Nelly Korda is attempting to banish thoughts of an Olympic gold medal even as she closes in on winning the women's golf tournament.
The 23-year-old American will carry a three-shot lead into the final round at Kasumigaseki Country Club after shooting a two-under 69 on Friday to reach 15 under par.
She had to scramble at times after a bright start and made 10 consecutive pars following a bogey six at the eighth hole, with Korda relieved to stay firmly in control through 54 holes.
Aditi Ashok of India sits second after a 68 moved her to 12 under, with third place at 10 under shared by New Zealand's Lydia Ko, Australia's Hannah Green, Emily Kristine Pedersen of Denmark and Japan's Mone Inami.
Asked what pleased her most about her round, Korda said: "Probably my fight. I didn't really have a good back nine. I was kind of spraying it all over the place.
"I made all pars and fought really hard to stay in it really, or ahead of it. If I was sloppy and didn't fight the way I did, I could definitely have shot a couple over par on the back nine easily. I had a couple of testy par putts but I never give up."
As for imagining a gold medal around her neck, Korda said it was only natural to let that thought cross her mind.
"I feel like everyone does it, but that's when you need to take a step back," she said. "There's still 18 more holes to go, there's still a lot that can happen.
"I try to remind myself even though I think about it – I quickly shake my head and I'm like, 'No, no, no, no, it's not there yet, we're not there, we still have a long way to go'."
The weather forecast for the weekend suggests it may be a struggle to fit in a fourth round, with storms expected to brush the east coast of Japan.
Therefore Korda will have already done enough if the tournament is reduced to a three-round event, but she is putting that thought to one side.
An early start has been scheduled for Saturday, with the first groups out at 06:30 local time. Korda, Ashok and Ko will be the last trio out starting from the first, weather permitting, at 08:18.
"My mindset is 72 holes, so I'm sticking to that and trying to give myself opportunities and make them," Korda said. "I'm trying to stay as present as possible and see how it goes.
"I've been really calm the last three days. I haven't really gotten nervous."
April Ross completed her set of Olympic medals as she teamed with Alix Klineman to defeat Australia's Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho to win another beach volleyball gold for the USA.
The American duo, dubbed the "A-Team", rolled to a 21-15 21-16 victory at sweltering Shiokaze Park for the USA's fourth gold in the event. Brazil, Australia and Germany are the only other countries to win, claiming one gold each.
Ross, 39, became the oldest woman to medal in beach volleyball as she added to the silver medal she won with partner Jennifer Kessy at London 2012 and her bronze with Kerri Walsh Jennings at Rio 2016.
She is the first person to win a beach volleyball medal with three different partners. Klineman, 31, moved from indoor volleyball to the beach in 2017 and began playing with Ross late that year, a partnership that culminated in gold in Tokyo.
"I'm still trying to process it but I'm so in the present moment here with this team and this medal," Ross said. "I'm so proud of my other ones but just how this worked out, and the risks that Alix took to come out onto the beach and all her hard work … it doesn't happen without that.
"I can't fathom that it worked out the way it did. It's kind of a fairytale story like, 'Oh, I'm going at 39 to try and get my gold medal', and the fact that it actually happened feels so special and surreal. I'm just so proud of our team and so grateful for everyone who helps us get here.”
Switzerland's Joana Heidrich and Anouk Verge-Depre won bronze earlier Friday by defeating Latvia's Tina Graudina and Anastasija Kravcenoka 21-19 21-15.
ANOTHER HOCKEY MEDAL FOR TEAM GB
While they were disappointed not to be able to defend their hockey gold from Rio, Great Britain's women will leave Tokyo with bronze after a second-half comeback to defeat India 4-3.
Grace Balsdon's goal off a penalty corner in the 48th minute was the difference for Team GB, who took a 2-0 lead before falling behind 3-2 at the half.
Hollie Pearne-Webb equalised five minutes into the third quarter, just the fourth goal of her career.
"It probably sums up our whole cycle, that match," said Laura Unsworth. "We start well, and then we have a bit of a dip, then we come back well. That game was probably our cycle.
"But I think the resilience and the fight in our team came out, and we weren't going to walk off this pitch without giving our all and that's certainly what we did."
Unsworth, 33, was part of Britain's Rio team and the London 2012 squad that won bronze.
"When I first started as a little girl I don't think I could have dreamed of that," Unsworth said. "I've got to thank all of my team-mates, every single one of them who has been a part of these medals.
"But wow, I think I can retire a very, very, very happy person."
POLAND'S TOMALA TAKES GOLD IN 'BORING' 50K WALK
Dawid Tomala revived Poland's 50km race walk tradition, taking the gold medal Friday by 36 seconds over Jonathan Hilbert of Germany while Evan Dunfee of Canada was 51 seconds back for the bronze.
Tomala finished in three hours, 50 minutes, eight seconds to become his nation's second champion in the event after Robert Korzeniowski won gold in 1996, 2000 and 2004.
"The first 30km was so easy for me," Tomala said. "It was easy like [a] slow training [session]. Everything was amazing, Too perfect. So I was thinking maybe we can do something. The 50km is so boring, I have to do something [and move ahead of the field]."
The 31-year-old Tomala usually competes in the 20km race walk and had finished only one other 50km race prior to Friday, placing fifth at Dudince, Slovakia in March.
"This was only the second 50km in my life and I win it," he said. "It is crazy, right?"
Lionel Messi and Barcelona are going their separate ways, and shock at the announcement was splashed across the front pages of Friday's newspapers.
The record goalscorer in LaLiga history, who has made more appearances for Barcelona than any other player in the club's history, is seemingly now on the lookout for a new team.
According to Barcelona, both they and Messi wanted to renew the Argentine forward's contract, but salary-cap limitations have apparently prevented them from doing that.
In an effort to comply with financial fair play regulations, Barcelona were left with little option but to release their captain and driving force.
The sport newspapers that have chronicled Messi's dizzying feats with the Catalan giants expressed astonishment.
Marca, the Madrid-based daily, led with a headline of "Barca let Messi escape", with a subheading stating they have lost "the greatest player in their history".
"Bombshell! Messi is leaving!" was the headline in Mundo Deportivo, with the newspaper declaring Paris Saint-Germain to be front-runners in any battle to secure the services of the 34-year-old.
Its front-page picture depicts Messi on the Camp Nou pitch, seemingly poised to deliver a free-kick for the Blaugrana, which is a sight that may never be witnessed again.
AS published a front-page portrait shot of Messi, staring at the camera, with the headline of "He's not staying". The front page adds: "Barca announce that Messi won't renew and blame LaLiga."
Barcelona's announcement on Thursday evening spoke of "financial and structural obstacles" preventing the club and player extending their partnership. Messi made his first-team debut at the age of 17 and has won six Ballon d'Or trophies while at the club, helping Barcelona to win 10 LaLiga titles and the Champions League four times.
Sport's headline of simply "Drama. Messi is leaving" was published with a sombre black background and a shot of a pensive Messi.
El Periodico de Catalunya also elected for a largely black background and the headline of "Incredible".
It pictured Messi with a ball at his feet, and his back to the camera, a mournful allusion to him walking away from the only club of his professional career.
The newspaper added on its front page: "Barca surprisingly announce that Messi is going and blames LaLiga for his exit."
Another Catalan newspaper, ARA, also pictured Messi with his back to the camera, the newspaper choosing a shot of the forward with his head bowed.
"Barca can't renew Messi" read its headline.
The newspaper added: "The club blames the league for hindering the continuity of the striker."
Top-seeded Elise Mertens pulled out a three-set win to reach the quarter-finals at the Silicon Valley Classic as all four matches went the distance on Thursday.
The Belgian, ranked 17th in the world, prevailed 6-2 4-6 6-4 over Kristina Mladenovic of France in two hours and 40 minutes to advance in San Jose.
She moves on to face the eighth seed, Yulia Putintseva, who rallied past Ajla Tomljanovic 3-6 7-5 6-3 as the Australian blew numerous chances to pull ahead by converting only two of 16 break-point opportunities.
In the bottom half of the draw, second seed Elena Rybakina remained on track with a 2-6 6-0 6-2 victory over American Claire Liu in a rematch of a second-round meeting at Wimbledon.
Rybakina next meets seventh seed Danielle Collins, a 3-6 6-4 6-3 winner over US countrywoman Sloane Stephens.
Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, has slipped to number 67 in the world and was playing in her first tournament since Wimbledon as she prepares for a return to Flushing Meadows.
The Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves picked up unlikely victories on Thursday night as the National League East race continued to tighten up.
Philadelphia scored four runs in the ninth inning to beat the Washington Nationals 7-6, while Atlanta struck for six in the eighth to roll past the St Louis Cardinals 8-4. Those results combined with the New York Mets' 4-2 loss to the Miami Marlins means the top three teams in the division are within 1.5 games of one another.
In Washington, a two-run double from J.T. Realmuto and a two-run single by Rhys Hoskins provided the winning margin for the Phillies as they won their fifth in a row to move within a half-game of the first-placed Mets.
At least the Nationals could take some satisfaction in the Phillies earning the win; that was not the case in St Louis.
The Cardinals led 4-2 with two outs in the eighth when Freddie Freeman singled and Austin Riley tied the game with his 23rd homer.
After Dansby Swanson doubled, Adam Duvall got hit by a pitch and the next five Atlanta batters walked to force in four more runs before Freeman lined out to end the inning.
According to Stats Perform, the Cardinals' 26 bases-loaded walks this season are the most since the 1999 Seattle Mariners issued 28.
With the victory, Atlanta (55-54) moved over .500 for the first time this season after having been one game under the .500 mark 28 different times.
Giants stun Diamondbacks with rally
The San Francisco Giants, who own the best record in MLB, were on the verge of being shut out by the team with the worst record before pulling off yet another miraculous rally. Down 4-0 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Giants scored four times in the top of the ninth to tie the game before Kris Bryant's double in the 10th provided the winning margin in a 5-4 victory.
Though Anthony Rizzo failed to drive in a run for the first time in seven games as a New York Yankee, fellow newcomer Joey Gallo picked up the slack. The former Texas Ranger pounded out two doubles and his 26th home run of the season, driving in three runs as the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 5-3.
Joey Votto got back in his power-hitting groove with a three-run homer that followed blasts by team-mates Eugenio Suarez and Jonathan India as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-4.
Baez whiffs for Mets
The Javy Baez honeymoon did not last long in New York. The new Mets shortstop struck out in all five of his trips to the plate, leaving eight men on base in New York's loss to Miami.
Bichette's Blue Jays bomb
Bo Bichette joined Troy Tulowitzki (2016) and Tony Batista (1999) as the only Toronto shortstops to reach 20 home runs in a season with a two-run, fourth-inning shot in the Blue Jays' 3-0 win over the Cleveland Indians.
Thursday's results
Cincinnati Reds 7-4 Pittsburgh Pirates
Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 Washington Nationals
New York Yankees 5-3 Seattle Mariners
Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Cleveland Indians
Detroit Tigers 8-1 Boston Red Sox
Miami Marlins 4-2 New York Mets
Los Angeles Angels 5-0 Texas Rangers
Kansas City Royals 3-2 Chicago White Sox
Atlanta Braves 8-4 St Louis Cardinals
Colorado Rockies 6-5 Chicago Cubs
San Francisco Giants 5-4 Arizona Diamondbacks
Minnesota Twins 5-3 Houston Astros
Mets at Phillies
The NL East race is the closest of any division, and the top two teams will face off as Marcus Stroman and the New York Mets (56-52) visit Kyle Gibson and the Philadelphia Phillies (56-53).
The new Ligue 1 season is on the horizon and Paris Saint-Germain are clear title favourites. They may have lost the championship race last term, but some things never change.
If Lille's triumph was unexpected in 2020-21, another upset in the coming campaign would be on another level entirely.
While PSG have continued to spend, many of their rivals are feeling the effects of a tough financial market struggling to recover from the collapse of a mammoth television deal late last year.
Is silverware inevitable then for Mauricio Pochettino's men? Stats Perform takes a look at the state of play in France...
THE RICH GET RICHER
Few teams in Europe have recruited as impressively as PSG ahead of the new season, but many of the changes might not be immediately evident in Ligue 1.
Take Sergio Ramos, for example. PSG may have lost their domestic crown last term, but their repeated failures in the Champions League are of primary concern. Ramos should help to fix that.
Few players can match the centre-back's European pedigree. Following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in 2018, Real Madrid won 10 of the 15 Champions League games Ramos featured in and only four of the 13 he missed.
It is likely he will be the man for the big occasion again in Paris. Now 35 and having played only 15 games in LaLiga last season due to injury, that might mean limited Ligue 1 outings.
Likewise, Gianluigi Donnarumma's role is not entirely clear. He was the standout player at Euro 2020 but must now compete with Keylor Navas, who prevented 8.1 Ligue 1 goals last season according to Opta's expected goals on target (xGOT) data – the third-best mark in Europe's top five leagues.
Georginio Wijnaldum is a solid addition but unlikely to move the needle, although Achraf Hakimi should give PSG a new dimension. The wing-back has been involved in 30 goals (12 goals, 18 assists) since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, trailing only Robin Gosens (34) among defenders in the top leagues.
However, if Mauricio Pochettino prioritises the Champions League, Moise Kean – 13 goals in 26 league games last season but now back at Everton – might be a miss.
LILLE A LEADING CONTENDER
It was anticipated Lille's key men would be picked off following their title win and that did happen to an extent. Mike Maignan left for Milan, replacing Donnarumma, and Boubakary Soumare for Leicester City. Coach Christophe Galtier is now at Nice.
But Lille have retained their strike force in Burak Yilmaz and Jonathan David along with centre-back pairing Jose Fonte and Sven Botman – two old-and-young combinations.
Fonte and Botman were particularly impressive last term, leading a defence that conceded a league-low 23 goals. They both started last week's Trophee des Champions triumph over PSG, the third time since the start of last season the capital club have failed to net against Lille.
They were not the only club to end 2020-21 with momentum, though. Monaco collected a league-high 51 points from their 21 games in 2021, while only Lille (11) have conceded fewer than their 17 this year.
Stretching that form out across an entire campaign to put PSG under pressure is no simple task, but Monaco have Ligue 1's form man in Aleksandr Golovin.
With five goals and eight assists in 969 minutes in 2021, Golovin is averaging a goal involvement every 75 minutes in Ligue 1 – the best rate among players with 200 minutes or more.
MAKING MOVES
Money may be in short supply throughout the division, but PSG are not quite alone in spending ahead of the new season. Rennes and Nice are looking to climb back into the top-four picture.
Rennes finished sixth last term after ex-Lyon man Bruno Genesio arrived with 11 games of the season remaining, finding the side winless in eight and stuck in mid-table.
A record-breaking run lifted Rennes into a European place. No coach in their history can match Genesio's points-per-game average (1.8) or win rate (54.6 per cent).
His reward was significant expenditure on centre-back Loic Bade, joining the third-best defence in the league (40 goals conceded), and forward Kamaldeen Sulemana.
Meanwhile, Nice will hope their own coaching change has a similar impact. Galtier has also been backed, with Jean-Clair Todibo and Calvin Stengs among his recruits.
Perhaps creator Stengs can get Kasper Dolberg firing again after a disappointing six-goal season.
No player in the Eredivisie last term underperformed their expected goals (xG) tally by as wide a margin as Stengs (9.3 xG, five assists), who will hope to find more clinical team-mates in France.
Tokyo 2020 organisers have put standby plans in place for the final weekend of the Olympic Games in case the approaching tropical storm forces a change to the schedule.
Strong winds and heavy rain are expected to either hit Japan's east coast directly or skirt close to making landfall.
It was already known that the final round of women's golf could be shifted from Saturday to Sunday, if conditions are unsuitable for play.
Now it has been confirmed that other alterations to the programme may be in the offing, with Games chiefs bracing themselves for all eventualities.
Masa Takaya, spokesperson for the organising committee, said: "At this point in time we just watch the situation closely."
Addressing media in a news conference, he said: "Of course the organising committee is making preparations for the unexpected, but I don't think it's appropriate for us to tell you all the state of preparation for unexpected situations that the organising comiitee is making, because it will only create speculation among yourselves.
"We are giving you possibly the warnings about the situation."
Takaya added: "According to the current strength of the storm, it is categorised as a tropical storm, not a typhoon.
"We just have to share the information, not overstating the strength of the typhoon too much."
Outdoor events over the closing weekend include the baseball and men's football gold medal games in nearby Yokohama, Saturday's final day of athletics in the Olympic Stadium, and the marathon events in Sapporo.
This time, Rafael Nadal could not summon the third-set magic he needed.
Coming off an epic three-hour duel Wednesday in his first match since the French Open final, Nadal fell to Lloyd Harris 6-4 1-6 6-4 on Thursday at the Citi Open.
After a short-lived maiden appearance at the Washington, D.C. tournament, the Spaniard will look ahead to Toronto and Cincinnati as he continues his preparations for the U.S. Open.
Harris, meanwhile, heads to a quarter-final matchup against veteran Kei Nishikori after recording the biggest win of his career.
Facing Nadal for the first time, the 24-year-old South African slammed 16 aces Thursday and saved four of six break points.
The 20-time grand slam winner, who battled a foot injury to outlast Jack Sock in his first match, did not have enough to answer the world number 50 on Thursday.
In addition to the top-seeded Nadal's defeat, second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime also went down Thursday, falling 6-3 6-4 to American wild card Jenson Brooksby.
With their exits, the tournament is now without its top four seeds.
That leaves fifth seed Jannik Sinner as the top player remaining after he defeated Sebastian Korda 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3).
Nishikori advanced by downing seventh seed Cameron Norrie 3-6 6-3 6-3, while John Millman knocked out eighth seed Reilly Opelka 6-3 7-6 (7-4).
Among unseeded players, Denis Kudla defeated the red-hot Brandon Nakashima 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4, while Steve Johnston eased past Ricardas Berankis 6-2 6-1 and Mackenzie McDonald beat Illya Ivashka 6-4 6-4.
In addition to Harris-Nishikori, Kudla will face McDonald in the other quarter-final in the top half of the draw, while Sinner meets Johnson and Millman takes on Brooksby in the bottom half.
The International Olympic Committee has revoked the accreditations of two Belarus coaches as it continues to investigate the saga involving sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya.
Tsimanouskaya refused to board a flight home from Japan earlier this week after allegedly being taken to the airport against her will, having publicly criticised her team's organisation on social media.
She competed in just one event, finishing fourth in a 100 metres heat, before being pulled out of the Games by Belarusian officials. Due to also compete in the 200m, she claimed a Belarusian coach entered her for the 4x400m relay despite her never racing in the event before.
The IOC announced Friday that it has established a disciplinary commission to "clarify the circumstances around the incident and the roles the coaches Mr Artur Shimak and Mr Yury Maisevich played."
The governing body added that it had "cancelled and removed" the two coaches' accreditations as a provisional measure "in the interest of the wellbeing of the athletes of the NOC of Belarus who are still in Tokyo."
The IOC said the coaches were asked to leave the Olympic Village on Thursday night and did so, adding that they "will be offered an opportunity to be heard."
Tsimanouskaya flew to Warsaw on Wednesday after being granted a humanitarian visa by Poland.
The Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation indicated the 24-year-old feared for her life upon returning to Minsk.
The country is under the authoritarian leadership of president Alexander Lukashenko, whose son Viktor heads the national Olympic committee (NOC). Both men were banned last December from attending Tokyo 2020.
Harris English won his first PGA Tour title at TPC Southwind eight years ago, and he has another triumph in his sights after opening with a 62 at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
The American has a two-stroke lead over four pursuers, as Ian Poulter, Carlos Ortiz, Jim Herman and Matthew Wolff carded six-under-par 64s Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee.
Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Marc Leishman were three shots back after shooting 65, with DeChambeau making his first start since missing the Tokyo Olympics following a positive COVID-19 test.
Among the group two shots behind them at five under were defending champion Justin Thomas, Open Championship winner Collin Morikawa and the red-hot Louis Oosthuizen, who has top-three finishes in four of his last five starts.
Among other notables, Patrick Reed and Hideki Matsuyama are at two under, with Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Olympic champion Xander Schauffele at one under, and Brooks Kopeka and Sergio Garcia at even par.
Jordan Spieth is at one over and Rory McIlroy at two over, leaving him 62nd in the 66-player field.
But they will all start Friday chasing English. The 32-year-old carded seven birdies on a blistering front nine, then faltered a bit with bogeys at 10 and 12 before closing his round with birdies at three of the last four holes.
"It was one of those rounds where I was hitting it really good off the tee and making a lot of good putts," English told reporters.
English won at Memphis in its previous incarnation as the Tour's St. Jude Classic in June 2013, then added another title that fall.
That was his last PGA Tour win before this year, which has seen him take the Tournament of Champions in Maui in January and the Travelers Championship in June.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have each released scathing critiques of LaLiga after it confirmed a €2.7billion (£2.3bn) deal with CVC Capital Partners, which will see the private equity firm acquire 10 per cent of the league's commercial business.
LaLiga announced on Wednesday that CVC will have a 10 per cent stake in a new business, which is being formed with a focus on the league's commercial ventures. It insisted the agreement does not cover league management or broadcast rights.
The deal will value LaLiga at €24.3bn, with the agreement approved unanimously by the LaLiga Executive Committee and set to be proposed to the league's general assembly.
LaLiga, which controls the top two divisions in Spanish football, said 90 per cent of CVC's €2.7bn investment would be earmarked for its clubs.
However, both Madrid and Barca expressed their disapproval in statements, claiming the clubs were not properly consulted over the deal.
The Clasico giants allege the agreement affects all clubs' audiovisual rights for the next 50 years.
Madrid's statement read, in part: "The clubs have signed over their audiovisual rights exclusively for their sale on a competitive basis for a period of three years.
"This agreement, by way of a misleading structure, expropriates 10.95% of the clubs' audiovisual rights for the next 50 years, in breach of the law."
Barca, who announced on Wednesday that Lionel Messi would not be signing a new contract due to "economic and structural obstacles" wrote: "FC Barcelona feels it is inappropriate to sign a half-century agreement given the uncertainties that always surround the football world.
"The terms of the contract that LaLiga is describing condemn FC Barcelona's future with regard to broadcasting rights.
"FC Barcelona wishes to express its surprise at an agreement driven by LaLiga in which the teams' opinions, including those of FC Barcelona, have not been taken into account. There has not even been a presentation of options offered by other competitors in order to evaluate the pros and cons in a post-pandemic situation in which there are still many questions that are left unanswered."
Madrid concluded: "Real Madrid cannot support a venture which hands the future of 42 Primera and Segunda Division clubs over to a group of investors, not to mention the futures of those clubs who qualify over the next 50 years.
"Real Madrid will convene the Assembly of Representative Members to debate the agreement and discuss the significant loss of equity, unprecedented in our 119-year history."
Roger Federer has withdrawn from both the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Masters as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
After undergoing two operations on his right knee last year, Federer has competed in just five events so far in 2021.
Most recently, the 20-time Grand Slam champion reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, before losing in straight sets to an inspired Hubert Hurkacz.
The 39-year-old then missed the Olympic Games due to what he described as a "setback" with his knee.
He was scheduled to appear in Toronto and Cincinnati – where he is a seven-time winner – and step up his preparation ahead of the US Open.
However, his participation in the final Slam of the year is now uncertain after he pulled out of this month's ATP Masters 1000 tournaments.
Another player who will not be competing in Toronto is Alexander Zverev; the Olympic gold medallist also opting to withdraw.
In a statement, he said: "Due to the intense past couple of weeks and my incredible experience at the Olympics, I need to recover so that I can hopefully be at my best for the remainder of the U.S. summer swing.
"It was a difficult decision for me as I have had great memories from Canada and I can't wait to be back next year!"
Celtic battled to a 4-2 victory over Jablonec in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie despite leaving star forward Odsonne Edouard on the bench.
The win represented Ange Postecoglou's first competitive success since his appointment in June, with strikes from Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi, James Forrest and Ryan Christie putting the Hoops in firm control of the two-legged encounter.
Having suffered another Champions League mishap against Midtjylland, Celtic asserted their authority early as Abada converted on the follow-up from his initial effort to open the scoring.
Furuhashi, on his first Celtic start, doubled the visitors' lead with a delicate dink just four minutes later, but Vaclav Pilar instantly responded to halve the deficit, smashing a half-volley past debutant Joe Hart.
After the hour mark, Abada twisted and turned on the edge of the area before Jan Hanus denied him, only for Forrest to sneak in on the rebound to restore the Hoops' two-goal advantage.
Tomas Malinsky curled in a second for the hosts, but Christie added an important fourth for Celtic when he directed a diving header past Hanus in the 88th minute.
Christie's late effort means Postecoglou's men, who will no longer benefit from the away goals rule in Europe, take a two-goal lead back to Celtic Park next Thursday after hosting Dundee in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Presnel Kimpembe conceded the absence of supporters proved costly to Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 title hopes last season.
Les Parisiens' run of three straight league titles ended as they finished a point behind champions Lille under Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino's side surrendered top spot following a 1-0 defeat by Lille at the start of April, and were unable to reclaim it as the French domestic crown eluded them for only the second time in nine seasons.
That loss was one of five they suffered during the Ligue 1 campaign at Parc des Princes, where they scored 44 goals while conceding 14 and keeping nine clean sheets.
By contrast, 2018-19 – the last full season played in front of full-capacity stadia – saw them go unbeaten on home soil, finding the net 63 times and letting in just 10 goals and recording the same number of clean sheets.
And Kimpembe believes the potential return of supporters will be instrumental as he and his team-mates look to regain the Ligue 1 crown.
"For me, it will make all the difference," the vice-captain told the official club website.
"They are the 12th man and given how important they are to us, last season was not easy.
"We felt that the absence of the supporters weighed on us when we were a bit down.
"You hear the voice of the supporters, the chants, the shouts and obviously that pushes you on.
"I hope that they will come back soon and that we will be able to have a great season together."
They launch their quest against reigning Ligue 2 champions Troyes on Saturday.
Laurent Batlles' side are back in the top-flight after a three-year absence, having finished five points clear of second-placed Clermont.
PSG began 2020-21 with back-to-back 1-0 defeats against Lens and Marseille; a start to the season that Kimpembe is eager to avoid this time around.
"We saw last season that the start of the championship was complicated," he added. "We lost a lot of points stupidly.
"Against Troyes, we know what to expect. They're not going to do us any favours and they're back from Ligue 2.
"We know that they will want to play well against us. We need to get off to a good start."
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