India pacer Harshit Rana said that he was relieved to be back in the national setup after spending five months on the sidelines with a knee injury, admitting the prolonged absence from cricket was the toughest phase of his career. “For me, especially, it was very difficult. Because as a kid, my dream was to play in the World Cup. And India had won, so I missed out on that. But I had five months. I mean, I’ve been away for five months. But I’ve worked a lot on everything,” Rana said in a BCCI video.

Manchester United fans would have loved what they saw if they stayed up until the early hours to see Matheus Cunha’s display against Haiti

Manchester United needed the bulk of their squad to fly across the pond to realise their attacking solution is already within their ranks.

Matheus Cunha has seemingly solved Carlo Ancelotti’s biggest dilemma with Brazil. Against Morocco, the South Americans were blunt, laboured and devoid of ideas. The ex-Real Madrid manager swapped Igor Thiago for Cunha and, suddenly, Brazil were playing a lot more like… well, Brazil.

The dearth of quality between the Brazilians and Haiti may have been as big as the Empire State Building, but Cape Verde have already proven how resolve can cut down giants like European champions Spain. Haiti set up with a flat back five, which compacted and overlapped like a set of shutter doors.

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Instead of a target man like Thiago, Cunha was deployed at the tip of their attack. He slipped his way between the lines, luring defenders out of their positions, carving neat alleyways for Vinicius Jr and co to run through.

Yet, Cunha was the hammer as well as the creator. While he ghosted in between defenders to bundle home for his first goal, he smacked a thunderbolt of a left-foot into the top corner for his second.

Carrick experimented with him as the centre-forward at the beginning of his reign and was repaid with an assist against Manchester City and a goal against Arsenal.

After the victory at the Emirates Stadium, he only featured up front in two of his next thirteen matches. Against Haiti, it became clear Cunha needs, and deserves, more space to work with, where he is away from the sidelines.

Shunting him out to the left wing, which he put himself forward to do, when he does not have the explosive pace to trouble full-backs, does him an injustice. Before injury cut his campaign short, Patrick Dorgu thrived while playing on the left of Cunha, and it’s still a position United are considering recruiting in.

He dashed through the same corridors Vinicius did in Philadelphia and seemingly became one of United’s most potent goal threats overnight. United have already been linked with left-wingers like Yan Diomande, Rafael Leao and Crysencio Summerville, who both star on the left wing. Once United are done with bringing in new midfielders and a left back, perhaps United should give some serious consideration to pushing Cunha up top and going and buying a new left winger as well to challenge Dorgu.

If they watched Cunha in action playing his all-round role at centre-forward, the prospect of sharing a front line with him would make their mouth water. One person who may not be as enthusiastic is Benjamin Sesko, who may have to content himself with the bench more if Cunha keeps starring in the World Cup in a central position.

But the Slovenian is a different player from the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man. His game is built on getting on the end of crosses, passes and balls over the top, while Cunha is more than comfortable with starting and finishing a team move. Yes, Sesko had a strong end to last season, but Cunha showcased the threat he poses from central last night – and is the type of player who, if he’s not scoring, by being central, it gives the opportunity for attack-minded midfielders to thrive.

The World Cup seems to be telling the world that the 10-man low block could soon become a thing of the past.

The games have been more open and less compact. If this theme extends into the Premier League, United would need a creative Brazilian army knife in their front line. He may be the one to unlock all the defences in Europe and in the Premier League, if Carrick is brave enough to trust Cunha to hold the attacking line.

Cunha has still consistently performed well on the left for United, but in the early hours of Saturday, thousands of miles away and in the blue kit of Brazil, he may just have put a case forward for a change in Manchester next season.

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After nine months away from competitive action, India’s star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra made a reassuring return at the Doha Diamond League 2026, finishing fourth in a high-quality field while comfortably securing qualification for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.

The Olympic and World Championship medallist may not have returned to the top step of the podium, but his performance in Doha offered plenty of positives as he continues his comeback from a back injury that delayed the start of his season.

A return after nine challenging months

All eyes were on Chopra as he stepped into the throwing circle for the first time since his lengthy injury layoff.

The 28-year-old entered the competition looking to test both his fitness and rhythm against some of the world’s leading javelin throwers. While expectations were naturally tempered after such a long absence, Chopra showed enough to suggest that he remains on track for another strong season.

His evening began with a false throw, an understandable sign of rust after months away from competition. However, he quickly settled into his rhythm and responded with an 82.77m effort on his second attempt.

That throw immediately achieved one important objective.

Commonwealth Games qualification secured

Chopra’s second-round effort of 82.77m comfortably surpassed the Athletics Federation of India’s Commonwealth Games qualifying standard of 82.61m.

With that throw alone, he effectively secured his place for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2.

Best effort comes in third round

The Indian superstar saved his best throw for the third round.

Chopra launched the javelin to 85.69m, a mark that would ultimately stand as his best effort of the competition. While it was not enough to secure a podium finish, it demonstrated that he remains capable of competing at an elite level despite limited competitive preparation.

Perhaps the most encouraging aspect was how close he came to the medal positions.

His best throw was only 0.30m behind third-placed American Curtis Thompson, underlining just how competitive Chopra was on his return.

Sri Lanka’s Pathirage steals the spotlight

The standout performer of the evening was Sri Lanka’s rising star Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage, who continued his impressive season by claiming victory with a world-leading throw of 88.68m.

Former world champion Anderson Peters finished second with 86.38m, while Curtis Thompson took third place with 85.99m.

Bigger goals lie ahead for Neeraj

While a fourth-place finish may not normally satisfy an athlete of Chopra’s stature, context is important.

This was his first competitive appearance in nine months, following a back injury that disrupted his preparations and delayed his season. Under those circumstances, an 85.69m throw and immediate qualification for the Commonwealth Games represent a highly encouraging return.

Most importantly, Chopra came through the competition without any apparent setbacks and showed signs that his form is steadily returning.

With the Commonwealth Games approaching and major international competitions later in the season, Doha may ultimately be remembered not for the finishing position, but for the successful beginning of another comeback chapter in Neeraj Chopra’s remarkable career.

PHILADELPHIA — In front of a sold-out crowd of 68,324, Brazil started the process of getting things back on the right track with a 3-0 victory over Haiti in the 2026 World Cup group stage, but it’s a game that brings more worries than answers for Carlo Ancelotti as he looks to live up to the immense pressure that comes with managing the Selecao. The joy of Matheus Cunha’s brace was cancelled out by an injury to Raphinha as a game that started brightly for Brazil led to an uncomfortable finish. It’s also a match that saw Haiti become the first team eliminated from knockout contention due to already losing to Scotland.

It’s a hamstring injury for Raphinha and one that Ancelotti says will be assessed on Sunday, but after the match, Vinicius Junior expressed sadness for his teammate, who fought through injuries to be here after a challenging season with Barcelona. He also hopes that it’s nothing serious and that Raphinha will be able to continue the tournament with Brazil, and the squad very much needs him to find their balance.

Haitian fans started off the match cheering clearances like they were Jose Mourinho, but against a team with as much attacking talent as Brazil, that can only last so long. A first-half brace for Matheus Cunha vindicated Ancelotti’s changes, bringing the Manchester United man in for Igor Thiago and Danilo in for Roger Ibanez. 

It took 23 minutes for Cunha to break through Haiti’s defense, but the second that happened, the floodgates opened in the match, with Brazil pouring it on and surfing their way through the game, but despite the crooked score, it could spell doom for their chances when it gets to the knockout stages of the tournament. 

In the 40th minute, Raphinha was subbed out of the match with a non-contact injury, being replaced by Rayan. While it wasn’t a vintage performance with Raphinha getting a goal ruled out for being offside and failing to officially create a chance, the best attacking line for Brazil right now is Raphinha, Vinicius Junior, and Matheus Cunha, but losing part of that trio puts too much pressure on the others, and it showed in the second half.

As the goals dried up, the Brazilian fans also got quieter; Vini Jr. pressed too much, leading to missed chances, and the carefully curated balance that Ancelotti needs for this squad to play to their potential went down the drain. The crowd erupted as Endrick put the ball in the back of the net, only to cut their celebrations short when the offside flag went up on the chance. Just like Brazil’s day, it was the right process that ended up yielding the wrong result. 

One of the leaders in the side, Vini Jr., is aware of these missed chances, but trust in how Ancelotti wants the squad to set up could help change that moving forward. All it takes is back-to-back matches of multiple goals, and they could start putting things together.

“Depending on the game and very much on the opponent, today I played in a different position, where the coach asked me to play inside between the two center backs,” Vini Jr. said. “The truth is that I don’t play there very often, but whenever the coach asks me to, and says that I have to play there, I score goals, so I have to listen to him a lot more often. Surely, when I get to the locker room, he’ll say that he understands football very well.”

It’s clear that this is a flawed squad as they play with 25 men while hoping that Neymar can play a part in this tournament, but even with those flaws, chances went begging for Brazil that a cohesive unit would’ve taken care of. Now, on four points, Brazil are almost assured a place in the knockouts of the tournament, but unless they can iron out these issues, it will be a swift end to the World Cup once they get there.

Neymar could be returning soon as Ancelotti shed light on his status in his post-match press conference. With winning the group on the line, Brazil will need all the help they can get, and there’s a chance that Neymar could provide a lift as one creative player could now be missing out.

“Neymar will be training tomorrow individually, and then on Monday he will be training with the rest of the team. He will be available for the match against Scotland,” Ancelotti said.

There will be one more chance for tweaks in the final match of the group stage, as Brazil will face Scotland on June 24 with a chance to win the group.

The expansion of the FIFA World Cup to 48 teams was met with skepticism in some quarters. Critics feared that increasing the number of participants would dilute the quality of the competition and create more one-sided contests. Yet after the opening round of group-stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Africa’s representatives have emerged as some of the tournament’s most compelling stories.

While the numbers show African teams recording three wins, five draws and four defeats from their opening fixtures, the results only tell part of the story. Across the United States, Canada and Mexico, African nations have demonstrated that they are no longer content with simply participating. Instead, they are competing toe-to-toe with some of football’s most established powers.

Morocco continue where Qatar 2022 left off

No African side has made a stronger statement than Morocco.

The Atlas Lions arrived at the tournament carrying the legacy of their historic run to the semifinals in Qatar four years ago. Against five-time world champions Brazil, they showed that achievement was no fluke.

Morocco secured a 1-1 draw and arguably looked the better side for large stretches of the contest. Their pressing unsettled Brazil, their midfield controlled key phases of the game and Ismael Saibari’s goal highlighted the attacking quality within the squad.

They went on to take all 3 points against Scotland to almost ensure qualification to the next round

Ivory Coast deliver Africa’s biggest victory

If Morocco produced the performance, Ivory Coast delivered the result.

Making their first World Cup appearance in 12 years, Les Elephants defeated Ecuador 1-0 thanks to Amad Diallo’s dramatic 90th-minute winner.

The victory was significant not only because it ended Ecuador’s impressive unbeaten streak but also because it represented a shift in mentality. African teams have often produced impressive performances against higher-ranked opponents only to fall short due to missed chances or late setbacks.

Cape Verde’s dream debut continues

One of the tournament’s biggest surprises came from Cape Verde.

Facing former world champions Spain in their first World Cup campaign, few gave the island nation much chance of taking anything from the match. Yet Cape Verde frustrated Spain throughout a disciplined defensive display and earned a remarkable 0-0 draw.

The result highlighted the growing depth within African football. Even teams without the pedigree of Morocco, Senegal or Ivory Coast are now capable of competing with elite opposition on the world’s biggest stage.

Senegal show they can still challenge the elite

Senegal may have lost 3-1 to France, but the scoreline does not fully reflect their performance.

For long periods, the Lions of Teranga matched one of the tournament favourites. They competed physically, created opportunities and demonstrated why they remain one of Africa’s most respected footballing nations.

Ultimately, the individual brilliance of France’s attackers proved decisive. However, Senegal’s display suggested they remain capable of advancing from their group and potentially causing problems in the knockout rounds.

Not every story has been positive

The opening round also provided some difficult lessons.

South Africa struggled in a 2-0 defeat to Mexico, appearing overwhelmed by both the occasion and the atmosphere. Tunisia endured the heaviest defeat among African teams, losing 5-1 to Sweden in a result that immediately increased pressure on the squad.

Iraq’s heavy loss to Norway also served as a reminder that tournament football often punishes defensive lapses.

Yet even these setbacks must be viewed in context. Several African teams faced elite opponents, host nations or traditional World Cup contenders in their opening matches.  However. South Africa’s late draw against Czechia showed promise yet again that there is still hope for the ‘Bafana Bafana’ to stay at this year’s World Cup.

Africa’s strongest World Cup generation?

The most encouraging sign for African football is not the results themselves but the manner in which they have been achieved.

Morocco controlled Brazil. Ivory Coast defeated Ecuador. Cape Verde frustrated Spain. Senegal competed evenly with France.

These are no longer isolated surprises. They are becoming recurring themes.

As the World Cup progresses, African nations appear well-positioned to place multiple teams in the knockout rounds. If the opening week is any indication, the continent’s representatives are not merely filling places in the expanded tournament—they are helping define it.

The expanded World Cup was designed to give more regions a greater voice on football’s biggest stage. Africa has wasted little time showing why it deserves one.

There is no shortage of respect between Brad Pauls and Denzel Bentley, yet they both know a middleweight rematch is becoming increasingly more likely.

The pair squared off for Pauls’ British title, and the vacant European strap, in December 2024, when the challenger triumphed by unanimous decision in a competitive contest.

Since then, both have claimed significant stoppages, with Bentley coming off a seventh-round finish over Endry Saavedra for the WBO ‘interim’ title in April and Pauls halting Shakiel Thompson with a stunning ninth-round onslaught in March.

Prior to his victory, Pauls had been sparring his former foe and, even ahead of his next outing, the two of them have shared plenty of rounds.

With both signed to Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions, though, it could be a matter of time before they once again meet under the bright lights.

Speaking with Boxing News, Pauls reveals that he and Bentley have already discussed this possibility.

“I really like Denzel, he’s a cool guy, but we’ve both been saying that, if we keep winning, [Queensberry are] going to make us fight again. It makes complete sense, especially if I get a world title. We’d have to stop sparring but, more than likely, we’ll end up fighting again.”

With Bentley in line for an eventual world title shot, Pauls would need to leverage his No.12 ranking with the IBF in order to secure their unification match.

The more likely route, however, would be a direct WBO title challenge, given Pauls’ No.4 ranking with the sanctioning body and the possibility of Bentley being elevated to full champion; otherwise the Londoner will need to defeat Janibek Alimkhanuly once the Uzbek returns from his year-long doping suspension.

Either way, it seems that Pauls is edging closer to a major opportunity following his tremendous underdog victory over Thompson.

After trailing on the judges’ scorecards, ‘The Newquay Bomb’ took a gamble in round nine and managed to suddenly swing the result in his favour.

Reflecting on his performance, Pauls believes it was his overall experience that made a considerable difference.

“It’s got to add 10 or 15%. I always go back to the [Tyler] Denny fight – my first fight on TV – and it really threw me off.

“But since then, it all just feels familiar – the big occasions, the cameras, the massive venues. Going into the late rounds against Shakiel, that’s when you pull on the experience to get you through.

“A member of my corner team, Ellis [Steward], said: ‘I’d rather you get knocked out trying to knock him out than just play it safe and cruise it to a points loss’. And I was like, ‘I’ve got two rounds left –  I need to start taking big chances’.”

Sure enough, the risk paid off as Pauls pulled off a sizable upset to secure his place on the undercard of Ryan Garner vs Michael Magnesi at St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton, this Saturday.

The 33-year-old will face tricky southpaw Bradley Goldsmith, having just defeated another lefty in Thompson.

If he emerges victorious then Pauls could end up in another domestic dustup later this year, potentially against Sam Gilley, who comes off a clinical fifth-round stoppage over Aston Brown.

“There were about eight names in the hat. [Gilley] was one of the first names but I think my management team would rather do it at the end of the year, when it could become a bigger fight.

“But Queensberry were like, ‘You’re not getting no easy fight’, so that’s how I ended up with Bradley Goldsmith.”

Whether he ends up facing Gilley, Bentley or a totally different fighter, Pauls’ ultimate goal is to headline a televised show in the South West of England.

From a logistical perspective, the nearest venue to Newquay, his home town, is Plymouth Argyle’s Home Park Stadium, where he hopes to eventually fight for world honours.

“We could do it at Plymouth Argyle [Home Park Stadium]. There’s a few more fighters coming out of the South West, like [British welterweight champion] Constantine Ursu.

“That’d be a dream, to bring big time boxing to the South West.”

In order for Pauls to keep this dream alive, he must first take care of the Dominic Ingle-trained Goldsmith.