Inter Milan conceded twice in the last eight minutes of extra-time as their grip on the Coppa Italia came to an end with a 2-1 defeat to Bologna.
Lautaro Martinez had a penalty saved as normal time ended goalless, before Carlos Augusto headed hosts Inter into a 92nd-minute lead.
But Sam Beukema and Dan Ndoye struck in a dramatic turnaround as the back-to-back cup winners were dumped out at the quarter-final stage for the first time since the 2018-19 season.
Inter’s Marko Arnautovic tried his luck from range but his sixth-minute effort went wide in a cagey start.
Bologna responded with a chance of their own in the 18th minute when Giovanni Fabbian’s shot grazed the outside of the post.
Inter pushed for an opening but were being held off by a stubborn Bologna.
The closest they got in the first half was when Davide Frattesi went down under a challenge but his penalty appeals were waved off.
Inter came out fast after the break and came close in the 49th minute through the dangerous Fratessi.
The goalscoring midfielder lost his marker and met Alessandro Bastoni’s cross, but he failed to connect with the ball properly.
Simone Inzaghi’s side had kept four successive clean sheets prior to this match and their quality showed as their tight back three and hard working midfield stifled any Bologna attack.
But at the other end Martinez missed a golden opportunity to give Inter the lead in the 65th minute.
Bologna’s Tommaso Corazza was deemed to have handled the ball in the box following a corner but Martinez’s placed effort was saved by Federico Ravaglia.
The striker had scored 17 in all competitions up to that point and failed to add to his tally as Inter’s frustrations grew.
The Argentina international was keen to make up for his miss when he drove with the ball before shooting from range, but his shot sailed just over the Bologna crossbar.
The stalemate remained at full-time, but Inter finally broke the deadlock just two minutes into extra-time.
Federico Dimarco’s corner picked out Augusto who rose highest and nodded his effort home.
But the visitors responded eight minutes from time when Joshua Zirkzee flicked on a corner to the charging Beukema who smashed home from close range to make it 1-1.
And Bologna grabbed another in the 116th minute.
Zirkzee produced another moment of brilliance to beat his man in midfield before he threaded a pass through to Ndoye, who casually chipped Emil Audero to give his side a 2-1 win.
Raging Rangers boss Philippe Clement claimed John Lundstram was “kicked off the pitch” in the 2-0 cinch Premiership win over St Johnstone at Ibrox.
The Belgian watched luckless striker Kemar Roofe go off after just 16 minutes with another injury but replacement Cyriel Dessers fired the Light Blues ahead in the 28th minute before Diallang Jaiyesimi was soon sent off for a hefty challenge on Lundstram after a VAR intervention saw referee Alan Muir upgrade a yellow to a red with the Rangers midfielder kept in at the break.
Rangers doubled their lead in the 84th minute with a penalty from skipper James Tavernier to go within two points of leaders Celtic with a game in hand.
But Clement was unhappy with the tackle on Lundstram who is a doubt for the fixtures before the January break, including the Old Firm game at Parkhead on December 30, while Roofe will also be “assessed” on Thursday.
Clement said: “It’s another player who is kicked off the pitch, so I am really frustrated with that. It’s his ankle so we will see in the next couple of days what will happen.
“This for me is my main concern after the game – again a player kicked off the pitch. I’m not sure we can get him back before the winter break so that’s not a good situation.
“I don’t want to go in on emotions after the game, I am a little boiling so it’s better to cool down and make opinions about leagues or whatever.
“But it clearly wasn’t a good challenge with your studs forward like that. We had an even worse one later in the game when the guy luckily hit the ball and not my player (Dan Phillips on Kieran Dowell), the intensity there was to break a leg.
“Those things are not good for football.”
Asked why he took off Tavernier in the closing stages, Clement said: “It was more to see I don’t lose any more important players for the next couple of weeks and not to take risks that another one was kicked off.”
On the game, Clement said: “We did a lot of things well. We had control of the game from the start until the end. It is not easy to play against 10 men when they are so deep, with no space.
“We kept our organisation, my defenders stayed focused. We could have had more goals, a few good saves also.
“We were waiting for that second goal, it came late. But we kept on pushing to get the goal and we had enough chances to do that.”
St Johnstone boss Craig Levein had no complaints about the red card.
He said: “I thought it was a red card. I thought the referee was right. In the modern day that’s a red – certainly if it had happened to one of our players I’d be calling for a red card so I am not going to sit here and say anything different.
“He has gone in with force and hasn’t got the ball. It is a red card.”
On the Dan Phillips challenge, however, he said: “I thought that was a good tackle.”
Two-time winner Peter Wright crashed out of the PDC World Darts Championship in the second round after a 3-0 defeat to Jim Williams at Alexandra Palace.
The 53-year-old, who was dressed as the Grinch complete with lime-green hair, ensured a miserable Christmas after posting a dismal three-dart average of less than 84.
Williams, a BDO runner-up in 2020, was also far from his best in a poor quality clash, admitting afterwards: “I was fighting myself all the way and it’s a little bit frustrating – but hopefully we’ll get there.”
A star was born earlier as 16-year-old Luke Littler marked his World Championship debut with a blistering 3-0 win over experienced Dutchman Christian Kist.
Littler showed no nerves as he hit seven 180s and finished with an extraordinary average of 110 to mark himself out as a genuine contender for the crown.
The teenager told Sky Sports: “I can’t believe how quickly I settled in. I was a bit nervous going to the stage but as soon as I found my rhythm I was in.”
Also in the Wednesday evening session, Richard Veenstra eased past Ben Robb 3-0 while Ryan Joyce was a 3-1 winner over Alex Spellman.
In the afternoon, 16th seed Ross Smith eased to a 3-1 victory over Niels Zonneveld before being stung by a wasp on stage.
“There’s the wasp,” Smith said in his post-match TV interview as he noticed the insect.
The Englishman then recoiled in pain and said: “He’s just stung me like a good one. Little bugger.”
Smith, a prolific maximum hitter, was below his best but still produced seven 180s and the second 170 checkout of the tournament to see off plucky Dutchman Zonnevald.
“It wasn’t a great game and I didn’t play nowhere near what I can,” said Smith. “But I can enjoy my turkey and pigs in blankets now.
“I tried to get some fire in my belly, but it was really difficult. I was a bit nervy the last couple of days, everyone is because you just want to get through.
“I will relax now and hopefully be better after Christmas.”
Exeter debutant Owen Bates lost a two-set lead as Ireland’s Steve Lennon fought back to win 3-2.
Lennon won nine of the last 11 legs against the 21-year-old crowd favourite to claim the win needed to retain his PDC Tour card.
“I don’t know how I won that,” said Lennon. “I was panicking deep down, it’s a massive win.”
Bates had qualified through the PDC Challenge Tour and emerged with huge credit from a pulsating contest, hitting five 180s and producing 101 and 108 second-set checkouts.
But Bates missed five doubles for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set as Lennon, who hit six maximums, grew stronger and booked a second-round meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.
Lennon’s compatriot William O’Connor had a far more comfortable time with a 3-0 victory over Bhav Patel.
Meanwhile Poland’s Cork-based Radek Szaganski overcame Finland’s Marko Kantele 3-2 with a final set 142 checkout helping him through to a second-round clash with five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld.
Aberdeen boss Barry Robson was in bullish mood after his side came from behind to overcome Livingston 2-1 in the cinch Premiership.
The Dons had to do it the hard way after falling behind to Kurtis Guthrie’s close-range finish – a strike that ended a seven-game goalless streak for the rock-bottom visitors.
Bojan Miovski headed in an equaliser before the interval and, after seeing another strike chalked off for offside, the North Macedonia striker turned home a low cross from Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes to earn his side a second successive league win.
Aberdeen’s response after Sunday’s League Cup final defeat to Rangers impressed their manager, who has seen his side win three of their last four matches in all competitions having previously endured a six-game winless run.
Robson said: “It’s difficult to come out after a game of the magnitude of the Viaplay Cup final and I was a wee bit concerned, but it shows that the boys are together.
“I think we started probably a bit slowly, and there wasn’t much in the first half. We showed resilience after going behind, and grew into the game.
“Bojan scored two great goals and I think he could have scored one or two more in the end.
“We always knew November and December would be tough months. We need to get our heads down and pick up the points to get us up the table.
“We look at every game as being really difficult. We’ve come through a lot of tough games and it’s not easy at any Scottish Premier League ground.”
Livingston manager David Martindale felt Aberdeen’s quality in attack was the difference between the two sides.
“The top end of the park is the difference tonight,” he said.
“We’ve got to do better at both of his goals, but I don’t think there was anything in the game.
“We felt pretty comfortable and the game plan was working. Aberdeen changed their shape which hurt us, but we’ve got to do better with those goals.
“They’re cracking finishes, and for me he’s one of the best strikers in the league.
“Kurtis Guthrie was very, very good tonight, but the ones in and around him need to take a bit more responsibility.
“Unfortunately I can’t afford players like Miovski.”
Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris St Germain returned to winning ways in Ligue 1 with a 3-1 home victory over struggling Metz.
Mbappe had been a virtual passenger for long periods before he rifled home his first on the hour mark, and he added a second seven minutes from time to make sure of the points.
It was a welcome response from the shock of conceding a stoppage-time equaliser against Lille at the weekend and maintained PSG’s five-point lead at the top of the table.
But Metz gave them problems and briefly threatened to force their way back into the game after Matthieu Udol headed home their only goal to reduce the deficit in the 72nd minute.
PSG struggled to turn their near-constant possession into chances early in the opening period with Vitinha coming closest during a frantic spell in the visitors’ box.
Mbappe would almost certainly have won a penalty after 15 minutes when he was brought down by Metz goalkeeper Alexandre Oukidja in the box, but he strayed marginally offside in the process.
Metz almost grabbed a shock lead 10 minutes later when the persistently dangerous Kevin Van Den Kerkhof crossed into the box and Danilo bounced a header against his own crossbar.
Mbappe drilled his only chance of a frustrating first period into the Metz wall, before PSG finally got on the scoresheet five minutes after half-time.
Lee Kang-in cut inside and found Vitinha whose volley from close-range put the home side 1-0 in front.
Mbappe might have hardly been in the game but he still rose to the occasion when it mattered, unleashing a 25-yard rocket on the hour that gave Oukidja no chance.
Just when the hosts looked set to cruise to victory, Metz gave them something to think about as Udol headed home to reduce the deficit, then the buoyant visitors forced a succession of corners.
But PSG were still carrying plenty of threat and they effectively sealed the win in the 83rd minute when Mbappe pounced on a poor back pass to lift the ball over the Metz keeper.
To round off a memorable night for Mbappe, his 16-year-old brother Ethan made his debut from the substitutes’ bench in the final moments.
Rangers moved to within two points of cinch Premiership leaders Celtic with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man St Johnstone at Ibrox.
Philippe Clement, who had picked up his first trophy as Rangers boss on Sunday after the 1-0 Viaplay Cup final win over Aberdeen at Hampden Park, watched helplessly as luckless striker Kemar Roofe went off after just 16 minutes with another injury.
However, replacement Cyriel Dessers fired the Light Blues ahead in the 28th minute before Saints forward Diallang Jaiyesimi was almost immediately sent off for a hefty challenge on midfielder John Lundstram following a VAR intervention.
The dominant Light Blues doubled their lead in the 84th minute with a penalty from skipper James Tavernier, who had scored the winner at Hampden, and Rangers moved tantalisingly closer to the Hoops with a game in hand.
As expected Clement shuffled his pack again.
Kieran Dowell made just his third start of the season in midfield as John Souttar, Ridvan Yilmaz, Sam Lammers and Roofe made up the five changes from the starting line-up at Hampden while Saints boss Craig Levein brought back Andy Considine, Oludare Olufunwa and Sven Sprangler.
After barely a minute of a strangely low-key start to the match, Souttar required a lengthy spell of treatment for a facial injury after clashing with Max Kucheriavyi but there was more distressing injury news soon on its way for the home side.
Roofe, making his first start since October 8, had a couple of attempts on goal before he had to go off and the striker looked distraught, with Dessers taking over.
Rangers had the bulk of possession with the game played in the Perth side’s half but the Saints defence looked organised and disciplined until Olufunwa missed a cross from Tavernier which allowed Dessers to knock the ball past goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov and a VAR check confirmed there was no offside.
Almost straight from kick-off Jaiyesimi crunched Lundstram and VAR checked for serious foul play after referee Alan Muir gave the Englishman, on loan from Charlton, a yellow card.
The official checked the pitchside monitor and upgraded the yellow to a red, with Chris Kane soon coming on for Sprangler as Levein reshuffled.
Mitov saved a decent drive from Dessers in the 36th minute and Tavernier fired wide of the far post in added time but there was no sustained pressure on the Saints goal.
Lundstram stayed inside at the interval – where Santa got cheered from the Light Blues fans when he came out with the Viaplay Cup – with Dujon Sterling taking over and within minutes Rangers attacker Abdallah Sima volleyed a Tavernier corner just past the post before Mitov made a series of fine saves from Lammers, twice, and Dessers.
Sima missed the target with another effort in the 66th minute before being replaced by Scott Wright with Todd Cantwell on for Lammers.
There were further efforts from Cantwell and Tavernier before Mitov clearly brought down Dessers inside the box with the Rangers captain slamming the spot-kick low into the corner.
Curtis Jones’ double and strikes from Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo and Mohamed Salah eased Liverpool into a record 19th League Cup semi-final with a 5-1 win over West Ham.
After Sunday’s disappointing goalless draw against Manchester United, the first time Jurgen Klopp’s side had failed to win at home this season, ended a run of 34 successive matches with a goal the Hammers provided less stubborn resistance.
West Ham manager David Moyes departed after a 21st unsuccessful attempt to win at Anfield as his club’s woeful record at the ground extended to one win in the last 56.
Bojan Miovski scored twice as Aberdeen came from behind to beat Livingston 2-1 and pick up a valuable three points in the cinch Premiership.
Livingston had failed to score in their previous seven matches, but ended that run as Kurtis Guthrie turned home from close range.
But Miovski netted either a goal in each half to earn the hosts a second successive league win, which moved them eight points clear of their rock-bottom opponents.
The Dons – looking to move on quickly from Sunday’s League Cup final defeat to Rangers – had the first effort of the match, but American midfielder Dante Polvara curled narrowly over the crossbar from 20 yards.
Livi responded strongly, with Jamie Brandon’s deep cross finding the head of Joel Nouble at the back post, but Kelle Roos was untroubled in the Aberdeen goal.
Aberdeen went closer when Graeme Shinnie’s low shot from range seemed to squirt off the Pittodrie turf and came back off the inside of the post before rolling away for a goal-kick.
But they were shocked in the 28th minute when Livingston ended what had been a seven-game scoreless streak.
The Dons defence failed to deal with a deep throw-in, allowing Ayo Obileye to turn the ball back across goal where Guthrie was perfectly placed to turn home from close range.
They could have been 2-0 ahead 10 minutes later as Scott Pittman turned neatly before firing towards goal, but Roos was equal to the effort.
Aberdeen hauled themselves level three minutes from the interval.
A patient move saw them work their way up the right flank, before Nicky Devlin whipped in a cross and Miovski powered a header past Shamal George in the Livi goal.
George was beaten again on the stroke of half-time as Miovski turned home a neat poacher’s effort after a free-kick from the right, but an offside flag ruled the goal out.
Aberdeen started the second period at a greater tempo, and Richard Jensen saw an effort from distance comfortably held by George.
James McGarry was also denied by the Livingston keeper before Miovski netted his second in the 65th minute.
Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes twisted and turned on the left before drilling a low ball to the near post, where Miovski got in front of his man to turn home his 14th goal of the campaign.
Livi threatened to draw level through former Don Bruce Anderson, just two minutes after coming off the bench, but the striker placed his shot narrowly wide of the post with only Roos to beat.
And at the other end, Miovski was unlucky not to add a third for the home side with a neat flick that was well saved by George.
Harry Kane produced a long-range stunner to help Bayern Munich close out 2023 with a 2-1 win at Wolfsburg.
Kane fired home from 25 yards in the 43rd minute for his 21st Bundesliga goal of the season to put Thomas Tuchel’s side in control after Jamal Musiala opened the scoring on his landmark appearance.
Wolfsburg captain Maximilian Arnold reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time with a fine strike of his own, but Niko Kovac’s men were unable to take points off his former side Bayern, who stayed second and four points behind Bayer Leverkusen going into the mid-season break.
Tuchel could only name six substitutes at Volkswagen Arena and remained without Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich.
It was actually Wolfsburg who made the stronger start with Manuel Neuer forced to deny Mattias Svanberg early on, but it was not a sign of things to come.
Kane got his first sight of goal soon after although failed to connect sufficiently enough with his attempted volley as Bayern tried to stamp their authority on proceedings.
The visitors dominated possession and should have broke the deadlock in the 28th minute, but Thomas Muller failed to find the net with two efforts after Leroy Sane’s centre.
Muller, fresh from signing a new contract on Tuesday, headed against the crossbar minutes later before he turned provider with 33 minutes on the clock.
Bayern’s experienced attacker cut inside and produced a superb cross with his left foot that Musiala headed home to mark his 100th Bundesliga appearance in style.
A second assist followed for Muller 10 minutes later, but it was all about Kane as he curled into the top corner from range for his 25th goal in all competitions this season before he celebrated by sliding towards the corner flag.
It was not a perfect half for Tuchel though after Wolfsburg reduced the deficit in stoppage time when Arnold’s swerving effort beat Neuer from long range.
Wolfsburg pressed for a second after the break and had penalty appeals turned down when Svanberg went down in the area following contact from Kim Min-Jae, but play was waved on.
Tuchel reacted soon after with Matthijs de Ligt introduced for his first appearance since November 1 following a knee injury.
Raphael Guerreiro could have sealed the points with 16 minutes left, but his close-range shot was blocked.
Wolfsburg did fashion one late opportunity and Neuer punched away Arnold’s speculative effort.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) Senior Men’s Selection Panel on Wednesday announced the 15-member squad to travel to Australia to play a two-Test series as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from 17 to 29 January 2024.
West Indies will again be led by Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, with fast bowler Alzarri Joseph named as the new Vice Captain. The squad will arrive in Australia on 30 December and will hold a preparation camp from 2 – 9 January in Adelaide, followed by a Four (4) Day First Class warm-up match against a Cricket Australia XI at the Karen Rolton Oval (KRO) in Adelaide from 10 – 13 January.
The selectors have named several uncapped players in the squad. Among them are batter Zachary McCaskie, wicket-keeper Tevin Imlach; allrounders Justin Greaves, Kavem Hodge and Kevin Sinclair, as well as fast bowlers Akeem Jordan and Shamar Joseph.
This, as Jayden Seales is unavailable for selection due to a shoulder injury, while Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers are unavailable as both expressed a preference to explore Twenty20 Franchise opportunities in January.
Speaking about the make-up of the squad, CWI Lead Selector, The Most Honourable Dr. Desmond Haynes said: “The squad has been affected by the unavailability of some key players. However, we have had a very strong red-ball program being run over the past year, which has unearthed significant talent throughout the region. The selected players have passed each test given to them and must now be given the opportunity to showcase their skills in the test arena. Australia away is always a challenge, but we are confident in our team.”
The two teams will again compete for the Frank Worrell Trophy – named in honor of the legendary West Indies all-rounder and captain. The first Test will be a red ball fixture at the Adelaide Oval from 17 to 21 January, and the second, a pink ball Day/Night contest at the Gabba in Brisbane from 25 to 29 January.
This is West Indies second Test Series out of a total of six to play in the new 2023-2025 ICC WTC cycle. The Test Series against Australia will be the first of three away series that West Indies will play in the WTC. West Indies drew one Test match and lost one against India in August.
Following the Test Series, West Indies will face Australia in three One-Day International and three T20 Internationals, and these squads will be announced at a later date.
FULL SQUAD
1. Kraigg Brathwaite (Captain)
2. Alzarri Joseph (Vice-Captain)
3. Tagenarine Chanderpaul
4. Kirk McKenzie
5. Alick Athanaze
6. Kavem Hodge
7. Justin Greaves
8. Joshua DaSilva
9. Akeem Jordan
10. Gudakesh Motie
11. Kemar Roach
12. Kevin Sinclair
13. Tevin Imlach
14. Shamar Joseph
15. Zachary McCaskie
Match Schedule (start times in brackets)
17-21 January: 1st Test at Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
(Start Time: 15-20 January 7:30pm Eastern Caribbean/6:30pm Jamaica)
25-29 January: 2nd Test at the Gabba, Brisbane
(Start Time: 12 midnight Eastern Caribbean (24-28 January 11pm Jamaica)
Anthony Joshua kept his cards close to his chest with another low-key open workout ahead of Saturday’s fight with Otto Wallin in Riyadh.
Former two-time world heavyweight champion Joshua will step into the ring for 30th time this weekend, but the talk ahead of this latest bout in Saudi Arabia has swirled around a proposed clash with Deontay Wilder in 2024.
Wilder will face Joseph Parker on the same bill as Joshua on Saturday night and both men adopted different approaches for their open workouts on Wednesday, with the British boxer doing barely a minute of shadow boxing before he invited local youngsters into the ring.
Instead of Joshua being put through his paces, it was the aspiring fighters who worked up a sweat before the 34-year-old reiterated his focus is all about claiming the 27th victory of his career on Saturday.
“I do want to hurt him, that’s fact,” Joshua (26-3, 23KOs) told TNT Sports.
“This (workout) ain’t fun for me, this is just work. What will be fun is Saturday night getting my hand raised.
“All of this is really nice, but this ain’t for me. This is for the entertainment, for the viewers, for the people who have come to Saudi to watch a night of boxing. My entertainment is in the ring on Saturday night and I’m not there yet so I’ve got to stay focused.
“I’m here with you guys out of contractual obligations so I will fulfil my obligations but ultimately my true, true obligation is to fight on Saturday night.
“I need to win, I have to win and yeah, if it is destined and meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
Before Joshua stepped in the ring for his non-workout, which has been a feature of other fight weeks, his long-standing rival Wilder discussed the pressure being put on the Watford fighter.
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Wilder added: “It’s been so long that people talk about me and him getting in the ring. I think there is a lot more pressure on him than me.
“A lot of people talk about how he responded to media. I had a lot of media come up to me today and ask me about his behaviour. I say you all put a lot of pressure on him. He has got to focus on Otto Wallin.
“You put a lot of pressure on him, I wish everyone would back off him.”
Sergi Roberto came to Barcelona’s rescue with a brace to finally see off rock-bottom Almeria 3-2 as the LaLiga champions returned to winning ways.
The hosts looked set to stretch their winless run to four games in all competitions after twice being pegged back by opponents still in search of their first league win of the season.
But the 31-year-old latched on to a through-ball from Robert Lewandowski in the 83rd minute to grab the points which take his side back within four points of second-placed Real Madrid.
Xavi’s men were overwhelming favourites as they aimed to shrug off their recent poor run, and they started on top.
Joao Felix floated a free-kick just over the crossbar then Sergi Roberto saw his first chance well saved by busy Almeria goalkeeper Luis Maximiano.
Joao Cancelo was next up with an effort that he drilled straight at the keeper, before Fermin Lopez headed over from Ilkay Gundogan’s pinpoint cross.
Sergi Roberto blasted over from long-range on the half-hour mark before Barca finally made their seemingly inevitable breakthrough three minutes later when Ronald Araujo’s deflected effort fell to Raphinha who fired it into an empty net.
Lewandowski almost doubled Barcelona’s lead before Almeria snatched their chance to level four minutes before the break, Leo Baptistao lofting the ball over advancing Barca keeper Inaki Pena and surviving a VAR check.
Baptistao had a chance to put his side in front before the break but dragged an effort wide and normal service resumed early in the second period with substitute Ferran Torres and Lewandowski both denied.
Sergi Roberto grabbed his opener on the hour when he met Raphinha’s corner with a header at the near post to put Barcelona back in front.
But the lead lasted barely 10 minutes before the hosts were undone by a calamitous error by Pena, who dropped the ball in a collision with Araujo, allowing the alert Edgar Gonzalez to slide it into an empty net.
The hosts responded well, Araujo making up for his part in the equaliser by heading just wide, before Gundogan contrived to somehow miss his chance with the goal at his mercy.
Sergi Roberto finally grabbed what proved to be the decider in the 83rd minute when he ran on to Lewandowski’s ball through the middle to seal three hard-earned points.
Lewandowski almost added a fourth and the captain was denied a hat-trick deep into added time when his effort rattled back off the woodwork.
Shane Lowry is “not surprised by anything” in golf after Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf but remains hopeful the men’s game can unite in the future.
The start of the Saudi-backed league in 2022 sent shockwaves through the sport, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia all leaving the PGA Tour to compete in LIV’s 54-hole, limited-field events.
Rahm had been a staunch supporter of the PGA Tour and while June’s framework agreement between the American circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – which bankrolls LIV – was hoped to bring the game back together, many players were publicly critical of the secretive nature of negotiations which led to the agreement.
Rahm’s move earlier this month was the latest chapter in a tumultuous period for the game and Lowry admits nothing surprises him anymore.
“We weren’t too surprised in the end, but I’m not surprised by anything that happens at the minute,” Lowry told reporters at the launch of the Irish Open.
“It had been rumoured for a while so there’s no smoke without fire, is there?”
After his switch, Rahm spoke of his hope that he would be able to continue to play across tours, a hope shared by his European Ryder Cup team-mate from 2021 and September’s 16.6-11.5 win over the United States.
“Hopeful is the word I’d use,” added Lowry.
“I mean, I’m not involved in anything. I just try to worry about my own thing and get on with my own game.
“But I’d be very hopeful that at some stage in the near future we will be back playing the same tournaments together and I think that’s what the world of golf needs.”
Will Stuart hopes involvement in Bath’s resurgence this season can help in his quest to become England’s first-choice tighthead prop.
The 27-year-old was delighted to go to a first World Cup earlier this year but frustrated at starting just one match at the showpiece in France – the Bronze Medal victory over Argentina – and being left out of the 23-man pool entirely for the knockout clashes against Fiji and South Africa.
As he enters what he hopes will be his peak years, Stuart is determined to stake a strong claim to take over from 36-year-old Dan Cole and become England’s established number three in time for the next World Cup in Australia in 2027.
The former Wasps forward – who has won 33 caps since his debut against France in the 2020 Six Nations – threw himself straight back into club rugby after the World Cup and has helped Bath make a strong start in both the Gallagher Premiership and the Investec Champions Cup.
“Every player wants to play in a World Cup and the next one in Australia is a massive goal for me,” Stuart told the PA news agency.
“If my career ended now, I’d say ‘I achieved a little bit, I won a few caps for England and played at a World Cup’ but realistically I haven’t won silverware, I haven’t played in multiple World Cups and I haven’t really solidified myself as a starting tighthead for England, so there’s a lot I aspire to do.
“I played in three of the group games (as a substitute) and then missed out on the quarters and semis, which was a frustration.
“But it’s been pretty clear from chatting with the coaches what my work-ons are and what I need to do to be a first-choice tighthead for England.
“If I’m playing well for Bath and can contribute to a winning team, that falls into giving myself a good opportunity to push on with England as well.”
In addition to his own form, Stuart’s bid to establish himself for England will be influenced by how long veteran Leicester tighthead Cole can soldier on.
“The way Coley plays, I reckon he could play until he’s 54,” joked the Bath forward. “He’s great, he was great for me during the World Cup and it’s impressive that he’s still playing at that level at 36.
“He’s on 107 caps for England and played 300-plus games for Leicester and he’s been starting and playing 70-odd minutes for the majority of that so he’s a good person to look up to.”
With the Six Nations looming in the new year, Stuart feels England have huge potential for further growth under Steve Borthwick after defying pre-tournament scepticism to reach the World Cup semi-finals.
“I think we were written off a lot during the World Cup,” said Stuart.
“Draw-wise we probably had an easier route to the quarters but we ended up taking South Africa to one point in the semi-final and until the last 20 minutes we were all over them, so I think that is something to massively build on.
“Including the Six Nations and the lead-up to the World Cup, the coaching group probably only had about a six-month period to really work with the team and, with that in mind, we had a way of playing where we knew we could basically get to knockout rugby.
“When we got to that stage, it was always going to be fine margins and we were one point away from the final.
“I think the coaches have been very clear on the areas where we can push on and make massive strides to get back to where England have been in the past.”
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