Egyptian giants Ismaily SC have been officially relegated to the Egyptian second division for the first time in their 68-year history.
The historic club from the city of Ismailia suffered a 2-1 defeat to Wadi Degla on Wednesday night, confirming their relegation after a disappointing campaign.
The result marks one of the darkest moments in the history of Egyptian football, with Ismaily, one of the country’s most respected clubs, unable to avoid the drop despite their rich pedigree.
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Founded in 1924, Ismaily are widely regarded as one of the traditional powerhouses of Egyptian football and remain the first North African club to win the prestigious CAF Champions League, achieving the feat in 1969.
Their relegation has sparked emotional reactions among supporters and football followers across Africa, bringing an end to the club’s long stay in the Egyptian top flight.
Alex Iwobi has shared a positive update on his recovery from injury, giving hope to Fulham F.C. and Nigeria coach Eric Chelle ahead of the Super Eagles’ friendly matches against Poland and Portugal.
The Nigerian midfielder suffered the injury during Fulham’s 1-0 loss to Brentford F.C. in April at the Community Stadium. The setback forced him off the pitch and raised fears that he could miss the rest of the season.
Iwobi later missed Premier League games against Aston Villa F.C., AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal F.C. as Fulham struggled to maintain steady performances without him in the squad.
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The former Arsenal F.C. player has now eased concerns about the injury after revealing that he is able to walk again, although he admitted he still feels slight pain. He also confirmed that the problem is not an old injury returning.
Fulham manager Marco Silva had earlier stated that the injury was not serious enough to keep Iwobi out for a long period, and the midfielder’s latest update has strengthened hopes of an early comeback.
Iwobi has been one of Fulham’s key players this season because of his creativity, movement in midfield and support in attack. His absence has affected the club during an important stage of the campaign.
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For the Super Eagles, his recovery is also important as coach Eric Chelle sees him as one of the experienced players in the team. The midfielder is expected to play a major role in Nigeria’s upcoming friendly matches in June.
Nigeria’s games against Poland and Portugal are expected to help Chelle test his tactics and assess his squad ahead of future competitive fixtures.
With the Premier League season nearing its end, there is increasing belief that Iwobi could return for Fulham before the campaign finishes, which would also improve his fitness ahead of international duty with Nigeria.
Manchester City’s second string eased past Crystal Palace 3-0 on Wednesday to climb just two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal with two games remaining of a captivating title race.
Pep Guardiola made six changes from the side that beat Brentford 3-0 at the weekend, with Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku among those on the bench, while Palace boss Oliver Glasner also made tweaks.
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First-half goals from Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush put City in control at a damp Etihad and a late strike from Savinho added gloss to the scoreline.
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The tide appeared to have turned in City’s favour in the title race over recent weeks but last week’s costly 3-3 draw at Everton put Arsenal firmly back in the box seat.
The City players experienced the agony of seeing a stoppage-time equaliser for West Ham against Arsenal ruled out following a VAR check on Sunday as the Gunners battled to a 1-0 win.
Guardiola’s men dominated the ball in the early minutes on Wednesday but Palace, with Ismaila Sarr and Adam Wharton on the bench, posed a threat on the break.
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City opened the scoring in style in the 32nd minute after Foden produced an exquisite back pass to set up Semenyo, who finished coolly past Dean Henderson into the far corner of the goal.
They doubled their lead eight minutes later, with Foden again the provider, touching the ball to Marmoush, who celebrated his third Premier League goal of the season.
John Stones, departing at the end of the season, came on as a substitute towards the end of a forgettable second period to a rousing reception from the City fans.
Minutes later Rayan Cherki ran with the ball from his own half before setting up Savinho, who swept the ball past Henderson.
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The three-goal win takes City to 77 points, two behind Arsenal. City now have a superior goal difference of plus one and have scored seven more goals.
City take on Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday, gunning for a domestic cup double after lifting the League Cup earlier this season.
Before kick-off on Wednesday, Guardiola explained his multiple changes, saying: “When the schedule is so tight, everybody is fit, everybody needs to help.”
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Despite the narrow gap, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal remain overwhelming favourites to win their first Premier League title since 2004.
City next face a tricky match at Bournemouth, who are chasing Champions League qualification, and finish their campaign against Aston Villa.
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Arsenal host relegated Burnley next week before travelling to Palace for the final day of the season.
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Palace, who beat City in last season’s FA Cup final, are 15th in the table.
But their focus now is on the UEFA Conference League final against Rayo Vallecano in Leipzig on May 27 — Glasner’s final match in charge of the south London club.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been in sensational form with the willow in IPL 2026. In 11 innings, the 15-year-old has scored 440 runs at an average of 40 and a strike rate of 236.55. The left-handed batter’s stats include one century and two half-centuries.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) opener Sanju Samson has also been in impressive form for his new franchise. After beginning the tournament with a few low scores, he quickly picked himself up. In 11 innings, Samson has scored 430 runs at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 169.29, with two centuries and one fifty.
Sooryavanshi has so far opened the innings in 18 matches in the IPL. In this feature, we compare his batting stats with those of Samson after the latter had also opened the innings in the same number of matches.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Sanju Samson – Who has a better average and strike rate after opening in 18 IPL matches?
In 18 IPL matches as opener, Sooryavanshi has scored 692 runs at an average of 38.44 and a sensational strike of 224.67 – all of them for RR. In three innings against Gujarat Titans (GT), the left-hander has scored 168 runs at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 233.33. Also, in two innings against CSK, he has scored 109 runs at an average of 54.50 and a strike rate of 218.
After 18 IPL games as opener, Samson had 472 runs to his name, averaging 26.22 at a strike rate of 130.74. In 13 games for Delhi Capitals (DC), he had 339 runs, averaging 26.07 at a strike rate of 135.60. Also, in five matches for RR, he had 133 runs at an average of 26.60 and a strike rate of 119.81. In four games against Mumbai Indians (MI), he had scored 100 runs at a strike rate of 142.85.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Sanju Samson – Who has more hundreds after opening in 18 IPL matches?
After 18 IPL matches as opener, Sooryavanshi has two hundreds and three half-centuries to his name. The 15-year-old slammed 103 off just 37 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Jaipur in the ongoing edition. The sensational knock featured five fours and 12 sixes. He also hammered 101 off 38 balls against GT in Jaipur last season, clobbering seven fours and 11 sixes.
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After 18 IPL games as opener, Samson had three half-centuries to his name. His best at that stage was 74, which came off 47 deliveries against MI at Wankhede Stadium in the 2014 edition. The innings included seven fours and three sixes. He had also scored 61 off 31 against Gujarat Lions (GL) in Delhi in IPL 2017 and 60 off 38 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens in the same season.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Sanju Samson – Who has more fours and sixes after opening in 18 IPL matches?
In 18 IPL matches as opener, Sooryavanshi has hammered 56 fours and 64 sixes. The southpaw has struck 15 fours and 15 sixes in three innings against GT and five fours and 12 sixes in two innings against SRH. Also, he has eight fours and nine sixes in two innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and seven fours and nine sixes in two innings against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Player
Runs
Average
SR
HS
100s
50s
4s
6s
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
692
38.44
224.67
103
2
3
56
64
Sanju Samson
472
26.22
130.47
74
0
3
43
18
(Sooryavanshi vs Samson – Batting stats comparison after 18 IPL games as opener)
After 18 IPL games as opener, Samson had struck 43 fours and 18 sixes. The right-hander had slammed 30 fours and 15 sixes in 13 matches for DC and 13 fours and three sixes in five matches for RR. In four matches against MI, Samson had struck 12 fours and three sixes.
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Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Sanju Samson – Who has a better record in wins after opening in 18 IPL matches?
In eight wins, Sooryavanshi has scored 409 runs at an average of 51.12 and a strike rate of 236.41, with one hundred and three half-centuries. In 10 losses, he has 283 runs, averaging 28.30 at a strike rate of 209.62. His knock of 103 against SRH came in a losing cause.
Player
Innings
Runs
Average
SR
HS
100s
50s
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
8
409
51.12
236.41
101
1
3
Sanju Samson
8
173
21.62
124.46
61
0
1
(Sooryavanshi vs Samson – Batting stats comparison in wins after 18 IPL games as opener)
In eight wins, Samson had 173 runs to his name at an average of 21.62 and a strike rate of 124.46, with one half-century. In 10 losses, he had 299 runs to his name at an average of 29.90 and a strike rate of 134.68, with two half-centuries.
Virat Kohli celebrates after scoring his hundred in Raipur. (Pic credit: IPL)
NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru reclaimed top spot in the IPL 2026 points table on Wednesday with a thumping six-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur.RCB talisman Virat Kohli played a match-winning unbeaten 105 off 60 balls to help the team chase down 193 in 19.1 overs for their eighth win of the season. They now top the standings in the business end of the IPL 2026 league stage with 16 points and an impressive net run rate (NRR) of +1.053, overtaking Gujarat Titans (16 points) on superior NRR.
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IPL 2026: Sai Kishore on GT’s winning formula under Ashish Nehra, Shubman Gill
The defeat left KKR stranded in eighth spot, keeping their playoff hopes alive by the thinnest of margins. KKR’s four-match winning streak ended against RCB despite posting a competitive target.After RCB and GT, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings occupied the remaining two playoff spots with 14 and 13 points respectively.The rest of the standings remain unchanged after Match No. 57 of the 70-match league stage.Chennai Super Kings are fifth with 12 points, ahead of Rajasthan Royals on superior NRR, with both teams having three matches left each.Below them, Delhi Capitals and KKR are still mathematically alive in the playoff race. DC have 10 points from 12 games, while KKR have nine points from 11 games.Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are the only two teams eliminated so far in the season.
Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 105 to lead defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the IPL table with a six-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday. Kohli returned to form after back-to-back ducks as he steered his team home in a chase of 193 in Raipur with an excellent 60-ball innings. The 37-year-old scored his ninth IPL hundred, hitting 11 fours and three sixes. Bengaluru notched their eighth victory in 12 matches this season to usurp Gujarat Titans at the top of the 10-team table on net run-rate, moving closer to securing a playoff spot.
Generally, teams with 16 points make it to the Playoffs and RCB are all but in. On the other hand, KKR are on the verge of elimination from the Playoffs race as they can now reach a maximum of 15 points.
Here’s the updated points table of IPL 2026 after RCB vs KKR match:
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Three-time champions Kolkata suffered their sixth defeat in 11 matches as their slim chances of making the playoffs suffered a blow.
The top four will make the playoffs, with the final to be played in Ahmedabad on May 31.
Kohli got off the mark with a single in the first over of the chase, punching the air in mock celebration after his successive ducks.
He lost his opening partner Jacob Bethell for 15 but put on 92 runs with Devdutt Padikkal, who made 39, for the second wicket.
Kohli was dropped on 21 and made Kolkata pay, bringing up his fifty in 32 balls.
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Bengaluru lost Padikkal, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and then Tim David to a stunning one-handed diving catch at backward point by Manish Pandey.
But Kohli kept calm to reach his first hundred of the season, soaking in the applause before wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma hitting the winning runs.
Earlier, Kolkata posted 192-4 after a 46-ball 71 by Angkrish Raghuvanshi.
Raghuvanshi put on strong partnerships including with Cameron Green, who scored 32, and Rinku Singh, who finished with a flourish in his unbeaten, 29-ball 49.
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Pace bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam took one wicket each.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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IPL 2026 News | RCB Outplay CSK For 2nd Win On Trot, Ruturaj Gaikwad & Co Suffer 3rd Loss
Todd Pollard has enjoyed a dream launch to training, though Wednesday’s Ipswich card brings an unfamiliar twist in 2026.
The Brisbane-based newcomer deploys Subterrain and All Kinds Of Folk together in one race for the debut time, targeting the sixth event, a $38,000 TAB Class 4 Handicap at 1680 metres.
Recent winners both, they head in strongly, but Pollard wishes to avoid the head-to-head.
“I’d love to be splitting them if I could, but there’s just limited options for these sort of horses,” Pollard said.
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“There are not enough races for them on a Saturday at the moment, so you’ve got limited options on the Wednesday meetings and I think they’re both definitely midweek metro horses.”
His prior position with Annabel and Rob Archibald exposed him to handling several runners per race before he ventured alone this year.
Boasting a 35 percent hit rate with six wins from 17 starts in under two months, the 31-year-old Kiwi thrives early.
“I couldn’t be happy with how it’s all panned out,” he said.
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“Obviously we’re not going to keep that strike-rate intact, but it’s been a very good start and the horses have been running well,” he said.
“You can’t win them all and you lose more than you win in this game, but it’s a healthy strike-rate and a good way to kick things off.
You need those results straight away to get you off the mark and we’re just lucky we’re having a good run of it at the moment.”
Subterrain’s Eagle Farm 1400m win on March 25 was Pollard’s second starter success, followed by Gold Coast repeat April 10.
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Transferred from Wangaratta’s John and Chris Ledger, All Kinds Of Folk won at Sunshine Coast 1400m on Anzac Day in her Pollard bow.
The four-year-old placed second in Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) last April and drew ideally in barrier two with Ryan Maloney for Wednesday’s favourite status.
“She’s a horse that’s going to go through the grades up here and hopefully from a good gate tomorrow, she gets every chance and if any rain did come, that would really bring her into it as well,” Pollard said on Tuesday.
Pollard freshened the unplaced-free three-from-five Subterrain post-last run, aiming for victory before spell and bigger aims after Winter Carnival.
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“We just backed off him a little bit, he’s a bit of a lightly-framed horse, so we waited for this,” Pollard said.
“He could have run last week, but we decided to wait for this race and he’s probably a horse that we’ll give him this run and then a bit of a freshen up and he can come back after the carnival’s over.”
Barrier seven sees Subterrain with Ben Thompson, top jock in Brisbane.
Discover racing betting markets via betting sites ahead of the TAB Class 4 Handicap at Ipswich.
Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome and Javee Mocon during a game against Magnolia Hotshots in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Former Meralco import Allen Durham was in attendance for the Bolts’ PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals game against Magnolia.
His watch party, however, did not have the happy ending he had hoped for as fifth seed Magnolia escaped with a 95-89 win at Ninoy Aquino Stadium to force a do-or-die game for a semifinals berth.
Having been in the same situation before during his stint with the Bolts, Durham knows what the Bolts need to do for their rubber match against the Hotshots.
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“I think they just have to come out and play aggressive from the start,” he told the Inquirer at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday.
“I think them building back up took so much energy, so once it got down to the last three minutes, they had already spent so much energy trying to come back into the game.”
Meralco trailed by as many as 19 points before storming back and trimming the deficit to one late in the fourth quarter.
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But the Bolts ran out of steam in the closing minutes, allowing Magnolia to stay alive in the series.
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One player who struggled for Meralco was import Marvin Jones, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds while shooting just 3-of-15 from the field.
Despite the rough shooting night, Durham still believed Jones did his part.
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“I think he played pretty good. He just missed shots that he normally makes. He had a couple bunnies but if those bunnies fall, it’ll be a completely different game,” Durham said.
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RCB vs KKR LIVE Score, IPL 2026 LIVE Cricket Score: Kartik Tyagi has provided Kolkata Knight Riders with their first wicket against Royal Challengers Bengaluru as he dismissed Jacob Bethell for 15.
A score of 0, a duck, is a rarity for Virat Kohli. Two ducks? Before IPL 2026, it had happened only once, in 2022. So when Kohli was out on 0 against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians, his fans couldn’t be faulted for being concerned. Even Kohli might have felt the bit. As he did when he scored a single in the first over of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 193-run chase off Saurabh Dubey – the crowd celebrated, so did Kohli.
A sublime half-century from Angkrish Raghuvanshi, followed by a late onslaught from Rinku Singh, powered Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a formidable 192/4 in their Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Raipur on Wednesday. Raghuvanshi led the charge with a fluent 71 off 46 deliveries, studded with seven fours and three sixes, while Rinku Singh provided the finishing flourish with a blistering 49 off 29 balls, featuring three boundaries and two maximums.
After being put in to bat first, Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen opened the innings for KKR. Allen launched an early assault on Jacob Duffy in the second over, hammering 14 runs. However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck back in the very next over, dismissing Allen for 18 and bringing young Angkrish Raghuvanshi to the crease.
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After the early setback, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Ajinkya Rahane counterattacked, putting the RCB bowlers under pressure with a flurry of boundaries. However, Hazlewood broke the stand by dismissing KKR skipper Rahane for 19, paving the way for Cameron Green to join Raghuvanshi at the crease.
KKR ended the powerplay at 56/2. Despite the early loss of both openers, Angkrish Raghuvanshi and Cameron Green steadied the innings with a crucial rebuilding stand. The duo helped KKR recover strongly to reach 86/2 at the halfway mark.
Green accelerated in the 12th over, smashing a six off Krunal Pandya to bring up the 50-run partnership for the third wicket. However, Rasikh Salam Dar struck in the very next over, dismissing Green for 32 and bringing Rinku Singh to the crease.
In the 14th over, Raghuvanshi brought up a well-crafted half-century, marking his fourth fifty of the season. With four 50-plus scores in IPL 2026, Raghuvanshi now holds the record for the most such scores by a KKR batter at the age of 21 in a single edition of the tournament.
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The duo kept the pressure firmly on the RCB bowlers with an aggressive counterattack, powering KKR to 172/3 at the end of 18 overs. Josh Hazlewood then delivered a tidy 19th over, conceding just 10 runs to keep the scoring in check.
Rinku Singh launched a six in the final over off Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but the experienced pacer responded brilliantly by restricting the damage and conceding only 10 runs in the over.
KKR eventually posted 192/4, setting RCB a target of 193 for victory. For RCB, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam Dar scalped a wicket each.
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The debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has defined an entire era of soccer. The two legends have spent nearly two decades pushing each other to historic heights.
Now, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, fans are preparing for the final chapter of the sport’s greatest rivalry.
So, who has the edge heading into their final World Cup appearance?
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Messi vs Ronaldo in 2026 So Far
Messi is 38 years old right now and Ronaldo is 41 years old, despite their age both players continue producing elite numbers on the field.
Messi got 11 goals and three assists in 15 appearances for Inter Miami CF in 2026 so far. He also leads in minutes per goal compared to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, has scored 14 goals in 20 appearances for Al Nassr team, and still remains one of the most dangerous finishers in the world despite his age.
Based on stats alone, Ronaldo currently holds the edge in total goals, while Messi leads in assists.
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Who Has the Better Overall Resume?
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, four Champions League titles, multiple La Liga crowns, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup with Argentina.
On the other hand Ronaldo remains the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football and the only player to score in five different World Cups. He has also won five Champions League titles and multiple league trophies across England, Spain, and Italy.
Right now both the stars are looking to add the World Cup trophy to their resumes.
One major reason that this debate between two superstars never truly ends is because they both dominate in different ways.
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There is a realistic possibility that Argentina and Portugal could meet during the knockout rounds of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Depending on how the groups unfold, Messi and Ronaldo could potentially face each other in a blockbuster quarterfinal or even the final.
Messi recently described the rivalry as “beautiful,” insisting there was always mutual respect between the two icons despite years of comparisons.
As both the stars prepare to play on the world’s biggest stage, one thing is certain that this matchup, if it happens, is going to be legendary. Regardless of who fans believe is better, one thing is certain: soccer may never witness another rivalry quite like Messi vs Ronaldo again.
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