Erling Haaland's hat-trick was enough to see Manchester City end their pre-season tour of the United States with a 4-2 win over Chelsea in Ohio.  

Haaland scored twice in the first five minutes before Oscar Bobb added City's third in the second half, with the Norweigan completing his treble soon after. 

Raheem Sterling and Noni Madueke took the shine off an otherwise impressive display from Pep Guardiola's side ahead of their Community Shield fixture against Manchester United next week. 

A frantic start to proceedings saw Levi Colwill bring down Haaland in the box, and despite having to retake his spot kick, Haaland made no mistake with his second attempt. 

City's lead was doubled a minute later when Moises Caicedo's loose pass was cut out by Haaland, who finished confidently with his right foot beyond Robert Sanchez. 

Bobb would put the game beyond doubt 10 minutes into the second half after being picked out by James McAtee to finish at the near post. 

McAtee would grab his second assist of the game moments later, setting up Haaland to complete his hat-trick with a typically clinical finish. 

Sterling would pull a goal back just before the hour mark as he volleyed beyond Stefan Ortega, with Madueke halving the deficit in the 89th minute with a low strike. 

Data Debrief: Haaland well-prepared for Community Shield

Despite underperforming their expected goals (xG) by 2.25 at the Ohio Stadium, City showed the advantage of having a prolific striker at the top end of the pitch. 

Haaland contributed 1.4 xG to City's final total of 1.75, accumulating the most shots (four), shots on target (three) and touches in the opposition box (seven) of any player on the pitch. 

Aaron Judge hit his MLB-leading 41st home run of the season, Carlos Rodon had a solid outing and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-3 on Saturday.

Judge, who hit his 40th homer on Friday night, hit a two-run shot in the first inning off Jose Berrios as he continued his torrid pace. Judge finished 2 for 3 with two walks and two runs scored. He also added his 102nd and 103rd RBIs of the year.

Anthony Volpe also homered for the second straight day, and Trent Grisham also went deep off Berrios, who allowed seven hits and six runs – five earned – in five innings.

Rodon allowed three hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings with eight strikeouts, improving to 12-7 on the year. The veteran lefty had lost five straight decisions from June 15-July 9 but is since 3-0 with a 3.18 ERA over four starts.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had three hits, including a double and a first-inning solo home run.

 

White Sox lose again as skid approaches 20 games

The Chicago White Sox had their franchise-record losing streak extended to 19 games with a 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins.

Max Kepler delivered a tie-breaking home run in the seventh inning and Willi Castro had a two-run single in a three-run eighth as the Twins improved to 11-1 against the White Sox this season.

Chicago’s losing streak is the longest since the Baltimore Orioles lost 19 in a row in 2021.

The last time a major league team lost 20 straight was the 1969 Montreal Expos. The 1961 Philadelphia Phillies hold the dubious record with 23 consecutive losses.

After their latest loss, the White Sox fell to 27-86 and are on pace to finish 39-123, which would be the worst record of baseball’s modern era.

The Twins, however, won their third straight and improved to 61-48. Bailey Ober allowed two hits and two runs in seven strong innings, improving to 11-5.

 

Flaherty wins Dodgers debut, Ohtani gets 30-30

Jack Flaherty pitched six strong innings in his debut with his new team, Shohei Ohtani hit a milestone with three stolen bases and the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the Oakland Athletics 10-0 to snap a three-game losing streak.

Flaherty, who was acquired at the trade deadline from the Detroit Tigers, allowed five hits and one walk across his six shutout innings while striking out seven.

Ohtani set a career high with three stolen bases in the game and added to his career high of 31 steals this season. Last year’s AL MVP, who has 33 home runs, joined the 30-30 club for the first time in his career.

Despite the final scoreline, the game was close throughout, with Gavin Lux putting the Dodgers in the lead with a two-run single in the third inning.

Los Angeles blew the game open with six runs in the ninth. With the game well in hand, third baseman Kike Hernandez pitched the bottom of the ninth for the Dodgers.

In an unexpected turn of events at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the 100m semi-finals on Saturday, ending her bid for a record-extending fifth Olympic medal in the event.

The news broke minutes before the highly anticipated race, which included medal favourites, Julien Alfred, the eventual gold medal winner and World Champion Sha'Carri Richardson, who won silver. While unconfirmed reports suggest Fraser-Pryce sustained an injury during her warm-up, the exact details remain unclear.

The 37-year-old Fraser-Pryce, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100m from the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games, has had an illustrious career marked by consistency and excellence. She is the only woman in history to win medals in the 100m at four consecutive Olympic Games, a testament to her enduring talent and determination.

In what was set to be her final Olympic 100m appearance, Fraser-Pryce's withdrawal was a significant blow to her fans and supporters worldwide. However, in a heartfelt statement, she expressed her deep gratitude to those who have supported her throughout her remarkable career.

"It is difficult for me to find the words to even describe the depth of my disappointment. I know that my supporters share and shoulder this disappointment with me. I am truly Blessed to have had the steadfast support of my fans since my Olympic debut in 2008,” she said.

“The support of my fans, my country, and the larger community has rooted me in immense gratitude that has sustained me over the course of my career. With every step, with every win, you all have been there for me. My Faith has always affirmed me to trust my journey. Thank you for continuing to be with me today and every day."

Fraser-Pryce's statement reflects her profound appreciation for the support she has received from her fans, her country, and the global athletics community. Her career, marked by numerous accolades and groundbreaking achievements, has inspired countless individuals and cemented her legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all time.

In addition to her two Olympic gold medals, Fraser-Pryce's illustrious career includes five 100m World Championship titles and a 200m title, as well as a silver medal in the 200m at the London 2012 Olympics and a 200m silver at the World Championships in Oregon in 2022. Her accomplishments on the world stage have solidified her status as a true icon in the sport of track and field.

As the athletics world comes to terms with the end of Fraser-Pryce's Olympic career, her words serve as a reminder of the challenges and unpredictability inherent in sports. Her journey, characterized by resilience and faith, continues to inspire, and her legacy will undoubtedly endure, regardless of the outcome of a single race.

While her quest for a fifth Olympic 100m medal may have ended prematurely, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's impact on the sport and her indomitable spirit remains as powerful as ever.

 

 

The youthful Jamaican team that represented the island at the 67th Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship at the Iberostar Golf Course in Bavaro, Dominican Republic gave a good account of themselves after ending in the runner up spot for two of the three trophies on offer and third in the other one. 

The country trophy or the Arthur Ziadie trophy went to perennial winner Puerto Rico while Jamaica copped the runner-up trophy. They also retained the Ladies trophy or the George Teale trophy ahead of Jamaica who bagged the runner-up trophy while Bahamas came third. Puerto Rico also won the Hoerman Cup or the trophy for the male golfers. Host country the Dominican Republic came second and Jamaica improved its position from last year to land the third spot. 

Emily Mayne was tied for second in the ladies category with scores of even par 72, one under par 71 and five over par 77 for a three-day total of four over par 220. Kierra Williams ended in fourth place with scores of 72, 71 and 75 which totalled 221 or just one shot behind second place Mayne. Mattea Issa who had two days of 73 each, had a rough last day after posting nine over pay 81 to close the championship on 227, tied for 7th place. The fourth female player, Kingston Burke totaled 248 for the three days with scores of 85, 82 and 81 for 15th place. 

The overall ladies winner was Arabella Lopez of Puerto Rico. She topped the leaderboard on all three days with scores of six under par 66, one under par 71 and another one under par 71 for the final round, for an eight under 208 total score. 

On the men side Rocco Lopez was the best placed player after closing the championship tied for fifth place. His scores were 72, 71 and 72 for one under par 215. Former national champion was further back in 12th place with a combined total of 222 (71, 76, 70). The youngest male player on tour was Ryan Lue and he occupied the 20th spot with scores of 76, 72 and 80 for a total score of 228. Two players Jack Stein and Aman Dhiman were tied for 25th place with a three day total of 232. The sixth and final player and current national champion Zandre Roye had a rough championship after posting scores of nine over par 81 for the first two days and seven over par 79 on the final day for a combined score of 241. 

Team manager Sebert Walker summed up the team’s performance which was commendable based on the proliferation of young and new players who were representing at the senior level for the first time.

“After 54 holes of golf in the Dominican Republic our 2024 male and female team comprised of ten, came out with our female team finishing second and our male team third of course our combined team finishing second overall.

Grenada’s Lindon Victor captured the bronze medal in the men’s decathlon at the Paris Olympic Games with a final points tally of 8711.

The thrilling decathlon competition saw Norway’s Markus Rooth land gold, while Germany’s Leo Neugebauer secured silver.

Victor delivered outstanding achievements in the 10 events. He set a season’s best in the high jump, clearing 2.02 metres to finish third and receive 822 points.

He then clocked 47.84s in heat two of the 400m race, which earned him 917 points, with another 896 points coming by way of a third-place finish in the 110m hurdles. His time was 14.62s.

The 31-year-old Grenadian then produced an excellent performance in the discus throw, setting an Olympic Decathlon Best of 53.91m, which is when he actually ascended into a medal position by virtue of that 952 points. He then added 880 points and 862 points from the pole vault and javelin, where he cleared 4.90m and threw 68.22m, respectively.

Victor then closed with a 4:43.53-clocking in the 1,500m race, adding 658 points to his final score.

Meanwhile, Bahamian Ken Mullings also delivered a commendable performance in the decathlon, finishing 13th with 8226 points.

Mullings tied Victor's high jump mark of 2.02m, gaining 822 points. He established a season best of 49.43s in the 400m for fourth, which earned him 841 points. 

In the 110m hurdles, Mullings clocked 13.70s for another 1014 points, with a discus personal best of 46.07m adding a further 789 points.

Mullings continued his impressive performance in the pole vault, clearing 4.80m for 849 points, and he had another 735 points from the javelin, where he threw 59.83m.

The 27-year-old then ended with a 4:55.84-clocking in the 1500m to add 584 points to his final tally.

United States coach Steve Kerr wants to see higher levels from his team in the knockout stage of their Paris Olympics campaign.

Team USA stayed perfect by beating Puerto Rico 104-83 on Saturday, ensuring they sealed the top seed for the last eight.

That means the four-time reigning Olympic champions will take on the seventh seed, Brazil, for a place in the semi-finals.

Anthony Edwards led the USA with 26 points, while Joel Embiid chipped in with 15 and Kevin Durant delivered another fine substitute performance, scoring 11 points from the bench.

And while the USA have tallied up 317 points in their three wins so far, Kerr believes there is much more to come.

"I think we got done what we wanted to accomplish, winning all three games and securing the top seed," said Kerr.

"We know we have to play better. Part of this tournament is it gets harder as you go."

LeBron James added 10 points for the star-studded USA, and he knows it is now do-or-die.

"We know it's going to be difficult, it's going to be challenging," he said. "We better be ready to go."

In Group C's other game, Nikola Jokic scored 22 points and finished with 13 rebounds, while Bogdan Bogdanovic had 28 points, as Serbia saw off South Sudan 96-85.

While Serbia clinched the fourth seed to set up a meeting with Australia, South Sudan's inaugural Olympics campaign is over, with Greece scraping in as one of the two best third-placed teams.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's team will take on second seed Germany, who like the USA, won their three group games.

West Ham have completed the signing of Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United for a reported £25million.

Summerville starred for Leeds in the Championship last season, though the Dutch winger could not propel the Whites to promotion.

And having sold academy product Archie Gray to Tottenham, Leeds have now had to part ways with another star player.

Summerville has signed a five-year deal with West Ham, with the option for a further year.

The 22-year-old becomes the Hammers' fourth signing under new head coach Julen Lopetegui, while Niclas Fullkrug and Guido Rodriguez are also on the verge of joining from Borussia Dortmund and Real Betis respectively.

"I'm very happy, and I can't wait to get started," said Summerville.

"It's the perfect next step for my career. West Ham is a huge club, with lots of ambition and great players, so I’m really excited to be here and to get going.

"I always try to follow my heart, and I had the feeling that this is the best place for me to continue developing as a player, and to push my potential as much as possible."

Summerville directly contributed to 29 goals in the Championship last season (20 goals, nine assists), while he created 120 chances – ranking fourth in the division – and attempting 200 dribbles.

Remco Evenepoel celebrated in stylish fashion as he recovered from a last-gasp puncture to triumph in the men's road race.

Evenepoel won the gold medal in the men's time trial last week, and the Belgian made history on Saturday.

The 24-year-old roared to success in Paris after dropping France's Valentin Madouas with around 15km left.

And he even had to survive a late scare as he sustained a puncture as he passed through the iconic Louvre.

A swift change of bikes, though, and Evenepoel recovered to cruise to victory, passing under the Eiffel Tower and celebrating on the line by placing his bike in front of him and holding out his arms.

It was a picture-perfect finish to a stunning race, as he became the first man to win both road events at the same Games.

"What a place to win this," he said. 

"Honestly, I feel sick, from the effort, it was a pretty hard day out there. I'm so proud to win this and be the first ever to win the double. It's history, no?

"I started the year with that celebration, so I knew that the Eiffel Tower was in the background, so I wanted to do it. I think it's going to be a great picture."

France's Olympic dream came to a halt as they lost 1-0 to Brazil on Saturday.

Gabi Portilho's 82nd-minute goal proved decisive in Nantes as Brazil claimed a place in the semi-finals.

Matters could have been vastly different for France had Sakina Karchaoui converted an early penalty, but she fluffed her lines from 12 yards.

Brazil will face Spain in the last four, while the other semi-final will see Germany take on the United States.

Germany drew 0-0 with defending champions Canada after 120 minutes of action in Marseille.

But Ashley Lawrence and Adriana Leon saw their penalties saved by Ann-Katrin Berger, who subsequently stepped up to slot in the crucial spot-kick as Germany secured a 4-2 shootout victory.

Data Debrief: Quarter-final hoodoo continues for France, Germany meet the USA again

France have now been eliminated at the quarter-final stage in seven of the last eight international tournaments in which they have participated.

Meanwhile, the USA and Germany will meet again in the last four of a major tournament for the fifth time, which is two more than any other match-up in the history of the Women's World Cup and the Olympics.

Lorenzo Musetti beat Felix Auger-Aliassime to win bronze in the men's singles at the Paris Olympics.

Musetti, who was beaten by Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals, prevailed 6-4 1-6 6-3 on Saturday at Roland-Garros.

It marked a historic success for Italy, bringing up the nation's first tennis player to win a medal at the Olympics since Uberto de Morpugo in 1924, with those Games having also taken place in Paris.

While Auger-Aliassime leaves empty-handed from the singles, he did win bronze in the mixed doubles.

Prior to Musetti's triumph, Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz won in straight sets to claim the bronze medal in the men's doubles, beating Tomas Machac and Adam Pavlasek.

After falling to defeat to eventual gold medallists Matthew Ebden and John Peers in the semi-finals, the American duo dusted themselves down to claim a 6-3 6-4 victory.

Paul and Fritz controlled the opening set, earning a double break in the sixth game and, despite losing the next two, held on to take the early advantage. 

The Americans squandered three match points to seal the win, but confirmed their place on the podium in the 10th game, with Team USA taking home two medals from the doubles after Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram's silver earlier in the day. 

It was not all doom and gloom for Czechia, though, with Machac and Katerina Siniakova having claimed gold in the mixed doubles on Friday.

 

Katie Ledecky tied level with gymnastics great Larisa Latynina by winning her ninth gold at the Olympics.

Ledecky claimed gold in Saturday's 800-metre freestyle final, edging out Ariarne Titmus with a time of eight minutes, 11 seconds.

In the process, she equalled Latynina's tally of nine golds, the record for a female athlete at the Games.

The 27-year-old has won 14 medals overall at the Olympics, four shy of Latynina's record (18).

Four of those medals have come in Paris.

Ledecky won the 1500m freestyle, took silver in the 4x200m freestyle and bronze in the 400m freestyle.

Dominica’s Thea LaFond etched herself in her country’s history books forever by winning Olympic gold in the women’s triple jump final at the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France on Saturday.

The 30-year-old produced a personal best and national record 15.02m in the second round to claim her country’s first ever Olympic medal.

She opened her competition with 14.32m in the first round before producing her gold medal-winning effort a few minutes later. From rounds three to five, the reigning World Indoor champion produced distances of 14.46m, 14.12m and 14.43m before passing on her final effort with gold already secured.

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts secured silver, her country’s first ever Olympic medal in the event, with a best distance of 14.87m, her best jump of the season.

The 32-year-old had three legal jumps in her series, 14.61m in round one, 14.87m in round two and 14.73m in the final round.

American Jasmine Moore took bronze with a season’s best 14.67m.

Julien Alfred claimed a historic Olympic medal for Saint Lucia as she powered to a stunning victory in the women's 100m sprint in Paris.

Saturday's race was shorn of a global superstar when Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the five-time world and two-time Olympic 100m champion, withdrew.

Yet Alfred delivered the star power at the Stade de France with a fantastic effort, as she cruised to victory in 10.72 seconds.

In the process, the 23-year-old claimed the first Olympic medal for Saint Lucia.

Alfred finished ahead of Sha'Carri Richardson, the reigning world champion.

Melissa Jefferson, Richardson's American compatriot, crossed in third, ahead of Great Britain's Daryll Neita.

Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Alexander Sorloth from Villarreal in a deal reportedly worth €35million.

Sorloth joins Atleti on the back of scoring 26 goals in 41 games in all competitions in his only season at Villarreal.

A highlight of last term came in May, when he scored four goals in just 17 minutes in a 4-4 draw with Real Madrid.

Atleti were in the market for a striker after Alvaro Morata's move to Milan and following their release of Memphis Depay.

Sorloth, who has 53 caps for Norway, was second only to Artem Dovbyk when it came to LaLiga goals last season, netting 23 times in total.

The 28-year-old endured a difficult spell in England when he moved to Crystal Palace in January 2018, scoring just one goal in 20 appearances, but his career was revitalised by a loan to Trabzonspor, where he scored 24 league goals in 34 league games.

He subsequently moved to RB Leipzig before two spells on loan at Real Sociedad where he netted 24 times in 90 games before he signed for Villarreal in the summer of 2023.  

Sorloth's aerial prowess could be of real use for Diego Simeone's side. Indeed, he scored more headed goals (seven) than any other player in LaLiga last season.

Dovbyk was another target for Atleti, but the Ukraine international has instead joined Roma.

Sorloth has penned a four-year deal with Atleti, who are also pushing to sign Julian Alvarez from Manchester City.

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