After a season that saw over a 33% increase in technical fouls, women’s college basketball is putting a renewed emphasis on sportsmanship this year

Mykhailo Mudryk and Armando Broja were on target as Chelsea claimed west London derby bragging rights with a 2-0 Premier League victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage. Mudryk opened the scoring before Broja doubled their tally – one minute later – to give the Blues an important three points on the road. The win brought Chelsea’s three-match winless run in the league to an end and relieved some pressure from the shoulders of Mauricio Pochettino as his side began to turn a corner. Chelsea started with intent. The visitors enjoyed touches of the ball in dangerous areas and looked positive through the likes of Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez, who fed the pacey Mudryk, who blazed over his first attempt in the 10th minute. But the Ukraine international did not have to be asked twice when he put Chelsea ahead after 18 minutes. Levi Colwill’s curled pass unleashed the rapid Mudryk, who calmy finished past Bernd Leno to score his first-ever Chelsea goal. And a minute after the restart, the Blues doubled their lead. Palmer – who started in his first league game for the away side – pounced on a misplaced pass and slipped through Broja, who found a gap and fired home to give Chelsea a 2-0 advantage. It was two big chances and two goals for Pochettino’s men, who finally began to show signs of being clinical, having gone three English top-flight games without finding the back of the net. Fulham were anonymous for much of the first half, but they had a half-chance when the misfiring Raul Jimenez jumped highest at a corner and directed his effort wide of Robert Sanchez’s post in the 41st minute. Marco Silva brought midweek scorers Carlos Vinicius and Alex Iwobi on at half-time in search of a response and Nigeria international Iwobi started bright when he got on the end of Willian’s cross – but his effort fell kindly into the gloves of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. And Carlos Vinicius was lucky to avoid red when he appeared to strike Thiago Silva with his hand before he combined with Iwobi on the hour, where he was stopped in his tracks by Chelsea’s tight defence. The visitors sought a third on the break when Broja and Palmer worked together to find substitute Ian Maatsen. But his first-time effort cannoned off goalkeeper Bernd Leno’s post before Fernandez’s rebound was denied by the German in goal. Craven Cottage cried for a goal in the 73rd minute as time ebbed away. Timothy Castagne marauded down the right flank and did well to beat his man before his driven cross found the head of Vinicius, who again failed to test Sanchez. The Cottagers looked flat all game and were in clear need of an strong outlet up front to challenge Axel Disasi and 39-year-old Thiago Silva, who were making light work of any Fulham attack. This was summed up in 12 minutes from time when Sasa Lukic missed a golden opportunity from six yards after Willian’s well-weighted pass. Chelsea continued to nullify any threats from the hosts and held on to seal victory during five added minutes to move up to 11th in the table. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Courtney Lawes says ‘selfless’ England will play to strengths at World Cup Steven Davis ‘very honoured’ to become Rangers interim boss England complete World Cup preparations with rain-affected win over Bangladesh

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It was a bad night for Josh Taylor in the Garden ring in New York City on Saturday. Taylor was beaten by Teofimo Lopez over 12 rounds in a shock. It was certainly not the fight that Taylor expected. Taylor suffered defeat for the first time in 20 fights, he lost his one remaining world championship belt and at the end he offered no excuses. “The better man won,” he managed, his voice crackling with emotions. Taylor was putting on a brave face to mask the despair. It had been a fiery and ugly build-up and Lopez had talked of killing Taylor in the ring. Lopez, who has his own personal battles away from the ring, apologised for the comment and received a peck on the cheek for his honesty. “It’s all song and dance,” Taylor told him. It was an oddly respectful end to a week of promises, insults and stupid claims. It was also glorious redemption for Lopez, once the No 1 at lightweight. Lopez had lost his way on both sides of the ropes, and finished his last fight asking his team live on air if he still “had it”? It was a difficult interview to watch; on Saturday in the ring in the Garden’s basement theatre, Lopez rediscovered the form most people thought had vanished. He is still only 25, by the way. It was a close fight that Lopez won clearly and that often happens when two very good boxers meet. One judge, Benoit Roussel, scored it wide in Lopez’s favour. His 9-3 verdict was too wide, to be honest. The other two judges, Steve Gray and Joseph Pasquale, returned identical scores of 115-113, which means 7-5 in rounds in Lopez’s favour. Taylor never complained, but had he won the last round, he would have retained his title with a majority drawn verdict. Instead, Taylor had to surrender his beloved world championship belt; last year, Taylor held all four belts at super-lightweight before slowly losing the struggle to keep the quartet of baubles in a protracted series of skirmishes with the sanctioning bodies. Taylor has not fought since February of last year and had been placed under relentless pressure to carry out his mandatory requirements. He surrendered, under threat of being stripped, three belts and was left with just the WBO; he was still considered the best at his weight. Taylor, incidentally, had won all four belts in a series of fights against six men with a combined record of 133 wins and not one loss. Taylor was, make no mistake, the best in the world at his weight. That changed in the Garden ring. Lopez was too mobile, too slick and Taylor was just off the pace. It is not a tricky fight to understand; Lopez just worked that bit harder. Taylor had talked before about moving away from the 140-pound limit of super-lightweight and going to welterweight. In New York late on Saturday, there was also talk of a rematch. Taylor will let the loss settle and then make a decision, but hopefully he will not take another sixteen-month break. On the same night, it was the Sunny Edwards show at Wembley Arena and he retained his IBF flyweight title for the fourth time. On his undercard, Nina Hughes retained her WBA bantamweight title over 10 rounds against Katie Healy and in the bloody fight of the night, Ellie Scotney won the IBF super-bantamweight title. Scotney, having just her seventh fight, was too smart, tough and determined for New Zealand’s Cherneka Sugar Johnson. There was a dark and deep cut by Johnson’s right eye for most of the blood-splattered fight. Scotney was quite brilliant, Johnson’s five Māori-haka men stole the show with their routine before she walked to the ring. It was her highlight, they were exceptional. Edwards was a clear winner of nine of the 12 rounds, but the Chilean, Andres Campos, kept it competitive. “I need tests,” Edwards admitted. And he does and the tests might start later this year. And I hope so - Edwards has the style, craft and personality to be a big attraction. Edwards has a deal with his new promoter, Eddie Hearn, for the big fights; there are three other world champions at flyweight, but Edwards wants Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez – the WBO flyweight champion and a genuine threat. Rodriguez is unbeaten in 18, just 23, the former world champion at super-flyweight and, according to heavy rumour, he wants our Sunny. As a twist - and it is a good one - Sunny has signed and agreed to the fight, which includes the money terms, with Rodriguez as part of his deal with Hearn. Rodriguez can be enticed over for a December showdown. That, by the way, is a super fight. Edwards won clearly, Hughes did the same, Scotney’s win was hard but clear and in New York, in the basement theatre at the Garden once evocatively known as the Felt Forum, Taylor was left wondering what went wrong. There were no excuses, but there will be some questions. Read More Teofimo Lopez hands Josh Taylor his first defeat with decision win in New York Josh Taylor says move up to welterweight is ‘imminent’ after first career defeat Miami Heat mascot hospitalised after Conor McGregor punch Josh Taylor says move up to welterweight is ‘imminent’ after first career defeat Teofimo Lopez hands Josh Taylor his first defeat with decision win in New York Who is fighting on Josh Taylor vs Teofimo Lopez undercard tonight?

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