Robinson can also thank Australia for bringing back into the fashion the age-old tactic of the wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps to pace bowlers.

Alex Carey did it so effectively during the Ashes and England are now copying with Robinson.

It may seem obvious but that tweak is really playing into Robinson’s strengths.

If the wicketkeeper was stood back the modern batsman would be walking down the pitch to Robinson. With Jamie Smith up they can’t because of the risk of being stumped.

It means Robinson can bowl a yard fuller, giving his deliveries more time to swing through the air and means more of Robinson’s deliveries would hit the stumps rather than bouncing over from a shorter length.

Of course, you cannot do any of this without a good wicketkeeper. Praise must also go to Jamie Smith.

After we saw Smith struggle badly through the Ashes, he has clearly improved his glovework. Wicketkeeping coach Sarah Taylor has been working him hard before play with a drill where she whacks tennis balls towards him with a racket.

The ball skids through and, with a batsman stood in front edging, missing and hitting the ball, Smith has to stay low and take them.

The results speaks for themselves.

Now the next question for Robinson is whether he can repeat this success on harder, flatter pitches, or in hot conditions which will test those fitness levels. England will face them in their three-Test series in South Africa this winter.

They have often left Robinson out for Test on more batter-friendly pitches but it is time for them to throw him in. He has earned that right.

England are working behind the scenes to get Robinson into the position where he maintains his pace around 82mph, rather than his current place of starting there before dropping to 77 or 78mph.

If he does that, the extra bounce he will get as a result should negate the loss of movement.

And before then I desperately hope England do not rest Robinson, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson or Josh Tongue for the third Test in Edgbaston.

England’s new quartet has shown real promise. They may not have a frontline spinner but Robinson, who conceded runs at just 1.29 per over across the Lord’s Test, can effectively do the holding job of a slow bowler if needed.

Do not break things up now.

After their poor run England just need to keep on winning matches and, just as importantly, this group needs to get used to bowling together as an attack.

Joe Root must also learn how to use each of them best.

This, with Robinson as the leader, is England’s best attack. Stick with it in Birmingham and beyond.

Jonathan Agnew was speaking to BBC Sport’s Matthew Henry

Duleep Trophy Semi-final 1 Live Score: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi added another memorable chapter to his rapidly growing cricket story when the 15-year-old batting sensation briefly took over as captain of East Zone during their Duleep Trophy semi-final against Central Zone on Sunday.

East Zone captain Ishan Kishan won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that quickly paid dividends as Mukesh Kumar and Abhijit Sarkar led the bowling attack. The two right-arm pacers claimed three wickets each as Central Zone were bowled out for 266 in 80.1 overs. Mohammed Shami and off-spinner Md Kounain Quraishi chipped in with two wickets apiece.

Kishan was forced off the field midway through the morning session after being struck on his right wrist. With the regular captain away from the action, Sooryavanshi stepped in to lead East Zone for around an hour on either side of lunch before Kishan returned and resumed command.

The teenager showed impressive composure in his brief spell as captain. He successfully reviewed an on-field decision that initially went against East Zone, trusting his instincts after Aryan Juyal appeared to edge Mukesh Kumar behind. UltraEdge confirmed a spike, resulting in a crucial wicket.

Central Zone’s innings was led by Rinku Singh, who scored 60 off 88 balls, while Juyal contributed 46. They slipped to 125 for five before Rinku and Harsh Dubey briefly revived the innings with a 55-run partnership. Once Dubey fell, Central Zone lost wickets regularly, despite a late 30 off 26 balls from Yash Thakur.

MONDAY

BASEBALL

3p Giants at Atlanta NBCSBA (680, 104.5)

3:30p Miami at Washington FS1

5p A’s at Texas NBCSCA (960)

CYCLING

5:30a Vuelta a España NBCSN Peacock

COLLEGE SOCCER

4p Men: Indiana at Louisville ACC Net

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SOCCER

Noon EPL: Aston Villa vs. Arsenal USA

5p NWSL: Angel City at Boston CBSSN

TENNIS

6a Tennis Channel Live at the U.S. Open Tennis Ch.

8:30a U.S. Open ESPN

3p U.S. Open Match Point ESPN

4p U.S. Open ESPN ESPN2

TUESDAY

BASEBALL

Giants at Pittsburgh NBCSBA (680, 104.5)

Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs TBS

A’s at Texas NBCSCA (960)

N.Y. Yankees at L.A. Angels MLB Net

Minors: Salt Lake at Sacramento

CYCLING

Vuelta a España NBCSN Peacock

SOCCER

Saudi League: Al Hilal vs. Al Ahli FS2

Canadian Championship FS2

TENNIS

Tennis Channel Live at the U.S. Open Tennis Ch.

U.S. Open ESPN

U.S. Open Match Point ESPN

U.S. Open

ESPN2

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There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.

This article originally published at Bay Area sports calendar, Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

Novak Djokovic broke down in tears during a US Open first-round defeat by Argentina’s Mariano Navone which provided further evidence age is fast catching up with the 39-year-old great.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion was overcome by emotion in the deciding set of a dramatic match where he struggled physically throughout and had to vomit into a towel bin.

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Djokovic, seeded fourth in New York, showed the fight for which he has always been renowned before succumbing to a 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 loss.

It was the first time the Serb had been beaten in the opening round at Flushing Meadows and the first time he had lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament since 2006.

Djokovic managed to raise a smile as he congratulated 25-year-old Navone on what will rank as one of the biggest victories of the world number 49’s career.

But, after showing grace and class while congratulating his opponent, a disconsolate Djokovic was unable to keep a brave face for long and appeared close to tears again as he trudged back to the locker room.

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The defeat ended Djokovic’s latest bid for a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title and further harms his chances of moving clear of Australia’s Margaret Court.

Djokovic had reached at least the semi-finals at six of the previous seven Grand Slams going into the US Open, but the manner which he struggled in the humid conditions was a worrying sight for his supporters.

Djokovic looked nauseous throughout a tense encounter and he appeared to be dealing with a similar issue to the one which affected the former world number one at the Cincinnati Open a fortnight ago.

In his only appearance on the North American hard courts before heading to New York, Djokovic wilted in humid conditions as he suffered a shock early exit at the hands of Argentina’s Thiago Tirante.

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After losing there to the world number 50, Djokovic revealed he had been hampered by a “health condition” which has been “bothering” him in oppressive conditions over the past couple of years.

How dramatic night in New York unfolded

Djokovic made a promising start as he broke Navone’s serve at the first attempt for a 2-0 lead, only to see that advantage wiped out in the seventh game as he begin to struggle in the humid conditions.

The catalyst for the former world number one’s troubles appeared to be a lengthy rally which sapped him of energy and left him struggling to recover.

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A flustered-looking Djokovic seemed to drop speed in both his serve and groundstrokes, calling out the doctor after the ninth game for some tablets to help alleviate what was bothering him.

Djokovic continued to look distressed as the opener moved into the tie-break – wearily bowing his head and bending over double between points – as Navone maintained his focus to strike first after one hour and 13 minutes.

As Djokovic toiled, an eerie hush fell around Arthur Ashe Stadium which indicated the crowd’s growing concern for the four-time champion.

So often Djokovic has found a way to win in moments of adversity. Was this going to be another example?

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The physical problems did continue to linger, but Djokovic perked up enough – seemingly helped by the cooler conditions under the roof – to create the only break points of a finely-poised second set.

After missing chances in the third and fifth games, he dug deep to strike for a 6-5 lead and served out to love as he levelled the match.

Djokovic becoming more animated in the early part of third set was a surefire sign he was starting to feel more like his old self – although not for too long.

With the set locked on serve at 3-3, Djokovic looked unsteady on his feet again before pouncing on a poor service game from Navone to break for 5-4 and holding serve to move into the lead.

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These are the positions from which prime Djokovic would usually go on to win, even when he was struggling physically.

The fact he was unable to do that against Navone, who has never gone past the second round in New York, was another indication of his declining powers.

What had been a tight match quickly ran away from Djokovic and became a difficult watch for the thousands still inside Ashe as local time fast approached midnight.

The atmosphere became subdued again as it became clear that Djokovic was not going to be able to wriggle out of trouble on this occasion.

The first shocking result of the 2026 U S Open came on Sunday night at Arthur Ashe Stadium when No. 4 seed and four-time US Open champion Novak Djokovic lost in five sets to Mariano Navone (7-6, 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1). 

Djokovic looked visibly ill during the match and wore down considerably as the match stretched beyond the third set. Djokovic, who has long dominated the later sets due to his fitness, found himself fading late and struggling to even win games against Navone. 

It’s by far the biggest win in the 25-year-old Argentinian’s career, and he’ll advance to the second round of the US Open for the second consecutive year. Navone was able to take advantage of his legendary opponent’s struggles, pouncing on an incredible 70 unforced errors from Djokovic in the match — with 29 of those coming in the final two sets. Over the fourth and fifth sets, Navone won an incredible 63.3% of the points as Djokovic failed to mount much of a challenge late. 

For Djokovic, Sunday’s loss snaps the longest streak of opening round wins in grand slam events in men’s or women’s tennis in the Open era. He came into the US Open with 78 consecutive first round match wins. The last time Djokovic lost in the first round of a grand slam was more than 20 years ago at the 2006 Australian Open, and he had never lost before the third round at the US Open. 

The 39-year-old has been chasing his 25th grand slam title for three years, and Sunday’s shocker guarantees that wait continues into 2027 — if he chooses to continue playing. Djokovic has now gone 12 consecutive grand slam events without a title, tied for the longest drought of his career (2005-07). 

Djokovic losing in the first round throws the men’s draw further into chaos. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is already sitting out due to a lingering knee issue and No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz is a question mark in his first tournament back since missing the French Open and Wimbledon due to a wrist injury. 

Djokovic has been a fixture in the second week of grand slams for two decades, but now his quarter of the draw will open considerably. That creates an even greater opportunity for the Americans in the field to finally snap the 23-year grand slam drought since Andy Roddick won the 2003 US Open, with Brandon Nakashima the American player directly impacted as part of Djokovic’s quarter. 

Will the Seattle Seahawks be able to fend off the Los Angeles Rams and win the NFC West again? Who will win the tight battle for the NFC North? 

With the regular season quickly approaching, Colin Cowherd provided his division predictions and projected playoff field for the NFC on Wednesday’s edition of The Herd. 

Highlighting a mix of returning contenders and rising rosters, Cowherd forecasted three new playoff teams across the conference while breaking down all four divisions.

“I’ve got three new playoff teams in the NFC: the Lions, the Saints, and the Giants,” Cowherd said.

Here’s how Cowherd predicts the placement of all four divisions in the NFC.

Starting with the NFC East, Cowherd picked the Philadelphia Eagles to retain the division crown, pointing to roster continuity along the offensive line and past success under Jalen Hurts. 

“Jalen Hurts, since he became a full-time starter, has the winningest record in the NFL. I’m just going with this very, very well-run organization,” Cowherd said.

Despite losing A.J. Brown, Philadelphia added Dontayvion Wicks and drafted USC receiver Makai Lemon, returning all five offensive line starters with the seventh-easiest schedule in the league.

Behind Philadelphia, Cowherd projected the New York Giants to finish ahead of the Dallas Cowboys for second place, should Jaxson Dart stay healthy.

“They were one and seven last year in those one-score games, worst in the league,” Cowherd said about the Giants. “And in fact, they blew five games in which they had a fourth-quarter lead. That is going to, even if it evens out, even if it doesn’t totally flip, it will even out. If Jackson Dart can stay out of the blue tent, I think it’s a playoff team.”

Following a tough year in close games in 2025, Cowherd thinks the scales will balance out for the Giants in 2026.

Cowherd pointed to a trend from last season as the reason why he thinks the Cowboys could hold themselves back.

“Here’s the other thing, which has become a disturbing trend for the Cowboys. They were the most penalized team in the NFL last year. They did some big things well, like scoring. They did a lot of little things poorly. I have the Cowboys better, but not a playoff team.”

Washington was placed fourth in the division, pointing to roster turnover at key positions like left tackle and overall roster age as major obstacles for their prospects.

“Washington just doesn’t have enough talent. They lost Laremy Tunsil, their left tackle, who’s a beast. Second-oldest roster in the NFL. I just don’t like Washington right now going forward,” Cowherd said.

Moving to the NFC North, Cowherd went with the Detroit Lions to win the division, citing offensive firepower and draft adjustments.

“I think the Lions have a combination of the best roster in the division and the easiest schedule in the entire league this year,” Cowherd said. “I would argue quarterback, running back, tight end, wide receivers, they have the best group in the NFL.”

Cowherd added last year was considered a down year for Detroit and the offense still wound up amongst the league’s best.

“They were the only team to have a top-five scoring offense in the last four years. Even last year, when they struggled, it was top five.”

Last year’s NFC North champions, the Chicago Bears, were picked to finish second in 2026 by Cowherd.

“They were a great fourth quarter team last year. They probably can’t quite equal that magic, but when they won the turnover battle, and nobody talks about this one, Chicago, they were 10-1 when they won the turnover battle,” Cowherd said. 

Cowherd also pointed to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, who does not have a history of turning the ball over.

“Caleb Williams doesn’t turn the ball over. He didn’t in high school. He didn’t in college. Even in the Eberflus year, 20 touchdowns, six picks. He is not a turnover quarterback. I have them for second.”

The Green Bay Packers were picked by Cowherd to finish third in the division, despite the number of key pieces they have slated to return, ahead of the Minnesota Vikings.

“Not only do they get Michael Parsons back in October, but they also get Tucker Kraft back, who looks to be a star young tight end in the NFL for years to come. Christian Watson got hurt. Jaden Reed got hurt,” Cowherd said.

Cowherd also suggested the Packers may have reached their ceiling.

“They’ve not been a great September team, but they’ve been a wild card team in the last three seasons,” Cowherd said.

Minnesota landed in fourth place in Cowherd’s prediction, but he said this shouldn’t discredit what the Vikings are capable of.

“Minnesota is going to be the best fourth-place team in the NFL,” Cowherd said. “Christian Darrisaw is back at left tackle. I love the coach and the defensive coordinator. There’s not a lot here I don’t like, but Kyler Murray’s backup is either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz. I don’t trust either.”

Despite an established coaching staff and offensive line talent, backup quarterback depth creates vulnerability behind starter Kyler Murray. Cowherd also pointed out how prone to turnovers and the injury history of all three quarterbacks on the roster. 

The NFC South featured a surprise pick from Cowherd, with the New Orleans Saints taking first place behind quarterback Tyler Shough, thanks in part to a favorable schedule.

“Second easiest schedule in football is the Saints,” Cowherd said. “I thought they played very well at the end of last year. Tyler Shough, nobody paid attention, but they won four of their last five games.”

Cowherd added that the NFC South is usually unpredictable most seasons.

“This is a division where you see teams go from last to first on a regular basis.”

The Carolina Panthers were picked for second place, highlighting leadership under Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan alongside offensive line stability for Bryce Young.

“I think Carolina has the coach and the general manager for the future. Dave Canales and Dan Morgan are excellent. I think they’ve given Bryce Young a lot to work with.”

Cowherd also pointed out the inconsistencies on the offensive line last year.

“They had 11 different starting O-line combinations last year, so it was a bit of a mess in front of Bryce Young. I think they’ll get that corrected,” Cowherd said.

Tampa Bay was picked to finish third by Cowherd, who pointed to recent offensive slumps, defensive regressions, and coaching pressure following late-season struggles.

“You got a coach on the hot seat. You got a new offensive coordinator, 20th-ranked defense last year. No Mike Evans. Lost seven of the nine games down the stretch,” Cowherd said. “So they were a bit of a mess offensively, and they weren’t great defensively.”

Atlanta rounded out the division in fourth place, with Cowherd citing early road schedule challenges and unanswered questions at quarterback.

“I like the coach, like the owner. I think the GM is pretty sharp. There’s a couple of players like Drake London, a Bijan Robinson I love, but who’s the quarterback? We don’t know,” Cowherd said. “Cross my fingers with Michael Penix, but they start with three of their first four games on the road.”

In the NFC West, Cowherd selected the Seattle Seahawks to claim the division title over the Los Angeles Rams, praising Seattle’s performance in road games and young core talent.

“Here’s what I love about Seattle: the last two years best road team in the league, and I mean a fantastic road team, 15 and two,” Cowherd said. “They’re returning all their best players. All of them are in their prime.”

Cowherd went on to highlight the Seahawks’ ability to win away from home and performance against other playoff teams as key factors.

Cowherd placed the Rams second as Super Bowl contenders, acknowledging both Seattle and Los Angeles rank among the top teams in the league.

“They return all 11 offensive starters. There’s no reason to debate this. They could win the Super Bowl. I think these two teams, in my opinion, are the best two teams in the NFL: Seahawks, Rams, one and two in my book,” Cowherd said.

However, the hype surrounding the Rams is not enough to convince Cowherd.

“I’ll take Seattle to win over the Rams. Everybody in the world’s telling me the Rams are going to win the Super Bowl. The team is hearing that. You know what?” Cowherd said. “They’re going to be a really really good team and win 11 games. I think Seattle could win 12.”

San Francisco was picked to finish third by Cowherd, pointing to an aging roster coming off major surgical recoveries and defensive pass rush struggles.

“They were 20th ranked in defense. They struggled to get to the quarterback. They have the oldest roster,” Cowherd said. “They are highly reliant at left tackle, running back, edge rusher, linebacker on veteran players who are coming off injuries.”

Arizona was projected to finish fourth in the division as the team undergoes a rebuild while playing in arguably the toughest division in football.

“Arizona, bit of a mess. 0-6 against the division last year,” Cowherd said. “They’re playing like the Jets for next year’s draft. Arizona at fourth place.”

British qualifier Toby Samuel broke more new ground with a dominant victory over Tomas Machac on his US Open main-draw debut.

The 23-year-old came from a set down in each of his three qualifying matches in New York this week to guarantee a third Grand Slam appearance of the year.

However, he had no such issues against former world number 20 Machac, wrapping up a 6-2 6-3 6-2 victory in just over 90 minutes to register his first win at a Grand Slam.

“It means everything to me. It’s what I dreamt of as a kid watching these big tournaments,” Samuel told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Being able to win my first Grand Slam match is unbelievable.”

Just two years ago, Samuel fell to almost 2,000th in the world rankings as bone bruising in his right arm ruled him out of much of the 2024 season.

He now sits inside the top 100 in the live ATP rankings, along with earning $140,000 (£103,000) in prize money in the biggest payday of his career so far.

Samuel won 36 of 39 matches on the ATP Challenger Tour to return to the top 300 last year, but has reached new heights in 2026.

The Winchester native came through qualifying to make his Grand Slam debut at the French Open, having never previously contested a single match on the ATP Tour.

He continued that momentum with a run to the semi-finals at Eastbourne, a Wimbledon wildcard, and a third Challenger crown of the year on Winnipeg’s hard courts.

Samuel’s new ranking would secure automatic qualification for next January’s Australian Open, completing the set of major appearances a year after making his top-250 debut.

He is joined in the second round in New York by compatriot Katie Boulter, who battled past American wildcard Carol Young Suh Lee 6-4 3-6 6-0.

A substantial $2.6 million in prizemoney is up for grabs at Randwick this Saturday, but this figure doesn’t even approach the extraordinary amount Coolmore paid for Chayan at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale in May.

Although she faltered in her most significant test, the Group 1 Golden Slipper seven weeks prior, the global breeding powerhouse’s confidence in the now three-year-old filly remained unwavering. They decided to fork out such a figure for her return to racing in the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m).

Training partners Annabel and Rob Archibald, who are also recent new parents, decided to give the daughter of I Am Invincible a race-day outing in familiar surroundings at Rosehill yesterday. Zac Lloyd warmed the saddle, while James McDonald was riding in Melbourne.

“She was really good and we just wanted to bring her out and get rid of that nervous energy,” Annabel said.

“She didn’t need to do a whole lot because physically she is fairly forward anyway, but it is good to get that nervous energy away.”

Archibald conceded that the soft track conditions had been a contributing factor to Chayan finishing eighth in the 1200m juvenile feature on March 21. He also noted that the filly had likely already contested her ‘grand final’ in her victory in the Group 2 Reisling Stakes over the same distance a fortnight earlier.

“She was on her toes going out for the gallop but Zac said that once she cantered off, she dropped her head and felt really good,” Archibald added, as Chayan clocked 38.63 seconds for the final 600m of her work.

“It took a while for him to pull her up but hopefully that is just blowing the cobwebs away and she’ll kick off in the Furious.”

The stable is pleased to have James McDonald back aboard Chayan, having guided the Tony Gollan-trained Pembrey to an impressive victory in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

“Chayan must have given him a good feel in the two (recent) trials and she’s trialled up really well, looks good, is fit but we don’t know her exact path yet.”

The Archibalds’ plan involves another win over 1200 metres for Chayan, followed by a successful campaign at 1400m, before they determine her path towards the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) on October 3. Check out the latest racing betting markets at online bookmakers.

The Euromatch Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season got off to an exciting start as Matchday 1 produced goals, comebacks, penalty conversions and dramatic late finishes across the country.

Rivers United, Ikorodu City, Barau FC, Doma United and Niger Tornadoes were among the teams to begin the campaign with victories, while Rangers International and Kwara United scored very late goals to rescue points.

Heavy rain also disrupted the meeting between Abia Warriors and Kun Khalifat in Aba.

Shooting Stars edge Inter Lagos

Shooting Stars began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over newly promoted Inter Lagos in a South-West derby in Ibadan.

Lucky Emmanuel put the Oluyole Warriors ahead in the 15th minute, but Uchenna Njoku equalised for Inter Lagos seven minutes later.

Shooting Stars regained the lead just before half-time after they were awarded a penalty in stoppage time. Sodiq Ibrahim made no mistake from the spot in the 45+2nd minute.

The goal proved to be the winner as the hosts claimed all three points.

Ikorodu City complete comeback

Ikorodu City came from behind to beat Ranchers Bees 3-1.

Chiedozie Jude Okorie gave Ranchers Bees an early lead in the seventh minute, but Umar Dan’Azumi levelled the scores in the 30th minute.

Abayomi Ayodeji then completed the turnaround in first-half stoppage time.

Ikorodu City sealed the victory in the 87th minute when Farouk Salami converted a penalty.

Barau FC defeat Nasarawa United

Barau FC recorded an impressive 3-1 win over Nasarawa United.

Joseph Atule opened the scoring in the 15th minute before Abubakar Abdullahi equalised for Nasarawa United five minutes later.

Barau FC stepped up their performance late in the game, with Al’Amin Umar restoring their lead in the 78th minute.

Sugau Aliyu added a third four minutes later to complete the victory.

Bendel Insurance fight back against Warri Wolves

Bendel Insurance came from behind to beat Warri Wolves 2-1 at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium.

Eventus Itolowo gave Warri Wolves the lead in the fifth minute, but Kayode Oke equalised for Bendel Insurance from the penalty spot in the 20th minute.

Alex Oweilayefa completed the comeback just two minutes after the restart, scoring in the 47th minute to secure three points for the Benin Arsenal.

Rangers rescue point in stoppage time

Rangers International scored deep into stoppage time to earn a 1-1 draw against Katsina United.

Luis Dadong put Katsina United ahead in the 38th minute and the visitors looked set to hold on for victory.

However, Rangers refused to give up and were rewarded in the seventh minute of stoppage time.

Chibueze Oputa’s free-kick caused confusion in the Katsina United defence, with goalkeeper Koroma unable to keep the ball out.

The dramatic equaliser ensured both sides shared the points.

Rivers United make winning start

Rivers United enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 victory over Plateau United.

Abdulrasheed Dabai opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Wasiu Falolu doubled the advantage in the 38th minute.

Plateau United could not find a response after the break as Rivers United secured a clean sheet and maximum points.

Kwara United stage late comeback

Kwara United and Kano Pillars shared the points after a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Kano Pillars took a commanding first-half lead through Shola Abdulraheem in the 12th minute and Rabiu Ali in the 29th minute.

Kwara United responded immediately after the break, with Alex Jerry reducing the deficit in the 47th minute.

Jerry then became the hero in the seventh minute of stoppage time, scoring again to rescue a point for the hosts.

Niger Tornadoes stun Enyimba

Niger Tornadoes claimed a 2-1 victory over Enyimba.

Aliyu Goyi gave Niger Tornadoes the lead in the 40th minute before Wonah Williams equalised for Enyimba in the 71st minute.

The hosts regained the advantage in the 83rd minute through Michael Olalusi, who secured an important opening-day victory.

Doma United defeat Sporting Lagos

Doma United started the season with a 2-0 win over Sporting Lagos.

Sadiq Rilwan gave the home side an early lead after just eight minutes.

Doma United remained organised and doubled their advantage through Daniel Simon in the 75th minute to complete a convincing victory.

Rain stops Abia Warriors vs Kun Khalifat

The only Matchday 1 fixture that could not be completed was the meeting between Abia Warriors and Kun Khalifat in Aba.

The game remained goalless until heavy rain forced proceedings to be stopped in the 73rd minute.

The remaining 17 minutes are scheduled to be played the following morning.

Euromatch NPFL Matchday 1 results

• Shooting Stars 2-1 Inter Lagos
• Ikorodu City 3-1 Ranchers Bees
• Barau FC 3-1 Nasarawa United
• Bendel Insurance 2-1 Warri Wolves
• Rangers International 1-1 Katsina United
• Rivers United 2-0 Plateau United
• Kwara United 2-2 Kano Pillars
• Niger Tornadoes 2-1 Enyimba
• Doma United 2-0 Sporting Lagos
• Abia Warriors 0-0 Kun Khalifat (abandoned in 73rd minute)

Right now, the J.J. McCarthy rumors are red hot. Many foresee a trade after the news that he has been retained alongside Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer (something a certain dork said wouldn’t occur).

What of the placement of McCarthy’s name in the 53-man roster announcement? The Vikings may have tipped their hand.

Admittedly, we’re not exactly discussing an exact science, but the order of the names does appear to reveal the hierarchy. At receiver, Justin Jefferson is listed at the front. The same can be said for Blake Cashman at linebacker, Josh Metellus at safety, and then various other entrenched starters at other positions.

A disclaimer appears at the top stating, “Note: Players listed first at each position correspond with starters on the most recent unofficial depth chart, which will be updated for Week 1.” Nevertheless, there’s some care about the overall placement of names, creating a question or two about how the QBs get listed.

Vikings May Have Tipped Hand with J.J. McCarthy

At first, the question was whether J.J. McCarthy could overcome Kyler Murray to remain as QB1. Things went so poorly afterwards that the question shifted toward getting bumped down to QB3 rather than remaining as the QB2.

Based solely on the placement from within the team’s official roster announcement, McCarthy is the main backup. I know, I know: we’re not talking about an ironclad assessment of the backup quarterback position. Still, let’s run with the idea for a few moments. After all, we can be certain that seeing Carson Wentz behind Murray would have already led to a ginormous online kerfuffle taking place about what’s occurring at QB2.

Every single position (without fail) opts to list the players in a manner that’s in accordance with the expected depth chart placement.

At running back, Demond Claiborne is behind the 1A and 1B options of Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Dillon Bell sees his name at the end of the WR list, an accurate reflection of where the UDFA WR finds himself. Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel are the starters at edge rusher; Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers are the top pair of corners.

Go through the whole thing and it’s all as expected for the depth chart.

Of course, a football roster can be a fluid, dynamic entity that sees some change on a week-to-week basis. Jordan Addison is the WR2 and yet may not technically start Week 1 if the Vikings roll with 22 personnel (1 WR, 2 RBs, and 2TEs) on the opening play.

Moreover, factors such as performance and injury will impact where these guys find themselves. Things will change over the course of the season.

Again, though, there’s that deliberate reality of typing “J.J. McCarthy” behind Kyler Murray. Doesn’t that count for something?

Kevin O’Connell (or somebody else from the coaching staff) didn’t write the piece that went live on the team website. However, one can only assume that the team’s employees did discuss how to allocate the digital ink at quarterback. Essentially anything that gets said right now about the QB spot creates an online hubbub. Listing J.J. McCarthy as the QB2 is no different.

Minnesota’s debut game of the 2026 season takes place on Sunday, September 13th at U.S. Bank Stadium. Green Bay’s Jordan Love will be looking to overcome Kyler Murray.

A guess based on today’s roster announcement: J.J. McCarthy will be the main backup if there’s a need for another purple arm in that game.

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