Ralf Rangnick insisted Austria will not change their tactics for Robert Lewandowski having missed Poland's opening Euro 2024 fixture against the Netherlands.
The Barcelona striker, who is his nation's all-time top scorer with 82 goals, did not feature in their 2-1 defeat in Hamburg having picked up a thigh injury in a pre-tournament friendly against Turkiye.
Despite his absence, both Rangnick and captain Marcel Sabitzer are preparing for the game with the assumption he will be on the pitch for Michal Probierz's side on Friday.
"It doesn't change our way of playing a lot, basically they will play the way they have been played. Lewandowski is the (main) player in Poland, everyone tries to pass to him, especially if they counter at speed," Rangnick told reporters.
"In Munich, I had the joy of playing together with him for one year, therefore I know his qualities," Sabitzer added on facing his former team-mate.
"I know he's an exceptional player but for us as a team, when it comes to tactics, nothing will change."
Austria, meanwhile, started their Group D campaign with a narrow defeat to tournament favourites France, and know a victory is a must to keep their hopes of advancing to the knockout stages alive.
"The team that wins tomorrow holds the good cards and has a good chance of going through to the next phase, so therefore it's a game you have to win, that's absolutely clear to us," Rangnick said.
Sabitzer said his side was ready for the pressure that comes with a must-win game, saying: "We already said to each other that we want to win the match tomorrow, and Poland the same to each other internally.
"I think if we change those things (from the France game) if we follow our principles and are intense, and if we bring all that on the pitch, then we have a good chance of winning tomorrow."
Roberto Martinez praised Portugal's resilience in their Euro 2024 opener against Czechia, and believes that will be key to beating a confident Turkiye side.
For both, it was their rising stars who took centre stage during matchday one in Group F, as substitute Francisco Conceicao spared Selecao's blushes with an injury-time winner against Ivan Hasek's side.
Earlier that day, it was Real Madrid's Arda Guler who helped Turkiye beat a tough Georgia display, scoring an exceptional goal to earn his nation their first opening day win at the tournament at the sixth attempt.
Portugal came from a goal behind to ensure their victory, but decisions will be made on who starts up front, with Cristiano Ronaldo failing to score on his landmark European Championship appearance.
The veteran forward has never scored against Turkey, despite playing three matches against them. Only against Albania has he ever played more matches (four) without finding the back of the net for his country.
Martinez's side won a game from a losing position for the first time under his stewardship and is hopeful his squad can show the same personality against Turkiye in Dortmund.
"Today it's not about assessing this game from the technical or tactical point of view," said the head coach.
"We won because we showed resilience, willpower and belief. It's the first time we've come from behind to win [under my tenure]. We believed, we showed incredible personality.
"It's a game where we had 13 corners; the Czech Republic had none. If we scored early we could have won by three or four goals. The atmosphere was incredible. Our fans did not deserve to lose this game.
"Nuno Mendes in a back three? He has the physical attributes to play in a three-man defence. It's important to have symmetry in the middle block. The Czech Republic are a physical team. The important thing is not the starting eleven, but how the game ends. We showed we had prepared well."
Meanwhile, Turkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella celebrated his 50th birthday in style at the Westfalenstadion,
While the Italian was keen to enjoy the moment of Turkiye's landmark success, his attention quickly turned to the task of facing Portugal, a side they have only won two of their nine matches against (L7), with their last triumph coming in an international friendly in 2012.
"Our dreams were very much focused on this match," Montella told reporters following that game. "We managed to win [our first game of the tournament] for the first time, so there will be a lot of first times."
A victory would secure qualification to the knockout stages of the competition for Montella's side, and when asked about his chances against the Selcao's star-studded line-up he said: "Then more dreams will emerge."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Turkiye - Hakan Calhanoglu
While the praise for Turkiye's young stars was warranted, it overshadowed the impressive display of Calhanoglu at the heart of their midfield against Georgia.
The Inter man completed 88 passes against Georgia last time out, the most by a Türkiye player in a European Championship game, with a passing accuracy of 92.6 per cent.
Portugal – Vitinha
Another midfield maestro had yet another impressive display in their Group F opener, with Vitinha completing more passes under high-intensity pressure (59) than any other player in the opening round of games at Euro 2024.
Only Toni Kroos (30) made more line-breaking passes than the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder on MD1 (21).
MATCH PREDICTION – PORTUGAL WIN
While Selecao were not at their dazzling best in their Group F opener, they ultimately found a way to win, and that is what title-winning teams always manage to do.
And Portugal has often got the better of their opponents when they have squared off at the European Championships. Portugal have won all three of their previous encounters in the tournament, without conceding a single goal.
Martinez's side are also the only team to reach the knockout stages of the Euros at each of the last seven editions, having only lost one of their last nine group stage games at the tournament (W4 D4), with that defeat coming against Germany in 2021.
But Turkiye proved in their opener against Georgia they are not here just to take part, and will be looking to win their first two games at a major tournament for the first time in their history.
Montella will be keen to continue his 50th birthday celebrations when he returns to Dortmund on Saturday, with the possibility of equalling their most victories in a single edition of the European Championship (two in 2008). They have only managed more at a major tournament in the 2002 World Cup (four).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Turkiye - 17.8%
Draw - 20.3%
Portugal - 62%
England captain Jos Buttler has praised Jonny Bairstow's "mature innings" after their impressive eight-wicket victory over West Indies at the T20 World Cup.
England successfully chased down their target of 181 with 15 balls to spare thanks to dominant batting from Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow.
Salt scored 87 not out, including a 30-run over, while Bairstow's 48 not out saw them over the line after losing two wickets to get off to a winning start in the Super 8s.
After mixed results in the group stage, Buttler was pleased with the commanding performance of his team, praising the batters for their smart display.
"That was a really good performance from us," Buttler said at the post-match presentation. "We planned really well. We've been practising well and executed both with the bat and ball and deserved to win.
"I thought we bowled really well to restrict such a powerful batting line-up, such great six-hitters especially. [It was a] decent score, and you had to play well to chase it down.
"I thought we were very smart with the bat. Guys were very calculated when they took their options on. The Bairstow and Salt partnership was so good. Jonny came in with great intent and took the momentum straight back. Salty tucked in behind him for a bit and when he got that one big over, he broke the back of it.
"[Bairstow] is a class player, he has been for a really long time. That's what we decided to do, you just keep backing class players.
"He hasn't had many opportunities but today was an incredibly impressive innings. A really mature, senior player's innings. With a lot of power, he scored at a great gear when the game was just in the balance.
"A lot of people say you learn when you lose, but I truly believe you learn when you win as well. [It is] important to reflect on what we did well today. We had a good performance, put that to bed and focus on the next performance."
England's opening game was washed out against Scotland before they lost to Australia in the second, but back-to-back wins against Oman and Namibia were enough for them to qualify for the Super 8s.
Salt, on the back of his best run-tally in the tournament so far, is confident England have found their footing as they prepare to face South Africa on Friday.
"Tournament cricket, in my experience, is all about having the confidence and momentum at the same time - and having a little bit of luck here and there," Salt said.
"If we can just keep building on that game by game, we'll be in a pretty good spot."
Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin was proven right after labelling Xherdan Shaqiri as a "special player for special moments".
Shaqiri capitalised on a Scotland mistake to score a stunning equaliser, earning a 1-1 draw in their second game at the tournament to put Switzerland on the brink of qualifying for the knockout stages.
Indeed, Yakin was full of praise for his star man, who has now scored in each of the last six major tournaments going back to the 2014 World Cup, noting the difference he made to the side.
"He proved that he lives and breathes for moments such as these," Yakin told reporters. "He has shown that time and time again down the years, he really deserved that wonder goal.
"It was an unbelievably clinical strike. And that was the only thing you could have done in that situation because he intercepted the ball, and he had two opposition players closing him down, so he struck the ball at exactly the right time.
"We've still got one game to go, it's still very open. We'll do everything in our power to qualify, we want to make it out of the group.
"On these first two matches, we've shown that we are ready to battle. We haven't yet done the job, but we have taken a big step forward towards the knockout phase."
Scotland were looking to bounce back from a 5-1 thrashing against hosts Germany on the opening day but could not find a winner in the second half.
While they have kept themselves in contention for a place in the last 16, one major doubt to emerge from the game was Kieran Tierney, who was stretchered off in the 61st minute.
Steve Clarke did not know the extent of the injury, he admitted that it will definitely keep the defender out of their final group game against Hungary.
"It looks pretty bad. We have to assess it, but Kieran won't make the next game," Clarke said.
"You have to feel for Kieran, he's got himself in great shape, and he's a top player for us. It's a shame, but someone else has got to step up to the mark."
Speaking on the game itself, the Scotland boss said: "It was nice to see them. We didn't turn up in the first game. We're a good team when we play.
"We always knew that the points we require would come from these two games. We've got one point now. That means we have a chance going into the last game.
"I believe if we get those three points, we go to the next stage."
Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas believes Jude Bellingham has all the makings of a future captain after his impressive debut season in LaLiga.
Bellingham finished as top scorer with 19 goals to help Madrid to their 36th LaLiga title while also providing six assists, and was voted LaLiga Player of the Season.
He scored a further four for Los Blancos in the Champions League as they won a record-extending 15th continental title.
The 20-year-old is also a key figure in Gareth Southgate's side at Euro 2024 and scored England's winning goal when they beat Serbia 1-0 in their group opener last Sunday.
Casillas is pleased with how quickly Bellingham adapted to life in Madrid and expects him to continue his impressive rise in the coming seasons, even though he will be asked to take on more responsibility.
"Bellingham has made it at the most important club in the world and has shown that he is a great player and that he can be there," Casillas said.
"Now, and next year, more may be asked of him, but that is what will make him a star.
"Let's see if he can also consolidate this way of playing. He is one of the great players in the world."
Casillas, who himself was Real Madrid captain, added: "He can surely be the captain of Real Madrid, of course.
"He has everything to form the role.
"There are more experienced players at the top [now], but I would advise him to continue learning from the veterans there, soaking up the history of the club, and to do everything he can to be a great player and captain.
"He plays for England, who are very strong and already [made the final] in a tough championship three years ago. He has what it takes to adapt to the Euros."
Spain also made a winning start to the European Championships, cruising past Croatia 3-0 in their first match in the so-called ‘group of death’.
With a marquee match-up with Italy next up, Casillas thinks La Roja's chances at the tournament will be much clearer after the result is known on Thursday.
Asked how far Spain can go, Casillas replied: "I don't know, there is still a lot of competition left and we have to play against Italy, which I think is going to be a more serious and a tougher challenge than Croatia.
"I was impressed with Spain winning 3-0, which has encouraged me as the Spanish fan that I am.
"But the match against Croatia was also a bit tricky, [the goals came] all at once Croatia had to do it all and, in the end, they were unlucky [to lose by three].
"I think we must see how Spain perform in the next game [against Italy]. That is the match where we are going to really measure their strength. We will see how that goes."
Casillas captained Spain to three major trophies, winning the Euros in back-to-back editions in 2008 and 2012, while also lifting the World Cup in 2010.
"I remember the moments of intense concentration we had [when playing this tournament]," he added. "I started in the Euros in 2000, 24 years ago, when I was 18 years old, and from there it was so much growth, step by step as I improved my level.
"Then I was very lucky to win two Euros trophies, and we got to contribute to making millions of Spaniards incredibly happy.
"We haven't reached the maximum levels of passion for this tournament yet. From the quarter-finals onwards we will really see the teams that are strong after the group stage and round of 16 have been played.
"That's where we will have a lot of fun! I have always loved this competition and really like it when they go to the quarter-finals."
Iker Casillas is a brand ambassador for Hisense's UEFA EURO 2024 campaign BEYOND GLORY which celebrates the relentless pursuit of excellence shared by professional footballers aiming for EURO honours and Hisense’s commitment to pushing boundaries in the home appliance industry.
Noted sports attorney Dr. Emir Crowne, along with Matthew Gayle, Jason Jones, and Sayeed Bernard, have stepped up to represent Jamaican judo athlete Ebony Drysdale-Daley amidst a heated dispute with the Jamaica Judo Association (JJA). The association, led by Dwayne Barnett, has recently accused the British-born judoka of having two whereabouts failures and being on the brink of a ban, a move that Dr Crowne has vehemently criticized.
Dr. Crowne, an international sports lawyer with a history of defending athletes in high-profile cases, blasted the JJA for what he describes as a "smear campaign" against Drysdale-Daley. He expressed outrage over the JJA's decision to publicly disclose confidential information about Drysdale-Daley's whereabouts failures in a press release, calling it "absolutely atrocious" and "wildly irresponsible."
“The Jamaican Judo Association’s action to disclose such confidential information is absolutely atrocious. Athletes enjoy the protection of confidentiality until there is actually some sort of anti-doping rule violation asserted against them,” Crowne explained. He pointed out that an anti-doping rule violation only occurs after three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period, making the JJA's disclosure premature and unethical.
The JJA's press release came as a response to a video posted by Drysdale-Daley, in which she accused the association of bias in selecting athletes for the Paris Olympic Games. Drysdale-Daley, who made history as Jamaica's first judoka at the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2021, alleged that her attempts to qualify for the upcoming Olympics were being deliberately hindered by the JJA in favour of her male counterpart, Ashley McKenzie.
“I feel the federation has shown no impartiality. There is a real question of ethics and integrity. The Jamaican Judo Association is blocking me from attending and competing in my last qualifying event, an event that I have self-funded and paid for,” Drysdale-Daley said in her video.
The JJA, in its defence, cited Drysdale-Daley’s failure to meet deadlines and her previous conduct at the Commonwealth Games 2022, which they described as "unbecoming of an athlete."
In response, Dr. Crowne called for the Jamaican Olympic Association (JOA), the International Judo Federation (IJF), and the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) to investigate the JJA's conduct. “I encourage JADCO, I encourage WADA, I encourage the JOA, I encourage the international federation to take a hard look at this press release and see if it was appropriate to disclose what is otherwise completely confidential,” Crowne asserted.
Dr. Crowne, known for his representation of athletes like Jamaica’s Ryker Hylton and Briana Williams, argued that the JJA's actions have damaged its own reputation more than Drysdale-Daley's. “In attempting to paint the athlete in a negative light, the Jamaican Judo Association has now painted themselves in a negative light through this breach of confidence, and it should not go unpunished,” he declared.
The disciplinary process for Drysdale-Daley, who has already received a notice of suspension from the JJA, remains in flux. With Dr Crowne and his team offering their legal expertise, the battle between Drysdale-Daley and the JJA is poised to intensify, drawing significant attention from the sports community as the saga unfolds.
Andy Murray hopes his latest injury will not rule him out of his Wimbledon swansong next month after withdrawing from the Queen's Club Championships on Wednesday.
The former world number one was forced to retire against Jordan Thompson five games into their second-round encounter due to a back injury and pain in his right leg.
It was a sad end for Murray, who has won the tournament a record five times. However, attention will immediately turn to being fit for Wimbledon, which starts on July 1.
"Let's hope it will be OK with some rest and treatment, and I'll still be able to play [at Wimbledon]," said Murray, who won two Wimbledon titles in 2013 and 2016.
The three-time grand slam champion was set to play an exhibition event in Hurlingham next week before Wimbledon but looks likely to miss the event.
Murray had said earlier this week he felt ending his illustrious career at Wimbledon or the Olympics would be a fitting stage to retire from the sport.
The Scot is set to undergo a scan on Thursday to clarify his potential participation at the tournament next month, where he is also due to play in the doubles alongside his older brother, Jamie.
"I don't know exactly what the problem is. I hadn't experienced that before," said Murray. "I have no idea how long it will take to get better and what the treatment options are."
New Liverpool head coach Arne Slot is keen to build on the solid foundations laid by Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Slot, who led Feyenoord to their KNVB Cup success last season, officially started his position at the start of June as the Reds start life without Klopp, who won eight trophies during nine years on Merseyside.
Liverpool finished third in the Premier League, nine points behind winners Manchester City and seven behind runners-up Arsenal, lifting the Carabao Cup in February against Chelsea.
The Dutchman is optimistic his new side can once again challenge for the title in his first campaign in charge and is hopeful of continuing the good work Klopp started back in 2015.
"I think 82 points is a result of the playing style. Always the points you get is always a result of the way you play," Slot said in his first interview with the club. "I've seen many games already, I've seen many training sessions as well.
"Of course the fans can see the games, so they know we have some very good players. But I've also seen a lot of training sessions already and this is where you bring the culture, and they are always working hard - like the fans see during the game.
"A real good team, real good players, managed to be on top for a very long time, but I think in the end we would all love to see Liverpool a bit higher than third place and this is the challenge we are facing now - to build on from what we have.
"I have all the confidence in this because of the players, that we can add a few things where we hopefully can get a bit more points than 82, which is necessary with the likes of Arsenal and City, to end up hopefully a bit higher than we did this season."
Slot's appointment was confirmed in May, with comparisons between his style of play immediately compared to Klopp's.
During the 2024-25 campaign, Feyenoord won possession in the final third more than any other team in Europe's top five leagues, with Liverpool in second place.
The Dutchman added his attacking brand of football was similar to his predecessor, saying: "This is probably one of the reasons they came to me as well," Slot said.
"We were all inspired by (Pep) Guardiola and Klopp and I think at a big club, which I worked in at Feyenoord as well, it is probably the only style you can play – to have the ball a lot, to have a lot of energy."
Liverpool next play in a pre-season game against Real Betis on July 26. They start the new Premier League campaign away to Ipswich Town on August 17.
The West Indies' T20 World Cup campaign took a severe hit after their eight-wicket defeat to England in the Super 8s match in St Lucia on Wednesday night with the news that they could be without opener Brandon King for the remainder of the tournament. The Jamaican retired hurt due to an apparent side strain early in their innings of 180-4.
King had given the West Indies a strong start, smashing 23 runs off just 12 balls, including a massive 101-metre six off Reece Topley that flew over the midwicket boundary. However, his promising innings was abruptly halted on his 13th delivery when he attempted to drive Sam Curran through the covers and suffered a side strain, forcing him to retire hurt after medical attention.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) later confirmed the injury: "Brandon King has suffered a side strain and will not return to the field of play in this evening's match." King did not field during England's chase, with Shimron Hetmyer taking his place.
Side strains usually take several weeks to heal, making King's participation in the remaining matches of the World Cup highly unlikely with only ten days left in the tournament. West Indies captain Rovman Powell expressed concern over King's injury. "Yes, a little bit worrying but hopefully he can pull through for the next game," Powell said. "We know how important a player he is for us."
King's absence would be a significant setback for the West Indies. Despite a modest tournament so far with a top score of 34, King’s experience and leadership, having recently captained the team against South Africa, are invaluable.
The West Indies have five standby players: Andre Fletcher, Kyle Mayers, Fabian Allen, Hayden Walsh Jr., and Matthew Forde. Kyle Mayers, who narrowly missed the initial squad, is the frontrunner to replace King, though Fletcher's experience as a top-order batsman also makes him a strong candidate.
The team will travel to Barbados on Thursday ahead of their next Super Eight match against the USA at Kensington Oval on Friday. With their World Cup ambitions in jeopardy, the West Indies will need to quickly adapt and find a way to mitigate the loss of their dynamic opener.
As the tournament continues, the focus will be on the West Indies to see how they handle this adversity and whether Brandon King can make an unexpected return to bolster their World Cup hopes.
Leicester City have announced Steve Cooper as their new manager following Enzo Maresca's move to Chelsea.
Cooper, who left Nottingham Forest in December 2023, has signed a three-year contract with the Foxes ahead of their return to the Premier League.
Maresca left the club earlier this month after just one season in charge, having led Leicester back to the top-flight at the first attempt, finishing top of the Championship.
"I am really excited and proud to be appointed Leicester City's First Team Manager," Cooper said. "This is a fantastic club with a rich history and passionate supporters.
"I am excited to work with such a talented squad and I'm looking forward to the challenge of achieving our shared ambitions in the Premier League."
In an open letter to the fans, he added: "Any person who loves football can only look with great respect upon how much this club has achieved in recent years.
"The Premier League title of 2016 and the FA Cup of 2021 have demonstrated what's possible for a united club. As the new manager, I don’t take that legacy lightly.
"My job will be to build on those achievements and to bring everyone along – players, staff and fans. Great challenges lie ahead, but I get the feeling that Leicester thrives in these moments. I know we will be ready."
After taking over in September 2021, Cooper saved Forest from relegation in the Championship and led them to promotion to the Premier League in his first season in charge before ensuring top-flight safety the following year.
However, he left the club in December with the club sitting in 17th after a run of just one win in 13 matches.
The Welshman has also previously been in charge of England Under-16s and Under-17s, winning the World Cup with the latter in 2017, and also spent two years at Swansea City.
Cooper's first competitive game in charge will be at home to Tottenham on August 19.
Lionel Scaloni says Argentina are not resting on their laurels as they prepare for a tough Copa America title defence.
The Albiceleste won the 2021 edition of the tournament, beating Brazil 1-0 in the final, before lifting the World Cup in Qatar a year later.
Argentina are among the favourites to lift the trophy again, for what would be a record 16th time, edging past Uruguay, who also have 15.
However, Scaloni believes they need to put their recent successes behind them ahead of their opening game against Canada on Thursday.
"We are talking about things that have already passed. [Winning the World Cup and the Copa America] was very nice, but it's over," he said in his press conference.
"Football matches are all different, there are no easier games than others. A lot of things can happen. The difficulty of France, Brazil or Canada can be the same.
"It will be a difficult Copa America as always; we are prepared for what is to come. We are doing well, with clear ideas and knowing the difficulty of this tournament.
"Beyond the titles, we have enjoyed a lot. It's a pleasure to watch how [the players] give their all. That leads to being able to achieve things. We have shown that even if we didn't win like in 2019, we were able to continue and show you can do things."
Lionel Messi, who is set to break the all-time appearance record in the competition when he features for Argentina, is potentially playing in his final major tournament for the national side, while Angel Di Maria announced he will be retiring at its conclusion.
Instead of looking to a future without the two star players in his squad, Scaloni urged fans to enjoy getting to see them play together while they still can.
"It is a pleasure to see them train and play, how they give themselves. I am not worried about the future of Messi and Di Maria.
"It doesn't make much sense to think about when they're gone. Let's enjoy them now. We'll see what happens later. Messi is fine, he's happy. I have renewed ideas and strength. It's a nice challenge to defend the title."
Argentina will also face Chile and Peru in Group A.
Phil Salt hit an impressive six boundaries in a single over as England produced their best performance of the T20 World Cup to beat West Indies by eight wickets in the Super 8s.
Opener Salt plundered 87 not out in 47 balls to set the defending champions on their way to hitting their target of 181 with 15 balls to spare.
Brandon King made a promising start for West Indies, hitting 23 in the powerplay, but retired hurt, potentially ending his tournament early.
Though Johnson Charles (38), Nicolas Pooran and Rovman Powell (both 36) kept the hosts moving steadily, England were able to limit them to 180-4.
Salt hit his 50 at the start of the 16th, in which he hit three sixes and as many fours in a 30-run over against Romario Shepherd.
Jonny Bairstow also added an unbeaten 48 to take them to 181-2 after Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali were dismissed, as England finally found their footing in the tournament.
Data Debrief: Worth his Salt
Salt's 30-run over firmly swung the momentum in England's favour, and it is the joint-most expensive over for a West Indies bowler at the T20 World Cup.
Before this match, Salt had scored just 60 runs in total in England's previous three outings at the tournament but beat that in a dominant display against West Indies.
The Baltimore Orioles' Cedric Mullins ended Gerrit Cole's long-awaited season debut in the fifth inning.
Five innings later, he sent the New York Yankees to a loss.
Mullins hit the go-ahead single in the 10th inning and later scored on a throwing error as the Orioles held on to beat the Yankees 7-6 on Wednesday.
The game went to extras on Giancarlo Stanton's run-scoring single off Baltimore closer Craig Kimbrel with one out in the ninth.
Two innings earlier, Stanton's three-run home run off reliever Yennier Cano pulled New York within one run at 5-4.
In the 10th, Mullins' tie-breaking single scored Anthony Santander, and he made it to second base on the throw to the plate. He then stole third and came around to score as catcher Jose Trevino overthrew third baseman DJ LeMahieu.
With the win, Baltimore (48-25) pulled within 1 1/2 games of New York for first place in the AL East.
The Yankees (51-25) were playing without Aaron Judge after he was hit on the left hand by a pitch in Tuesday's 4-2 win in the series opener.
While New York was without its star slugger it did get its pitching ace back.
Cole had been on the injured list since experiencing nerve inflammation and swelling in his pitching elbow during spring training and delivered an encouraging performance.
The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner allowed two runs and three hits while striking out five and walking one in four-plus innings.
He permitted a single to Mullins to lead off the fifth inning and was promptly pulled after throwing 62 pitches.
Bibee, Naylor lead Guardians in rout of Mariners
Tanner Bibee struck out a career-high 12 batters and Josh Naylor homered twice as the Guardians rolled to an 8-0 win over the Seattle Mariners in a matchup of American League division leaders.
Naylor drove in four runs, and got things started with a run-scoring single in the first inning.
That would be all the offence Bibee would need, as he limited the Mariners to three hits and a walk over six innings.
Steven Kwan hit a two-run homer and singled and has hit safely in all 13 games since missing nearly four weeks with a strained left hamstring, batting .510 with nine RBIs and 13 runs scored during his hitting streak.
Jose Ramirez and Bo Naylor also each had a pair of hits for the AL Central-leading Guardians (45-26), who snapped a three-game losing streak and bounced back from Tuesday's 8-5 setback in the series opener.
The AL West-leading Mariners (44-32) lost for just the second time in 10 games and were shutout for the first time since May 30.
Rangers break up no-hitter to end Mets' seven-game winning streak
Leody Taveras came off the bench to hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead the Texas Rangers to a 5-3 win over the New York Mets.
The Rangers (34-40) ended a five-game losing streak and snapped the Mets' seven-game winning streak.
Texas prevailed despite being no-hit into the sixth inning.
Mets starter Sean Manaea retired the game's first two batters before issuing three consecutive walks to load the bases. He then hit Wyatt Langford with a pitch to force in a run before getting Nathaniel Lowe to ground into a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Manaea then retired the next 13 batters before giving up his first hit on Robbie Grossman's single with one out in the sixth inning.
Pete Alonso hit his 16th homer for the Mets (35-38), who lost for just the third time in 14 games.
The first female to become president of the Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) returns unopposed for her second-consecutive term of office. Jodi Munn-Barrow had no challenger for the top position of the JGA when the organization hosted its election at the Constant Golf Club recently.
“It’s a true honour to be elected as president of the Jamaica Golf Association. I look forward to working with the members of the new executive committee. The first matter of importance that we will be looking at is the hosting of the Caribbean Amateur Junior Championships in July and then we continue to focus on our Jamaica Open but grateful to have a good committee and grateful to lead this august body” said a delighted Munn-Barrow.
She was nominated by the immediate past president Peter Chin, who is an avid golfer and chairs the Jamaica Open Golf Championship committee.
Vice president Dr. Mark Newnham returned unopposed as well after being nominated by Robert Chin.
The other elected members of the committee are William Brown –Treasurer, Fred Sutherland – Honourary Secretary, Alison Reid – Junior Golf Chairperson, Rowena Coe – Ladie’s Representative, along with committee members Dave Lyn, Vikram Dhiman, Robert Chin, Teddy Alexander and Dave Cameron.
Alexander and Cameron will be serving on the JGA executive for the first time. Cameron, the former president of the West Indies Cricket Board can be seen on the golf course from time to time.
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