Stakes-winning mare Oh Diamond Lil, described by jockey Rachel King as “a bit of a weirdo”, is in the right mindset to recapture her best form in the Mona Lisa Stakes at Wyong. King was aboard the David Pfieffer-trained galloper when she secured her most significant victory in the Group 3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle last spring.

The six-year-old’s subsequent performances have been varied, with King attributing this more to the mare’s mental state than her physical condition. “She’s a bit of a weirdo but the guy who has been riding her work has done a really good job with her this ‘prep’,” King commented. “She’s still got her ways about her, but when she’s on the track she has been more relaxed than ever.”

King further explained, “At the moment they’ve got her in a really good headspace and she’s back to firing like she was when I was last winning on her. She’s fit and healthy and looks great. She has done plenty of work, she’s had good, solid trials and she’s ready to go.”

Oh Diamond Lil’s last appearance was a fourth-place finish in the Magic Millions National Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June. Despite this, she has won both her recent trials and maintains a strong record when racing fresh.

Bella Montagna, King’s mount for the Wyong Gold Cup (2100m), is also returning from a Queensland campaign. This included a second in the Premier’s Cup (2400m) and a fifth in the Brisbane Cup (3200m), both times behind Alalcance. Given this residual fitness, Bella Montagna is expected to be a strong contender.

“Distance-wise, it’s the right trip for her (first-up) and I’m sure coming from Gai and Adrian’s she’ll be fit enough first-up,” King stated. “She is definitely improving and she has each prep. Even last prep, she improved throughout the whole preparation.”

She added, “I was pretty confident going into a Brisbane Cup it would suit her. She probably didn’t quite see out the two miles trying it the first time, but I think she’ll benefit a lot from it and she’s the kind of mare who can get over that trip eventually. It will be interesting to see how she’s come back having had that little bit of a break. I think she has probably strengthened up a bit.”

King is aiming for a repeat of her 2020 success in the Wyong Cup-Mona Lisa Stakes double with Paths of Glory and Asiago. The Mona Lisa Stakes is approaching, and interested parties can find competitive racing odds on Australian betting sites.

Nxled Chameleons huddle during a game against Farm Fresh Foxies in the PVL Invitational Conference.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Nxled took care of business on Sunday, but its hopes of a breakthrough finals appearance in the PVL Invitational Conference remain up in the air.

Nxled fended off Farm Fresh in a must-win game, 25-20, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, to secure at least a berth in the bronze medal match on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Chameleons, who finished with a 3-2 record and 10 points, can still make it to the winner-take-all final on Tuesday if either EST Cola or Creamline lose their matches later.

READ: PVL: Jonah Sabete keeping Nxled’s title bid afloat

Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti and MJ Phillips after winning their final preliminary round. #PVL2026 @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/BnIOtqvMnE

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) September 6, 2026

EST Cola is taking on Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City as of posting time, while Creamline faces defending champion PLDT later tonight.

“I’m really proud of the way we played this mini tournament. Really intense, and I think that it’s clear for everyone that this is a fighting team. We fought against everyone. We didn’t lose a single set by a big score. We always try our best to bring the victory at home. Sometimes we succeed; sometimes we don’t. But it has always, always been a fearsome battle for us,” said Nxled coach Ettore Guidetti.

“Now we simply have to wait. What is going to happen doesn’t change anything for us. We’re going to fight anyway.  I don’t really care what we’re going to play, if it’s for the first or for the third place. I’m sure that the girls will try their best to bring the podium home in any way,” he added.

MJ Phillips continued her stellar play in the conference with 25 points on a 19-of-30 spiking clip to go with four aces and two blocks.

READ: PVL: Nxled fends off Ho Chi Minh City to stay in race to final

“Honestly, I give it to my teammates. Honestly, I wouldn’t be here without them. I’m so proud of their mentality to be able to bounce back, especially after all these tiring games. So I’m just really proud of the girls we’ve come along with,” said Phillips.

Gel Cayuna dished out 22 excellent sets and scored six. Jackie Acuña chipped in 12 points, hitting 10 of her 17 attack attempts. Jonah Sabete-Escamillan had 11 points and 21 excellent receptions, while Myla Pablo and EJ Laure-Cariño added 10 and nine points, respectively.

Farm Fresh lost four straight games to end the preliminary round, facing Ho Chi Minh City in the battle for fifth on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

Season MVP Trisha Tubu led the Foxies with 20 points and 10 digs. Rookie Jonna Perdido had 13 points and 11 receptions, while Ces Molina added 12.

Chris Eubank Jr has named his number one target ahead of a return to the ring.

Eubank had two fights with long-term rival Conor Benn in 2025, winning the first by unanimous decision in April, before struggling in the rematch seven months later, as Benn dropped his rival on his way to avenging his loss with a dominant points win of his own.

It appeared in the November showdown that the weight cut to middleweight along with the rehydration clause proved to be a bridge too far for Eubank, who admitted afterwards that he had been dealing with a lot of health issues in the build up to the bout.

He now insists he is back to full strength, and in a recent interview he was asked whether he would be more interested in another fight with Benn, or a rematch with former foe Billy Joe Saunders, who beat Eubank Jr back in 2014.

Eubank was clear with his view, stating that his preference is a trilogy contest with Benn.

“It’s 1-1 for me and Conor. He’s much more relevant [than Billy Joe Saunders] and he has a big fight coming up next week. If he gets through that and wins that, I think it makes the third fight with us even bigger.”

“I’d love to settle the score and now that I’m healthy again, get it on for the third time.”

Benn challenges Ryan Garcia for his WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas on September 12, but has already revealed it will be his final fight at 147lbs, so a further clash with Eubank could be a possibility in the future.

Edo Queens have successfully defended their WAFU-B Women’s Champions League title after beating Ghanaian champions Ampem Darkoa Ladies on penalties in a thrilling final in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on Saturday night.

The Nigerian champions came from behind twice to draw 2-2 after 90 minutes before winning the penalty shootout 4-1.

The victory not only handed Edo Queens another regional title but also secured their place in the CAF Women’s Champions League finals.

Ampem Darkoa made a fast start and took the lead in the second minute through Beline Nyarkoh.

Edo Queens responded quickly, with Doosuur Anastasia Atume scoring just two minutes later to make it 1-1.

The game remained level for a long period before Nyarkoh struck again in the 74th minute to put the Ghanaian side 2-1 ahead.

With time running out, Edo Queens refused to give up. Oluebube Umejiaku scored in the fourth minute of added time to bring the Nigerian side level and send the final into a penalty shootout.

Edo Queens then showed great composure from the spot, scoring four penalties while Ampem Darkoa managed just one as the Nigerian side secured a 4-1 shootout victory.

The win was especially important for Edo Queens after Ampem Darkoa had beaten them 2-1 in the group stage.

Edo Queens responded strongly in the knockout stages, defeating hosts USFA 5-1 in the semi-finals, while Ampem Darkoa beat FC Dynamique 4-1 to reach the final.

The regional title is Edo Queens’ second, after they first won the competition in 2024 during their debut campaign.

They later finished fourth at the CAF Women’s Champions League that year and will now get another chance to compete against Africa’s top women’s clubs.

There was also individual success for the Nigerian champions. Doosuur Anastasia finished as the tournament’s top scorer, while Oluwakemi Adegbuyi was named Player of the Tournament.

Edo Queens will now turn their attention to the CAF Women’s Champions League, hoping to go further than their fourth-place finish in 2024.

Free Press sports writer Tony Garcia grades the performance of sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood during Michigan football‘s controversial 13-12 win over Western Michigan on Saturday, Sept. 5, in Week 1 of the 2026 season at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.

Bryce Underwood stats vs. Western Michigan

1 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

2 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

3 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

4 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

5 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

6 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

7 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

8 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

9 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

10 / 10

See Michigan football open new season and Kyle Whittingham era vs WMU

THE FULL REPORT CARD: Hail Mary can’t cover 4 quarters of stink

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Bryce Underwood grade vs. Western Michigan: D

Frankly, this was everything Michigan didn’t want to see.

Underwood scored the game’s opening touchdown to close a strong first drive, but otherwise, he struggles.

Late in the first quarter he was nearly picked on third-and-10 as he rolled right and forced a dangerous ball to Andrew Marsh on the sideline. On the next series, he forced a ball to JJ Buchanan on third-and-8 that went off WMU safety Micah Davis’ chest. Then, late in the half, he stared down Jalen Hoffman on an out-route and was intercepted (nearly for a pick-six, but Dillon Moore stepped out of bounds on the return).

Until the final series of the game he had completed 10 of 16 passes for 95 yards.

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There’s no apologizing for wins, even by one point against a MAC foe … but Underwood didn’t look markedly improved. He was allowed to run more and made some throws on the move, but there was only one “wow” play – and it came in the final second.

The other 59:59 showed work needed to be done.

Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bryce Underwood grade for Michigan football vs Western Michigan

Perhaps, at the last, there was a touch of vindication. In Richard Hughes’ final match as Liverpool’s sporting director, the game was decided after just nine minutes. A devastating burst of two goals in three minutes from Alexander Isak, was probably what Hughes had envisaged rather when he committed a British transfer record of £125m to the striker.

When Isak went off and Bradley Barcola came on at Portman Road, Liverpool became the first club to field three £100m signings in the same game, if not at the same time. Hughes’ reign can be framed in high numbers: more than £650m going on new signings in little over a year with Barcola, Isak and Florian Wirtz each accounting for at least £100m of it. It was initially a time of high achievement, too: Liverpool have only won two Premier League titles and the second came after Hughes headhunted Arne Slot from Feyenoord as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement. That, it seemed, was the Liverpool way: intelligent recruitment, sometimes eschewing the obvious candidates for the leftfield coups.

And yet by the end of Hughes’ reign, Liverpool’s reputation was transformed; perhaps his own, too. Last season’s expensive underachievement mean that Hughes’ departure, while there has long been an expectation he will join Al Hilal, mean it may be celebrated by many a Liverpool fan, and not merely because he spent too much time on the south coast and communicated too little.

Last summer’s spending spree, recently dubbed the worst in history by Jamie Carragher, forms part of Hughes’ legacy. Isak’s brace at Ipswich means he has already equalled his total of Premier League goals from last season; but that was just three. He was the face of a strategy and a spending spree that went wrong, but Hughes was the architect of it.

As Liverpool went from taking 84 points to just 60, from finishing first to trailing in fifth, from losing one of Slot’s first 28 games to 20 matches in his second season, the formula the club had developed flaws. The power structure showed cracks. Michael Edwards, who had hired Hughes, informed the club of his intention to stand down as Fenway Sports Group’s director of football. The Scot told the club he wanted to stand down; it may be an indication of the support he retained in the upper echelons that he was asked to stay in charge for the transfer window and, indeed, is credited with completing the signing of Barcola, given the considerable preparatory work he had done on the £106m deal.

It is notable, too, that Hughes had ultimate authority for the managerial change. He backed Slot until, suddenly and perhaps sensing the dissent from stands, he did not, which came as a surprise to the Dutchman. He appointed Andoni Iraola, for the second time, having first taken him to Bournemouth. The Basque may wonder what he has walked into, given the exodus of executives.

The definitive verdict on Hughes’ vast outlay can only come with time. For now, it looks as though the risk is that Liverpool spent two-thirds of a billion to get worse.

Only one of the Hughes buys counts as an unqualified success so far; Hugo Ekitike, now sadly injured. It is, of course, too soon to judge this summer’s four acquisitions, though Jeremy Jacquet looks hugely promising. But the decision to go all-in on the injury-prone Isak backfired last season; it is far from proven that Wirtz suits the Premier League. In seemingly paying over the odds, Hughes’ Liverpool were culpable for raising fees, which in turn cost them when Paris Saint-Germain quoted them £145m for Barcola.

Posterity may look more kindly on Hughes’ dealings. There have been attempts at long-termism. The ages of buys such as Giovanni Leoni, Jacquet, Barcola, Wirtz, Ekitike and Victor Munoz mean he may have shaped Liverpool’s next decade.

Yet it is undeniable that he leaves with a rebuilding job unfinished and the work to do compounded by the continuing failure of Jeremie Frimpong. It is no exaggeration to say Liverpool could be looking for five or six first-team signings next summer.

They still have not replaced Mohamed Salah with a specialist right winger. They have key players, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson included, out of contract and Liverpool spent too much time under Hughes risking losing players on free transfers. Hughes seemed to bank a fine fee for one such, Luis Diaz, and yet his sale to Bayern Munich came to look a mistake.

There will be no soft landing for Hughes’ successor, with a host of priorities in the in-tray. As he goes, it is possible to argue that, like Slot, he was first the right man at right time and then suddenly the wrong one at the wrong time. His reign can be presented as a success or a disappointment. He can say that, for only the second time in three-and-a-half decades, Liverpool won the English title when he was in situ. But it is also true that the silverware came before nearly all of his spending.

Alexandra Eala, of the Philippines, celebrates after a point against Iva Jovic, of the United States, during the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

MANILA, Philippines–Alex Eala kept her head high after a gut-wrenching loss to her friend and budding rival Iva Jovic in the third round of the US Open on Sunday (Manila time).

Eala appeared on her way to the last 16 in Flushing Meadows, leading 4-2 at break point, 40-30, in the deciding set before Jovic mounted a ferocious fightback to steal the game and ultimately the match.

The Filipino star admitted she felt disappointed losing a winnable match but also found solace in how their much-awaited showdown lived up to its billing as a marquee match on the world’s biggest tennis stadium.

READ: Alex Eala mania heads to Singapore Tennis Open next

“I do think I’ve grown as a player since the last time we played each other. I definitely think that in this match, I had my chances and I was able to kind of set myself up with opportunities, which was great and I’m happy with the match in general,” she said in the post-match press conference.

“Of course, there’s disappointment with losing, but [I’m] trying to see the positive side. I think it was a really good match. I think the level was really high. Congrats to Iva for pushing through.”

Eala fell to Jovic for the third time in as many meetings this season after getting swept by the American teen sensation in the first round at Roland Garros last May and the round of 16 at Queen’s Club just 15 days later.

Even though the result was the same, Eala closed the gap and pushed Jovic to her limit this time before absorbing a 5-7, 6-3, 5-7 defeat in their three-hour slugfest.

“What I learned tonight, I have yet to process, but what I know for sure is that I left everything out there. I fought through the ups and downs, moments where I wasn’t playing so good, [and] moments where I was playing really good. What I know for a fact is that I fought, so I’m happy with that,” the 21-year-old Eala said.

Conor Benn has poured cold water on a potential unification match, which could have become realistic if he manages to dethrone Ryan Garcia.

The pair will collide at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on September 12, with Garcia making a first defence of his WBC world welterweight title.

He claimed the belt with arguably a career-best performance against Mario Barrios, who he dropped and unanimously outpointed in February.

It is never easy to predict what version of Garcia will turn up, however, as his previous outing resulted in a convincing points defeat to Rolando Romero in May 2025.

This followed a year-long doping ban, though, and with the 28-year-old coming off a vastly improved display, he is heavily favoured to retain his title against Benn.

Not only does Garcia boast speed advantage but it is worth considering, too, that Benn has not made 147lbs since 2022, back when he tested positive for banned substance clomifene.

More recently, the 29-year-old has insisted that Garcia will be his last welterweight opponent, while telling Ring Magazine that he could subsequently campaign as high as super-middleweight.

“There’s no excuses – it’s just my last fight at 147[lbs] to dominate, get the belt and move on. Then [I’ll move up to] 168[lbs].”

By outlining his desire to abandon any opportunities at 147lbs, Benn has effectively ruled himself out of a clash with Teofimo Lopez, who claimed his WBA welterweight strap by dethroning Romero last month.

This is in spite of the fact that his manager, Keith Connolly, who also represents Lopez, is attempting to bypass a mandatory obligation against Jack Catterall so that ‘The Takeover’ can face the winner of Garcia-Benn, or perhaps fellow champions Devin Haney or Liam Paro, in his next outing.

If Benn sticks to his word, the WBC welterweight world title will be made vacant and the sanctioning body will then name the two top contenders who will compete for it, with Souleymane Cissokho, Raul Curiel, Brian Norman Jr and Richardson Hitchins behind Benn in the top five.

The beds are a little over six feet long, the walls are close, and there is little room for anything beyond the essentials.

For some of India’s athletes, however, spending a night inside a shipping container at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports (NSNIS) here is less about discomfort and more about preparation for an unusual living arrangement awaiting them in Japan at the Asian Games.

With the Aichi-Nagoya Games beginning September 19 and no conventional athletes’ village this time, Sports Authority of India (SAI) has set up makeshift container rooms at its centres in Patiala and Bengaluru to give its athletes a taste of what they can expect in Japan.

The idea is to make the unfamiliar familiar.

Athletes are taking turns to spend a night inside the container, waking up the next morning and following their usual routine before heading to training.

By the time they reach Japan, the hope is that their accommodation will no longer be a distraction.

“Two years ago, when it was established that the accommodation at the Asian Games will be in a unique style — containers, cruise etc. — and not a village, at that time the Sports Minister’s vision was that the players must be acclimatised in a similar way, like a simulator,” Deputy Director General, SAI, Vineet Kumar told a select group of journalists at NSNIS, Patiala.

“And they don’t feel claustrophobic or feel what sort of accommodation we have come in. So they don’t feel shocked or get a setback and they go and play the Games without any pressure,” Kumar, who is also the Senior Executive Director, NSNIS, Patiala, added.

For athletes, accustomed to sprawling rooms and dedicated spaces for their equipment, the compact surroundings can take some getting used to.

But two-time Asian Games champion shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor believes the advance preparation could make a difference.

“It looks small from outside but it’s quite nice on the inside. All the facilities are here. This will be the first time that we stay in such a congested set-up but having stayed here it’s good we are acclimatised,” Toor told PTI.

“If we had directly gone to Japan, it would have stayed in our mind for one or two days,” added the the six feet four inches tall two-time Asian Games gold medallist.

That is precisely what SAI and the Ministry wanted to avoid.

“The psychology of the athlete is such that if a logistical issue like this is there, it affects him. So the Minister’s vision was that such a thing doesn’t happen and the players can focus on their game,” Kumar said.

A Ministry-SAI team visited Japan on a recce trip before the two simulation rooms in Patiala — one for men and one for women — were prepared based on what Indian athletes are expected to encounter.

“We have made a roster and the athletes stay here turn by turn. They have to stay the night so that in the morning they know how to go about things,” Kumar said.

The exercise began on August 28 and around eight athletes have so far spent time in the container.

For Commonwealth Games bronze medallist discus thrower Seema Kaliramna, the experience took some adjustment.

“I stayed here for two nights. It was a bit difficult to adjust because throwers take a little more space and this is quite small. The second day was good, I was able to sleep properly. The life of an athlete has a lot of adjustment, then only they win something,” she said.

The simulation has removed an element of uncertainty, according to her.

“Staying here will help as we won’t feel claustrophobia. I am thankful to SAI for doing this. Now the fear of not knowing how the accommodation will be in Japan is gone. I feel better as we won’t be thinking how it will be there and how we will feel,” she said.

SAI has nevertheless tried to make the limited space as functional as possible.

The roughly 13-metre-long and three-metre-wide unit has two twin-sharing bedroom quarters at either end, linked by a narrow central passage.

There are two split air-conditioners, a small laundry area with a washing machine and a compact kitchenette with a refrigerator and sink. The bathroom is divided into separate spaces for the wash basin, toilet and shower.

Four cabinets provide storage, while the space underneath the beds can accommodate heavy kit bags — an important consideration for athletes travelling with bulky equipment.

“The athletes have given a positive feedback. They feel like ‘yeh jungle mei mangal kaise ho gaya’,” Kumar said.

There is also a sustainability element to the experiment.

The two containers were already available at the NSNIS, having been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to store equipment for weightlifting and athletics.

Their sporting purpose will end after the Asian Games simulation, but the containers themselves will remain in use. They are planned to be converted into guest houses, with two beds removed to create twin-sharing rooms.