First Published: Jun 02 2026 | 11:41 AM IST

• Germany 4-0 Finland (1-0)
• Goals: 1-0 Undav (34′), 2-0 Wirtz (48′), 3-0 Undav (57′), 4:0 Musiala (63′)
• Attendance: 25,122

A day before Germany depart for America, Julian Nagelsmann’s team comprehensively beat Finland in Mainz thanks to an outstanding performance by striker Deniz Undav. The Stuttgart forward scored twice and assisted one to help deliver the expected result.

“We can keep going like this,” Nagelsmann said afterwards. “One of our strengths is that we always look like we can score.”

There’s not a lot to make of these games. Less than two weeks out from a World Cup is not the time to experiment tactically, and most starters are rested. These games are almost always about players avoiding injury and squad players pushing to start.

A confidence-boosting win

Jamal Musiala scored, which will be a big boost to his and the team’s confidence after the Bayern Munich man’s long injury layoff.

Lennart Karl was exceptional, and were it not for the post he might have a goal to his name. The Bayern teenager is pushing to start, remarkably, and in terms of squad places has moved Leroy Sane further down the pecking order.

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Nathaniel Brown’s attacking efforts — defensively he was hardly called into action — made Nagelsmann feel vindicated about his choice as he, too, delivered enough food for thought when it comes to which left back will start.

But otherwise, how much of true value can be taken from such a victory against the 73rd best team in the world? A brief look at recent history suggests that a pinch of salt is required.

Ahead of Euro 2024 two years ago, Germany narrowly beat Greece in an unconvincing and unsettling performance. At the home Euros though, Germany looked the best they had in years and were unlucky in their quarterfinal defeat to Spain.

Two years before that, in preparation for the Qatar World Cup, they played a friendly in Oman that they edged 1-0 but struggled in the heat and humidity of the gulf. What followed was a disaster as they failed to get out of their group with Japan, Costa Rica and Spain.

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With all of that in mind, the win and performance in Mainz is great but it also doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of how Germany will fare in the US, Canada and Mexico.

Undav keeps delivering

If anything, Deniz Undav was once again the story.

For the striker who was publicly dismissed by Nagelsmann in March despite scoring the winner, a move that the head coach later apologized for, to deliver another match-winning performance certainly makes his case to start even stronger. Furthermore, his jovial manners makes him an invaluable member of the squad as he, in some ways, has replaced the jokes and smiles that Thomas Müller once brought this group.

“If you score two goals and provide an assist, you don’t play yourself out of the team,” said Nagelsmann afterwards. Kai Havertz remains the starter, and his goal in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat further underlines his big-game prowess, but having Undav as an alternative off the bench is quickly beginning to look like a real boost to Germany’s chances.

And so Germany will head to the airport, destination Chicago, as they prepare for one last friendly against hosts the USA before they settle into their base camp in North Carolina. From the end of that friendly to their World Cup opener against Curacao in Houston are just eight days. Germany’s World Cup adventure is already up and running.

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Edited by: Chuck Penfold

Aryna Sabalenka hopes French Open organisers have been persuaded to put more women’s matches on in the night session after her high-class performance to beat Naomi Osaka.

For the first time in three years and only the fifth time since the one-match night session was introduced in 2021, a women’s match was given centre stage, ending a sequence of 33 consecutive men’s contests.

Sabalenka’s fourth-round clash with four-time grand slam champion Osaka was one of the biggest matches of the tournament so far, but the Japanese star was outplayed in a 7-5 6-3 defeat lasting an hour and 27 minutes.

The victory means Sabalenka has reached at least the quarter-finals in her last 14 major tournaments and she has a first French Open title firmly in her sights.

“I think it’s really important that they put our match today as a night session,” said the top seed.

“I think that’s the right move. I think the atmosphere and the attention that this match brought is going to show them that probably for the future they should consider putting at least sometimes women matches at night.

“So I hope that this is the beginning. It’s like we open up that door for woman night sessions.”

Tournament director Amelie Mauresmo has repeatedly cited concerns over the length of women’s matches and giving value to ticket-holders as the primary reason for not scheduling them during the night session.

The Australian and US Opens both put two contests in their evening schedules but Roland Garros organisers do not want the sort of early morning play that often occurs at those events.

With the top half of the men’s draw devoid of its expected stars, though, not scheduling this match in prime-time would have been a kick in the teeth.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Monday, Mauresmo said: “I think this match is the best match of the day. Multiple grand slam winners, so it was, for us, obvious this should be the night session.”

Sabalenka was also involved in the last women’s night match, against Sloane Stephens in 2023 – although it was so long ago that she had forgotten the occasion.

Having not played each other since 2018 until March, this was the third meeting in less than three months between Osaka and Sabalenka.

The Belarusian had won both the previous ones and she was peerless here, sending down 12 aces, powering backhands into the corners and keeping Osaka guessing with her clever use of the drop shot.

Osaka did well to hang tough for a set and a half but her best French Open run was brought to an end.

She said of playing at night: “I thought it was really cool. Obviously she’s really good for tennis. I would hope I’m OK for tennis, too. It was really fun to play.”

The Japanese star insisted she did not feel any pressure to ensure the match lived up to the occasion, saying: “Obviously you don’t want to be beaten 6-0 6-0, but that’s anywhere on any court.

“If I was on court 27, I wouldn’t want to be beaten that fast either. Shout out to the tournament for trusting us. I hope it was entertaining for people.”

Sabalenka will next face Russia’s Diana Shnaider after she reached her first grand slam quarter-final with a 6-3 3-6 6-0 victory over former Australian Open champion Madison Keys.

A surprise last-eight clash will pit another Russian, 22nd seed Anna Kalinskaya, against Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska.

Kalinskaya matched her best major result by beating Coco Gauff’s conqueror Anastasia Potapova in a deciding tie-break, while Chwalinska ended French singles hopes with a 6-3 6-2 victory over Diane Parry.

Chwalinska revealed after her previous match that she was concerned about how to pay for her extended hotel stay but she is guaranteed a minimum of 470,000 euros (approximately £406,000) – almost quintupling her current career prize money.

Man Utd had a successful summer transfer window in 2025 and they have just been given a reminder of why that formula worked so well.

Manchester United might have only finished third in the Premier League this season, but that hasn’t stopped some of their players from earning recognition for their efforts this term.

Bruno Fernandes earned the Premier League Playmaker award for his record-breaking 21 assists and was also named the league’s Player of the Season. Now, another official award is on its way to Old Trafford after Senne Lammens was named the Transfer of the Season.

A Premier League-backed and Barclays-sponsored award for the best transfer of the campaign might tell us a lot about modern football’s fascination with recruitment, but this year, it also tells us something about United’s own recruitment.

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The summer of 2025 feels like a potential line in the sand for United when it comes to transfers and it’s a starting point for director of football Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell ahead of another major summer.

United prioritised what Wilcox described as ‘plug and play’ transfers last year, with the notable exception of Senne Lammens. The Belgian goalkeeper joined from Royal Antwerp for £18.2million ahead of the more experienced and Premier League-proven Emiliano Martinez.

Lammens was a long-term signing, strongly pushed by goalkeeping scout Tony Coton, who also happens to have been a short-term hit. Coton told United chiefs that he could go straight into the team despite only one year as a No.1 in his homeland, and once he was installed in goal against Sunderland in October, he never looked back.

“Senne, we were always looking at goalkeepers who have got huge potential, and Senne was available. We decided to move but it wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction,” Wilcox said in November.

“Tony Coton was putting Senne on my radar 12 months ago and he was relentless with it. ‘This guy is going to be a top signing for us’. And he’s started well, but he’s got to keep it going. He’s very reflective and he’s very professional in his approach.”

So far, Lammens has kept it going. Aside from one obvious blunder against Liverpool, he has had an excellent first season at Old Trafford and looks capable of solving a problem position for a decade.

Coton had been watching Lammens for six years when United made their move, backing the judgment of a scout and their recruitment department rather than their head coach, with Amorim keener on Martinez’s claims.

United also did their due diligence on Lammens. While Martinez is a brash, larger-than-life character who has the confidence and charisma to play in goal for the club, the 23-year-old Belgian is a more understated figure.

But he has a steely-eyed focus and a calmness and composure that also fit the bill. Those are traits that have been evident in Lammens’ performances this season.

Unearthing a bargain at that level every summer is almost impossible, but United will hope that 2025 has now set the standard for what is to follow. In Ederson, they will hope to have found a midfielder who is underrated at less than £40million and has been underappreciated by rival clubs in the market.

Data and the recruitment department’s knowledge will also be key in signing a more experienced forward and in sourcing a long-term successor to Luke Shaw at left-back. If United can get anywhere near repeating Lammens’s success, they will have had another good window.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

Indians struck back in style in Round 7 as D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa delivered crucial victories while Divya Deshmukh bounced back from her previous-round setback to beat compatriot Koneru Humpy, reigniting the country’s challenge as the Norway Chess title race entered its decisive phase here.

World champion Gukesh salvaged 1.5 points from his clash against American Grandmaster Wesley So, securing victory in the Armageddon tie-break after letting a winning opportunity slip in the classical game, to move to eight points overall.

He, however, remained rooted to the bottom of the six-player double round-robin standings.

Praggnanandhaa, meanwhile, handed French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja a second successive classical defeat to collect the full three points and climb to nine, but the gains did little to alter the standings, with the young Indian GM remaining fifth and Gukesh sixth.

However, both Indians stayed within touching distance of the leaders and could yet make a late charge with three rounds still to be played.

Wesley So continued to lead the standings with 12.5 points, while Alireza held second place on 10. A tightly packed chasing group of three players — Praggnanandhaa, world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and Germany’s Vincent Keymer — shared third spot on nine points, keeping the title race wide open heading into the final three rounds.

Seven-time champion Carlsen, meanwhile, continued his resurgence after an inconsistent start, defeating Keymer in the Armageddon tie-break to stay firmly in contention.

Few would discount the Norwegian from the title race, given his proven ability to recover from early setbacks and mount late surges, a trait that has underpinned many of his triumphs over the years.

Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, had worked his way into a winning position by activating his king and steadily pressing his advantage, but severe time trouble — with just 18 minutes remaining compared to So’s hour on the clock — proved costly as the American defended well to force a draw in the classical game.

The world champion, however, made amends in the Armageddon tie-break, where the Indian displayed sharp calculation to seal victory with a courageous pawn grab on the queenside.

Praggnanandhaa, also playing with the white pieces, seized the initiative by the 26th move when he won an extra pawn and gradually tightened his grip.

With Alireza increasingly under time pressure, the Indian kept probing for weaknesses before unleashing a full-blooded attack at the critical juncture of the game.

Reduced to just two minutes on his clock, the French GM had little chance of mounting an effective defence as Praggnanandhaa converted his advantage into position of command.

Divya Deshmukh beats Koneru Humpy 
Divya Deshmukh produced another fearless display, sacrificing a pawn early and obtaining full compensation through her aggressive play. Starting the day just a point behind leader Bibisara Assaubayeva, the World Cup winner kept herself firmly in the title hunt by winning the all-Indian clash against veteran Koneru Humpy.

The classical game ended in a draw, but Divya managed to strike in the Armageddon tie-break to seal the win, keeping her hopes alive and setting up a crucial Round 8 clash where a classical victory over Bibisara could see her overtake the leader.

However, Assaubayeva maintained her blazing form, defeating China’s Zhu Jiner in the classical game to take the full three points and surge to 12.5, with Divya moving to 10 and remaining 2.5 points behind the in-form Kazakh as the tournament heads into its decisive stretch.

“I started seeing ghosts and that’s the only reason I didn’t win in the classical game,” Divya said in her post-match interview. “I saw every winning move, but I don’t know, my mind just hallucinated and after that it was equal.” 
Results: (Round 7) 
Open: R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 9) bt Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 10); Vincent Keymer (Ger, 9) lost to Magnus Carlsen (Nor, 9); D Gukesh (Ind, 8) bt Wesley So (USA, 12.5).

Women: Koneru Humpu (Ind, 6.5) lost to Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 10); Ju Wenjun (Chn, 9) lost to Anna Muzychuk (Ukr, 9.5); Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kaz, 12.

Wales international Hannah Cain is leaving Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Women’s Super League.

The 27-year-old forward is one of three players who will leave the Midlands club when their contracts expire at the end of the month, but Leicester have confirmed Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark will remain with the Foxes for 2026-27.

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Cain joined Leicester from Everton in 2020 and helped the club gain promotion to the WSL in her first season.

“After six unforgettable years, I feel that now is the right time for me to say goodbye,” Cain wrote on social media.

“This club has been so much more than just a place to play football. It’s been a place where I’ve grown, learned, created lifelong friendships, and made memories that I’ll cherish forever.”

Cain is currently with the Wales squad preparing to face Montenegro and the Czech Republic in their final Women’s World Cup qualifying fixtures and is yet to indicate where she will play next season.

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“While it was always going to be difficult to leave, I’m incredibly grateful for everything this club has given me,” she added.

“I’ll always look back on these years with pride and appreciation.”

There will be live commentary on every World Cup game (except for the clashing final group games, when one of the two matches being played simultaneously will be broadcast live in full, with updates from the other) on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds.

And there will be podcasts galore.

The BBC will have a Football Daily podcast every day of the World Cup, released at 06:00 BST, while from then until 09:00, Rick Edwards will be live in Los Angeles for 5 Live Breakfast.

There will be two episodes of The Wayne Rooney Show every week – and a 606 every week too.

BBC Radio Scotland will will have a daily podcast every morning – plus YouTube live shows throughout the group stages – and extended programming on the radio on game days.

Special editions of The Saturday Show from Boston, Off the Ball and Breaking the News are on the agenda.

There are also offerings on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC ALBA’s YouTube page.

And Sunday League manager Steve Bracknall has six World Cup specials of Game’s Gone: The Steve Bracknall Podcast, plus reaction to home nations games.

To find a home nations commentary, you can say to your smart speaker ‘ask BBC Sounds to play the England or Scotland match’ or request it to play the radio station you want.

And BBC World Service will have a Global World Cup podcast three times a week. The Sport Today (Monday to Friday) and Sportsworld (Saturday and Sunday) shows will be broadcast to more than 66 million listeners worldwide on location from host cities.

The third-place playoff of the Unity Cup 2026 will see India take on Zimbabwe at The Valley Stadium in South East London, home of historic English club Charlton Athletic. Both sides enter the contest after suffering defeats in their respective semi-finals and will be eager to finish the tournament on a positive note.

India Looking to Bounce Back

The Blue Tigers endured a frustrating semi-final defeat against Jamaica. After conceding early through Courtney Clarke, India fought hard to get back into the game but saw a potential equaliser ruled out. Jamaica later sealed the result when Kaheim Dixon found the net in the closing stages.

India’s recent form remains a concern. Apart from a victory over Hong Kong, their last notable success came nearly seven months ago when they secured a bronze medal at the CAFA Nations Cup. Defensive consistency has also been an issue, with India struggling to keep clean sheets in recent matches.

The attacking department has faced challenges as well, managing only four goals in their last five outings. Head coach Khalid Jamil will be hoping his side can overcome those struggles and secure a morale-boosting victory on English soil.

Zimbabwe Aim to End Campaign on a High

Despite sitting only a few places above India in the FIFA rankings, Zimbabwe possess several experienced players who regularly feature in competitive European leagues.

Under head coach Kaitano Tembo, the Warriors recently lifted the Four Nations Football Tournament title after overcoming Botswana and Zambia. They also earned an impressive victory over reigning Asian champions Qatar national football team in Doha and will be confident of repeating a similar performance against India.

Team News

India could be without Ryan Williams after the forward reportedly suffered a hamstring injury during the semi-final defeat to Jamaica. His absence would be a significant blow to India’s attacking options.

Zimbabwe are expected to have a fully fit squad available, giving coach Kaitano Tembo plenty of options heading into the playoff encounter.

Zimbabwe vs India probable playing 11: 

India playing 11: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK), Roshan, Pramveer, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra, Ricky, Macarton, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Rahim Ali, Edmund Lalrindika, Sanan

Zimbabwe playing 11: Sibanda (GK); Mthunzi, Garananga, Maroodza; Fusire, Nakamba, Fabisch, Zemura; Munetsi, Zindoga, Chirewa

India vs Zimbabwe Unity Cup 2026 3rd place playoff Live Telecast and Live Streaming Details

When will the India vs Zimbabwe encounter in the Unity Cup take place?

The India vs Zimbabwe clash will be played on May 30.

What time will the India vs Zimbabwe football match begin?

The India vs Zimbabwe football match will kick off at 7:00 PM IST on May 30.

Where will the live telecast of the India vs Zimbabwe football match be available in India?

The live telecast of the India vs Zimbabwe football match will not be available in India.

Where will the live streaming of the India vs Zimbabwe football match be available in India?

The live streaming of the India vs Zimbabwe football match will be available on the FanCode app and website in India.

The defending champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will take on Arsenal at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) 2025-26 final, with hopes of becoming only the second team after Real Madrid to win the prestigious UCL title in consecutive years since its rebranding.

On the other hand, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will be looking to end their season with their first UCL trophy after ending their 22-year-long wait to win the Premier League title earlier this month.

PSG beat Bayern Munich 6-5 in the semi-finals to take their title defence to the final, while Arsenal edged past Atletico Madrid 2-1 to reach the Champions League final for only the second time in the club’s history.

UCL 2025-26 Final: Team news

Paris Saint-Germain team news:

Paris Saint-Germain have received a major boost ahead of the final, with Ousmane Dembele expected to be fit despite suffering a calf concern during the final Ligue 1 match of the season.

The French star’s substitution was described as precautionary, and he is set to lead PSG’s attack alongside Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Left-back Nuno Mendes is also likely to overcome a thigh issue in time to start. Achraf Hakimi has recovered from a hamstring problem, though his place in the XI is not guaranteed.

Goalkeeper Matvey Safonov is expected to continue as Luis Enrique’s first-choice keeper.

Arsenal team news:

Arsenal head into the final with a few injury concerns, particularly at right-back. Jurrien Timber has not featured since before the March international break because of a groin issue, although manager Mikel Arteta insists the Dutch defender is available.

Backup option Ben White remains sidelined with a knee problem, meaning Cristhian Mosquera could be handed the task of containing PSG’s dangerous left flank. Noni Madueke is expected to recover from a minor hamstring concern but is likely to make way for Bukayo Saka in the starting XI.

Declan Rice should return to his preferred midfield role alongside Myles Lewis-Skelly.

UCL 2025-26 Final: Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal probable starting 11

Paris Saint-Germain starting 11 (Probable): Safonov; Hakimi, Marquinhos, Pacho, Mendes; Vitinha, Neves, Fabián; Doué, Dembélé, Kvaratskhelia

Arsenal starting 11 (Probable): David Raya; Ben White, William Saliba, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice; Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Leandro Trossard; Viktor Gyokeres

Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal: Head-to-head

• 
  Total matches: 7
• 
  Paris Saint-Germain won: 2
• 
  Arsenal won: 2
• 
  Draws: 3

UEFA Champions League final: Paris Saint-Germain vs Arsenal live telecast and streaming details

When will the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be played?

The UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be played on Saturday, May 30.

What time will the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal begin on May 30?

The UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will start at 9:30 PM IST on May 30.

What will be the venue for the UCL 2025-26 final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal?

The Puskas Arena in Budapest will host the UCL 2025-26 final match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal.

Where will the live telecast of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be available in India?

The live telecast of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be available on Sony Sports Network.

Where will the live streaming of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal be available in India?

The live streaming of the UCL 2025-26 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal will be available on the SonyLIV app and website.