Mar 31, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Andrew Painter (24) responds to interview questions after the game against the Washington Nationals at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Andrew Painter struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings in his major league debut as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the visiting Washington Nationals 3-2 on Tuesday.
The Phillies’ top pitching prospect, Painter (1-0) allowed one run, four hits and a walk against a Nationals team that entered the game tied for the major league lead in runs scored. Kyle Schwarber and Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies, who had lost three of their first four games.
Daylen Lile had three hits for Washington, which had won three of its first four contests. James Wood came up with the tying run on second and two outs in the ninth, but Brandon Marsh tracked down his liner to deep left for the final out.
Philadelphia scored a run in the third, fourth and fifth innings against Zack Littell (0-1) to stake Painter to a 3-0 lead. Jhoan Duran worked the ninth for his second save.
Giants 9, Padres 3
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Willy Adames led off the game with a homer and finished with a career-high-tying four hits to go with two RBIs and San Francisco’s offense finally exploded during a victory over host San Diego.
Jung Hoo Lee had three hits and three RBIs, and Matt Chapman (solo homer) and Rafeal Devers had two hits apiece as the Giants racked up 16 hits. Heliot Ramos drove in two runs for the Giants, who went 6-for-12 with runners in scoring position while beating San Diego for the second straight night. Giants starter Logan Webb (1-1) gave up three runs and three hits over six innings.
Jackson Merrill and Miguel Andujar had RBI hits for the Padres, who have lost four of five games to start the season. German Marquez (0-1) struggled in his San Diego debut, serving up two homers while pitching just three innings. He gave up four runs and eight hits.
Yankees 5, Mariners 0
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Max Fried pitched seven innings of three-hit ball as New York blanked host Seattle, their third shutout win in five games this season.
Giancarlo Stanton went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as the Yankees evened the three-game series at one victory apiece. New York’s Trent Grisham, Cody Bellinger and Ben Rice each had two hits. Fried (2-0) walked one and struck out six.
Seattle’s Josh Naylor lined a single to center with two outs in the fourth inning. It was Naylor’s first hit of the season, breaking an 0-for-20 slump. The Mariners’ only other hits off Fried came in the seventh, an infield single by Julio Rodriguez and a two-out liner to right by Brendan Donovan. Logan Gilbert (0-1) allowed five runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Dodgers 4, Guardians 1
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Shohei Ohtani gave up one hit over six scoreless innings in his season pitching debut and Max Muncy hit a home run as Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Cleveland.
Andy Pages collected two hits and two RBIs and Teoscar Hernandez drove in his first run of the season. Ohtani (1-0), who was placed in the No. 5 spot of the rotation to start the season as the Dodgers look to manage his pitching workload, walked three batters and struck out six.
Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-1) gave up one run on four hits over four innings after his start was in doubt because of shoulder inflammation that developed during his Opening Day outing at Seattle. Brayan Rocchio broke up the Dodgers’ shutout bid with an RBI single in the ninth.
Cardinals 3, Mets 0
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Andre Pallante and a quartet of relievers combined on a three-hit shutout for host St. Louis, which beat New York in the middle game of a three-game series.
Ivan Herrera had a two-run double in the third and Ramon Urias added a homer leading off the seventh for the Cardinals, who recorded their first shutout since last Sept. 16. Pallante (1-0) gave up all three hits over five-plus innings.
Kodai Senga took the hard-luck loss after whiffing nine over six innings. The Mets were blanked for the first time since a 4-0 loss to the Miami Marlins in the season finale last Sept. 28 — a defeat that eliminated New York from playoff contention.
Rangers 8, Orioles 5
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Danny Jansen hit a three-run homer for one of his three hits as Texas beat host Baltimore.
Ezequiel Duran and Corey Seager also homered for the Rangers, who have won four in a row. Rangers starter Jacob deGrom was strong through three innings, but he was charged with three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings in his rescheduled start. Neck stiffness delayed his season debut from the weekend.
Pete Alonso, the Orioles’ highly acclaimed free-agent signee, smacked his first home run with his new team. Taylor Ward had four hits from Baltimore’s leadoff position, and he and Gunnar Henderson each produced a two-run double.
Pirates 8, Reds 3
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Oneil Cruz hit a pair of home runs and Ryan O’Hearn and Bryan Reynolds hit back-to-back home runs as Pittsburgh’s offense broke out during a win over host Cincinnati.
O’Hearn and Reynolds’ successive homers highlighted a five-run second inning. Cruz smacked a towering 444-foot blast in the fourth inning, and later added a two-run homer in the ninth to pad Pittsburgh’s lead after Cincinnati cut it to 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
Pirates rookie Bubba Chandler didn’t allow a hit but issued six walks through 4 1/3 innings. The Reds were held to one hit through seven innings before Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart opened the eighth with back-to-back home runs.
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Angels 2, Cubs 0
Jose Soriano allowed two hits over six shutout innings and Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning as Los Angeles won at Chicago.
Relievers Chase Silseth, Drew Pomeranz and Jordan Romano followed Soriano to complete a four-hit shutout. Romano got the last two outs for his second save.
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon tossed 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Ian Happ saw his three-game homer streak come to an end, as he went 0-for-2 with two walks.
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Astros 9, Red Sox 2
Hunter Brown allowed one run and struck out eight in six innings to help Houston stretch its winning streak to four games by beating visiting Boston.
The only hit Brown (1-0) allowed was a Connor Wong RBI double in the fifth. Cody Bolton struck out five over the final three innings to earn his first career save.
Yordan Alvarez and Cam Smith each hit solo home runs for the Astros. Alvarez, Christian Walker and Carlos Correa each had two hits and two RBIs in the win. Ceddanne Rafaela homered for the Red Sox. Brayan Bello (0-1) yielded six runs (five earned) in 4 2/3 innings.
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Marlins 9, White Sox 2
Griffin Conine, Liam Hicks and Owen Caissie drove in two runs apiece as host Miami defeated Chicago.
After Janson Junk’s 4 1/3-inning start, four relievers — Andrew Nardi, Anthony Bender (1-0), Calvin Faucher and Pete Fairbanks — combined to deal eight strikeouts and hold Miami hitless over the final 4 2/3 frames.
Erick Fedde (0-1) took the loss, allowing six hits, one walk and four runs (three earned) in five innings. The White Sox, who are coming off three straight 100-loss seasons, made three errors, all on throws to the plate. Two of the miscues were charged to center fielder Luisangel Acuna.
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Athletics 5, Braves 2
Andy Ibanez and Jacob Wilson both drove in their first two runs of the season to help the Athletics earn their first victory of the year over host Atlanta.
Ibanez went 2-for-4, scored a run and drove in two. Wilson was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. A’s starter Aaron Civale (1-0), signed as a free agent in the offseason, worked five innings and allowed two runs on four hits and one walk, striking out three.
Drake Baldwin hit his third homer of the season to lead the Braves.
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Blue Jays 5, Rockies 1
Max Scherzer pitched six effective innings in the 41-year-old’s season debut and Toronto defeated visiting Colorado.
Scherzer (1-0) allowed one run, four hits and one walk while striking out four in six innings. Jesus Sanchez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Nathan Lukes each had two hits and an RBI to help Toronto split the opening two games of the three-game series. It was the fourth win in five games for Toronto, while Colorado has dropped four of five.
Hunter Goodman hit a solo home run for the Rockies. TJ Rumfield added three hits. Colorado starter Ryan Feltner retired his first eight batters before Andres Gimenez lined an infield single off his right hip with two outs in the third. Feltner finished the inning with a walk and groundout but did not return for the fourth because of a contusion in the hip area. He allowed no runs, one hit and one walk with four strikeouts in three innings.
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Brewers 6, Rays 2
Gary Sanchez and Jake Bauers homered and Brandon Woodruff pitched five effective innings in his season debut, pacing Milwaukee past visiting Tampa Bay.
The result spoiled the first appearance for Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan in 972 days. McClanahan, who was back on a major league mound for the first time since Aug. 2, 2023, allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits in 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked three in a 79-pitch outing.
Woodruff (1-0), who sustained a season-ending lat injury in late September that kept him out of the playoffs, allowed two solo homers and four hits while striking out six without a walk. Woodruff also missed all of 2024 following shoulder surgery.
18 February 2026, Italy, Cortina D’ampezzo: Olympia, Olympic Winter Games Milan Cortina 2026, Alpine Skiing, Slalom, Women, Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre, Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) celebrates her gold medal after the award ceremony. Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa (Photo by Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Mikaela Shiffrin has spoken about the moment that helped her reset before winning slalom gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Speaking during an interview on TODAY, Shiffrin described standing at the start gate before her second run and feeling something shift.
She said it was “almost an out-of-body experience,” a moment that came after watching the skier ahead of her miss a gate, which brought back memories of her performance at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
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“My biggest fear going into the Games was that I would feel really isolated and alone,” she said.
Instead, she found support.
“They made me feel very supported and feel very together,” she said of her team. “It felt like they were skiing it with me.”
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That moment helped her settle before her run. She went on to produce a clean second run and win her third Olympic gold medal.
The win adds to an already strong career that includes 110 World Cup victories and six overall titles.
When asked about the 2030 Winter Olympics, Shiffrin kept things open.
“Very good, very good. We’ll talk later,” she said with a laugh.
With the Masters only a week away, and you’ve probably noticed an influx of limited-edition gear hitting the market just in time to celebrate the year’s first major championship.
Now, you can add Mitsubishi’s offering to that list. Check out the newly-released Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana BB 2026 Season Opener Limited Edition Wood Shaft. The name is a mouthful, but the details will make fans of premium shafts — and premium courses like Augusta National — smile.
If you like owning head-turning gear with “if-you-know-you-know” details, you’ll love the design of this shaft. A pattern featuring the leaves and flowers that populate Augusta, like White Dogwood, Golden Bell, and Azalea, combines with praying hands to pay tribute to a certain three-hole stretch. (Hint: you may need a prayer or two to get through these holes without disaster.)
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This one-time release shaft is built on the Diamana 6th Generation BB platform and has been produced in extremely limited quantities in Japan. In short, if you want to get your hands on one of these shafts, better act fast! Check out the shaft in detail below, and click the link to order yours now.
Shop the Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana BB 2026 Season Opener Limited Edition Wood Shaft at Fairway Jockey
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Mitsubishi Chemical Diamana BB 2026 Season Opener Limited Edition Wood Shaft
This limited release blends elite performance with a design inspired by one of golf’s most iconic traditions.
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Golf.com Editor
As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Issue, which debuted in February 2018. Her original interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.
The battle of Stamford Bridge was already getting spicy and bubbling when Sjoeke Nusken finally grabbed the goal Chelsea had been pushing for all night. Then, as Arsenal held on to what was now only a one-goal advantage, Katie McCabe set it alight by pulling the hair of Alyssa Thompson as the winger surged away on the counter-attack in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Sonia Bompastor and the Chelsea bench leapt to their feet, the French coach exploding at the fourth official on the touchline when the Danish referee, Frida Klarlund, waved play on and the VAR apparently fell asleep.
If Chelsea were to exit the Champions League, again, they would do so while torching the place down. Bompastor was booked twice in two minutes for her furious protests, a dramatic sending off encapsulating her anger at the officiating throughout this quarter-final. Bompastor raged last week when Chelsea had controversially seen a goal ruled out in their 3-1 first-leg defeat at the Emirates. The officiating, she said, showed a lack of respect for the women’s game, and those claims were repeated loud and clear to Uefa here.
Chelsea’ manager Sonia Bompastor walks away whilst being shown a red card in stoppage time (AFP via Getty Images)
It wasn’t why Chelsea did not overturn Arsenal’s advantage in the second leg – numerous wasted chances in the first half, plus an outstanding display from goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, saw to that as well – but McCabe’s hair-pull going unpunished was the final straw for Bompastor and how the night would be remembered by.
During a post-game TV interview, Bompastor pulled up a video of the incident on her phone and held it to the camera. “Why do we have VAR?” she demanded.
McCabe protested her innocence, posting an immediate statement on Instagram to say she “wouldn’t ever want to pull someone’s hair”; the Republic of Ireland international said she attempted to grab Thompson’s shirt when the Chelsea forward burst away on the counter-attack. Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers also insisted it was not deliberate. But Thompson, whose hair had been pulled, was left in tears, Bompastor said.
Katie McCabe said she was ‘genuinely reaching for the shirt’ and didn’t mean to pull Thompson’s hair (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
“I think the intention is clear,” Bompastor added, before the former Lyon coach reeled off a series of four or five incidents that had gone against just Chelsea, or against her, or both, in the Champions League.
Bompastor raged at the referee while McCabe protested her innocence (Getty Images)
Right to the end, this was wonderful chaos; and a result to bolster Arsenal’s belief that this could be their year again. Sleger’s side may have lost their run of 11 consecutive in all competitions but they emerged from this bruising affair with their title defence intact after a resilient defensive effort. They will either face Lyon, in a possible rematch of last season’s semi-finals, or Wolfsburg for a chance at returning to the final they won last year against Barcelona in Lisbon.
“Champions of Europe” was the cry from the away end at Stamford Bridge and it is no secret that Arsenal almost ghosted in last season to capture the one trophy Chelsea want to win above all others. Chelsea had suffered three consecutive semi-final exits to Barcelona in this competition but a quarter-final exit to their London rivals will hurt more. Chelsea will also be relinquishing their Women’s Super League crown after six straight titles to Manchester City in the next few weeks.
They appeared a sad imitation of last season’s team, which confidently overturned a 2-0 first-leg defeat to swat Manchester City aside at Stamford Bridge in last year’s Champions League quarter-finals. The reality of a transitional year, which perhaps was always to be expected following the departure of Emma Hayes, and which may have been somewhat covered up by last season’s unbeaten domestic treble, is now painfully clear. “The reality is the season is not where we want it to be,” Bompastor admitted.
A brilliant performance from Daphne van Domselaar was key to Arsenal’s progress (Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Chelsea had enough chances to have cancelled out Arsenal’s lead. “The story of our season, we missed the clinical element,” Bompastor accepted. In the first half, Nusken and Thompson turned wide as Ellie Carpenter caused a threat down the right and James pulled the strings in midfield. When Chelsea spurned those opportunities, James started to drop deeper and deeper, the frustration rising as Chelsea became even more disconnected. Sam Kerr was denied a vintage strike by Van Domselaar, who brilliantly tipped over her shot from the edge of the box after she had been released with a long pass over the top.
Bompastor turned and began to laugh when Van Domselaar later tipped Nusken’s header onto the post, the second time Chelsea had struck the frame of the goal in their late siege. It was evidently not going to be their night, but Nusken gave Chelsea some hope when the German finally finished one of their chances by slamming in Kerr’s cut-back in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Then came McCabe’s hair-pull, and the most explosive of exits.
It has been almost three years since Errol Spence Jr stepped through the ropes, but a summer return against Australia’s Tim Tszyu seems to be gathering pace.
Spence was handed the first defeat of his career back in 2023 by Terence Crawford, who became the undisputed welterweight world champion that night. Despite many feeling that it was a pick ’em fight beforehand, Crawford won handily, dropping Spence three times before scoring a TKO in the ninth.
After a lengthy lay-off and persistent rumours of a return, Spence reportedly has ‘a done deal’ with Tszyu provided the Aussie comes through Denis Nurja this weekend in Wollongong.
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Speaking to Fight Hub TV, Crawford praised Tszyu’s campaign so far.
“Tim Tszyu [has] had a great career, it’s still going. He’s accomplished a lot for what his experience entails. His fight this weekend – I don’t know too much about the opponent other than he’s undefeated. Will he be back on top and become a champion again? I can’t say he won’t, I can’t say he will. We just got to wait and see.”
“I think Spence beats him. At this point in both of their careers, I think he beats him.”
Fans will hope to see a reinvigorated Spence, particularly since he will be returning at 154lbs after cutting to the welterweight limit of 147 for so long. However, questions remain over what he has left in the tank following various injuries – not least a serious car accident.
Arsenal captain Kim Little says she believes her side are “getting better and better” as they reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League, after beating Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate to close in on successfully defending their title.
Former NHL player J.T. Brown’s wife Lexi LaFleur is calling for immediate action after a video surfaced online showing a group of Dallas Stars fans performing Nazi salutes during a game.
The incident reportedly happened on Dec. 21, 2025, when the Stars faced the Toronto Maple Leafs at American Airlines Center in Dallas, ultimately winning 5-1. According to a Reddit post that has since gone viral, a fan who attended the game recorded a group of young men sitting in front of them doing a Nazi salute “every time the stars scored.”
“I was at the Stars game on December 21 and these boys were sitting in front of us doing a Nazi salute every time the stars scored,” the original poster wrote. “I’ve been to several games and never seen anything like this before. I recorded them and sent it to arena management, but they said they couldn’t find the boys despite me giving them their exact seat numbers.”
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LaFleur Brown quote-tweeted the post reshared on X with a strong message:
“Lifetime ban from all NHL arenas immediately. It’s literally in the NHL Fan Code of Conduct. If you ever see behavior like this at a game, alert staff. Unacceptable.”
In her follow-up comments, she attached a link to the NHL Fan Code of Conduct which explicitly prohibits such behavior.
Lexi LaFleur looks back on her days of playing on the boys’ team as a child
Lexi LaFleur herself has played junior hockey throughout school. Last week, LaFleur posted a photo from her elementary school yearbook on X revealing a childhood dream that has taken on new meaning in light of recent success of the PWHL.
“Crying over my elementary school yearbook in which I wrote ‘when I grow up I want to play in the NHL’ because now little girls get to dream of playing in the PWHL,” she wrote.
But her path to hockey wasn’t without obstacles. In a viral TikTok video that has garnered over 1 million views, LaFleur Brown shared her first experience with toxic masculinity in hockey at just 10 years old when several boys on her youth peewee hockey team voted to have her removed with the help of a parent.
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“It lit a fire under my ass that has fueled me for the rest of my life,” Brown said in the video. “My love for hockey is bigger and greater than anybody’s ability to hate me.” [H/T Glamour magazine]
Following the recent controversy involving President Donald Trump’s phone call to the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team, she has been among those calling for greater respect for women in sports.
“It’s sad that fans are new to this and that was kind of their first hockey heartbreak,” LaFleur Brown said in response to the controversy. “I have seen people say, ‘That’s it, I’m just gonna support the PWHL.’ I think that’s great too. There are other ways to love hockey than to just support the NHL.”
The incident occurred when Trump called the men’s gold medal-winning team and joked that he would “have to” invite the women’s team to the State of the Union or risk being impeached. The comment drew rancorous laughter from players in the locker room.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has established himself as a fan favorite during his legendary stint with the team. Cincinnati Bearcats men’s basketball team’s new coach, Jerrod Calhoun, is among the fans rooting for the Chiefs’ tight end.
During Wednesday’s episode of the “New Heights” podcast, Jason and Travis talked to Calhoun during a segment. The reigning MW Coach of the Year shared that fellow Ohio native Donald D’Alesio influenced his fandom for the Chiefs.
Thanks for the submission!
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“I was very close with Donald D’Alesio, so we became die-hard Chiefs fans, man, we flew out every year with a group of Youngstown guys. And, you know, the Phantom fireworks guys and all those guys,” Calhoun said (Timestamp- 1:20:00 onwards).
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“I was born in East Liverpool, but I grew up in Cleveland. I’m a Cleveland guy, but I spent seven years at Youngstown. Jim Tressel was a huge mentor of mine, and you know, so I’ve had a lot of good guys help me along the way.”
D’Alesio served as the Chiefs’ defensive assistant in 2021 and was promoted to the safeties coach the following year. He was hired by the New York Giants as their new secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator in January.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa suffered a major setback in his campaign, going down to Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan in the third round of the FIDE Candidates Tournament here on Tuesday.
The defeat with the white pieces could prove costly for Praggnanandhaa, who had begun his campaign on a high by defeating Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri, leaving the Indian on 1.5 points after the setback and in urgent need of a quick recovery.
Apart from Sindarov, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana — the pre-tournament favourite — defeated Wei Yi of China in one of the strangest games of the opening three rounds, with Caruana and Sindarov sharing the lead on 2.5 points apiece.
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They are followed by Praggnanandhaa on 1.5, while Matthias Bluebaum, Andrey Esipenko, Hikaru Nakamura and Giri are tied for fourth on one point each. Wei Yi sits at the bottom on half a point in the eight-player double round-robin event with 11 rounds still to be played.
For Praggnanandhaa, it was a heartbreak after a rousing start, as with the white pieces he faced a Queen’s Gambit Declined and, on another day, it could well have been a straightforward draw had he not pushed to play decisively.
Sindarov, the youngest-ever World Cup winner, has emerged as a fierce competitor against the world elite over the past year, and on Tuesday was no different as the Uzbek seized his chances in the middle game, sacrificing a piece to dismantle white’s initiative early on.
Praggnanandhaa was pushed onto the back foot as the pressure mounted, and a series of errors in the later stages of the middle game proved costly for the Indian.
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Caruana secured a win that few expected to end so swiftly, as the game began with an English Opening and initially promised a complex battle, but Wei Yi found himself out of preparation early on, allowing the American to seize control, trap a bishop with resourceful play and wrap up the contest in just 19 moves.
In the women’s event being held simultaneously, the ice was finally broken by Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan who scored the first victory of the event at the expense of Zhu Jiner of China.
India’s R Vaishali kept herself in the hunt drawing with Anna Muzychuk in an uneventful game but women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh was on the brink of a defeat against Aleksandra Goryachkina of Russia.
In the other game of the day, favourite Tan Zhongyi of China also suffered a setback against seasoned Kateryna Lagno of Russia.
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The Candidates is played to determine the challenger for the next world championship match.
In the open section, the winner will face D Gukesh while in the women’s the champion will have a showdown with Ju Wenjun of China.
Results (Round 3) Open: Fabiano Caruana (USA, 2.5) beat Wei Yi (Chn, 0.5); R Praggnanandhaa (1.5) lost to Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 2.5); Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 1) drew with Anish Giri (Ned, 1); Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 1) drew with Andrey Esipenko (Rus, 1).
Women (Round 3): Tan Zhongyi (Chn, 1) lost to Kateryna Lagno (Rus, 2); Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 2) beat Zhu Jiner (Chn, 1); R Vaishali (Ind, 1.5) drew with Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 1.5); Aleksandra Goryachkina (Rus, 1) playing Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 1).
Four-time world champions Italy have done the almost unimaginable. Flash back to 2006, when the Azzurri lifted their fourth World Cup, beating a legendary France side in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Fast forward to 2026, and penalties have again sealed their fate. Italy failed to qualify for their third consecutive FIFA World Cup, becoming the first former champion to miss three back-to-back editions of the tournament.
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Even the largest-ever World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, could not accommodate the storied Azzurri. A nation that once defined footballing excellence now finds itself absent from the world’s biggest stage.
A Night of Pain and Despair
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Coach Gennaro Gattuso, a warrior on the pitch in his playing days, wore a mask of defiance while consoling his devastated squad. Players huddled on the turf, some with heads buried in their shirts, others staring blankly, unable to process the collapse. For Gattuso, who had contained legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the defeat was a heavy personal burden. Though he may have maintained composure publicly, the private anguish in the dressing room would have been immense.
This was more than a sporting loss; it was a blow to Italian football’s identity. While previous failures in 2018 and 2022 were painful, this third miss sent a clear message: Italy is no longer the football powerhouse it once was. Euro 2020 now looks like an exception rather than a revival, and the rot within the domestic system, declining league standards, lack of elite talent development, and migration of young prospects to foreign leagues, has finally manifested on the global stage.
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Bosnia’s Masterclass
Italy’s defensive frailties were brutally exposed. Bosnia dominated possession, completing 723 passes to Italy’s 420, and outshot the Azzurri 31-9, with 11 on target. Physical and tactical superiority allowed Bosnia to exploit every crack in Italy’s defense. Even a momentary lapse by Alessandro Bastoni led to a critical red card situation, emphasizing that much of Italy’s failure was self-inflicted. The legendary defensive rigidity of the past seemed like a distant memory.
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Structural Failures Beyond the Pitch
Italy’s woes are deeper than a single match. Serie A no longer attracts top global talent, with elite players preferring leagues in England, Germany, or Portugal. Only one Italian club has won the Champions League in nearly three decades. The pipeline of young talent is drying up, and the league’s decline mirrors the national team’s struggles.
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A Glimmer of Hope
Despite the calamity, hope remains in Italy’s managerial talent. Coaches like Roberto De Zerbi have thrived abroad, and figures like Carlo Ancelotti could play a pivotal role in reviving the national team. Tactical innovation exists; what is missing is systemic reform and a commitment to rebuilding a footballing legacy.
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Italy’s absence from the 48-team World Cup edition is more than a statistical anomaly, it’s a wake-up call.
Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs (Image Credit: IPL)
Sameer Rizvi announced himself in style, producing a composed and match-winning unbeaten 70 to guide Delhi Capitals to a comfortable six-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants in Match 5 of IPL 2026. Walking in under pressure with Delhi reeling at 26 for 4 in a modest chase of 142, Rizvi showcased maturity beyond his years. Alongside Tristan Stubbs, he stitched together an unbeaten 119-run partnership that completely turned the game on its head and sealed the chase in just 17.1 overs.Calm under pressure: Rizvi’s maturity shines throughRizvi revealed after the match that clarity in role and backing from the team management played a key part in his performance.“The coaches backed me to bat at number four this season. I just tried to play according to the situation,” he said.Initially looking to play positively, Rizvi had to quickly reassess after Delhi lost wickets in a cluster.”But as soon as in the next over, two wickets fell, the situation changed completely. So I tried to talk to Stubbs. He said, let’s take a little time. There are a lot of overs left and the run rate is also down. We should respect the conditions, so we talked and decided that we would play our game. Not only after reaching fifty, but I tried to put the loose delivery away and that was my plan throughout the innings,” Rizvi concluded.
Partnership that changed the game
The Rizvi–Stubbs stand of 119* not only rescued Delhi from a collapse but also etched itself into IPL history. It is the second-highest partnership after a team was four down for under 30 runs, only behind the 134* stand between Yusuf Pathan and Shakib Al Hasan for KKR in 2016.It also became Delhi Capitals’ highest partnership for the fifth wicket or lower, surpassing the previous best of 111*.Stubbs played the perfect supporting role with an unbeaten 39, ensuring there was no further damage while Rizvi gradually shifted gears.Tristan Stubbs reflects on his partnership with Sameer Rizvi, ” Yeah, we kept saying, keep batting normally, keep looking to score. I think the way Sameer plays naturally just against the spin, takes it on, so it made my job a bit easier. Just knock it around, get him on strike. And we always knew it was one over, and then it was down to run a ball, and then take the game away, the shots you need, and yeah, fortunately we got it there. We said at the start of the over, let’s see if it’s spinning. And I think the first three balls went for like 12 or something. ”
Axar backs bowlers and young talent
Delhi skipper Axar Patel credited both the bowlers and the match-winning partnership for the victory.“The new ball was doing a bit. We told our bowlers to exploit that, and they did really well. The key was building one big partnership in the chase, and Rizvi and Stubbs executed it perfectly.”Axar also highlighted the team’s strategy during the innings break.“During the strategic time-out, the message was clear, we were just one partnership away from taking control, the plan was to bring in Rizvi early. He’s been excellent in practice, and it’s great to see him deliver.” Axar added.
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