Erling Haaland was impressed with the ‘amazing’ Ayyoub Bouaddi after the teenage Moroccan made his full City debut in the 2-0 UEFA Champions League victory away to Porto.

Match Report

Enzo Maresca selected the youngster in a City starting team for the first time, at a loud and hostile Estádio do Dragão in Portugal.

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But the new signing remained unfazed in an assured midfield display for 75 minutes, having 71 touches of the ball, boasting a 95% pass accuracy rate and winning 100% of his tackles.

FERNÁNDEZ: ‘HAALAND IS A BEAST!’

Despite Haaland’s brace making him City’s all-time third top scorer and securing the important three points on the night, the striker made special mention of Bouaddi’s performance and his work ethic on the training pitch.

“That’s not bad that!” said Haaland in his interview after being told about his recent new record.

“I think he [Bouaddi] did a really good game. In training, he’s been amazing. I just told the chairman, he’s been amazing.

“I think we’ve got a gem there to be honest. I think he should have played me through in the second half, I was all alone, so I was a bit angry so I’ll tell him now!

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“He played a good game, except that pass!”

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After going a goal down, the hosts, who had been unbeaten at home across all competitions in 2026 prior to City’s visit, tried to force an equaliser but Maresca’s men remained resolute to weather the storm.

Haaland reserved some praise for the Portuguese champions and encouraged City to continue playing with a winning mentality after winning all four of our matches this season.

“Amazing game against the champions of Portugal. We knew it was going to be a difficult fight,” he continued. “They’re a top team. Honestly, impressive, all of them.

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“They play amazing football so well done to them. As all the pressure, we had to deliver on the biggest stage and we did that today.

“These are the games we have to win. We’ve had a great start to the season. In the Champions League you have to win games. If not, suddenly you get all the pressure and then you never know what will happen.

“We have to learn, Maresca has to demand a lot from us and we have to demand a lot from each other and we have to win games. At City you have to win games and win trophies.

“We won away in a difficult game, look at this atmosphere it was unreal at times. I hope he’s happy.”

Top seed Aryna Sabalenka kept her dreams of a third straight US Open women’s singles title alive, surviving a scare against Wimbledon 2026 champion Linda Noskova of Czechia in the quarter-finals. The Belarusian, winner of the US Open in 2024 and 2025, defeated sixth seed Noskova 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (7) at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She will next face the winner of the all-American quarter-final between third seed Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro on Thursday.

Sabalenka needed all her resolve to withstand the sixth-seeded Czech, but finished it out fearlessly with an ace on match point in the 10-point match tiebreaker.

“What a battle,” Sabalenka said. “I was pushing myself to the limit in this match especially in the third set. I honestly thought the match was over and that’s what helped me to feel loose and go for my shots.”

Sabalenka’s precision and power were on full display, but as the resilient Noskova fought off multiple break points her frustration mounted and the Czech’s confidence grew.

Noskova had all the momentum after breaking Sabalenka for a 3-2 lead in the third set, but Sabalenka dug in and broke back and they hurtled to the tiebreaker, where Sabalenka dropped the first two points before climbing back.

Sabalenka, who must retain her title to have a chance to keep the number one ranking, was all business as she opened with a love hold capped by an ace.

She broke a tentative Noskova in the second game on the way to a 3-0 lead, but the Czech was settling in, matching Sabalenka’s power to extend the rallies and regaining the break in the ninth game with a ferocious service return.

Sabalenka reasserted herself in the tiebreaker, but she was unable to build on that momentum as she squandered three break chances in the opening game of the second set.

She let another chance get away in the fifth game before Noskova broke for a 4-2 lead, Sabalenka double faulting on break point.

Two games later Sabalenka was in trouble again. She fought off a set point with an ace before producing two more big serves to cut the gap to 5-3, but Noskova clinched the set in the next game with an ace on her fourth set point.

(With AFP Inputs)

More to follow…

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Neeraj Chopra Wins Silver, Yashvir Singh Bronze As India Seal Double Podium In CWG Javelin

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi may not have got a big score with the bat for East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone in Chennai, but the teenager has shown tactical acumen with his sharp observations. The East Zone vice-captain plotted a couple of South Zone wickets as the teenage sensation played a key role in the dismissals of Ricky Bhui and star batter Smaran Ravichandran in the Duleep Trophy final at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Sooryavanshi insisted on a review to overturn the umpire’s not-out call for Bhui’s caught-behind appeal and then used Mohammed Shami late before tea for the scalp of Ravichandran, the highest run-scorer of the previous Ranji Trophy season.

VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI × DRS! A brilliant review from the 15-year-old in the Duleep Trophy semifinal paid off, showcasing remarkable composure and cricketing awareness.

#VaibhavSooryavanshi #DuleepTrophy #Cricket pic.twitter.com/gdek11H7hl

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— Vartika (@Vartika04688652) September 8, 2026

After East Zone put up a mountain of 708 on the back of captain Ishan Kishan‘s 270, they struck early with the ball in the first session of Day 2. Mukesh Kumar zipped one down the leg side as Bhui tried guiding it to the leg side. East Zone appealed, but the umpire remained unmoved, prompting Sooryavanshi to urge Ishan to go for the review. As it turned out, there was a spike when the ball was next to the bat, with Kumar Kushagra taking the catch behind.

BCCI Domestic also took note of Sooryavanshi’s suggestion. “Take it… take it. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Review. The vice-captain urges the captain to take the review, and it turns out to be successful,” BCCI Domestic wrote in a social media post.

Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi helped his team with another wicket later. With Mukesh and Mohammed Shami doing the damage, South Zone were 174/4 with only a few minutes remaining before tea. The 15-year-old was standing in as captain as Ishan went off the field briefly.

He brought Shami on for a quick burst before the break, and the veteran Indian seamer duly repaid the faith when he dismissed Ravichandran. Shami nicked the Karnataka batter off behind as he attempted a drive outside off stump. The edge was not picked up by the umpire, but Kushagra urged Sooryavanshi to take the review, and they got the big wicket after UltraEdge confirmed a spike.

Shami had previously walked off the field after bowling seven overs and just two after lunch, as he looked tired and needed treatment to his neck from the physio. He came back later and was utilised well by Sooryavanshi in the final few minutes before tea as South Zone slipped to 176/5 at the break.

East Zone had earlier made 708 on the back of a stellar 270 from Ishan. Kumar Kushagra (101), Shikhar Mohan (85), and Abhimanyu Easwaran (72) also contributed valuable knocks.

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Aaron Judge returned to the New York Yankees after a 99-day absence caused by a broken rib, starting in right field and batting third Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.

A three-time AL MVP, Judge had missed 84 games since his last appearance on May 31. The 34-year-old skipped a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.

Judge entered hitting .248 with 17 homers, 38 RBIs and a .907 OPS. He was initially injured attempting to avoid second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. during an unsuccessful try for a diving catch at Houston on April 26 and batted .263 with seven homers and 20 RBIs in 31 games before going on the injured list. 

He had just one homer in 18 games before the IL stint. New York was 36-23 after Judge last played on May 31 and went 45-39 in his absence. 

The Yankees hit .243 with 86 homers and a .770 OPS in 59 games through May 31 but .227 with 107 homers and a .681 OPS while Judge was sidelined. Their batting average during that stretch ranked 29th among the 30 major league teams, ahead of Seattle at .225.

New York entered 81-62, four games behind of AL East-leading Tampa Bay and two games in front of Boston (80-65) for the top AL wild card. The Yankees hold a potential tiebreaker over the Red Sox after winning the season series.

Judge hit a career-high .331 with 53 homers and 114 RBIs in 152 games last year, winning his third MVP and first batting title. He missed 10 games from July 26 to Aug. 4 with a flexor strain in his right elbow that he sustained on a throw to home plate July 22 in Toronto. He underwent a plasma-rich platelet injection and did not require offseason surgery.

Judge skipped a rehab assignment in 2023 when he missed 42 games with a fractured right big toe after crashing into the right-field fence at Dodger Stadium. He hit .245 with 18 homers, 35 RBIs and a .965 OPS over 57 games after his return.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Hyrox founders Christian Toetzke and Moritz Fürste have regained majority control of the fitness racing business as part of a deal which has seen Infront Sports and Media sell its majority stake to a consortium led by consumer-focused private equity giant L Catterton.

Investment company WndrCo – founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Sujay Jaswa – is also participating, with L Catterton and WndrCo joining Hyrox as minority partners.

The deal comes as reported by HCM on 26 July, when regulatory filings revealed L Catterton was seeking to acquire Hyrox World GmbH from Infront. HCM followed up on 18 August, reporting that the transaction was progressing and expected to see Infront and its backer, Wanda Group, exit the business.

Financial terms have not been disclosed, although Bloomberg has reported a valuation of around €600 million (US$697 million, £514 million).

Although below some of the more speculative estimates circulated during the sale process, the figure represents a substantial valuation for a business founded only nine years ago.

Hyrox staged its first event in Hamburg in 2017 with just 650 competitors. HCM reported in August that revenues reached around €135 million (US$157 million, £116 million) in 2025, with EBITDA understood to be around €30 million, representing a margin of approximately 20 per cent.

Revenues are forecast to approach €300 million (US$348 million, £257 million) in 2026 as participation moves towards two million, putting Hyrox on a steep growth trajectory. At the reported €600 million valuation, the business is valued at around 20 times estimated 2025 EBITDA.

The model has also enabled Hyrox to scale without the property cost base of a conventional health club operator, while building revenues from race entries, sponsorship, merchandise and a rapidly expanding network of affiliated gyms.

Toetzke confirmed the ownership structure following completion, saying he and Fürste had “officially reclaimed majority ownership of Hyrox”, with L Catterton and WndrCo becoming minority partners supporting the next phase of growth.

Fürste described the acquisition as “a pivotal next step in the rapid evolution of the Hyrox success story”, saying retaining influence over the future direction of the company had always been a priority for the founders.

Toetzke said the focus would now turn to further international expansion and establishing hybrid racing as a recognised sport, with Olympic ambitions among the longer-term priorities.

“In the years ahead, our priorities will be firmly focused on our Olympic aspirations,” he said.

L Catterton partner Miray Topay said the firm believes Hyrox has created a new sporting category.

“Christian and Moritz haven’t just created a race, they’ve created a category,” she said.

L Catterton manages around US$40 billion (£29.5 billion, €34.4 billion) in equity capital and has extensive fitness and wellness experience, with past and current investments including Equinox, Peloton, CorePower Yoga, EGYM and Solidcore.

Infront first invested in Hyrox in December 2019 and became majority owner in October 2022, backing a period of rapid international expansion.

During the 2025/26 season, Hyrox staged more than 100 events, attracting over 1.4 million participants and more than 1.5 million spectators.

The company is continuing to expand its geographic reach, event capacity, affiliate gym network, training offer and commercial partnerships, while developing its Youngstars format and pursuing its longer-term ambition of Olympic recognition.

Infront CEO Philippe Blatter said Hyrox had delivered “strong returns” and that the transaction followed a strategic review, allowing Infront to realise the value created during its ownership while giving Hyrox backing for its next stage of development.

FOOTNOTE

L Catterton partner Miray Topay will be a keynote speaker at the HCM Invest salon on 21 October in London.

HCM Invest is an invitation-only event. Register your interest in attending here.

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

As her tennis season winds down, Alex Eala was confronted with a question about how she managed her meteoric rise to superstardom: What has she learned from the sharp growth spurt that catapulted her to global fame?

In typical fashion, Eala reframed the question.

“What have I not learned this year?” she asked.

A year after she burst into mainstream tennis consciousness with a strong performance at the 2025 Miami Open, the Filipino tennis icon tore through milestone after milestone, enhancing her resume with career-high rankings and breakthrough victories.

“[W]ith, I guess, this experience, or the experiences that I’ve had this year, I was put in so many situations and, I guess, so many firsts. And with those situations come new lessons,” Eala said after exiting the US Open, the final Grand Slam event of the year.

“I learn about myself. I learn about how to act. I learn about what’s the best way for me to handle an obstacle.”

The 21-year-old Eala lost to American Iva Jovic, her close friend, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which was filled to the brim with loud fans—mostly roaring for Eala—who supercharged the atmosphere of an already highly anticipated showdown between two of the sport’s rising stars.

The defeat sent Eala into a quick break before she sees action in the Singapore Open later this month. After that, it’s off to Japan to represent the Philippines in the Asian Games.

But even after absorbing her third defeat in as many matches to Jovic, the daughter of Serbian and Croatian parents who grew up in California, Eala felt she proved her evolution as a player was on schedule.

“I do think that I’ve grown as a player since the last time that we played each other. And I definitely think that [in] this match, I had my chances, and I was able to set myself up for some opportunities, which was great,” the world No. 18 said.

“I think I’m happy with the match. I think in general, of course, there is disappointment in losing. But yeah, trying to see the positive side, I think it was a really good match. I think the level was really high.”

“I think that what I know for sure is that I left everything out there. I fought through the ups and downs. I guess there were moments when I wasn’t playing so well, and moments where I was playing really well,” she added.

If Eala wins the Asian Games singles gold, she will book a spot at the 2028 Olympics. But even without that feat, it already has been a big year for Eala. She beat defending champion Iga Świątek to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon, the first Filipino to achieve that feat. She won her first WTA title at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington. She has whipped past top-10 players with regularity.

She proved she is a force to reckon with on the women’s tour, and not just a big-ticket superstar who packs tournament venues.

And she will carry important lessons as she continues her growth.

“I learn about what effect my decisions have further down the line. And those themes stick with tennis, yes, but also in life,” Eala said. “So that’s … a summary of what I learned in the past year.” INQ

Oleksandr Usyk has responded to Tyson Fury’s latest calls for a trilogy.

Fury, despite having signed to face Anthony Joshua next, has recently been expressing his disappointment that the fight has not yet been announced.

Telling fans that he believes ‘AJ’ is scared to fight, ‘The Gypsy King’ has instead targeted a third fight against Usyk.

Despite his team saying that he was no ‘back up plan’, and also representing the interests of Joshua, the former undisputed champion himself has now shown his interest, posting footage of himself on a treadmill saying:

“Hey Tyson, I’m coming for you, my brother.”

The video was alongside a caption reading, “Are you still thinking about me, Tyson Fury?” and the Brit quickly responded.

“Oleksandr, you’re a real man. I love that about you. You’re my brother from another mother. A proper fighting man. You’re still a rabbit, and I’m the Greedy Belly, 100%. But, at the end of the day, you’re a fighting man and I respect that to the hilt.

“This man’s fought me twice, let’s do the trilogy. Let’s get it on like Donkey Kong. Two real men who will fight at the drop of the hat. Proved it a thousand times.

“I am sick to death of s**thouses, making a million demands and promises and delivering absolutely nothing … [Usyk and I] will meet again in the trilogy, coming very soon. I need it all back.”

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Usyk has beaten Fury twice, winning and then defending all four heavyweight titles, first by split decision and then unanimously in the rematch.

He recently vacated all belts and is understood to be in negotiations for a farewell fight against former WBC champion Deontay Wilder.

Despite this back and forth, Fury’s most likely next fight remains Joshua. However, the hold-up, due to a dispute on the targeted location, does not yet seem resolved.

Joshua’s team are standing strong on their signed agreement for it to take place in the UK, while the backers of the event – Saudi Arabia’s Sela and Netflix – want a new contract for it to happen in New York.