A major WWE star believes Jacob Fatu is going to defeat Roman Reigns at Clash in Italy this weekend. Reigns will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Fatu in a Tribal Combat match at the PLE this Sunday.
Speaking on ESPN’s Get Up, Cody Rhodes made a bold prediction for the World Heavyweight Championship match at Clash in Italy. Rhodes noted that a Tribal Combat match was similar to a Street Fight, and suggested that the stipulation favored Jacob Fatu.
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The former AEW star predicted that The Samoan Werewolf would defeat Roman Reigns and become the new World Heavyweight Champion at Clash in Italy this weekend.
“Well, that’s a Tribal Combat match, which is another way of saying a good old-fashioned street fight, which I think behooves Jacob Fatu. I think Jacob Fatu is going to beat Roman Reigns, which will be huge,” he said. (H/T: Fightful on X)
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You can check out the full interview in the video below:
Rhodes is also scheduled to compete at Clash in Italy. The American Nightmare will be defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Gunther at the PLE this Sunday.
WWE Hall of Famer questions Roman Reigns’ booking
Wrestling legend Bully Ray was not happy with Roman Reigns’ booking at WWE Backlash earlier this month.
The Head of the Table defeated Jacob Fatu to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. During the match, Reigns powered out of the Tongan Death Grip before emerging victorious.
“I don’t think Roman Reigns should’ve hulked up out of the Tongan Death Grip. That’s the one part of the match where I was like, ‘Uh uh. This doesn’t work for me.’ There is no hulking up out of a Tongan Death Grip. There is no hulking up out of having your Adam’s Apple crushed in another human being’s hands,” he said.
Bully Ray slams Roman Reigns’ Tongan Death Grip escape at Backlash! 😱👇
It will be fascinating to see if Fatu can pull off the upset and defeat The Tribal Chief at WWE Clash in Italy to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.
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Fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi once again left the cricketing world stunned after his breathtaking 97 off just 29 balls helped Rajasthan Royals knock out Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 Eliminator. The teenage sensation smashed 12 sixes during a jaw-dropping innings that nearly saw him break Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest century in IPL history. But despite the records, milestones and Player of the Match award, Sooryavanshi insisted his focus remains firmly on helping Rajasthan Royals win the trophy. Speaking after the match, the young opener revealed that he prefers not to overthink situations and instead focuses only on playing the game in front of him. “(Do you celebrate the happiness or is it more like ‘what’s gone is gone, now think ahead’?) When we win, we just take the positive intent forward and move on to the next match. And we try to win the next match in the same way and reach the finals.” Even after producing one of the greatest innings ever seen in an IPL playoff match, Sooryavanshi admitted he keeps his thinking simple before games. “(What’s your mindset going into the next game?) I do think a little bit, but not too much. I just try to play the game I’m in and not overthink. But if I feel there’s something I need to work on, then I look at that.” The RR opener also opened up on the amount of preparation that goes into his fearless batting approach. Despite only being 15, Sooryavanshi explained that he carefully studies opposition bowlers, the pitch and boundary dimensions before going out to bat. “(Tell us about your preparation before the match.) I just think about who the bowlers are in the opposition team, how I can face them on this wicket, how big the boundaries are, just these kinds of things. I just try to stay positive with my intent. When I do that, the bowlers stay under pressure. So I try to continue that and dominate the game.” That positive intent completely overwhelmed the SRH bowling attack in Mullanpur. On a true batting surface, Sooryavanshi toyed with the likes of Pat Cummins and repeatedly launched the ball into the stands as the Australian captain and his leadership group desperately searched for answers. Anything pitched full was smashed straight back over the bowler’s head, while short deliveries disappeared over third man and fine leg with astonishing ease. The teenager eventually fell for 97 after getting caught at third man off Praful Hinge, narrowly missing out on what could have been the fastest century in IPL history. However, Sooryavanshi revealed after the match that he was not even aware of the record during his innings. “(On the ball he was dismissed, was he aware about the record?) I found out only after I got out. At that time, my only focus was to contribute as much as I could because centuries will keep happening, but right now the focus is on how to win the trophy.” The youngster also explained that he prefers concentrating on his own plans rather than worrying about what the opposition might be trying to do against him. “If I feel I’m having trouble somewhere, I work on that. I don’t think about what the opposition is planning, that’s their plan. I focus on what my plan is, and I just try to play normal cricket.” Even without the century, Sooryavanshi’s innings rewrote IPL history. He broke Gayle’s 14-year-old record for the most sixes in a single IPL season and now has a staggering 65 maximums in IPL 2026. At just 15 years old, Sooryavanshi continues to produce innings that feel almost impossible, yet the teenager himself remains remarkably calm, grounded and entirely focused on winning matches for Rajasthan Royals.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said earlier this offseason that Shemar Stewart‘s development is a “priority” for the team.
The Bengals drafted Stewart in the first round in 2205, but his rookie season was marred by missed time, because of a contract dispute, as well as injuries. He had a lingering ankle injury early in the season and a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Week 9.
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He appeared in eight games with six tackles and a sack.
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“Last year I would go out there, and I’m saying, ‘I somewhat know what I need to do, but I’m not 100 percent sure,’” Stewart said this week, via Jay Morrison of SI.com. “And then I go out there and I overthink. Then I don’t make a play. Then it’s just a whole lot of things because I’m just too up in here.”
Stewart has formed a close relationship with defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery, which he thinks will help in his development.
“I think I got my first ‘good job,’ from Jerry,” Stewart said. “That’s my guy. He never gave up on me. Always held me close even though when I wasn’t performing good, he always stood by me.”
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Stewart does not project as a starter for the Bengals with free-agent signee Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy expected to hold those spots. But the Bengals still have big expectations for Stewart.
“I’ve still got a lot of work to do, but I’m so excited to play with these guys,” Stewart said. “We got two monsters added to the room, so I can’t wait to see how this year turns out.”
Great pitch shots combine proper technique, consistent contact and confidence. Many golfers struggle with pitching because they either fear hitting the ground or try to help the ball into the air. In reality, solid pitch shots come from allowing the club’s bounce and loft to do the work naturally. By improving your setup, controlling distance correctly, and practicing with purpose, you can develop a more reliable short game and create the soft, controlled shots that help lower scores.
1. Have a perfect setup
A proper setup helps ensure the bounce of the club glides through the ground correctly. The great news is that when the club moves properly through impact, there is no reason to fear hitting the ground. When the club constantly digs, golfers often become hesitant to strike the turf, which makes it difficult to hit high, soft pitch shots that stop quickly.
Set up with the club centered in your body so the clubhead sits in the middle of your heels. Keep the end of the grip pointing toward the center of your body to avoid excessive shaft lean and de-lofting the clubface.
2. Allow the club to do the work
Allowing the bottom of the club to interact with the ground naturally lets the loft of the club do the work. This helps the ball make clean contact with the lofted part of the face. Avoid the urge to try to lift or scoop the ball into the air.
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One of my favorite drills for this is the “scrape drill.” From your setup position, make no backswing and simply scrape the club along the ground through to the finish. This reinforces the feeling that the club should contact the ground and continue moving through it, helping you avoid scooping or lifting incorrectly.
3. Know how to control distance
Avoid trying to force speed or distance when you need a longer shot. Instead, simply adjust the length of your backswing and allow the club’s speed to change naturally.
A shorter backswing creates less speed and therefore less carry distance. As the backswing becomes longer, the potential speed and distance increase automatically. The more consistent your setup and preparation become, the more reliable your results will be over time.
4. Calibrate your landing spot
I am a big believer in calibrating your short game, especially pitch shots, because landing distance is often critical. In many cases, pitch shots are required to carry over hazards or obstacles, making precise distance control extremely important.
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You can improve this skill by calibrating and charting your carry distances in 10-yard increments. Record which club and swing length produce each distance. If you would like to learn how to calibrate your entire short game, I have created a course designed to help you build consistency and lower your scores.
5. Build confidence with perfect lies
To build confidence, it can be helpful to begin practicing pitch shots from slightly longer grass. Longer grass makes it easier to get the ball into the air and provides a bit more margin for error.
Padraig Harrington is talking about the don’ts of golf, and he admits that’s strange, though there certainly are don’ts.
It’s just the word itself.
“I’m normally a very positive person,” he said.
Still, Harrington was ready for what he called “the mega lesson of don’ts.” The thoughts came in a recently posted video to the three-time major winner’s YouTube channel, which has become an instruction must-visit, and his latest post is a must-watch, despite that un-positive vibe. You can view it below, and below that are some comments.
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Padraig Harrington’s don’ts of the golf swing
Don’t keep your head down
You’ve heard this one. But it needs to be repeated. “By all means, keep an eye on the ball,” Harrington said in the video, “but your head is nice and relaxed. It doesn’t tuck down onto your chest. For most people, it will rotate a little bit in the backswing, and certainly in the follow-through, it will come up to a high position. … Your head must move.”
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Don’t keep your feel still or locked to the ground
During the swing, Harrington wants to avoid a set position. “You can create no speed, no power; you’ll go offline,” he said in the video. “Your feet should move at address … and then move back and forth. So simply little stepping. That’s why we do all these stepping drills. You’ve got to move your feet if you’re going to hit the golf ball.”
Don’t stay down during the swing
Harrington said this is “nearly sacrilege.” “So when you hit the golf ball, you must pop up to hit the golf ball. … OK, so our chest is somewhat staying down, but everything else is coming up. You pop up on the left-hand side. … So, we’ve got to make sure that you do that natural thing. Keep an eye on the ball, but make sure you’re jumping up with those legs. You can keep an eye on the ball, but make sure you’re accelerating up.”
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Don’t swing slowly
Your backswing, Harrington said, should be set “at your natural rhythm, whatever that is.” “Some people will be quick, some people will be relatively slow,” he said in the video. “What we do know is that professional golfers, I think, swing three times quicker than amateurs in the backswing. So, the backswing is quite for a natural rhythm at that sort of pace. … So, nice speed to it.”
Don’t swing easy
At times, you will, though, Harrington said. “But you must practice swinging as fast as you can sometimes and then tone it down to play,” he said in the video. “Not tone it down every shot because there’ll be some open drives where you should go flat-out. But in general, do not swing slow and easy. Swing hard and fast some of the time in order that you can swing at a comfortable 90 percent and keep your rhythm.”
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Don’t cast
“You’ve got to release the club with your hands as much as you can,” Harrington said in the video. “So absolutely throw that club like you’re going to throw it down the range. … People who cast — and this is like everything else in golf, it’s nearly the opposite — so people who cast put no pressure on the grip at this point and then the force of the club gets thrown out and they lose all their speed and power and strike. … So release the club as hard as you can with your hands from the top of the backswing.”
Don’t spin
“So a bad thought is turning your hips when they’re not connected to anything because that generally brings the hands with it, causing you to swipe across the ball and hit a slice,” Harrington said in the video. “Do not rotate your body. At impact, your shoulders are going to be close to square, maybe 10 degrees open. Your torso would be 30 and maybe your hips 45. … We don’t try and rotate. What we actually do is we push. We push. So, we go down into the left side. And as we’re springing up, we push from the ground, which pushes our hip back, which opens this up, our body stays reasonably square at impact. So don’t think turning is not going to add anything and is usually counterproductive. If you have to think about that, you push your way out by getting on the left side and pushing.”
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Can Harrington describe what to do?
He could.
“if you finish your golf swing, post it up on your left leg with the left leg straight, your chest up and high, slight little bit of arch, your right shoulder closest to the target, your head up in the air like that, you’ll probably have done all those other things correctly,” Harrington said in the video. “But remember, avoid the don’ts and try and get that lovely pose at the end and you’ll be doing everything — you’ll be doing it well enough to be a good golfer.”
Novak Djokovic extended his latest bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title with a four-set victory over Valentin Royer in the French Open second round on Wednesday, but women’s second seed Elena Rybakina crashed out of the tournament.
Elsewhere, four-time champion Iga Swiatek and Elina Svitolina both eased into the last 32 with straight-sets wins.
Djokovic had to come from a set down in his opening match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and was pushed hard again by another Frenchman in Royer, before finally sealing a 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (7/9), 6-3 win after three and three-quarter hours on Court Philippe Chatrier.
“I hope I won’t play any more French players for the rest of the tournament,” said the third seed, who has been tied on 24 Grand Slam titles with Margaret Court since winning the 2023 US Open, with a wry smile.
Djokovic, who beat world number one Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open last four earlier this year, cannot meet the red-hot title favourite until the final at Roland Garros.
Djokovic powered through the first two sets, although world number 74 Royer, born just 5km from Roland Garros, showed much more resistance in the third before extending the match in a brilliant tie-break.
The Serb, who twice failed to consolidate breaks of serve in the third set, made no such mistake in the fourth as he belatedly booked his place in the next round on his fifth match point.
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Rising Spanish star Rafael Jodar reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, seeing off James Duckworth 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 7-5.
‘Insane’ to play in heat wave
Jakub Mensik said it was “insane” to play a marathon match at the French Open in temperatures above 30C on Wednesday, after collapsing with cramp on court immediately after securing victory over Mariano Navone.
The 20-year-old Czech player needed eight match points to win 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (13/11) after four hours and 41 minutes on court 6, completely exposed to the sun.
“It’s insane to play in this weather, especially in front of the sun, to be there for more than four and a half hours, it’s just insane,” Mensik told reporters.
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“Even with the breaks, you don’t have that much time, the ball boy can’t bring you a towel.
“During the changeover you have just one minute, which obviously by when you sit, it’s already just 30 seconds, so there’s not much time to cool yourself down.”
Finalist in Rome and semi-finalist in Geneva, Casper Ruud suffered from heatstroke and a host of missed match points in the third set to escape in five sets from the clutches of Russian Roman Safiullin.
The Norwegian, a two-time finalist at Roland Garros, is set to play Serbian Hamad Medjedovic next.
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Rybakina stunned by Starodubtseva
Australian Open champion Rybakina blew a one-set lead to exit in dramatic fashion, slumping to a 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (10/4) loss to Ukraine‘s Yuliia Starodubtseva.
It is Rybakina’s earliest departure from any tour-level tournament since the 2025 Miami Open and first defeat in the opening two rounds of a major since the 2024 Australian Open.
“I couldn’t find the balance. I couldn’t find the right shot, and it was clearly just too many mistakes,” said the Kazakh world number two.
Starodubtseva will face China‘s Wang Xiyu for a place in the last 16.
She has already matched her previous best run at a Grand Slam event, when she lost to Jasmine Paolini in the French Open third round as a lucky loser 12 months ago.
“Honestly, hard to describe, I’m super happy,” said world number 55 Starodubtseva after beating a top-10 opponent for the first time in her career.
“I’m super proud of myself that I was able to do this today. It was a tricky third set but I got it done in the end.”
Swiatek, Svitolina through
Swiatek, looking to regain the title she last won in 2024, saw off battling Czech youngster Sara Bejlek 6-2, 6-3 on Court Philippe Chatrier.
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The third-seeded Pole will next face compatriot Magda Linette, who beat former winner Jelena Ostapenko in three sets, as she bids to preserve her record of having always reached the second week at Roland Garros.
“Usually the weather is quite different here, but it doesn’t matter,” said Swiatek after spending 93 minutes on court on another boiling hot day in Paris.
Swiatek is playing at a first Grand Slam tournament since linking up with Rafael Nadal‘s former coach Francisco Roig.
Svitolina, who beat Swiatek en route to the Rome title, beat world number 126 Kaitlin Quevedo 6-0, 6-4.
The Ukrainian seventh seed ended an eight-year wait for her fifth WTA 1000 trophy at the Italian Open to underline her credentials as a contender in Paris.
She struggled through her first-round tie, edging out Hungary‘s Anna Bondar in a deciding-set tie-break on Monday, before watching her husband Gael Monfils’ final French Open match in the night session.
But Svitolina raced out of the blocks this time, quickly taking control against Quevedo.
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The Spaniard competed better in the second set until a break in the ninth game helped Svitolina wrap up victory.
Svitolina, who reached her fourth career Slam semi-final earlier this year at the Australian Open, will next play Germany‘s Tamara Korpatsch.
Zverev cruises into French Open third round
Alexander Zverev continued his bid for a maiden Grand Slam title with a comfortable victory over ailing Czech Tomas Machac in the French Open second round.
The German second seed will face home player Quentin Halys on Friday for a place in the second week at Roland Garros after a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win in the night session match on Court Philippe Chatrier.
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“I’m happy where I am, I’m feeling confident in my game and moving forward, looking forward to hopefully being back on this court,” said Zverev.
Machac, the world number 43, struggled with his movement and took a lengthy medical time-out in the second set for treatment to his left foot.
“I thought for one and a half sets it was an amazing level … unfortunately the injury stopped the match flow a little bit,” added Zverev. “I’m happy to finish it in three sets.”
Zverev took full advantage with a dominant display, saving the only break point he faced as he dismantled Machac in just an hour and 48 minutes.
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The world number three has come closest to breaking his major duck in Paris, reaching at least the quarter-finals in each of the past five years, suffering a five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the 2024 final.
There was certainly some surprise when England boss Tuchel opted to leave Wharton out of his 26-man squad heading to the World Cup.
Palace may have not had a great domestic season given they finished 15th in the Premier League and went out of the FA Cup against non-League Macclesfield – but they have now won a European trophy and Wharton was hugely influential in that.
This Conference League final performance was another reason to be wondering why Wharton is not on the plane.
The decision to pick Brentford midfielder Henderson at the age of 35 over the 22-year-old Wharton may be the most eye-catching and surprising selection.
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Henderson has obviously been picked for his experience but Wharton would probably have more to give on the pitch if you compare not only their performances this season but also last term.
“I understand why the manager has taken Henderson but for me if he is going to do that kind of job, take him as a coach,” said Hoddle. “Take him as a player-coach if you like but I think there was a spot there for Wharton.”
The re-emergence of Mainoo at Manchester United has also not helped Wharton given the Palace midfielder was in Tuchel’s squads for the last two international breaks and featured in qualifiers against Serbia and Albania before a friendly appearance against Uruguay in March.
Mainoo, given he was being frozen out at Old Trafford by Ruben Amorim for the first half of the season, was not involved under Tuchel until the March friendlies and now has won his way into favour.
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Both were at Euro 2024 but Wharton never got on the pitch while Mainoo started all four knockout games, including the final.
Arsenal‘s Declan Rice is surely one of the first names on the team-sheet and Elliot Anderson is expected to partner him while Tuchel also has Bellingham, Eze and Rogers as midfield options.
It certainly feels a very harsh decision to leave someone like Wharton at home, even if Tuchel has many choices in the position.
Floyd Schofield’s long-awaited WBA lightweight world title shot looks like it could come against Gervonta Davis, and now fan-favourite three-division champion James Toney has shared his thoughts on the proposed fight.
As a result, ‘Tank’, who is currently named as the WBA’s ‘champion-in-recess’, has the opportunity to regain full status as a lightweight world champion if he agrees to take on ‘Kid Austin’ upon his return. If he doesn’t, he will lose his status as a champion.
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Speaking to MillCity Boxing, ‘Lights Out’ Toney dismissed the chances of Schofield causing Davis any problems, believing that their potential meeting would end similarly to Davis’ June 2024 knockout of Frank Martin – which remains the Baltimore knockout artist’s most recent victory.
“That kid is not ready. He will get knocked out.”
“[I see] nothing [in Floyd Schofield]. He is a good fighter for the lesser fighters, but when he steps up to Tank’s level, it will be something different. He will be like Frank Martin.”
‘Tank’s comeback is anticipated to take place in September, with 23-year-old Schofield hoping to overcome inactivity of his own – having fought in just one round since 2024 – and hand Davis a first career defeat as a professional to become boxing’s third youngest male world champion.
Arsenal demand £20m for Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City prioritise move for Elliot Anderson and RB Leipzig adamant Liverpool target Yan Diomande is going nowhere.
But City have no interest in signing Chelsea‘s wantaway Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 25. (Sky Sports), external
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RB Leipzig are adamant Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, 19, who is a target for Liverpool,is going nowhere this summer after the German club qualified for next season’s Champions League. (Mirror), external
Liverpool want to keep Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker for another season, leaving a summer deal for the 33-year-old to join Juventus in doubt. (Gianluca Di Marzio), external
Oscar Mingueza, 27, wants a Premier League move this summer, with Aston Villa and Newcastle among the clubs tracking the Celta Vigo and Spain defender, who is set to become a free agent. (Sky Sports), external
Rajasthan Royals stormed into Qualifier 2 of IPL 2026 after beating Sunrisers Hyderabad by 47 runs in the Eliminator on Wednesday. The night belonged to 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, whose 97 off just 29 balls put RR in complete control of the contest. Chasing a place in Qualifier 2, Rajasthan Royals first piled up 243 for eight after Sooryavanshi tore apart the SRH bowling attack in one of the most destructive knocks of the season. The youngster smashed 12 sixes and came within touching distance of Chris Gayle’s record for the fastest IPL hundred. Gayle had reached his century in 30 balls, while Sooryavanshi fell for 97 after facing only 29 deliveries. The left-hander attacked from the start and left Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins searching for answers. Anything full disappeared straight down the ground, while short balls were cut and pulled into the stands. Sooryavanshi reached his fifty in just 16 balls, with eight of those deliveries going for sixes. His opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal mostly watched from the other end and scored 29 off 29 balls. By the time Sooryavanshi was dismissed by Praful Hinge in the eighth over, Rajasthan Royals had already raced to 125 in just eight overs. The teenager also broke Chris Gayle’s record for the most sixes in a single IPL season. He now has 65 sixes this season, going past Gayle’s tally of 59. Dhruv Jurel then carried the innings forward with a quick 50 off 21 balls, his sixth half-century of the season. Rajasthan Royals looked set for an even bigger total at 180 for two in 13 overs, but Sunrisers Hyderabad fought back in the death overs. SRH picked up five wickets for 36 runs in the final five overs to stop RR from crossing the 260-run mark. Still, the damage had already been done. Pat Cummins finished with expensive figures of 0 for 64 in four overs. Sakib Hussain gave away 49 runs in three overs, while Praful Hinge took three wickets but conceded 54 runs. Eshan Malinga also struggled, while wrist spinner Shivang Kumar impressed and picked up the wicket of Jaiswal. In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad never truly recovered after losing wickets in the powerplay. Jofra Archer struck key blows in the powerplay and removed Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Travis Head. Archer’s final figures read 4-0-58-3. Though he leaked runs later in the innings, his wickets of SRH’s biggest match-winners proved decisive. Ishan Kishan made 33 while Nitish Kumar Reddy scored 38 to keep SRH in the chase briefly. Salil Arora added 35, but wickets kept falling at regular intervals. Heinrich Klaasen also failed to make an impact and was trapped lbw by Yash Raj Punja while trying an attacking shot. The lower-middle order tried to counterattack, but the target proved too big. Sunrisers Hyderabad were eventually bowled out for 196 in 19.2 overs. Rajasthan Royals will now face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Friday for a place in the IPL 2026 final.
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the winning goal as Crystal Palace defeated Rayo Vallecano to win the UEFA Conference League final and claim the club’s first European title.
The French striker reacted quickest to finish from close range early in the second half after Adam Wharton’s shot was pushed into his path by goalkeeper Augusto Batalla at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
The victory marked another major achievement for Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who is set to leave the club after guiding the Eagles to the FA Cup, Community Shield and now the Conference League during an impressive spell in charge.
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Both sides were playing in a European final for the first time, and chances were limited in a cautious first half. Alemao missed an opening for Rayo, while Unai Lopez also fired wide for the Spanish side.
Palace came close just before half-time when Tyrick Mitchell headed off target from Wharton’s excellent delivery into the penalty area.
The breakthrough arrived six minutes after the restart when Wharton’s effort was saved by Batalla, but Mateta was perfectly positioned to score the rebound for his 16th goal of the season.
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The striker nearly joined AC Milan in January before a knee injury stopped the transfer, and he once again proved his importance with the decisive goal.
Rayo pushed for an equaliser late on, with Yeremy Pino striking both posts from a free-kick, but Palace stayed organised defensively and held on to secure a famous victory.
The triumph also guarantees Europa League football for Palace next season after a difficult campaign in which they finished 15th in the Premier League and suffered an early FA Cup exit.
Glasner’s impact at Selhurst Park has been remarkable, especially in helping Mateta rediscover his best form. Since the Austrian coach arrived in 2024, the forward has become one of Palace’s key players and continued his fine scoring run on the biggest stage.
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