Dylan Andrews and Sebastian Mack scored 18 points apiece, Lazar Stefanovic scored eight points in UCLA’s 30-4 second-half run and the Bruins beat Lafayette 68-50

Mauricio Pochettino says Reece James’ “leadership” is why he handed him the Chelsea captaincy and defended the full-back after he picked up a suspension during his side’s 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa last month. James, who did not play the match through injury, was suspended for Chelsea’s win over Burnley for aiming “abusive words” at a match official in the tunnel during the clash at Stamford Bridge and was ordered to pay a £90,000 fine. But Pochettino has seen James’ leadership attributes and believes his actions were a mistake fuelled by frustration after he sustained a hamstring injury in August. “Why did I choose him as captain? Because of his personality, his leadership, the respect he has from the club and his team-mates and he has my full respect also,” Pochettino said. “Chelsea is in his DNA and when you see the squad he is not only for the present, he is for the future and in this moment Chelsea need someone like that. “I think he was upset with the situation. He was so committed with this project from the beginning, he felt really bad because he could not help the team. “He made a mistake but he’s young and he can make mistakes. He was really sorry about that situation and I don’t think it will be repeated. “Even myself at Burnley I got a yellow card at half-time and I’m 51 years old; sometimes a young guy can make a mistake, he was frustrated because he could not help the team.” Pochettino said that James’ fitness “will be assessed” ahead of Saturday’s clash against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, quashing reports the full-back suffered a setback in his recovery. James has only started 22 times in the Premier League since January 2022 after a raft of injury issues. Pochettino added: “He is much better, he’s doing well and he’s progressing. He’s not at his best and is not 100 per cent, but he is in a position to help the team at some point and he is close. “What we are going to do is to avoid that (surgery) and we are building a strategy for him, to put him at his best and keep him at his best. “We are confident (of this). Always confident.” Mykhailo Mudryk scored his first competitive goal for Chelsea during their 2-0 victory over Fulham and he opened his account for Ukraine when he netted against Malta in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Tuesday. Pochettino is happy with the winger’s progress after the 22-year-old struggled to adapt to life in west London following his big-money move from Shakhtar Donetsk in January. He said: “We are so happy with him. He’s changed a lot in the last three months since we first met him and he’s a completely different person and we can see how lovely, sensitive, smart and clever he is. “It is so important to give confidence and when people trust they can be open and express their talent and Misha (Mudryk) is doing really well with his relationships with the team and club.” Read More I don’t remember – Pep Guardiola denies tipping Roberto De Zerbi as successor Luke Shaw not expected to be fit until after November’s international break FIFA hands two-year doping ban to World Cup winner Papu Gomez Rotherham’s game with Ipswich off and Scottish matches postponed due to storm It is bad news – Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi expects Man City to bounce back Kevin Sinfield calls on England to empty tanks against South Africa

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Charlotte FC have parted ways with head coach Christian Lattanzio, effective immediately.

Jenni Hermoso has accused suspended Spanish football federation president Luis Rubiales of a sexual assault, according to reports in Spain. Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips during the trophy presentation following Spain’s victory over England in last month’s World Cup final. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, and although FIFA has suspended Rubiales pending an investigation into his behaviour, he has refused to resign. A number of media outlets in the country reported that the national prosecutor’s office had received the accusation from Hermoso on Tuesday. The PA news agency has contacted the prosecutor’s office but did not receive an immediate response. The Spanish football federation (RFEF) issued an apology on Tuesday, with current president Pedro Rocha distancing the federation from what Rubiales had done, and saying his actions had caused “enormous damage”. Later the same day the RFEF announced the dismissal of World Cup-winning coach Jorge Vilda. The 42-year-old had been the only member of Spain’s backroom staff who had not quit in protest at Rubiales’ refusal to step down. Vilda had also applauded Rubiales at an emergency general assembly of the RFEF on August 25 when the latter said he would not quit. The RFEF issued a glowing statement in praise of Vilda on Tuesday in confirming his dismissal, but said his exit was the first of a number of “renewal measures” planned by Rocha. Montse Tome was later confirmed as Vilda’s successor. Concerns over Vilda’s coaching methods and regime were reported to have been a key factor in 15 Spain players refusing to play for the national team last year, but the federation, under Rubiales, refused to budge. Vilda told Spanish radio network Cadena SER following his dismissal: “In sporting terms, I am going to accept all the criticisms, but on a personal level I think it has been unfair. “It has been a special year. Nothing has ever been said directly, but indirectly things have been said that do not suit me. Things have been said that are not true. “The explanation is that there have been ‘structural changes’. After everything I have achieved, of working hard as just another worker, I have a clear conscience. “I have given 100 per cent and I don’t understand it – I didn’t see my dismissal as deserved.” It is not yet clear whether Vilda’s dismissal and Tome’s appointment will be enough to prompt a return to action by Spain’s World Cup-winning squad for the Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland later this month. The 23 players had been part of a group of 81 who had said they would not make themselves available for international duty until Rubiales had resigned.

Mauricio Pochettino predicts Nicolas Jackson to become one of the Premier League's greatest strikers if he continues to develop at Chelsea.

Jordan Walker homered and Zack Thompson tossed seven effective innings to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates

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CHICAGO (AP) — Marcus Stroman pitched a one-hitter, and the Chicago Cubs beat the major league-leading Tampa Bay Rays 1-0 on Monday.