The Colorado football program has lost more than just games of late. Head coach Deion Sanders has also lost some of the Buffaloes' top recruits in recent weeks.

Spain fired a warning shot to their Women's World Cup rivals with a 3-0 defeat of Costa Rica on Friday, with superstar Alexia Putellas making...

Jonny Evans is back at Manchester United and starting games under Erik ten Hag, but the Northern Ireland defender thought his career might have been coming to an end last season. Evans, 35, made a surprise return to his boyhood club in the summer after his contract with relegated Leicester ended, initially on a short-term deal that allowed him to play during their pre-season campaign before he signed a one-year contract. It came after an injury-ravaged campaign with the Foxes in which Evans was limited to just 14 club appearances, struggling to get over a persistent calf problem that left him wondering if his time was up. Instead, he has started two of United’s last three Premier League matches, helping earn wins in both. “I went through a stage last year where I started thinking maybe it is coming to an end,” Evans said as he prepared to captain Northern Ireland in Tuesday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Slovenia. “There’s no doubt I did have those thoughts. At the time I couldn’t get over injuries and every time I came back I was breaking down. “I had lots of people telling me there’s no way you’re close to finishing, but you have to prove that to yourself and I feel like I’ve been able to do that. “Every time you complete a match you think, ‘There’s another one, I can do that’, and sometimes you just have to confirm that to yourself. I’ve been pleased I’ve been able to go through that process and I feel in a good place.” I went through a stage last year where I started thinking maybe it is coming to an end Jonny Evans Northern Ireland will need Evans on Tuesday as they prepare to face Slovenia’s potent attack with an injury concern hanging over Daniel Ballard. The Sunderland defender started Saturday’s 3-0 win over San Marino alongside Evans but sat out training on Monday due to tightness in his thigh, handing Michael O’Neill a potentially significant headache given Paddy McNair is suspended after his late booking at the weekend. “He’d be a big loss,” O’Neill said of Ballard. “Obviously it presents an opportunity for somebody else. “Paddy’s suspension is a blow as well given the referee booked him 10 seconds before he blew the final whistle. It was something we didn’t need. If the situation arises I think we’ve got good enough cover in the squad and it gives someone else the opportunity.” Linfield’s Daniel Finlayson made up the numbers in training on Monday, but O’Neill may yet call in cover from the under-21 squad. Northern Ireland enjoyed a morale-boosting win at the weekend but know beating minnows San Marino is just a small step given the problems that have doomed this qualifying campaign, and Slovenia will represent a far bigger challenge. Last month’s 4-2 defeat in Ljubljana stood out in a campaign where Northern Ireland have been on the wrong end of four 1-0 losses. While those were tight games in which O’Neill’s side always had a chance of taking something, Slovenia scored early and put the game beyond Northern Ireland. O’Neill partly attributed that to a change in defensive system which had been dictated to some degree by the players he had available to him at different stages in the campaign, but he knows they will need to do a better job of marshalling forwards Benjamin Sesko and Andraz Sporar at Windsor Park. “We didn’t defend well enough (and) we gave them a dream start with the goal we gave up early on,” he said. “But I think the reaction in the game was very good and we created a number of chances and felt aggrieved we didn’t score more than the two we did. “They have some very good footballers and they were good on the night. Tomorrow hopefully we’ll see a team that is better equipped to deal with this sort of game.” Read More The 2028 Olympics could be game-changing for squash – Gina Kennedy ECB chief Richard Gould hails cricket’s addition to 2028 Olympics as ‘fantastic’ Rassie Erasmus says South Africa do not buy in to criticism of opponents England History shows slow starts can damage a team’s prospects of winning the World Cup Injury, age or inaction? A closer look at England’s early struggles at World Cup Four memorable clashes between England and Italy held at Wembley

Human rights must be a key consideration in selecting the hosts of the 2030 World Cup, according to a new survey. Fifty-three per cent of the 17,477 people from 15 countries who took part in a YouGov poll commissioned by Amnesty International said human rights considerations were vital in choosing the host of the World Cup and other major sporting events, rising to 60 per cent among UK respondents. Saudi Arabia has been linked with a joint bid alongside Greece and Egypt to host the 2030 or 2034 World Cup, while the Middle East state has already been selected to host the Club World Cup in December. Representatives of more than 200 national associations will vote on who should host the 2030 finals at a FIFA Congress next year. FIFA made human rights criteria part of the bidding process for the 2026 finals, which were awarded to the United States, Canada and Mexico, following the decision by the governing body’s now-defunct executive committee to award the 2018 and 2022 finals to Russia and Qatar respectively back in 2010. However, organisations such as Amnesty and Kick It Out remain concerned that not enough importance is being attached to human rights in future decision-making processes. The poll showed that, after safety and security (57 per cent), human rights was the most commonly-chosen consideration for determining tournament hosts. This was the top consideration in seven of the countries surveyed and highest in Switzerland (68 per cent), where FIFA is based. More than four times as many people chose human rights as a key factor over “commercial revenues for sports bodies” – just 13 per cent. Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice Steve Cockburn said: “It is clear that the public wants human rights to be a high priority so that the World Cup is a celebration of the game they love and never provides a platform for exploitation, repression or discrimination. “FIFA must rigorously apply the highest human rights standards in evaluating all bids to host its flagship tournament, demand clear human rights action plans and reject any bid that fails to credibly show how serious human rights risks would be prevented, independently monitored and remedied if abuses occur.” It is critical that FIFA puts human rights front and centre when choosing the host for the 2030 men's World Cup Director of the Sports and Rights Alliance Andrea Florence Andrea Florence, the director of the Sports and Rights Alliance, added: “Since 2017, FIFA has made important progress in recognising its human rights responsibilities. But human rights assessments and considerations have not been applied systematically when awarding FIFA tournaments. “To demonstrate they are serious about their own policies and statutes, it is critical that FIFA puts human rights front and centre when choosing the host for the 2030 men’s World Cup.” FIFA has been approached for comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ben Johnson believes Ashley Cole can help England U21s to Euro 2023 glory Leading figures summoned to Senate hearing over shock PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger Southampton choose Russell Martin as their new manager

The best Fantasy Premier League replacements for injury doubt Jarrod Bowen, including Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. Powered by Fantasy Football Hub.

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Bruno Fernandes threw his support behind Andre Onana and told the devastated Manchester United goalkeeper to stop blaming himself for the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich. Having been beaten in three of their first five matches for the first time in the Premier League era, the Red Devils’ return to European football’s top table ended in a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night. Erik ten Hag’s men started the Group A opener surprisingly well at the Allianz Arena, only for summer signing Onana to somehow let a low Leroy Sane shot squirm home. The 27-year-old buried his head in the turf and was consoled by team-mates, later saying he “let the team down” and that United “didn’t win today, it’s because of me”. “It’s not about Andre,” United skipper Fernandes said. “Andre is a great goalkeeper. “He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing. “We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.” Onana’s gaffe was swiftly followed by a Serge Gnabry strike, with Harry Kane then scoring a penalty straight after Rasmus Hojlund had pulled one back early in the second half. The match came to a hectic conclusion, with Casemiro scoring either side of Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time strike as United showed spirit but ultimately lost for a fourth time in five matches. “I think what everyone has to do is to do their own job and look at themselves first,” Fernandes said in the bowels of the Allianz Arena. “That’s what I do as a player, not as a captain – as a person and first point. “I think everyone does that and I think today it wasn’t the case that not everyone was doing the best for the team or trying to fight for getting the result. I think everyone did that. “It’s just the momentum and against big teams, as I said, when you give a lot of chances to them, they’re going to hurt you. “Even then they give us some chances and we scored three goals, so I think no-one would expect us to come into Bayern and score three goals. “I don’t think anyone outside of us would expect us to fight for the result in trying to get something from the game. “But I think the team did. Obviously it wasn’t enough but we’re not playing against some bad team. “We were playing one of the best teams in the world, with great players, with great qualities. “Obviously it’s not the best moment for us but we will get through this and we will get the results back.” United stayed in Germany following the Group A opener and are training before flying back as preparations step up for Saturday evening’s key trip to Burnley. Ten Hag will be hoping to have more options to choose from at Turf Moor, having headed to Bayern without nine injured players. “Obviously, we want to have everyone back because we know that as many players we have available, the team will be stronger,” Fernandes said. “And obviously more options for the manager to do his choices and whatever his tactics, the first 11 or whatever he picks. “But obviously, still, we have the players and we have enough experience and enough talent in the team to get through this moment even with all the players. “Obviously now I think some of them probably will come back earlier and will lift the team because we have quality players injured. “But it’s about the ones that are now playing, giving something to get the result and that’s it. “We can’t rely now on the injuries and everything. “We know it’s tough and you need to get through that because you can’t control (it). “But I think the team has players (good) enough to get a response.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Son Heung-min believes Arsenal should fear in-form Tottenham Ryder Cup by the numbers On This Day in 2008 – United States end European dominance with Ryder Cup win

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The Texas Rangers are back in the postseason for the first time since 2016, beating the Seattle Mariners 6-1 to clinch a playoff spot in the American League