India vs South Africa Live Score, Hockey World Cup 2026: A hard-fought draw against one of the world’s best teams has given India confidence, but the real test of their Women’s Hockey World Cup campaign could come against South Africa today.
India held world No. 4 and Olympic silver medallists China to a 2-2 draw in their opening Pool D game, earning a valuable point in their bid to finish among the top two. England lead the group after their 4-0 win over South Africa, while India and China sit level on one point.
The importance of Tuesday’s fixture is heightened by the tournament format. The top two teams from each pool move into the second round, with results against a progressing team from the same pool carried forward. India and China would therefore carry their one point each if both advance, while they would not meet again in that phase.
A victory over 18th-ranked South Africa would give India a major boost before their final pool match and strengthen their qualification prospects. However, coach Sjoerd Marijne has stressed the need for consistency after India allowed China back into the contest following a strong first half.
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“We scored a penalty corner and a field goal, but I’m not happy with the third quarter. We need to work on ball possession and ball retention,” Marijne said.
India will hope Deepika, Navneet Kaur and their promising World Cup debutants can maintain the attacking momentum while avoiding complacency against a South African side under pressure after their heavy defeat to England.
Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has delivered his verdict on the status of Barcelona target Julian Alvarez ahead of their LaLiga opener. The Spanish outfit are set to take on Malaga in their first game of the 2026-27 season on Wednesday evening.
Simeone spoke to reporters ahead of the game, and the name of Julian Alvarez came up as his has been a major saga all summer. The Argentine tactician ruled the striker out of the game against the newly-promoted side, pointing out that he is not in the right condition to feature in the game.
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“If the club owner has spoken so categorically, then there’s nothing more to say”.
“It’s like when you go to court, that’s it, there’s nothing more to it. We’re looking after both the person and the player, and we understand that he is not in the right condition to play in this match”, he said.
Julian Alvarez has had interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid this summer, and issued a public plea to Atletico Madrid during the FIFA World Cup, asking for a transfer. Los Colchoneros have refused to let him join their rivals unless his €500 million release clause is met, despite receiving offers worth between €100-150 million.
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Barcelona are without a recognised senior striker in their squad and are waiting in the hopes of finding a way to sign the 26-year-old, but that is unlikely to happen. In the meantime, he will likely remain an Atletico Madrid player beyond this summer, despite his unwillingness to stay there.
Alvarez did not play in any of their pre-season games this summer, partly because of his country reaching the FIFA World Cup final. His case may be revisited in the January transfer window, and he could leave Madrid by then.
Former Atletico Madrid star lands in Barcelona to complete transfer
Former Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri has arrived in Barcelona to complete his move from Manchester City. The 30-year-old was spotted at the airport after his arrival as he is set to join Hansi Flick’s squad for the 2026-27 season.
Manchester City and Barcelona were locked in lengthy negotiations for the transfer of the Spain international before an agreement was reached. The Spanish champions will pay an initial €60 million, with add-ons potentially taking the deal to around €76 million.
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It has been decided that Rodri will have the number 16 shirt at the Spotify Camp Nou, continuing his tradition from his previous teams. Fermin Lopez, who previously had the number, will now take the number seven shirt vacated by Ferran Torres.
This year, college football fans will have to work hard to keep up with their favorite teams, with games now airing across ABC, NBC, CBS, USA, ESPN, TNT, truTV, TBS, FOX, ABC, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, FOX, FS1, NFL Network and BTN. That’s an exhausting number of options, but the great news is that just about every channel you need to watch NCAA football is available with DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®. The MySports® Genre Pack® includes every channel you need to watch college football, and it also includes ESPN Unlimited, which also offers ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX, on top of every other ESPN-owned cable channel, so you can stream games that you can’t see anywhere else.
The NCAAF season begins on August 27, so you’ve got some time to get your streaming services sorted, but when it comes to getting access to every channel you’ll need to watch the most games this season, MySports® is the way to go. Here’s what you need to know to watch the 2026-27 NFL season with DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack® so you won’t miss a thing.
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Dates: August 27, 2026 – January 25, 2027
TV channels: ESPN, NBC, CBS, Fox, FS1, ABC, TNT, truTV, and more
College football games are broadcast across a vast range of channels, ranging from nationally televised games on networks like ABC, NBC, FOX and CBS, as well as niche channels that support college sports, like ESPNU, SEC Network, and ACC Network.
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A subscription to DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack® gets you access to just about every channel you need to watch college ball this season; you’ll pay for all the channels you need, and none of the ones you don’t.
Cancel anytime. Local channels vary by market. Blackout restrictions apply. Select sales channels only.
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This will not replace any existing Disney+, Hulu, ESPN, or Disney bundle subscription you may already have. All other accounts must be managed separately. You must remain on an eligible plan to retain your offer.
Why we love DIRECTV:
As Yahoo Tech writes: DIRECTV is the polished and likable cable alternative that cord-cutters have been searching for. Miss flipping through endless channels on the hunt for a gem to tune into? DIRECTV’s got one of the best channel guides out there. And in terms of content diversity, DIRECTV has you covered there too, with packages ranging from hyper-specific Genre Packs for sports fans and reality TV zealots to full-coverage options for TV fans who want it all. Sports fans, meanwhile, will appreciate that ESPN Unlimited is included with many DIRECTV plans. And don’t worry about missing your favorite shows, either: In addition to live channels, DIRECTV offers a full range of on-demand programming and unlimited DVR. That’s why we called DIRECTV the best cable TV replacement in the streaming world.
2026 NCAAF Schedule:
The NCAAF season begins on August 27 with Week Zero, with most games scheduled that week streaming on ESPN+. Notable matchups in these early weeks include the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin betweenNorth Carolina and TCU, airing on ESPN on Aug. 29, Colorado vs. Georgia Tech (Sept. 3, ESPN), Texas State vs Texas (Sept. 5, ESPN), and Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Sept. 6, NBC). These channels and many more are all available with DIRECTV’s MySports® Genre Pack®.
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NCAAF 2026 season Week 0 schedule:
All times Eastern
Thursday, Aug. 27
Mercyhurst at Youngstown State: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Maine at Towson: 6 p.m. (FloSports)
Chattanooga at West Georgia: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Charleston Southern at Lindenwood: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Southern Illinois at West Florida: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Mississippi Valley State at Nicholls: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Gardner-Webb at Austin Peay: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Central Arkansas at UT Martin: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Stony Brook at Delaware State: Time TBA (ESPN+)
LIU at North Dakota: Time TBA (ESPN+)
Houston Christian at Southeastern Louisiana: Time TBA (ESPN+)
Friday, Aug. 28
Marist at New Haven: 6 p.m. (NEC Front Row)
Colgate at Fordham: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
New Hampshire at UAlbany: 7 p.m. (FloSports)
Weber State at Northern Colorado: 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
Idaho at Cal Poly: 10 p.m. (ESPN+)
Rhode Island at Merrimack: Time TBA (ESPN+)
Saturday, Aug. 29
TCU vs. North Carolina (Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland): 12 p.m. (ESPN)
San Jose State at USC: 3 p.m. (NBC)
Alabama State vs. Southern (Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.): 3 p.m. (ESPNU)
NC State at Virginia: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Jacksonville State at North Dakota State: 5:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Hawai’i at Stanford: 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
New Mexico State at Florida State: 7 p.m. (The CW Network)
East Texas A&M at Mercer: 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Howard vs. Alabama A&M (Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta): 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Prairie View A&M at Tarleton State: 9 p.m. (ESPN2)
Memphis at UNLV: 10 p.m. (FOX)
Week One NCAAF schedule:
All times Eastern
Thursday, Sept. 3
UMass at Rutgers: 6 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Bethune-Cookman at UCF: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Akron at Wake Forest: 7 p.m. (ACC Network)
Merrimack at Delaware: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
West Georgia at Kennesaw State: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
UAlbany at Buffalo: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Missouri: 8 p.m. (SEC Network)
Colorado at Georgia Tech: 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Eastern Illinois at Minnesota: 8 p.m. (Peacock)
Idaho at Utah: 9 p.m. (ESPNU)
UAB at Illinois: 9 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Friday, Sept. 3
San Jose State at Eastern Michigan: 6:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Indiana State at Purdue: 7 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
North Carolina A&T at Georgia State: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
UTEP at Oklahoma: 8 p.m. (SECN+)
LIU at Kansas: 8 p.m. (ESPNU)
Toledo at Michigan State: 8 p.m. (FS1)
Miami (Fla.) at Stanford: 9 p.m. (ESPN)
Fresno State at USC: 9 p.m. (FOX)
Saturday, Sept. 4
East Carolina at Alabama: 12 p.m. (ABC)
Oregon State at Houston: 12 p.m. (ESPN)
Coastal Carolina at West Virginia: 12 p.m. (TNT/HBO Max)
New Hampshire at Syracuse: 12 p.m. (ACC Network)
North Texas at Indiana: 12 p.m. (FOX)
Ohio at Nebraska: 12 p.m. (FS1)
Bryant at Army: 12 p.m. (CBSSN)
Tarleton State at Bowling Green: 12 p.m. (ESPN+)
Liberty at James Madison: 12 p.m. (ESPNU)
Miami (Ohio) at Pitt: 12:30 p.m. (ESPN Unlimited and the CW Network)
Ball State at Ohio State: 12:30 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Kent State at South Carolina: 12:45 p.m. (SEC Network)
Youngstown State at Kentucky: 1 p.m. (SECN+)
SE Missouri State at Iowa State: 1 p.m. (ESPN+)
Duquesne at Air Force: 1 p.m. (MW+)
Rhode Island at Temple: 2 p.m. (ESPN+)
Tennessee State at Georgia: 3 p.m. (SECN+)
Auburn vs. Baylor (Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta): 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Furman at Tennessee: 3:30 p.m. (SECN+)
Texas State at Texas: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Boston College at Cincinnati: 3:30 p.m. (FOX)
Tulane at Duke: 3:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
Boise State at Oregon: 3:30 p.m. (CBS)
Marshall at Penn State: 3:30 p.m. (FS1)
The Citadel at Charlotte: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Towson at Navy: 3:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
UT Rio Grande Valley at UTSA: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Fordham at North Dakota State: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN Unlimited and The CW Network)
Maine at App State: 3:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Oklahoma State at Tulsa: 3:45 p.m. (ESPNU)
North Alabama at Arkansas: 4:15 p.m. (SEC Network)
Northern Illinois at Iowa: 4:15 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Wyoming at Colorado State: 6 p.m. (USA Network)
Norfolk State at Old Dominion: 6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Missouri State at Texas A&M: 7 p.m. (ESPN)
Austin Peay at Vanderbilt: 7 p.m. (SECN+)
Abilene Christian at Texas Tech: 7 p.m. (FS1)
Nicholls at Kansas State: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Idaho State at Utah State: 7 p.m. (CBSSN)
Arkansas State at Memphis: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Houston Christian at Rice: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Florida International at South Florida: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Murray State at Middle Tennessee: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Eastern Kentucky at Jacksonville State: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Charleston Southern at Georgia Southern: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
SE Louisiana at South Alabama: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Sam Houston at Troy: 7 p.m. (ESPN+)
Clemson at LSU: 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
UL Monroe at Mississippi State: 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
VMI at Virginia Tech: 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
Western Michigan at Michigan: 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
Northwestern State at Louisiana Tech: 7:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Florida Atlantic at Florida: 7:45 p.m. (SEC Network)
Utah Tech at BYU: 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Hampton at Maryland: 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
South Dakota State at Northwestern: 8 p.m. (Big Ten Network)
Lamar at Louisiana: 8 p.m. (ESPN+)
Morgan State at Arizona State: 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
Mercyhurst at New Mexico State: 9 p.m. (ESPN+)
Northern Arizona at Arizona: 9:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Portland State at San Diego State: 9:30 p.m. (USA Network)
UNLV at Hawai’i: 10 p.m. (ESPN Unlimited and The CW Network)
Central Michigan at New Mexico: 10 p.m. (FS1)
Mississippi Valley State at Sacramento State: 10 p.m. (ESPN+)
UCLA at Cal: 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)
Western Kentucky at Nevada: 10:30 p.m. (CBSSN)
Sunday, Sept. 6
Texas Southern at Prairie View A&M: 12 p.m. (ESPN2)
Florida A&M vs. South Carolina State (Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.): 3 p.m. (ESPN)
Washington State at Washington: 4 p.m. (NBC)
Ole Miss vs. Louisville (Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn.): 7:30 p.m. (ABC)
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis.): 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
It’s never been easier to make the post-season in the American League, and the Toronto Blue Jays are trying to take advantage.
If the MLB season ended today, a team with a losing record (the Baltimore Orioles) would make the playoffs for the first time in a full-length campaign. The third wild-card spot is also projected to go to a below-.500 club. The lowest win total to ever earn an AL wild-card berth was the 85-win Minnesota Twins in 2017. That will probably change this year.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays have won 12 of their last 18 games. They climbed from five games back in the AL wild-card race to only 0.5 back over that span. Toronto was able to leap four teams in the standings last week with seven days of good baseball, going 5-2 against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox.
Its FanGraphs playoff odds were a season-low 4.3 per cent on Aug. 6, and have since climbed to 17 per cent.
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After Monday’s games, there are now five teams tied with 61 wins vying for the last spot.
Bearing in mind the Blue Jays’ weak strength of schedule after this week’s gauntlet (road series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Yankees), and the abundance of games they have against the logjam of teams also competing for the third wild card, they have a realistic shot at pulling off an improbable rally.
Let’s put the Blue Jays’ unprecedented playoff push in context by comparing it to past seasons.
Worst records to earn post-season berths
The wild card, as we know it, has only been around since 1995, the first season after the infamous 1994 MLB strike. It started with a single wild-card spot being awarded to the best non-division winner and was expanded to a two-team format in 2012. The modern, 12-team format, with three additional playoff spots in each league, started in 2022.
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Still, even with more teams being granted passage to October, no AL club has secured a playoff spot with a worse record than the 2017 Twins (85-77). The Rays snuck in with 86 wins in 2022, and the Detroit Tigers nabbed the final spot the last two years with 86 and 87 wins, respectively.
Historically, it’s been easier to obtain a playoff spot in the National League. The 1997 Houston Astros and 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers won their divisions with 84-78 records. The Miami Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks earned the last two wild-card spots with the same record in 2023, and Arizona made it to the World Series. The St. Louis Cardinals won the Fall Classic in 2006 after going 83-78.
The two worst post-season records of all time: the 2025 Reds at 83-79 and the 2005 Padres, who won the NL West at 82-80.
For the Blue Jays to equal the worst-ever AL wild-card team with 85 wins, they would need to go 24-12 over their remaining 36 games. That’s a .666 win percentage that would be better than any team in MLB this year — or a 108-win pace over the course of a full season. The Texas Rangers, Orioles and Tigers would need to go 24-13 (.648 winning percentage), all of which seems improbable, meaning the last AL wild-card will likely see a new all-time low this year.
The American League as a whole has struggled, with a .486 winning percentage, the lowest it’s been since interleague play was introduced in 1997.
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When it comes to recent history, the two best comparisons for the Blue Jays’ position in the standings are the 2015 and 2021 editions of the team.
That seems counterintuitive because those two clubs could not be more different stylistically than this year. Both boasted lineups chock-full of power and led MLB in home runs. They also both had large positive run differentials that implied they were better than their records indicated midway through the season. This year, the Blue Jays are 29th in home runs and have a negative-57 run differential.
In 2015, the Blue Jays were two games back of the wild card at the start of August and were one game above .500. But they won 11 straight games between Aug. 2-13 and eventually surged to a division title.
The more recent 2021 team might be a better comparison. They were further back than the ’26 Blue Jays on the same date, four games out of the final wild-card spot. Toronto was 63-55 at that point in 2021, but the AL was far stronger. They finished with a 28-16 record (.636 winning percentage) down the stretch, but ultimately missed the playoffs by one game when Rafael Devers broke their hearts on the final day of the season. Given the 2026 Blue Jays’ standing and the trajectory of their season, they could be in for a photo finish.
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Largest wild-card comebacks
There are many examples of extraordinary late-season surges to secure playoff spots. Two came in each of the last two seasons, as the Cleveland Guardians overcame a 10-game deficit in the division to catch the Tigers, and Detroit went on its own 11-2 heater to surmount a 3.5-game hole the year before.
The 2021 Cardinals also erased a three-game wild-card deficit with a franchise-record 17-game winning streak, culminating in a post-season clinching win on Sept. 28.
And in the pre-wild-card era, eight teams came back from down at least four games with 16 or fewer games to play to seize a post-season spot. The oldest and most famous example is the 1951 New York Giants, who rallied from four games back in the standings with only seven remaining to catch the Brooklyn Dodgers, winning 13 of their last 14, capped by Bobby Thomson’s walk-off homer known as the “shot heard ’round the world.”
These steep climbs make the one the Blue Jays are facing look mild. However, completing any comeback will require some heroics.
Tim Tszyu scored a career-best win over Errol Spence Jr last time out, and now it seems as though the Aussie will take on another tough assignment, with a showdown against a former undisputed world champion supposedly in the works.
Tszyu was knocked out by Sebastian Fundora for a second time in their rematch for the WBC super-welterweight world title last year, but the 31-year-old has responded with a trifecta of wins on home soil and has recently appointed Australian boxing legend, Jeff Fenech, as his lead trainer.
Last month, he handed Spence Jr a final career defeat, with the Texan announcing his retirement during the aftermath, whilst Tszyu looked poised to challenge Erislandy Lara for the WBA middleweight title after unveiling plans to make a permanent switch to the 160lb division.
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However, according to Lance Pugmire, former undisputed super-welterweight world champion Jermell Charlo has informed him that his next outing will be against Tszyu.
Story update: Told by @TwinCharlo that talks of him fighting Ortiz is “not true at all.. I talked to Al (Haymon) myself and I’m (fighting) Tim (Tszyu) next, working on location..”
It is still possible that Tszyu could either be using Charlo as leverage for his negotiations with Lara or simply eyeing the American up for a potential first defence, if able to dethrone the 43-year-old Cuban in their rumoured December scrap.
The playoff race the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves in is immensely complex, with as many as nine teams in contention for the third American League wild-card spot, considering the AL Central and AL West leaders could be in the mix if they slip up.
Any battle between multiple teams will be decided by a complex array of factors, and a race that could include 60 per cent of the AL has a dizzying array of variables at play. An extremely simplistic way of cutting through the clutter is to say that if the Blue Jays post an excellent record in their final 36 games, they have a solid chance of outlasting an uninspiring group of ballclubs. A more interesting way to examine the situation is to try to figure out where exactly they might find the edges necessary to scrape past a crowded field.
Below are a couple of under-the-radar factors that could contribute to whether Toronto can snatch a playoff position that looked out of reach not long ago.
Getting into the burglary business
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Stealing bases is rarely one of the cornerstones of a modern MLB offence, and the Blue Jays aren’t suddenly going to start swiping at an incredible rate with their current personnel. Still, it’s notable that Toronto ranked 26th in the majors in stolen bases from the beginning of the season to the end of July (48), but is tied for 10th so far in August (11).
Nearly half of those steals have come from Andrés Giménez (5), but recent additions to the roster give the team more potential in this area than they had earlier in the season. Neither Brett Bateman nor Charles McAdoo has swiped a bag yet, but they have 92nd percentile and 85th percentile sprint speed, respectively. Bateman has 20 steals in 84 minor-league games this season, and while McAdoo’s total at triple-A (12) is more modest, he piled up 34 at double-A last year.
Encouraging that pair to run could bear fruit, while trade deadline addition Josh Smith has respectable wheels (61st percentile sprint speed) and double-digit steals in his previous two healthy seasons before 2026. Myles Straw is also a notable threat with 97th percentile sprint speed and 108 MLB steals on his record, but he’ll have to improve on his low OBP (.274) to be a consistent threat.
Stealing bases is not the be-all and end-all of improving the Blue Jays’ offensive performance, but Toronto has some latent potential in this area. Stolen bases may also be more valuable to the Blue Jays than other teams, as they rank fourth in the majors in singles, but 29th in home runs. Getting runners into scoring position means more to a club with that kind of profile at the plate.
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Putting off-days to work
Starting this week, the Blue Jays have an off-day in each remaining week of their schedule. That’s an asset that could be leveraged as they look for every available edge available to them.
One move worthy of consideration is keeping Dylan Cease on regular rest and slotting the rest of the rotation behind him instead of giving him an extra day of rest. This is a maneuver the Blue Jays have been reluctant to try in recent years, but the situation this year makes it worth a second look.
Not only is Cease a workhorse squarely in the middle of his prime who’s not in desperate need of extra rest, but he’s also a Cy Young frontrunner who gives Toronto a significantly better chance to win a given game than any of its other starters. Keeping Cease on regular rest through the end of the season would give the Blue Jays one extra start from the right-hander, which could conceivably make the difference in a race with thin margins. Based on recent history, it would be surprising to see the Blue Jays do this. Even if they don’t push Cease ahead consistently enough to get an extra start, it could be an option once or twice to avoid needing a fifth starter spot that has been in flux.
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The off-days on Toronto’s schedule could also play a significant role in how the bullpen is deployed. While manager John Schneider will be managing his relievers to win each game individually, he can use off-days to keep his three most critical arms — Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers and Mason Fluharty — in heavy rotation while also giving them some needed rest. The trio all rank in the top 10 among MLB relievers in appearances. There’s unlikely to be a paradigm shift in their usage, but they can get much of their rest on days where the whole team is inactive.
The timing of scoring
The Blue Jays don’t have much control over precisely when they score runs, but their timing could still be a surprisingly big factor down the stretch. Toronto’s overall offence ranks 29th in scoring, but it has been particularly bad in the first five innings of ballgames, averaging just 1.84 runs per game — significantly lower than the next-worst squad (the Seattle Mariners, at 2.16).
Failing to score early is consequential for the Blue Jays because its bullpen is blessed with shutdown options at the back of the pen in Varland, Rogers — and, more recently, Spencer Miles — who are far less likely to be used if the Blue Jays are trailing in the middle and late sections of ballgames. When Toronto is behind, it’s more likely to turn to its low-leverage relievers. That group is usually going to have significantly worse numbers than the high-leverage crew in any bullpen, but for the Blue Jays, the gap between the leverage guys (Varland, Rogers, Fluharty, Miles, Braydon Fisher) and the others is significant.
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Many of the poor numbers Simeon Woods Richardson, Matt Waldron and Paul Sewald accumulated came with other teams, but that trio and Brendon Little don’t inspire confidence, and they play a much larger role when Toronto falls behind early, even by a tiny margin. Only 17.9 per cent of outings by Rogers and Varland have started with the Blue Jays trailing their opponents.
Another way the timing of Toronto’s run-scoring could help mitigate the meaningful damage other teams do against their low-leverage quartet is by mixing in the occasion blowout. That’s a tough ask for a team with an underperforming offence, but the Blue Jays haven’t won a game by five or more runs since July 25. Even a couple of laughers could make a difference in giving their low-leverage corps some safe room to operate and resting the top dogs.
Losing big, when the team loses, might not be the worst thing on one or two occasions, either. During Toronto’s 10-6 August, 12 of the 16 games have been within three runs, and four have gone to extras. That’s a recipe for a bullpen running out of gas.
AC Milan star Rafael Leao has reportedly been offered to Chelsea as the Pedro Neto replacement via an agent. The Portugal winger is keen on leaving San Siro and has been linked with Turkish sides.
According to a report in Gazzetta dello Sport, Leao’s search for a new club continues, and he is now interested in a move to Chelsea. The Blues are open to selling Pedro Neto this summer, with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal in talks.
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Leao has fallen down the pecking order at AC Milan as he looks for an exit. They have signed Diego Moreira from Strasbourg, and the 22-year-old is seen as the ideal replacement for the winger.
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New manager Ruben Amorim has admitted that he is unsure about the winger’s future at the club and said:
“I don’t think it’s a serious thing, but I don’t know if he’ll be ready. I don’t know, but Leao is one of our players. I’ve already said that we’re happy to have him, he’s a valuable player. So we’ll see, but he has to fight. I think Cisse, with the way that he played, will make things difficult. Saelemaekers has changed positions, it will be tough. We also have Pulisic coming back, so we will have a lot of players who will be fighting for that place.”
Meanwhile, Leao has rebuffed claims amid rumours, saying that he has not authorised anyone to comment on his behalf. He said on Instagram:
“My only thought is on the field: I am concentrated on giving my best, every single game and every single training session. Just to avoid any form of speculation and stories that aren’t true, I repeat that for some time I’ve assigned all my interests exclusively to my family and my lawyers. Nobody else is authorised to speak for me. My mind is on the next objectives.”
Chelsea have now shown interest in signing Leao, but reports suggest that the winger is available for €40 million this summer.
Pedro Neto in talks to leave Chelsea
Pedro Neto has been linked with a move away from Chelsea this summer. The winger has played in the last couple of pre-season matches as the right wing-back, but his future remains uncertain.
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Manchester City, Arsenal, and Al-Hilal are in the race to sign the winger, who has been slapped with a £100 million price tag by Chelsea. They are open to an exit, but are reportedly not in a hurry to let him leave.
El-Kanemi Warriors have strengthened their attack with the signing of experienced forward Utibe Arit Archibong ahead of the new season.
Utibe Archibong spent the second half of last season with Godswill Akpabio United FC, where he added experience and quality to the attack.
The forward has previously played for several Nigerian clubs, including Akwa United, Dakkada FC, Rovers FC, Shooting Stars, Lobi Stars and Abia Warriors.
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His move to El-Kanemi Warriors also reunites him with head coach Emmanuel King, who knows the player well and is expected to make good use of his experience.
El-Kanemi Warriors are preparing for a busy campaign that includes the CAF Confederation Cup, with the club also targeting promotion back to the Nigeria Premier Football League.
The Maiduguri-based side are currently in Jos, Plateau State, for the NFF Super Six tournament, which is designed to give Nigeria’s continental representatives quality preparation ahead of their CAF campaigns.
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The club confirmed their safe arrival in Jos, saying: “Alhamdulillah, we have successfully arrived in Jos, the Plateau State capital.”
El-Kanemi Warriors added that they are now fully focused on the task ahead as preparations continue.
The club have also strengthened their squad with several experienced players as newly appointed CAF A Licence coach Emmanuel King builds his team.
With his experience of playing for several Nigeria Premier Football League and Nigeria National League clubs, Archibong is expected to play an important role as El-Kanemi Warriors prepare for their continental campaign and push for promotion to the top flight.
Nuno Espirito Santo is at the London Stadium. Real Sociedad are close to reaching a full agreement to sign West Ham United defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez, according to transfer reporter Matteo Moretto.
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Direct talks between the Spanish club and the 28-year-old Mexican international have progressed significantly in recent days.
Alvarez has demonstrated his commitment to the transfer by agreeing to a significant wage reduction to fit within Real Sociedad’s salary structure. He has also formally requested that West Ham sanction his departure.
The defensive midfielder, who moved to the London Stadium from Ajax in 2023 for an initial £32 million, is eager to launch a new chapter in La Liga, with his role at West Ham increasingly uncertain due to the club’s ongoing squad rebuild.
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Alvarez was left out of West Ham’s squad for their Championship opener against Burnley, further signalling that his departure is imminent.
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Signing Alvarez would fulfil a primary objective for Sociedad, who have been seeking a defensive anchor to reinforce their midfield ahead of a return to the Europa League next season.
With over 80 senior caps for Mexico and extensive European experience in Amsterdam, Alvarez is regarded as an ideal fit in San Sebastian.
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With personal terms agreed and Alvarez keen to finalise the move, Real Sociedad and West Ham are working to iron out the final details.
However, a deal is unlikely to be completed before the La Liga side open their 2026/27 campaign away at Real Betis this weekend.
Meanwhile, West Ham will aim to return to winning ways at home on Sunday, when Charlton Athletic visit East London.
Alvarez is expected to be left out again, regardless of whether his move to Spain has been finalised.
One of the many curious aspects of the 2025-26 season was just how quiet things eventually became at Manchester United. The most supported, most discussed and, for a certain generation, most loathed team in England were certainly all over the back pages when their manager was sacked, but by Old Trafford standards, the final months of the campaign breezed by, interim head coach Michael Carrick securing Champions League football at a canter before being handed the job on a permanent basis.
For the first time in three years, United could approach a new season with at most limited questions over the future of their manager. There need be no recruiting of particular targets to fit a particular system as was the case under Ruben Amorim or the influx of those familiar to Erik ten Hag. Carrick must prove he can achieve the same sort of results this season as he did last when he has to balance European fixtures with domestic commitments. However, he can at least approach that challenge with the confidence of his employers and United supporters. That is a better situation to be in than many of his predecessors.
Why you should root for them
Well, misery loves company, and you will never want for company as a Manchester United supporter. Consistently being the best club in England (and occasionally Europe) at the time when the Premier League was growing into one of the biggest competitions in sports has a way of drawing fans from right across the world.
As for the misery, well, the post-Sir Alex Ferguson years have demanded a heavy toll for supporters reared on perennial Premier League titles. Not one in 13 years but a Europa League and some domestic silverware is hardly the worst a fanbase has had it since 2013, but that does not make it any less painful for United.
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Is this team good?
The third place in which United ended 2025-26 was not false by any stretch of the imagination. Carrick’s men had the third-best goal difference, the third-best expected goal difference, the third most goals scored. Without ever really getting close to Manchester City and Arsenal, the Red Devils could reasonably feel that they were the best of the rest. Compared to some of their rivals though, it is not so clear that they can repeat those levels.
After all, to be the third best team in England, Manchester United needed Bruno Fernandes to deliver at record-breaking level. His 21 assists were more than any team in the Premier League. In every metric you care to mention, he was the best chance creator in the division by a ludicrous margin, providing 54% more chances and 35% more expected assists than the second best in the league for those metrics. This was the best Fernandes could be. How much lesser a team do United become if he has an 80th percentile season rather than 99th?
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We have quite a few seasons of that to go off. With a good but not great Fernandes — and a somewhat inferior supporting cast — United were not even getting close to the Champions League race. The moves this team has made over the summer should mitigate the need for Fernandes to be the best player in the league, but it would certainly help if he could keep things up.
What has changed?
It is to United’s credit that they have made moves in the market to mitigate the risk of Bruno Fernandes’ form dropping off. Youri Tielemans is not a like-for-like replacement, more of a deep-lying playmaker of questionable defensive qualities but who is excellent at feeding his teammates up the field. At 29, he is not exactly one for the long term, but activating his $47.5 million release clause was hardly a stretch for United. This is one of those moves that might not propel them into title contention but at least ensures they hold firm around the top five.
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The same could be said of the other midfield addition, Andrey Santos, who arrived from Chelsea for around $65 million. He will offer some of the steel that Tielemans does not in midfield, and while he is not quite a like-for-like replacement for Casemiro, who departed on a high last season, he is another of those robust signings who will raise United’s floor.
That really is the way to look at what has been a really rather quiet summer under Carrick, who was handed a two-year contract in May. Even the handling of Marcus Rashford has lacked the sturm und drang of years gone by. United would like to sell him; Rashford would probably like to leave, but given that a suitor is yet to emerge, he has been quietly eased into a squad role for the time being. If that is where he lands, few managers would complain about having a forward who averaged 0.38 expected goals and 0.24 expected assists per 90 La Liga minutes last season.
In years gone by, particularly after Ten Hag’s first season and a second-placed finish under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2021, United have deluded themselves as to how close they might be to a title challenge. There was nothing false about last season’s third, but it was one where they were 14 points off champions with a relatively low points tally, their xG difference half of Arsenal’s.
There is further work expected, perhaps a new left back and/or an extra body in midfield, but United do not have the look of a team in a hurry. After 13 years waiting for a title, they are still prepared to go the long way round.
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Expectations for 2026-27
Though stranger things have happened than a team making up that ground in one season, United haven’t attempted this summer’s equivalent of throwing big money at Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo for one last heave. United are building like an organization intent on stabilizing, and their midfield refit seems to be a good way of achieving that aim. A top five finish, a run to the knockouts in the Champions League, perhaps a domestic cup: it would not be the sort of season they sing “glory, glory Man United” about, but it would be a solid step in the right direction.
The Indianapolis Colts are bringing in a veteran wide receiver.
Keenan Allen agreed to sign with the Colts on a one-year deal worth up to $8.32 million on Monday, according to multiple reports.
Allen, 34, has made six Pro Bowls over his 13-year career, 12 of which he spent with the Los Angeles Chargers. After one season in Chicago, Allen returned to the Chargers last season, where he caught 81 passes for 777 yards and four touchdowns.
He has 1,055 career catches for 12,051 yards and 70 touchdowns.
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The deal reunites Allen with Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who was the offensive co-ordinator for the first eight seasons of Allen’s career with the Chargers.
Allen will provide some wide receiver depth for a Colts team that is currently without No. 1 option Alec Pierce and shipped out Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade this off-season.
Pierce is still recovering from off-season ankle surgery and his status for Week 1 remains up in the air.
Quarterback Daniel Jones is also coming off a season-ending injury, but is believed to be on track to start in the Colts’ regular-season opener against the Ravens on Sept. 13.
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