Manchester United's Amad Diallo has withdrawn from the Ivory Coast's Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sierra Leone due to illness. 

Diallo, who has made six appearances for his country, has since returned to Manchester ahead of the Red Devils' upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford.

The 22-year-old earned his first cap for the Elephants in 2021, and was recalled to Emerse Fae's group after a 15-month absence in June for wins over Zambia and Chad.

Ivory Coast know that two wins against the Leone Stars will seal their progression to the tournament, which takes place in Morocco at the end of next year. 

A statement by the Elephants read, “The Ivorian Football Federation informs the Press and the public that the player, Amad DIALLO, arrived in group on Monday October 7, 2024, as part of the 3rd and 4th Days of the CAN qualifiers Morocco 2025, is declared forfeit for health reasons.”

Diallo is the latest player within Erik ten Hag's ranks to withdraw from international duty with their respective nations. 

Argentina's Alejandro Garnacho, England's Kobbie Mainoo and Morocco's Noussair Mazraoui are the other players left out as a precaution. 

Diallo has made 10 appearances for United this season in all competitions, scoring once in his side's 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the start of the 2024-25 campaign. 

However, he has yet to fully nail down a starting berth, with Ten Hag so far rotating his wide options with Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.

Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti believes Daniel Maldini has been the creative spark the national side has been lacking ahead of their Nations League clash with Belgium. 

Maldini could follow in the footsteps of his father, Paolo, and grandfather Cesare, both former Italy captains, should he represent the Azzurri at the Stadio Olimpico on Thursday. 

The 22-year-old came through the ranks at Milan, managing 24 appearances in all competitions and scoring once, but spent three seasons out on loan from 2022 to 2024. 

Maldini spent the second half of last season on loan with Monza before making his move permanent in July, netting five goals in 19 outings to help Raffaele Palladino's side to a 12th place finish in Serie A. 

Now under the guidance of Alessandro Nesta, Maldini has begun to flourish, completing more dribbles (12) than any of his team-mates in the league so far. 

The young Italian was one of four players given their senior call-up by Spalletti for their Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Israel, with the Monza forward replacing Lazio's Matteo Zaccagni. 

And Spalletti is confident Maldini can make an impact, saying: "He is the (kind of) player we were missing."

Italy come into the contest off the back of an impressive opening to their Nations League A2 group, beating Israel and France last month. 

After a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign that saw them lose to Switzerland in the round of 16, Spalletti insisted that their encounter against Belgium is crucial to their development.

"We will immediately become a great team in every match where we will be able to give the best of ourselves," Spalletti said.

"It is a crucial match for our future."

Spalletti, however, has his eyes set on the 2026 World Cup, a tournament the Azzurri have won on four occasions throughout their history. 

But Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 and 2022 editions of the competition, but have since won the European Championships against England in 2021 under Roberto Mancini. 

While Spalletti signified the importance of the World Cup's influence on the Azzurri's illustrious history, he said his players must focus on each game as it comes. 

"It is a tournament that has determined our history, it has made many people happy," Spalletti concluded. 

Novak Djokovic believed his straight-set triumph against Roman Safiullin at the Shanghai Masters was almost perfect, while reiterating his desire to compete at the very top. 

Djokovic, featuring in his first tournament since his shock US Open exit, was largely untroubled in a 6-3 6-2 win against the Russian on Wednesday. 

The world number four's triumph also saw him become the first player to reach 10 quarter-finals at the tournament in Shanghai, claiming his 37th victory in the process. 

Djokovic is on a quest to claim his 100th ATP tour title, hoping to join the elite club that includes only Jimmy Connor and Roger Federer who have reached that milestone. 

The Serbian had already beaten Alex Michelsen and Flavio Cobolli to reach the round of 16, and will face Czech teenager Jakub Mensik for a place in the final four. 

And the 24-time grand slam champion said his tennis at the tournament so far is bringing him "a lot of joy". 

"Very close to 10. The [past two matches] are some of the best matches I've played in a while," Djokovic said. 

"I'm enjoying myself on the court and when you play well you are feeling good, there is a lot of joy in striking a tennis ball.

"These matches and sensations are the reasons why I still play.

"I believe I can play at a high level and it's about keeping that consistency.”

Rinku Singh's explosive half-century and Nitish Kumar Reddy's maiden 50 helped India to an 83-run victory in their second match of their T20I series against Bangladesh. 

Singh reached 50 runs in just 26 deliveries before being bowled out by Taskin Ahmed, with India making light of the tourists' batting order to claim an unassailable advantage. 

India started poorly during the Powerplay, losing Sanju Samson (10), Abhishek Sharma (15) and Suryakumar Yadav (eight) inside the opening six overs. 

However, a 108-run stand from Reddy (74) and Singh (53) steadied the ship, before the former was bowled out by Mustafizur Rahman (2-36). 

Hardik Pandya's 32 runs helped India battle through the closing stages as they ended their innings 221-9, handing the tourists an uphill task to seal an unlikely victory. 

And Bangladesh replicated the hosts' poor start with the bat, with their run chase seeing Parvez Hossain Emon (16), Najmul Hossain Shanto (11) and Litton Das (14) fall early. 

Mahmudullah's knock of 41 proved in vain as the wickets continued to tumble around him, with Bangladesh ending 135-9 and hoping to avoid a series whitewash in the final match on Saturday. 

Data Debrief: Reddy takes centre stage

At the age of 21 years and 136 days, Reddy is the fourth-youngest player to hit a maiden T20I half-century for India.

Current Indian skipper for Tests and ODIs, Rohit Sharma, was the youngest to hit a maiden T20I 50 for India at the age of 20 years and 143 days against South Africa in 2007. 

In only his second T20I, Reddy scored a brilliant 74 in just 34 balls, with four boundaries and seven sixes. His runs came at a strike rate of 217.65.

Joe Root is targeting "many more runs" after overtaking Alastair Cook as England's all-time leading Test run-scorer.

The 33-year-old surpassed Cook's previous high of 12,472 on day three of the first Test against Pakistan on Wednesday.

Root reached the mark by piling on 71 runs in the blistering Multan heat and reached 176 not out at the end of play with England 492-3.

"I'm obviously proud but still feel there is plenty more left to do, and many more runs left to get," Root is quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

"More than anything, the way we played as a team is what stands out - we've got ourselves back in a really good position."

Root's 12,578 runs consist of 35 centuries, 1,355 fours and 44 sixes, coming across 146 matches.

He is now fifth on the all-time list of run-scorers across all nations, with only Rahul Dravid (13,288), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Ricky Ponting (13,378) and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) ahead of him.

And with time still on his side age-wise, Cook has backed the man who took his England record to overtake each of those legendary names.

"I would be betting on Root to do it," Cook told Test Match Special. "I don't see Root losing that hunger and ability to keep driving himself forward for the next couple of years.

"He's just this consistent run-scoring machine. There are other geniuses who can play genius innings, but Root is a genius with consistency."

England have never conceded as many as Pakistan's 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead, but they trail by just 64 runs heading into day four.

"We've still got an opportunity to win the game, which is really exciting," Root added. "Hopefully we can kick on tomorrow."

When the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty played for the Commissioner’s Cup Championship in June, it seemed a foregone conclusion the teams would meet further down the road with much more at stake.

That time has come, as the Liberty will host the Lynx in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday in a matchup of teams that posted the top two records during the regular season.

New York went 5-0 in Commissioner’s Cup play while Minnesota posted a 4-1 record en route to a meeting on June 25 in the championship game of the in-season competition that started in 2021.

The Liberty entered as the defending champions of the Commissioner's Cup and with a 15-3 overall record, while the Lynx came in with a 13-3 mark.

Minnesota went on to win its first Commissioner's Cup championship with a 94-89 victory at New York.

The Lynx also took two of three meetings in the regular season, but the Liberty (32-8) managed to finish two games ahead of Minnesota (30-10) in the final standings.

“I think the regular season doesn’t mean anything, they are an amazing team,” Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier said.

“It’s going to be a great series, great basketball. Two teams with great players competing.”

Collier was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and was runner-up to Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson for the WNBA MVP award.

Collier finished in the top five in the league in scoring (20.4 points per game), rebounds (9.7), steals (1.9), double-doubles (18) and player efficiency (25.7), but she’s been even more dominant in the play-offs.

The sixth overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft is averaging a league-high 27.1 points and tops all post-season players with a 32.9 efficiency rating to go along with 9.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.0 blocks per game.

“She’s improved every season. She’s just been incredible,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said.

“Every game, it’s more than scoring how she helps our team. When she plays like the MVP, we're tough to beat.”

The Lynx booked their ticket to the WNBA Finals with an 88-77 win over the Connecticut Sun in the decisive Game 5 of the semifinals on Tuesday.

New York has been idle since eliminating the two-time defending champion Aces in Game 4 of the semis on Sunday.

“Talk about the schedule, who cares. Nobody’s going to feel bad for us,” Reeve said.

“Got to go hooping right away and we’ll do that.”

The Liberty exacted a measure of revenge on Las Vegas after losing to the Aces in four games in last season’s WNBA Finals, but star point guard Sabrina Ionescu said New York needs to remain focused.

“We haven’t done anything yet, I think we all understand that,” Ionescu said. “We want to come out and continue to be the best team like we have been all year.

“We’re three wins away, and that’s really important to understand. We’ve got to come out and we’ve got to punch because nothing has been given to us yet.”

Ionescu and forward Breanna Stewart form an imposing 1-2 punch for the Liberty.

Stewart averaged 20.4 points (fourth in the league) during the regular season and Ionescu added 18.2 per game. Ionescu ranked fifth in the WNBA in both assists per game (6.2) and 3-pointers made (107).

In the play-offs, Ionescu is averaging 20.7 points and Stewart is pouring in 20.0 per game.

Minnesota is playing in its record seventh WNBA Finals and looking to break a tie with the Houston Comets and Seattle Storm for the most titles in WNBA history with its fifth championship.

New York, meanwhile, has lost in each of its previous five WNBA Finals appearances.

“We're going to the Finals and we're hosting Game 1 and Game 2,” Stewart said.

“We're ready to go. Just the feeling of not (being) satisfied."

Game 2 is Sunday before the series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3, and if necessary, Game 4. A winner-take-all Game 5 would be in New York on October 20.

Nico Collins, the NFL's leader in receiving yards this season, will miss at least the Houston Texans' next four games after the team placed him on injured reserve Wednesday.

Collins, who has amassed 567 receiving yards during Houston's 4-1 start, injured his hamstring on a 67-yard touchdown catch during the first quarter of the Texans' 23-20 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. 

The standout wide receiver will be eligible to return for the Texans' Week 10 clash against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 10.

After recording 80 catches, 1,297 receiving yards and eight touchdowns during a breakout 2023 campaign, Collins was on pace for an even better season in 2024. His 32 catches are tied for third in the NFL, while his seven receptions of 25 or more yards are tied with Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson for the most in the league.

Collins also tops the AFC South-leading Texans with three touchdown catches through five games.

“Nico has been the best receiver in the NFL this year," Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said when updating Collins' injury on Monday.  "So, do you replace him? No, everybody just steps up and whatever role you’re asked to do, just step up and play your role the proper way."

The Texans still have proven options at wide receiver despite Collins likely out for the next month.

Stefon Diggs is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who led the NFL in receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535) with Buffalo in 2020, while Tank Dell produced 709 yards and seven touchdowns on 47 catches as a rookie in 2023 before having his season cut short after 11 games by a fractured fibula.

Diggs led the Texans with 82 yards on six catches last week in his first meeting with the Bills since being traded by Buffalo to Houston in the off-season.

"Nobody has to be Nico," Ryans said. "There is one Nico. He’s done a great job of that. Now, whoever is next, when your number is called, make the plays that you are supposed to make.”

England have called up uncapped pair Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento to their squad for this week's Nations League matches.

Liverpool midfielder Jones and Newcastle United full-back Livramento have both been part of the senior squad before without being used.

England confirmed the news on Wednesday and added Harry Kane is continuing his individualised programme, while Jack Grealish sat out of training with a knock.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Ezri Konsa and Kobbie Mainoo have each pulled out of the squad since it was announced after sustaining injuries over the weekend.

The Three Lions host Greece at Wembley on Thursday and then travel to Helsinki to face Finland three days later, with both fixtures coming in Group B2.

Jones is well known to interim England head coach Lee Carsley, with only two players having been used more under him for the Under-21s in the Three Lions squad for this week's fixtures.

The 23-year-old played 14 times at that level for England under Carsley, level with Anthony Gordon and behind Noni Madueke (19) and Angel Gomes (16). 

He was included as part of Gareth Southgate's provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, a year on from scoring the winner in the Euro Under-21 Championship final, but did not make the final cut.

Livramento, meanwhile, was part of the squad for last month's victories over Republic of Ireland and Finland but did not receive his maiden cap.

The former Chelsea player has featured nine times for Newcastle this season and has helped his club side to three clean sheets, most recently in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Everton.

David Goffin produced a vintage display to down second seed Alexander Zverev and book his place in the quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters on Wednesday. 

Goffin, who has now reached the last eight of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time since 2021, emerged a 6-4 7-5 victor in just under two hours. 

The Belgian was the first to take an early grip of the contest, finally managing a break point at the third time of asking in the third game, only for Zverev to respond straight after.

But Goffin was able to find another break of serve, with the world number 66 closing out the first set with a love game to take a surprise lead. 

Despite Zverev starting with a love game of his own in the second, the German quickly found himself 3-1 down as Goffin threatened to run away with the tie. 

However, the second seed clawed his way back into the contest, levelling the score, but Goffin remained composed, sealing the victory with another love game. 

Goffin will face seventh seed Taylor Fritz for a spot in the final four in Shanghai after the American swept aside Holger Rune 6-1 6-2 in just 55 minutes earlier in the day. 

Data Debrief: Goffin joins elite club

Goffin has become only the second player to defeat Zverev head-to-head on hard, grass and clay courts at ATP level, along with Roger Federer.

With the Belgian, who is the 66th ranked player in the world, and Jakub Mensik, who is one place above, now through, it is the first time multiple players ranked outside the ATP's top 50 have made the quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters since the event's inauguration in 2009.

Ben Duckett hailed "extremely humble" Joe Root after watching his team-mate become England's all-time leading Test run-scorer on day three against Pakistan.

Root needed 39 entering Wednesday's play in Multan to break Alastair Cook's record, and he surpassed that target with ease, ending the day unbeaten on 176 alongside Harry Brook.

In his 147th Test outing, Root drilled Aamir Jamal's delivery in the blistering heat to overtake Cook's previous record of 12,472 as England closed to within 64 runs of Pakistan on 492-3.

Duckett partnered Root for the historic moment and led the tributes at the end of play.

"He is extremely humble," Duckett, who recovered from a broken thumb to make 84, told Test Match Special. "It doesn't feel like you're sat around greatness. 

"He's just hungry for runs every time he goes out bat for England. It's incredible to be in the same dressing room as him and long may it continue."

Root now has 12,578 runs in 146 matches, which has seen him bat in 268 innings in total, with his tally consisting of 35 centuries, 1,355 fours and 44 sixes.

The 33-year-old is up to fifth on the all-time list of run scorers across all nations, with only Rahul Dravid (13,288), Jacques Kallis (13,289), Ricky Ponting (13,378) and Sachin Tendulkar (15,921) ahead of him.

England batting coach Marcus Trescothick added to Sky Sports: "We're lucky enough to sit and watch history being made as a man goes on to be the leading run scorer in his country.

"The way he goes about it, the work he puts in and continues to strive for greatness all the time. He's been superb and think will continue to be superb for a number of years yet."

Amid all the fanfare for Root, England will enter day four looking to create some history of their own.

The tourists have never conceded as many as Pakistan's 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead.

"The pitch is not doing a great deal at the moment and to be in a position where we can say we can get [a lead of] 150-200 is an incredible effort," Duckett added. 

"The morning session will be important and if we can limit the damage, we can kick on in the afternoon."

Joe Root led England's fight against Pakistan as he scored an incredible century to become their all-time leading run-scorer in Tests on day three.

Despite their rocky start out in the field, England are firmly back in the contest thanks to Root and Harry Brook.

Root started the day on 32, picking up alongside Zak Crawley, with England at 96-1 as they began the long chase.

It looked like it might stall as Crawley was caught by Aamir Jamal for 78, but Ben Duckett (84), who was okay to bat despite injuring his thumb yesterday, steadied the ship once again.

Root made history with a sublime drive for a four, before then bringing up his 35th Test century as he batted through the intense heat to reach 176 not out.

When Jamal pinned Duckett for lbw, Brook arrived with his own century, getting 141 as England pushed to finish the day at 492-3, now only trailing Pakistan by 64 runs.

The tourists have never conceded as many as Pakistan's 556 and gone on to take a first-innings lead, but they have put themselves in a position to do just that on day four.

Data Debrief: History maker

Going into this Test, Root needed just 71 runs to overtake Alastair Cook's all-time record of 12,472, but he more than surpassed that.

At the end of day three, he is now on 12,578 in 147 matches, batting in 268 innings in total. His highest score in that time came against Pakistan (254), while his tally of 176 not out is his highest tally in the host country.

Root now has 35 centuries and struck 1,355 fours and 44 sixes.

Novak Djokovic saw off Roman Safiullin to reach his 10th Shanghai Masters quarter-final with a straight-sets win on Wednesday.

The Serb, a four-time champion in the tournament, rallied to a 6-3 6-2 victory in just 74 minutes.

Djokovic made a lightning-quick start, serving to love to win the opening game, but had to remain patient as he waited for an opening, which he found with a three-game winning streak at the end of the first set.

Any hopes Safiullin had of a comeback were then squashed as he saw his serve broken first in the second.

Djokovic was clinical from that point, defending a break point – his third in the match – before claiming another break on his way to a comfortable victory.

As his hunt for a 100th tour-level title goes on, Jakub Mensik now stands between Djokovic and a place in the last four.

Data Debrief: Djokovic continues Shanghai dominance

At his 95th at ATP Masters 1000 events overall, Djokovic has become the first player to reach 10 quarter-finals at the Shanghai Masters, since its inauguration in 2009.

It was also his 37th win at the tournament, extending his own record as he keeps the title in his sights.

If he can get his hands on the trophy, he would be just the third man to win 100 tour-level titles in the Open Era (after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer).