There have been few Scottish players in the past decade who have received as much hype as winger Ben Doak.

So it was encouraging for fans of the national side to have the 18-year-old described as a “standout” by former Scotland defender Willie Miller in the defeat by Croatia on his first start and just second cap.

Playing on the right wing in Zagreb, the diminutive attacker carried the fight to Croatia with his ability to dribble forward at pace.

His driving run at Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol and cross in the first half ended with Ryan Christie scoring, albeit with some help from a poor clearance.

Despite being the youngest player to start a competitive match for Scotland since Willie Johnston in 1965, he did not look overawed or cowed.

Doak touched the ball in Croatia’s box more than any other Scotland player and had more productive dribbles as well.

The former Celtic player, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough from Liverpool, was one of the bright points in another Scotland defeat, their fourth in a row.

“It’s the willingness to take players on, take pressure off your team, and drag your side up the pitch,” former Scotland forward James McFadden said on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound.

“When he gets into the final third, he can’t get it right every time, but he is a threat.

“We mentioned his age and bringing that freshness, you think it’s going to be raw because we’ve not seen a lot of him.

“But he’s making good decisions to hold his position and run in behind and not getting too excited and rushing things.”

Sho Tsuboi made it a double Super Formula victory at Fuji on Sunday to grab the championship lead heading into the final weekend of the season next month at Suzuka.

TOM’S man Tsuboi converted his first pole of the year into another win at Fuji, giving himself a perfect record at the Toyota-owned venue in 2024 and becoming the first driver to win two races in a single weekend since Andre Lotterer in 2011.

Nirei Fukuzumi proved Tsuboi’s nearest challenger in an incident-strewn race that featured no fewer than three safety car periods, finishing second for KCMG, while Tadasuke Makino cemented second in the standings in third place.

The first caution period came on just the second lap of 41 as Iori Kimura tipped Atsushi Miyake into a spin at the Turn 10 right-hander, with Nyck de Vries also getting caught up in the melee and having to pit for a fresh front wing.

Tsuboi maintained the lead through to the second safety car period, triggered when Kazuya Oshima was sent into a spin by Yuji Kunimoto at Turn 1.

That came not long after the pit window opened and several frontrunners, including Fukuzumi, had come into the pits for their mandatory stops.

But with Tsuboi able to complete his in-lap at virtually unabated pace, he maintained the lead ahead of Fukuzumi, while Ren Sato beat Makino out of the pits to move into third.

After the restart on lap 17, Tsuboi began to eke away from Fukuzumi, but the KCMG driver kept the leader in his sights and was only a matter of tenths behind when the safety car made its final appearance on lap 32.

That followed a collision between Sena Sakaguchi and Naoki Yamamoto exiting Turn 2, which saw the front of Yamamoto’s Nakajima Racing car get airborne as he rode up on the back of Sakaguchi’s Inging machine.

Yamamoto was seen being stretchered into an ambulance and was taken to the medical centre for checks.

Tomoki Nojiri, TEAM MUGEN

Photo by: Masahide Kamio

The race resumed with just three laps left with Tsuboi heading home Fukuzumi by 1.3 seconds, while Makino was able to wrest third back off Ren Sato prior to the final safety car period.

That means he heads to next month’s Suzuka finale trailing Tsuboi by 14.5 points, with 46 on offer across the double-header weekend.

Sato still claimed his best finish of the year for Nakajima Racing in fourth, ahead of Kakunoshin Ota, who recovered well from 14th on the grid in the second Dandelion car.

Kamui Kobayashi was sixth in the second KCMG car after a late pass on Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa, the Mugen driver having started down in 12th after his best lap in qualifying was taken away for a track limits breach.

After his early dramas, de Vries recovered to finish eighth in his final outing for Team Impul, passing a fading Tomoki Nojiri (Mugen) just prior to the final caution period, while Kenta Yamashita claimed the final point for Kondo Racing in 10th

Nojiri finds himself 18.5 points down on Tsuboi after losing six places from his grid position.

Post-race Sato was handed a 10-second penalty for making contact at Turn 1 with Makino as he exited the pits, dropping him out of the points to 15th place.

It means Ota moves up to fourth ahead of Kobayashi and Iwasa.

De Vries was also stripped of his points finish for contact with Yamashita, with a five-second penalty dropping the Dutchman down to 11th.

As a result, Nojiri jumps two places to seventh ahead of Yamashita, while Iori Kimura and Toshiki Oyu are promoted into the final points positions.

Two extra points for Nojiri means he goes to the Suzuka finale 16.5 points behind Tsuboi.

Super Formula Fuji – Race 2 results (before penalties):

FANS have slammed Artur Beterbiev’s controversial win over Dmitry Bivol as “rigged” after spotting who was sat ringside.

Beterbiev is now the undisputed light-heavyweight champion after beating his Russian compatriot by majority decision.

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Fans were left stunned at the result as many thought Bivol had done enough to retain his WBC, IBF and WBO belts.

Yet the judges scored the bout 114-114, 115-113 and 116-12 in Beterbiev’s favour.

Bivol’s promoter Eddie Hearn labelled the decision “absolutely disgusting” and viewers called it a “robbery”.

But conspiracy theorists are convinced they know why Beterbiev got the win.

Eagle-eyed supporters noticed that Ramzan Kadyrov was in the ring when the 39-year-old was announced as champion.

He is seen congratulating Beterbiev and posing for a photo with his arm around him.

Kadyrov is a controversial figure due to his close connection with Vladimir Putin.

He has been dubbed the Russian President’s “warlord pal” and “attack dog”.

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Kadyrov is currently the head of the Chechen Republic.

Over the years, he has come under intense criticism for alleged human rights abuses that include disappearances, kidnapping, torture and assassination.

Kadyrov has also publicly called for women’s public lives to be restricted and led anti-gay purges in Chechnya that activists say see homosexuals imprisoned and tortured.

When fans saw him next to Beterbiev, one said: “Bivol had no chance.”

Another added: “When I saw him, I knew there was no way they would let Beterbiev lose.”

A third commented: “Rigged sport.”

Who is Ramzan Kadyrov?

VLADIMIR Putin’s Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has been a staunch supporter of the war in Ukraine.

The former separatist rebel fought against the Russians in the First Chechen War, only to change sides and join Moscow in the second conflict in 1999.

Human rights groups say he personally oversees the torture of political opponents in secret dungeons and runs death squads known as “Kadyrovites”.

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Ramzan Kadyrov was born in Chechnya in 1976, and like many men of his generation has lived a life largely defined by two brutal wars that ripped through the republic in the 1990s and 2000s.

In the first Chechen war of 1994 to 1996, he fought alongside his father, Akhmad Kadyrov, for the Chechen separatist cause.

But in 1999, after Mr Putin launched the second Chechen war to restore Russian control over the break away republic, the Kadyrovs changed sides.

Akhmad was subsequently installed as the pro-Russian president of the republic.

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When he was assassinated in 2004, the baton of pro-Russian leadership passed to his stocky son.

The tracksuit wearing bodybuilder was not an obvious politician after being backed by Putin, he quickly become one of the most powerful men in Russia.

But as he has grown more powerful, he has become an increasingly divisive figure in Russian politics.

To supporters, he is a Russian patriot who has brought peace to a war ravaged region, presided over unprecedented post-war recovery and reconstruction.

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To his enemies  he is a turn-coat rebel who has turned Chechnya into his personal fiefdom where Russian law doesn’t apply, and who has used terror and murder to crush not only the separatist Islamist insurgency, but political rivals, human rights activists, and domestic dissenters.

College football fans were treated to plenty of outstanding games in Week 7, highlighted by Oregon‘s thrilling 32-31 victory over Ohio State, which in return elevated Dillon Gabriel‘s Heisman stock.

While Gabriel saw his Heisman stock rise, Colorado’s Travis Hunter saw his stock take a hit after he exited the Buffaloes‘ 31-28 loss to Kansas State with an apparent shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Boise State‘s star running back, Ashton Jeanty, remains at the top of the Heisman leaderboard after putting together another jaw-dropping performance, this one coming against Hawaii.

Here is a look at the current Heisman Trophy odds following a jam-packed Week 7:

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State: +160

Another day, another dominant performance from Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The Broncos’ star back carried the ball 31 times for a jaw-dropping 217 yards and a touchdown in Boise State’s 28-7 win over Hawaii. Jeanty has now topped the 200-yard rushing mark in three games this season, and he has totaled 1,248 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in six games.

Next: Jeanty and the Broncos have a bye before traveling to UNLV to take on the Rebels on Oct. 25.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty celebrates one of his two touchdowns against Hawaii.

Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon: +400

Gabriel was sensational in Oregon’s memorable 32-31 win over Ohio State on Saturday. The lefty QB completed 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while also adding 32 yards and a score on the ground in the win. Oregon should be favored in every remaining game on its schedule, and if the Ducks are able to run the table, Gabriel should continue to find himself near the top of this leaderboard.

Next: Gabriel and the Ducks travel to Purdue to take on the Boilermakers on Oct. 19.

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns in the Ducks’ 32-31 win over Ohio State.

Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.): +550

Ward and the Hurricanes had a bye this weekend after their thrilling comeback victory over Cal last week. Ward finished that game 35-of-53 for 437 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning TD pass to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds remaining. Ward also added a rushing score in that win as Miami improved to 6-0 for the first time since the 2007 season.

Next: Ward and the Hurricanes travel to Louisville to take on the Cardinals on Oct. 19.

Miami QB Cam Ward threw for 437 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s 39-38 comeback win over Cal.

Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado: +900

After finding himself near the top of the leaderboard following his memorable performance against UCF back on Sept. 28, Hunter’s Heisman hopes took a hit this weekend after he was knocked out of the game Saturday with an apparent shoulder injury. The Buffaloes’ two-way star caught three passes for 26 yards on offense and recorded a tackle on defense before exiting the game.

Next: Hunter and the Buffaloes travel to Arizona to take on the Wildcats on Oct. 19.

Travis Hunter caught three passes for 26 yards before exiting Colorado’s game against Kansas State with a shoulder injury.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama, +1000

Jalen Milroe and the Alabama Crimson Tide entered Saturday hoping to bounce back following an ugly 40-35 loss to unranked Vanderbilt last weekend. The Tide were able to squeak out a win against South Carolina, but it was far from pretty. Milroe was 16-of-23 passing for 209 yards with a touchdown and two rushing scores in a 27-25 win over the Gamecocks. He ran in a 7-yard touchdown with 10:42 remaining in the fourth quarter and then hit Germie Bernard for a late 34-yard score to help No. 7 Alabama survive the scare. With the victory, Milroe and the Tide improved to 5-1 on the year.

Next: Milroe and the Crimson Tide travel to Tennessee to take on the Volunteers on Oct. 19.

Jalen Milroe was on the move often in Alabama’s win over South Carolina, rushing for two touchdowns. 

Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson: +1200

As good as Milroe and Gabriel have been this year, you could make an argument that no quarterback has been better over the past month than Klubnik. Following an ugly Week 1 loss to Georgia, Klubnik has been on fire, shredding every defense in his way. The Tigers‘ junior signal-caller was fantastic again on Saturday, completing 31 of 41 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-14 win over Wake Forest. Klubnik has now thrown for 1,528 yards and 17 touchdowns in six games.

Next: Klubnik and the Tigers take on Virginia on Oct. 19.

Cade Klubnik led Clemson to another high-scoring win, throwing for three touchdowns in a 49-14 victory over Wake Forest. 

Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: +1500

Beck put up big numbers in the Bulldogs’ 41-31 win over Mississippi State, but this was a game that shouldn’t have been as close as the scoreboard reads. In addition to his 459 yards and three touchdowns through the air, Beck also threw a pair of costly picks, one of which came on Georgia’s first offensive possession of the contest. He did finish with 36 completions to 11 different players, including Arian Smith, who hauled in five catches for a game-high 134 yards and a touchdown.

Next: Beck and the Bulldogs travel to Texas to take on the Longhorns on Oct. 19.

Georgia QB Carson Beck threw for over 300 yards in the first half of its win over Mississippi State.

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The younger Charles brother occasionally found himself the game’s sole spectator with the majority of the action taking place at the other end of the empty ZTE-Arena in a fixture played behind closed doors in western Hungary due to Uefa restrictions on Belarus.

Northern Ireland had 15 shots on the opposition goal, although all seven occasions that they hit the target came in the first half.

“It was a good game,” Charles added.

“There wasn’t anything too challenging [personally]. It was obviously annoying in the first half, plenty of chances, just wish we could have taken them and gone into half time leading.

“To keep a clean sheet means you can’t lose and that’s what we did.”

With Northern Ireland in action again on Tuesday night when hosting Bulgaria at Windsor Park in the second leg of this Nations League doubleheader, Charles is hoping to experience a contrasting atmosphere.

“[The debut] just makes me want to do it more and more,” he said.

“Playing away with no fans, with the fans there it just would have been that extra boost.

“It’s hard sometimes with no fans to get going, but I thought the team did that well and on another night we’d win.”