Sport Updates
Same-day match highlights, records, team news and results from across the sports you follow.
Petukhova Scores Twice as Russia Beat India Women 4-0 in Kolkata Friendly
India Women lost 4-0 to Russia in the first of two international friendlies at the rain-soaked Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Thursday, October 8. Substitute Kira Petukhova scored twice, and India fielded six debutants . The 69th-ranked Blue Tigresses defended in a compact shape and trailed by only one goal at half-time. Iana Sheina gave 27th-ranked Russia the lead shortly before the break. India's best chances came from Malavika P around the half-hour mark and from Lynda Kom Serto later in the half, but neither could find the net. Russia took control after the interval. Petukhova scored in the 60th minute from close range after goalkeeper Monalisha Devi Moirangthem could only parry a long-range effort from captain Nadezhda Smirnova. She struck again in the 65th minute when India failed to clear their lines. Iana Svistunova added a fourth in the 81st minute. Monalisha, who made her first start and won her third cap, made several saves to keep the score down. It was India's first-ever women's international match in Kolkata and their first outing since winning a record sixth SAFF Women's Championship title in June. The defeat was also India's third in three senior meetings with Russia, after losses at the Turkish Women's Cup in 2021 and the Pink Ladies Cup in 2025. The two sides meet again in the second friendly on October 11 .
Ajit Agarkar's Tenure as India's Chief Selector Ends After Three ICC Titles, BCCI Invites Applications for Successor
Ajit Agarkar has completed his tenure as chairman of the BCCI's senior men's selection committee. His term officially ended on October 4, 2026 , after he decided not to seek an extension. He had told the BCCI of that decision after its annual general meeting on September 18. Agarkar took charge in July 2023 , a little over three years ago. His time in the role was one of the most successful periods for Indian white-ball cricket. India reached the 2023 ODI World Cup final , then won the 2024 T20 World Cup , the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup . That is three ICC trophies in three successive years. Star Sports India's farewell tribute also highlighted two Asia Cup titles and back-to-back Asian Games gold medals during his tenure. Head coach Gautam Gambhir paid tribute on X, calling it an "absolute honour" to work with Agarkar. He said the three ICC trophies showed Agarkar's conviction of putting the team first, and added that history would be kinder to him. Agarkar's term was not without criticism. His committee made several headline calls, including picking Suryakumar Yadav over Hardik Pandya as T20I captain after the 2024 World Cup, a decision that led to the 2026 T20 World Cup title. In October 2025, Shubman Gill replaced Rohit Sharma as ODI captain. Test cricket was a tougher area, with a 3-0 home defeat to New Zealand in 2024, a 3-1 loss in Australia and a 2-2 draw in England in 2025. The BCCI has invited applications for the vacant chairman's position. Pragyan Ojha has taken interim charge and chaired the selection meeting that picked India's squad for the New Zealand tour. The new chief selector will have to balance established players with emerging talent as India plans for the next ICC cycle. A former India pacer, Agarkar took 288 ODI wickets in 191 matches, more than any Indian bowler apart from Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath.
Portugal Overtake Brazil to Reach Fifth in October FIFA Rankings, Spain Stay No. 1
Spain remain No. 1 in the October FIFA men's world ranking, with Argentina second, France third and England fourth. The big move is further down the top six, where Portugal rise to No. 5 and push Brazil down to sixth . 1. Spain 2. Argentina 3. France 4. England 5. Portugal (up from 7th in the July ranking) 6. Brazil (down from 5th) Spain have held the top spot since July 20, when they beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final to win their second World Cup title. The top four places are unchanged from that update, so Argentina, France and England all keep their positions. Portugal were seventh after the World Cup, where they went out in the round of 16 to eventual champions Spain. Since then, Jorge Jesus's side have won all four of their Nations League matches in Group A4, including a 4-2 win away at Denmark and 2-1 wins over Norway. Those results earned enough points to take them past both Morocco and Brazil . Brazil slip a place even though they won their friendlies on this window, beating Australia 4-2 in Brisbane and India 4-0 in Kolkata under Carlo Ancelotti. Friendlies carry less weight than competitive matches in the FIFA formula, and Portugal's competitive wins counted for more. Brazil still stay ahead of Morocco in sixth place, as the Atlas Lions could only draw with Mali. The October update reflects results from the September-October international window, which wrapped up on October 6.
Chile Beat Mexico 2-0 as Márquez's Side End US Tour Without a Win
Chile beat Mexico 2-0 in an international friendly at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Tuesday, October 6. The defeat left Mexico without a win in all four games of their US tour. The first half was goalless. Maximiliano Gutierrez broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, finishing under the legs of debuting goalkeeper Alex Padilla after a pass from Gonzalo Tapia. It came just after Mexico's Everardo Lopez missed a free header. Vicente Pizarro doubled the lead in the 65th minute with a left-footed shot into the bottom corner, after he skipped past substitute defender Johan Vasquez. Mexico had good possession but struggled to create clear chances. The result was a welcome rebound for Chile, who had lost their two previous friendlies in North America, 1-0 to Canada and 4-2 to the United States. For Mexico, it was a second straight defeat, and the second straight game in which they were shut out, after a 3-0 loss to the United States on Saturday. Before that, they had drawn 1-1 with both Colombia and Peru. That is no wins, two draws and two defeats from the four matches. The run puts pressure on head coach Rafael Marquez , who took over from Javier Aguirre after Mexico went out in the round of 16 at the World Cup. He had served as Aguirre's assistant. This is the worst start for a Mexico coach since 1981 , when Raul Cardenas began his second spell with nine games without a win. Mexico's next matches are official fixtures in November.
Justin Ellis Strikes as USA Beat Canada 1-0 to Finish Perfect Four-Match Window
The United States beat Canada 1-0 at Allianz Field in St Paul on Tuesday, October 6. The win gave Mauricio Pochettino's side four wins from four in this international window, the first four games of his post-World Cup reset. Justin Ellis scored the only goal in the 29th minute. Alex Freeman delivered the cross after a give-and-go with Malik Tillman, and the 19-year-old Orlando City winger tapped it in. It was Ellis's second goal in three appearances for the national team. He had also scored four minutes into his debut against Peru earlier in the window. It was a physical, scrappy game. The US sat deep early on and absorbed a lot of fouls from a motivated Canada side under Jesse Marsch. Canada had more efforts on goal, and Luc De Fougerolles saw an angled volley hit the crossbar late on, but the US held on. Ellis was replaced at half-time by fellow teenager Julian Hall , who later fired into the side-netting when played through. It was a second straight clean sheet for the US. The US finished the window with wins over Peru (4-1) , Chile (4-2) , Mexico (3-0) and Canada. Across the four games, seven of the US's 12 goals were scored by teenagers, and Pochettino handed debuts to 13 new players after the team's last-16 exit at the home World Cup. Cavan Sullivan also became the youngest goalscorer in USMNT history against Mexico on Saturday. This was the first meeting between the two sides since Canada's 2-1 win in the Concacaf Nations League third-place match in March 2025. Both teams reached the round of 16 at this summer's World Cup, and the US remain unbeaten at Allianz Field.
Merino's Double Sends Spain to Nations League Quarters as Kane Equals Shilton's Caps Record
Spain booked their place in the Nations League quarter-finals with a 2-1 comeback win over Croatia in Split on Tuesday, October 6. Substitute Mikel Merino scored both goals after coming on at half-time. Ivan Perisic put Croatia ahead in the 17th minute, heading in the rebound after Unai Simon saved Igor Matanovic's shot. Merino levelled in the 61st minute with a low finish after a pass from Dani Olmo. Perisic was then sent off for a second yellow card for fouling Marc Cucurella. Spain made the extra man count, and Merino struck again in the 88th minute to win it. Spain have won all four of their Group A3 matches and sit nine points clear of third-placed Croatia, with two games to spare. Their unbeaten run now stands at 42 matches . England also won on the night, beating Czechia 3-0 at Wembley. Harry Kane made his 125th appearance for England, equalling Peter Shilton's record for the most caps by an England men's player. He scored twice and created the other goal. His cross was turned into his own net by Vladimir Coufal in the 27th minute. Kane finished a Morgan Rogers cutback in the 40th minute and headed in a Lewis Hall corner in the 57th. The two goals took him to 91 international goals . England are second in the group on nine points, three behind Spain and six clear of Croatia. Kane will pass Shilton's mark with his next appearance.
Messi Ends Argentina Career With Goal, Two Assists in 3-0 Win Over Benin
Lionel Messi ended his Argentina career with a goal and two assists as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in his farewell friendly at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, October 6. He had a hand in all three goals. The match was goalless at half-time. Nicolas Otamendi opened the scoring in the 48th minute, heading in a corner taken by Messi. Nicolas Paz doubled the lead in the 61st minute with a left-footed finish, set up by another Messi pass. Argentina then won a penalty in the 68th minute. Messi stepped up in the 71st minute and drilled it into the top corner with his left foot. The penalty was Messi's 126th goal for Argentina , extending his record as the national team's all-time top scorer. The match was his 208th and final cap . Over two decades with the national team, he won the 2022 World Cup and the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 . Messi announced his retirement from international football in August. The Argentine Football Association then called him up for one last match at home and invited the 2022 World Cup winners to join the send-off. The Monumental gave him a long ovation at the final whistle. The 39-year-old will continue his club career with Inter Miami.
Shreyas Iyer's Unbeaten 102 off 43 Powers India to 8-Wicket Win Over West Indies in 1st T20I
India beat West Indies by 8 wickets in the 1st T20I at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday, chasing down 172 in just 14.4 overs with 32 balls to spare. Captain Shreyas Iyer was the hero with an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls , which earned him the Player of the Match award. India now lead the five-match series 1-0. India won the toss and chose to bowl. West Indies made a bright start, with Shai Hope hitting 52 off 37 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) and Sherfane Rutherford smashing 56 off 34 (6 fours, 3 sixes). Hope and Rutherford added 63 for the fourth wicket to take West Indies to 107, but the innings fell apart after Hope's dismissal. Three wickets fell for 17 runs between 107 and 124, and West Indies were bowled out for 171 in 19.1 overs . Akeal Hosein's quick 15 off 9 balls at the end pushed the total close to 170, with 8 extras also helping the cause. Naman Dhir was India's best bowler with 3 for 31 . Axar Patel (2 for 26, including a maiden) and Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 33) kept squeezing the middle overs, while Arshdeep Singh (1 for 34) and Mayank Yadav (1 for 40) took a wicket each. A run-out of Shimron Hetmyer was the other dismissal. India lost Abhishek Sharma (21 off 10) and Sanju Samson (11 off 9) early, and were 35 for 2 in 3.3 overs. Iyer then took the chase away from West Indies. He and Ishan Kishan (37* off 27) added an unbroken 137 runs for the third wicket. Iyer hit 10 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 237.21 , bringing up his hundred and finishing the match with ease. West Indies' bowlers leaked runs, with Matthew Forde going for 39 in just two overs, while Hosein and Roston Chase took a wicket each. The two sides now move to Ranchi for the 2nd T20I on October 9 . Follow the ball-by-ball details on the full scorecard page.
India Women Name Squads for Zimbabwe Series: Smriti Mandhana Captains, Shafali Verma T20I Vice-Captain, Deepti Sharma ODI Vice-Captain
The BCCI Women's Selection Committee has announced India Women's squads for the home series against Zimbabwe , with Smriti Mandhana leading the side in both formats in her first assignment as captain. Shafali Verma has been named vice-captain for the T20I series , while Deepti Sharma is vice-captain for the ODI series . The squads were named on October 6, hours after Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down as captain across formats. The two squads are not identical. Here is the T20I squad : Smriti Mandhana (c) , Shafali Verma (vc) , Niki Prasad , Harmanpreet Kaur , Anushka Sharma Richa Ghosh (wk) , G Kamalini (wk) , Deepti Sharma , Prema Rawat Sree Charani , Nandni Sharma , Kranti Gaud , Arundhati Reddy , Jintimani Kalita , Minnu Mani And the ODI squad : Smriti Mandhana (c) , Shafali Verma , Pratika Rawal , Harmanpreet Kaur , Harleen Deol , Tejal Hasabnis Deepti Sharma (vc) , Richa Ghosh (wk) , Yastika Bhatia (wk) Vaishnavi Sharma , Nandni Sharma , Sree Charani , Kranti Gaud , Sayali Satghare , Renuka Thakur The biggest change in the T20I group is that Pratika Rawal has been left out. Four players have been brought in, Niki Prasad , Minnu Mani , Anushka Sharma and Jintimani Kalita , all of whom featured in the recent limited-overs and multi-day series against Australia Women. The ODI side, meanwhile, includes Vaishnavi Sharma , who recently took a six-wicket haul against Australia Women's A, along with Tejal Hasabnis and Sayali Satghare . Harmanpreet remains in both squads as a player, which gives the new captain an experienced batter to lean on during the transition. Among the notable names missing from both squads is Jemimah Rodrigues . Shafali's role is also different in the two formats. She is the deputy in T20Is but plays in the ODI team without a leadership role. This will be the first-ever bilateral series between India and Zimbabwe women, and Zimbabwe's first tour of India. The three T20Is will be played in Raipur , followed by three ODIs in Baroda . The ODI leg forms part of the ICC Women's Championship 2025-29 . It will also be India's first home ODI assignment since the 2025 World Cup triumph. Match Date Venue 1st T20I October 16 Raipur 2nd T20I October 18 Raipur 3rd T20I October 20 Raipur 1st ODI October 23 Baroda 2nd ODI October 25 Baroda 3rd ODI October 28 Baroda
India Name 16-Man T20I Squad for New Zealand Tour, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Recalled
The BCCI has announced India's 16-member squad for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand . Shreyas Iyer will captain the side, with Tilak Varma as vice-captain. The squad was named on October 6 . The biggest selection call is the return of Bhuvneshwar Kumar . The 36-year-old pacer is back in India's T20I set-up after nearly four years. His last T20I was against New Zealand in November 2022. Here is the full squad: Batters: Shreyas Iyer (c) , Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , Tilak Varma (vc) , Ishan Kishan (wk) , Sanju Samson (wk) All-rounders: Abhishek Sharma , Naman Dhir , Nitish Kumar Reddy , Axar Patel , Shivam Dube Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh , Mayank Yadav , Bhuvneshwar Kumar , Prince Yadav , Kuldeep Yadav , Varun Chakaravarthy The batting group is built around Shreyas Iyer , Tilak Varma and young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , with Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson as the two wicketkeeper-batters. Ishan arrives in good touch, having hit an unbeaten 80 off 46 balls against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games semi-final. Depth is a big feature of this squad. Five all-rounders, Abhishek Sharma , Axar Patel , Shivam Dube , Naman Dhir and Nitish Kumar Reddy , give the captain plenty of options. Abhishek made 61 off 28 balls in the Asian Games final against Pakistan and became the second-fastest batter in T20 history to 400 career sixes during that knock. The bowling mixes pace and spin. Arshdeep Singh , Mayank Yadav , Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Prince Yadav make up the pace group, while Kuldeep Yadav , Varun Chakaravarthy and Axar Patel handle the spin department. Dube and Nitish can also chip in with the ball. Several of these players, including Abhishek Sharma , Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan , were part of the India side that won gold at the Asian Games, beating Pakistan by 19 runs in the final. Tilak finished unbeaten on 51 off 22 in that match. Iyer led that team, having taken over the T20I captaincy from Suryakumar Yadav this year. The T20Is are the first leg of a tour that runs from October 22 to December 1 and also includes five ODIs and two Tests. This announcement covers only the T20I squad. All five T20Is start at 12:30 PM IST. Match Date Venue 1st T20I October 22 Hagley Oval, Christchurch 2nd T20I October 24 Hagley Oval, Christchurch 3rd T20I October 27 Sky Stadium, Wellington 4th T20I October 30 Eden Park, Auckland 5th T20I November 1 Seddon Park, Hamilton
Smriti Mandhana Named India's New All-Format Captain in Women's Cricket After Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down
Smriti Mandhana has been named India's new captain across all three formats in women's cricket. The BCCI confirmed her appointment on October 6, 2026 , hours after Harmanpreet Kaur announced that she was stepping down from the captaincy. The decision marks a big change in leadership for the India women's team , though Mandhana is no stranger to the set-up. She served as vice-captain under Harmanpreet when India won their first-ever ICC Women's ODI World Cup title in 2025 , and she was Kaur's deputy again when India claimed gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Several former players, including Diana Edulji, had been vocal in recent weeks about the selectors handing her the job in all formats. Her form has only made the case stronger. On September 3, Mandhana hit 124 off 64 balls against Hong Kong at the Women's Asia Cup T20 in Dubai, a knock that made her the leading run-getter in women's international cricket , ahead of Mithali Raj. During India's gold-medal win over Sri Lanka at the Asian Games, she then made 79 off 45 balls and became the first woman to reach 11,000 international runs . Mandhana also holds the record for the most international centuries by a woman, 18 , made up of 14 in ODIs, two in Tests and two in T20Is. She has 93 scores of fifty or more across formats, a tally she shares with Mithali Raj, and she was named Wisden's Leading Women's Cricketer in the World for 2024. She takes over from a captain who reportedly led India in 211 matches across formats . Harmanpreet has made it clear that she will continue to play for India as a batter. The handover comes after a difficult year in the shorter formats, with the BCCI holding a review of the women's side in Guwahati last month. Reports had earlier suggested that Harmanpreet, Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar would meet BCCI officials to plan the transition. For Mandhana, the new role adds the weight of leadership to a batting career already full of records. Who will serve as her deputy is likely to be one of the first questions the selectors have to answer.
Sourav Ganguly Named Delhi Capitals Head Coach for IPL 2027
Delhi Capitals have confirmed Sourav Ganguly as their head coach for IPL 2027, with the franchise sharing an "it's time for Dadagiri" announcement calling the former India captain "Head Coach of the Tigers." The appointment caps a sweeping coaching overhaul at Delhi Capitals ahead of the new season, under JSW Group's two-year operational takeover of the franchise. Yuvraj Singh joins as assistant coach, marking his first-ever IPL coaching role, while Chaminda Vaas comes in as fast bowling coach and Amit Mishra , a former Delhi player in both IPL and domestic cricket, takes over as spin bowling coach. The outgoing GMR-era staff, led by Hemang Badani alongside Venugopal Rao, Munaf Patel and Ian Bell, will not continue into the new cycle. Ganguly's return is not his first stint in the Delhi dugout. He previously served as the franchise's Director of Cricket and briefly took over as head coach from Ricky Ponting during the 2024 season. He has also coached in franchise cricket since, leading Pretoria Capitals in SA20 2025. Ganguly and Yuvraj were seen together at a Delhi Capitals talent-identification camp in Bengaluru last month, where Mishra was also involved in assessing bowling prospects, fuelling speculation about the revamp before the news emerged in local reports and was finally confirmed by the club. The shake-up follows a disappointing run for Delhi Capitals, who missed the IPL playoffs in both 2025 and 2026, finishing fifth and sixth respectively. The franchise has also moved to bring Rishabh Pant back into the fold ahead of the new season, with the former captain having previously made 111 appearances across nine seasons for Delhi before his trade to Lucknow Super Giants.
Harmanpreet Kaur Steps Down as India Women's Captain Across All Formats
Harmanpreet Kaur has stepped down as captain of the India women's cricket team across all three formats . The 37-year-old announced her decision on October 6, 2026 through an emotional Instagram post. She has made it clear that she will keep playing for India, only without the captain's armband. Kaur said the decision was not easy. She wrote that she had given the team everything, including her time, her energy and, many times, a part of her own game and personal ambitions. She admitted that some of her calls as captain were not always understood, but said every one of them was meant to make the team better and give other players room to grow. She ended the post with the line "Captaincy ends. The journey continues." She also said she is leaving the role with peace of mind. In her view, the team has talent, character and a bright future. Kaur thanked her teammates, coaches, support staff, the BCCI, her family and the fans who stood by her through the highs and lows. Her last assignment as captain ended on a high. Kaur led India to gold at the Asian Games 2026 in Japan, with Smriti Mandhana as her vice-captain. The biggest moment of her captaincy came in 2025, when she guided India to their first-ever ICC Women's ODI World Cup title . She is reported to have led the side in 211 matches across formats . The year has not been smooth for the team, though. India faced some tough results in the shorter formats, and the BCCI held a review of the women's side in Guwahati last month. Kaur's exit now opens up one of the biggest questions in Indian women's cricket. No successor has been named yet. Mandhana, who has been the vice-captain for several years, is seen as the leading candidate. Reports suggest Kaur, Mandhana and head coach Amol Muzumdar will meet BCCI officials to plan the transition. Kaur made her ODI debut against Pakistan on March 7, 2009, and played her first T20I against England on June 11, 2009. That is more than 17 years in international cricket. Even after stepping aside as captain, she remains a key batter and one of the most recognisable faces of the Indian women's game.
Harry Kane One Cap Away From Equalling Peter Shilton's England Appearance Record
Harry Kane is one appearance away from equalling Peter Shilton's all-time England men's caps record of 125 when the Three Lions host Czechia at Wembley tonight in the final match of this international window. Kane has featured in each of England's Nations League fixtures this autumn, against Spain, Czechia away and Croatia, bringing him to 124 caps. Shilton's record has stood since 1990, when the former goalkeeper retired after England's semi-final exit at that year's World Cup. Kane became England's latest centurion in September 2024 and has continued to add to the tally as captain under Thomas Tuchel . England sit second in Group A3 on six points, three behind leaders Spain , heading into this fixture. They head into the match off the back of a 7-0 demolition of Croatia in Rijeka on October 3, during which Kane scored twice to reach 89 international goals, England's all-time scoring record.
Northern Ireland Keep Fourth Straight Clean Sheet, Hungary Beat Ukraine, Sweden Edge Romania
Northern Ireland remain top of Group B2 without conceding a goal, after a 0-0 draw with Georgia extended their shutout run to four matches, while Hungary beat Ukraine 2-1 in the group's other fixture. Michael O'Neill's side were unable to find a breakthrough against bottom side Georgia at Windsor Park, but the point was enough to keep Northern Ireland unbeaten through four Nations League matches. Hungary's win over Ukraine means all three of Northern Ireland, Hungary and Ukraine remain in contention heading into November, with just a handful of points separating the top of the group. In Group B4, Sweden edged Romania 1-0 to maintain their position at the top, a far less eventful night for the Swedes than Poland's 6-0 thrashing of Romania earlier in the campaign.
Calafiori and Esposito Fire Italy to 3-1 Win Over Turkiye, Move Into Second
Italy came from behind to beat Turkiye 3-1 in Bologna, moving into second place in Group A1 as Roberto Mancini continued his momentum since returning as head coach. Gianluca Scamacca opened the scoring in the 26th minute, but Turkiye levelled through Aral Simsir early in the second half. Italy responded quickly, with Riccardo Calafiori , making his first start since returning to the squad, heading in a Nicolo Barella delivery to restore the lead. Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito sealed the win in the 87th minute after Mancini made widespread changes through the second half. The result gives Italy seven points from four matches, having opened their campaign under Mancini with a 2-0 home defeat to Belgium before beating Turkiye 4-1 in the reverse fixture and drawing 1-1 with France. Turkiye remain bottom of the group without a point, scoring once and conceding eight so far, with head coach Vincenzo Montella facing growing pressure.
Substitutes Olise, Doue and Cherki Fire France to 4-1 Comeback Win Over Belgium
France scored four goals in the final 13 minutes to complete a stunning comeback win over Belgium , winning 4-1 at the Stade de France to move three points clear at the top of Group A1 and hand Zinedine Zidane his first home victory as head coach. Dodi Lukebakio had given Belgium a first-half lead that held until the 77th minute, when substitute Desire Doue shot on the turn to level the scores. Another substitute, Rayan Cherki , put France ahead four minutes later, before Michael Olise , introduced off the bench, struck twice in the 88th minute and stoppage time to complete the rout. Manchester United's Leny Yoro and Toulouse goalkeeper Guillaume Restes both made their France debuts, with Ousmane Dembele captaining the side in the continued absence of the injured Kylian Mbappe. France have now beaten Belgium twice in a week, having also won 1-0 in Brussels through a late Olise goal. The result leaves France on 10 points from four matches, with Italy second on seven after beating Turkiye, and Belgium third on six.
Claudia Pina's Four-Goal Haul Powers Barcelona to Record 7-0 Win Over Real Madrid
Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid 7-0 in the Liga F Clasico at the Spotify Camp Nou, with Clàudia Pina scoring four goals in the first half as the hosts recorded their biggest-ever win over their rivals. Pina had the game won by halftime, becoming the first Barcelona player to score four goals against Real Madrid; only Asisat Oshoala had previously managed the feat for the club, back when Madrid's team played as Tacón. Caroline Graham Hansen , Ewa Pajor and Sydney Schertenleib added further goals after the break to complete the rout. The match drew a crowd of 40,533, a new attendance record for Liga F, though still short of the all-time Spanish women's football record of 60,739 set at a 2019 Atletico Madrid-Barcelona match. The result extended Barcelona's dominance of the fixture to 25 wins from 26 meetings since Real Madrid's women's team was formed in 2020, and kept Barcelona perfect through six league games, five points clear at the top of the table.
Hong Kong Win Third Straight Men's Rugby Sevens Gold, Japan Take Women's Title
Hong Kong won a third consecutive men's rugby sevens gold at the Asian Games, beating China in the final, with hosts Japan taking bronze. Hong Kong arrived in Nagoya as two-time defending champions, having won gold at both Jakarta-Palembang 2018 and Hangzhou 2022, and extended their dominance of the men's competition at the Paloma Mizuho Rugby Stadium. In the women's final, Japan beat China for gold, with Hong Kong settling for bronze. It is a reversal from Hangzhou 2022, where China had topped the women's podium, with Japan having built strong recent form on the HSBC SVNS Series heading into these Games.
Ireland and Israel Draw 1-1 in Behind-Closed-Doors Nations League Fixture
Republic of Ireland and Israel played out a 1-1 draw in a Nations League match held behind closed doors at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia, with Ireland's "home" fixture moved to neutral territory. Troy Parrott fired Ireland ahead from the penalty spot in the 39th minute, after Jimmy Dunne was fouled by Dor Peretz while attacking a rebound. It was Parrott's 10th goal in his last seven competitive internationals. Israel levelled within two minutes of the second half through captain Dor Peretz , who made amends for conceding the penalty by converting his side's first shot on target. There were no handshakes between the captains before kickoff, and security intervened to separate players and staff after a clash broke out in the tunnel at half-time. Both sides wore black armbands, which the Football Association of Ireland said were to acknowledge all lives lost in the Israel-Gaza conflict, while Israel's read "7.10" in reference to the October 7, 2023 attacks. Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson called on UEFA to keep the two nations apart in future fixtures. The result leaves Ireland level on five points with Kosovo in Group B3, three behind leaders Austria.
Hojlund Penalty Sinks Wales as Ward Goes From Hero to Villain
Denmark beat Wales 1-0 in Cardiff through a late Rasmus Hojlund penalty, moving to second in Group A4, six points behind leaders Portugal. Wales goalkeeper Danny Ward was the hero for much of the contest, pulling off several fine stops to deny Denmark, including a stunning save to tip a Gustav Isaksen header onto the post. But Ward turned villain in the 75th minute, bringing down Isaksen inside the box. Hojlund stepped up and calmly converted the resulting spot-kick into the bottom corner. Wales, who needed a win to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, managed just one shot on target and now sit third in the group with one win from four matches. Denmark have taken six points from their last two games after a difficult start to the campaign.
Germany Held Goalless by Greece Again, Klopp Still Searching for Form
Germany were held to a 0-0 draw by Greece in Thessaloniki, leaving Jurgen Klopp with just one win from his first four matches in charge of the national team. Germany dominated the ball and had 21 shots to Greece's four, with Florian Wirtz , Derry Scherhant and Tom Bischof all threatening. A Jonathan Burkardt effort was ruled out by VAR for a Bischof handball in the build-up. Greece defended resolutely, with Giorgos Masouras heading a late chance wide at the other end. The result leaves Germany third in Group A2 on five points, three behind leaders Greece and Netherlands, who are level after the Dutch beat Serbia on the same night. Greece remain unbeaten through four matches, having already beaten Germany 1-0 earlier in the campaign.
Zirkzee's Late Strike Sends Netherlands Top of Group A2 Past Serbia
Netherlands moved top of Group A2 with a 2-1 win over Serbia in Eindhoven, as Joshua Zirkzee's second-half strike settled a tight contest. Teun Koopmeiners opened the scoring with a well-placed effort from the edge of the box, but Serbia levelled four minutes later through Mihajlo Cvetkovic , who headed home a cross from Aleksa Terzic. Xavi Hernandez's side dominated possession and chances throughout, and were rewarded when Zirkzee swept in the winner from close range after 72 minutes. The win extended the Netherlands' unbeaten Nations League run to eight matches and moved them to eight points, level with Greece, who were held 0-0 by Germany on the same night. Serbia remain bottom of the group without a point from four matches.
Portugal First to Reach Nations League Quarters, Haaland Forced Off Injured
Portugal became the first team to reach the Nations League quarter-finals, coming from behind to beat Norway 2-1 in Porto despite the absence of Cristiano Ronaldo, who was left out after learning he would not start. Kristoffer Ajer fired Norway ahead with a spectacular strike, but Joao Cancelo levelled with a rocket of his own before half-time. Goncalo Ramos , starting in Ronaldo's absence, struck the winner in the second half to seal a fourth straight win in Group A4 for Jorge Jesus's side. Portugal finished with ten men after Francisco Conceicao was sent off late on, but held firm to stay unbeaten. Erling Haaland struggled to make an impact against a well-organised Portuguese defence and was forced off injured in the 67th minute, replaced by Jorgen Strand Larsen. Manchester City are awaiting further assessment on the Norwegian's fitness. The result leaves Portugal six points clear of second-placed Denmark, with Norway dropping to the bottom of the group after a third straight defeat.