A surprising WWE star decided to acknowledge Roman Reigns ahead of SummerSlam. Reigns will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Night 2 of the PLE this weekend.
IYO SKY won the Queen of the Ring tournament last month and will be challenging Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship at SummerSlam 2026.
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Ahead of the PLE, WWE shared a video featuring The Genius of the SKY acknowledging Reigns as his entrance theme played. You can check it out in the post below.
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Roman Reigns will be defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. The two stars had their final face-to-face ahead of their title match this past Monday night on WWE RAW.
Rollins claimed that he owned Reigns in the ring and stated that he wanted The Tribal Chief’s family in attendance at the PLE so he could make them cry. This angered The Head of the Table, and he leveled Rollins with a Superman Punch.
Reigns then brought a steel chair into the ring, but it backfired. Rollins connected with a Stomp to Reigns on top of the chair and is heading into SummerSlam with the momentum on his side.
WWE star opens up about betraying Roman Reigns in the past
Seth Rollins recently opened up about betraying Roman Reigns in 2014 while they were both members of The Shield alongside Dean Ambrose, now known as Jon Moxley in AEW.
“While I think the chair shot itself and the decision was probably made in haste and made without the foresight of what it would become, I never imagined Roman Reigns would become the Tribal Chief based on the resentment, the pain, and the PTSD from that chair shot. And I never imagined exactly how our paths would go, but I think what it did was give us a chance, right? It gave us both an opportunity to step out on our own and become the things that we were meant to become,” Rollins said.
“From the moment we came into the shield, I held his hand and nursed him along and kind of helped him out and got him to the next level … I’ve owned him.” @WWERollins has a message for Roman Reigns 👀
Only time will tell which star walks out of SummerSlam as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion.
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Manchester City take on Inter Milan in their first pre-season fixture of the summer in Hong Kong today.
Manchester City return to action this afternoon as they face Serie A giants Inter in Hong Kong. This weekend marks Enzo Maresca’s first match as the Blues’ head coach and supporters will be looking out for signs of what is to come from their new boss.
In his press conference on Friday, Maresca explained that the most important thing from this match was to raise the fitness levels of his players. And with only two weeks until the first competitive fixture of the season in the Community Shield, we can expect City to field a strong starting line-up this afternoon.
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Gianluigi Donnarumma will be the Blues’ first choice this season and will start in goal. The back four in front of him will look very different. Matheus Nunes links up with the squad later today, so this game is a chance for Rico Lewis to get some minutes in at right-back. Fresh off their new contracts, Abdukodir Khusanov should start alongside Josko Gvardiol in the centre, with Rayan Ait-Nouri at left-back.
Nico Gonzalez was not picked for the World Cup and, in Rodri’s absence, should start in midfield. The 24-year-old will be key for City this season if the Ballon d’Or and Golden Boot winner leaves. Maresca is keen for Rodri to stay, but a succession plan is needed and Gonzalez will hope he can be part of that.
Alongside him could be either Mateo Kovacic or Tijjani Reijnders. Like Gonzalez, Reijnders looks to be at the start of an important season. His debut campaign was mixed and City will expect him to be more consistent this year.
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Should Maresca stick with his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, there could be a chance for Ryan McAidoo against Inter. McAidoo was chosen, alongside Phil Foden and Khusanov, to model the club’s new away kit in Hong Kong and this could indicate his standing at the club, heading into the new season.
The 18-year-old made two senior appearances during the 2025/26 campaign. This included scoring in the 10-1 thrashing of Exeter City. Today could be a big test for him.
Maresca has spoken at length about getting Foden back to his old self. Playing down the middle should see Foden dictate the game, when he is at his best.
Up front, City are running low on centre-forwards. Omar Marmoush arrives on tour too late for this game and Erling Haaland remains on his break. Therefore, the Blues could start Antoine Semenyo as the striker. Ahead of another congested season, it could be wise for Maresca to try out an ‘in case of emergency’ tactic. Having another player who can start at centre-forward would be no bad thing.
Mason Mount’s departure from Manchester United in order to reunite with a familiar face has been proposed
Mason Mount has been touted as a realistic signing for Premier League newcomers Coventry City – because of one man.
A reunion with his former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard could be on the cards, suggests Sky Blues legend Gary McAllister. The Manchester United midfielder has yet to consistently impress in his three-year spell at Old Trafford, which has been hampered by injury.
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Mount – who has been a regular presence for United during pre-season this summer – made just 12 league starts for United last season. A return to regular football and a reunion with Lampard, with whom he worked at Derby County and Chelsea, makes the potential move practical, says the former Liverpool star.
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Speaking to Lottoland, McAllister said: “This one could happen! Mason Mount’s not playing football, and he got on really well with Frank. You know, as a player, Mason Mount has been at two massive clubs.
“Financially, he’s probably sorted, so he’s not necessarily playing for money. Getting minutes and playing Premier League football on loan, I know it sounds massively extreme, but it’s doable because I think there’s a lot of respect between the pair.”
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It’s not just Mount who could consider a switch to Coventry on account of Lampard, with a number of his former Chelsea team-mates also being mentioned. The ex-Scotland international suggested: “I think [Ruben] Loftus-Cheek has been mentioned as well.
“[Fikayo] Tomori has also been linked. I think Frank will be using all these connections. You know, the association he had with Everton as well, he could probably use that. I’ve seen Ben Chilwell mentioned as well.
“I think they mentioned that left-back might be a place where they need to strengthen. Again, there’s a Chelsea connection and a strong one to Frank there. I think they’re going to try to do everything to get the best players they can get into that building to survive.”
He said: “Having the pressure of performing and winning games is what we love as players. If it’s a start or coming off the bench, I’m ready. You have different types of leaders. You have ones that are very vocal, but I see myself as one who leads by example and never stops working.
“I’ve been captain previously, years ago, so I love the role. Especially with a lot of younger players on the pitch, and off it as well, being able to speak to them and make them feel comfortable, it’s something I really like.”
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Infantino became Fifa president in 2016 when he beat AFC president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa by 115 votes to 88.
Fifa’s next president will be confirmed at the organisation’s 77th Congress in Morocco next March. Candidates have until 18 November to put their names forward.
Prior to this week, it had been anticipated Infantino would be re-elected unopposed. Associations around the world, including some in Europe, had already confirmed their intention to vote for him.
It remains to be seen if the events of this week will result in a mass withdrawal of their support.
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In his statement, Infantino reiterated his plan was designed to strengthen members associations, “especially in countries where support is most needed”.
He added: “Our purpose has always been – and always will be – to unite and improve.”
However, the proposal clearly created division within Fifa itself.
Cordeiro, who represented the world governing body on the White House taskforce for the 2026 World Cup, is the first senior figure at Fifa to resign over the plans.
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In a lengthy statement, Cordeiro said he “unequivocally” opposed the plans and said he “did not accept the proposition” Fifa needed outside investors to “unlock greater value”. He added he had no involvement in the proposal.
It is understood Infantino even left some of Fifa’s eight vice-presidents in the dark about his plan, which it is claimed could have raised $10bn (£7.5bn).
Lamour called it “the project of one person” and said “a president must bring people together, unite them, and inspire them” but this was “the opposite”.
“If that means I lose my job, then so be it,” he added. “I will understand and respect that decision. At least I’ll sleep well tonight.”
NEW DELHI: Neeraj Chopra added another medal to his glittering career at the Commonwealth Games, but the silver medal was not the only reason for his smile. The Olympic champion said sharing the podium with fellow Indian Yashvir Singh made the moment even more special.Neeraj finished second in the men’s javelin throw with a season-best effort of 85.83m, while Commonwealth Games debutant Yashvir Singh clinched the bronze medal with a personal best throw of 85.41m in his final attempt. Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage claimed the gold with a best throw of 89.75m. Competing in only his second event of the season, Neeraj battled difficult weather conditions to throw 85.83m in his second attempt. The effort, his season best, was enough to earn him the silver medal in his second Commonwealth Games appearance. He had won the gold medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.
The CWG 2026 silver added to an already impressive medal collection that includes Olympic gold and silver, World Championships gold and silver, two Asian Games gold medals, a Commonwealth Games gold and silver, the Diamond League title, the Asian Championships gold, the South Asian Games gold and the U20 World Championships gold.
Neeraj Chopra’s medal record
Competition
Medal/Result
Year
Host City
Event
Olympic Games
Gold
2020
Tokyo
Javelin throw
Olympic Games
Silver
2024
Paris
Javelin throw
World Championships
Gold
2023
Budapest
Javelin throw
World Championships
Silver
2022
Eugene
Javelin throw
Diamond League
First Place
2022
Zurich
Javelin throw
Commonwealth Games
Gold
2018
Gold Coast
Javelin throw
Commonwealth Games
Silver
2026
Glasgow
Javelin throw
Asian Games
Gold
2018
Jakarta
Javelin throw
Asian Games
Gold
2022
Hangzhou
Javelin throw
Asian Championships
Gold
2017
Bhubaneswar
Javelin throw
South Asian Games
Gold
2016
Guwahati
Javelin throw
U20 World Championships
Gold
2016
Bydgoszcz
Javelin throw
U20 Asian Championships
Silver
2016
Ho Chi Minh City
Javelin throw
‘It feels great to be on the podium together’
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Neeraj was full of praise for Yashvir, who produced the best throw of his career under pressure, and said sharing the podium with another Indian reminded him of the Asian Games medal double.“It brings back memories of the Asian Games, where Saurav and I both won medals. I’m really happy that Yashvir achieved a personal best at such a crucial moment. It feels great to be on the podium together. It’s always a joy to hear the national anthem play. That said, I also achieved a season-best, and my comeback is progressing well. There are more competitions ahead, so I’m very happy,” Chopra told reporters.
Yashvir shines on Commonwealth Games debut
Yashvir emerged as the surprise package of the competition. The 24-year-old produced a personal best throw of 85.41m on his sixth and final attempt to win the bronze medal on his Commonwealth Games debut.He improved his previous personal best of 83.72m and finished ahead of several established names, including Anderson Peters and Arshad Nadeem.Reflecting on his medal-winning throw, Yashvir said he kept believing he could produce something special despite a slow start.“This is my first international medal, and I am overjoyed. Everyone supported me, my family, my parents, everyone… I am truly happy about this… things were going a bit sluggishly at the start. At one point, my throw was around 81.3 meters. I saw that the bronze medal mark was sitting at 82 meters. I told myself, ‘I’ve already thrown 82 meters–my personal best–in this competition, so I can definitely go beyond that.‘ Things weren’t going well up to the fifth throw, so for the final attempt, I decided to just go for it and see what happens. That last throw turned out really well,” Singh said.
Federal prosecutors moved Friday to dismiss a felony vandalism case against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, after he was accused of vandalizing the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., as seen in a court filing obtained by Fox News Digital.
Hearn was indicted July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property. U.S. Park Police alleged Hearn grabbed and tugged at a loose section of the pool’s coating on June 19, continuing after a National Park Service employee told him to stop. Officials initially claimed he caused more than $1,000 in damage.
However, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office said the Department of the Interior initially provided prosecutors with “barebones” reports and failed to disclose records documenting extensive problems with the coating’s installation.
David Hearn of the United States competes in the men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Penrith, Australia, on Sept. 18, 2000.(David Madison/Getty Images)
“Had DOI been forthcoming with the information clearly in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment,” prosecutors wrote.
“It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents to the USAO-DC indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (‘AIC’), and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”
David Hearn of the USA competes in the Men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics on September 18, 2000, at Penrith Whitewater Stadium in Penrith, Australia. (David Madison/Getty Images)
The DOJ said the new evidence made it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage. Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, which would leave open the possibility of bringing the charge again.
Hearn has previously beaten federal charges.
Hearn was arrested by the U.S. Park Police nearly 30 years ago and ended up beating the charges, according to a 1996 Washington Post article.
That year, the Potomac River turned violent, as intense, heavy rains pushed the water to a terrifying, near-record flood level of 60,000 cubic feet per second.
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Authorities immediately issued an emergency river closure. But Hearn took his whitewater canoe straight into the raging rapids, where officers later swooped in and arrested him.
He was charged with failing to obey a lawful order. But Hearn fought the case in court and won on a stunning technicality. But a federal judge dismissed the charges, ruling the Potomac River is controlled by the state of Maryland, meaning the federal Park Police had zero jurisdiction over the water.
Hearn’s arrest became a viral sensation after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller filmed a two-minute video of Hearn being detained, which quickly went viral on X.
Miller accused Hearn of grabbing a hose that female National Park Service workers were using to clear the algae. Hearn denied the accusation, though he admitted his bike tire might have bumped it.
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Hearn’s attorneys are demanding an apology on behalf of the Olympian.
David Hearn of the USA competes in the Men’s C1 whitewater canoeing final of the 2000 Summer Olympics on September 18, 2000, at Penrith Whitewater Stadium in Penrith, Australia.(Photo by David Madison/Getty Images)
“The Trump administration’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government’s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr. Hearn an apology,” said Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann and Steve Levin in a statement, per The New York Post.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOI for comment.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
India’s athletics contingent produced another memorable night at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as Neeraj Chopra clinched the silver medal and Yash Vir Singh claimed bronze in the men’s javelin throw final, handing the country a sensational double podium finish in one of the marquee events of the Games.
The two medals lifted India’s overall tally to 23 medals (5 gold, 12 silver and 6 bronze), keeping the nation in 10th place on the medal standings heading into the penultimate day of competition.
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Double delight in Glasgow
All eyes were on India’s star athelete Neeraj Chopra as he renewed his rivalry with Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, but it was Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage who stole the show with a Games-winning throw of 89.75m.
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Neeraj responded with a season-best effort of 85.83m, which proved enough for the silver medal after a consistent series of throws in difficult conditions. While he narrowly missed out on adding another Commonwealth Games gold to his collection, the former Olympic champion once again demonstrated why he remains among the world’s elite javelin throwers.
The bigger surprise came from Yash Vir Singh, who produced the performance of his career when it mattered most. The young Indian uncorked a personal-best 85.41m on his final attempt to leap onto the podium and secure the bronze medal, completing India’s memorable two-three finish behind Pathirage.
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Neeraj Chopra (PIC: Reuters)
Indian medal winners on Day 8
Medal
Athlete
Event
Gold
Asmita Dey
Judo – Women’s 48kg
Gold
Harsh Singh
Judo – Men’s 60kg
Silver
Yamini Mourya
Judo – Women’s 57kg
Silver
Neeraj Chopra
Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw
Bronze
Tejaswin Shankar
Athletics – Men’s Decathlon
Bronze
Yash Vir Singh
Athletics – Men’s Javelin Throw
Yash Vir announces himself on the big stage
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While Neeraj’s medal came as little surprise, Yash Vir’s bronze could prove to be one of the defining moments of India’s athletics campaign.
The 24-year-old held his nerve against an elite field featuring former world champions Anderson Peters and Keshorn Walcott to register the biggest international result of his career.
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His late surge highlighted India’s growing depth in men’s javelin, with three Indians reaching the final and two eventually standing on the podium.
Medal tally reaches 23
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The twin athletics medals capped another rewarding day for the Indian contingent.
India’s medal tally now stands at:
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Gold: 5
Silver: 12
Bronze: 6
Total: 23
The haul keeps India 10th in the overall standings while setting up an exciting final day, with several medal opportunities still to come.
Historic day beyond the javelin
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Friday had already turned into one of India’s finest days of the Games even before the javelin final.
Indian judo celebrated a historic breakthrough as Asmita Dey became the country’s first-ever Commonwealth Games judo champion before Harsh Singh followed suit to win a second historic gold. Yamini Mourya added a silver medal in the women’s 57kg category.
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Athletics also witnessed another milestone with Tejaswin Shankar scripting history by becoming the first Indian to win a Commonwealth Games medal in the decathlon after claiming bronze.
Meanwhile, Indian boxing enjoyed a flawless outing as all 10 semifinalists won their respective bouts, ensuring India will contest 10 gold medal matches on the final day of competition.
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With momentum firmly on its side, India heads into the concluding day of the Commonwealth Games looking to add several more medals and potentially climb the standings.
The Carolina Panthers took the field in front of a stadium full of fans for the first time this season on Friday night.
It was their first open practice of training camp, and fans got a peek at what’s in store this year.
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Players got in reps while 6-year-old Asher Harvey ran in a walk-off touchdown. Ashe, who is battling through congenital heart disease, signed a one-day contract through Make-A-Wish.
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“What a crowd. It was amazing. Came out early, were out there the whole time,” Head Coach Dave Canales said about Friday’s crowd.
“Pack the bank, that’s our motto. Continue to win. Continue to build up this culture,” wide receiver Jalen Coker added.
The team will take the practice field again on Monday before next Thursday’s Hall of Fame preseason game in Canton.
Man Utd U21s lost 1-0 against Altrincham in a pre-season friendly, and the squad was full of players who are set to leave.
20:55, 31 Jul 2026Updated 22:24, 31 Jul 2026
Manchester United’s academy played against Altrincham on Friday, their first public pre-season friendly of the summer.
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Academy games offer clues on which young talents could bridge the gap to the first-team, however, the Under-21 squad at Moss Lane offered more clues on which players will be leaving United this summer.
Toby Collyer, Chido Obi, Dan Gore and Jacob Devaney each had some involvement either against Wrexham or Rosenborg with the first-team, but they did not make the cut for Saturday’s trip to Sweden.
Collyer wants to play senior football. He would already have left if United had finalised their midfield earlier, but his future will be addressed once Michael Carrick knows what his options will look like next season.
The midfielder suffered bad luck during his loan stint with Hull in the second half of last season. He was named man of the match after making his first start for Hull against eventual Championship champions Coventry, but he picked up an injury in a training session when a goalkeeper fell onto his ankle.
The ankle injury prevented Collyer from being involved in Hull’s successful promotion charge, which included a play-off final win at Wembley.
Sources close to Collyer feel he will take off with a clear run of games. He has been tipped by coaches he has worked with on his journey to become an established Premier League player, and could leave on a permanent transfer this summer if the right offer is received.
Obi’s situation is interesting. There were positives to take from his first-team performance in Norway last weekend, but it was a clear hint of his future that he was not included in the senior squad again this weekend.
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Although the young striker almost scored a brilliant goal in the first half against Altrincham, testing goalkeeper Owen Evans after bringing the ball down on his chest, he still has plenty to work on.
It’s telling that Obi still needs to receive constant instructions from coaches on the touchline throughout a game. It has become a running joke that no other player’s name is heard more often than Obi’s during academy fixtures.
During a sit-down with Adam Lawrence toward the end of last season, he said the shouts of ‘Chido!’ were evidence of “really believing” in him, pushing him for more, but the penny should have dropped by now.
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There was talk of FC Köln being interested in Obi on loan earlier in the window, but sources squashed those reports. Another loan is on the cards, though a permanent transfer might also be considered.
Devaney should be sent on another loan after impressing for St Mirren last term. St Mirren maintained their Scottish top-flight status and Devaney started in both relegation play-off matches, which meant his loan spell in Scotland ended with him having not started just two games.
Rangers and Celtic fans spoke highly of Devaney when their clubs played St Mirren. The midfielder also impressed in first-team friendlies against Wrexham and Rosenborg, earning praise from Carrick.
Devaney played in defensive midfield, his strongest position, against Altrincham, after playing as an auxiliary centre-back for the first-team. He certainly did his reputation no harm by excelling in a different role.
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Gore should be sold to the bank to bring in some cash this summer. He was excellent on loan at Rotherham last season and clearly needs another move away, which may be more beneficial if it’s permanent.
The 21-year-old starred alongside Kobbie Mainoo in the 2021/22 FA Youth Cup-winning United side, but he hasn’t had the rub of the green over the last few years, with a few unfortunate injuries curtailing his progress.
There were others in the starting team, the likes of Habeeb Ogunneye, Louis Jackson, Diego Leon and Jack Moorhouse, who will leave before the end of the transfer window. Leon’s development probably hasn’t gone as planned so far, and a loan abroad seems the best option for next season.
Leon was unveiled alongside Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko after his arrival from Paraguay last summer, but he played exclusively in academy fixtures for the second half of last season.
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Enzo Kana-Biyik and Ethan Wheatley were introduced at half-time. United were trailing 1-0, which prompted Lawrence to freshen up the attack by replacing Obi and Moorhouse with that pair.
Both players will be loaned again before the end of the window. Wheatley spent the first half of last season with Northampton and the second half with Bradford City, who just failed to clinch promotion.
Kana-Biyiki was sent to Ineos-owned Lausanne Sport following his arrival from Le Havre on a free transfer. The Frenchman played on the left wing in the second half, and there were hints of quality, but another loan may be the best option for him to play senior football in 2026/2027.
A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.
Jordan Woodruff
FaZe Clan and Astralis earned matching 2-1 decisions on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 event in Attard, Malta.
FaZe defeated The MongolZ and Astralis rallied past paiN Gaming to fill out the semis. Team Spirit and MOUZ were already in the semis thanks to their wins Thursday.
Eight teams are playing in the BLAST Bounty Summer finals after advancing from a pool of 32 clubs in the closed qualifier. Of the $740,000 prize pool, $410,000 was awarded to participants in the closed qualifier.
The finals are a single-elimination bracket where the quarters and semis are best-of-three and the grand final is best-of-five. The champions will also earn three BLAST Frequent Flyer Tokens, while the other seven teams will collect one.
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On Friday, FaZe Clan opened with a 16-12 overtime win on Nuke, absorbed a 13-7 loss to The MongolZ on Mirage and went on to win 13-8 on Ancient. Jason “JBOEN” Boe Nielsen of Denmark led FaZe with 56 kills against a team-low 41 deaths and a 1.16 match rating.
Astralis fell 13-10 to paiN on Nuke but responded with a pair of overtime wins, 19-17 on Inferno and 16-14 on Mirage. Denmark’s Victor “Staehr” Staehr (1.23 match rating) and Lithuania’s Gytis “ryu” Glusauskas (1.14) had 66 kills apiece to pace Astralis.
The tournament continues Saturday with the semifinal matches:
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–Team Spirit vs. FaZe Clan
–MOUZ vs. Astralis
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 prize pool (player prize, team share)
1. TBD
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2. TBD
3-4. TBD
5-8. Team Liquid ($41,250, $40,000); 3DMAX ($21,250, $40,000); The MongolZ ($11,250, $40,000); paiN Gaming ($11,250, $40,000)
Naomi Osaka of Japan waits for the serve during a women’s singles match against Elisabetta Cocciaretto of Italy on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
WASHINGTON–Women’s top seed Jessica Pegula and third seed Naomi Osaka reached the semifinals of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open after separate wins on Friday.
Pegula, who won her first career WTA title at Washington in 2019, eliminated 20th-ranked Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 7-5, to reach her sixth WTA semi-final of the year.
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“Since the beginning of the year I’m finding more confidence in matches hitting different spots,” Pegula said. “I was focusing on that a lot today.”
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Pegula will play for a berth in the final against fourth seed Diana Shnaider, who ousted Russian compatriot Liudmila Samsonova 6-3, 6-4.
Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner, rallied to eliminate Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 after two hours and 11 minutes.
“In the first set, I had low energy and I kept trying to pump myself up but something was a little flat,” Osaka said. “In the second, I just wanted to give it my best shot even though I wasn’t playing too good.”
Jessica Pegula of the United States hugs Anna Kalinskaya after a women’s singles match on day five of the Mubadala DC Open 2026 at William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center on July 31, 2026 in Washington, DC. Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/AFP
Pegula seeks her 12th career WTA crown and third of the year after triumphs in Dubai and Charleston.
She broke in the fourth game and held from there to take the first set in 37 minutes then broke in the 11th game of the second set and held at love to advance.
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Meanwhile, Osaka was undone by 18 unforced errors, three times as many as her rival, in dropping the first set after 41 minutes.
She reached a third set when Cocciaretto double-faulted away a break in the 10th game of set two.
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Osaka hit a backhand winner to break in the second game of the final set and held from there.
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