List of All Articles with Tag 'sport'

Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman said Sunday he had no timetable for a return to the track after fracturing a vertebra in his back in a sprint-car accident last month

Center fielder Alex Call made a pair of outstanding defensive plays in the ninth inning, preserving the Washington Nationals’ 3-2 win and dealing the slumping New York Mets their 14th loss in 20 games

Ilkay Gundogan helped himself to a superb double as Manchester City edged closer to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons with a 3-0 win at Everton. As a result of their victory on Merseyside and Arsenal’s 3-0 home defeat by Brighton, a maximum of three more points from their remaining three matches, the first of them at home to Chelsea next Sunday, will secure the trophy once again. Indeed, Pep Guardiola’s men could be crowned champions on Saturday evening should the Gunners lose at Nottingham Forest, and even a draw at the City Ground would effectively end the race as a result of City’s superior goal difference after a straightforward afternoon at Goodison Park. Gundogan took his tally to four in two matches with an expertly-executed over-the-shoulder volley and an exquisite curling free-kick. In between, Erling Haaland scored his almost mandatory goal to make it 52 for the season, with former Everton centre-forward Dixie Dean’s record of 63 still realistically within his reach. Arsenal, however, could not follow suit in a game boss Mikel Arteta admitted before kick-off was a must-win affair as second-half goals by Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav and Pervis Estupinan earned Brighton a stunning win at the Emirates Stadium. After a keenly-contested first half, Arsenal fell behind to Enciso’s 51st-minute header and, as they desperately sought a way back into the game, the hosts were picked off by Undav and then Estupinan in a devastating display by the visitors, who are themselves on the brink of qualifying for Europe for the first time. Goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa ensured West Ham are still not mathematically assured of their place in next season’s top flight after Brentford eased to a 2-0 victory. David Moyes made nine changes ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar but saw his side come up short against a Bees line-up deprived of the services of 20-goal striker Ivan Toney by injury, with Mbeumo and Wissa both scoring before half-time. Danny Ings thought he had reduced the deficit after the break, but his tap-in was controversially disallowed for handball by Divin Mubama following a VAR review. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Arsenal’s Premier League title hopes are close to being extinguished after losing 3-0 to Brighton

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes praised striker Sam Kerr as she dedicated her side’s third consecutive FA Cup victory to Blues fans in a year in which she feels the wider club has “suffered”. Kerr struck the winner past England goalkeeper Mary Earps to fire Chelsea to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in front of a crowd of 77,390 at Wembley, a new world record for a women’s domestic club fixture. It was the fifth time in nine years Chelsea have triumphed in the showpiece and another game-changing moment from Australia international Kerr, who latched on to substitute Pernille Harder’s pinpoint pass to steer home the winner in the 68th minute. “I’ve never coached a player like her,” said Hayes. “For a player to have such convictions, such confidence, such courage, the way she attacks everything. “What I love about Sam is she is willing to take responsibility for the team at the top end of the pitch, but I think it’s important to mention Pernille Harder, because without Pernille Harder she wouldn’t have got that goal. “So congratulations to the team, the squad. It will bug me if I don’t say this – I’m a football fan and I’ve watched how much my club has suffered this year. “We’ve had ownership changes, the men’s team hasn’t been brilliant, Chelsea fans this is for you. I hope we had a little bit of joy tonight. I hope we gave you something where you can smile about it this year. The whole club, owners included.” We've had ownership changes, the men's team hasn't been brilliant, Chelsea fans this is for you. I hope we had a little bit of joy tonight Emma Hayes It ultimately came down to fine margins for Marc Skinner’s United side, who had reached a major final for the first time since their promotion from the Championship in 2019. They started brightly and largely controlled a first half in which they had a goal chalked off for offside and a penalty appeal by Nikita Parris turned down, officials ultimately determining she had been brought down by Niamh Charles outside the area. Second-half substitutions saw Chelsea spring back to life after a first period that led Hayes to agree with assistant manager Paul Green, who branded it the “worst first half of FA Cup football we’ve ever had”. Her mood had shifted by the time the final whistle blew and the Prince of Wales draped a medal around her neck. She said: “I think our team has been in transition, with six different players in the starting line-up to last year’s final. My big thing is, ‘How can we still keep winning while transitioning?’ “So this year of trying to get as many players as many opportunities and keep developing their experiences in all areas of the pitch and to win knowing we’re in that stage, this is far and away my most memorable FA Cup final.” Skinner’s side still lead the Women’s Super League, although second-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand, are just one point behind. It has been a year of firsts for his team, who are tantalisingly close to clinching a first ever Champions League berth. Skinner said: “I’m not going to stop and this team’s not going to stop. If anyone thinks we’re going away, we’re not going away. “These are just moments you have to win and we haven’t done that today, but we’ve got a really good account of ourselves and we’ll be back, no doubt about that. “We know how special our club is and how we need to be synonymous with success. Along the way you get a few bumps and today is one of them.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brighton win puts Manchester City on title brink – 5 things from Premier League George Ford ‘a little pocket of calm amid the chaos’, says Alex Sanderson Owen Farrell adamant Saracens have always played with adventure in attack

As Roberto De Zerbi blew mocking kisses at someone in the crowd, with them goes the 2022-23 Premier League. Manchester City are now just one win from a third successive title but that is almost immaterial because Arsenal have lost all will, as well as this potentially decisive game. A supposedly tight title race could well end next weekend with more than two games to play. It is almost extra cruel on Arsenal that one of those remaining games for City is against this Brighton. On the evidence of this impressive 3-0 victory in north London, to go with almost the entire season, De Zerbi’s side could have offered a real challenge. European football is within their grasp. Brighton’s own 5-1 defeat to Everton on Monday now feels almost as illusory as the idea there was ever a title race at all. City have just powered on through, against a relatively callow side. That is not necessarily to criticise Arsenal given that is what happens to young teams in such situations for the first time - you only have to look at Tottenham Hotspur in 2015-16 - but this was one of those games where the fight had gone, where they had no more to give. The submissive nature of the last two goals summed it up. Aaron Ramsdale has done as much as anyone to keep Arsenal in it for this long, but he will want to forget this day quickly. Brighton themselves so quickly got over that collapse against Everton. This win was all the more impressive for that, as they had all the fight of a manager who so abrasively celebrated every goal. For the last two, he was running down the line and leaping onto the pitch. How Arsenal could have done with such energy by then. Brighton had done a number on them. It was still hard not to think another match involving Everton influenced this more. City’s earlier 3-0 win at Goodison Park felt like it sapped this of all intensity. There was just that sense it was the last chance for a slip, and the ease of the champions’ win seemed to sap this occasion of its energy - at least from Arsenal’s perspective. Even in a better first half for Mikel Arteta’s side, it had the feel of an end-of-season dead rubber more than one from a title run-in, at least off the pitch. That will gradually affect what happens on it, even if Arteta will of course have been sure to make his players stay focused on the job at hand. The awareness of the state of play will always have that subconscious effect. There’s also the fact this was never going to be an easy game. There was no way De Zerbi was going to let Brighton be as porous as they were against Everton, a match that now looks even more like it was the most unlikely of the season. There was a response here, and real bite. There was edge to a lot of the challenges throughout the game. Brighton might fairly say that Gabriel Martinelli started it with what would generously be described as a leap into Kaoru Mitoma, but that spell ended with the Brazilian going off after a raw tackle from Moises Caicedo. Leandro Trossard came on for Martinelli and did clip the bar with an opportunity he might have scored from, as Arsenal still had the better of the first half, but it was lacking that conviction that has defined most of their season. It would be unfair on both sides to say it was going through the motions, but it was going to take so much more to move the dial here. Brighton were standing up strong, and causing problems on the break. Mitoma did superbly to set up Julio Enciso, but a defensive touch just took it away from the Paraguayan. It was nevertheless a warning Arsenal didn’t heed. With the second half so much flatter from Arteta’s side, Brighton sensed opportunity. Mitoma began to run at Ben White and frequently got past him. Arsenal were getting overrun in midfield. Pace-setting Jorginho had to be brought off for Thomas Partey. Pace was precisely the problem. Brighton were now playing with so much more of it. They eventually got around Arsenal on the flank, and the ball was clipped in for Enciso to finish. It didn’t help that Jakub Kiwior went down with an injury as it happened, but that was almost symbolic of the second half. Arsenal were down. Brighton were on it, sharper to everything. Ramsdale played one short back pass out, and Pascal Gross was straight on it, setting up Deniz Undav for a sumptuous lift to seal it. Worse was still to come. Ramsdale was soft on one save, Purvis Estupinan had the hard edge to turn a torrid afternoon for Arsenal into a chastening evening. It shouldn’t define their season. It has, however, decided it. Read More Mikel Arteta wants Arsenal focus to be on title charge instead of player futures Man City being driven to title by man of the moment – and it’s not Erling Haaland Brighton win puts Manchester City on title brink – 5 things from Premier League Servette fan plays key role in Gael Clichy’s stunning long-distance strike Arsenal won’t stop digging for Premier League title, Mikel Arteta vows

Josh Naylor hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning — his third go-ahead homer in three days in that same inning — and the Cleveland Guardians held on for a 4-3 win over the Los Angles Angels

The Chicago White Sox have reinstated infielder Jake Burger from the 10-day injured list

The Carolina Hurricanes were comfortable with using a rotation of two reliable veterans in net through the regular season

Kurt Busch hasn't given up hope of competing in the NASCAR Cup Series again

David Moyes believes West Ham have been on the wrong end of too many strange VAR decisions. Having been denied penalties for handballs against Liverpool and Manchester United in recent weeks, the Hammers had a goal contentiously ruled out in their 2-0 defeat at Brentford. When Said Benrahma’s cross came back off a post it hit Divin Mubama, who had put his hand up to prevent himself from crashing into the woodwork. Manuel Lanzini swept the ball back into the box to leave Dany Ings with a tap-in to halve the deficit with 25 minutes remaining. But referee Michael Oliver went to the pitchside monitor and ruled that young striker Mubama had handled the ball. “Very strange,” said Hammers boss Moyes. “The Premier League have come out and called it deliberate handball. I think we need a bit of explanation on that. “The first thing I would say about it is it is inconclusive. If anything I think it hits his shoulder, right on his collarbone. “If it’s a handball that leads to a goal we all know that rule, but I certainly don’t see deliberate. If anything he might be protecting himself from going into the post. I’m amazed it was chalked off. “But, let’s be fair, if this was the first one we were talking about in recent games I would say it can happen, but we’re now talking about three of these. “It’s getting regular. It really is. I don’t want to get in trouble but we’ve had three real ones that could have altered things, and if you said we’ve had our fair share, I’m saying I don’t think we have.” In truth Brentford, leading through first-half goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, could have been four or five up by the time Ings’ goal was disallowed. Moyes’ priorities clearly lie elsewhere despite not being mathematically safe from relegation, with the Hammers boss making nine changes to his side ahead of Thursday night’s Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against AZ Alkmaar. However, if Moyes was hoping to be given some selection dilemmas for the trip to the Netherlands, he was left sorely disappointed. Mbeumo pounced after a mistake by Nayef Aguerd and Wissa headed the second after West Ham failed to deal with Mathias Jensen’s long throw. “I didn’t enjoy the performance. I thought we were soft, easy to play against. It was so poor,” added Moyes. “We did some work on defending long throws, but you wouldn’t have thought it watching that today. I’m so disappointed the players didn’t deal with it.” The Bees are now assured of a top-10 finish, proving there is no such thing as second-season syndrome in this corner of west London. “I was asked before the season about that,” said boss Thomas Frank, “and without sounding too smart we tried to analyse things, looked at the players, the other teams, our performances, our culture, and we thought why shouldn’t we be able to do well in our second season? “Now we are 100 per cent in the top 10, which is a brilliant achievement.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane Emotional Kevin Sinfield carries Rob Burrow over finish line at Leeds Marathon

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was unhappy with Everton defender Yerry Mina for what he implied were underhand and unsporting tactics during their 3-0 win at Goodison Park. The Colombia international was involved in one visible incident with Aymeric Laporte at a corner in the first half in which the City centre-back slapped his opponent in the stomach following an altercation and Mina fell to the floor. But at the final whistle Guardiola confronted the Everton defender and remonstrated with him as he followed him off the pitch. All City’s players also refused to shake Mina’s hand. While Guardiola refused to say what Mina had actually done, his unhappiness appeared to centre on the Colombian’s handling of opponents. “Mina? It’s not necessary what he does. Away from the football, it is not necessary to do what he does every single game,” said Guardiola. “And I told him, ‘You are a good enough player to avoid these kind of things’.” Asked to elaborate on his complaints, the City boss added: “He knows. Ask him. This is not physical, this is not mental. “There are things that are not necessary to do that he does. This time with Aymeric, Jack (Grealish), everybody. Ask him. Invite him to the press conference.” The row detracted from the ease with which City dealt with Everton, with Ilkay Gundogan scoring twice for the second game running either side of the obligatory goal – his 52nd of the season – from Erling Haaland. Gundogan is out of contract in the summer and has been linked with a move to Barcelona, but Guardiola is more than happy for him to captain the side, as he did at Goodison where he led from the front with two superbly-taken goals. “He can show again and again and again the quality and importance and his commitment, to all of us, to the club, not just scoring goals, now he has his momentum,” said Guardiola, who wants the Germany international to extend his stay. “He doesn’t talk much, but when he talks everyone listens and this is the power of the leader. He show his leadership in every training session – arriving on time, living 24 hours your job and play like he is playing. “He is a player that when he gets close to the box he has an incredible sense of goal. He can play as a holding midfielder no problem, he proved it years ago when Fernandinho was injured, he played in games like Burnley, long balls, you think you need a physical player, but he is so clever and he is a guy who handles the pressure well.” Everton manager Sean Dyche said he was unaware of any allegations against Mina and the player had not mentioned anything to him. “If he did it all the time, I wouldn’t know where he had seen it because he (Mina) hasn’t been on the pitch for weeks,” he said. City’s 11th successive league victory leaves them requiring a maximum of six points for a fifth title in six seasons. They inflicted a record 10th home league defeat of the season on Everton, who remain 17th and a point above Leeds, but of equal concern was the withdrawal of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin at half-time. While the England international has scored only one goal in five games since returning from two-and-half months out with a hamstring injury, he has provided a much-needed focal point and performances have improved as a result. Dyche, who realistically has to find one win from their two remaining matches against Wolves and Bournemouth, said he took the injury-prone striker off as a precaution. “I had to make a call because he felt his groin and tight groins can lead to damaged groins,” he said. “It would have been harder at 0-0 than 2-0. He wanted to carry on, but I said, ‘Dom, you are coming off’.” On his side’s display, in which they did not trouble City, he added: “A lot of the performance was right against a top side, but you get punished if you make the slightest mistake. “We arguably had the best chance with Mason Holgate (who missed a difficult close-range opportunity at 0-0). “There were some outstanding performances, Dwight (McNeil) was outstanding, Doucs (Abdoulaye Doucoure), Conor (Coady) came on and affected it in a change of shape (to a 5-4-1).” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live West Ham boss David Moyes questions ‘strange’ VAR decision to rule out goal Sale reach first Premiership final in 17 years after edging out Leicester Everton’s Jordan Pickford is not a top goalkeeper – Roy Keane