopper, rolling the ball around him before Sánchez’s outstretched leg brought him crashing down. The referee’s whistle followed immediately – red card. It became Chelsea’s earliest in the Premier League era and ranks as the third-fastest goalkeeper sending-off in the history of the competition.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMaresca makes a couple of brave calls

Enzo Maresca could do little but watch as his goalkeeper trudged off, gloves in hand, the early dismissal leaving the Blues with 10 men in the first quarter of the match. Backup keeper Filip Jorgensen was hurried onto the pitch, replacing Estevao, while Maresca, refusing to let the chaos settle, made a bold tactical tweak. Pedro Neto was sacrificed, making way for centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo. The Blues switched to a five-man defence, packing the backline with Tosin alongside Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah, flanked by Reece James and Marc Cucurella.

United pounce as blues struggle

Playing with a man down so early, Chelsea struggled to keep their shape. United wasted no time exploiting the numerical advantage. Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro found the net before the half-time whistle, putting the visitors in command with a 2-0 lead. Chalobah pulled one back, giving the Blues a glimmer of hope, but the deficit proved too large to bridge.

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Getty Images SportMidweek focus shifts to cup duties

Chelsea will now look to regroup ahead of their midweek assignment against Lincoln City in the third round of the EFL Cup. The fixture provides an opportunity to restore confidence before they host Brighton next weekend at Stamford Bridge.

Half centuries from Caleb Jewell and Mitchell Owen have kept Tasmania’s first innings on track in their Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia.Tasmania, who lost to WA just a fortnight ago by six wickets in a Shield final rematch in Perth, ended day one 302 for 7 at Bellerive Oval. A run-a-ball 83 from No. 7 Owen helped lift the hosts from a precarious 153 for 4.The Shield champions travelled to Hobart on top of the standings, but missing numerous key personnel.Among the absentees were opener Cameron Bancroft, Cooper Connolly and rising spinner Corey Rocchiccioli on Australia A duty; Aaron Hardie and Josh Inglis preparing for upcoming one-day internationals, as well as Mitch Marsh (paternity leave) and Charlie Stobo (omitted).Tasmania lined up without key middle-order batter Beau Webster who led their run-scoring tally last season, while the bowling line-up was boosted by the return of Gabe Bell and Lawrence Neil-Smith.The home side survived the opening session without loss after being sent in to bat by opposition skipper Ashton Turner.Tasmania posted a century stand before rookie medium-pacer Brody Couch had Jake Weatherald caught down the leg side for 49.The ever-reliable Joel Paris then did the damage midway through the second session as Tasmania lost 3 for 18.Jewell was trapped lbw for 61 after surviving an earlier let-off, before Charlie Wakim and captain Jordan Silk were both soon sent back to the pavillion.Owen fell in the final hour having struck 13 boundaries and two sixes in a career-best knock, only for Paris to end the dangerous innings.Brad Hope was then dismissed for 25 off Cameron Gannon having shared a 102-run stand with Owen.

Arsenal star Alessia Russo has been confirmed as the highest-rated Women's Super League player in the soon-to-be released EA Sports FC 26 game.

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$69.99

BuyUltimate

Ultimate Edition

Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self  You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included

From

$89.99

Buy+ Pre Order Bonus

Standard Edition + PO Bonus

Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content

From

$59.99

Buy Standard

Standard Edition

It's available across PC, PlayStation and XboxFeatures over 20,000 players, 750+ teams, over 120 stadiums, and 35+ leaguesExperience Manager Career like never before with all-new Manager Live Challenges

From

$69.99

BuyUltimate

Ultimate Edition

Cover featuring Zlatan Ibrahimovic recreating a photo of his younger self  You’ll get up to 6,000 FC Points over two months, a Season 1 Premium Pass and an additional Player Evolution slotUntradeable Icon Player item included

From

$89.99

Buy+ Pre Order Bonus

Standard Edition + PO Bonus

Pre-order by 26 September for bonus inclusions Bonus will include Archetype Unlock Consumable, 2 Double AXP for 10 Matches and 3 ICON Career PlayersWill also include 5-Star Coach & 5-Star Youth Scout and Manager Live Challenge Content

From

$59.99

Buy EA Sports FC 26 ratings revealedRusso tops WSL rankingsLionesses score highly as wellFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱EA Sports FC 26 RUSSO LEADS PLAYER RATINGS WITH CALDENTEY & SHAW

Gunners striker Russo and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw were joint-top WSL scorers last term with 12, and now they, alongside Arsenal ace and player of the season Mariona Caldentey, have been given 89 ratings – the best in the division. Chelsea's Guro Reiten is fourth at 88, and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly is tied with fellow Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Lauren Hemp, and Millie Bright on 87. Ella Toone is the top-ranked Manchester United player in 16th with 85.

AdvertisementEA SPORTS FC 26 TOP WSL RATINGS

Top 26 Barclays Women's Super League

Rank

First Name

Last Name

Common Name

OVR (Overall ratings)

Position

Team

League

1

Alessia

Russo

 

89

ST

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

2

María Francesca

Caldentey Oliver

Mariona

89

CM

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

3

Khadija

Shaw

 

89

ST

Manchester City

Barclays WSL

4

Guro

Reiten

 

88

LM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

5

Chloe

Kelly

 

87

RM

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

6

Lucy

Bronze

 

87

RB

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

7

Leah

Williamson

 

87

CB

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

8

Beth

Mead

 

87

RM

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

9

Lauren

Hemp

 

87

LW

Manchester City

Barclays WSL

10

Katie

McCabe

 

87

LB

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

11

Millie

Bright

 

87

CB

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

12

Sam

Kerr

 

87

ST

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

13

Grace

Geyoro

 

86

CM

London City

Barclays WSL

14

Sandy

Baltimore

 

85

LM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

15

Erin

Cuthbert

 

85

CDM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

16

Ella

Toone

 

85

CAM

Manchester Utd

Barclays WSL

17

Caitlin

Foord

 

85

LM

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

18

Yui

Hasegawa

 

85

CDM

Manchester City

Barclays WSL

19

Vivianne

A

 

85

ST

Manchester City

Barclays WSL

20

Kim

Little

 

85

CDM

Arsenal

Barclays WSL

21

Lauren

James

 

85

RM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

22

Naomi

Girma

 

85

CB

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

23

Keira

Walsh

 

85

CDM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

24

Chiamaka

Nnadozie

 

85

GK

Brighton

Barclays WSL

25

Hannah

Hampton

 

84

GK

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

26

Sjoeke

Nüsken

 

84

CDM

Chelsea

Barclays WSL

EA Sports FC 26ARSENAL DOMINATE WSL TOP 10 BUT NOT EUROPE'S

While Russo, Caldentey, and Shaw lead the WSL pack, which features six Arsenal players in the top 10, they don't make up the top three in Europe. Spain stars Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati are tied on 91, and Barcelona team-mate Caroline Graham Hansen is third at 90. Incidentally, the Lionesses may have been helped in the player ratings after beating Spain in the Euros final this summer.

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WHAT NEXT?

EA Sports FC 26 Ultimate Edition is being launched on September 19, 2025, but the Standard Edition of the game is out a week later on September 26. In the meantime, WSL action continues over the course of this weekend.

USEFUL LINKSLatest EA Sports FC news & updatesFull list of stadiums in EA Sports FC 26Who are the new ICONS in EA Sports FC 26?EA Sports FC 26 pre-order benefits explainedComplete guide to EA Sports FC 26