RJ Abarrientos (right) is more focused on running plays than scoring. —FIBA PHOTO

RJ Abarrientos has done enough to be part of the conversation on the PBA’s best clutch shooters today.

And even if he hasn’t shown his touch with Gilas Pilipinas yet, the star Ginebra guard isn’t fazed.

Abarrientos has settled into the role of a pure point guard, a facilitator for the national team that is set to open its bid in the 2027 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers against Jordan on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Of course, as a guard, I’m very excited to have these players [as teammates], to have players [as tall as] AJ (Edu) and June Mar (Fajardo),” he said. “As a guard, they are the biggest impact for the team.”

“As a guard … I need to focus on how we can execute as a team, in offense and defense. That’s my job, to make their job easier inside the court.”

Abarrientos picked passing over hunting down his shots in a heartbreaking 106-102 double overtime loss to New Zealand in the previous qualifying window, finishing with 10 assists that helped four players finish in double figures.

With Kai Sotto back in the fold, Abarrientos sees his playmaking duties get a tad easier.

“The most crucial [thing] for me as a guard is to be vocal for them also and give the right help for the bigs,” said the Best Player of the Conference awardee. “There were a lot of failures in our practices, but we know that we can fix it. I’m very thankful that I have teammates, legends and veterans here in Gilas who can also support me in my career in PBA.”

“I’m very happy that I’m here and I can help them.”

Abarrientos and his teammates have their work cut out for them in this window, where they will also face Iran.

The Philippines finished 2-4 in the previous windows and sit outside the top four teams that will advance. Gilas Pilipinas is seeking no less than a sweep to grease their path, beginning with the 8:30 p.m. duel against the Jordanians.

Premier League clubs Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal all feature in pot one alongside back-to-back Champions League winners Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Aston Villa and Manchester United both return to the Champions League this season after not featuring last term. They are in pot two with Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting, Porto, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven.

Pot three consists of Feyenoord, Lille, Bodo/Glimt, Napoli, RB Leipzig, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.

Slavia Prague, VfB Stuttgart, Lask, Como, Lens, Sabah, AEK Athens, Slovan Bratislava and Viking make up pot four.

Venus Williams (L) and Serena Williams© AFP

A big welcome from the fans at the start. A stoppage-time winner at the end.

For Enzo Maresca, it was the “perfect day” as he earned his first victory as Manchester City manager.

City produced a stirring late rally in Maresca’s first Premier League game in charge, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes to grab a 2-1 win at home to Bournemouth on Sunday.

Josko Gvardiol placed a finish into the bottom corner in the first minute of added-on time for the winner, which was initially given offside before being awarded following a video review. Marc Guehi had equalized with a 84th-minute header from a corner to start the comeback.

Maresca, the successor to Pep Guardiola, punched the air when Gvardiol’s goal was awarded and went onto the field after the final whistle to hug his players.

A huge banner, reading “Welcome back Enzo,” had been held aloft by City fans as the Italian – Guardiola’s assistant in City’s treble-winning 2022-23 season – emerged from the tunnel before kickoff 
Wearing a sharp black suit, Maresca certainly looked the part on the touchline but the slickness synonymous with City’s play under Guardiola down the years wasn’t quite there until the late comeback sparked by substitute Rayan Cherki, who set up both goals.

“It is the perfect day, to be honest,” Maresca said. “I was very pleased when the game started to see the banner on the other side. And I was pleased because we give them the joy of the three points.

“It was quite emotional and the perfect day.” 
Maresca throws curveball with Guehi in midfield 
Maresca began his time as Guardiola’s replacement with a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield last weekend and has had to deal with the departure of star midfielder Rodri to Barcelona.

City might have found a long-term replacement for Rodri in 18-year-old Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is set to join from Lille for 100 million euros ($117 million) according to French media, but Maresca opted against Bournemouth to deploy Guehi – a center back – as a holding midfielder instead.

It was a contentious decision given there were other midfield options on the bench, and it might prove to be a one-off, but Guehi grew into the role.

City striker Erling Haaland wasn’t on the scoresheet in the first league game of the season for the first time since joining the club in 2022. He sported a new hairstyle – a buzz cut that went viral on social media ahead of kickoff – and wasted a couple of great chances to score with it.

Szoboszlai’s late equalizer for Liverpool at Newcastle after Keegan tribute 
Dominik Szoboszlai converted a penalty in the ninth minute of stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw for Liverpool at Newcastle in a match overseen by two new managers.

Before kickoff, the teams united to pay tribute to Kevin Keegan – a star player for both clubs – following his death last month at age 75. Players from Newcastle and Liverpool wore shirts with “Keegan” and the number 7 on the back in the warmup at St. James’ Park, while there was a mosaic in the center circle, a tribute video and a huge tifo in the stands dedicated to the former England star.

Szoboszlai smashed an unstoppable spot kick into the top corner after debutant Victor Munoz was fouled in the area in a dramatic finish. There was a 3 1/2-minute wait for a video review of the decision.

“I really hit it good,” the Hungary captain said. “I love the pressure.” 
Joe Willock looked to have scored a 57th-minute winner for Newcastle, one minute after coming on as a substitute and two minutes after Cody Gakpo had equalized for Liverpool. Anthony Elanga put Newcastle ahead in the fifth minute.

Liverpool striker Alexander Isak was jeered by Newcastle fans when he came off the team coach and then every time he touched the ball, a hangover from his switch of clubs at the start of last season.

Matthias Jaissle was taking charge of Newcastle for first time, while Andoni Iraola is Liverpool’s new manager as Arne Slot’s replacement.

Brighton destroys Villa 
Brighton scored four goals in the opening 31 minutes and also missed a slew of great chances in a 4-0 hammering of Aston Villa in the other early game.

To make matters worse for Villa, Joao Gomes was sent off for kicking out at Brighton’s Georginio Rutter in the 40th but the visitors somehow didn’t concede any more goals.

It has been a tough offseason for Villa, with key players Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Ezri Konsa leaving and speculation surrounding the future of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez at the club.

Brighton was sharper, having been in European qualifying action in midweek.

Fan dies 
A Brighton fan died after falling ill as he was leaving the Amex stadium following the win over Villa.

The 72-year-old man became unwell as he was leaving to board a supporters’ club bus.

Brighton said that, despite the best efforts of emergency services and club staff, the medical team could not save him.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber said “we are all shocked and saddened by the loss of one of our supporters.

Liverpool will play Tottenham in the third round of the Carabao Cup while Coventry City host Aston Villa in a Midlands derby and Chelsea could host Leeds United should they defeat Luton tomorrow night.

Premier League champions Arsenal will travel to Ipswich and Manchester United face Brighton, who knocked the Red Devils out of last season’s FA Cup at Old Trafford. Everton host Wolves and Newcastle face a tricky visit to Millwall, while Sunderland host Hull in another all-Premier League tie.

Holders Manchester City are home to Norwich and Bournemouth and Crystal Palace also host Championship opposition with respective ties against Lincoln and Middlesbrough, while West Ham will welcome either Fulham or AFC Wimbledon.

West Ham will be at home to the winners of Fulham or Wimbledon, Brentford make the short trip to Reading, while the remaining ties see Sheffield United at Fleetwood, Leyton Orient at home to Bradford and Peterborough meeting Barnsley.

The two remaining ties, between Chelsea and Luton and Fulham and AFC Wimbledon, will take place on Thursday night. The third-round fixtures will be held across the weeks commencing 7 September and 14 September.

The five Premier League clubs playing in this season’s Champions League will be in action in the second week due to their European commitments. The eight teams involved in the Champions League and Europa League could not play each other in the third round.

Follow all live updates from tonight’s ties below:

Carabao Cup third round draw in full

Crystal Palace v Middlesbrough

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Manchester United v Brighton

Manchester City v Norwich

Fleetwood v Sheffield United

West Ham v Fulham/AFC Wimbledon

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Read more

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:23

Johnson growing in confidence at Everton

Brennan Johnson’s swap move to Everton was one of the more unusual transfer stories of the summer but it looks as though he’s settling at the club.

He recorded a goal and an assist tonight.

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Speaking after the game he touched on his own performance saying: “It meant a lot.

“It’s been a little while, a bit longer than I wanted but when I came here I wanted to make sure I do everything right to give myself a chance to start bright and yeah… perfect game, buzzing for the big man [Thierno Barry] but I’m also really happy to score myself.

“When I came here, all the lads were so good with me, made me feel really welcome and I think it helps to play with confidence on the pitch, so big shoutout to the boys. I feel comfortable already and I’m loving life.”

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:44

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Reaction from Thierno Barry after scoring his hat-trick

After scoring a hat-trick against Preston, Thierno Barry spoke to Sky Sports.

He said: “I say this season needs to be mine. I try a lot this summer for that so I’m very happy to score my first hat-trick with Everton.

“I work a lot for that, I’m very happy, my team-mates helped me a lot also.”

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Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:39

Other ties to watch out for

Ispwich Town are hosting the Premier League champions which will be an fantastic night at Portman Road whenever that match takes place.

There’s also a midlands derby as Coventry take on Aston Villa. That’s also an all-Premier League tie and could be interesting if Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues can find their footing in the top-flight before that fixture rolls around.

Over in the North East, Sunderland are set for an intriguing meeting with Hull City. Hull defeated Man Utd in their first game of the season so can they carry that confidence into the league cup as well?

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Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:33

When will the Carabao Cup third round be played?

The third round of the Carabao Cup is scheduled to take place across consecutive weeks, starting on 7 September and 14 September.

The ties will be played midweek as single-leg fixtures with the winners progressing to the fourth round.

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Teams involved in the Champions League and Europa League will play their matches in weeks that avoid the European competitions.

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:29

Interesting third round ties

There are some interesting ties coming up in the third round.

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The big one is probably the all-Premier League clash between Liverpool and Tottenham at Anfield.

Chelsea, should they beat Luton tomorrow, will play Leeds which has the potential to be spicy as well.

Michael Carrick also has a tough task on his hands as he attempts to mastermind a Manchester United victory against Brighton.

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:25

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Carabao Cup third round draw

Reading will face Brentford.

Peterborough United host Barnsley.

Finally, West Ham will take on Fulham or AFC Wimbledon.

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Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:21

Carabao Cup third round draw

Fleetwood Town will play Sheffield United.

Everton are drawn against Wolves.

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Leyton Orient are at home against Bradford City.

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:20

Carabao Cup third round draw

Chelsea of Luton face Leeds United.

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Millwall take on Newcastle.

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:19

Carabao Cup third round draw

Coventry City are drawn against Aston Villa.

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Bournemouth take on Lincoln.

Liverpool will face Tottenham!

Mike Jones26 August 2026 22:18

Crowd favorites Alex Eala (left) and Felix Auger-Aliassime discuss strategy before the start of a point. —PHOTO BY KEATS LONDON

Alex Eala was looking forward to playing as many doubles matches with Felix Auger-Aliassime in the US Open.

“The US Open is a very electric place to play doubles, and I think mixed doubles especially, with the lineups that there are, is going to be very interesting and a really great opportunity for me,” the 21-year-old Filipino superstar said.

She got the atmosphere, alright. But she’ll have to wait a bit longer until the singles event before experiencing that again.

The husband-and-wife duo of Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils defeated Eala and Auger-Aliassime, 4-1, 4-1, late Tuesday evening (Manila time) in the first round of the mixed doubles event at the Flushing Meadows’ Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York.

Monfils and Svitolina needed just 15 minutes to pull ahead by a set before Eala and Auger-Aliassime, fueled by the loud support coming from a predominantly pro-Filipino crowd, showed a lot of fight early in the second set.

But Monfils, who is playing in his final US Open before he retires at the end of the season, and Svitolina pulled away to ice the victory.

The Filipino-Canadian duo was just among the big pairs that crashed out, which included women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. Men’s star Carlos Alcaraz, who teamed up with Serena Williams, also crashed out.

The early exit now leaves Eala and Auger-Aliassime to focus on the singles event that kicks off over the weekend. And almost everyone expects the “Eala Effect” to pack the courts.

Former US Davis Cup team captain and current tennis broadcaster Patrick McEnroe urged the United States Tennis Association to make sure Eala gets to play at the Flushing Meadows’ biggest courts if only to capitalize on her ability to draw crowds—mostly from Filipino communities—to her matches.

“The USTA better make sure they put her on big courts,” he told ESPN. “In New York, I think the crowd is going to be wild for her. It’s going to be a great story. Better make sure they don’t put her on one of those side courts early in the tournament.”

The Australian Open, the other hardcourt Grand Slam, came under some fire earlier in the year after failing to recognize Eala’s popularity and slotting her opening match against Alycia Parks on a smaller court.

Queens has a strong Filipino community, and part of it, particularly Woodside, which is about five kilometers away from the Flushing Meadows, is known as Little Manila. Aside from being home to many immigrants from the Philippines, Woodside also has numerous Filipino businesses such as restaurants and commercial centers.

“Filipinos come from everywhere, not just the Flushing, New York area,” Keats London, a Filipino photographer based in New Jersey, told the Inquirer. London has been covering Eala’s New York matches ever since the world No. 18 began competing at the US Open.

“Last year, I spoke to an OFW who came all the way from Hong Kong. She spent her hard-earned money to fly to New York and watch Alex play. She did not regret having spent the money even though Alex lost her match that day,” recounted London, who brought his daughter Eula to the Flushing Meadows to enjoy “Fan Week” at the Open.

“I look forward to this event every year,” he added. “I find that the Filipinos that I talked to are very receptive and quite proud seeing a pure, Philippine-born and raised athlete like Alex rise to the occasion, particularly with Alex starting from the junior girls [division] and even winning the junior girls crown a few years ago.”

—INQUIRER SPORTS DESK INQ

###—###

#Byline2

@ftjochoaINQ

As it relates to the NFL’s veteran pass rushers, the Vikings could fast be approaching a speak now or forever hold your peace moment.

Consider the update that arrives courtesy of national NFL insider Jordan Schultz: “Sources: 2x Pro Bowl OLB Haason Reddick has become the latest veteran pass-rusher drawing interest from teams after recent signings, including Von Miller to Dallas, Za’Darius Smith to Atlanta, and Derek Barnett to Cleveland. The 31-year-old Reddick has 61.5 career sacks and spent last season in Tampa Bay.”

Veteran Pass Rushers are Flying Off the Shelves

Teams can survive with a pair of imposing pass rushers. The Vikings are sitting in this position due to the ongoing employment of Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, both of whom are ready for major workloads in 2026. Dropping down to a single option is when things get dicey.

In an ideal world, the Minnesota Vikings will boast at least three imposing edge rushers. Think back to those prime Mike Zimmer days when all of Everson Griffen, Brian Robison, and Danielle Hunter were creating a ruckus at the line of scrimmage.

Conversely, think to the 2023 season when Hunter was the last man standing for imposing pass rushers since Marcus Davenport succumbed to injury. Hunter feasted and D.J. Wonnum did his best, but the Vikings were at least a single pass rusher short.

Consider just recent NFL moves involving veteran pass rushers (credit to OTC for money info):

• Jadeveon Clowney <—> Houston Texans ($5.5M)
• Emmanuel Ogbah <—> Kansas City Chiefs ($1.3M)
• Marcus Davenport <—> Chicago Bears ($1.3M)
• Von Miller <—> Dallas Cowboys ($5.5M)
• Za’Darius Smith <—> Atlanta Falcons ($6M)
• Derek Barnett <—> Cleveland Browns (?)

In a general sense, the assassins for hire can be scooped up for roughly $5 or $6 million. In the NFL marketplace, the $5M range is middle class territory. Going for a lower-end option means paying a lower-end price, but Haason Reddick wouldn’t be among those players. He’d likely find himself above the Ogbah/Davenport range but below the Miller/Clowney/Smith range.

At his best, Haason Reddick was a second-team All Pro and a fourth-place finisher in the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year voting. He earned those distinctions in 2022 when he played for the Eagles by piling up 16 sacks, 26 quarterback hits, and 11 tackles for loss onto the stat sheet. Oh, and then there were his 5 forced fumbles, an elite total.

Since then, Reddick hasn’t been so formidable. In Tampa Bay in 2025, Mr. Reddick had just 2.5 sacks within his thirteen games. He also had 6 quarterback hits and 6 tackles for loss. Minnesota’s great task involves assessing whether he’s cooked or whether there’s still some gas left in the tank.

Last season, Reddick commanded close to $13.5 million, a number he won’t be seeing in 2026.

As things stand, the Vikings appear happy to lean on off-ball linebacker Eric Wilson to be the EDGE3. At training camp last week, Wilson told me that his experience playing along the edge goes back to high school. The veteran feels confident in his ability to keep doing so for the Vikings’ defense again in 2026.

Otherwise, the names to know are Ty Ingram-Dawkins, Jake Golday, and then the cluster of UDFA depth guys (Bo Richer, Tyler Batty, Chaz Chambliss, Cam’Ron Stewart).

Reddick stands at 6’1″ and weighs 240 pounds, meaning he’s pretty small for the position. The pass rusher was chosen at No. 13 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft and has since played for the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Before long, a team is going to bite, signing Reddick with the hope of seeing him drink from the fountain of youth as he sends passers into orbit.

Haason Reddick will turn 32 in September.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open gets underway on Thursday morning at The K Club’s Palmer South Course in Co Kildare.

The K Club will be hosting the tournament for the first time, but the Palmer South Course, which was previously known as the Smurfit Course, hosted the European Open three times at the start of the century.

More than 120 players from over 30 nations will compete on this Ladies European Tour (LET) event which runs until Sunday.

As in previous years, Cavan’s Leona Maguire will spearhead the home challenge, which this time will consist of 16 Irish players – the highest in the tournament’s recent history.

Maguire will be strongly backed up by the likes of Áine Donegan, Anna Foster, Beth Coulter and Lauren Walsh, as they all bid to become the first Irish winners of the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.

Commenting on the strength and depth of the 2026 field, Ryan McCarthy, Managing Partner, KPMG in Ireland, said:

“The strength and international depth of this year’s field is a reflection of how far the KPMG Women’s Irish Open has come in a relatively short period of time. As proud sponsors of ambition, we are delighted to see some of the world’s best players competing alongside emerging talent and a record contingent of 16 Irish golfers. The championship continues to provide an important platform to inspire the next generation, showcase Ireland on the global stage, and celebrate the continued growth of women’s golf. We look forward to welcoming players, fans and families to The K Club for what promises to be another exceptional week.”

The international contingent will be lead by Shannon Tan from Singapore, winner of last season’s Order of Merit. Winners from the current LET season such as Noora Komulainen, Leonie Harm, Smilla Tarning Soenderby, Esme Hamilton, Agathe Laisne and Kelsey Bennett are all in the starting field.

Tournament Details

The 2026 KPMG Women’s Irish Open will tee off on Thursday morning at 7.45am.

Check out the Round 1 Draw here

Tickets cost €25 on both Thursday and Friday, and €30 on both Saturday and Sunday.

A weekend pass, which overs both Saturday and Sunday, is available for €50, while a Week Pass, which allows entry to the four days of the tournament, can be purchased for €90.

Children under 16 are free on all days of the tournament.

Tickets can be bought at the gate each day, and are also available to purchase in advance online.

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

The Nigerian Premier Football League (NPFL) is set to earn $7.5 million (about ₦10.5 billion) from a new three-year sponsorship deal with Euromatch Group.

NPFL Chairman Gbenga Elegbeleye announced the deal in Abuja during the unveiling of Euromatch as the league’s new sponsor.

Elegbeleye said the partnership is worth $2.5 million per season, bringing the total value to $7.5 million over three years.

He said the deal shows the progress made by the NPFL in recent years, adding that the league has moved beyond the challenge of getting fans into stadiums.

According to him, the focus is now on managing the growing number of supporters attending NPFL matches and improving their match-day experience.

Presidential Special Adviser on Communication, Sunday Dare, welcomed the deal, saying efforts to improve Nigerian football over the years are beginning to produce positive results.

Group Chairman of Euromatch Group, Sacli Semih, praised the talent available in Nigeria and promised that the company would work to increase the visibility and commercial value of the NPFL.

NFF President Ibrahim Gusau also commended Euromatch for investing in the Nigerian league. He urged the NPFL to create a strategy that would encourage former Nigerian internationals to attend league matches regularly and support the development of domestic football.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by several football stakeholders, including former Super Eagles stars Austin Eguavoen, Daniel Amokachi, Samson Siasia, Brown Ideye and Davidson Owumi.

Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Onilu, was also present at the event.