POMONA, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Knight Riders played their first home game Wednesday under the lights of their brand-new cricket field in Southern California, marking a milestone event as excitement builds for the 2028 Olympics.

Cricket, the second most-watched sport in the world, is set to be included in the Olympic Games after a 126-year hiatus. With a global following of over 2.5 billion, the Olympics are expected to draw international attention to Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles. Major League Cricket, which currently holds a monthlong season with six teams, is hoping to build momentum by giving sports fans in major markets a taste of the excitement cricket can produce.

About 2,000 spectators — predominantly South Asian — filled the stands Wednesday night for the first match between the home team and the Washington Freedom. They cheered as the first ball of the match was bowled and the thwack of the strike echoed across the stadium — a $21 million, 200,000-square-foot (18,580-square-meter) facility with six floodlit towers that went from groundbreaking to completion in under 70 days.

A blending of LA and cricket culture for opener

As the crowd waved purple and gold flags — the Knight Riders’ colors, just like the Los Angeles Lakers — a DJ mixed in Bollywood and Bhangra music with Bad Bunny and evergreen pop hits like Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You.” Lakers legend Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Ron Artest, bowled the ceremonial first ball to inaugurate the new stadium.

Venky Mysore, CEO of Mumbai-based Knight Riders Sports, said the cricket conglomerate took no shortcuts in building the stadium with eight pitches. A pitch, also called a wicket, is a rectangular strip where most of the action takes place during a cricket match. Most stadiums only have four to six pitches, Mysore said.

The San Gabriel mountains provide a dramatic backdrop to the stadium, located in the Fairplex event complex. It has temporary seating to accommodate about 5,000 for the 2026 season. That will be replaced by permanent seating for over 20,000 in the next year or so, Mysore said.

Also in the works is a professional-level practice facility and a Knight Riders Cricket Academy, which he said will help promote and build interest for the game at a grassroots level.

Right now, only three other international-level cricket stadiums operate in the U.S. — in Texas, Florida and North Carolina. The sport is also played in other multipurpose venues such as the Oakland Coliseum.

Fans and players celebrate cricket’s future in the US

Tanush Bhagwat, a 13-year-old fast bowler, traveled from San Diego with his family to watch Wednesday’s game. He plays for two local leagues and hopes to make the major league and play for Team USA someday.

“The ground looks great,” he said. “But the Olympics is going to be even more fun. I can’t wait.”

Raj Walia, an Orange County resident, said the last time he watched live cricket in Los Angeles was an exhibition match between India and Pakistan in 1989. He showed up with about 30 friends and family members to catch the first game played in the new stadium.

“I’m excited about Major League Cricket,” he said. “I think cricket is increasing in popularity and it’ll become even bigger with the Olympics.”

Saurabh Netravalkar, a fast bowler with the winning Washington Freedom team, earned Player of the Match on Wednesday for taking three wickets while conceding only 16 runs. Also a member of the national team, Netravalkar said he enjoyed playing at the new stadium.

“It’s heartening to see the vibe, the crowd,” he said. “It’s so great for the sport in this country.”

Netravalkar, 34, said he never thought he would get to see cricket make it to the Olympics during his career.

“But, it’s really happening, and that’s exciting,” he said. “Cricket in the U.S. has evolved exponentially over the last five years. We’re on the right track.”

Karthik Gattepalli, a 26-year-old left-arm spinner for the Los Angeles Knight Riders, said he relished playing with his teammates before an excited home crowd.

“Having the local fans, the vibe, the view of the mountains,” he said. “This is something you can’t beat.”

Gattepalli, who played for the Under-19 U.S. team, sees Major League Cricket as an opportunity for “homegrown kids” like him to thrive in large venues and “make it to the Olympics.”

League CEO Johnny Grave said he and others leading the growth of cricket in the U.S. are now focused on the Olympics.

“The legacy of 2028 is what we’re most interested in,” he said. “Today is just the start of this level of professional cricket coming to Los Angeles and Southern California. This is a permanent base for cricket.”

The 18th-century coaching inn sits six miles north-west of Barnard Castle on the B6277, surrounded by the sheep-dotted fields and moorland of the North Pennines.

It is owned and run by the Robinson family, who also own Headlam Hall near Darlington, and has been quietly building a devoted following for years.

Here is what keeps people coming back.

The bar

The bar at The Rose and Crown is the kind of room that is almost impossible not to love.

Stone-flagged floors, old wooden beams, rural knick-knacks on every surface and a big open fireplace that earns its keep for most of the year.

It serves local real ales, more than 50 wines, a wide selection of gins including local varieties, and over 15 Islay malts.

Dogs are welcome under the table.

Lunch and dinner are served daily, with outdoor seating on the front terrace when the weather allows.

“This is probably the most dog-friendly place I’ve ever been in and the food is superb,” wrote one TripAdvisor reviewer in February 2026.

“There is a great selection of beer, wines and spirits.”

The food

Head chef Dave Hunter, who has worked at two Michelin-starred level restaurants during his career, leads a kitchen that balances hearty pub classics with fine-dining plates built around local produce from County Durham, Northumberland and Yorkshire.

The lunch menu offers dishes like ham hock terrine, smoked haddock omelette and venison pie, while evenings in the oak-panelled dining room step up to more ambitious cooking.

Sunday lunch is described by the team as “a real highlight” and can be taken in either the bar or the restaurant.

SquareMeal called the cooking “pretty polished,” singling out a twice-baked goat’s cheese soufflé and sea bream with fennel as setting “a highly satisfying standard that held up at every turn.”

The Good Hotel Guide praised the “thoughtful, well-prepared food” and noted readers’ appreciation for small details: “food served on hot plates, and staff who listen to your requests.”

The rooms

The Rose and Crown has 14 bedrooms spread between the main 18th-century inn, a single-storey courtyard mews and a 17th-century cottage called Monk’s Cottage, which overlooks the green and the church.

Rooms feature period details, beamed ceilings, exposed stone and antiques alongside locally made furniture, Molton Brown bathroom products, fresh milk for the tea tray and homemade biscuits.

The majority of rooms are dog-friendly.

“An amazing place,” wrote one TripAdvisor guest.

“Attention to comfort is exceptional.

“The rooms are warm, beds are excellent, food is wonderful and the place itself is beautiful.”

The Telegraph described the inn as having “a relaxed warmth and well-judged sense of rustic charm that strikes a happy balance,” calling it “a foodie-destination country inn that has smartened up while still maintaining its village pub credentials.”

The setting

Much of what makes The Rose and Crown special is the village around it.

Romaldkirk is one of the prettiest settlements in Teesdale, its stone houses grouped around a broad green with the Church of St Romald, a medieval building of Saxon origins, at its heart.

High Force waterfall is less than 10 miles up the dale.

Raby Castle is a short drive east.

Barnard Castle, with the Bowes Museum, is six miles away.

The Good Hotel Guide called it “an ideal base for walking and wildlife enthusiasts.”

Planning your visit

Address: Romaldkirk, Barnard Castle, County Durham, DL12 9EB
Getting there: Six miles north-west of Barnard Castle on the B6277; 20 miles from the A1 at Scotch Corner
Opening times: Daily from 11am; lunch 12pm-2.30pm; dinner 6pm-8.30pm; Sunday lunch 12pm-2pm
Rooms: From £150 per night; 14 bedrooms, majority dog-friendly
Booking: rose-and-crown.co.uk or 01833 650213
Awards: TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice; Sawday’s Best Authentic Pub 2020; Good Hotel Guide Editors’ Choice 2020

Two European heavyweights will look to book their place in the World Cup round of 16 today as Portugal and Croatia meet in the last-32 in Toronto. Neither side enjoyed a perfect group stage, though Croatia did manage to bounce back well from a tough-to-take 4-2 defeat by England in their tournament opener. They responded with a nervy defeat of Panama and a rather more impressive one against Ghana, which took their points tally to a respectable six. The veteran Luka Modric has been in fine form this summer and will be key to any success today.

A member of the council described the building as “not a pretty site”

Peterborough City Council has agreed to enter into a series of property transactions that will enable Bretton Court to be sold and redeveloped.

Members of the council’s Shareholders Committee met on Tuesday, June 30 to rubber-stamp plans which will see the former office and retail building in Bretton sold to a developer. The sale has come about because the property’s owner Medesham – of which the council is a designated member – is in the process of being dismantled.

Emma Riding, the council’s Service Director of Financial Services, presented a report to the committee which described Bretton Court as “not a pretty sight” which “attracts antisocial behaviour.” Ms Riding also explained that the process for disposing of Bretton Court was “quite complex.”

In essence, the process will see the council surrender its two leases in the property in order to allow Medesham Homes to sell the property to a local developer.

The report stated: “The Medesham board has taken the decision to sell the property and has received an offer from a local developer which, subject to approval, Medesham board would like to proceed with the sale of the property.”

Along with five ground-floor retail units, Bretton Court features upper-floor offices, a rear car park and a former pub. During discussion, Cllr Steve Allen (Cons) said: “I need to determine; when you say ‘redevelop the site,’ does that mean refurbishment or demolition?”

Ms Riding responded: “At the minute, there is planning permission for 45 apartments [and] the prospective buyer is proposing to at least take that up another level.”

“…So keep the structure and build on it?” Cllr Allen suggested.

“At the minute,” Ms Riding agreed, adding “but they [developers] are committed to wider development of what they can do around it.”

Following a query from the Committee’s chair, Cllr Mohammed Jamil, Ms Riding and her colleague Chris Pike (Principal Development Surveyor) confirmed that the nearby health centre is not deemed to be part of the Bretton Court site.

The sale of Bretton Court will be the first step in dismantling Medesham Homes. The report states that, following the disposal of Bretton Court, Cross Keys Homes will acquire the council’s remaining interest in Medesham, thereby enabling the council to cease being a member of the Medesham group.

A 21-year-old delivery driver who killed a pedestrian while speeding at 60mph to deliver a pizza has been spared jail. 

Rosie Hanson was given a 16-month prison term, suspended for two years, at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday after causing the death by careless driving of 27-year-old Ryan Phillips on January 17, 2024. 

Mr Phillips had been walking with his girlfriend, Sophie Rowe, to a nearby restaurant to celebrate passing his apprenticeship as an IT technician, the court heard. 

But while the young couple were ‘chatting and laughing’ while walking along the pavement at around 6.40pm, they were struck by Hanson’s VW Golf along Marine Parade in Sheerness, Kent. 

Prosecutor Tom Nicholson told the court that Ms Rowe was hit in the legs, before her boyfriend was run over – and she saw blood coming from his mouth. 

A post-mortem examination of Mr Phillips revealed a strike to his head on the windshield of the car, adding it was a ‘completely unsurvivable head injury from the outset’. 

Hanson got out of her car and rang 999, telling emergency services that she’d hit someone in her car delivering pizza and that she’d thought a cat had run out into the road, ‘causing her to swerve up onto the curb’. 

Mr Nicholson said that evidence from Hanson’s iPhone showed she was travelling in excess of the 40mph speed limit, reaching approximately 54 to 68mph in the moments before losing control. 

Ryan Phillips (pictured) was fatally struck while out on an evening walk with his girlfriend in 2024

He added her account of having seen an animal prompting her to steer right to avoid it was ‘difficult to confirm or negate’. 

Mr Nicholson said: ‘At the speed Ms Hanson was travelling, combined with the abrupt steering response, led to the vehicle becoming unstable, and resulted in her overreacting to the situation, and instigating a clockwise rotation, crossing the opposing lane, mounting the pavement and colliding with Mr Phillips and Ms Rowe.’

The court heard that Hanson worked for her father in an admin job and had received a call from a pizza company she had been working for on an ad-hoc basis. 

Sentencing her, Judge Julian Smith found Hanson was driving at something like 60mph following expert analysis. 

He said: ‘The reason for the tragic loss is failure in Rosie Hanson’s driving.

‘Speeding to get a job done to deliver pizzas is stupid, but it is not of itself malicious… it should not happen.’ 

Hanson was also sentenced to nine months concurrently for driving while uninsured, as her cover did not include for business or professional use for her second job. 

The judge emphasised her sentence is ‘no measure’ of a man’s life but of her culpability in the offence, and adjusted her sentence to reflect her young age of 19 at the time. 

Hanson was given a 16-month prison term, suspended for two years, at Maidstone Crown Court

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Hanson was also sentenced to nine months concurrently for driving while uninsured, as her cover did not include for business or professional use for her second job 

The judge added: ‘There is to my mind a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. I accept she is a low risk of re-offending and is in no way a danger.’ 

Judge Smith acknowledged the impact of Mr Phillips death is ‘extraordinary and ongoing’, with a statement from Ms Rowe painting a picture of a ‘warm, enthusiastic and generous man’. 

‘The time with Mr Phillips was precious indeed,’ he said. 

In victim impact statements read to the court by Ms Rowe, she said the couple had been together for nearly four years and were planning to move in together – and Mr Phillips was ‘very, very excited’ about his new dream job working in IT in a prison. 

She said: ‘The night before he passed away, he said he planned to save for an engagement ring and this made me so happy.’ 

‘We’d been waiting for that extra step in Ryan’s life, (he’d) finally achieved something he wanted to do.’ 

She described her partner as a ‘gentle giant who would do anything for anyone’, adding: ‘Losing Ryan has ruined my life. I intended to spend the rest of my life with him. 

‘I feel like I cannot do this anymore because he was everything to me.’ 

Mr Phillips’ mother Catherine Phillips said he was not just her son, but ‘best friend’, and one of the most ‘selfless people’ you could ever meet. 

She described him as caring, thoughtful and ‘full of love for people around him’ who was building a future for himself. 

She said: ‘All that future has been taken away in an instant. 

‘My life has fallen apart. I struggle every day just to get through. Grief is constant and overwhelming, the silence he has left behind is unbearable’. 

She added: ‘I will carry this pain, this loss for the rest of my life.’ 

Ms Phillips added in a further statement how she struggled with how Hanson was allowed to go home the night Mr Phillips died rather than being arrested at the scene, and how she was charged by email. 

She said as a grieving parent she was left with a feeling that the seriousness of the incident was not reflected in how the defendant was treated. 

But Hanson’s lawyer, Allan Goh, said that the sentencing was the first opportunity for Hanson to express her feelings towards Mr Phillips’ family and that she indicated genuine remorse. 

In a letter written by Hanson read in court to the judge, she said: ‘I am writing you this letter to express my deepest apologies to you, Ryan’s family and friends. 

‘I can’t put it into words how sorry I am this ever happened and if I could go back and change it, I would in seconds. 

‘For what I have seen on social media, Ryan you sounded like a lovely man which haunts me.’ 

The defendant, of Mimosa Avenue, Minster-on-Sea, Sheerness, had previously denied the offence of causing death by careless driving at a hearing in December last year, before changing her plea and admitting causing death while uninsured in May this year. 

The judge also ordered her to complete 220 hours of unpaid work and disqualified her from driving for three years, subject to passing an extended driving test. 

The United States’ World Cup knockout victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina has not only advanced the team but also made history off the pitch, becoming the most-watched English-language soccer broadcast ever in the nation.

Fox Sports confirmed the record, citing Nielsen preliminary data that showed an average viewership of 24.429 million. The audience peaked at an impressive 31.883 million during the match’s climactic 9.45-10pm ET window.

As co-hosts of this year’s tournament, the US played the crucial Round of 32 fixture in Santa Clara, California. The 8pm ET prime-time kickoff on the East Coast likely contributed significantly to the massive audience.

The team secured a 2-0 victory over Bosnia, with goals from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman, marking their first World Cup knockout stage win since a Round of 16 triumph in 2002. They are now set to face Belgium on Monday in Seattle, a match that Balogun is set to miss after controversially being sent off following a VAR review.

This unprecedented soccer viewership nearly matched the 24.5 million average for the New York Knicks’ title-clinching Game 5 win against the San Antonio Spurs last month.

It also approached the almost 26 million viewers who tuned in for Game 7 of last fall’s World Series, where the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.

The US have impressed at this year’s tournament, picking up convincing wins over Paraguay and Australia to top their group before losing a dead rubber against Turkey. They then got back to winning aways against Bosnia on Wednesday.

However, a new poll has revealed that winning over a wider audience when it comes to soccer is still a challenge.

While approximately six in ten US adults anticipate the World Cup will boost other Americans’ interest in soccer, only 24 percent personally report increased interest. Soccer fans, however, are notably more optimistic, with about three-quarters expecting a general rise in interest, compared to roughly half of non-soccer fans. Furthermore, about half of soccer fans say the World Cup has personally heightened their interest, a sentiment shared by only 17 percent of non-fans.

Most people driving through have no idea what is hidden beneath their feet.

Piercebridge, a settlement on the banks of the River Tees, sits directly on top of a Roman fort built around 260 AD.

The village green, the surrounding houses, and the streets in between are all built over the remains of a garrison that once housed hundreds of Roman soldiers guarding one of the most strategically vital river crossings in the entire empire.

The fort is free to enter, open all year round, and is the number one thing to do in Piercebridge according to TripAdvisor, rated four stars from more than 50 reviews.

The road to the ends of the earth

To understand why the Romans were here, you have to understand Dere Street, the great Roman road that ran from York north through Durham, past Hadrian’s Wall and all the way to Scotland.

It was the empire’s main supply route to its northernmost frontier, and the River Tees was one of the most significant obstacles in its path.

The Romans built not one but three bridges here over the course of their occupation, first in timber around 90 AD, then again after flooding, and finally a monumental stone structure in the third century that was one of the most impressive engineering works in Roman Britain.

The fort, known in Roman times as Morbium, was built to guard that crossing.

At its peak, it held a full garrison with a headquarters building, a commandant’s house, barracks, stables, a hospital, granaries, and a bath house.

Outside its walls, a civilian settlement of merchants, traders, and their families grew up around it.

The river still holds their secrets

In the early 1980s, two local divers began exploring the bed of the River Tees near the old bridge site.

What they found astonished archaeologists.

Over the following decades, they recovered more than 5,400 Roman objects from a patch of riverbed barely five metres square: 1,400 coins, thousands of items of personal jewellery, military equipment, medical instruments, votive miniatures, and fragments of pottery, all coated in a strange concretion that had fused them to the riverbed.

Many had been deliberately broken before being thrown in.

Researchers believe the deposit represents a place of ritual offering, with soldiers, merchants, and travellers casting their most prized possessions into the Tees as gifts to the gods in exchange for safe passage across the bridge.

The finds are now held at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle.

Time Team investigated the site in 2010, calling it one of the most complex and layered Roman landscapes they had ever encountered.

What you can see today

The excavated portion of the fort sits behind a row of farmhouses, accessed through a gap between two buildings on the village’s Green Street.

A brown Roman Fort sign marks the entrance, easy to miss but worth finding.

Inside you can walk around the exposed foundations of the east gate, the surrounding defensive ditches, and the outline of the fort’s internal layout.

Information boards explain the site’s history, and on a dry day the earthworks of the Roman civilian settlement beyond the fort walls are visible as crop marks in the field to the east.

A short walk across the modern bridge leads to the Roman bridge site, where the enormous southern stone abutment of the original crossing still stands in a field, stranded almost 90 metres from the current riverbank after the Tees shifted course over the centuries.

It is a genuinely eerie sight: a massive slab of Roman masonry, still perfectly upright, standing alone in a meadow.

The pub with a song in its walls

Piercebridge has one more curiosity.

The George Hotel, a coaching inn on the village green said to date back in parts to the 16th century, is where American songwriter Henry Clay Work is believed to have been inspired to write My Grandfather’s Clock in the 1870s after seeing a longcase clock that had stopped when its owner died.

The clock is still there, in the bar.

What visitors say

Reviews on TripAdvisor paint a consistent picture, with the site regularly surprising people who stumble across it.

One visitor said: “We stayed at the George Hotel and just by chance decided to go for a walk around the village and wandered into the Roman Fort.

“Great information on the different parts of the fort. What a lovely village as well.”

Another said: “There’s not a lot to see but you do get the impression of what would have stood there nearly 2,000 years ago.

“Fascinating to see how the River Tees has moved.”

While another from York said: “The fort foundations, situated behind the church in the centre of the village, have information boards that give some idea of the size of the place.

“We didn’t spend long at either place but it was very interesting if you are in the area.”

Planning your visit

Address: Piercebridge, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3SW
Admission: Free, open all year round
Parking: Free car park next to The George Hotel on the B6275
Roman bridge: A short walk east across the modern bridge, then follow signs through Cliffe village
Getting there: Seven miles west of Darlington on the B6275
Nearest pub/food: The George Hotel, directly on the village green
Footwear: The path to the bridge site can be muddy, so boots are recommended

After flattering to deceive in the group stage Lamine Yamal boldly predicted that Spain would be ‘almost unstoppable’ once they finally shifted out of first gear at the World Cup. While they’re yet to justify such a statement Luis de la Fuente’s side are slowly getting there.

On Thursday in Los Angeles, the European champions brushed aside Austria to claim a 3-0 victory and stroll into the last 16, marking their first knockout win at this tournament since 2010. 

And just like 16 years ago, when they captured their first and only World Cup while giving up just two goals along the way, they are keeping things tight down the other end. La Roja are still yet to concede one this summer, while they have also allowed only three shots on target in four games. None came here.

Two goals from Mikel Oyarzabal and a second-half header from Pedro Porro sealed the three-goal win at SoFi Stadium, with either Portugal or Croatia to come in the next round. Even the magic of Lamine Yamal, who enjoyed some bright flashes but failed to get on the scoresheet, was not required in LA.

Almost 10 miles south of Hollywood, Spanish movie icon Penelope Cruz was shown celebrating as her country cruised into the last 16. It may not have been a blockbuster but Spain are setting the scene for a potential second star. 

Hydration break works wonders 

Despite Spain’s typical desire for slow, steady control it was a lively start in LA as Austria pushed forward and found some gaps out wide, with Marcel Sabitzer an early threat over on the left. Inside the opening 60 seconds, Yamal also delivered his first edge-of-your seat moment when he reclaimed possession and sparked a rapid Spanish counter, which ended with the teenager rolling a tame effort straight at Alexander Schlager.

Up until the first hydration break chances for either side were few and far between. Spain, who have faced some criticism for a lack of fluidity despite topping Group H without conceding a goal, were just not clicking early on as they tried to take the sting out of the game and dominate the ball.

Pedri and Rodri were often too close together as Ralf Rangnick’s Austria looked to congest the midfield. Yamal, other than another moment in the 11th minute when he should have won Spain a penalty after burning past Austria’s Konrad Laimer and getting bundled over in the area, was not involved as much as De la Fuente would have liked either.

Then, once both teams had their controversial break to replenish fluids, a hydrated La Roja suddenly sparked into life.

Marc Cucurella thought he’d fired them ahead when he smashed home a rebound from a corner in the 29th minute, only for the linesman to flag for the softest of fouls on Schlager. While three Spanish players did leap up to challenge for the ball in and around the Austria keeper, it was difficult to spot any real infringement.

Tottenham defender Pedro Porro scored with a header as they ran out 3-0 victors over Austria

Yet they didn’t have to wait too much longer for the opener. Spain, moving the ball with much more speed and purpose now from flank to flank, were beginning to outplay a fading Austrian unit, and the inevitable goal came eight minutes before halftime.

Pedri first glided towards the box and threaded a neat pass through to Cucurella in space on the left. The new Real Madrid signing glanced up and then sent the ball straight to the feet of Mikel Oyarzabal, who cleverly stroked it to the right of an oncoming David Alaba and past Schlager to open the scoring.

Alex Baena came close to doubling their lead at the end of the half when his looping free-kick cannoned off the bar. By the interval, Spain were into their groove while failing to concede as much as a shot on target down the other end

Before they mounted a dramatic comeback, England also seemed to up the ante after their first hydration break against DR Congo on Wednesday. 

Perhaps FIFA’s contentious new format has its perks.

Wreck it Ralf 

In a drastic bid to turn the tide Austria boss Ralf Rangnick made four changes by the hour mark, including two at halftime, as the 37-year-old former West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic entered the fray.

That did little to revive his wilting side here, nonetheless, as Spain continued to exert their authority. And just before the second hydration break of the day, Porro was the unlikely scorer of Spain’s second.

Former Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick cut a frustrated figure in Austria’s defeat

Following some scrappy play on the edge of the area, Cucurella eventually worked the ball to Baena in acres of space. The Atletico Madrid star took a few touches out of his feet and unleashed a sharp cross with his left to Porro, who headed home from close range to double their lead.

Then, in the final minute of normal time, Oyarzabal made it three when he got on the end of Cucurella’s ball into the box and headed past a helpless Schlager.

While he deserves credit for guiding Austria back to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, Rangnick will surely be bitterly disappointed with his team’s tame showing here. 

To not even register a shot on target, especially after throwing on two strikers in Arnautovic and Sasa Kalajdzic, is a miserable way to end the nation’s long-awaited return to the big stage.

They were simply too passive and predictable in possession on Thursday afternoon. Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon can’t have had a more comfortable day at the office than this. 

A soft precedent

After Germany were controversially denied an extra-time winner against Paraguay due to an apparent foul on their goalkeeper, before they eventually crashed out on penalties, FIFA referees appear to be following the same soft blueprint.

Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal looks to take the ball past Konrad Laimer

Oyarzabal was at the double to take his tally at this World Cup so far to four goals

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Cucurella’s disallowed goal should have stood in the first half. Schlager was not ‘fouled’ by any Spain player in close proximity, who have every right to jump and challenge for the ball.

Fortunately, De la Fuente’s men don’t have to worry about that baffling decision after getting the job done in style. 

Though if the officials continue to penalize players for merely contesting goalkeepers, there will be more controversy and outrage to come as these knockout games continue to grow in importance. 

Solid as a Roja 

Everyone remembers the great Spanish side of 2010 as a free-flowing, tika-taka machine fueled by some of the most gifted midfielders of all time in Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets. 

Yet in the knockout stage of La Roja’s first and only World Cup win, they won all four games 1-0 under the legendary Vicente del Bosque.

De la Fuente’s 2026 version are just as dominant in possession and just as watertight at the back. They didn’t even concede a shot on target here today, let alone a goal, making it four clean sheets out of four.

While France’s electric attack makes them the favorites, and Argentina will always be amongst the leading contenders when Lionel Messi is firing on all cylinders, Spain are the most defensively sound and controlled unit at this summer’s competition.

With Rodri mopping up just in front of them, Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi have developed a formidable partnership at the heart of the defense, meaning Simon has had very little to worry about so far.   

Even though it still feels like they can shift into another gear or two, and the tests will  become more challenging the deeper they go in the tournament, the European champions have made it to the last 16 without being breached. 

A Ukrainian woman described as ‘armed and dangerous’ has emerged as the prime suspect behind a bomb explosion in Monaco that critically wounded an oligarch from her own countr and his mistress. 

Monaco’s Prosecutor General, Stéphane Thibault, confirmed on Thursday that the suspect behind the attack is a Ukrainian woman in her 30s, currently registered as living in Germany. 

He said: ‘An arrest warrant has been issued for the suspect, who will be the subject of an Interpol Red Notice starting this evening.’

A senior investigating source suggested the woman had ‘attempted to look like a man’ during the attack, but a witness identified her.

He said she was likely to be on the run with accomplices in Italy, but might have made her way as far as the Balkans. 

The prime suspect is said to have targeted billionaire Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, his mistress, Anna Nasobina, 46, and their young son on Monday night. 

The woman – who has not yet been named publicly – was filmed outside the ‘Sun’s Palace’ – a lavish apartment block owned by Mr Yermolaiev. 

It was in the foyer, just before 9pm, that a dumped rucksack exploded after the woman triggered it using a mobile phone. 

Anna Nasobina (above) is in a ‘serious condition’ fighting for her life, and her millionaire lover, Vadym Yermolaiev, and their son were also wounded after an explosion in Monaco on Monday 

Ukrainian oligarch Vadym Yermolaiev, 58, was reportedly with his London-based lover, not his wife, when he was wounded

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Ms Nasobina had both her legs amputated following the blast, while both she and Mr Yermolaiev suffered severe shrapnel wounds and burns. 

‘The prime suspect was identified by a witness,’ said an investigating source. ‘She is a Ukrainian woman in her 30s.’ 

Footage from nearby surveillance cameras showed the woman wearing a black bucket hat fleeing on foot across the border to France, where there are no checkpoints. 

She headed into the French town of Beausoleil, and then made her way to Italy, investigators believe.

‘She is armed and dangerous, and thought to be in the company of accomplices,’ said the source. ‘She should be approached with extreme caution.’

Judicial authorities in both France and Monaco have opened a criminal enquiry for ‘attempted murder’, ‘the planting of an explosive device on a public road with criminal intent’ and ‘criminal conspiracy.’

Cameras first picked up the suspect in the area on Monday morning, before she returned to place the bomb, according to the same security sources.

She is thought to have been ‘around 12 meters away’ when she triggered the device, said one.

A suspect captured fleeing the scene on CCTV

Pictured: Monaco’s emergency services near the area of the explosion on Monday

The wounded boy has made a rapid recovery, and is currently providing evidence to police and prosecutors.

‘He is telling them exactly what he saw, although clearly his memory is very blurred,’ said a security source.

‘It appears that his mother took the full force of the blast, while he suffered relatively minor burns and shrapnel injuries.’

Ms Nasobina has been described in the past as Yermolaiev’s ‘common law wife’. 

She is a Ukrainian national who comes from Yermolaiev’s home city of Dnipro, while spending a lot of time in England. 

Nasobina describes herself as ‘London-based’ and is listed as a director of Wycombe Square Investments LLP in London since 2023, but frequently resides in Monaco, particularly during the summer. 

She is also the daughter of the former first deputy state prosecutor of Dnipropetrovsk region. 

Nasobina studied law at Dnipropetrovsk National University, followed by an International Institute of Management, before relocating to London.

Shards of glass on a damaged window of a residential building, following the explosion on Monday

Monaco police officers patrol near the site of the explosion

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She is a co-founder of Club Eclectique, a private members’ and literary-arts society registered in Oxford Street with a linked Monaco office. It was established in 2016.

The club’s events feature Russian entertainers with pro-Kremlin ties, and attendees include members of the Moscow diaspora in London.

One 2017 event she hosted, in honour of ballet legend Rudolf Nureyev, saw guests including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Yasmin Mills, designer Julien Macdonald, party queen Jo Wood, singer Camilla Kerslake and actress Camilla Rutherford attend. 

In turn, Yermolaiev’s wife, Anna Yermolaiev, uses a high-security family villa in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, the nearby French Riviera resort town which is the second most expensive residential location in the world, after Monaco.

It is likely that the suspect was using a so-called burner phone – one that can be bought relatively cheaply, without providing any kind of identification.

Such phones are frequently used by lawbreakers, and then disposed of once a crime has been committed.

Stéphane Thibault, the Monaco prosecutor who is leading the investigation in Monte Carlo, said: ‘We are attempting to arrest the suspect.’

Police and French Army helicopters with searchlights and numerous drones have all been seen in the search zone over the days and nights since the attack.

Nasobina describes herself as ‘London-based’ and has been the director of UK company Wycombe Square Investments LLP since 2023

While there are theories that Ukraine’s SBU security service may have been behind the bombing, ‘a settling of scores’ by gangsters is currently the favoured line of investigation.

The blast signalled the first attack of its kind ever to take place on the so-called Rock tax haven, which is less than two miles square and considered neutral territory.

Mr Yermolaiev had made multiple enemies over the years, and one of the reasons he moved to Monaco was because of the security it was meant to provide.

Seyar Kurshutov, a Ukrainian businessman from Crimea, who now spends a lot of time in Monaco, said his friend was ‘obsessed with security’. 

Kurshutov told Le Monde: ‘Vadym was living on a razor’s edge.’ 

Reports in France on Wednesday suggested that investigators are examining the possible involvement of the Security Service of Ukraine [SBU] in the suspected assassination bid, which left Yermolaiev, Nasobina and their son wounded. 

The blast may have been a ‘warning’ rather than a deliberate attempt at murder.  

Ukrainian police said previously that the oligarch may have been blown up over his alleged links to a suspected €100million call centre fraud scheme. 

Police sources claimed that the violent attack is thought to be linked to a network of fraudulent call centres in Dnipro, Ukraine, allegedly used to carry out large-scale financial scams across Europe. The Yermolaiev family is alleged to have played a significant role in the scheme. 

In late 2025, Artur Yermolaiev — 35, and Vadym Yermolaiev’s eldest son—was arrested in Cyprus for his role in the estimated £100million scheme. 

Extradited to Estonia, where approximately 500 clients lost around £5million each, he was sentenced to five years in prison, with four months to be served behind bars. 

‘He now lives in Israel,’ said Seyar Kurshutov. 

Igor Komarov—a 28-year-old businessman involved in the call centres racket—was kidnapped, tortured, killed, and dismembered while on holiday in Bali, Indonesia, in March 2026. 

Another security source said: ‘The killers have never been found. This gives an idea of the kind of enemies Yermolaiev is up against.’  

Meanwhile, Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda reported that the attempted assassination was thought to have stemmed from a suspected failed agreement to divide territory and unpaid debts allegedly owed to organised crime bosses in Dnipro.  

Like many oligarchs who became rich following the fall of the Soviet Union, Yermolaiev has faced accusations of criminality, including money laundering, which he denies. 

Responding to reports linking him to ‘boiler room’ fraud, Theo Koshlyakov, the businessman’s legal assistant in Monaco, said: ‘To date, no legal proceedings have been initiated against Mr Yermolaiev in any jurisdiction’. 

Yermolaiev has been living in the principality since 2021, according to reports. 

In 2019, he renounced his Ukrainian citizenship and obtained a Cypriot passport, and in December 2023, he was subjected to personal sanctions by Kyiv. 

France is assisting in a search for the suspect. An aide to France’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, said yesterday that police were working ‘to find the perpetrator, who has fled’. 

There was a claim in the Nice-Matin news outlet that Yermolaiev planned to deliver a speech to the European Parliament alleging corruption in Ukraine. 

The British skin care and make-up range will launch alongside other leading luxury brands already available in the store.

It’s the only Greater Manchester Boots store to stock the premium products

Charlotte Tilbury, who was a renowned make-up artist to the stars and worked with top designers founded the brand in 2013, quickly building up a following.

Charlotte Tilbury (Image: Agency)

Products including Magic Cream, Pillow Talk lipsticks and Hollywood Flawless Filter have become firm favourites among make-up artists and beauty enthusiasts alike.

The beauty range is typically only available at high-end retailers, making its arrival in Bolton a major coup for local shoppers and beauty fans.

Ms Tilbury CBE, President, Chairman, Chief Creative Officer & Sole Founder of Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, said: “Darlings, my mission has always been to empower everyone, everywhere to feel and look like the most beautiful, confident versions of themselves. I am so thrilled that we are now bringing Charlotte Tilbury into select Boots stores across the UK this summer – joining forces with another great British beauty icon that customers know, love and trust.  

“For years, I have received countless messages from people asking, ‘When is Charlotte Tilbury coming to Boots?’ Well, darlings, the wait is over – we are finally making your beauty dreams come true! Bringing Charlotte Tilbury to people that may not be near an existing Charlotte Tilbury location! Now, more people than ever will be able to experience my award-winning beauty secrets within their local communities. I cannot wait for Boots customers to experience the magic of Charlotte Tilbury for themselves!” 

Alice Rafferty, Director of Luxury Beauty and Cosmetics at Boots, said: “We are delighted to welcome Charlotte Tilbury Beauty into 31 Boots stores nationwide. Our customers have long been asking for Charlotte Tilbury, and we are incredibly proud to bring one of the world’s most influential beauty brands to even more communities across the UK.  

“Our stores are designed to be immersive spaces where beauty discovery meets expert advice, and this launch further strengthens our premium offering. It reflects our commitment to giving customers access to the most exciting and sought-after brands, combined with the trusted expertise they expect from Boots.” 
Middlebrook Retail and Leisure Park’s Boots recently underwent a relaunch recently, when it moved to a new store in complex.

Previously located next to M&S on the retail park, Boots has now moved to the other side of the complex, near Vue Cinema.

The relocation was to allow Marks and Spencer to expand and become a flagship store.

Another luxury brand being launched at Middlebrook is Rituals, which opens its store on the retail park on Saturday.

It has a healthcare, pharmacy, opticians, hearing care and premium beauty.

Products like foundation, powder and setting spray have taken the premium market by storm and the popular “Unreal” range has captured consumers looking for an Instagram filter-worthy complexion.

Ms Tilbury is thought to be one of the country’s richest beauty entrepreneurs with an estimated £350 million fortune, according to last year’s Sunday Times Beauty Rich List.

The 53-year-old founded the brand after working as a celebrity make-up artist for more than 20 years, and has worked with supermodels including Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Gisele Bundchen and Kendall Jenner.