In the final start of his impressive rookie season, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes went out with a bang at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

Facing New York Yankees sluggers Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the bottom of the first inning, the Pirates rookie put on a show.

First, he got the normally-patient Soto to foul off the first two pitches of the at-bat. On the fifth and final pitch of the at-bat, Skenes caught Soto looking with a wicked pitch on the black.

Then, facing the presumptive American League MVP in Judge, Skenes pounded the zone with a fastball and slider. After Judge took a ball and fouled off the fourth pitch, the Pirates rookie got Judge to chase a sweeper that broke out of the zone.

Truly impressive stuff.

Then, if that wasn't impressive enough, Skenes, who was pulled after two perfect innings, struck out Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. looking with perhaps his best pitch of the day—and his final one of the season.

How in the world are you supposed to get a hit off of this guy?

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Em resultado surpreendente, o Brasil empatou em 1 a 1 com a Venezuela, jogando em Cuiabá-MT, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2026. Apesar de ser um placar incomum, ele não é o único da Seleção atuando em casa neste século. Além do famoso 7 a 1, no Mineirão, em 2014, a Canarinho decepcionou contra seleções inferiores da América do Sul nesses últimos 22 anos.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Contra os próprios venezuelanos, por exemplo, não foi a primeira que isso aconteceu nos últimos tempos. Em 2019, na Fonte Nova, pela Copa América, o Brasil não saiu do 0 a 0 sob o comando do técnico Tite.

Dez anos antes, em 2009, pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2010, a Seleção recebeu a Venezuela em Campo Grande-MS e também não tirou 0 a 0 do placar. Naquela época, a direção técnica era do tetracampeão Dunga, mas já estava com a vaga para o Mundial da África do Sul garantida – a partida foi na última rodada.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

Cerca de um ano antes desse empate diante dos venezuelanos, foi a vez de o Brasil de Dunga decepcionar contra da Bolívia, pelas mesmas Eliminatórias: 0 a 0 no Nilton Santos, com direito a muita vaia do torcedor e pedidos pela demissão do treinador.

Já pelas Eliminatórias da Copa do Mundo de 2002, quando a Seleção oscilou demais, o empate em casa vexaminoso foi diante do Peru, no Morumbi, sob o comando de Emerson Leão. Depois de sair na frente com Romário, a igualdade veio com Pajuelo: 1 a 1.

+ Com golaço de bicicleta, Brasil leva empate no fim diante da Venezuela nas Eliminatórias

Por fim, não podemos deixar de citar o maior vexame da Seleção em todos os tempos, que foi o 7 a 1 para a Alemanha na semifinal da Copa do Mundo de 2014, no Mineirão. A equipe do técnico Felipão foi atropelada pelos alemães, ficou fora da final e ainda foi amassada por 3 a 0 pela Holanda na disputa do terceiro lugar.

Imran Tahir’s four-wicket haul outshone Kaleem Sana’s efforts as Guyana Amazon Warriors clinched a comprehensive 57-run win against Dubai Capitals, moving to the top of the table in the Global Super League, in Guyana.After being sent in to bat, Amazon Warriors posted 138 for 7, before their bowlers delivered a clinical performance to bowl out Capitals for just 81 in 15.4 overs.Amazon Warriors’ innings was held together by Moeen Ali, who played a composed knock of 40 off 38 balls. Sherfane Rutherford provided valuable support with a handy 33 off 23 deliveries, striking crucial boundaries during the middle overs. The duo added momentum at a critical phase after Amazon Warriors were reduced to 27 for 3 inside the powerplay. Romario Shepherd chipped in with a late cameo, adding 15 off just nine balls, pushing the total beyond 130. For Capitals, left-arm seamer Sana was the standout bowler, claiming an impressive 4 for 31 in his four overs, with three of those coming in the death overs.In their reply, Capitals never got going. Both openers fell cheaply, and the middle order crumbled under pressure. Dwaine Pretorius and Shepherd tightened the screws early, with the latter striking twice in the fifth over. Tahir then took over with a masterful spell, returning figures of 4 for 12 from his 3.4 overs.None of the Capitals batters, apart from Sediqullah Atal and Niroshan Dickwella, managed to cross 20. A brief glimmer of hope came through a 27-run stand off just 12 balls between the two, but once they fell in quick succession, the innings unraveled rapidly. From 36 for 1, Capitals collapsed to 66 for 8 and were eventually bowled out for 81.

But stand-in South Africa captain declines chance to overtake Lara’s world record by declaring

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jul-2025

Wiaan Mulder hit 49 fours and four sixes in his 367*•Zimbabwe Cricket

Wiaan Mulder, captaining South Africa for the first time in only his 21st Test, posted the fifth-highest individual Test score by blasting an unbeaten 367 off 334 balls in Bulawayo against Zimbabwe. But Mulder, only 33 runs away from Brian Lara’s 21-year world-record score of 400*, from St John’s in 2004, declared at lunch with South Africa on 626 for 5 on the second day.Along the way, Mulder also became the 29th Test cricketer and only the second South African – after Hashim Amla (311 not out) in 2012 – to score a triple-century. Ending day one at 264 not out, Mulder brought up his triple century off 297 balls in the first hour of the second day, the second-fastest after Virender Sehwag’s 278-ball effort (vs South Africa in 2008).From there, Mulder scored his next 67 runs in only 37 balls in No. 7 Kyle Verreynne’s company. Once Mulder went past Len Hutton’s 364 and Garfield Sobers’ 365 not out before lunch, he was in the top five with only Mahela Jayawardene (374), Lara (375), Matthew Hayden (380) and Lara (400 not out) ahead of him.Mulder’s runs came at breakneck speed and comprised 49 fours and four sixes. His innings strike rate of 109.88 is now the best among all triple-centurions. He is also the first South African captain to score a Test triple-century as he is standing in for the injured Keshav Maharaj.

Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are riding high at the top of the Premier League table, and supporters have been told one player doesn’t get the praise he deserves.

Arsenal's set-piece kings on course to win the Premier League

Their explosive start has not just positioned them as Premier League title favourites, but also as the current kings of set pieces — a deadly weapon that’s wreaking havoc on opposition sides domestically and in Europe.

Arsenal have scored more goals from dead-ball situations than any other top-flight side so far (11), with star defender Gabriel at the heart of it with four contributions to those strikes as the Gunners make their best weapon known.

Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions since defeat to Liverpool

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Corners, free kicks and even throw-ins have become golden scoring opportunities, as Arsenal turn these situations into major results with surgical precision.

Their aerial strength, combined with clever routines, has made them a nightmare for defenders who can’t afford to lose focus for even a moment.

However, at the heart of Arsenal’s success is their impenetrable defence which has conceded the joint-fewest goals, not only in the Premier League, but across Europe’s top leagues (3), with Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma also conceding just three.

The arrival of no-nonsense new backroom coach Gabriel Heinze is viewed as a real contributor to Arsenal’s increasingly water-tight backline, which has somehow become even more solid, despite already leaking the fewest league goals of any Premier League side in each of the last two seasons.

David Raya is in line for this third-successive Golden Glove award, and only a complete disaster in terms of injuries to key defenders would disrupt Arteta’s side right now.

That being said, even when William Saliba was briefly forced out of the side through injury, Cristhian Mosquera performed exceptionally well next to Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal’s defence, and fellow summer signing Piero Hincapie is also on hand to step in.

Given their imperiousness at the back, Viktor Gyokeres has been somewhat overshadowed.

The Swede, who was brought in to take the mantle of Arsenal’s new prolific number nine, got off to a flying start but went seven games without a goal before his much-needed brace against Atlético Madrid last week.

Gyokeres has attracted some criticism for his fairly underwhelming return so far, but journalist Graeme Bailey insists that he’s actually a pretty underrated new member of the team.

Viktor Gyokeres adds extra element to Arsenal that people don't see

Speaking to TBR Football, Bailey says that Gyokeres brings an “extra element” to Arsenal that “people don’t really see”.

Interestingly, this thought is echoed by Arteta, who says that Gyokeres makes Arsenal a much more “unpredictable” side.

His in-game play is there for all to see, and the former Sporting CP star has already proved a handful for defenders since his blockbuster summer switch.

Now, Gyokeres just needs to add more goals, then the critics will soon be silenced.

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur haven’t been afraid to splash the cash in their attempts to catapult themselves closer towards Premier League glory.

However, they’ve found out first hand that spending big money doesn’t equal immediate success, with numerous players unable to have the desired impact in North London.

In the summer of 2019, the Lilywhites hierarchy forked out a then club-record £62m for the signature of French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele – but it would be a deal that proved to be a disaster.

He racked up 91 appearances during his five-year spell in England, but he was massively questioned over his lack of fitness and constant attitude problems under various managers.

As a result, the club let him leave for nothing last summer, subsequently joining Nice on a free transfer and departing as one of the club’s worst signings in history.

However, one other huge addition will be hoping he doesn’t endure the same fate after his own transfer to join Thomas Frank’s side during the recent transfer window.

Mohammed Kudus' immediate impact at Spurs

In one of his first moves as Spurs manager, Frank decided to fork out a reported £55m for the signature of winger Mohammed Kudus from London rivals West Ham United.

The Ghanaian featured for the Hammers over a two-year period before moving across the capital, with real hope he could provide a new dimension to the Lilywhites’ attack.

He may have only featured in nine games to date, but the 25-year-old has already made an immediate impact in North London throughout 2024/25.

The attacker has registered four assists to date – the most of any player in the squad – highlighting his ability to create endless opportunities for those around him.

However, he also recently netted his first goal for the club in the last outing against Leeds United, with such a strike securing all three points for Frank’s men.

It may only be early days in his career with Spurs, but Kudus has already demonstrated his quality and is arguably making himself one of the first names on the teamsheet.

However, despite his impressive form in North London, he’s now valued lower than one player who joined the club for a fee lower than his in recent times.

The Spurs star who’s valued more than Kudus

Spurs’ Europa League triumph last campaign is evidence that their work in the transfer market has been hugely effective, despite also wasting huge amounts of money on players not at the level required.

Bargain additions such as Lucas Bergvall had huge parts to play in their recent European triumph, with the Swedish international exceeding everyone’s expectations throughout 2024/25.

He only joined last summer for a reported £8.5m from homeland club Djurgarden, with very few supporters expecting the 19-year-old to have an immediate impact in the first-team.

However, the injury crisis allowed the youngster to stake his claim for a regular starting role, racking up 45 appearances across all competitions in his debut year.

His talents catapulted the club to the Europa League title, which has seen them qualify for the Champions League – allowing them to attract world-class talents to Frank’s side.

As a result, the hierarchy completed the £52m signing of Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig in the closing stages of the summer window – finally ending their hunt for a new number ten.

The Dutchman arrived with huge expectations after his form in the Bundesliga last campaign, subsequently ending the year with 17 combined goals and assists in just 25 outings.

However, his time in England is yet to take off, only registering one assist in his first seven outings – but he will certainly need time to settle, given he’s just 22 years of age.

It’s not stopped Simons from receiving heaps of praise from numerous high-profile names, with one analyst even labelling the youngster as a “phenomenal” talent.

Games played

7

Minutes played

420

Assists

1

Shots taken

1.4

Pass accuracy

88%

Successful passes

30

Chances created

1.8

Dribble success

55%

Dribbles completed

1.8

Fouls won

1.4

He’s also seen his market value soar in recent months after his transfer, with CIES Football Observatory now valuing the sensation at a staggering £97.3m.

Such a figure is nearly two times higher than the fee paid for Kudus this window, further highlighting how highly rated the Dutchman is despite his early struggles in the Premier League.

Whilst Kudus has hit the ground running, he does have prior experience in England’s top-flight, with Simons likely to have the same impact in the near future once he’s settled.

However, there’s no denying the Lilywhites have a potential world beater on their hands, with the prospect of the aforementioned starring together for years to come a hugely exciting one for the fanbase.

The "Irish Isak" is heading to Spurs and he could become their new Kane

Tottenham have continued their trend of signing elite youth prospects to underlay the first team.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 9, 2025

Leeds United aren’t going to be heading straight back down to the Championship without at least putting in a fight.

The last time the Whites were relegated back down to the EFL’s elite league, they only managed to accumulate a sorry 31 points from 38 matches, with a concerning 78 goals leaked.

Already, with just nine games played this time around, Leeds are occupying 15th spot in the Premier League with a promising 11 points tallied up, with an early Brenden Aaronson effort sealing a third league win of the season against relegation rivals West Ham United on Friday night.

This promising start bodes well for Leeds being able to remain as a Premier League team, with Match of the Day’s Gabby Logan revealing at the weekend that the last ten promoted sides who have got to that 11-point total after ten games have all beaten the drop.

Leeds will just want to remain steady as wins slowly but surely continue to be picked up, with Stuart Dallas previously playing the role of being a calming and reliable presence perfectly when past anxiety crept in at Elland Road.

Why Stuart Dallas is a Leeds icon

While the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, and Raphinha stick out in recent memory as flashy entertainers in West Yorkshire, the Northern Irishman always stood out as being “Mr Reliable” for the Whites, as he was once affectionately labelled by former Premier League great Kevin Phillips.

267 Leeds appearances would come Dallas’ way in total, with the 34-year-old only getting better as time went on in a Whites shirt, even as he navigated the tough step-up to the Premier League.

Eight goals would fall into the adaptable number 15’s lap during his first-ever top-flight campaign, with his ability to line up all across the pitch – which included Dallas even lining up as a defensive midfielder on one occasion – making him a dependable asset right up until an unfortunate injury ended his playing days.

As former Leeds manager David O’Leary put it back in 2021, Dallas epitomised the tag of being an “unsung hero” throughout his long-standing affiliation with the club, with the one-time Championship title winner always putting in a top shift when pulling on Leeds white.

Daniel Farke could well feel he’s unearthed a new Dallas-style revelation in his current ranks, with the ace in question similarly full-blooded with his commitment to the Leeds cause so far this season.

Farke's "unbelievable" new Stuart Dallas

Leeds’ impressive summer recruitment has undoubtedly helped them to keep their heads above the relegation zone during the early stages of the 38-game campaign.

Indeed, Noah Okafor has already been heralded as a key “difference-maker” by Leeds-based content creator Oscar Mario, and it’s hard to disagree with that assessment, as the lightning-quick winger already has two Premier League goals in his back pocket. Alongside the Swiss international, Sean Longstaff has also stood out as a sterling bit of business, having only cost a reasonable £12m to obtain back in July.

Already, Longstaff has been able to endear himself to his new set of supporters by hammering home strikes such as this one he emphatically fired home against AFC Bournemouth in late September, with Dallas still being remembered to this day for being a player that similarly scored some memorable goals, namely that famous breakaway strike that was put away at Manchester City under Marcelo Bielsa when Leeds had been reduced to ten men.

More importantly, though, as Leeds face another battle against the drop, the ex-Newcastle United midfielder has also displayed plenty of bite and fight that’s reminiscent of the now-retired 34-year-old in his Elland Road prime, with a combined eight tackles and duels won last time out against the Hammers.

Games played

9

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

46.2

Accurate passes*

27.1

Key passes*

2.0

Big chances created

5

Tackles*

3.0

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

5.0

All-in-all, Longstaff just seems to have that perfect blend of skill and determination that Dallas also possessed in spades, with his eagerness to get stuck in and battle also regularly being coupled with a hunger to create openings and play on the front-foot, as seen in him creating a high five big chances so far this season, which hasn’t been surpassed by anyone else in the division.

He is, of course, still in the infancy of his Elland Road career, but if he keeps going in this same electric manner, he will surely etch his name into the West Yorkshire outfit’s hall-of-fame as another “unbelievable” – as he was once branded by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer – Premier League performer, alongside some revered company.

Better than Rodon: Leeds star who was "anonymous" is now undroppable

This Leeds United star was even better than Joe Rodon against West Ham United.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

Outspoken Mario Balotelli appears to have taken an X-rated swipe at Patrick Vieira after seeing the Arsenal legend relieved of his duties as manager of Genoa. Italy international Balotelli had found himself frozen out by a one-time team-mate and has taken aim at those that he considers to have acted in a “selfish” manner, with the enigmatic striker pointing out that “Karma is a b*tch”.

• Serie A woe: Why Vieira was sacked by Genoa

  World Cup winner Vieira spent 12 months at the helm with Genoa, having been appointed in November 2024. He picked up just 10 wins from his 37 games in charge, with the club enduring their worst-ever start to a Serie A campaign in 2025-26.

  Genoa sit rock-bottom of the Italian top-flight with just three points to their name from nine fixtures. Vieira found himself falling under mounting pressure as a result, with the decision eventually taken for a mutual parting of ways.

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• GOAL/Getty
  

  Balotelli takes aim at Vieira & Co in social media blast

  Ex-Manchester City and Liverpool striker Balotelli is among those have welcomed a change in the dugout, with the 35-year-old watching on from afar after becoming a free agent in the summer of 2025. Taking to social media, the mercurial frontman said: “Karma is a b*tch”.

  Balotelli went on to add, in an apparent dig at Vieira and his coaching team: “Now Genoa can finally focus on people who truly love the environment, the fans and the crest, and who deeply believe in the idea and the fact that Genoa deserves to be at the top. The great work done by Gilardino and Zangrillo has not been lost.”

  After making a point of tagging Alberto Zangrillo, Alberto Gilardino and Vieira in his post, Balotelli continued: “It was just exploited selfishly and badly by those who came after, taking advantage of what they had built with hard work, respect and passion. They exploited the immense work of Gilardino and Zangrillo, their commitment and dedication to these colours, without really understanding their value. Now let’s focus on Genoa and the Genoese! Come on Genoa! Come on guys! I believed in you and I still do.”

• What is it like to manage Balotelli? Vieira explains

  Balotelli linked up with Genoa in October 2024, shortly before Gilardino was replaced by Vieira. He had previously played alongside the iconic Frenchman at Manchester City and Inter. The pair also worked together in Ligue 1 at Nice.

  Balotelli failed to find the target through 10 appearances during that forgettable stint in 2018, having reportedly missed Vieira’s first training session.

  Vieira said at the time of trying to handle a combustible character: “When it comes to Mario, I want to answer back, or just slam him up against the wall, or leave him hanging by his collar on the coat rack. But I can’t, as I’m no longer a player.”

  He went on to say in 2020: “Mario’s mindset was difficult for a collective sport. The philosophy I wanted to put in place, the togetherness and work ethic I wanted to build, it was difficult for me to work with a player like Mario. It was really difficult for both of us to work together so we decided to go different ways.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What next for Balotelli? Striker remains a free agent

  Vieira is being left to reflect on where it all went wrong for him at Genoa. His final game at the helm was a 2-0 defeat to Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese. That result left Genoa rooted to the foot of the table with three draws and six losses to their name. They have, however, progressed to the last-16 of the Coppa Italia.

  Roberto Murgita has been handed the reins for now, with inspiration being sought from a fresh set of eyes. It remains to be seen when and where Balotelli will be seen again. He has not made a competitive appearance in 2025, having been frozen out by Vieira, with his last outing for Genoa coming in a 2-1 defeat to current Serie A champions Napoli on December 21, 2024. He is currently without a club and waiting on enticing offers.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith was characteristically fired up on Tuesday morning on First Take. This time it was during a discussion about MLB all-time hits leader Pete Rose, who died on Monday.

Smith was furious about the way that MLB had treated Rose, saying, "Murderers have been let off quicker than Pete Rose has!"

Smith then went off on baseball for refusing to forgive or honor Rose, despite the fact that fans once gave him a standing ovation.

"People make mistakes," said Smith. "MURDERERS have been let off quicker than Pete Rose has! And baseball want to sit up there with its high and mighty hypocritical self and literally denigrate this man. In 2016 he got a standing—I'm sorry, in 1999 he got a standing ovation. Remember that Doggie? In Atlanta during the World Series. Remember that? They gave him a standing ovation! The American public says buck all that! We want this man here! We know what he did for the game. We know he hurt himself. We know that wasn't a good look, but it shouldn't erase 23 years. And they did it anyway. Pox on all their damn houses. They better not make any mistakes. They better not make any mistakes! Don't forgive them y'all. Don't forgive anybody. Anybody in baseball who couldn't forgive Pete Rose."

Rose, who is MLB's all-time hits leader, has multiple items in the Hall of Fame and is also openly recognized as MLB's all-time hits leader.

Chelsea are now looking to sign an “outstanding” experienced centre-back who’s won 11 trophies, having struggled defensively at times this season.

Blues fall to ninth after Sunderland setback

Enzo Maresca has been forced to contend with a number of injury problems already this season, with the manager particularly light on options in defence, given the absence of Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile, who are both set to be out for quite some time.

Colwill is a long-term absentee, having suffered an ACL injury in the summer, while Maresca has confirmed Badiashile won’t be back for another couple of months, saying: “Benoit will be out until December. He is injured again with a muscle problem. He was doing fantastic, showing how good he is, and we will wait for him.”

That said, the manager is still likely to be concerned by just how susceptible his team have been to conceding chances, with Nottingham Forest missing four big opportunities and hitting the woodwork last weekend.

The Blues got away with it against Forest, but Sunderland made them pay on Saturday, with the Black Cats emerging as 2-1 winners at Stamford Bridge, which means the hosts have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table.

As such, Maresca may need to bolster his backline if Chelsea are to transform into title contenders, and they are now looking to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who is facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena.

That is according to a report from CF Bayern, which states the west Londoners want to sign Upamecano in 2026, at which point his contract with the German club will have expired, having been unable to agree a new deal.

Chelsea now join race to sign "hugely impressive" £70m Champions League forward

A new forward has emerged as a target for the Blues.

ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025

With the Blues potentially looking to offload ‘bomb squad’ member Axel Disasi, a new centre-back could be brought in to replace him, and the Bayern defender has been identified as a target, although there could be competition from Real Madrid.

"Outstanding" Upamecano could be exactly what Maresca needs

Jamie Carragher has made it clear just how much he disagrees with BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing young players, saying: “Chelsea should be title contenders and considered Champions League challengers this season. Instead, their hierarchy seems content to be praised for being the smartest recruiters in the business – the world’s richest development club.”

In fairness, while Chelsea did win the Club World Cup in the summer, the model is yet to translate to success in the Premier League, and more experienced players are arguably needed if they are to become title contenders.

As such, the “outstanding” France international, as lauded by Joshua Kimmich, could be exactly what they need, given that he is experienced at the top level, winning 11 major trophies throughout his career, and the 27-year-old’s passing ability indicates he could be an ideal fit in a Maresca system.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

89.32 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

93.4% (96th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.39 (95th percentile)

The £168k-a-week star’s potential availability on a free transfer is an added bonus for Chelsea, who clearly need greater strength in depth at the back, given that 19-year-old Josh Acheampong has emerged as a regular starter.