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• Tottenham 3-0 Qarabag: Postecoglou's side win Europa League opener despite early red card

  Ten-man Tottenham recovered from an early setback to start their Europa League campaign with a commanding 3-0 victory over Qarabag.

  Despite Radu Dragusin's early red card, goals from Brennan Johnson, Pape Sarr and Dominic Solanke helped Ange Postecoglou's side to a third straight win in all competitions.

  Just seven minutes had elapsed when the hosts were reduced to 10 men as last-man Dragusin dragged down Juninho after he was caught in possession.

  However, Spurs responded brilliantly to take the lead just five minutes later, with Solanke stealing possession and feeding Johnson, who applied a neat first-time finish.

  The hosts survived a scare before the break when Juninho steered wide from Elvin Cafarquliyev's cross but doubled their advantage seven minutes after the restart when Mateusz Kochalski helped a corner into the path of Sarr, who instinctively volleyed home.

  Qarabag squandered a great opportunity to halve the deficit just before the hour mark when Toral Bayramov's penalty hit the crossbar after Yves Bissouma tripped Cafarquliyev.

  Tottenham capitalised in the 68th minute as Kochalski parried Son's shot into Solanke's path and he put the game beyond the visitors, who were denied a consolation later on when Juninho's header was disallowed for offside.

  Data Debrief: Spurs soar despite Dragusin's historic early bath

  It had the potential to be a difficult night for Tottenham when Dragusin was shown a straight red card - Spurs' earliest in a major European match.

  The defender also became the first Tottenham player to be sent off on his European debut.

  Spurs recovered to take control of the contest, though they survived a scare when Bayramov hit the bar with Qarabag's first missed penalty in the Europa League after six consecutive successful kicks.

• Dwayne Bravo officially retires after storied career

  West Indies and T20 cricket legend Dwayne Bravo has officially announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, bringing an end to a storied 18-year career that spanned the globe. The 40-year-old, who turns 41 next month, made the announcement via an emotional post on Instagram, citing the toll that injuries have taken on his body.

  "My mind wants to keep going, but my body can no longer endure the pain, the breakdowns, and the strain," Bravo shared. "I can't put myself in a position where I might let down my teammates, my fans, or the teams I represent. So, with a heavy heart, I officially announce my retirement from the sport. Today, the Champion bids farewell."

  Bravo's final season in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) was cut short by a groin injury while playing for the Trinbago Knight Riders against the St. Lucia Kings in Tarouba. Despite the abrupt end to his CPL campaign, Bravo was given a guard of honour by his teammates during his final appearance for the Trinbago Knight Riders in Port of Spain against the Guyana Amazon Warriors on September 18, 2024.

  Bravo, who is the leading T20 wicket-taker in history with 631 wickets from 582 appearances, has been a trailblazer in the format. Known for his variations and impeccable death bowling, he helped revolutionize T20 cricket, setting a high standard for bowlers around the world. In his illustrious career, Bravo won titles across the globe, including in the IPL, PSL, and Big Bash League. He also played a pivotal role in the West Indies' two T20 World Cup triumphs in 2012 and 2016.

  Before the start of the 2024 CPL season, Bravo had announced that it would be his last. He had been scheduled to play in the third season of the UAE's ILT20, having been retained by MI Emirates, but decided to call time on his career after his latest injury.

  Bravo had already retired from international cricket in 2021 and stepped away from the IPL in 2022, transitioning into coaching roles with Chennai Super Kings and the Afghanistan men's national team.

  The Trinidadian leaves behind an unmatched legacy in the CPL, where he became the most decorated player in the tournament's history, winning five titles, including three with the Trinbago Knight Riders. Bravo captained the Knight Riders to back-to-back CPL titles in 2017 and 2018 before leading the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots to their first championship in 2021.

  Despite his retirement from playing, Bravo’s influence on the game is expected to continue through his coaching roles and the mentorship he has provided to countless cricketers throughout his career.

  Known affectionately as "Champion," a nickname derived from his hit song of the same name, Dwayne Bravo leaves behind a T20 career that will be hard to match, not just in terms of statistics, but in the energy, flair, and joy he brought to the game.

  As Bravo said in his farewell message, "The Champion bids farewell," but his legacy will undoubtedly live on.

• Minnesota United v Colorado Rapids: Ramsay challenges hosts to improve on home soil

  With only two home games left of the regular season, Eric Ramsay urged Minnesota United to come away with maximum points, starting against Colorado Rapids.

  The Loons currently sit ninth in the Western Conference, but due to the tight nature of the table, they could spring up it with a win.

  They have won their last three road games on the bounce, but have won just one of their last seven on home soil.

  Following their 2-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City, Ramsay challenged his team to bring their away form to Allianz Field.

  "We've got to win at home between now and the end of the year," he said. "That's the difference maker.

  "We've done our bit against teams below us in the table away from home. We just need to do the easier bit, which is put in a performance at home and win a game there.

  "If we can do that in the remaining two, we'll be in a really good position."

  Meanwhile, Colorado sealed their playoff place with a 2-0 victory over Toronto FC last weekend.

  They are third in the table having lost just one of their last five MLS matches, and head coach Chris Armas says spirits are high ahead of their latest road game.

  "We're excited for a lot of reasons right now," Armas said. "We've clinched a playoff spot; we've got another game coming up against a good team on the road.

  "It's an opportunity to show that we can have a disciplined performance with a lot to play for. The energy in the team is very good, and confidence is high.

  "We have our sights set on getting our position up in the playoffs to get that home game."

  PLAYERS TO WATCH

  Minnesota United – Kelvin Yeboah

  Kelvin Yeboah has scored in three straight regular-season matches, the sixth different Minnesota United player to record at least one three-game goalscoring streak.

  No player in the team's history has scored in four straight league matches.

  Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic

  Djordje Mihailovic scored his 11th goal of the season on Saturday to go along with his 11 assists in 2024.

  The only Rapids player to record more than 22 goal contributions in a single regular season was Diego Rubio (23) in 2022.

  MATCH PREDICTION: MINNESOTA UNITED WIN

  Minnesota have won seven of nine all-time home matches against Colorado in all competitions, including the last three in a row. The Loons have outscored the Rapids 8-2 over the current three-match run.

  Minnesota have now won four of their last six regular-season matches (lost two) after a nine-game winless run from early June to mid-July (drawn two, lost seven).

  The Loons, who beat Sporting Kansas City 2-0 last Saturday, have not kept consecutive regular season clean sheets since May 2023.

  However, the Rapids have won nine of their last 13 regular season matches (drawn one, lost three), including four of the last five. Only LA Galaxy and Columbus Crew (10 each) have recorded more wins than the Rapids since that run began in mid-June.

  OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

  Minnesota United – 42.1%

  Draw – 26.7%

  Colorado Rapids – 31.2%