Category sport-news

A Bradley Barcola brace earned Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 win over Lens in Ligue 1 on Sunday, while Kylian Mbappe’s brother Ethan scored deep into second-half added time to give Lille a last-gasp victory.

The result sent PSG back to the top of the table as the reigning champions secured their fourth win from four outings this term.

However, the match threw up some injury headaches for coach Luis Enrique ahead of the start of PSG’s Champions League defence next week, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-in, and Lucas Beraldo all limping off.

Barcola sent PSG ahead on the quarter-hour with an elegant curling finish from 20 yards.

New PSG signing Illya Zabarnyi came close to turning into his own net on 27 minutes following a rare Lens foray forward.

READ ALSO: Man City Humiliate Woeful Man United As Pressure Mounts On Amorim

But things did then go wrong for the dominant hosts as star winger Kvaratskhelia was forced off two minutes later with a calf issue, casting a doubt over his presence on Wednesday as PSG open their Champions League title defence against Atalanta.

Barcola doubled PSG’s lead six minutes after half-time when he drove in from the left before arrowing a right-footed finish from distance past the dive of goalkeeper Robin Risser.

But PSG’s injury woes accumulated in the second period when first midfielder Lee, then defender Beraldo had to be replaced.

Lille late show 

Earlier in Lille, 18-year-old Ethan Mbappe volleyed home eight minutes into injury time to give Lille a 2-1 home win over Toulouse despite the hosts being a goal down as the clock ticked past 90.

A penalty at the very start of injury time converted by Nabil Bentaleb had brought the hosts level before Mbappe lashed home a late winner.

Both goals came courtesy of late substitutes introduced by coach Bruno Genesio, after Toulouse were reduced to 10 men on 80 minutes.

Following his departure from PSG in the wake of his elder brother Kylian’s acrimonious free transfer to Real Madrid, Mbappe joined Lille in July last year.

The midfielder’s first strike for the 2020/21 Ligue 1 winners came on his 11th league appearance as he ghosted in at the far post to thrash Osame Sahraoui’s stood-up cross past the helpless visiting goalkeeper.

“Last year was a bit of a difficult year for me, with a lot of injuries,” said Mbappe. “Coming back with a goal, honestly, there’s no better way to start a new season.”

Frank Magri opened the scoring for Toulouse early in the second period before Lille’s late show.

The last-gasp win provisionally took Lille to the top of the Ligue 1 table, on 10 points, before PSG won to knock them down to second.

Lyon, the only other club to boast a 100 percent record in Ligue 1 this season, could take top spot with a victory in the weekend’s final match away to Rennes.

Elsewhere, Liam Rosenior’s youthful Strasbourg side grabbed a 1-0 win at home to Le Havre thanks to Joaquin Panichelli’s 92nd-minute spot-kick.

Paris FC claimed their second win of the campaign, holding out 2-1 at last-placed Brest, while Metz drew 1-1 with Angers.

Debutant Kelechi Iheanacho scored a last-gasp penalty as Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership on Sunday with a 2-1 win against Kilmarnock following a fan protest.

Supporters, dissatisfied with the lack of new signings and angry at an early Champions League exit at the hands of Kairat Almaty, decided to boycott the opening 12 minutes of the fixture at Rugby Park.

Daizen Maeda eased some of the tension when he put the reigning champions in front with only his second goal since April, diving to glance home Marcelo Saracchi’s brilliant cross.

It appeared that club bosses would come under further pressure when David Watson headed Kilmarnock level from Greg Kiltie’s corner in the 83rd minute.

The home side looked the likelier winners as they laid siege to the Celtic goal, but the visitors were awarded a penalty following a VAR intervention after substitute James Forrest’s shot was adjudged to have been handled by Lewis Mayo.

READ ALSO: Man City Humiliate Woeful Man United As Pressure Mounts On Amorim

A late win for the Bhoys in Ayrshire!#KILCEL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/tg49zJoXZJ

And with virtually the last kick of the match, Iheanacho, a free-agent signing after the transfer deadline, smashed home his spot-kick.

“I’m delighted for the players first and foremost, because all eyes were on them today,” said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

“I’d spoken to the players at the hotel before, and I mentioned it (the protest) yesterday, the importance of concentration. I talk a lot about the first five minutes, but today was about the first 12 minutes and how we had to manage the situation.

“There’s been a lot said and written and talked about, but ultimately, if we get on to the pitch, we can control that. I’m just so pleased for them that they could get a win to get us going again on this next round of games.”

The win moved Celtic level on 13 points with Hearts, but they are top of the table on goal difference.

Erling Haaland struck twice as Manchester City inflicted another damaging defeat on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim with a comprehensive 3-0 win on Sunday.

Phil Foden opened the scoring before Haaland took centre stage with a second-half double, either side of an incredible miss from the Norwegian, as City bounced back from two consecutive Premier League defeats.

United went into a derby ahead of City in the table for the first time in five years.

But that owed more to City’s early-season struggles than signs of progress for Amorim’s men, who have taken just four points from their opening four games and been dumped out of the League Cup by fourth-tier Grimsby.

To cap a fine City display, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma marked his debut with a stunning save from Bryan Mbeumo to deny United a foothold in the game at 2-0.

READ ALSO: History Maker Crawford Shocks Alvarez, Claims Undisputed Super Middleweight World Title

City remain six points adrift of leaders Liverpool, but victory is a huge confidence boost for Pep Guardiola’s side ahead of facing Serie A champions Napoli and Premier League title rivals Arsenal next week.

Before kick-off, both sets of fans put rivalry aside to pay tribute to boxing legend Ricky Hatton, who died on Sunday at the age of 46.

A massive City fan, Hatton’s face was displayed on big screens during a minute’s applause.

Foden, a fellow boyhood City supporter, said before kick-off the news gave the home side extra motivation to win in Hatton’s honour.

And the England international was central to a much-needed victory after a difficult start to the campaign for Foden and City.

The 25-year-old was the Premier League player of the season in the 2023/24 campaign, but his form dipped drastically last season.

Fitness issues meant he had not started a game this season until Sunday, but took just 18 minutes to make his mark.

United’s defence allowed Jeremy Doku to bundle his way to the by-line and the Belgian’s cross picked out Foden, completely unmarked, to head in the opening goal.

Both goalkeepers were under the spotlight as Ruben Amorim kept faith with Altay Bayindir over new signing Senne Lammens.

Donnarumma decisive 

Tijjani Reijnders fired straight at Bayindir when presented with the chance to quickly double City’s advantage.

Doku was the creator once more when City did double their lead on 53 minutes.

Haaland showed his power, pace and incredible precision to dink the ball over the onrushing Bayindir.

City’s number nine went from the sublime to the ridiculous moments later when he missed an open goal with the chance to double his tally.

United were architects of their own danger as Matthijs de Ligt’s poor pass set up a City counter-attack.

Reijnders’ dummy set Haaland clear on goal, but after rounding Bayindir, he could only hit the post on the stretch.

Moments later Donnarumma produced his moment of magic to prevent what could have been a turning point.

Mbeumo’s sweetly-struck volley was arrowing into the bottom corner until the Italian reached out a giant right hand to turn it behind.

What could have been 2-1 was soon 3-0 thanks to another United gift.

Harry Maguire this time gave away possession to Bernardo Silva, who set Haaland racing away into the vacant United half and he kept his cool to score for the eighth time in nine appearances against United.

Reijnders should have rubbed further salt in the Red Devils’ wounds when the Dutch international slotted wide with just Bayindir to beat.

But that did not stop the City fans goading Amorim with chants of “sacked in the morning”.

Oblique Seville won Jamaica’s first world 100m title in 10 years after outpacing Kishane Thompson and Noah Lyles for gold in Tokyo on Sunday.

Seville timed a personal best of 9.77 seconds for the victory, with Thompson taking silver in 9.82 seconds while defending champion Lyles claimed bronze with a time of 9.89 seconds.

READ ALSO: History Maker Crawford Shocks Alvarez, Claims Undisputed Super Middleweight World Title

It was the Caribbean island’s first world sprint title since Usain Bolt, watching from the stands, won the 100m and 200m double at the 2015 world championships in Beijing.

Bolt, an 11-time world champion, had bet on a Jamaican 1-2 in this 100m, outspokenly backing both Thompson and Seville to beat Olympic champion Lyles.

And it proved to be an astute reading of form and technique.

Bolt erupted in cheers when the Jamaican duo raced through the line.

Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldier” soon followed over the tannoy as the sizeable Jamaican fan contingent cheered in delight, Seville responding by ripping the top of his one-piece sprint suit down.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden produced a stunning performance to win the women’s 100 metres world title on Sunday.

The 24-year-old American timed 10.61 seconds in a new championship record, the joint third-fastest time in history.

Jamaican youngster Tina Clayton took silver in 10.76 seconds, with Olympic champion Julien Alfred third in 10.84 seconds.

READ ALSO: 10 Years After Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Seville Wins Men’s World 100m Gold

There was to be no medal farewell, at least in the individual event, for five-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

The 38-year-old Jamaican legend — her hair dyed in the national flag colours on her last appearance in a major individual final — found her legs just could not keep up with the younger rivals, and she finished an honourable sixth.

Jefferson-Wooden had finished a distant third behind Alfred in last year’s Olympic final, the St Lucia star making a great start to power away.

This time round it was the reverse, as starting next to each other, it was Jefferson-Wooden who burst from the blocks, Alfred rather leaden-footed.

Instead, it was two-time under-20 world champion Clayton, whose twin sister Tia had better form on the circuit but flopped in the national trials, who challenged Jefferson-Wooden.

However, the American was brooking no argument as she eyed her moment to grab the spotlight, which she duly did.

Alfred came back a bit and gained some consolation in taking the bronze, although she was nothing like the runner who had looked sublime in the semi-finals earlier on Sunday.

Jefferson-Wooden and Clayton celebrated, but Alfred looked disgusted and wandered disconsolately to the changing rooms, the Saint Lucia flag draped over her slumped shoulders.

As for defending champion Sha’Carri Richardson, there was to be no happy ending after she sneaked into the final as one of the two fastest losers.

The 25-year-old American was never in the hunt and finished fifth.

Former world boxing champion Ricky Hatton has died aged 46, Britain’s Press Association news agency reported Sunday.

Hatton was found dead at his home in Hyde, northwest England. Greater Manchester Police said they were not treating the death as suspicious.

A police spokesman said: “Officers were called by a member of the public to attend Bowlacre Road, Hyde, Tameside, at 6:45 am (0545 GMT) today (Sunday) where they found the body of a 46-year-old man. There are not currently believed to be any suspicious circumstances.”

Hatton won world titles at light-welterweight and welterweight and his aggressive style made him one of the most popular British boxers of his generation.

READ ALSO: Japan To Adopt Stricter Measures After Deaths of Two Boxers

Notable opponents including Kostya Tszyu, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

Hatton was frank about the mental health problems he endured following his retirement from the ring.

In July, he announced he would make a return to boxing in a professional bout against Eisa Al Dah in Dubai in December.

Britain’s former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury paid tribute to Hatton.

“Rip to the legend Ricky Hatton may he rip,” Fury posted on Instagram.

“There will only ever be 1 Ricky Hatton. Can’t believe this so young.”

Another former world champion, Britain’s Amir Khan, described Hatton on X as a “mentor, warrior and one of Britain’s greatest boxers”.

Khan added: “As fighters, we tell ourselves we’re strong — we train, we sweat, we take hits, we get up. But sometimes the hardest fight happens in silence, in the mind.

“Mental health isn’t weakness. It’s part of being human. And we must talk about it. We must reach out. We must lean on each other.

“Ricky, thank you for everything. For your fights, your moments of glory, your grit. Thank you for pushing us, showing us what’s possible.

Matchroom Boxing said: “(We are) saddened to hear the news of Ricky Hatton’s passing. Our thoughts and condolences are with Ricky’s friends and family at this tragic time. There’s only one Ricky Hatton.”