Equatorial Guinea have qualified for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations without kicking a ball after Togo were beaten in their penultimate Group E qualifier on Wednesday.

The Sparrowhawks needed to take all three points from their trip to already-eliminated Liberia to keep alive their hopes of reaching the finals in Morocco.

However, the Lone Stars triumphed 1-0 in Monrovia as Mohammed Sangare netted the winner from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute.

Togo will be absent from a fourth successive Nations Cup, having last appeared at the 2017 tournament in Gabon.

Equatorial Guinea are assured of a top-two finish in Group E regardless of the outcome of their final two matches, at home against already-qualified Algeria on Thursday (13:00 GMT) and away in Togo on Sunday.

The National Thunder reached the last 16 at the 2023 Nations Cup in Ivory Coast earlier this year.

The Central Africans become the ninth team to book their place in Morocco after Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt and Senegal all secured their spots in the fourth round of qualifying.

Conor McGregor had his day in court.

According to reports from the Irish Mirror and ESPN, the UFC superstar testified at the High Court in Dublin, Ireland, on Wednesday in regards to a civil suit in which McGregor is accused of sexually assaulting Nikita Hand. Hand claims McGregor and another alleged assailant named James Lawrence raped her in a Beacon Hotel penthouse suite in Sandyford, Dublin on Dec. 9, 2018.

At Wednesday’s hearing, McGregor vehemently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he and Hand had a consensual sexual encounter after previously conversing online.

(NSFW: Some of the testimony below is very graphic.)

“I thought we were getting on well,” McGregor said of the encounter at a hotel, where he and Hand entered a bathroom. “She was very boisterous, very energetic, very enthusiastic as I began zipping up my trousers after using the toilet, we began kissing and became more passionate and it took off from there.

“She performed oral sex on me at that moment. We were both clothed and then began to take off our clothes. It progressed very quickly.”

Harrison has also denied the allegations.

Prior to McGregor’s testimony, Hand testified that the encounter was far more violent. She alleges that during the night in question, she was with McGregor and the fighter became increasingly aggressive. According to Irish Mirror, Hand recalled that she and a woman named Danielle indulged in drugs and alcohol provided by McGregor, and that the party was “just being silly.”

At some point, Hand felt endangered when she became isolated with McGregor and his security.

“I remember security guard over by the window and another security guard closing the door between the two rooms,” Hand said. “I remember panicking. Why is there three men in the room, and I’m the only one in here?

“I also remember walking into the bedroom area and I remember walking the two rooms looking around and Conor was in the bathroom and he said something inappropriate to me. He told me to suck on that.”

Hand claims McGregor then made physical advances on her, which she attempted to fend off (she denies that any sex between them was consensual, referring to the account proposed by McGregor’s legal team as a “made-up story”). On Day 2 of her testimony, Hand gave her account of the alleged rape.

“He then pinned me down,” Hand said. “He put his whole body weight on top of me and I couldn’t breathe. I tried my best to get away from him. I was trying to wiggle my way out, do whatever I could. I remember biting him really hard. I remember his arm around me and choking me.

“I was trying to fight as much as I could. I bit him, and he didn’t like it, it was like he was just behind me then. He choked me, put his arm around me. I just remember him behind me and I think I was sitting on the bed. He put his arm around my neck and choked me three times.”

Several witnesses, including a doctor called to the stand, described Hand as having visible injuries afterwards to her jawline, neck, arms, legs, fingers, knuckles, buttocks, and right breast. Hand’s legal team later shared a text exchange in which she told a friend, “My tampon is stuck inside me so I had to remove it. Never going out again,” a situation she attributes to the alleged assault.

Hand also testified that she feared for her life during the assault.

“I just froze and I couldn’t move and I couldn’t breathe,” Hand said. “I looked at the bedpost and was thinking about my daughter. I kept thinking I was going to die and I was never going to see my daughter again. … I just completely thought I was going to die.”

“He let me go and I remember I was saying sorry to him,” she continued. “Saying I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It felt like I’d done something wrong. I kept saying sorry…so he wouldn’t hurt me again.

“Then he said that’s how he felt when ‘I was in the octagon and I had to tap myself out three times.’ I just thought it was such a weird thing to say. I promised him I wouldn’t tell anything. I just let him do what he needed to do to survive. My mind was completely gone. He was aggressive, pulling my clothes. Dragging out of my clothes.”

Though Hand struggled to recall specifics of the events following the alleged assault, she distinctly remembered identifying her assailant when later talking to a friend.

“Whatever I told [my friend], I was obviously very confused,” Hand said. “I told her I was raped and battered and that was the main detail.

“I do remember telling her it was Conor McGregor,” she added when further questioned.

On Wednesday, Day 6 of the civil trial, McGregor took the stand and issued a number of denials in regards to the allegations.

“I will tell you where she didn’t get them, from me,” McGregor said of the bruising on Hand’s body. “I would say the sex with me was athletic, physical, and it was prolonged and it was in a multitude of positions.

“I had my hands on hips, buttocks, back of legs, no time did I go near her neck. At no time did I bite her, did she bite me. At no time did I scrape her, nor did she scrape me.”

McGregor added that it was “lies and more lies” as far as his having made sexual advances towards Hand. He also did not recall the alleged victim wearing a tampon.

“There was none,” McGregor said. “If there was, and she was on her cycle, I would not have had sex with Nikita Hand.”

Hand claims that the alleged assault left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and damaged her mental health to the point that she has been unable to return to work. Dr. Ann Leader, a psychologist, testified that Hand was “anxious, tearful, and in my opinion, came across as someone who was traumatized” following an examination.

Leader added, “[Hand] withdrew from life, felt unable to be present for her mother, her child and her partner” and that Hand’s PTSD manifested in the form of “nightmares, flashbacks and panic attacks.”

“Your client is full of lies,” McGregor said Wednesday to Hand’s lawyer, according to ESPN. “Everything is a lie.”

The Dublin sexual assault allegations first surfaced on Dec. 12, 2018. In January 2021, it was reported that no charges were filed against McGregor following a two-year investigation by Irish police and McGregor was not prosecuted. However, a personal injury case was filed that same month, and this past October, a date of Nov. 5 was set for a civil trial to begin with the woman later identified as Hand seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

The trial was to begin in the summer, but was delayed when McGregor was booked to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29. McGregor ended up withdrawing from that bout due to injury and Chandler was later rescheduled for a rematch against Charles Oliveira, which takes place at UFC 309 this Saturday.

Eric Williams

NFL Reporter

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Kyler Murray is playing like an MVP candidate in leading the Arizona Cardinals to the top spot in the NFC West, showing that head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort were right to stick with the former No. 1 overall pick rather than find a new QB.

Murray can play at an elite level, and the Cardinals would have been hard-pressed to find someone of similar ability through the draft, free agency or trade. 

“I felt like he was a premium player, and I think that I felt in my mind if we put the right people in place and coach them the right way, he could elevate his game to another level, which I think he has,” Gannon said. “[And] I don’t think he’s hit his ceiling yet.”

Now in his sixth season, the Oklahoma product has finally matured, showing command of the Arizona offense. Murray has played particularly well in the past month. During Arizona’s four-game winning streak, he has completed 70.8% percent of his passes for 872 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception for a 104.0 passer rating.

In a lopsided win over the Jets on Sunday, Murray connected on a franchise-record 17 straight attempts, completing 91.7% of his passes overall for 266 yards and a score. He also rushed for 31 yards and two touchdowns. 

In the process, Murray passed Jake Plummer for third-most passing yards in franchise history with 17,705. For his effort, Murray was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. 

Murray also showed his toughness on Sunday. He took a vicious hit on a sack by New York’s Quincy Williams, and then went on to throw a touchdown to rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. on that drive. 

“I’m kind of glad it happened,” Murray said about the play in which his helmet flew off. “It felt good. It’s playing football. I don’t get hit too often, so I get it, it’s kind of an adrenaline rush. It’s a physical, violent game. It’s part of the game. I appreciate it.” 

Murray had the most significant move up the MVP odds leader board, going from 20/1 last week to 15/1. Lamar Jackson remains the leader, followed by Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. After his five-interception performance last week, Lions QB Jared Goff dropped from 7/1 to 20/1.

Here’s my top five as we head into Week 11. 

1. Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Current MVP Odds: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

The reigning league MVP continues to play at an elite level in leading the Ravens. And he’s been particularly clutch with the game on the line. In the fourth quarter this season, Jackson has completed 64.3% of his passes for 723 yards, with seven touchdowns and no interceptions for a 120.1 passer rating.

Jackson also has been lethal completing passes in the intermediate area of the field (10 to 19 yards). According to Next Gen Stats, Jackson has completed a league-high 73.9% of his passes for an NFL-high 10 touchdowns with no interceptions on those throws.

Tom Brady’s 3 Stars of Week 10: Lamar Jackson, Ja’Marr Chase, Leo Chenal | DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE

2. Josh Allen, Bills
Current MVP Odds: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)

On Sunday, Allen had two interceptions in one game for the first time this season, but Buffalo still managed to hold off the Indianapolis Colts. Allen could potentially be looking at more turnover-worthy plays when the Bills host the undefeated Chiefs this week.

Kansas City blitzes 36.5% of the time, fourth highest in the league. However, Allen has thrown for 705 yards, with a league-high 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions against the blitz this season, according to Next Gen Stats.

3. Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Current MVP Odds: +1200 (bet $10 to win $130 total)

Interesting stat line for Hurts: He averaged 33 passes a game in the first four weeks of the season. But since the Eagles’ bye week, he has thrown just 21 times per game and is responsible for 16 total touchdowns (eight passing, eight rushing) and just one interception during his team’s five-game winning streak.

So, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s emphasis on Saquon Barkley and the running game is paying dividends for Philadelphia. 

4. Kyler Murray, Cardinals
Current MVP Odds: +1500 (bet $10 to win $160 total)

Speaking of the running game, Arizona offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s ability to marry his diverse running game with the play-action passing game has led to an explosive offense for Murray and the Cardinals.

Arizona averages 5.24 rushing yards per carry, No. 2 in the NFL. That success running the ball has opened the play-action passing game for Murray. According to Next Gen Stats, Murray has completed 72% of his passes for 817 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions for a 109.7 passer rating on play-action passes. 

5. Jayden Daniels, Commanders
Current MVP Odds: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)

Washington’s rookie quarterback had an uneven performance in a one-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, completing just 50% of his passes for 202 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. 

However, Daniels still leads all rookies in passing yards (2,147), completion percentage (68.7%), passer rating (101.7) and is No. 3 in rushing yards (464). 

Honorable mention: Patrick Mahomes, Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jared Goff, Joe Burrow

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.

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The UFC is back in New York for UFC 309, and the popular “Embedded” fight week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 309 (pay-per-view, ESPNews/Hulu/FX, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In the headliner, heavyweight champion Jon Jones (27-1 MMA, 21-1 UFC) puts his title on the line for the first time when he takes on former champ Stipe Miocic (20-4 MMA, 14-4 UFC) in a fight delayed by a year. In the co-feature, former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) takes on Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) after he was left at the altar by Conor McGregor.

The third episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Stipe Miocic runs some final fight week errands before hitting pads; Charles Oliveira says goodbye to his family before heading to New York; Michael Chandler trains at the hotel and goes to GMA; Jim Miller rings the New York Stock Exchange bell; Jon Jones has boxing practice.

Previous UFC 309 ‘Embedded’ episodes

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

Don’t expect Stipe Miocic to get drawn into a war of words with Jon Jones.

With just days remaining until they meet in the UFC 309 main event, the seemingly respectful showdown took an odd turn after UFC Countdown aired prior to fight week. In the feature, Miocic said “bring it on, bitch” when addressing Jones and that apparently upset the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, who took to social media to fire back at his upcoming opponent.

“Hiring black fighters to mimic me will not help you, Stipe,” Jones wrote. “And you shouldn’t have called me a bitch, the disrespect wasn’t necessary. Let’s play.”

Miocic has no idea why Jones got so rattled by such an innocuous comment, but he’s not spending a lot of time thinking about it.

“I keep talking about that,” Miocic said during UFC 309 media day. “He was literally telling everyone he was going to beat my ass. I’m almost positive. Did he not say that before [I called him a bitch]? Sorry. Talk shit about me but whatever.”

If anything got Miocic heated it was Jones’ claim that he was “hiring Black fighters” to help him prepare for the fight.

“That was bullshit because they’re my teammates,” Miocic said. “They’re like, ‘We’re not getting paid?’ Apparently, I’m hiring people, too. Whatever.”

Throughout his career, Jones has engaged in a few tense rivalries, perhaps none uglier than his longstanding feud with Daniel Cormier. He also went through something similar with former teammate Rashad Evans after Jones became UFC champion while they were originally training under the same coaches.

Perhaps Jones’ comments towards Miocic are a way to get him more amped up for the fight or maybe it’s just a promotional tool to stir up more pay-per-view buys. Whatever the case, Miocic doesn’t really care much about what Jones has to say about him.

“Maybe [that’s what he needs to get motivated], maybe not,” Miocic said. “I don’t know what he’s thinking but some of the stuff, I’m just like OK. I literally had no idea [what he said] until somebody told me. It’s funny. It’s just comical. It’s actually very funny.”

It turns out his philosophy of not paying much attention to what’s said about him was an epiphany for Miocic that changed his career forever.

In the past, he admits that off-handed comments from fighters or fans would get under his skin, but Miocic learned over time that none of it really matters.

“In the beginning of my career, I was a little sensitive about it,” Miocic said. “You don’t know me, I don’t know you but why are you saying shit like that to me? I would get terrible [direct messages] and stuff. Like what is wrong with you? You don’t know me.

“But I literally just stopped caring because I realized, they don’t know me, I don’t know them. They’re just pissed off about something and they’re just trying to take it out on me. I could care less honestly. It’s the best thing I ever did in my life.”

Just because he doesn’t give fiery comments any oxygen doesn’t mean that Miocic has escaped that kind of vitriol coming his way. The difference these days, much like with what Jones had to say about him, is that Miocic pretty much just ignores it and moves on.

“You get hate all the time,” Miocic said. “You get DMs all the time [saying,] ‘You’re a piece of shit, I hope you die.’ Whatever. It is what it is.”