Connect with us

Sports

EST Cola rallies past Nxled in 5 sets, rises to solo second

Published

on

EST Cola of Thailand during a game vs Nxled Chameleons in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference.

EST Cola of Thailand during a game vs Nxled Chameleons in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference. –PVL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — EST Cola of Thailand pulled the rug out from under Nxled in five sets, scoring a 26-24, 21-25, 21-25, 30-28, 15-12 win and taking the solo second place in the PVL Invitational Conference on Thursday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Thais fought their way back from a 12-20 deficit in the fourth set, with Papatchaya Phontham nailing the big blows to ignite a 12-3 run and take set point, 24-23.

Article continues after this advertisement
Advertisement

READ: PVL: EST Cola stops Farm Fresh for first Invitational win

The Chameleons took the match point thrice — the last at 28-27 after Gel Cayuna’s 1-2 play, but Nannaphat Moonjakham scored back-to-back kills before Jackie Acuña’s attack error to force a decider.

Nxled kept EST Cola within striking distance in the fifth set, 13-12, after Acuña’s block. But a costly net fault by Lyann De Guzman sent the Thais to match point, followed by  Moonjakham’s game-winning attack that wrapped up the match in two hours and 52 minutes.

Phontham led the Thais with 26 points off 23 kills, two blocks, and an ace. Moonjakham delivered 22 points and 20 digs, while Nirarach Srikuta added 21 points and 17 excellent receptions.

Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement

“I’m so happy and excited after winning two games,” said Moonjakham.

EST Cola of Thailand's Papatchaya Phontham during a game vs Nxled Chameleons in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference.

EST Cola of Thailand’s Papatchaya Phontham during a game vs Nxled Chameleons in the 2026 PVL Invitational Conference. –PVL PHOTO

EST Cola booked its second straight win for the solo second place with a 2-1 record before it faces unbeaten Creamline (3-0) on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

“Team Creamline is number one and not easy for Team Thailand because they have [a strong] key player,” said Moonjakham, referring to Jaja Santiago-Minowa. “Fighting! Fighting! Fighting!”

Advertisement
Article continues after this advertisement

Nattharika Wasan added 10 points for the Thais, while setter Natnicha Saelao had 27 excellent sets on top of five points.

Nxled had 24 blocks in the match but still couldn’t capitalize on its block party.

Jonah Sabete-Escamillan led the Chameleons with 26 points off 15 kills, six blocks, and five aces on top of 21 digs and 13 receptions.

Advertisement

Myla Pablo had 16 points, while MJ Phillips and Acuña tallied 13 and 11 points, respectively. Cayuna had 23 excellent sets, 12 digs, and 10 points.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.
Advertisement

Nxled dropped to a 1-2 record, tied with Farm Fresh, PLDT, and Ho Chi Minh City, which will be the Chameleons’ next opponent on Friday at 4 p.m.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Sports

Rating every Premier League club’s transfer window after record deadline day

Published

on

Premier League clubs have smashed their summer transfer record with over £3.3bn spent. More than half of the Premier League’s clubs broke their transfer records in a summer window featuring four of the top flight’s five most expensive ever deals.

Manchester City completed the biggest deal on the final hours of the window by singing Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea for £125m, while Liverpool paid £120m for Bradley Barcola, Chelsea made Morgan Rogers their record signing for £117m and Tottenham also broke the £100m barrier by recruiting midfielder Sandro Tonali.

City were the biggest spenders overall with around £435m paid in transfer fees, followed by Chelsea (£349.8m) and Tottenham (£315m). Chelsea recouped the most in sales (£385m) with Aston Villa also receiving more than £300m in transfer fees after selling six of the players who started last season’s Europa League final.

But who got value in the market or which club is now fearing the worst? Here’s how every club rated at the end of another hectic transfer window:

Arsenal

Advertisement

Ins: Bruno Guimaraes (£75m), Ezri Konsa (£51m), Piero Hincapie (£45m), Christos Tzolis (£34m), Illan Meslier (free), Elijah Upson (free), Igor Tyjon (undisclosed fee), James Scanlon (undisclosed fee)

Outs: Gabriel Martinelli (£55.7m), Leandro Trossard (£15.3m), Jakub Kiwior (£14.5m), Gabriel Jesus (£8.6m) Fabio Vieira (£7.7m), Christian Norgaard (£7m), Karl Hein (£2.6m), Ismeal Kabia (loan), Reiss Nelson (free), Takehiro Tomiyasu (free), Josh Nichols (free), Samuel Chapman (free), Ethan Nwaneri (loan), Tommy Setford (loan)

Verdict: All the noises coming out of the Premier League champions this summer suggested that Mikel Arteta wanted to add a marquee attacking signing to his title-winning squad. With all due respect to Christos Tzolis, he is not it. Instead, Arsenal were beaten to the signing of Morgan Rogers by Chelsea, saw Vinicius Jr remain at Real Madrid after a very public courting, and did not make an approach for Julian Alvarez after Atletico Madrid refused to negotiate with Barcelona. Having sold the popular Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus, there is a danger that Arsenal are found short on the left side of their attack, although they have also avoided making expensive splurges on second-choice options. Still, Arsenal’s strength and depth across the rest of their squad is surely the envy of the Premier League and in Bruno Guimaraes and Ezri Konsa they have made two shrewd additions. This perhaps wasn’t the window Arsenal fans wanted. It is still good enough to defend their title. – Jamie Braidwood

Grade: B+

Advertisement
Arsenal have hugely strengthened in midfield but still lack a striker
Arsenal have hugely strengthened in midfield but still lack a striker (PA)

Aston Villa

Ins: Johan Manzambi (£51m), Nicolas Jackson (£47.5m), Ibrahim Mbaye (£47m), Joao Gomes (£34m), Zion Suzuki (£30m), Taylor Hawood-Bellis (£30m), Matteo Ruggeri (£21.4m), Leon Goretzka (free), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (loan), Alejandro Garnacho (loan), Modou Keba Cisse (joins next summer), Blade Earley (free)

Outs: Morgan Rogers (£117m), Ollie Watkins (£51m), Ezri Konsa (£51m), Youri Tielemans (£35m), Donyell Malen (£21.6m), Enzo Barrenechea (£12m), Lewis Dobbin (£9m), Lucas Digne (£8.5m), Emi Martinez (£7.5m), Josh Feeney (loan), Lino Sousa (loan), Kosta Nedeljkovic (loan), Samuel Iling-Junior (loan), Evann Guessand (loan), Joe Gauci (loan), Sam Proctor (loan), Andres Garcia (loan), Oliwier Zych (loan), Kadan Young (loan), Zepiqueno Redmond (loan), Benjamin Broggio (loan), Yeimar Mosquera (undisclosed fee), Louie Barry (undisclosed fee), Sil Swinkels (undisclosed fee), Cole Ramsey (free), Thierry Katsukunya (free), Ronnie Hollingshead (free), Junior Wilson, (free), Brad Burrowes (loan), Aidan Borland (loan), Luka Lynch (loan), Leon Bailey (undisclosed fee)

Verdict: This was a painful summer for Villa, of that there is no doubt. Beloved Istanbul heroes have vanished in the shape of Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, Emi Martinez and Ollie Watkins. However, Villa did what they felt was necessary, to safeguard their future and wriggle free of Uefa’s FFP regulations. The verdict may take some years, but Johan Manzambi, Ibrahima Mbaye and Zion Suzuki look like pillars for the long-term, while Nicolas Jackson, Joao Gomes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and the experienced Leon Goretzka bring immediate experience to maintain Unai Emery’s ability to compete. Alejandro Garnacho and Aaron Wan-Bissaka may not fall in either camp, though more optimism arrives in the shape of talented youngsters Brian Madjo and George Hemmings. The strategy was probably a little too drastic to realistically compete for a trophy and retain a place in the top four, but Emery is just about the perfect manager to oversee this transition. – Jack Rathborn

Grade: C-

Advertisement
Unai Emery’s squad has a much different look to last season (Nick Potts/PA)
Unai Emery’s squad has a much different look to last season (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire)

Bournemouth

Ins: Antonio Silva (£21.4m), Alvaro Rodriguez (£21.3m), Juanlu Sanchez (£11.1m), Michele Di Gregorio (loan)

Outs: Hamed Traore (£6.5m), Luis Sinisterra (£5.2m), Enes Unal (£1.2m), Matai Akinmboni (loan), Alfie Merritt (loan), Archie Harris (undisclosed fee), Alex Jimenez (loan), Alex Paulsen (loan), Owen Bevan (free), Romain Faivre (loan), Michael Dacosta (undisclosed fee), Marcos Senesi (free), Will Dennis (undisclosed fee), Ollie Morgan (free), Ashley Clarke (free), Noa Boutin (free), James Davies (free), Koby Mottoh (free)

Verdict: Keeping ahold of Alex Scott was the priority and Bournemouth were resolute in their stance even Arsenal and Chelsea circled. Eli Junior Kroupi may have been sold had it not been for a pre-season foot injury. It means new boss Marco Rose still has a talented squad to work with as he takes over from Andoni Iraola and leads Bournemouth into their historic European campaign. The signing of 22-year-old centre-back Antonio Silva from Benfica could prove to be a bargain at £21.4m but Bournemouth’s lack of depth could yet be tested by the extra workload of the Europa League. – JB

Grade: B

Advertisement
Bournemouth have kept hold Alex Scott, although he has turned down a new contract
Bournemouth have kept hold Alex Scott, although he has turned down a new contract (PA Wire)

Brentford

Ins: Mamadou Sangare (£39m), EL Hadji Malick Diouf (£35m), Jaidon Anthony (£15m), Jannick Schuster (£14m), Darwin Guagua (undisclosed fee), Callum Wilson (free), Joseph Wheeler-Henry (undisclosed fee)

Outs: Ethan Pinnock (£6m), Josh Stephenson (loan), Jordan Henderson (free), Yunus Konak (loan), Iwan Morgan (undisclosed fee), Ben Krauhaus (loan), Romelle Donovan (loan), Michael Olakigbe (loan), Ethan Brierley (undisclosed fee), Frank Onyeka (undisclosed fee), Tony Yogane (undisclosed fee), Ethan Laidlaw (undisclosed fee), Ryan Trevitt (free), Staitham Bowen (free), Conor McManus (loan), Julian Eyestone (loan), Benjamin Arthur (loan), Matthew Cox (loan), Jayden Meghoma (Brentford)

Verdict: Brentford have shopped around Europe this summer and look set to be rewarded for looking further afield. They’ve pulled off what could be one of the signings of the season in midfielder Mamadou Sangare, bringing the 24-year-old to west London for a club record £39m after he impressed at French club Lens. The Mali international is already making an impact in the Premier League and may yet prove a bit of a bargain. Left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf was one of few bright lights in West Ham’s dire campaign last term and is another eye-catching signing, while the Bees have also brought in reinforcements up front in Callum Wilson for free and winger Jaidon Anthony, who impressed at Burnley last season. Brentford lived up to their reputation as one of the Premier League’s most organised clubs by completing their business early and avoided any major sales. – Flo Clifford

Grade: A+

Advertisement
Mamadou Sangare looks to be an excellent signing for Brentford
Mamadou Sangare looks to be an excellent signing for Brentford (Reuters)

Brighton

Ins: Luka Vuskovic (£46m), Zadok Yohanna (£21.5m), Pascal Struijk (£18m), Chema Andres (£15.5m), Femi Azeez (£15m), Jaouen Hadjam (£11.1m), Costinha (£11m), Michael Svoboda (£4.3m), Matias Orozco (£3.5m), Promise David (loan), Rodrigo Rego (undisclosed fee), Valentin Joseph (undisclosed fee), George Munday (undisclosed fee), Oliver Mayer (free)

Outs: Carlos Baleba (£70m), Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m), Carl Rushworth (£22.5m), Diego Coppola (£15.3m), Danny Welbeck (£5m), Jeremy Sarmiento (£3.4m), Harry Howell (loan), Facundo Buonanotte (loan), Joel Veltman (free), Tommy Watson (loan), James Beadle (loan), Brajan Gruda (loan), Yoon Do-young (loan), Adam Webster (released), Jacob Slater (free), James Milner (retired), Solly March (released), Zane Albarus (free), Billy-Ray Cullinane (free), Matthew Hayden (free), Charlie Pennan (free), Will Rutter (free), Nils Ramming (loan), Caylan Vickers (undisclosed fee), Igor Julio (loan), Eiran Cashin (loan), Charlie Tasker (loan), Freddie Simmonds (loan), Mark O’Mahoney (loan), Amario Cozier-Duberry (loan), Kamari Doyle (loan), Josh Robertson (loan)

Verdict: Another window of savvy business from Brighton? Carlos Baleba’s loss will be felt and the £70m fee the Seagulls will get from Manchester United is significantly less than the £115m or so they were holding out for last summer. But Brighton have been active in strengthening in several areas. The biggest coup was landing highly-rated centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Tottenham for a club record fee of £46m, while the surprise deadline signing of Spain Under-21 midfielder Chema Andres from Stuttgart appears a classic piece of Brighton business. The former Real Madrid academy prospect is nicknamed “baby Rodri”. – FC

Grade: B+

Advertisement
Luka Vuskovic became Brighton's record signing
Luka Vuskovic became Brighton’s record signing (Getty)

Chelsea

Ins: Morgan Rogers (£117m), Maxence Lacroix (£52m), Marco Palestra (£47m), Geovany Quenda (£40m), Valentin Barco (£34m), Emmanuel Emegha (£21.6m), Pep Chavarria (£16.3m), Emi Martinez (£7.5m), Danny Welbeck (£5m), Jordan Henderson (free), Harrison Bettoni (undisclosed fee), Dastan Satpayek (£2.1m), Alfie Osborne (£400k)

Outs: Enzo Fernandez (£125m), Marc Cucurella (£52m), Andrey Santos (£50m), Nicolas Jackson (£47.5m), Liam Delap (£45m), Trevoh Chalobah (£25.7m), Tyrique George (£18m), Deivid Washington (£17.2), Marc Guiu (£14.6m), Tosin Adarabioyo (£7m), Omari Kellyman (£5.1m), Jimmy-Jay Morgan (£4m), David Datro Fofana (undisclosed fee), Caleb Wiley (loan), Mamadou Sarr (loan), Mykhailo Mudryk (loan), Axel Disasi (loan), Benoit Badiashile (loan), Reggie Walsh (loan), Dastan Satpayev (loan), Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (loan), Ishe Samuels-Smith (loan), Filip Jorgensen (loan), Ollie Harrison (loan), Alejandro Garnacho (loan), Chris Atherton (undisclosed fee), Kaiden Wilson (loan), Jesse Derry (loan), Harrison Murray-Campbell (loan), Frankie Runham (undisclosed fee), Joseph Wheeler-Henry (undisclosed fee), Jimi Tauriainen (free), Dario Essugo (loan), Robert Sanchez (loan), Dujuan Richards (loan), Kiano Dyer (loan)

Verdict: The sheer number of comings and goings, and scale of their spending and selling, is simply astonishing. But it is hard to argue that Chelsea have not also done some very good business, particularly in receiving £125m for Enzo Fernandez. With the record buy of Morgan Rogers adding to a devastating front three of Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro, Chelsea have also strengthened key areas by signing centre-back Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace and addressing the problem position of goalkeeper by swapping the experienced Emiliano Martinez for the error-prone Roberto Sanchez. By managing to move on so many players (33 in total) Xabi Alonso now has a relatively slimmed-down squad that may now have a chance of challenging Arsenal for the title this season. The only regret, however, is their deal for Lamine Camara collapsed at the last minute after agreeing to sell Fernandez to City – and that was hardly their fault, with Monaco pulling out of an agreed deal. – JB

Grade: A-

Advertisement
Chelsea have again spent big in their first transfer window under Xabi Alonso
Chelsea have again spent big in their first transfer window under Xabi Alonso (Reuters)

Coventry

Ins: Caleb Yirenkyi (£23m), Carl Rushworth (£22.5m), Sidiki Cherif (£20.5m), Loum Tchaouna (£20m), Aurele Amenda (£15.4m), Taiwo Awoniyi (£9m), Ethan Pinnock (£6m), Gustavo Hamer (£6m), Stephen Mfuni (loan), Dan Bentley (undisclosed fee), Frank Onyeka (undisclosed fee), Billy-Ray Cullinane (free)

Outs: Kai Andrews (loan), Miguel Angel Brau (loan), Jahnoah Markelo (undisclosed fee), Norman Bassette (loan), Callum Perry (loan), Brad Collins (free), Isaac Moore (loan), Liam Kitching (loan), Charlie Finney (free), Rylie Siddall (free), Oliver Dovin (loan), Raphael Borges Rodrigues (loan)

Verdict: Ambitious. Frank Lampard has been backed without totally disrupting the group that impressively won the Championship last term. Well over £100m spent, which might now just be a necessary entry point to a promoted side having a realistic chance of survival. But Caleb Yirenkyi is an exciting addition and Taiwo Awoniyi could prove a shrewd buy with the Nigerian striker’s disruptive presence and potential for more goals than his recent time with Forest, should Lampard afford him a run of games. – JR

Grade: B-

Advertisement
Coventry twice broke their transfer record this summer and signed midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi
Coventry twice broke their transfer record this summer and signed midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi (Getty)

Crystal Palace

Ins: Anan Khalaili (£21m), Zavier Gozo (£11m), Axel Disasi (loan), Evann Guessand (loan), Dwight McNeil (swap deal), Takehiro Tomiyasu (free), Oscar Mingueza (free), Honest Ahanor (loan), Ben Chilwell (free), Quinten Timber (undisclosed fee), Dario Osorio (loan)

Outs: Maxence Lacroix (£52m), Daniel Munoz (£22m), Danny Imray (£5m), Justin Devenny (£5m), Mofe Jemide (loan), Tayo Adaramola (loan), Brennan Johnson (swap deal), Owen Goodman (loan), Jackson Izquierdo (free), Hindolo Mustapha (loan), Craig Farquhar (free), Asher Agbinone (free), Jemiah Umolu (free), Rio Cardines (loan), Joe Whitworth (undisclosed fee), David Ozoh (loan), Romaine Esse (loan), Borna Sosa (loan)

Verdict: Palace have lost a couple of key figures this summer. The departures of Maxence Lacroix and Daniel Munoz are blows, and while they have kept hold of Jean-Philippe Mateta and Ismaila Sarr, you fear their burning desire to leave may end up impacting their performance. They didn’t spent big to fill the voids – their biggest acquisition being Israel international Anan Khalaili, Munoz’s replacement at right wing-back – and it took until deadline day for them to get particularly active. But after the signings of Honest Ahanor and Quinten Timber among other late acquisitions, Palace fans won’t be complaining too much. – Will Castle

Grade: C

Advertisement
Crystal Palace had a difficult summer as stars like Ismaila Sarr attempted to leave
Crystal Palace had a difficult summer as stars like Ismaila Sarr attempted to leave (Getty)

Everton

Ins: Tyrique George (£18m), Merlin Rohl (£17.3m), Hayden Hackney (£16.5m), Christian Norgaard (£7m), Brennan Johnson (swap deal), Jack Grealish (loan), Ainsley Maitland-Niles (undisclosed fee)

Outs: Iliman Ndiaye (£60m), Beto (£17m), Tim Iroegbunam (£13m), Adam Aznou (loan), Joel Catesby (loan), Roman Dixon (free), Dwight McNeil (swap), Idrissa Gueye (released), Tyler Onyango (free), Reece Welch (free), Demi Akarakiri (free), Frankie Okoronkwo (free), Isaac Heath (undisclosed fee), Seamus Coleman (released), Cody Ebere (free), Goodness Gospel-Eze (free), Elijah Campbell (loan), Nathan Patterson (undisclosed fee)

Verdict: The Toffees will come out of this summer with a sour taste in the mouth. Yes, they got the return of Jack Grealish they wanted, but it came at the almighty cost of losing Iliman Ndiaye on deadline day. That departure by itself arguably leaves Everton in a worse place to where they ended last season, which isn’t a great reflection on the window. They did look to spend some of the Ndiaye money before the deadline, only to see their pursuit of Folarin Balogun fall through at the very last moment due to the player having a change of heart. They sold Beto expecting to sign a striker on deadline day, but haven’t. Now, they go into the season short in important positions. – WC

Grade: D

Advertisement
Jack Grealish’s arrival was one of the few good moments in a torrid end to the transfer window for Everton
Jack Grealish’s arrival was one of the few good moments in a torrid end to the transfer window for Everton (PA Wire)

Fulham

Ins: Gonzalo Garcia (£34.3m), Shea Charles (£30m), Cesar Palacios (£8.6m), David Affengruber (undisclosed fee), Jonah Kusi-Asare (£5.2m), Manuel Angel (£3m), Hugo Larsson (loan), Erskine Rennie (compensation)

Outs: Sasa Lukic (£9m), Issa Diop (£8.5m), Luke Harris (loan), Harvey Araujo (loan), Steven Benda (free), Alfie McNally (loan), Harry Wilson (free), Olly Sanderson (undisclosed fee), Raul Jimenez (free), Callum Cliff (free), Oliver Mayer (free), Matthew Dibley-Dias (loan), Aaron Loupalo-Bi (loan)

Verdict: Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez leave a huge amount of production in their departures. Alvaro Arbeloa’s arrival and an appetite to do things differently is exciting, but the unknown brings a certain trepidation. How quickly can the Real Madrid Castilla group settle? Gonzalo Garcia looks both a top talent and character, but more needs to be done to dismiss any fear of relegation. WC

Grade: C-

Advertisement
New Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has brought three players with him from Real Madrid
New Fulham manager Alvaro Arbeloa has brought three players with him from Real Madrid (Reuters)

Hull City

Ins: Nobel Mendy (£20m), Konstantinos Tzolakis (£20m), Lucas Herrington (£17.1m) Ilyas Ansah (£14.5m), Mohamed-Ali Cho (£13m), Tim Iroegbunam (£13m), Jens Hjerto-Dahl (£10m), Joe Gelhardt (£6.5m), Jack Butland (£3m), Lucas Gourna-Douath (3.4m), Elliot Stroud (£3m), Hidemasa Morita (free), Matt Targett (free), Oscar Zambrano (undisclosed fee), Ben Robinson (free), Christos Mouzakitis (undisclosed fee), Sorba Thomas (undisclosed fee), Robinio Vaz (loan), Brooke Norton-Cuffey (loan)

Outs: Ivor Pandur (£6m), Abu Kamara (£2.5m), Aidon Shehu (2.5m), Cathal McCarthy (loan), Enis Destan (undisclosed fee), Thimothée Lo-Tutala (loan), Nathan Tinsdale (loan), Mason Burstow (loan), Harvey Cartwright (loan), Kyle Joseph (undisclosed fee), Kasey Palmer (undisclosed fee), James Debayo (loan), Akin Famewo (undisclosed fee), Harry Vaughan (free), Liam Millar (loan), Cody Drameh (loan), Matty Jacob (loan)

Verdict: Hull went into this window, first of all, needing to sell. Their promotion through the play-offs had triggered bonus clauses in players’ contracts that meant their overspend was on course to leave them in breach of financial regulations, which could have led to a points deduction. They did sell to avoid this, with outgoings including their first-choice keeper Ivor Pandur, but they’ve since stocked heavily to prepare for a first season back in the Premier League. Nobel Mendy and Konstantinos Tzolakis headline a summer that has seen 18 (EIGHTEEN) additions, and after the Tigers notched two wins in their first two games, both already look like steals for club-record fees of £20m. Hull were quickly written off when they got promoted, possessing a squad that had been tipped for relegation into League One at the beginning of last season. They’ve seemingly done all they can to strengthen, adding six more on deadline day, but will it be enough? And will it perhaps be too much of a personnel shake-up for manager Sergej Jakirovic to handle? WC

Grade: B+

Advertisement
Nobel Mendy celebrates after scoring on his debut against Man Utd
Nobel Mendy celebrates after scoring on his debut against Man Utd (Reuters)

Ipswich Town

Ins: Julio Enciso (£26m), Emersonn (£24m), Exequiel Palacios (£23.5m), Abdul Fatawu (£20m), Zian Flemming (£20m), Abdoul Ouattara (£17m), Florentino Luis (£16m), Daizen Maeda (£10m), Sasa Lukic (£9m), Kjell Scherpen (£8.6m), Issa Diop (£8.5m), Chuba Akpom (£7m), Kayne van Oevelen (£3.4m), Cédric Kipre (£1.7m), Chris Atherton (undisclosed fee), Frankie Runham (undisclosed fee), Lucca Fletcher (undisclosed fee)

Outs: George Hirst (£6m), Arijanet Muric (£6m), Harry Clarke (£3.5m), Wes Burns (£100k), Cameron Humphreys (loan), Ali Al-Hamadi (loan), Kayne van Oevelen (loan), Ben Johnson (loan), Finley Barbrook (loan), Sam Szmodics (loan), Conor Townsend (loan), Conor Chaplin (loan), Elkan Baggott (£2m), Cieran Slicker (loan), Leon Ayinde (undisclosed fee), Ryan Carr (free), Somto Boniface (loan), Henry Gray (loan), Ashley Young (retired), Tudor Mendel (loan), Chieo Ogbene (loan)

Verdict: You certainly can’t accuse Ipswich of failing to give it a go this summer, given they’ve spent around £170m – breaking the record for the most by a newly-promoted club in Premier League history. Of course, they splashed the cash after promotion two years ago and still recorded just four wins all season as they slipped to a limp relegation… But there has been a concerted effort to bring in some attacking talent with Paraguayan livewire Julio Enciso already looking dangerous in the heavy defeat to Manchester United and the likes of former Toulouse striker Emersonn and ex-Leicester winger Abdul Fatawu also offering exciting young quality. Exequiel Palacios, signed from Bayer Leverkusen, should bring a touch of class in midfield, while Sasa Lukic and Issa Diop offer Premier League experience and ex-Celtic man Daizen Maeda is also a veteran of British football. They may not stay up but the Tractor Boys have at least taken a big swing. – Luke Baker

Grade: B

Advertisement
The return of Julio Enciso is a welcome addition of creativity
The return of Julio Enciso is a welcome addition of creativity (Getty)

Leeds United

Ins: James Trafford (£40.5m), Tarik Muharemovic (£34.1m), Nico Elvedi (£6.8m), Michael Zetterer (£4.2m), Harry Wilson (free), Jean-Matteo Bahoya (loan), Melvin Bard (loan)

Outs: Pascal Struijk (£18m), Joe Gelhardt (£6.5m), Isaac Schmidt (£1.1m), Lucas Perri (loan), Sam Byram (free), Sebastiaan Bornauw (loan), Wilfried Gnonto (loan), Joël Piroe (loan), Charlie Crew (loan), Jack Harrison (undisclosed fee), Maximilian Wöber (released), Karl Darlow (free), Illan Meslier (free), Harry Gray (loan), Sam Chambers (loan), Largie Ramzani (loan)

Verdict: An aggressive window from Leeds and one that puts faith in Daniel Farke. A massive move for James Trafford provides a foundation and sign that the Whites intend to be a Premier League side for years to come, given the England shot-stopper’s best years are ahead and the lack of stability so far in his short but promising career meant his next move would have to be highly convincing. To be an attractive free agent destination, for Harry Wilson, and then to acquire the talented centre-back Tarik Muharemovic, with the older Pascal Struijk going out for a lesser fee, shows Leeds have spent with intent, while not operating in a reckless way like some of their rivals. A couple late loans to add depth to the left flank also doesn’t go amiss. – JR

Grade: A-

Advertisement
James Trafford was Leeds' headline signing this summer
James Trafford was Leeds’ headline signing this summer (Getty)

Liverpool

Ins: Bradley Barcola (£123m), Jeremy Jacquet (£55m), Victor Munoz (£34.5m), Lucca Brughmans (£30m), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (undisclosed fee), Ronald Araujo (loan), Samuel Martinez (joining in 2027)

Outs: Curtis Jones (£25.7m), Stefan Bajcetic (undisclosed fee), Calvin Ramsay (loan), Ifeanyi Ndukwe (loan), Kieran Morrison (loan), Calum Scanlon (loan), Mohamed Salah (free), Amara Nallo (loan), Armin Pecsi (loan), Luca Stephenson (undisclosed fee), Carter Pinnington (undisclosed fee), Ibrahima Konate (free), Andy Robertson (free), DJ Bernard (free), Rhys Williams (released), Lucca Brughmans (loan), Harvey Elliott (loan), Keyrel Figueroa (loan)

Verdict: The long-awaited signing of Bradley Barcola brings an injection of excitement into Liverpool’s window but, as so adeptly described by my colleague Adam Clery in his latest YouTube video, it’s a bit like buying a Ferrari while your house is burning to the ground. The Reds remain conspicuously short in defensive midfield and at right-back, though they did strengthen in central defence with Jeremy Jacquet and Ronald Araujo. Victor Munoz looks a strong wing option further forward – but it is somewhat questionable that they’ve not brought in a left-footed wide option to replace Mohamed Salah. – Kieran Jackson

Grade: B

Advertisement
Video Player Placeholder

Manchester City

Ins: Enzo Fernandez (£125m), Elliot Anderson (£116m), Ayyoub Bouaddi (£85.6m), Iliman Ndiaye (£60m), Allan (£32m), Mathys Detourbet (£21.6m), Jeremy Monga (£12.5m), Pierce Charles (£3m), Gerónimo Rulli (£1.7m)

Outs: Savio (£75m), Nico González (£52m), Tijjani Reijnders (£52m), Rodri (£51.3m), James Trafford (£40.5m), Nathan Ake (£7m), Issa Kaboré (£2m), Reigan Heskey (£2m), Stephen Mfuni (loan), Manuel Akanji (undisclosed fee), Jack Grealish (loan), Omar Marmoush (loan), Divine Mukasa (loan), Max Alleyne (loan), Finley Burns (undisclosed fee), Lakyle Samuel (loan), Emilio Lawrence (loan), Divin Mubama (loan), John Stones (free), Joel Ndala (undisclosed fee), Spike Brits (loan), Matty Warhurst (undisclosed fee), Sverre Nypan (loan), Pierce Charles (loan), Mathys Detourbet (loan), Isaac Smith (undisclosed fee), Oliver Whatmuff (loan), Bernardo Silva (free), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (undisclosed fee), Jaden Heskey (loan), Luca Fletcher (undisclosed fee), Kalvin Phillips (loan), Christian McFarlane (loan), Jeremy Monga (loan), Claudio Echeverri (loan)

Verdict: There has been a lot of change at the Etihad in what is Enzo Maresca’s first window in charge. Just look above: for nine signings, see 33 departures. A new midfield trio of Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi is extremely exciting but the exit of Rodri – the favourite to claim a second Ballon d’Or – is unequivocally a huge blow. Club stalwarts like Bernardo Silva, John Stones and Nathan Ake have also left and Maresca may have quite the job on to get all his big-money signings to gel in the absence of such huge squad characters. – KJ

Grade: A-

Advertisement
Elliot Anderson will anchor Manchester City's new midfield
Elliot Anderson will anchor Manchester City’s new midfield (Getty)

Manchester United

Ins: Carlos Baleba (£70m), Andrey Santos (£50m), Youri Tielemans (£35m), Tynan Thompson (£4m), Cristian Orozco (£700k), Karl Darlow (free), Kit Margetson (compensation)

Outs: Rasmus Hojlund (£43.2m), Radek Vitek (£14m), Jayce Fitzgerald (loan), Toby Collyer (undisclosed fee), Jacob Devaney (loan), Ethan Ennis (undisclosed fee), Ethan Williams (undisclosed fee), Sonny Aljofree (undisclosed fee), Altay Bayindir (loan), Tyler Fredricson (undisclosed fee), Casemiro (free), André Onana (loan extended), James Scanlon (undisclosed fee), James Bailey (free), Ethan Wheatley (loan), Sekou Kone (loan), Elyh Harrison (loan), Tyrell Malacia (released), Jadon Sancho (released), Chido Obi (loan)

Verdict: Another Manchester club, another extensive midfield rebuild. Yet while the Red Devils missed out on Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, there is an abundance of potential in the acquisitions of Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. And yet… the highest of hopes for Michael Carrick’s squad this campaign is a return of one of their own. Marcus Rashford, now adorning the No 9 jersey, is back after steering his career back on track at Barcelona last season. Should Carrick unlock Rashford’s quality, United could be potent up top. But could failing to sign a left back, despite a late effort to bring Rayan Ait-Nouri from Manchester City on loan before the deadline, come back to haunt them?

Grade: B+

Advertisement
Video Player Placeholder

Newcastle

Ins: Nico González (£52m), Matias Fernandez-Pardo (£51m), Bazoumana Toure (£43m), Aladji Bamba (£30m), Amar Dedic (£29.5m), Lukas Hornicek (£25.7m), Ewen Jaouen (£21.6m), Sean Steur (£20m)

Outs: Sandro Tonali (£92.5m), Bruno Guimaraes (£75m), Anthony Gordon (£69.3m), Nick Woltemade (loan), John Ruddy (free), Anthony Munda (loan), Alex Murphy (loan), Matt Targett (free), Joe White (free), Antonio Cordero (loan), Harrison Ashby (loan), Odysseas Vlachodimos (loan extended), Charlie McArthur (free), Kieran Trippier (free), Travis Hernes (undisclosed fee), Kayden Lucas (free), Ezra Tika-Lemba (free), Rory Finneran (loan), Emil Krafth (released), Sean Neave (loan)

Verdict: Honestly, who knows?! On paper, Newcastle have been hit very hard, losing star players like Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon, as well as their manager Eddie Howe midway through pre-season. However, new boss Matthias Jaissle has impressed in his opening two games – a draw against Liverpool and a win at Spurs – and new signings such as Nico Gonzalez, Amar Dedic and goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek have been crucial to that positive start. They’ve also signed highly-regarded Belgian attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo at the eleventh hour. – KJ

Grade: C

Advertisement
Nico Gonzalez has been crucial to Newcastle’s positive start
Nico Gonzalez has been crucial to Newcastle’s positive start (Reuters)

Nottingham Forest

Ins: Liam Delap (£45m), Ousmane Diomande (£34.2m), Daniel Munoz (£22m), Steven Benda (free), Gustavo Sa (undisclosed fee), Xaver Schlager (free), Boyd Fraser (undisclosed fee), Mason Ayre (undisclosed fee), Blaine McClure (undisclosed fee), Grady McDonnell (free), Kasen Brown (free)

Outs: Elliot Anderson (£116m), Taiwo Awoniyi (£9m), Omari Hutchinson (loan), Tyler Bindon (loan), Lamin Sillah (loan), Dilane Bakwa (loan), Eric da Silva Moreira (loan), Omar Richards (undisclosed fee), Stefan Ortega (released), Danny Anisjko (free), Jota Silva (free), David Carmo (undisclosed fee), Joe Gardner (undisclosed fee), Cormac Daly (free), Angus Gunn (free), Ben Hammong (free), Justin Hanks (free), Willy Boly (released), Josh Powell (loan), Morato (loan), Zach Abbott (loan)

Verdict: A new manager in Oliver Glasner and an offer they couldn’t refuse in Elliot Anderson. The £116m fee, considering a lack of Champions League football, was monstrous, although losing your best player puts a limit on your window rating. They’ve spent a decent amount, as they always tend to do, and the upheaval is remarkable, no matter the manager, but somehow the players fit: Daniel Munoz is one of the best right-backs/right wing-backs in this league and Xaver Schlager, who proved himself with Austria at the World Cup and joins on a free transfer, should fit in nicely. While Liam Delap’s fee is lofty, there is a disruptive presence in there and with game time, the goals should return. Ousmane Diomande could have gone to a bigger club, too. Safety is a solid bet and Glasner might have the Tricky Trees dreaming of a cup run. – JR

Grade: C+

Advertisement
Nottingham Forest broke their transfer record on Liam Delap
Nottingham Forest broke their transfer record on Liam Delap (Getty)

Sunderland

Ins: Malick Fofana (30.8m), Dayann Methalie (£24m), Thomas Meunier (free), Jules Ahoka (£8.6m), Juan Riquelme Angulo (£5m), Ethan Berry (free), Adam Nelson (free), Kevin Danso (loan)

Outs: Eliezer Mayenda (£17.1m), Anthony Patterson (£8m), Luis Semedo (undisclosed fee), Jenson Seelt (loan), Dennis Cirkin (free), Leo Hjelde (undisclosed fee), Arthur Masuaku (free), Ahmed Abdullahi (undisclosed fee), Timothee Pembele (loan), Dan Neil (free), Nazariy Rusyn (free), Matty Young (loan), Zak Johnson (undisclosed fee), Harrison Jones (undisclosed fee), Milan Aleksic (loan), Oliver Bainbridge (free), Tom Lavery (free), Rhys Walsh (free), Simon Adingra (loan)

Verdict: Sunderland went above and beyond last summer to stay up, spending £161m on 15 signings. They didn’t just stay up – they got European football, completely exceeding expectations. But this summer, have they rested on their laurels? It certainly looked like that before deadline day, by the morning of which they only had three senior signings on board. But after the last-minute arrivals of Malick Fofana – holding off an attempted Crystal Palace hijacking – along with Kevin Danso and Juan Riquelme Angulo, Sunderland’s ranks do now look improved. Regis Le Bris also didn’t lose any of his key stars from last term; a win. – WC

Grade: C+

Advertisement
Belgium veteran Thomas Meunier is one of Sunderland's summer recruits
Belgium veteran Thomas Meunier is one of Sunderland’s summer recruits (Reuters)

Tottenham

Ins: Sandro Tonali (£92.5m), Mateus Fernandes (£85m), Savio (£75m), Jan Paul van Hecke (£52m), Tosin Adarabioyo (£7m), Omar Marmoush (loan), Cole Ramsey (free), Mykhailo Mudryk (loan), Martin Dubravka (free), Marcos Senesi (free), Andy Robertson (free)

Outs: Luka Vuskovic (£46m), Cristian Romero (£34.1m), Djed Spence (£25.6m), Will Lankshear (£20m), Alejo Veliz (£7.8m), Ashley Phillips (£7m), Alfie Devine (£6m), Manor Solomon (£5m), Tynan Thompson (4m), Kevin Danso (loan), Pape Matar Sarr (loan), Jamie Donley (loan), Guglielmo Vicario (loan), Yang Min-hyeok (loan), Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny (loan), Elijah Upson (loan), Yusuf Akhamrich (loan), Radu Dragusin (loan), Luca Gunter (loan), Matthew Craig (undisclosed fee), Pele Arganese-McDermott (free), Souza (loan), Leon Myrtaj (free), Oliver Irow (loan), Mason Melia (loan), Kota Takai (loan), George Abbott (loan), Damola Ajayi (loan), Dane Scarlett (undisclosed fee)

Verdict: It’s an A+ for intent and aggression, yet the exact nature of the strategy might be where Spurs fall apart. They’ve acquired some good players, undoubtedly, but more than £300m on players that the existing top four or five clubs would not leap to sign, save Mateus Fernandes, could bring problems down the line when a similar splurge might be required to elevate this group back into Europe. The deadline day double signing of Chelsea dead wood Tosin Adarabioyo and Mykhailo Mudryk raised even more eyebrows. Still, back-to-back 17th place finishes understandably sparks panic and the need to overhaul a dreadful group across two seasons. Roberto De Zerbi certainly cannot complain, there’s a lot to work with and a top-half finish is the minimum requirement. – JR

Grade: B-

Advertisement
Tottenham spent £100m to sign Sandro Tonali in the summer - is he worth it?
Tottenham spent £100m to sign Sandro Tonali in the summer – is he worth it? (Getty)

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Maryland looks to young quarterback in opener vs. Hampton

Published

on

Nov 29, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Maryland quarterback Malik Washington (7) throws a pass against Michigan State in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn ImagesNov 29, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Maryland quarterback Malik Washington (7) throws a pass against Michigan State in the second quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

Maryland is hoping to see strides in its young quarterback while Hampton is gearing up for its first Power Four matchup as the teams clash Saturday in College Park, Md.

The Terrapins started last season with four wins but ended the year with eight straight losses for a second straight 4-8 campaign. Maryland head coach Mike Locksley will hope to avoid the same issues coming into this year, and a lot of that will hinge on quarterback Malik Washington.

A true freshman a year ago, Washington was thrown into the fire immediately and started every game. He finished the year with 2,963 passing yards with 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions but faltered during that losing stretch. Washington had at least one interception in each of the last six games.

During the Terps’ media day Locksley stressed the importance of letting Washington loose more now that he has one year of experience under his belt.

Advertisement

“A year ago because we knew we were throwing him in there inexperienced, we probably were a little more conservative,” Locksley said. “But I can tell you that the way he was taught and the things that he learned a year ago will benefit him now that he’s in a system that fits his skill set including his ability to use his feet to make plays.”

He’ll have plenty of offensive weapons to help including the team’s leading rusher from last season DeJuan Williams (501 yards) along with wideouts Kaleb Webb and trasnfer Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding.

Hampton (1-0) comes in off of a 45-0 win over Virginia University-Lynchburg. It was the first game for new coach Van Malone, and he got a huge boost from freshman Amari Pryear, who came off the bench to rush for 132 yards on just eight carries.

The Pirates are coming off a high with their first shutout since 2017, but Malone isn’t getting ahead of himself with a tough Terps team on tap.

Advertisement

“For us, it’s about playing mistake-free football because Maryland can make you pay,” Malone said Monday. “As we roll into practicing for this game, what I want to tell our players is we don’t have to be perfect, but we have to be better than we were last week.”

–Field Level Media

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Manchester United submit 23-man Premier League squad list

Published

on

Man United have submitted their squad list to the Premier League after the transfer window closed on Tuesday

Manchester United have submitted their squad list to the Premier League for the 2026/27 season.

A total of 23 players have been named in the squad list, though there are a number of big names missing from the list. The reason for that is that players born on or after 1 January 2005 do not need to be included in the squad, therefore the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro have not been included but are still eligible to play in the Premier League.

Advertisement

Premier League rules state that no more than 17 players who do not fulfil the homegrown player criteria are allowed to be named on the list. A homegrown player is someone who has been registered with any club affiliated to the FA or the FAW for a period of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday, or the end of the season during which he turns 21.

Eight players in the 23-man squad list United submitted to the Premier League classify as homegrown players, including Marcus Rashford, Mason Mount and Amad.

Here is the squad list submitted to the Premier League:

Advertisement

Goalkeepers: Karl Darlow, Tom Heaton, Senne Lammens, Dermot Mee

Defenders: Patrick Dorgu, Diogo Dalot, Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Noussair Mazraoui, Luke Shaw

Midfielders: Carlos Baleba, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans, Manuel Ugarte

Forwards: Amad, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Marcus Rashford, Benjamin Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 27 2026

Published

on

Queensland Country Bank Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 27 NRL game between North Queensland Cowboys and
Canberra Raiders. The game kicks off at 5:30 pm with North Queensland Cowboys heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the North Queensland Cowboys vs.
Canberra Raiders
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday September 5, 2026 at 5:30 pm

Where: Queensland Country Bank Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Advertisement

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders Odds

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders Preview

North Queensland hosts Canberra after securing its finals place, but both coaches have used the final round to adjust their line-ups. Robert Derby replaces the concussed Zac Laybutt on the Cowboys’ wing, while Coen Hess and John Bateman move into the starting pack as Griffin Neame and Jeremiah Nanai are rested. Canberra gives Coby Black and Malachi Smith their NRL debuts, restores Morgan Smithies after concussion and welcomes Noah Martin back from a quad injury. The afternoon will also carry particular significance for Josh Papali’i, who is set to make his 342nd and final Raiders appearance. Canberra’s youthful changes add enthusiasm but also uncertainty in key organising roles. With Scott Drinkwater and Tom Dearden directing a settled spine, the Cowboys should be better placed to control field position in Townsville.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Canberra Raiders Teams

Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Tomas Chester 5. Robert Derby 6. Jake Clifford 7. Tom Dearden 8. Coen Hess 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. John Bateman 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Soni Luke 15. Sam McIntyre 16. Thomas Mikaele 17. Kaiden Lahrs 18. Kai O’Donnell 19. Ethan King 20. Mason Kira 21. Ronald Philitoga 22. Liam Sutton

Raiders team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Jed Stuart 3. Simi Sasagi 4. Matthew Timoko 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Coby Black 8. Josh Papali’i 9. Owen Pattie 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Noah Martin 12. Matt Nicholson 13. Ata Mariota 14. Malachi Smith 15. Joseph Roddy 16. Morgan Smithies 17. Vena Patuki-Case 18. Tom Starling 19. Daine Laurie 20. Ethan Sanders 21. Mark Tuialii 22. Jesse Milin

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 27 2026

Published

on

Ocean Protect Stadium will play host to Saturday’s
Round 27 NRL game between Cronulla Sharks and
Melbourne Storm. The game kicks off at 7:35 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Cronulla Sharks vs.
Melbourne Storm
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday September 5, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: Ocean Protect Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Advertisement

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm Odds

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm Preview

Cronulla meets Melbourne at Ocean Protect Stadium with a heavily altered side ahead of the finals. Nicho Hynes, Blayke Brailey and Teig Wilton are among the Sharks being rested, while Riley Pollard, Riley Jones and Michael Gabrael have been named for NRL debuts. Niwhai Puru shifts to halfback and Hohepa Puru starts at hooker, placing considerable responsibility on an inexperienced combination against an established Storm spine. Melbourne retains its starting side after a 46-20 victory over Brisbane, with Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant providing continuity through the middle. The Sharks still possess power through Addin Fonua-Blake and dangerous finishers in Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo. However, Melbourne’s cohesion and greater experience in the key positions should allow the visitors to handle the decisive passages more effectively.

Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm Teams

Sharks team: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Riley Jones 4. Michael Gabrael 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Riley Pollard 7. Niwhai Puru 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Hohepa Puru 10. Jesse Colquhoun 11. Briton Nikora 12. Billy Burns 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Siosifa Talakai 15. Toby Rudolf 16. Oregon Kaufusi 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Liam Ison 21. Samuel Stonestreet 22. KL Iro

Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown 3. Tyran Wishart 4. Nick Meaney 5. Moses Leo 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Oryn Keeley 13. Trent Loiero 14. Trent Toelau 15. Cooper Clarke 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Angus Hinchey 19. Hugo Peel 20. Davvy Moale 21. Manaia Waitere 22. Hayden Watson

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

2026 Week One Top Big 12 College Football Storylines

Published

on


  By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports


The Big 12 is not respected as a football conference.

Primary Big 12 logo smallEntering every year facing doubt from the national media, its teams are left to control what they can control.

This season, BYU and Texas Tech are once again the favorites. Utah is on the radar, too, along with Houston.

And no matter how bad the national media tries to trash the league, at the end of the day, at least one team from the Big 12 will make the Playoff.

Advertisement

So forget the outside noise.

Here are the storylines heading into Week One.


Featured Team of the Week: Oklahoma State

espn oklahoma stateOklahoma State at TulsaTulsa

Saturday, September 5
12:45 PM PT, ESPNU

The Big 12 has lost credibility on the national stage. At the exact same time, Oklahoma State has become a shell of itself. Those two circumstances are directly related.

Advertisement

The Big 12 needs Ok State to be the powerhouse it once was.

That’s right, “once was.”

It’s a new era in the world of conference realignment. Just because you hire a hotshot coach out of the Group of 6 doesn’t mean it will translate.

Drew Mestemaker
Cowboys QB Drew Mestemaker | Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman

The whole season is riding on the quarterback. Sound familiar? It’s the same old story in Stillwater.

Is this year all hype and no substance? Show us in Week One why so many are high on the Pokes. There’s no way y’all struggle to beat Tulsa on the road.

Advertisement

Right?


Game to Watch

espn%2Boregon%2Bstate.pngOregon State at No. 23 HoustonHouston Cougars logo

Saturday, September 5
9:00 AM PT, ESPN

The Beavers head to Houston for a true road game to open the year.

The Cougars are expected to be one of the top teams in the Big 12 this season. The final score of this game will be informative.

Advertisement

The spread is currently set at -20.5 in favor of Houston. That’s a fairly large margin that tells you Vegas is either high on UH or low on Oregon State.

Maybe it’s a combination of both. Either way, we will all find out on Saturday.


Regional Program Previews

Colorado Buffaloes logoColorado at Georgia TechGeorgia Tech

Thursday, September 3
5:00 PM PT, ESPN

The decision to hire offensive coordinator Brennan Marion over the offseason could pay dividends immediately. Marion is the former head coach of Sacramento State, and before that the offensive coordinator at UNLV.

Advertisement

He runs a unique offensive system. It’s effective and should maximize the talents of quarterback Julian Lewis.

The line on this game is only -6.5 in favor of Georgia Tech. That should tell you something.

There’s a reason Marion has been so successful.

idaho espnIdaho at No. 21 UtahUtah Utes logo

Thursday, September 3
6:00 PM PT, ESPNU

Advertisement

Just stay healthy. That’s all that matters against Idaho.

Everyone knows what Devon Dampier is capable of. This is a throwaway game to give the depth pieces live reps.

It’s fair to go into the game with two expectations: (1) Utah scores on its opening drive; and (2) Idaho punts on its opening drive.

Run the score up on them. But do it using the two’s, three’s, and four’s. Not the starters.

Advertisement

Utah TechUtah Tech at No. 14 BYUBYU Cougars logo

Saturday, September 5
5:00 PM PT, ESPN+

Don’t put too much on film. And yank the starters at halftime.

The spread in this game is outrageous. It’s the widest margin in the Big 12 this week.

The other way to look at the game is as a “stat night”. But that’s not the culture at BYU.

Advertisement

The best news out of Provo this weekend would be no news at all. Just handle business and don’t get anyone hurt.

espn northern arizonaNorthern Arizona at ArizonaArizona football logo

Saturday, September 5
6:30 PM PT, ESPN+

Northern Arizona should not score a touchdown on the Wildcats this Saturday. That’s the expectation that should be set for Arizona’s defense.

Forget the key contributors lost from the secondary. This is Danny Gonzales’s team. That means physical football.

Advertisement

Big hits, forced turnovers, and disguised pressure on the quarterback.

The Lumberjacks should not score a single touchdown.

Morgan State at Arizona StateASU Sun Devis logo

Saturday, September 5
7:00 PM PT, ESPN+

All eyes are on quarterback Cutter Boley. The rest of the Arizona State’s roster is expected to be good enough to compete in every Big 12 game this season.

Advertisement

But if Boley isn’t it, the team probably won’t go very far.

On the flip side, if Boley is more than capable of leading the offense, the Sun Devils become a legitimate dark horse in the Conference race.

A blowout win over Morgan State is expected. Anything less would be questionable.


Other Noteworthy Games

Baylor Bears logoBaylor v. Auburn (Atlanta)Auburn Tigers logo

Saturday, September 5
12:30 PM PT, ABC

Advertisement

This feels like an obligatory mention because of the brand power of each school.

But neither program is expected to compete for a championship in its respective conference.

This may draw the television ratings the TV executives want. But don’t expect it to be that high quality of football.

The main storyline to monitor is how Florida transfer quarterback DJ Lagway does for Baylor. He could spark them on a run with a win against Auburn.

Advertisement

coastal carolina espnCoastal Carolina at West Virginiawest virginia espn

Saturday, September 5
9:00 AM PT, TNT

Rich Rodriguez enters his second season back in Morgantown.

Coastal Carolina is not the program it was a few years ago. But West Virginia can’t overlook this game.

It’s a Noon Eastern Time kickoff, too. Let’s hope the WVU football players don’t go out partying the night before.

Advertisement

This game is on upset alert.

espn%2Bboston%2Bcollege.pngBoston College at Cincinnaticincinnati espn

Saturday, September 5
12:30 PM PT, FOX

This matchup isn’t even a blip on the national radar.

But in the context of the Big 12 versus the ACC, this game is pivotal.

Advertisement

Cincinnati can’t lose at home to Boston College. If that happens, there just aren’t many legs left for the Conference to stand on. Especially if Georgia Tech beats Colorado.

But, really, the Big 12’s reputation has been in the gutter lately. A loss to BC would be the chef’s kiss goodbye to the little remaining respect the Conference has.


Straight-Up Staff Picks for Selected Games

 

Dane Miller
Latest posts by Dane Miller (see all)

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Good Good CEO out after controversial ad, viral social post

Published

on

Good Good Golf CEO Matt Kendrick is no longer with the company, the latest fallout from a controversial advertisement that depicted violence against women.

Kendrick, a Good Good co-founder, oversaw the company’s response to outrage over an advertisement for a Callaway x Good Good driver that featured Good Good’s Garrett Clark pushing creator Alexis Miestowski to the ground. Kendrick then went viral with a social media post criticizing Callaway’s role in the controversy.

Now Kendrick has officially stepped away from his position as Good Good CEO, along with the company’s president Joe Flannery.

The news came via an internal company memo, which was first reported by Business Insider and later Front Office Sports.

Advertisement

Good Good CEO Matt Kendrick out in aftermath of driver ad

According to Business Insider, Good Good head of finance Alex Puchala sent a memo to company employees on Wednesday announcing the departures of Kendrick and Flannery.

“Matt helped build something extraordinary that exceeded all expectations and continues to bring countless new fans to the sport,” Puchala reportedly wrote.

Puchala said Good Good co-founder Nida Giga will take over as interim CEO. Puchala has not immediately returned GOLF’s request for comment.

The news comes as something of a surprise given that Kendrick had survived the initial fallout from the ad, as well as a widely criticized initial apology from the company.

Advertisement

Kendrick later took to LinkedIn to post his own apology and take responsibility for the controversial ad. But that did little to stop the fallout. Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy removed Good Good merchandise from their shelves. Golf Galaxy backed out as title sponsor of Golf Channel’s new “Big Break x Good Good” TV show. Golf Channel then canceled the first season of the show entirely.

The hits kept coming. Last Thursday, Callaway ended its partnership with Good Good, and Good Good announced it would step away as title sponsor of the PGA Tour’s Good Good Championship scheduled for November.

Good Good CEO’s inflammatory X post goes viral

On Friday, Kendrick took to his previously dormant X account to make an early morning post criticizing Callaway, which had ended its partnership with Good Good the day before.

In the post, Kendrick wrote, “Interesting that @CallawayGolf asks us to make an ad then approves it then asks us to take the fall then drops us in a coordinated media blitz and covers it up by giving a million dollars away thinking everyone will be ok with it. 30 for 39 will be legendary.”

Advertisement

The post immediately went viral. As of this writing, it has not been deleted and has racked up 8.8 million views.

Later that morning, Kendrick told Front Office Sports he made the “reactionary” post in light of “what’s come towards [his] family.” He also revealed that he didn’t see or approve of the Callaway driver ad before it was posted. Five days later, Kendrick was out at Good Good.

On Wednesday night, Front Office Sports reached a spokesperson for Good Good, who expressed confidence in the future of the company in light of Kendrick and Flannery’s departures.

“Despite the recent controversy, the company is seeing online retail growth, continued support from investors, and sees an opportunity to re-engage former retail partners in the future,” the spokesperson told Front Office Sports.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Wong takes first ODI five-wicket haul for England

Published

on

An excellent performance from Issy Wong sees her get a five-wicket haul – her first for England in ODI cricket – during the second One Day International in Derby.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Shakur Stevenson accused of avoiding rival world champion: “I make him nervous”

Published

on

Shakur Stevenson is yet to announce an opponent for his Zuffa Boxing debut and one reigning world champion is claiming that he has been avoided by the WBO super-lightweight ruler.

Stevenson outclassed Teofimo Lopez to become a four-division world champion back in January, but the Newark southpaw hasn’t fought since, despite being linked to a host of names; including Devin Haney, Conor Benn, Raymond Muratalla and O’Shaquie Foster.

In fact, Foster was told by Stevenson that he could get his shot if able to defeat his good friend, Raymond Ford, which he did back in May, prompting a post-fight face-off between he and Stevenson, only for talks to then go quiet.

Advertisement

In an interview with Fight Hub TV, Foster explained why he believes the proposed battle makes Stevenson ‘nervous’.

“He don’t want to fight, we didn’t hear nothing, man. He don’t want me to end that gravy train that they got going on, he is going to take his chances somewhere else. 

“For real though, Shakur saw me for a long time. Before me and him even started sparring, when we were staying together in Virginia, he saw me work. So, he know what I can do, he knows what I am capable of. 

“Then on top of the sparring, Shakur has sparred everybody that he fought and everybody that he wants to fight, he got a beat on them.

“He couldn’t ever get a beat on me, so that is what I feel like it is, it makes him nervous.” 

Advertisement

Instead, Foster – who holds the WBC super-featherweight world title – has now moved on to a fascinating three-belt super-featherweight world title unification against unified WBO and IBF 130lb champion, Emanuel Navarrete.

Continuing, Foster maintained that Stevenson will remain his target during the aftermath, potentially prioritising a clash with the pound-for-pound star over a possible undisputed title bout at super-featherweight.

“He came talking about, I need to get past Navarrete, he keep throwing everybody else’s name out there.

When I handle him [Navarrete] though, you come see me next.”

Navarrete-Foster will take place on Saturday, October 24, whilst the remaining super-featherweight title will be on the line when Anthony Cacace attempts to defend his WBA belt against Nick Ball on Saturday, December 19.

Advertisement

Stevenson, meanwhile, may well end up facing Raymond Muratalla, who recently vacated his lightweight title following previous talks of moving up to 140lbs to make the fight happen.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels Tips, Odds, Teams & Predictions – NRL Round 27 2026

Published

on

WIN Stadium will play host to Sunday’s
Round 27 NRL game between St. George Illawarra Dragons and
Parramatta Eels. The game kicks off at 2:00 pm with Parramatta Eels heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the St. George Illawarra Dragons vs.
Parramatta Eels
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday September 6, 2026 at 2:00 pm

Where: WIN Stadium

Bet 💰: Bet On This Match HERE

Advertisement

St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels Odds

St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels Preview

St George Illawarra and Parramatta finish their seasons at WIN Stadium with both teams seeking a positive response to an uneven campaign. The Dragons make one starting change, bringing Blake Lawrie into the front row and moving Loko Pasifiki Tonga to lock, with Ryan Couchman returning to the interchange. Parramatta regains Jordan Samrani from an adductor injury in the centres, sending Sean Russell to the bench. Jack de Belin is also included among the replacements, while Tyrese Lokeni could make his NRL debut. The Eels’ selected spine retains Mitchell Moses alongside Ronald Volkman, offering the visitors an experienced kicking and organisational presence. St George Illawarra can apply pressure through Damien Cook and its mobile forwards, but Parramatta’s edge speed through Josh Addo-Carr and Brian Kelly provides the sharper attacking outlet.

St. George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels Teams

Dragons team: 1. Daniel Atkinson 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Tyrell Sloan 6. Lyhkan King-Togia 7. Kyle Flanagan 8. Toby Couchman 9. Damien Cook 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Dylan Egan 12. Hamish Stewart 13. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 14. Connor Muhleisen 15. Ryan Couchman 16. Josh Kerr 17. Jacob Halangahu 18. Jacob Webster 19. Setu Tu 20. Ryan Hutchinson 21. Kade Reed 22. Nicholas Tsougranis

Eels team: 1. Apa Twidle 2. Brian Kelly 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Jordan Samrani 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Ronald Volkman 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Luca Moretti 9. Tallyn Da Silva 10. Junior Paulo 11. Jack Williams 12. Kitione Kautoga 13. Saxon Pryke 14. Harrison Edwards 15. Jack de Belin 16. Teancum Brown 17. Dylan Walker 18. Tyrese Lokeni 19. Sean Russell 20. Kelma Tuilagi 21. Jonah Pezet 22. Ryley Smith

Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025