The list includes established names such as Thomas Partey, Mohammed Kudus, Jordan Ayew, Gideon Mensah, Antoine Semenyo, and Inaki Williams.

Union Berlin defender Derrick Arthur Kohn is handed his maiden call-up, while Atalanta winger Kamaldeen Sulemana also makes the cut. Midfielder Elisha Owusu returns to the national team after recovering from a lengthy injury layoff.

Rising star Caleb Yirenkyi earns a place in the squad following his fine form with Danish side FC Nordsjaelland and his eye-catching performances at the Unity Cup in London.

Defender Tariq Lamptey is recalled, with Christopher Bonsu Baah and Ireland-based goalkeeper Joseph Anang also included for the double-header.

The Black Stars will open their campaign away to Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4 before hosting Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

Ghana currently sit top of Group I after six games and will be looking to extend their lead as they push towards a fifth appearance at the World Cup.

Ghana, who lead Group I with 15 points, will begin the window with an away trip to N’Djamena to face Chad on Thursday, September 4.

They will then return home to host Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on Monday, September 8 — a fixture widely seen as decisive for their qualification hopes.

According to the GFA, players are expected to report to camp between Sunday, August 31, and Monday, September 1. The team’s first training session is set for September 1 at the Accra Sports Stadium and will be open to the public and the media.

Preparations will intensify with a closed-door session the following day before Otto Addo’s squad departs for Chad. Upon arrival in N’Djamena, the Black Stars will hold their final pre-match workout on Wednesday, September 3.

After facing Chad, the team will return to Accra on Friday, September 5, for a recovery session, also open to fans and journalists.

Closed training follows on Saturday, September 6, before the final build-up session on Sunday, September 7, which will allow limited media access.

The home clash against Mali on September 8 is expected to be a crucial test as Ghana look to strengthen their grip on Group I and edge closer to a fifth FIFA World Cup appearance in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026.

READ ALSO

• 2026 WCQ: Otto Addo names Black Stars squad for Chad and Mali

The Villarreal midfielder, who missed the recent Unity Cup in London, returns to the Black Stars setup despite being involved in an ongoing legal case in England.

Also earning a place in the team is Union Berlin defender Derrick Kohn, who has been handed his maiden call-up.

He joins a core of regulars including Alexander Djiku, Jordan Ayew, and Mohammed Kudus.

Ghana will open their September fixtures with an away clash against Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4, before hosting Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

The Black Stars currently lead Group I with six matches played, three points clear of Comoros in second and five ahead of Madagascar in third.

With momentum on their side, Ghana remain firmly in the hunt for a fifth World Cup appearance.

The 22-year-old joins the Porcupine Warriors from Accra Lions, where he featured in nearly 50 Ghana Premier League matches, contributing three goals and two assists.

The young defender has signed a three-year deal after successfully completing his medical.

Speaking to Kotoko media, Hamzata expressed his excitement about the move.

“This is a huge step for me, and I’m grateful for the chance to wear the Kotoko shirt,” he said.

“I know the expectations here are very high, but I’m ready for that challenge. I want to grow as a player, help the team win trophies, and show that I can be one of the best defenders in the league,” he added.

Kotoko have also bolstered their midfield with the acquisition of Walid Neymar Fuseini, adding further depth to their squad.

With the 2025 GHALCA Top 4 tournament concluded, Kotoko now turn their attention to the Champion of Champions clash against Bibiani GoldStars, set for Sunday, August 31.

The 25-year-old, who is capable of playing centrally, in an advanced role, or on the right wing, expressed excitement after completing the move.

“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for. Playing for a club of Kotoko’s stature is a dream, and I believe my qualities can have a real impact here,” Fuseini told the club’s website.

“I’m eager to contribute immediately, especially with the return to Africa. The expectations are high, but I do well under pressure. I want to prove that I belong at the very top, and there’s no better place to do that than at Asante Kotoko if you want to play in Ghana.”

Fuseini joins the Porcupine Warriors with extensive Ghana Premier League experience, having made 81 appearances and featured in four CAF Confederation Cup matches.

He began his professional career with Bolga All Stars, where he made his name as a technically gifted and versatile midfielder.

Kotoko, fresh from their campaign in the 2025 GHALCA Top 4 tournament, will now shift focus to the Champion of Champions clash against Bibiani GoldStars on Sunday, August 31.

READ ALSO

• Kwesi Appiah plays down Kotoko’s poor GHALCA Top 4 campaign
• GHALCA Top 4 struggle a wake-up call – Kotoko Assistant coach…

The Porcupine Warriors will face last season’s FA Cup winners at the DUNs Park on Sunday, August 31.

Kotoko endured a difficult run in the recently concluded GHALCA Top 4 tournament, finishing without a win.

Speaking to the club’s media team, Amoah admitted the Reds must improve, particularly in front of goal, if they are to overcome Frimpong Manso’s side.

“From our past games with them, we’ve got a lot of chances, so we just need to work on our goal scoring so that the chances that we get, we will just be able to score them,” he said.

“In a game, there is a loss, a draw and a win, and this time we have lost one and we are not going to repeat it. We are going to work hard, and as I said, we will work on our finishing because we are creating chances, so we are going to work on our finishing and score them,” Amoah added.

The clash also serves as key preparation for Kotoko’s CAF Confederation Cup campaign, where they will face Nigerian outfit Kwara United in the preliminary round next month.

READ ALSO

• Kwesi Appiah plays down Kotoko’s poor GHALCA Top 4 campaign
• GHALCA Top 4 struggle a wake-up call – Kotoko Assistant coach Prince Yaw Owusu

After suffering back-to-back defeats, Leicester bounced back with a 1-0 win at The Valley on Saturday, thanks to Issahaku’s brilliant curling effort just three minutes into the second half.

Speaking to the club’s media, Cifuentes lauded the 20-year-old’s impact and described him as a vital part of his side’s attack.

“I trust his quality,” the Spanish gaffer said. “It was a fantastic goal that summarises very well what Abdul means for us.

“He has an extreme quality in the last third,” he added.

Issahaku will be aiming to build on his fine form when Leicester host Birmingham City at the King Power Stadium this weekend in the Championship.

The in-form winger is also expected to earn a place in Ghana’s squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chad and Mali next month.

Source: Samuel Appiah

READ ALSO

• Otto Addo to name Black Stars squad for crucial 2026 World…
• Fatawu Issahaku scores a stunner as Leicester City beat Charlton

The 32-year-old has been charged with five counts of rape involving two women and one count of sexual assault against a third. The alleged incidents reportedly occurred between 2021 and 2022, during his time at Arsenal.

The charges were filed shortly after his contract with the north London club expired at the end of June. Partey appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5, where he was granted conditional bail. His next hearing is scheduled for September 2 at the Old Bailey.

Amid the legal proceedings, Partey has completed a move to Spanish La Liga side Villarreal FC, opening a new chapter in his club career.

Black Stars coach Otto Addo is expected to announce his squad for the Matchday 7 and 8 qualifiers this week, with Partey’s inclusion still in doubt. Ghana will travel to face Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4, before hosting Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

Currently leading Group I after six games, the Black Stars are determined to maintain their momentum as they push for a fifth World Cup appearance.

READ ALSO

• Otto Addo to name Black Stars squad for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers

The senior national team will regroup next month for Matchday 7 and 8 of the qualification campaign. Ghana will first travel to the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4, before returning home to face Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

After a challenging 2024, the Black Stars began 2025 on a high note, securing consecutive victories against Chad and Madagascar in March. The team thrashed Chad 5-0 and followed up with a 3-0 win over Madagascar.

With the qualifiers resuming soon, Addo and his technical team are expected to name a strong squad for the crucial games. The coach has been monitoring Ghanaian players across Europe, while assistants John Paintsil and Fatau Daud have been overseeing local talent.

It is believed that Thomas Partey, who is facing rape charges, could be left out of the squad, while Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is expected to make a return to the team.

Currently topping Group I after six matches, the Black Stars will be looking to maintain their momentum as they chase a fifth World Cup appearance.

READ ALSO

• Owusu: I’m motivated to rejoin Black Stars squad
• Fatau Dauda calls for focus as Black Stars target wins against Chad and Mali

The Porcupine Warriors endured a disappointing campaign, suffering a 2-1 defeat to Bibiani GoldStars, drawing 1-1 with Heart of Lions before losing on penalties, and finishing with a 2-0 defeat to rivals Hearts of Oak — leaving them bottom of the table.

Speaking to Ghanasportspage.com, Appiah stressed that the results were secondary to the experience gained.

“Even if we lose 10-0, I don’t care. The most important thing is that they are playing games,” he said.

Appiah further argued that the competition could have been better utilised to test younger players.

“If I were Karim Zito, I would have used the youth team for the tournament. The main competition is the league and the Confederation Cup,” he noted.

Kotoko will now turn their focus to the Champion of Champions clash against Ghana Premier League winners Bibiani GoldStars on Sunday, August 31, at the DUNS Park.

READ ALSO

• Bibiani GoldStars clinch 2025 GHALCA Top 4 title in unbeaten run
• GHALCA Top 4 struggle a wake-up call – Kotoko Assistant coach Prince Yaw Owusu

As a consequence of their 15th-placed Premier League finish and Europa League final defeat by Tottenham, United are missing out on Europe for only the second time since English clubs returned to Uefa competition after a five-year ban in 1990.

It means they must start their Carabao Cup campaign a round earlier than usual, with Wednesday’s tie at League Two Grimsby their first meeting since 1948.

However, Amorim feels this is a minor issue compared to the free midweeks he will get to work with his players as the season progresses.

“We were not prepared to play in Europe and the Premier League,” he said.

“We need time to develop as a team.”

United’s previous entry into round two of the competition was in 2014 and ended in embarrassing fashion with a 4-0 defeat at then League One MK Dons, who had an 18-year-old Dele Alli in their side.

Now, as then, the intention is to make changes to the team that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Fulham.

“We have three games this week and we have quality players, so we need rotation to try to win every game,” said Amorim.

England duo Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, plus midfielder Manuel Ugarte and striker Joshua Zirkzee are among the senior players who have been among the substitutes but had limited – or none in the case of Mainoo and Zirkzee – playing time so far this season.

Goalkeeper Andre Onana is also likely to come into contention, along with youngsters Ayden Heaven and Tyler Fredricson.

Noussair Mazraoui is yet to feature as he recovers from an injury that kept him out of pre-season and the trip to Blundell Park may come too soon for the versatile Morocco defender.

“He is near,” said Amorim. “We are just finishing some drills with him to be sure he is not going to have another problem.”

It is not expected striker Rasmus Hojlund will play with negotiations continuing over a loan move to Serie A title holders Napoli. Sources feel that move is likely to happen more quickly than the exits of the four remaining members of Amorim’s ‘bomb squad’ of Antony, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia.

Manchester United have collected one point from their opening two Premier League games, after losing to Arsenal on the opening weekend of the season, and Amorim needs to take the Carabao Cup seriously given the winners qualify for Europe, which is the club’s stated aim for the season.

One year free from midweek European distractions offers the chance of a reset. Any more than that would bring a massive financial headache.

“We need time to build a base and then, in the future, to move forward,” said Amorim.

“We will reach a moment where we need to have Europe so everybody can play games.”

The Reds’ 16-year-old forward Rio Ngumoha scored a 100th-minute winner in a breathless match during which Newcastle fought back from 2-0 down with 10 men.

Opta’s statistics indicate the ball was in play for 40.8% of the match – the lowest percentage in a Premier League match since February 2010.

“I’m not too sure if I saw a football match,” Slot told Sky Sports after the game.

“It was set-piece after set-piece, long throws. It didn’t have a lot to do with tactics. But I liked a lot how we stood strong.”

The match was played out against the backdrop of Alexander Isak’s desire to leave Newcastle for Liverpool, which contributed to a feisty atmosphere inside the stadium.

That translated onto the pitch, with Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon shown a red card for a rash challenge on Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk shortly before half-time.

There were 32 fouls in total – the most in a Premier League game so far this season.

“It was a very difficult first half hour, 45 minutes. We didn’t collapse at all and went 1-0 up,” said Slot.

“Newcastle going down to 10 men, you would expect is a big plus for us but when a goalkeeper takes every free-kick, there is not much hope [benefit] if you are one player up. That’s why it was so difficult to bring the 2-0 over the line.”

Gordon apologises for red card

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Gordon was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Van Dijk with his side 1-0 down

England forward Gordon has apologised for his dismissal, saying his “intentions were pure”.

In a post on social media, the 24-year-old said: “I was just trying to create energy in the game and I mistimed the tackle.

“I also want to apologise to Virgil. I would never intend to tackle somebody like this on purpose. We spoke after and he knows that.

“More importantly, I’m proud of the time I spent on the pitch and how we played. The atmosphere from you all is what makes St James’ Park so special.

“I love everything we stand for as a club and no more than right now. I’ll be back and better, the same as every other setback I’ve faced.”

The senior national team is set to regroup next month for Matchday 7 and 8 of the qualifiers, beginning with a clash against Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4, followed by a home fixture against Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

Mensah, who represented Ghana at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, believes the team’s strong performances in the last international window signal a bright path ahead.

“If they play like they did in the last two games, I believe they can qualify. They are playing well now, and they know each other very well. I believe if they keep that up, they can qualify,” Mensah told Citi Sports.

The former Sunderland defender also emphasized the importance of maintaining the squad to sustain success and potentially end Ghana’s trophy drought.

“This is a team they are maintaining to stay in the national team. I believe if they keep them together and make a few changes, they can continue to work together and achieve a trophy for the nation,” Mensah, who played 86 times for Ghana and scored three goals, added.

Ghana currently leads Group I with 15 points after six matches, positioning themselves strongly in the race for World Cup qualification.

READ ALSO

• Fatau Dauda confident Black Stars can secure wins in 2026 World…
• Otto Addo to name Black Stars squad for crucial 2026 World…

The Porcupine Warriors endured a winless run in the pre-season competition, suffering defeats in all three matches. Kotoko opened with a 2-1 loss to Bibiani GoldStars, fell to Heart of Lions on penalties after a 1-1 draw, and wrapped up their campaign with a 2-0 defeat to archrivals Hearts of Oak.

With the CAF Confederation Cup on the horizon, Owusu acknowledged that the team must quickly address their shortcomings.

“It’s exactly what we are doing to get the boys ready for the African Cup and the league as well,” he said. “Look, it’s a wake-up call for us…this is a wake-up call for us to fight back and make sure we get back on track to make sure we get back on the winning streak again,” he added.

Kotoko will now shift focus to the Champion of Champions clash against Bibiani GoldStars before facing Nigeria’s Kwara United in the preliminary round of the Confederation Cup.

READ ALSO

• Bibiani GoldStars clinch 2025 GHALCA Top 4 title in unbeaten run
• We will keep improving despite GHALCA Top 4 heroics – Hearts…

The 35-year-old suffered a 6-1 6-0 loss to France’s Diane Parry on a sparsely-filled Grandstand Stadium on Monday.

Czech Kvitova said in June that she would end her 18-year career in New York.

Kvitova triumphed at the All England Club in 2011 and 2014, claimed a total of 31 WTA Tour titles and reached a career-high of second in the world rankings.

“I wanted to put out a better performance but it was tough to know that maybe it was my last one – [I’m] emotional,” Kvitova said on court afterwards.

“It’s been a long and amazing journey.”

Meanwhile, French former world number four Caroline Garcia also brought her career to an end after a 6-4 4-6 6-3 defeat by Kamila Rakhimova at Flushing Meadows.

Kvitova has been a fan favourite for many years thanks to her huge groundstrokes and booming left-handed serve.

There were fears her career would end prematurely after she was stabbed in her left hand by an intruder at her home in 2016.

The attack damaged tendons and nerves in her playing hand but she returned to playing in June 2017 and went on to reach the Australian Open final two years later.

In recent years she has fallen down the rankings and last made the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam in 2020.

Kvitova missed the entire 2024 season to have her son, Petr, and only returned to action in February.

It took her five tournaments to register her first victory – which came against Irina-Camelia Begu on clay in Rome in May – but that was her only win since becoming a mother.

Almost two months on from bidding a tearful goodbye to Wimbledon – which she called her “special place” – Kvitova called time on her career at the tournament where she twice reached the quarter-finals.

After quickly going down a break against world number 107 Parry, she rallied to reach 40-0 on serve then saved a break point to get her first game on the board.

But that proved to be her only success in a one-sided first set that Parry wrapped up in just 25 minutes.

Kvitova exited the court between sets to regroup – already visibly emotional at the prospect of this being her last match – but the second followed a similar pattern.

Winning just four points behind her own serve, Kvitova suffered a second-set bagel as Parry saw out a clinical victory.

“Since I wake up this morning, I felt it. I felt it would be not good,” Kvitova added.

“I couldn’t eat. I was really nervous. couldn’t move, I couldn’t swing, I couldn’t do anything.

“It was really difficult but I’m glad I did it.”

‘Time to move on’ for Garcia

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Garcia won the French Open doubles title twice alongside partner Kristina Mladenovic

Garcia, who had her best Grand Slam singles result in New York with a semi-final showing in 2022, announced in May that it was “time to move on” from tennis.

The 31-year-old has spoken openly about her mental health struggles, ending her 2024 season early after being left “exhausted” by anxiety and panic attacks.

As well as managing a shoulder injury, Garcia said she had been suffering from the mental toll of life on the tennis tour.

Despite winning 11 WTA Tour singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles trophies in her career, Garcia said she was fixated on her failures, rather than her successes.

She has previously spoken out about the “damaging” abuse tennis players suffer after going out in the first round at last year’s US Open.

“The last couple of years for me were hard and kind of dark,” Garcia said.

“I almost left last year by hating tennis, and I thought it was the worst sport out there.

“But I did a lot of work on myself to understand what was going on, do one more season and leave it my own way.”

Sixth seed Keys, competing in New York for the first time since becoming a Grand Slam champion, put in a error-strewn performance in a 6-7 (10-12) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 defeat by the Mexican.

The American made 89 unforced errors, hit 14 double faults and saved just four of the 10 break points she faced.

“I feel like today for the first time in a while, my nerves really got the better of me, and it kind of became a little bit paralysing,” Keys said.

“You always kind of feel first-round jitters, and as the day is getting closer, you’re feeling more and more nervous.”​​​​​​​

Keys started the year in superb fashion, beating two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Melbourne to win a first Grand Slam title.

But after reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open, the 30-year-old suffered a surprise third-round Wimbledon exit to 37-year-old Laura Siegemund.

In New York, Keys made 37 unforced errors in the first set alone but managed to take it on a tie-break after Zarazua spurned five set points.

The match looked there for the taking for Keys as she breezed to a 3-0 lead in the next set, but the 2017 runner-up in New York then lost four games in a row.

She managed to take the set to a tie-break but double faults and errors helped Zarazua force a decider.

Keys’ coach and husband Bjorn Fratangelo offered advice and encouragement throughout – at one point saying: “It’s just a sport, nothing’s riding on the line” – but the American’s play remained erratic.

“I want to win, but [I was] just feeling like winning matters way too much. I just couldn’t quite separate myself from that,” Keys added.

“Once you start playing badly, it just kind of all snowballs.

“I felt like I was just slow, I wasn’t seeing things the way that I wanted to, which I feel like resulted in a lot of bad decisions and lazy footwork.”

Zarazua secured her first victory against a top-10 player when Keys netted on match point, sparking wild celebrations among the Mexican’s support team after a contest lasting three hours and 10 minutes.

Mboko out but Rybakina eases through

Victoria Mboko’s fairytale 2025 will not get the perfect ending after she lost 6-3 6-2 to 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.

The 18-year-old defeated four Grand Slam champions on her way to winning the Canadian Open earlier this month, and is now ranked 23rd in the world having begun the year down in 333rd.

But her inconsistency cost her at Louis Armstrong Stadium as the teenager struggled on second serve and committed 10 double faults.

Krejcikova looked much like her old self after slipping to 62nd in the rankings during an injury-hit year.

Elsewhere, ninth seed Elena Rybakina handed a harsh lesson to 16-year-old Grand Slam debutant Julieta Pareja, wrapping up a 6-3 6-0 win in one hour and two minutes.

The world junior number one held her own in the opening stages, but soon succumbed to the 2022 Wimbledon champion looking to progress beyond the US Open third round for the first time.

American Pareja earned a wildcard spot after reaching the semi-finals in Bogota as a qualifier in her WTA debut, before finishing runner-up in both singles and doubles at this year’s Wimbledon juniors event.

Draper needed to dig deep to beat Argentine qualifier Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 in the first round.

The fifth seed, who reached the New York semi-finals last year, was playing his first singles match since Wimbledon in early July after suffering an arm injury.

“I needed tennis in my legs. I needed to play a three-hour match,” Draper said.

“I was almost a bit happy when I lost the third because my level wasn’t amazing.

“Then I felt like towards the end of the fourth I started to get better and better.”

Draper, 23, is seen as one of the contenders for the title on his return to the scene of his breakout Grand Slam run.

While not quite at his reliable and powerful best, the left-handed Englishman was ultimately content with how he largely negated Gomez’s explosive game.

Draper soaked up a lot of pressure at the baseline, asking questions that his 203rd-ranked opponent was not able to answer consistently.

After saving a match point in the tie-break, Gomez managed to extend the contest before Draper regrouped to seal victory with his second match point.

“I wasn’t too sure if I was going to make it here,” Draper said when asked about the injury.

“I’m not putting too much expectation on myself. I’m so happy to be able to compete.”

Fellow Briton Cameron Norrie is also through to the second round after American opponent Sebastian Korda was forced to retire injured.

How arm injury affected Draper

All eyes were on Draper’s upper left arm as he took to the singles court for the first time since a shock Wimbledon second-round exit almost eight weeks ago.

The attention was not necessarily to evaluate his beefed-up muscles, but to see if there were any issues with the bruised humerus that has troubled him recently.

Draper did not play the recent ATP 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati to give himself time to recover, but competed in last week’s revamped US Open mixed doubles competition to build sharpness.

On his singles return, Draper wore a compression sleeve – which provides support and comfort – on his troublesome serving arm.

Draper insisted before the match he would not hold back, although his serve speeds were slightly slower than usual.

“I’ve definitely had to rein in my serve a little bit to keep the pain down,” he said.

“At the same time, though, I feel like my accuracy is almost a bit better.”

An average of 111mph in the first set, dropping to 108mph, 110mph and 106mph in the next three, indicated he was not going full throttle.

The precision of Draper’s kick serve contributed to not being broken until the end of the second set – which he went on to win – and was crucial again as he dominated the fourth.

While his forehand winners were outnumbered by Gomez’s own blistering weapon, there were gasps when he did produce ferocity off that wing.

Flatter hitting from that side in the fourth brought Draper more success as he teed up a second-round clash against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs – another explosive, fearless opponent.

‘Nervous’ Norrie through after Korda retirement

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Cameron Norrie has never progressed past the fourth round at the US Open

A “nervous” Norrie was worried about being first on court at 11:00 local time and need to fuel up before playing an opponent who was ranked inside the top 20 a year ago – and against whom he had lost three of four past meetings.

Ultimately the 30-year-old did not need to be overly concerned, as Norrie was leading 7-5 6-4 when Korda, 25, ended the match early.

American Korda only returned to tour action last week following a near three-month shin stress fracture lay-off.

He called a medical timeout at the start of the second set against Norrie when he appeared to be struggling with an abdominal issue.

Although Korda persevered for the remainder of the set he was unwilling to go any further, sending Norrie through to face Argentina’s Francisco Comesana.

“I was very nervous for the match,” said Norrie.

“Playing a Grand Slam match at 11am and trying to get rice down at 10am is not easy!”

Stan Collymore’s winner in 1996 still brings out Geordies of a certain generation in a cold sweat and it was just a couple of years ago that Darwin Nunez snatched all three points at St James’ Park with a late, late sucker punch.

Not even these goals were as tardy as Rio Ngumoha’s 100th-minute strike on Monday night, however.

Having fought back from 2-0 down with 10 men, and lost Fabian Schar, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton to injury, Newcastle went home with nothing.

Yet the crowd’s reaction at full-time said it all as Newcastle fans stood to applaud Eddie Howe’s exhausted side.

“Those guys make me proud,” the head coach said of his players following the 3-2 defeat. “Their spirit and togetherness has never been in question. They’re absolutely entwined into Newcastle. They want to be here, they want to play. They’re connected to the club. in a way that’s very deep.”

Fans’ passion matched on the field

Those words felt timely.

It was just a few months ago that Alexander Isak wrote himself into club folklore by scoring against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final to help end the club’s 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy.

Yet it was Liverpool’s fans who were singing about Isak this time around as the away end repeatedly urged Newcastle to “hand him over”.

Isak was conspicuous by his absence once again, as the wantaway Swede – for whom Liverpool have had a £110m offer rejected – continues to train away from the rest of his Newcastle team-mates. Inevitably, this saga added a new dimension to the game.

It certainly did not feel like an early season fixture, as a result.

The Liverpool players were booed getting off the team bus. By the time the visitors made it out to inspect the pitch, there were Newcastle fans gathered to jeer them some more. When the champions’ line-up was read out by the stadium announcer, a few minutes before kick-off, the cacophony of boos was deafening.

The passion of the home support was matched by the intensity Newcastle played with. Liverpool, tellingly, conceded seven fouls in the opening 20 minutes alone as they aggressively tried to keep the hosts back.

Liverpool went on to take the lead, courtesy of Ryan Gravenberch’s effort, before Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon literally left his mark on Virgil van Dijk’s calf and was sent off.

By the time former Newcastle target Hugo Ekitike, of all people, doubled Liverpool’s lead second into the second half, it looked a long way back for the hosts.

But the stadium erupted once more when captain Bruno Guimaraes’ header pulled one back. It felt like the roof was going to come off when William Osula scored a late equaliser.

Just when it seemed like Newcastle were on course for a hard-fought point, though, Liverpool snatched all three at the death.

Isak resolution finally imminent

Liverpool were certainly clinical.

But Newcastle will still rue not pressing home their advantage with a full complement of players when the game was goalless.

Set-plays were wasted. The hosts were screaming out for a poacher to get on the end of teasing crosses that were gratefully claimed by Alisson. On the one occasion a delivery from Harvey Barnes picked out the head of Gordon, the forward failed to hit the target.

Digging deeper, Newcastle have had 26 shots in their opening two league games of the season, but Howe’s side have managed just six efforts on target and two goals.

Although Osula got on the scoresheet on Monday night, the 22-year-old is still developing and has never started a Premier League game for the club.

However, if Newcastle do not reach a breakthrough in the transfer market in the coming days, the Dane could yet line up against Leeds United on Saturday after bids were turned down for Wolves star Jorgen Strand Larsen and Brentford striker Yoane Wissa.

It was certainly not lost on Howe that one of the best strikers in the world is still on Newcastle’s books – and how the hosts could have used the Isak of old.

“The quality of Alex would have made a difference in the team,” Howe said. “I don’t think there’s any denying that. But, that said, the team has functioned really well.

“The performance of the players and the team in the two games doesn’t happen without every part of the team functioning well. You can’t carry anyone in this division against any opponent. Yes, we needed to score in that first half when we were on top. Goals change games, but we’re just dealing with what we have.”

Howe said he was “not party to the talks that were happening” after suggestions that Jamie Reuben, the club’s owner, had held face-to-face discussions with Isak while chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan is also in town.

But, one way or the other, a resolution to this saga is finally imminent, with the window closing on 1 September.

How it is needed.

The Gunners want a left-sided defender as a priority this summer, with Ecuador international Hincapie emerging as a strong candidate.

Arsenal’s recruitment staff have watched the 23-year-old extensively, sources told BBC Sport.

Hincapie has a 60m euro (£52m) release clause and is keen to leave the German club before the transfer window closes.

He has made 166 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen since joining in 2021 and was part of the squad that won the Bundesliga and German Cup in 2023-24.

Arsenal have spent more than £200m on new signings this summer and are now working to sell players – with Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko among those who could leave.

There has also been some interest in centre-back Jakub Kiwior, with Porto among the clubs keen.

Tottenham have also been linked with a move for Hincapie, but sources insist he is not a player Spurs are currently pursuing.

Having seen Anthony Gordon sent off for a lunge on Virgil van Dijk on the stroke of half-time, Newcastle fell 2-0 down in the opening minute of the second half, when one of their previous transfer targets – Hugo Ekitike – slotted in his third goal in as many games for The Reds.

A match with the subplot of the Alexander Isak transfer saga had largely been in Newcastle’s favour prior to a goal against the run of play from Ryan Gravenberch, who struck from distance in the 35th minute.

Yet despite their numerical disadvantage, Newcastle thought they had battled back to secure a point when substitute William Osula prodded home in the 88th minute, after Bruno Guimaraes had dragged The Magpies back into the contest.

It was a Liverpool substitute who had the final say, though, with 16-year-old Ngumoha bending in his first top-flight goal to seal an extraordinary victory for the Premier League champions.

The Ghanaian tactician has guided the Falcons of Jediane to the last four after a dramatic penalty shootout triumph over Algeria.

Speaking ahead of their clash with Madagascar on Tuesday, August 26, Appiah emphasised that the team’s ambition extends beyond merely competing in the tournament.

“Our goal is beyond just participation. We aspire to achieve the African title,” Appiah told CAFOnline.

The former Black Stars coach also commended his players for their resilience and highlighted the motivation drawn from the millions of Sudanese fans supporting the team.

“Millions of Sudanese people follow us, and they also support us, so I say it frankly: we aspire to achieve the African title,” he added.

The semifinal showdown is set to take place at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with kick-off scheduled for 16:30 GMT.

The senior national team is set to regroup in September for Matchday 7 and 8 of the qualifiers. Otto Addo’s side will face Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno on September 4 before returning home to host Mali at the Accra Sports Stadium on September 8.

Reflecting on Ghana’s back-to-back wins in March, Dauda expressed confidence that the team can maintain their momentum.

“In March, we played two games and we won, and Ghanaians showed up in their numbers to support the team. But that game is past, and we have games coming up. If we want to win, we need to score and work hard,” Dauda told GHOne TV.

“We will do our very best to win the games, but I also know it will not be easy. We need to work hard. I know the opponents will be analysing us, and we will also be analysing them. At this level, it is tough, but we need to win these two games if we want to go to the World Cup, which will not be easy, but I know we can do it,” he added.

Meanwhile, coach Otto Addo is expected to name his squad for the upcoming fixtures later this week. Ghana currently leads Group I with 15 points from six matches.

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The Miners enjoyed an unbeaten run in their debut campaign, clinching the title after three impressive performances. They opened with a dramatic 2-1 win over Asante Kotoko, edged Hearts of Oak on penalties following a 2-2 draw, and wrapped up their campaign with another shootout victory against Heart of Lions after a 1-1 stalemate.

Reflecting on the achievement, the former Ghana international could not hide his joy.

“Obviously, I should feel happy, and now you can see the whole team and everybody is happy,” he said.

Manso admitted that Hearts of Oak had been one of the strongest sides in the tournament but stressed that his focus was solely on lifting the trophy.

“We were expecting very good opposition from Kotoko, but to be honest, Hearts of Oak have been playing well in this tournament. For me, all I wanted was for us to win the cup. So whatever it would take for us to win the cup, I wouldn’t mind. That’s why I stayed calm while they were playing,” Manso added.

With the GHALCA Top 4 title secured, GoldStars will now shift focus to the Champion of Champions clash against Asante Kotoko at the DUNs Park, before turning their attention to the upcoming domestic season and their maiden appearance in the 2025/26 CAF Champions League.

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The Phobians ended the competition with two wins and a draw, narrowly missing out on the title due to the head-to-head rule. Their campaign, however, concluded on a high note with a commanding victory over arch-rivals Asante Kotoko.

Reflecting on the performance, Dramani said meticulous preparation was key to the win against Kotoko.

“We respect opponents’ strengths, and we play to our strengths while planning around that. There was a lot of work on Saturday to try and work through how we would deal with their long ball situations, anticipate second balls, and put pressure on their centre-backs so they can make mistakes,” he explained.

The former Black Stars assistant coach stressed that Hearts must continue to focus on the fundamentals.

“I think there is still a lot to improve, and we want to build on the basic aspects where players can meet the necessary expectations of energy, effort, and performance. These are the areas we will continue to emphasise,” Dramani added.

Hearts of Oak will now shift focus to the Democracy Cup, where they face city rivals Great Olympics at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium on September 5, 2025.

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The card is known as the 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs Jordan & Bryant card and was sold by Heritage Auctions in the United States.

It had been in the hands of its previous owner for more than a decade and went into auction with a valuation expecting it to achieve £4.4m ($6m) or above. In total 82 bids were then received as the estimate was more than doubled.

The winning bid beat the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card, which was sold for $12.6m in August 2022, though the exchange rate at the time meant this was equivalent to £10.8m.

The Jordan-Bryant card is the second most expensive sports collectable ever, behind baseball legend Babe Ruth’s 1932 World Series “called the shot” jersey which sold for £18.1m ($24.12) in August 2024.

Heritage’s director of sports auctions Chris Ivy told ESPN the Jordan-Bryant card was “the pinnacle” for modern card collectors.

He added that “another one can’t be created” and has always been looked at by modern basketball collectors as a “holy grail”.

“The pre-auction estimate was $6m-plus. So sometimes if a piece is unique like this, it’s really beneficial to let it have its day,” Ivy said.

Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest player in NBA history winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls between 1991 and 1998.

Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020, is also considered an NBA legend and won five championships during a two-decade stint at LA Lakers between 1996 and 2016.

Medvedev has produced some extraordinary moments at Flushing Meadows over the years – but what happened on the 2021 champion’s way to another humbling defeat was perhaps the most incredible.

As the Russian faced match point at 5-4 in the third set, the cameraman walked on to the playing surface between his French opponent Bonzi’s first and second serve.

Cue bedlam as the incident – and Medvedev’s reaction – changed the course of the match.

Medvedev, 29, raged after umpire Greg Allensworth decided Bonzi could have another first serve, whipping the New York crowd into a frenzy and forcing a delay of six minutes and 24 seconds.

Bonzi understandably lost focus as boos rained down and could not serve out victory.

Almost two hours later, shortly before 1am local time, he eventually secured a remarkable 6-3 7-5 6-7 (5-7) 0-6 6-4 win.

“I just expressed my emotions, my unhappiness with the decision, and then the crowd did what they did without me asking them too much,” said Medvedev, who has won just one Grand Slam match this year.

“It was fun to witness.”

The photographer, who appeared to be trying to find a position in the long-lens pit at the side of the court, was later escorted out of Louis Armstrong Stadium by security.

“His credential has been revoked for the 2025 US Open,” United States Tennis Association organisers told BBC Sport.

‘The energy was wild’ – how the drama unfolded

When an inspired Bonzi served for the match in the third set, Medvedev’s recent struggles looked set to continue with a straightforward defeat.

Then the tone of the match – and the whole night – switched in an instant because of the mistake by the unsuspecting photographer.

Allensworth instantly shouted at the man to get off court and gave another first serve to Bonzi, because he deemed the interference to be an unreasonable delay.

Medvedev, who had been subdued to that point, became furious with Allensworth – whipping up the crowd with his hands as he skipped towards the umpire’s chair to protest.

The former world number one accused the official – who was criticised by American player Reilly Opelka over a decision earlier this year – of “wanting to go home”.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Medvedev was described as the US Open’s “friendly villain” by former American player Sam Querrey in his role as an ESPN analyst

By now, the crowd was frenzied in its support of Medvedev and a chant of “second serve” rang around Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Medvedev continued to act as the ringleader before eventually attempting to quieten the boisterous crowd.

During the tense delay, Bonzi told Allensworth that Medvedev should be given a time violation because “he caused this”.

When Bonzi eventually stepped on the baseline to serve, he was disrupted by more boos before finally resuming – and hearing cheers when he missed his first serve.

There were more roars seconds later when he lost the match point with a backhand into the net.

“The energy was wild. It was a crazy scenario,” Bonzi said.

“I have never experienced anything like that. It was so difficult to play, so noisy. But I tried to stay calm – it was not easy.”

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Bonzi also beat Medvedev in the Wimbledon first round last month

Medvedev antics take centre stage again

This is not the first time Medvedev has been the central character on an entertaining night in New York.

On his way to reaching the 2019 final, the he assumed the role of pantomime villain as he wound up the American fans.

He was booed for trolling the crowd with his provocative post-match celebrations and interviews, before winning them over with a heroic performance in a five-set defeat by Rafael Nadal in the final.

Two years later, Medvedev received their acclaim after beating Novak Djokovic to win his first major title – and celebrating with a comedic fall to the court inspired by a computer game.

In 2023, he argued with some supporters in a late-night battle against Australia’s Chris O’Connell – but this time Medvedev ensured the crowd was behind him in an attempt to turn the match around against Bonzi.

Medvedev recently opened up about his on-court antics in an enlightening interview with BBC Sport, describing his outbursts as like “honking a car horn”.

But his reaction to losing in the first round of a Grand Slam for the third time in a row was a concerning sight.

Instead of making a quick exit, Medvedev sat disconsolately on his chair before destroying a racquet by repeatedly smashing it against the metal bench holding his racquet bag.

The six-time Grand Slam finalist broke down in tears and stayed sat as Bonzi began his on-court interview.

Afterwards Medvedev, who looks set to drop out of the world’s top 20, said he felt during the match he wanted to “finish his career”.

Asked if it was the end, he replied: “Not today, but when I’m finishing my career, you never know where you want to do it. Today I was, like, ‘this could be a nice place to do it’.”

The 38-year-old Serb, who earned a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 win over American teenager Learner Tien, had not played since losing in the Wimbledon semi-finals in early July.

During the second set Djokovic’s level dropped considerably as he looked increasingly flustered and unsteady on his feet in a humid New York.

The 24-time major champion needed treatment for blisters on his toe after securing the second-set tie-break, but said the issue was not the reason behind his dip.

“I don’t have any injury or anything. I just struggled a lot to stay in long exchanges and recover after points,” said Djokovic, who is seeded seventh.

“I haven’t played an official match in six weeks. I had to deliver my A-game, which I think I did in the first set.

“In the second, particularly, it was surviving on the court. In the important moments I just put one ball more in the court than he did.”

As Djokovic heads towards retirement, he has continued to scale back his schedule.

The former number one’s focus has been increasingly centred on the Grand Slam tournaments as he aims to land a standalone record 25th major title.

Djokovic skipped the ATP Masters events in Toronto and Cincinnati leading up to the US Open.

In his pre-tournament news conference, Djokovic made a frank admission that he does not “enjoy” the elongated format of the Masters tournaments, which have been stretched to two weeks over recent seasons.

But when it comes to the biggest prizes, his appetite to win Grand Slam tournaments remains undimmed.

Beating the precociously-talented Tien, who is ranked 50th in the world, was Djokovic’s 75th consecutive first-round win at a Grand Slam event – the first singles player to achieve the feat in the Open era to achieve the feat.

“I wish I had Learner’s age – but when you come to the late 30s it’s about learning how to preserve the energy for what matters,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview.

“I still have the flair, I still have the drive, and you guys give me the energy. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

Shelton & Fritz begin bids to end 22-year wait

American pair Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz cruised into the second round as they began their latest bids to end the USA’s 22-year wait for a Grand Slam men’s singles champion.

Andy Roddick was the last American man to win a major singles title with his 2003 US Open triumph.

Fritz, 27, has come closest to breaking the drought, having reached the final at Flushing Meadows last year – making him the first American man in 15 years to reach a major showpiece.

Seeded fourth this year, Fritz beat compatriot Emilio Nava 7-5 6-2 6-3, while sixth seed Shelton dispatched Grand Slam debutant Ignacio Buse 6-3 6-2 6-4.

It is the first time since the 2007 US Open that two American men have been seeded inside the top eight.

“We’re in a great place in American tennis,” Fritz said.

“The women have been really carrying for a long time, but the men – we’re coming.”

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Ben Shelton (left) and Taylor Fritz (right) are the two highest ranked American men

Shelton, 22, was the first player of this year’s tournament to play on the iconic Arthur Ashe show court, taking just over two hours to wrap up victory.

The former semi-finalist is in good form, having won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open earlier this month.

“The US Open is the pinnacle of tennis for me and what I dreamed about as a kid,” Shelton said.

“It is starting to feel like home for me.”

Fritz will face either Sebastian Beez or qualifier Lloyd Harris in the second round, whilst Shelton will take on Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta.

Mensik advances on opening day

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Jakub Mensik has reached a career-high rank of 16

Teenage sensation Jakub Mensik had to work hard for a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-4 victory over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry as play got under way on Sunday.

Mensik, seeded 16th, won his first ATP Tour title back in March, beating Djokovic in the Miami Open final, and has twice reached the third round in New York.

The 19-year-old Czech will face Ugo Blanchet next after the French qualifier beat Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-4 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.

Elsewhere, Spanish 18th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina needed only 89 minutes to beat Alexander Shevchenko 6-1 6-1 6-2.

Dutch player Tallon Griekspoor was the only men’s seed to fall on the opening day, losing 7-5 6-4 6-0 to French veteran Adrian Mannarino.

The 23-year-old went off with a hamstring injury in Saturday’s home win against Leeds United and it is estimated the forward will be unavailable for up to four weeks.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is doubtful for the match at Anfield as a result of a shoulder injury suffered in the victory against Leeds.

Odegaard looked in pain as he was replaced in the first half of the 5-0 win and the former Real Madrid attacking midfielder is understood to have left Emirates Stadium with his shoulder in a sling.

The Norway playmaker has not yet been ruled out of the game against the Premier League champions and there is optimism at Arsenal that neither the 26-year-old or Saka will be long-term casualties.

There is particular relief regarding Saka, who missed three months of last season with a hamstring injury.

Arsenal have a much deeper pool of attacking talent this season though, having signed Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze this summer.

Gunners manager Mikel Arteta also has Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman to mitigate the absences of Saka and Odegaard.

At the University of Ghana Stadium, the Phobians looked sharp and purposeful from the first whistle, determined to end the tournament on a high.

Their dominance paid off just four minutes into the contest when teenager Frank Duku finished off a flowing 15-pass move by slotting the ball through goalkeeper Ibrahim Mohammed’s legs.

Hearts continued to dictate play after the break, and nearly doubled their lead when Martin Karikari’s thunderous half-volley was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by substitute goalkeeper Mohammed Camara.

The second goal eventually came in the 73rd minute as Emmanuel Amankwah rose highest to head home from a corner, sealing victory and sending the Hearts supporters into raptures.

Despite the convincing win over their fiercest rivals, Hearts were denied silverware, with GoldStars crowned champions of the 2025 pre-season competition on head-to-head advantage.

The Top 4 tournament has served as an important build-up for all four participating clubs as they prepare for the upcoming 2025/26 Ghana Premier League campaign.

Mbappe – who scored the only goal against Osasuna – made it three from two games as he first struck eight minutes before half time with a finish from the edge of the box, before sidefooting home a second late on.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, was among the substitutes for this game after starting in the previous fixture, with boss Xabi Alonso instead picking Dani Carvajal at right back.

The England international came on for the final three minutes of the game when Real were 2-0 up.

Vinicius Jr, who also started on the bench, added a third in stoppage time with a clinical strike.

Alonso started 18-year-old Franco Mastantuono in attack and the teenager impressed with a lively display.

Oviedo’s best chance came in the 81st minute when Kwasi Sibo’s long-range effort struck the outside of the post just before Mbappe got his second to make the win safe.

The win means Real join rivals Barcelona and Villarreal on six points after two games.

Hojlund did not know it at the time but that match could well end up being the last he starts for United.

With a £74m move from RB Leipzig front-man Benjamin Sesko pending – it was finally completed on 9 August – Hojlund featured for 18 minutes in the final tour game against Everton.

After that, he was an unused substitute against Fiorentina at Old Trafford and has not been involved in either of United’s two Premier League games so far.

It is anticipated Serie A champions Napoli will renew their push for the Denmark forward this week to find a breakthrough that would allow Hojlund to take up the role vacated by the injured Romelu Lukaku, who is set to miss four months with a thigh injury.

What United boss Ruben Amorim did not know as he spoke after that Bournemouth game, was the difficulty his side would subsequently have scoring goals in open play.

The 1-1 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage, after an opening 1-0 defeat by Arsenal, means United’s only goal so far this is an own goal, by Rodrigo Muniz.

They have played four times since that night in Chicago and scored four goals, a penalty, two own goals and a single effort from open play, Mason Mount’s well-worked effort against Everton.

United might lament their inability to leave Fulham on Sunday with maximum points but that is chiefly centred around another penalty, which Bruno Fernandes sent high over the bar.

As Fulham boss Marco Silva pointedly remarked: “In the second half, their best chances were set pieces, nothing more.”

It is probably not what Amorim would have expected after a summer outlay of £200m on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Sesko.

It is fair to put forward some mitigation on United’s behalf.

Sesko has had two weeks’ worth of training sessions with his new team-mates, who themselves are getting their heads round a different style of play.

The 22-year-old added 37 minutes off the bench at Craven Cottage to the 25 he got in the opening game against Arsenal and, as Amorim pointed out, his introduction came when United were “not in their best moment”.

According to the Portuguese, they began defending a lead rather than continuing to play.

Cunha came close to a sensational first-half goal when he controlled Altay Bayindir’s 70-yard pass downfield with one magnificent left-footed touch, even though he was at full speed and the ball was dropping over his shoulder, before maintaining his balance to have an effort on goal with his right foot, which Bernd Leno did very well to keep out.

The Brazilian also hit a post after being set up by Mason Mount and has made such an eye-catching start to his United career, it feels like a question of time before he does find the net.

Mbeumo too worked hard and had it not been for the exceptional pace of USA international Antonee Robinson would have been bearing down on the Fulham goal in the latter stages of the game.

Yet United’s attack feels, at present, like a group of talented players trying to get used to each other rather than a coherent unit.

Their xG against Arsenal was 1.52, against Fulham it was 1.62. They have had a combined 32 shots in those games yet their own goal came courtesy of the back of Fulham front-man Rodrigo Muniz.

Image caption: Manchester United’s chances against Fulham

As you would expect, Amorim rejects the notion a goalscoring problem that led to United netting just 44 league goals last season – their worst return since the 1973-74 relegation campaign – has not been solved. Since last season, the transfer money has been focussed on the attack.

“I forget about last season,” he said. “Like I said, we were more concerned about holding on to the result.

“We are going to score goals because we are creating so many chances. That is the important thing.”

Amorim has spoken often about the benefits of not having a European campaign to plan for this season.

It means in the three-week gaps between the two upcoming international breaks, the only midweek fixtures will be in the EFL Cup, if United progress.

However, time does not stand still.

United need to find a way of winning games while Sesko is getting up to speed with the Premier League and as Cunha and Mbeumo get used to him – and each other.

After finishing last season in 15th, they are presently 16th after two games, with a visit from newly promoted Burnley to come on Saturday.

Victory – ideally with direct contributions from the newcomers who scored 58 goals at club level last season – would quell some of the growing chatter. Amorim is convinced improvements have been made but they are yet to deliver tangible change.

‘The referee didn’t apologise’ – Fernandes’ penalty problem

Image source: Reuters

Image caption: Bruno Fernandes blazed his penalty over the crossbar in the first half

Any inquest around United would not have been quite so severe had skipper Bruno Fernandes scored the first-half penalty that would have put the visitors in front.

Instead, Fernandes skied the effort.

The award had been controversial as VAR Darren England stepped in to get referee Chris Kavanagh to check a Calvin Bassey challenge on Mason Mount that led to the United man ending up on the ground as a corner came in.

Fulham boss Marco Silva felt it should not have been awarded and also claimed Leny Yoro had committed a foul in the build-up to the visitors’ goal.

Fernandes had placed the ball on the spot and was striding backwards as part of his routine when Kavanagh accidentally barged into his shoulder, forcing the United skipper to go through his routine again.

On Sky Sports, former United players Gary Neville and Ashley Young felt the incident would have broken Fernandes’ concentration.

“I was upset,” said Fernandes afterwards. “As a penalty taker, you have your own routine and things you do.

“I was upset because the referee didn’t apologise. That is what triggered me in the moment.

“But it is not an excuse for missing the penalty. I had a bad hit on the ball. I got my foot under the ball and that is why it went over the bar.”

Captain Odegaard was withdrawn in the first half with a shoulder injury, while Saka left the field in the second half with a suspected hamstring injury.

Speaking post-match, manager Mikel Arteta said he thought the injury to Saka was “significant”, but those fears have been eased with sources saying neither player will be out for a substantial period.

Saka suffered a serious injury to his right hamstring last season, which kept him out for four months, but the issue picked up in Saturday’s match is not to the same leg.

Arsenal are already without forward Kai Havertz, who has been ruled out with a knee injury. However, Arsenal acted quickly to reduce the impact of his absence through the £60m signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

As well as Havertz, Christian Norgaard and Gabriel Jesus also missed the match against Leeds with injury.

Arsenal travel to Liverpool in the Premier League on 31 August.

Forest are hugely disappointed that supporters were permitted to bring the banner into Selhurst Park, according to well-placed sources.

Crystal Palace have been approached for comment by the BBC.

Palace and Forest played out a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park on Sunday, but the clash was overshadowed by the banner which, in addition to the portrayal of Marinakis pointing a gun towards Gibbs-White, read: “Mr Marinakis is not involved in blackmail, match-fixing, drug trafficking or corruption!”

Marinakis has consistently denied any wrongdoing in relation to such allegations.

The FA is probing the banner and will decide whether Palace face punishment.

There are strict rules regarding messaging contained in such banners regarding foul language and defamatory, political and offensive slogans.

The banner will serve to heighten tensions between the two clubs following a controversial summer that saw Palace relegated into the Europa Conference League with Forest taking their place in the Europa League after the London club contravened Uefa’s multi-club ownership rules.

Last month, Palace chairman Steve Parish said the decision to remove Crystal Palace from the Europa League was “the biggest injustice in the history of football”.

However, there is now major frustration at the City Ground that more was not done to prevent the banner from being displayed.

The banner is viewed at Forest as being inflammatory and xenophobic. They are privately questioning why Palace and the club’s ownership group consisting of Woody Johnson, Parish, Josh Harris and David Blitzer have not publicly criticised the banner.

Gibbs-White came close to leaving Forest for Tottenham earlier this summer after the London club appeared to trigger the England international’s £60m release clause.

But the midfielder ended up staying at the City Ground, signing a new deal, and speaking about his decision to stay in an interview alongside Marinakis.

The fiercely contested encounter at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium ended 1-1 in regulation time before GoldStars triumphed 4-3 in the shootout.

Heart of Lions broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when Ali Fawzi calmly slotted home to give his side the lead.

After the break, both teams increased their intensity, with GoldStars pushing forward in search of an equaliser.

Their persistence paid off late in the game when Sampson Eduku struck to level the score and force penalties.

In the shootout, GoldStars held their nerve to secure the win, moving their tally to seven points, a result that puts them in pole position to claim the trophy.

Despite the defeat, Heart of Lions picked up four points from the group stage and will take valuable lessons into the upcoming domestic campaign.

The tournament continues with a mouthwatering clash between archrivals Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko in the final group fixture at the same venue.

A Rodrigo Muniz own goal had given Ruben Amorim’s side the lead after 58 minutes, but substitute Emile Smith Rowe equalised with his first touch to earn Fulham a point.

United nearly took the lead after just three minutes, with Matheus Cunha striking the post after Mason Mount did well to pick out the Brazilian in the box.

Bruno Fernandes squandered a huge chance for United to take the lead towards the end of the first half, firing a penalty way over the bar, his fifth spot-kick miss in the Premier League.

Amorim’s side were awarded the penalty for Calvin Bassey holding Mason Mount in the box, following a VAR review, but United’s captain could not convert, much to the disbelief of Craven Cottage and his manager.

The visitors took the lead early in the second half when Lenny Yoro latched on to Bryan Mbeumo’s corner and his header diverted off Muniz and past Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal.

Yoro had originally been awarded a first Premier League goal, but the replay showed it was clear that his header was going wide before it hit the Fulham striker.

Marco Silva’s side fought back though, and Smith Rowe capitalised on Matthijs De Ligt leaving a cross, to poke home with his first touch of the match.

Both sides pushed for a winner, with Fulham looking the more likely to find one late on, but the points were shared.

Despite United creating plenty of chances and dominating large periods of the game, they were denied a first win of the season, as pressure continues to mount on Amorim ahead of their midweek Carabao Cup trip to Grimsby Town.

Fulham also remain winless with two points from their opening two matches and host Bristol City in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old will feature for the newly-promoted Belgian outfit throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

Afriyie spent last season on loan with Spanish Segunda División side CD Lugo.

La Louvière secured Afriyie as part of their squad reinforcement drive ahead of their maiden season in Belgium’s top flight.

The youngster’s arrival is expected to bolster the team’s attacking options as they prepare for a tough campaign.

Afriyie first caught international attention in 2024 with standout performances for Ghana’s U-20 side, the Black Satellites, before making his senior debut for the Black Stars.

His pace, flair, and clinical finishing have already marked him out as one of Ghana’s most promising talents.

The Belgian club is confident the forward can make an immediate impact as they seek to establish themselves at the highest level.

Afriyie has already linked up with his new teammates in training and could make his league debut this weekend when La Louvière take on reigning champions Union Saint-Gilloise.

Chukwuemeka, 21, spent the second half of last season on loan at Dortmund and is set to sign on a permanent basis for a fee rising to about £24m, with a significant sell-on clause included.

The England Under-20 international was keen to move back to the Westfalenstadion despite interest from RB Leizpig and is in the process of finalising his return.

That deal would take Chelsea’s income from player sales this summer to a league-high £273.4m, which almost balances out the £277m spent on incoming transfers.

Uefa have told Chelsea they must record a positive transfer balance this window in order to be allowed to register their new signings for this season’s Champions League.

It follows them having been fined £26.7m for a breach of Uefa’s football earning rules and having had a squad cost ratio – the proportion of their income paid out in wages – above 80%.

Meanwhile, Anselmino has agreed to join Dortmund on a season-long loan deal without any option to buy clauses included.

The Argentine defender was told by manager Enzo Maresca that he needed a loan move to play the minutes he needs to develop amid competition for places in the Chelsea first-team squad.

But he remains an important part of future planning at Stamford Bridge, and moves to Dortmund to cover the recent injuries of defenders Niklas Sule, Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck.

Chukwuemeka has played 32 matches for Chelsea since joining in a £20m move from Aston Villa in 2022, while Anselmino made a single substitute appearance at the Club World Cup having joined the west Londoners from Boca Juniors in January for £15.6m.

Chelsea hope to sign to more players in the nine days remaining in the window, with Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho and RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons targeted.

Forwards Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Tyrique George are expected to leave, while Chelsea could sell as many as nine players, including in the so-called ‘bomb squad’, with the Blues looking at options for Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Axel Disasi amongst others.

Jack Grealish was given his first start since his loan move from Manchester City and illuminated a historic day for Everton by playing a key role in the goals that set David Moyes’ side on the way to three points.

Grealish’s driven cross was turned in by Iliman Ndiaye after 23 minutes, a difficult close-range finish made to look easy.

It was a strike celebrated wildly by Everton’s fans inside their new home, with Ndiaye achieving the distinction of scoring their last Premier League goal at Goodison Park and their first at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Grealish’s pass then found James Garner for a blockbuster finish from 25 yards seven minutes after the break.

Brighton will feel they were architects of their own downfall as they missed a host of first half chances, with Danny Welbeck turning over from six yards and both Kaoru Mitoma and Jan Paul van Hecke striking the woodwork.

Brighton wasted another opportunity to get back into the game after 74 minutes when they were awarded a penalty when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall handled Yankuba Minteh’s shot, but Jordan Pickford dived to his left to save Welbeck’s spot-kick.

The team secured six gold, eleven bronze medals at the continental event, which featured over 200 athletes and officials from 16 African countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Tunisia.

Emmanuel Amo Boateng was Ghana’s standout performer, claiming three gold medals in the boys’ 71kg division after dominating the snatch, clean and jerk, and total lift events.

Salim Abdul added to the success, winning three gold medals in the boys’ 110kg category with a dominant performance that highlighted Ghana’s strength in the heavier divisions, while his teammates contributed further to the nation’s overall medal haul.

The five-day championship, held from August 18 to 22, marked Ghana’s debut as host of the African Junior and Youth Weightlifting Championship.

Ghana’s 17-medal haul secured the nation a place among the top-performing countries at the event, showcasing the remarkable progress of its youth and junior lifters.

Officials of the Ghana Weightlifting Federation hailed the achievement as a solid foundation to build on ahead of future continental and global competitions.

The Falcons of Jediane held their nerve in a dramatic shoot-out at the Amaan Stadium after a 1-1 draw across 120 minutes, with goalkeeper Mohamed Abooja the hero after saving twice.

Kwesi Appiah’s side, who topped Group D, remain unbeaten in the tournament and continue to build on their remarkable resurgence.

Both teams had entered the contest with high expectations, underpinned by mutual respect voiced by their coaches on the eve of the clash.

Algeria’s Madjid Bougherra had praised Sudan’s progress under Appiah, while the Ghanaian coach himself insisted his side would not sit back.

The encounter began tightly, with chances at both ends but no breakthrough in a scrappy first half.

Sudan thought they had taken the lead on the stroke of half-time, but Salah Adil’s effort was clawed away by Algerian keeper Zakaria Bouhalfaya.

The deadlock was finally broken early in the second half in chaotic fashion.

Musa Hussien’s strike was saved, only for Algerian defender Ayoub Ghezala to inadvertently turn the ball into his own net, handing Sudan the lead in the 48th minute.

The Desert Foxes, unbeaten in their last 10 CHAN fixtures, showed resilience.

They poured forward in waves, and their pressure told in the 73rd minute when Soufiane Bayazid bundled home from close range after sustained attacks.

From then on, both sides traded blows. Mohamed Tia Asad went close for Sudan with a header, while Aimen Mahious forced two superb saves from Abooja in extra time.

Injuries and substitutions disrupted the rhythm, but neither side could find a winner.

As the whistle blew at 1-1 after 120 minutes, penalties loomed.

In the shoot-out, Walieldin Khidir and Mohamed Ahmed Saeed converted confidently for Sudan, as did Bayazid and Mahious for Algeria.

But then the drama swung. Mehdi Merghem and Zakaria Draoui saw their penalties saved by the inspired Abooja, while Ahmed Tabanja and Mohamed Tia Asad sealed the deal for Sudan.

The Falcons triumphed 4-2, sparking jubilant celebrations among the Sudanese contingent and their supporters in Zanzibar.

Sudan’s victory secures their third-ever CHAN semi-final appearance, continuing a tournament where they have already beaten Nigeria 4-0 and held champions Senegal.

They will now face Madagascar at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, 26 August, at 17:30 local time.

Algeria, finalists in 2022, bowed out earlier than expected and saw their impressive unbeaten run snapped in painful fashion. Their wait for a CHAN crown continues.

The other semi-final pits Morocco against defending champions Senegal in Kampala later the same day — a heavyweight clash ensuring one of Africa’s giants will contest the final.

It was a tale of two wingers as Lamine Yamal assisted the injury-time own goal while Marcus Rashford started his first game for the club but was substituted at half time as the visitors sputtered in the first half.

In a game between the La Liga and Segunda Division champions, it was the newly promoted side who got out of the blocks faster.

Roger Brugue, Ivan Romero and 38-year-old stalwart Jose Luis Morales appeared to have cracked the code to Hansi Flick’s high defensive line, and though they were caught offside four times in the first half they also created several gilt-edged chances when they timed their runs perfectly.

That pressure paid off after a quarter of an hour when all three combined to give Romero a shooting opportunity from close range, the striker dancing around Pau Cubarsi and firing under Joan Garcia to open the scoring.

And Levante were even further into dreamland in added time at the end of the first half when Morales’ shot cannoned into Alejandro Balde’s arm following another counter-attack and the veteran made no mistake from the penalty spot.

But it was a different story after Dani Olmo and Gavi replaced Rashford and Marc Casado, as a swerving Pedri shot from distance beat Pablo Campos and Ferran Torres then turned the ball home from a corner to square the contest up just seven minutes into the second half before Unai Elgezabal redirected Yamal’s cross into his own net at the death.

It’s a heartbreaking loss for Levante, the second time in two weeks that they’ve conceded a winner in the 91st minute, while Barcelona look to continue their winning start against Rayo Vallecano next weekend.

It was a jubilant atmosphere in north London as Eze was introduced to the crowd before the game and the energetic crowd seemed to give the team a lift.

Jurrien Timber scored the opening goal, heading in a trademark set piece before providing an assist for Bukayo Saka for Arsenal’s second.

Saka smashed a shot past Lucas Perri just before half-time but then the England winger was forced to limp off injured in the second half.

Striker Gyokeres, a £64m signing, jinked into the box to score Arsenal’s third with a low strike before Timber scored his second from another corner.

Mikel Arteta also handed a Premier League debut to 15-year-old Max Dowman, who replaced Noni Madueke, who had been making his first start for the Gunners.

Dowman had an immediate impact, winning a penalty after being brought down by Anton Stach and Gyokeres slammed the ball into the bottom corner with almost the last kick of the game.

Dowman became the second youngest player to play for the club at 15 years and 234 days old, only behind his team-mate Ethan Nwaneri who made his debut at 15 years 181 days in September 2022 against Brentford.

Arteta will be concerned though by the injury to Saka, while he was also forced to replace Martin Odegaard in the first half after his captain limped off with an injury on his 200th appearance for the Gunners.

Leeds were outclassed for most of the match and only really threatened the Arsenal goal once when Pascal Struijk had a header saved by Raya.

The Foxes entered the match under pressure after back-to-back defeats, but Issahaku eased nerves with a curling strike beyond goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski at the end of a swift counterattack.

Charlton thought they had rescued a point late on when defender Lloyd Jones headed home, only for referee Dean Whitestone to rule it out for a foul.

Tyreece Campbell then spurned another chance in stoppage time, heading over the bar, as Leicester held firm to hand the newly promoted Addicks their first defeat of the campaign.

Issahaku featured for 83 minutes before making way. His compatriot Jordan Ayew played the full match.

He has been linked with summer moves to Sunderland and Everton in the ongoing summer transfer

Leicester will look to build on the win when they host Birmingham City at the King Power Stadium next weekend.

The Gunners, who revealed the signing ahead of Saturday’s game against Leeds, live on Sky Sports, will pay a guaranteed fee of £60m plus £7.5m in add-ons for the forward, taking their summer transfer spend to £267m.

Eze has signed a four-year deal with Arsenal, with the option of a further year, and will wear the No 10 shirt – previously worn by the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Mesut Ozil and Robin van Persie – as well as academy players Jack Wilshere and Emile Smith Rowe.

Spurs felt they had an agreement in place with Palace and Eze on Wednesday before their north London rivals reignited their interest and swooped in following an injury to Kai Havertz – though it is understood the German’s injury is a contributing factor – not the primary reason – for signing Eze.

Eze was one of a number of players Arsenal looked into in the first few weeks of the window, where, significantly, a lot of the work was carried out in June when they explored the conditions of a deal. The Gunners consider Eze as an option on the left, in the middle of the pitch – but also on the right.

Spurs were considering offering Richarlison in a deal for Eze. That would have freed up striker space for them to try and sign Yoane Wissa, who played under Thomas Frank at Brentford. Wissa still wants to join Newcastle, who had a second bid rejected on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Bournemouth striker was subjected to racist abuse during his side’s Premier League opener against Liverpool, forcing the match to be briefly halted after he reported the incident to referee Anthony Taylor.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the incident, Semenyo stressed that current measures are failing to deter offenders.

“Whatever the Premier League are doing, it’s not enough and there’s more that needs to be done,” he told ITV News.

He argued that only stronger sanctions would bring meaningful change: “It could be jail time, it could be banned from stadiums for a lifetime, it could be anything along the lines of that, but I feel like there has to be something else.

Meanwhile, Merseyside Police confirmed the arrest of a 47-year-old man in connection with the incident.

He has been released on conditional bail and is barred from attending any regulated football match in the UK as part of his bail terms.

Source: Samuel Ekow Amoasi Appiah

Spurs came here last November and inflicted a 4-0 humbling of City in a scintillating performance, and they went home once more with all three points courtesy of a resolute defensive display.

They started slowly as Omar Marmoush latched on to Pedro Porro’s loose header and squeezed a shot narrowly wide of the far post before seeing a thunderous strike from range pushed away by Guglielmo Vicario.

The Egyptian was lively early on and forced another excellent save from the Spurs goalkeeper after being played through by Erling Haaland.

With their first real threat of the game, Spurs took the lead courtesy of a lightning breakaway as Richarlison’s low cross was converted by Brennan Johnson.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside, but that was overturned following a review by the video assistant referee.

With seven minutes added on in the first half because of an injury to City left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, Spurs doubled their lead through Joao Palhinha who smashed in after a loose pass from goalkeeper James Trafford inside his own area.

It capped a difficult few minutes for the City keeper who could have been dismissed for a collision on the edge of the box with Mohammed Kudus.

Haaland should have pulled one back before the break but headed over from close range, and the home side were left frustrated in the second period as Tottenham made it two clean sheets from two in the league so far this season.

Originally slated for August 29 at the Accra Sports Stadium, the fixture has been rescheduled to September 5 and will see Accra Hearts of Oak lock horns with city rivals Accra Great Olympics.

The Democracy Cup, an initiative of Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, uses football as a platform to promote the values of democracy, unity, and civic engagement.

Explaining the decision, Parliament stated, “The decision to reschedule was made after careful consideration to ensure optimal facilities, security, and a premier experience for spectators, players, and supporters nationwide.

“The University of Ghana Sports Stadium offers premier amenities and a capacious environment to host this high-profile contest in the spirit of fair play, sportsmanship, and peaceful civic engagement.”

Last year’s inaugural edition was held at the Accra Sports Stadium, where Asante Kotoko narrowly defeated Hearts of Oak to lift the trophy.

He was joined by musician Kwabena Kwabena, the Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Kofi Okyere Darko (KOD), African Paralympic President Samson Deen, and several other dignitaries who participated in the walk ahead of the games.

The tournament, which officially opened at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium, has drawn over 50 institutions competing across 15 sporting disciplines, cementing its place as a flagship event on Ghana’s corporate calendar.

The Chief of Staff also performed the ceremonial kickoff to signal the start of the football competition.

At the heart of the competition is football, but the stadium’s courts will also buzz with volleyball, basketball, lawn tennis, table tennis, draughts, chess, scrabble, and even e-sports, reflecting the tournament’s rich diversity.

Myjoyonline’s photojournalist, David Andoh captured these photos from the tournament.

Speaking at the 2025 Sports Medicine Conference hosted by the Sports Medicine Association – Ghana (SMA-Gh) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, the Minister delivered a keynote address that set out six clear policy tasks for the Sports Medicine Association–Ghana (SMA-Ghana), aimed at transforming the landscape of medical support in sport.

The six priority areas include:

Event Medical Minimums: Instituting a “No Ambulance, No Event” rule across all sanctioned competitions.

Universal Pre-Participation Screening: Requiring annual athlete health assessments to ensure safe participation.

Workforce Development: Certifying at least 200 sports medicine professionals within the next year.

Injury and Illness Surveillance: Launching a national data system to inform prevention and treatment.

Clean Sport: Backing anti-doping education, testing, and regulation.

Governance and Insurance: Strengthening federation medical regulations and requiring athlete medical insurance.

Speaking confidently, Hon. Adams reaffirmed that these are not mere suggestions, stating, “I want to assure you of government’s full support through the Ministry of Sports and Recreation. These priorities will be backed by regulation, co-funding of equipment, and enforcement, working closely with the Ministry of Health, National Ambulance Service, and Ghana Education Service.”

The Minister underscored that sports medicine must play a central role in Ghana’s inclusive sport development agenda, from grassroots tournaments to elite performance. He also praised SMA-Ghana for convening a timely and highly technical national platform to set benchmarks and mobilise practitioners across the sector.

The conference is CPD-accredited and is a step forward in embedding evidence-based practice, athlete safety, and clinical accountability within Ghana’s sports ecosystem.

Tournament prize money has been a contentious issue this year, after the top 20 men’s and women’s players signed a letter asking for a greater share of revenue from the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

Earlier this month, the United States Tennis Association announced a 20% increase in prize money for the US Open – creating what is claims is “the largest purse in tennis history’ – with $90m (£67.4m) in total up for grabs.

“Look, it’s a step in the right direction,” Djokovic, 38, said on Friday when asked if the increase mirrors what players had in mind.

“Obviously it’s always nice and positive to see that Grand Slams are willing to improve the prize money overall across the board for the players.

“Whether it’s an ideal situation for us, I think overall I don’t think so. I think there is still a lot more room for improvement in that sense.”

Djokovic explained that he doesn’t want increases for himself, but for players lower in the rankings who rely on Grand Slams.

“I see that in the past when I talk about this topic, people like to say, ‘well, look at him, wanting more money for himself’. It’s not about that,” said the 24-time Grand Slam winner.

“I’m just talking about overall. Not many tennis players live out of this sport globally. That’s not something that I see has been talked about enough.

“It’s also important to understand that we live in a very commercial world. Entertainment and sports business are very big.

“And for Grand Slams, they are doing very well as well. So the US Open increased the prize money. Other slams are doing it too. But they also have a bigger revenue than the previous year.

“Then there is the inflation part, which is a completely different topic, but important to take in consideration when you talk about these things.

“Overall it’s definitely a positive step.”

Earlier this year, the Professional Tennis Players’ Association (PTPA) launched legal action against tennis’ governing bodies, citing “anti-competitive practices and a blatant disregard for player welfare”.

The lawsuit by the players’ group, which was co-founded by Djokovic, sought an end to what it describes as “monopolistic control” of the tennis tour, as well as financial compensation from the ATP, the WTA, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

Djokovic subsequently said that “there are things that I agree with in the lawsuit, and then there are also things that I don’t agree with”.

Djokovic will begin his US Open campaign on Sunday against American Learner Tien at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York City.