Category sport-news

Ghana and Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to raping two women and sexually assaulting a third woman.

The 32-year-old former Arsenal player is accused of five counts of rape as well as one charge of sexual assault.

Partey was granted bail and will stand trial at Southwark Crown Court in November 2026.

READ ALSO: Former Arsenal Star Thomas Partey Granted Bail On Rape Charges

The alleged offences took place between 2021 and 2022, when he was an Arsenal player.

Partey was charged four days after leaving the Premier League club following the expiry of his contract at the end of June.

The midfielder on Wednesday spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth before pleading not guilty to each of the charges against him during a short hearing at the court.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Christopher Hehir told Partey, “Your trial will take place at this court on November 2 of next year, 2026.

“I appreciate that is quite a long way in advance. As you may appreciate, the crown courts have a huge backlog of work, which means that trials do take a long time to come on.

“Because you have bail, effectively you are sitting behind a queue of people in prison who are waiting to be tried.”

Partey was granted bail on the same conditions that he was given at a previous hearing — he cannot contact any of the three women and must notify police of any permanent changes of address or international travel.

His court appearance came a day after he played in Spanish side Villarreal’s 1-0 Champions League defeat to Tottenham in London.

The midfielder joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a deal worth around £45 million ($61 million).

He appeared 52 times for the Gunners last season, scoring four goals. Overall, he played 167 games for the club, scoring nine times, and has also made more than 50 appearances for Ghana.

Partey joined Villarreal last month.

An Arsenal spokesperson had previously said, “The player’s contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings, the club is unable to comment on the case.”

Lionel Messi scored one goal and set up another to spark Inter Miami over the Seattle Sounders 3-1 on Tuesday in an MLS rematch of a melee-capped Leagues Cup final.

The 38-year-old Argentine striker, who starred for Barcelona and led his homeland to the 2022 World Cup, set up Spaniard Jordi Alba’s goal in the 12th minute and scored in the 41st to give Miami a 2-0 halftime lead in the grudge-match contest.

American Ian Fray added a Miami goal in the 52nd minute for a 3-0 edge before Mexican midfielder Obed Vargas pulled one back for Seattle in the 69th.

READ ALSO: Super Subs Fire Arsenal To Champions League Victory In Bilbao

“We understood it in the best way. We played the game we had to play.”

The Sounders had routed Miami 3-0 on August 31 in Seattle in a Leagues Cup final that ended with a benches-clearing brawl and Inter striker Luis Suarez spitting on a Sounders staff member.

“It was important, beyond having good feelings, to find ourselves with the victory against a great rival that took away the possibility of winning a competition a couple of weeks ago,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said.

Suarez, who apologized two weeks ago, was banned from the 2026 Leagues Cup and issued a three-match ban by MLS for his actions. The Uruguayan served his second match of the suspension in the home rematch with Seattle.

Inter Miami had slid to eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-0 loss at Charlotte on Saturday, but by beating Seattle, improved to 14-6 with seven drawn for 49 points, leaping into fifth in the East and only eight points adrift of pace-setter Philadelphia with three matches in hand.

“We have seven finals left and our goal is to win all seven to finish first in the conference,” Mascherano said.

“It makes the expectations with us high, invites us to be competitive, always have our guard up, and not relax.”

The Sounders fell to 12-8 with nine drawn for 45 points to stand fourth in the Western Conference, just one point ahead of Los Angeles FC.

The Sentry, January’s opening event of the 2026 PGA Tour season, will not be played at Plantation Course at Kapalua because of drought conditions on Maui, the tour said Tuesday.

The traditional Hawaii debut for the PGA Tour has been in jeopardy due to drought conditions, with more than 90 percent of the region impacted and more than 140,000 residents affected, according to Hawaii state data.

Water conservation mandates have been imposed to ensure the local community’s needs are met, but they have hit Kapalua Resort, where the PGA Tour agronomy team conducted a site visit in early September, Temitope that concluded the condition of the course was significantly compromised by the lack of water.

Given the time needed to prepare an event, the tour found it impossible to ensure tour-level playing conditions for the January 8-11 event.

“Following discussions with the Governor’s office… Kapalua Resort and Maui County, the PGA Tour has determined the 2026 playing of The Sentry will not be contested at The Plantation Course at Kapalua due to ongoing drought conditions, water conservation requirements, agronomic conditions, and logistical challenges,” the tour said in a statement.

No announcement was made regarding a new site for the event.

READ ALSO: Alcaraz, Sinner Set Up Blockbuster US Open Final

“We support the PGA Tour’s decision, given the drought conditions Maui is facing,” Hawaii Governor Josh Green said. “Protecting our water and supporting our communities come first.”

The tournament is the first PGA Tour signature event of the season, with a field including 2024 event winners and players from the top 50 of the 2025 season points standings.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama won this year’s title in January for his 11th career PGA Tour triumph.

The tour plans to play January’s Sony Open in Hawaii at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu as usual.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka on Wednesday pulled out of next week’s China Open with an injury suffered on the way to winning her fourth Grand Slam title in New York earlier this month.

The Belarussian, who beat Amanda Anisimova to win the US Open for the second year running 10 days ago, will miss the WTA 1000 event in Beijing which begins on September 24.

“Aryna has not fully recovered from the injury she sustained during the US Open, (and) will miss the 2025 China Open,” organisers announced.

READ ALSO: McLaughlin-Levrone Smashes US 400m Record In World Semi-Final

Sabalenka, who reached the quarter-finals in Beijing last year, said on China social media platform Weibo that she was “very sad” to announce her withdrawal after “sustaining a small injury” at Flushing Meadows.

“I am going to focus on recovery, and strive to quickly return to the court at 100 percent,” she added.

The Belarusian is scheduled to defend her title next month at the Wuhan Open, the final 1000 WTA tournament of 2025.

“I can’t wait to see my Chinese fans soon,” added the 27-year-old. “I look forward to returning to Beijing next year.”

Kylian Mbappe slammed home two penalties for Real Madrid as the record 15-time winners opened their Champions League campaign with a controversial 2-1 comeback win over Olympique Marseille on Tuesday.

Timothy Weah opened the scoring for the French visitors before Mbappe levelled from the spot and Madrid defender Dani Carvajal was sent off for headbutting Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli.

Roberto De Zerbi’s enterprising Marseille were well place to push for a win until Facundo Medina was harshly penalised for a handball and Mbappe converted his second penalty.

Madrid coach Xabi Alonso was dealt an early blow on his first European game at the helm of the Spanish giants when Trent Alexander-Arnold limped off with a thigh injury.

Alonso benched Vinicius Junior among several changes to the side which beat Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday to continue Madrid’s 100 percent start in La Liga.

They had a short pre-season following the Club World Cup, giving Alonso more incentive to shuffle his pack, while the coach has also insisted he will keep as many players involved as possible.

Jude Bellingham was named on the bench for the first time after undergoing shoulder surgery in July, but neither he nor the returning Eduardo Camavinga made it on to the pitch.

Mbappe, who watched former side Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League last season after he left for Madrid, almost opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead effort which dropped just wide.

Alexander-Arnold limped off after just three minutes, to be replaced by veteran Carvajal.

Franco Mastantuono, Real Madrid’s youngest Champions League starter at 18 years and 33 days, hit the inside of the near post as both teams sought to break the deadlock.

Rulli made a fine save from a fierce Mbappe strike before Weah opened the scoring. Mason Greenwood picked Arda Guler’s pocket and fed the US international, who slammed past Thibaut Courtois at the near post for his first Marseille goal.

The Belgian goalkeeper denied Weah from distance as the Juventus winger, on loan in France, impressed. Real Madrid equalised when Geoffrey Kondogbia clumsily bundled over Rodrygo Goes in the box.

Mbappe, in fine form at the start of the season, dispatched the penalty past Rulli’s outstretched arm.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang drilled just wide and then tested Courtois in the second half as Marseille continued to give as good as they got.

Madrid finished the second game running with 10 men after Carvajal squared off with Rulli and then pushed his head into the goalkeeper’s.

However, just as they did against Real Sociedad after Dean Huijsen’s red card, they finished with three points.

Medina slid in to challenge Vinicius and the ball hit his arm, with the referee awarding a penalty, which Mbappe gratefully dispatched to claim victory for Los Blancos.

Arsenal substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard pounced in the final stages to secure a 2-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao in their Champions League opener on Tuesday.

Last season’s beaten semi-finalists got off to a winning start in the Basque country as they shaded a tight game at the San Mames stadium in the first of eight group matches.

Mikel Arteta’s side, chasing a first major trophy since 2020 and their first ever Champions League win, ground out their victory with a typically sturdy defensive display and their late goals.

Martinelli scored in the 72nd minute, 36 seconds after coming off the bench, before Trossard added a second after 87 minutes, each setting the other up.

Athletic, back in the competition for the first time in 11 years, were on top in the early stages, buoyed by boisterous home support.

READ ALSO: Bayern’s Kane Keen To Rekindle London Rivalry Against Chelsea

Their coach Ernesto Valverde lined up with an entire team of players making their Champions League debut, including talisman striker Inaki Williams but not his injured brother Nico Williams.

Arsenal started with four Spaniards, including two Basque midfielders in Mikel Merino and Martin Zubimendi, who used to play for Athletic’s rivals Real Sociedad.

The Gunners, missing several regulars including Bukayo Saka, began to turn the tide through the movement of Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke’s persistence on the right wing.

Swedish striker Gyokeres had an effort saved by Unai Simon and then headed narrowly wide of the post after reaching a dangerous cross by Jurrien Timber.

Alejandro Berenguer pulled a shot wide of the far post with Athletic’s first real chance shortly before the break.

Gyokeres, sporting a bandage after a clash of heads left him bleeding, nodded Declan Rice’s free-kick wide when well placed.

Williams was denied by David Raya and Merino headed straight at Simon at the other end as the match stepped up a gear.

Arteta brought on Martinelli for the ineffective Eberechi Eze and immediately found the goal he craved as the Gunners countered at pace.

Martinelli ran on to Trossard’s pass, took a fine touch to leave Andoni Gorosabel trailing in his wake and then fired under Simon.

The Brazilian was involved again in the second, cutting the ball back for Trossard, who beat Simon with the help of a deflection.

Arsenal reinforced heavily in the summer to increase their squad depth, particularly in attack, and it paid dividends here.

Arteta brought on two more new arrivals in Christian Norgaard and Piero Hincapie for their debuts late on.