Lionel Messi produced a brilliant performance as Inter Miami ended their poor run with a huge 7-1 win over Montreal in Major League Soccer.

Miami had won only once in their previous seven matches in all competitions since Messi returned from the World Cup earlier this month. But the Argentina captain inspired a big comeback to winning ways.

Messi put Miami 2-1 ahead before half-time with a deflected free-kick before taking over the game after the break.

The 39-year-old scored his second after a brilliant run, completed his hat-trick with a clever chip over the goalkeeper and added his fourth goal in added time with another trademark free-kick.

Messi also provided an assist for Luis Suarez, while Casemiro and Alexander Shaw completed Miami’s seven goals.

It was Messi’s first four-goal game in MLS and the ninth time in his career that he has scored four or more goals in a single match.

The result also took his MLS tally to 18 goals this season, moving him ahead of FC Dallas’ Petar Musa as the league’s top scorer.

Inter Miami remain second in the Eastern Conference, 10 points behind Nashville FC.

Inter Miami interim coach Guillermo Hoyos was left struggling to find words to describe Messi’s display.

“There are no words to describe such footballing beauty,” Hoyos said.

“He is constantly looking for that goal, that play, that pass. I don’t think he’s an ordinary footballer.”

Earlier this month, Messi admitted he was unsure how much longer he would continue playing football following the death of his father, Jorge.

Australia’s Anthony Dell’Orso during a game against Jordan in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—There’s still no stopping Australia in the 2027 Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

The Boomers continued their dominance after burying Jordan, 126-93, to remain the only unblemished team in the tournament on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

“We saw how Jordan played the other night and saw how well they can run their offense when given a chance,” coach Jacob Chance said.

READ: Fiba Asian qualifiers: Australia pummels Syria to stay unbeaten

“To come out and be as disruptive as we were early was a pleasing sign.”

The Aussies, who whipped Syria, 123-64, on Friday night, improved to 8-0.

Jordan, which was coming off a tough 82-81 overtime loss to Gilas Pilipinas on Friday night, dropped to 0-2 in the second round and 5-3 overall.

Australia flaunted its depth with seven players tallying at least nine points. Anthony Dell’Orso led all Boomers in scoring with 19. Angus Glover added 16, Josh Bannan had 15, while Tom Wilson posted 13. Elijah Pepper, who registered 32 against Syria, struggled to find the target but still wound up with 14 on 5-of-16 shooting.

The Boomers shot 52 percent from the field, including 14-of-31 from the 3-point area.

The Falcons dropped to 5-3 in Group E but not without Amin Abu Hawwas had 21 for the Falcons, who also drew 19 each from their backcourt Abdullah Olajuwon and Jalen Harris.

Filip Hrgovic lost every round against Moses Itauma before capitalising on the young Brit gassing out to force a stoppage and become IBF heavyweight world champion. From ringside, British boxing icon and big Itauma fan Naseem Hamed was left ‘so surprised’.

Itauma looked spectacular to start the contest, scoring a knockdown in round two and bamboozling Hrgovic, who showed one of the most impressive chins in the division to remain in the fight.

After looking like he was finally putting a dent in the Croatian, Itauma appeared to empty the tank in the eighth in search of a stoppage. By the end of the round, he looked exhausted, and Hrgovic took advantage in the ninth, finding sustained success to beat the fight out of Itauma. As referee Howard Foster stepped in to wave it off, the towel also came in from Itauma’s corner, led by Ben Davison.

Speaking on the DAZN broadcast post-fight, Hamed recognised that the defeat came from a lack of experience and perhaps poor corner advice.

“My immediate thought is I’m so surprised that he can just throw it out there, for them to tell him just to keep punching and go at it when he knew he had to reserve himself. There was no reserve tank.

“But this may be the best thing that ever happen to Moses, simply because of the experience and for him to know what he’s got to do next time. And he knows he can’t just run away with trying to blast somebody out. Do you know what, how wrong was I? The fact it, it was a good fight. He didn’t even lose a round, but he just put everything into them five, six, seven rounds.”

In tonight’s defeat, Itauma failed to break ‘Nas’ record as the youngest world champion from the UK. He will, however, undoubtedly come again, as Hamed pointed out.

As for Hrgovic, who is Croatia’s first-ever heavyweight world champion, he dismissed an already ordered fight with Frank Sanchez, urging promoter Frank Warren to make him a unification bout instead.

Emiliano Martinez (Pic credit: Chelsea FC)

Chelsea have completed the signing of Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa, adding a World Cup-winning and two-time Yashin Trophy winner to Xabi Alonso’s squad just a day before the transfer deadline.The 33-year-old has signed a three-year contract with the London club and is expected to take over the starting goalkeeper spot after Robert Sanchez again came under scrutiny following Chelsea’s Premier League opener against Fulham.Martinez arrives at Stamford Bridge with a decorated international résumé. He has been Argentina’s first-choice goalkeeper since 2021 and has earned 67 caps, playing a key role in the country’s successes at the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and their 2022 World Cup triumph.The goalkeeper was also named the world’s best-performing goalkeeper at the 2023 and 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremonies, winning the prestigious Yashin Trophy on both occasions.

‘I want to be successful here’

Martinez said joining Chelsea was an easy decision for both him and his family, while making clear that his ambition is to win trophies with his new club.“Coming to Chelsea, for me and my family, was an easy decision to make and I’m just over the moon. I can’t wait to get started,” Martinez said.“I want to be successful here. I’m someone who wants to win at everything I do and I want to bring that here to this football club because it’s a football club that wins titles, so I think it’s a good match.”The Argentine also promised to bring his trademark intensity to Chelsea.“I’m all passion and I play with my heart. I will give 100 per cent every game, every training session to make the club, my teammates and the supporters proud,” he added.

Martinez brings winning pedigree

Martinez spent six seasons at Aston Villa and made 256 appearances for the club, helping them win the Europa League in May. Villa’s decision to sign Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma earlier this month paved the way for Martinez’s departure.His rise to becoming one of the world’s elite goalkeepers came after a long journey. Martinez joined Arsenal from Independiente as a 17-year-old in 2010 and spent several seasons on loan before establishing himself during the 2019-20 season.He started Arsenal’s final 11 matches of that campaign and helped them win the FA Cup before moving to Aston Villa.His international career transformed his status. Martinez made his Argentina debut in 2021 and soon became a key figure in their golden generation. He won the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, earning the Golden Glove after playing a decisive role in Argentina’s dramatic final victory over France.Chelsea will now hope that the experienced goalkeeper can bring the same consistency, personality and big-game pedigree to their defence as they look to challenge for major honours under Alonso.

Filip Hrgovic beat Moses Itauma this weekend, upsetting the odds to become Croatia’s first ever heavyweight world champion.

‘El Animal’ soaked up a tremendous amount of punishment from Itauma before seizing the moment and forcing a shock stoppage in the ninth. His attack was made easier by the fact that Itauma, who had been giving everything he had to score a knockout, completely emptied his gas tank.

Post-fight, Itauma was stretchered out of the main arena, with fans hoping exhaustion was the reason rather than a more serious injury. That final image of the 21-year-old does not tell the story of the fight, in the beginning of which he stunned with movement, angles and speed, bamboozling Hrgovic. Lack of experience aside, in an interview with DAZN the Croatian champion recognised the sheer skill he faced in the ring.

“Let me be honest, man, he’s amazing. He’s amazing. I didn’t know it was gonna be so hard. I thought I was gonna handle him easier. I was losing all the rounds. The kid is amazing – he’s so fast, you can’t see his punches coming. He don’t hit so hard, but he’s fast.”

Then came some critique and advice.

“From the first round I see that he’s gassing out. He boxed still like an amateur. He’s inexperienced. I saw he was gassing out and I knew my only chance was to stay there, make him tired, keep coming and to maybe stop him in the late rounds. That’s what I did.”

“I came to London, his home town, and beat the best guy in the division against all odds. I want to be considered the best heavyweight in the world. I’m the present, and he is the future.”

As Hrgovic moves on to target unifications, Itauma faces recovery and rebuild. Many in the sport feel that, though disappointing, the experience will serve him well ahead of any future title challenges.

The final stretch before a major multi-sport event is supposed to be about polishing performances, protecting fitness and making sure months of preparation come together at the right time. For India, however, the countdown to the 2026 Asian Games at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan has brought a rather different concern into focus.

Doping cases have begun to leave their mark on the country’s contingent just days before the official start of the tournament on September 19.

Two wrestlers have lost their places. A shooter has been dropped and replaced. And now, an athlete who was expected to line up in two distance events is facing a doping notice of his own.

Abhishek Pal’s case is the latest and, for now, the least conclusive of the four. The Asian Games-bound distance runner has been served a notice by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after a banned substance was detected in his sample. The substance was reportedly found in a very small quantity and is understood to potentially be a female fertility drug.

Pal has not been provisionally suspended, leaving his participation in the 5,000m and 10,000m in Japan hanging in the balance rather than ending it outright.

The development, however, adds to an increasingly uncomfortable backdrop for an Indian contingent preparing for one of the biggest sporting events on the calendar.

Pal’s spot for the Games under cloud

Just weeks ago, Pal’s biggest concern would have been how to arrive in Japan in the best possible shape.

His domestic season had given him every reason for confidence. He won the 10,000m and finished second in the 5,000m at the National Inter-State Championships in June, performances that helped secure his selection for both events.

There was international pedigree too. Pal had won bronze in the 10,000m at the 2023 Asian Championships and had spent time training in the United States as he sought to establish himself at the highest level.

Now, his preparations have been interrupted by an issue that has nothing to do with his running.

According to media reports, the banned substance was detected in a very small amount. Pal is expected to seek an investigation and an early resolution, particularly with the Asian Games approaching.

What happens next is crucial. A notice is not a final finding, and Pal has not been provisionally suspended. He therefore remains in contention to compete, provided the matter is resolved in his favour or he is otherwise cleared to take part.

For an athlete who had spent months working towards two Asian Games races, the uncertainty could hardly have arrived at a worse time.

Wrestling suffers double blow

In wrestling, there is no such uncertainty anymore. The two wrestlers who were found positive for doping violations, i.e., Mukul Dahiya and Deepanshu, have both been removed from India’s Asian Games squad, leaving the country without representation in two weight categories.

Dahiya’s case affects the men’s freestyle 86kg category. He had secured his place through the selection process and was among the wrestlers India was taking to the Games. His removal means the country will have no entry in the category.

Deepanshu’s case has had a similar consequence in Greco-Roman wrestling’s 130kg division.

But it has also drawn greater attention because of the nature of the offence. Deepanshu tested positive for stanozolol in an out-of-competition test, with the case reportedly being treated as a second anti-doping offence.

For Indian wrestling, the numbers tell part of the story: two athletes, two categories, two places gone.

Shooting also took a hit

One of India’s best medal-producing sports in the Asian Games, shooting also suffered a doping blow ahead of the Asian Games 2026.

Gaurav Kumar Masoori was removed from the shooting squad following a doping offence involving propranolol. The 10m air pistol shooter had been part of India’s Asian Games plans, but his exclusion meant the selection process had to be revisited.

Akash Bharadwaj was subsequently brought into the squad as his replacement.

Masoori’s case, like the others, will have to go through the anti-doping process. But the immediate sporting consequence is already clear: one athlete’s place in India’s Asian Games team has changed hands.

And that is what makes the recent cases more significant than four separate disciplinary stories. They have begun to alter the composition of India’s contingent.

The warning signs are hard to ignore

The developments have also prompted a response from Indian wrestling’s governing body.

The Wrestling Federation of India has issued an anti-doping advisory to its athletes and support staff, urging greater caution over medicines and supplements. It has also indicated plans for anti-doping education and awareness programmes.

The message reflects one of the most difficult aspects of modern anti-doping rules: athletes can be held responsible for substances found in their samples even when questions arise over medication, supplements or what they were advised to consume.

That does not mean every positive test is evidence of deliberate cheating. Each case has to be examined on its own facts, and athletes have the right to respond to the allegations against them.

But it does make awareness particularly important, especially in the build-up to a major event when athletes are experimenting with training, recovery and nutrition under pressure to perform.

An unwanted theme before Aichi-Nagoya

The cases involving Dahiya, Deepanshu and Masoori have already produced tangible changes to India’s Asian Games squad. Pal’s case has not reached that point — at least not yet.

That distinction matters. But taken together, the developments have created an unwanted theme in the final weeks before the Games: India’s athletes are having to deal with doping-related uncertainty alongside the usual demands of preparing for competition.

For Pal, the immediate battle is to establish what happened and secure clarity over his Asian Games status.

For India, the hope will be that his case is resolved without another change to the contingent. The Asian Games campaign has not begun yet. But already, in wrestling, shooting and athletics, some of India’s plans have been forced to change.

New Zealand’s Corey Webster goes for a layup against Syria in the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—New Zealand strengthened its bid for a spot in the Fiba World Cup after dispatching Syria, 126-74, in the fourth window of the Asian qualifiers on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.

The Tall Blacks improved to 6-2 in Group E just behind undefeated Australia (7-0). The top three teams in Group E and F qualify for next year’s World Cup in Qatar.

“I think we started off great and maybe took our foot off the pedal in some respects and Syria did a good job in making it a ballgame,” said coach Judd Flavell, whose squad also secured a key overtime victory over Iran on Friday.

“We challenged the group at the half on how to make a mark on the game.”

New Zealand didn’t seem to need much firepower in the second half after a hot start saw the Kiwis take a 31-19 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

“I think we just locked in, picked up on our standard and played good on defense,” said New Zealand guard Flynn Cameron after dropping 21 points, four rebounds and three steals.

Also providing significant contributions for New Zealand were Corey Webster and Sam Mennenga, who scored 22 and 20 points, respectively.

James Justice Jr. was the sole double-digit scorer for the Syrians with 22. He also had five assists and five rebounds.