India’s Manav Suthar, centre, celebrates with Kuldeep Yadav, right, and Rishabh Pant after taking the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Kumara. (PTI Photo)

India’s spinners tightened their grip on the first Test against Sri Lanka as Manav Suthar and Ravindra Jadeja combined for seven wickets to bowl the hosts out for 284 on a rain-hit third day in Galle on Monday. Sri Lanka’s resistance, led by a maiden international hundred from Sonal Dinusha and a composed 80 from Niroshan Dickwella, prevented India from forcing an even bigger advantage, but the visitors still secured a substantial 178-run first-innings lead.India had appeared on course for a much shorter innings when Sri Lanka slipped to 99/5 by lunch. Suthar spearheaded the early assault with flight, dip and turn, while the Indian attack maintained relentless pressure on a pitch that continued to offer enough assistance to the spinners.But Dinusha and Dickwella changed the complexion of the innings with a superb sixth-wicket partnership. The pair added 146 runs from 216 balls, frustrating India through a combination of patience, disciplined shot selection and effective use of the sweep.

Dinusha, Dickwella delay Sri Lanka collapse

Unlike several of Sri Lanka’s top-order batters, Dinusha and Dickwella refused to attack deliveries away from their bodies and were willing to wait for scoring opportunities. Both used the sweep effectively against the Indian spinners, repeatedly finding runs from around the stumps.Dickwella brought up his half-century from 67 balls, while Dinusha took 92 deliveries to reach the milestone. Their partnership extended into the second session, with Sri Lanka adding 116 runs without losing a wicket.India eventually broke through early in the final session. Dickwella, who had been dropped on 20 by KL Rahul at slip off Suthar, edged Prasidh Krishna through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after reaching 80 off 115 balls.Dinusha continued to frustrate the visitors, completing his maiden international century from 167 balls. His resistance, however, lasted only one more delivery. Jadeja trapped him leg before wicket, ending a remarkable 100-run innings off 168 balls.The partnership had showcased a vastly different approach from Sri Lanka’s top order, whose aggressive strokeplay often saw them driving away from their bodies and finding Indian fielders.

Suthar leads spin assault

India’s bowlers had made the breakthrough almost immediately after their first innings ended at 462. Sri Lanka needed a strong opening partnership but instead lost Nishan Fernando to Siraj with only the second ball of the innings.Suthar then made an immediate impact with his first delivery, finding a faint edge from Dinesh Chandimal that nestled safely in Pant’s gloves. The young left-arm spinner continued to trouble the batters with impressive control, consistently bowling above 85 kmph while extracting turn and dip.Lahiru Udara and Kamindu Mendis briefly threatened to stabilise the innings, with both finding boundaries and Mendis pulling Prasidh for a six. But Suthar eventually removed Udara, who mistimed a swish to gully.Mendis then fell to Kuldeep Yadav after an uppish push was brilliantly held by a diving Shubman Gill. Jadeja joined the wicket-takers by dismissing Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva for 21, feathering an edge through to Rahul at slip.Suthar finished with 4/76, while Jadeja claimed 3/57, underlining India’s dominance with spin. Sri Lanka’s late resistance ensured the lead did not become overwhelming, but India remain firmly in command after a third day repeatedly interrupted by rain.

The Vikings’ running game hasn’t been close to good enough since Kevin O’Connell took over. Do things change in 2026?

Over the weekend, Minnesota travelled to New York for a battle with the Giants. The game wasn’t particularly inspiring but the score did show 13-10 for the Vikings. Consider some analysis of Vikings film from that opening drive that resulted in a field goal.

Vikings Film Analysis — Aaron Jones Goes for a Run

Consider the play under consideration courtesy of an online clip from Will Ragatz:

Getting that behind the o-line look offers a nice vantage point. There’s a nice clean line working back from the line of scrimmage going from TE Josh Oliver (84), FB Max Bredeson (45), to RB Aaron Jones (33). Better yet, the left side of the offensive line consists of two high-end talents in LT Christian Darrisaw (71) and LG Donovan Jackson (74), both of whom are homegrown blockers taken in the 1st.

On the opposite side of the play, WR Jordan Addison (3) and WR Tai Felton (13) are snug to the end of the line. Lining up in this manner forces the defense to respond, shrinking toward the middle of the field before Minnesota opens the accordion by sending Jones toward the outside.

In youth football, the coaching point is to “run to bums.” A touch silly, perhaps, and yet it’s a good way to guide a young lad toward how to read blocks to find open room. Jones understands the assignment.

Look at how the veteran runner follows Oliver and Bredeson work over their defenders before working through the extra gap that gets created.

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Part of how Jones helps his guy is by threatening to go outside. Doing so prompts #2 on the Giants to get onto the outside shoulder of Bredeson. Jones cuts back and then explodes through into green grass. That’s the point of moving horizontal, right? Stretch the defense wide to find a crease. See that crease and then explode vertically.

Oh, and look back to Addison. He gets in front of his guy just a touch, functioning as more of a speed bump than a stop sign. Slowing the scraping defender allows Jones to have enough time to be patient. Felton does something similar, albeit of less consequence, by working down the field before squaring off his corner.

Kevin Seifert took on the same play, writing, “Usual caveats of preseason, but watch the blocks of LT Christian Darrisaw (71) on Aaron Jones’ 18-yard run yesterday, and RG Will Fries (76) on Jordan Mason’s 15-yard run. Big emphasis this summer from Kevin O’Connell to play on ‘the other side of the line’ in the run game.”

Seifert’s wisdom is precisely that: wise. Still, there’s upside here. The Bredeson and Oliver duo is a lot to handle.

Aaron Jones took a pay cut to come back to Minnesota for the upcoming season. Doing so means moving into a contract season healthy and likely very motivated. Maybe Minnesota will lean on the former Packer for a beefy workload. Doing so will make life easier for the team’s new QB1.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.

The Indian men’s hockey team look to continue its winning run at the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026 when it takes on England in a crucial Pool D encounter at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen today. India began its campaign with a 3-1 victory over Wales, while England also made an impressive start by defeating Pakistan 4-1.

India look to sharpen attacking play

India’s victory over Wales was built around an impressive penalty-corner display. Sanjay opened the scoring before captain Harmanpreet Singh converted twice to give India three points.

However, India will be aware that there is room for improvement in open play. The team created several opportunities against Wales but could not convert any of them into field goals. Against England, India will need greater precision inside the attacking circle.

England bring strong recent record

England will provide a significantly tougher challenge. The two sides have developed a competitive rivalry in recent years, highlighted by their dramatic Paris Olympics quarter-final encounter. India prevailed despite playing with 10 men for most of the match following Amit Rohidas’ red card and eventually went on to secure a bronze medal.

Hardik warns India against complacency

India midfielder Hardik Singh acknowledged the intensity of the rivalry but insisted there is no hostility between the players.

He stressed that while India have enjoyed success against England at major tournaments, the team cannot afford to underestimate its opponents.

Fulton expects a close contest

India chief coach Craig Fulton described England as the highest-ranked team in Pool D and expects another demanding encounter.

The recent head-to-head record is closely balanced, with India holding a narrow 10-9 advantage in wins, while five matches have ended in draws.

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RC Lens won the Champions’ Trophy (French Super Cup) against Paris Saint-Germain (1-0). With Zinédine Zidane watching on, the Lens side held out for an hour despite being a man down.

Moses Itauma collides with Filip Hrgovic in a showdown for the vacant IBF heavyweight world title next week, and ahead of the action, former British heavyweight champion David Price has offered his thoughts.

Itauma has been fast-tracked to the peak of the heavyweight division since his professional debut in 2023, rising the rankings without ever fighting beyond round six in his 14 bouts to date and earning his shot at world honours.

Should he be successful against Hrgovic, the 21-year-old will become the second-youngest heavyweight ruler in boxing history, taking Floyd Patterson’s spot behind Mike Tyson, who achieved the feat as a 20-year-old.

Although, on The Smith Brothers’ YouTube channel, Price warned of Hrgovic’s quality, impressed by the Croatian’s three-round beatdown of Dave Allen back in May.

“Dave Allen, he is getting his opportunities, he is a solid heavyweight and he can take a shot. He has had a couple of notable wins but, even so, Hrgovic f***ing battered him, more than I have ever seen anyone batter Dave Allen. 

“Every shot was a good bang. He put a lot into every shot and at first I was thinking, ‘is he going to be able to sustain this?’, but he did.”

However, Price went on to declare his belief that Itauma will answer any questions regarding his potential on fight night, expecting the youngster to come out on top after a competitive battle.

“He hasn’t shown any weaknesses but he hasn’t been hit yet properly. That is the reality of it. He hasn’t had a crisis in a fight and until that happens, there will be question marks.

“This fight, I think he will take his licks a little bit and he will answer a lot of the questions that remain.”

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Itauma vs. Hrgovic takes place on Saturday, August 29, at the O2 Arena in London.

Barcelona have agreed a deal worth around £65m to sign Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions. The transfer is expected to be completed in the coming days.

Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8m. He went on to make 298 appearances for the club and won 12 major trophies during his seven seasons in England.

His honours include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in the 2022-23 season.

Rodri missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after suffering a serious knee injury, while a hamstring problem also affected parts of last season.

However, he returned to his best form at the World Cup in the summer, helping Spain win their second World Cup title. He was also named Player of the Tournament.

### City look at Fernandez replacement

Manchester City are still interested in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez as a possible replacement for Rodri.

Chelsea had set a Friday 17:00 BST deadline for interested clubs to make an offer for Fernandez, with the Blues valuing the 25-year-old at around £120m.

No bid is believed to have been made before the deadline, and Chelsea are now hoping to keep their vice-captain.

However, City are understood to believe the possibility of a deal is still open.

Fernandez has played in a deeper midfield role during his career but was often used further forward last season, scoring a career-best 15 goals.

City have also signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer, giving the club more options in midfield.

Another player on City’s radar is 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi. The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Premier League champions, with reports suggesting he could cost around £85m.

For now, Rodri’s move to Barcelona is set to bring an end to his successful spell at Manchester City, with the midfielder preparing for a new chapter in Spain.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal allowing goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario to join Juventus on a season-long loan move, the Press Association understands.

Vicario had been left in uncertainty all summer after asking Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi for permission to return to his homeland following three years in north London.

Juventus emerged as Vicario’s preferred destination, though the Serie A side initially pursued Emiliano Martinez before turning to Parma youngster Zion Suzuki.

Following fast-moving developments across the weekend, the Italian club initiated negotiations with Tottenham on Sunday and completed a season-long loan agreement containing an option to purchase the Italy international, it is understood.

De Zerbi approved Vicario’s departure after young goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky stepped forward to help steer the club clear of relegation with a series of impressive displays during the final seven matches of last season.

A potential switch to Inter Milan originally seemed likely for Vicario, before the reigning Italian champions decided to pursue a different direction regarding their goalkeeping position.

That decision left Vicario as a target for Juventus, though manager Luciano Spalletti had placed Argentina’s World Cup winner Martinez high on his wish list before discussions with Aston Villa stalled weeks ago over a valuation gap regarding the final fee for the 33-year-old.

Juventus next turned their focus to Parma’s Suzuki and, even after Paris Saint-Germain stole a march on the Italian club, a season-long loan for the Japan international to join the Old Lady appeared to offer a viable solution for all parties.

A dramatic weekend of transfer activity has since unfolded, with Suzuki’s move to PSG falling through and Villa now set to sign the Parma stopper, briefly reopening the door for Martinez to make a switch to Juventus.

With fitness concerns surrounding Martinez due to a finger injury, Juventus accelerated their pursuit of Italy’s number two Vicario and are poised to secure the services of the 29-year-old in time for him to feature in Sunday’s league opener at Frosinone.

Vicario, who has accumulated 117 appearances for Tottenham, arrived from Empoli in 2023 and helped the team to Europa League success last year, but endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign.

Cameroon have won their first ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title after beating tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 in Rabat, Morocco.

Marie Ngah Manga opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a close-range header before Naomi Eto doubled Cameroon’s lead with a fine volley 10 minutes later.

Cameroon added a third goal in first-half stoppage time. Eto went around Malawi goalkeeper Mercy Sikelo before setting up Ngah Manga, who finished from close range.

Malawi, the lowest-ranked team at the tournament at 153rd in the world, had enjoyed a remarkable run to the final, helped by the goalscoring threat of sisters Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga.

However, Cameroon kept the two forwards quiet for most of the match and stopped Malawi from completing a surprise run to the title.

Ngah Manga came close to completing her hat-trick three minutes into the second half, but she missed from six yards with the goal open.

Malawi had their best chance shortly after the hour mark when Cameroon goalkeeper Michaely Bihina saved Tabitha Chawinga’s low shot. Tabitha’s sister Temwa then fired the rebound wide.

Cameroon’s victory is even more impressive after they missed the 2024 Wafcon and initially failed to qualify for the 2026 tournament. They lost 3-1 on aggregate to Algeria in the second qualifying round.

However, Cameroon were later included after CAF expanded the tournament from 12 to 16 teams, with their world ranking helping them secure a place.

The victory ends Cameroon’s wait after they had previously lost three Wafcon finals.

The Indomitable Lionesses will receive $2m (£1.48m) in prize money and become only the fourth country to win the women’s African title, after Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

Cameroon and Malawi will also feature at the 2027 Women’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil, alongside WAFCON semi-finalists Algeria and Morocco.

Team Ireland and its popular supporters leave Birmingham this morning following a very successful European Athletics Championships from an Irish viewpoint.

Four Medals

Irish athletes won four medal – two gold, one silver and one bronze.

Finn Valley AC’s Mark English got the ball rolling when he produced a tactically astute performance to win gold in the Men’s 800m Final in a time of 1:45.26. In the process, the Letterkenny man became the first Irish male athlete to win an individual European outdoor title. His 800m Final win was his sixth European medal across indoor and outdoor championships, and he is now the country’s most decorated European track championship athlete. It should not be forgotten that English also set a new Championship Record in his semi-final when clocking 1:43.49.

Kate O’Connor added another medal to an ever-increasing haul with her victory in the heptathlon. The Dundalk St Gerard’s AC athlete set a new Irish record as she achieved the highest heptathlon score of her career to date, with 6,751 points.

Rhasidat Adeleke, who only a few short weeks ago hadn’t even qualified for these championships, won a silver medal in the Women’s 200m Final. The Tallaght AC member also set a new National Record for the distance with a time of 22.28 seconds.

Andrew Coscoran’s medal was, arguably, the surprise medal of the four for Ireland. The Star of the Sea AC man’s bronze in the Men’s 1500m was his first senior major outdoor championship medal.

Close to medals

Sarah Healy was fourth in the 5000m and fifth in the 1500m.

Nicola Tuthill (UCD AC) secured a career-best senior major championship finish of fifth in the hammer.

David Kenny (Farranfore-Maine Valley AC) was sixth in the half marathon race walk on his debut over the distance.

Finals and Records

The Women’s and Men’s 4 x 100m teams qualified for their respective European finals, finishing seventh.

Sophie O’Sullivan was eighth in the 1500m and Nick Griggs (Candour Track Club) took the same position in the Men’s 5000m Final.

Eric Favors of Raheny Shamrock AC finished secured 10th in the shot put, as did Jack O’Leary (Mullingar Harriers) in the 10,000m Final.

The Men’s 4 x 400m team finished 10th overall with the third-fastest performance in Irish athletics history.

The Women’s 4 x 100m team of Lucy-May Sleeman, Ciara Neville, Sarah Leahy and Lauren Roy produced a National Record of 43.13 seconds.

Team Ireland Results

CR = Championship Record; NR = National Record; SF = Semi-Final, DNF = Did Not Finish; DNS = Did Not Start

1st – Mark English – Men’s 800m Final – 1:45.26 (1:43.49 CR in semi-final) GOLD

1st – Kate O’Connor – Heptathlon – 6,751 Points NR GOLD

2nd – Rhasidat Adeleke – Women’s 200m Final – 22.28 NR (22.43 SB in semi-final) SILVER

3rd – Andrew Coscoran – Men’s 1500m Final – 3:36.24 BRONZE

4th – Sarah Healy – Women’s 5000m Final – 15:40.95

5th – Sarah Healy – Women’s 1500m Final – 4:10.76

5th – Nicola Tuthill – Women’s Hammer Throw Final – 70.33m

6th – David Kenny – Half Marathon Race Walk – 1:24:49 PB

7th – Men’s 4 x 100m – Final – 40.26 (39.13 SB in R1)

7th – Women’s 4 x 100m Final – 44.18 (43.13 NR in R1)

8th – Sophie O’Sullivan – Women’s 1500m Final – 4:11.72

8th – Nick Griggs – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:21.07

10th – Eric Favors – Men’s Shot Put Final – 19.59m

10th – Men’s 4 x400m Relay R1 – 3:01.76 SB

10th – Jack O’Leary – Men’s 10,000m Final – 28:24.89 SB

11th – Oisín Lane – Half Marathon Race Walk – 1:27:09 PB

12th – Lauren Roy – Women’s 200m SF – 23.16 seconds

12th – Seán Aigboboh – Men’s 200m SF – 20.46 seconds

14th – Brian Fay – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:31.15

15th – Women’s 4 x 400m R1 – 3:32.70

16th – Bori Akinola – Men’s 100m SF – 10.38 seconds

18th – Cian McPhillips – Men’s 800m R1 – 1:46.84

18th – Darragh McElhinney – Men’s 5000m Final – 13:37.62

20th – Fiona Everard – Women’s 10,000m Final – 33:08.60

20th – Israel Olatunde – Men’s 100m SF – 10.49 seconds

21st – Jack Raftery – Men’s 400m SF – 45.81 seconds

24th – Ciara Neville – Women’s 100m SF – 11.57 seconds

24th – Sophie Becker – Women’s 400m SF – 52.47 seconds (52.28 SB in R1)

24th – Marcus Lawler – Men’s 200m SF – 21.11 seconds

26th – Jodie McCann – Women’s 1500m R1 – 4:14.63

27th – Lauren Roy – Women’s 100m R1 – 11.32 seconds

27th – Sarah Lavin – 100m Hurdles R1 – 13.07 seconds SB

29th – Abbie Sheridan – Women’s 3000m SC R1 – 9:57.50

31st – Cathal Doyle – Men’s 1500m R1 – 4:36.28

43rd – Paul O’Donnell – Men’s Marathon – Final – 2:20.41

DNF – Niamh Allen – Women’s 10,000m Final

DNF – Fionnuala McCormack – Women’s Marathon – Final

DNF – David McGlynn – Men’s Marathon – Final

DNS – Ryan Creech – Men’s Marathon – Final

LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com