LEAGUES CUP
Messi has two assists
Lionel Messi on Wednesday had two assists, including one in the final seconds of the match, to help lift Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener. It was Messi’s first game since he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended for one match by Major League Soccer for skipping the All-Star game. He connected with Marcelo Weigandt for the winning score in the final minute of stoppage-time. “It’s a competition that we always do well in,” Messi said in Spanish during a post-match interview with Apple TV. “I think we did a great job against a great team.” Messi also assisted on Telasco Segovia’s goal that opened the scoring. He received a through-ball from Sergio Busquets and sent it to Segovia for an easy finish in the 58th minute. Rivaldo Lozano scored the equalizer for the Guadalajara club in the 80th minute before Weigandt’s goal in the 96th minute that had to be confirmed by the video referee after he was originally ruled offside.
Photo: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images
PREMIER LEAGUE
Burnley offer VR experience
Newly promoted Burnley are offering their fans a virtual-reality (VR) viewing experience, meaning they can enjoy being at the club’s Turf Moor from their room. A partnership with VR experts Rezzil would mean a “first of its kind” immersive broadcast of Burnley’s pre-season friendly against Italian club SS Lazio on Saturday next week. Fans who acquire special headsets would be able to take a virtual seat inside the stadium, complete with match day commentary and in-stadium audio. “It reflects our forward-thinking approach to fan engagement and our commitment to global supporters,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said. “Our mission is to provide the best experiences to fans, and by entering into the world of virtual reality, they can get closer to the game than ever before.” Manchester-based company Rezzil provides VR technology to help train athletes and provide analysis in sports. Last year it signed a four-year partnership deal with the Premier League aimed at revolutionizing fan engagement. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Burnley FC and the Premier League to bring fans a truly next-generation football experience,” Rezzil cofounder Andy Etches said.
SUPER LEAGUE
Dog bites Carles Perez
Aris Thessaloniki winger Carles Perez has been sidelined after sustaining a groin injury in a dog attack, Spanish media reported on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Spaniard was reported to be walking his own dog when he was bitten in the genitals by another dog during an attempt to separate the animals. The incident left him with a deep wound, requiring treatment in a hospital. Perez featured in the Greek side’s 2-1 loss to Araz-Nakhchivan in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Local media reported that he would be unavailable for the return fixture in Thessaloniki.
The 2025 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Mr Universe Chinese Taipei competition began yesterday at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, with more than 150 athletes showcasing their physiques. It is the first time in 16 years that the IFBB has held a competition in Taiwan, the last being the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. The professional bodybuilding contest is bringing together athletes from Taiwan and 16 other countries, including Malaysia, Japan, the US, France and Mexico. IFBB Chinese Taipei president Hsu An-chin said in an interview yesterday that the event came to Taiwan thanks to his lobbying efforts at last
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Cycling great Marianne Vos won the opening stage of the women’s Tour de France with a brilliant late attack on Saturday. The 38-year-old Dutchwoman overtook her Visma–Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot approaching the line, and then held off Mauritian rider Kim Le Court in the closing meters of a grueling uphill finish. Ferrand-Prevot looked set to win the stage, but the Frenchwoman attacked too early from 600m and could not withstand the late surge from Vos, who punched the air with her left fist as she crossed the line. Moments later, Vos hugged an exhausted-looking Ferrand-Prevot, the Paris-Roubaix winner. “I didn’t know if
US top seed Taylor Fritz dropped an early yesterday morning marathon to Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina of Spain, while the UK’s Emma Raducanu and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez reached the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA DC Open. World number four Fritz, two points from victory in the ninth game, dropped the last five games in falling to the 26th-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-5 after three hours and five minutes in a match ending just before 2am. Davidovich-Fokina advanced to the semi-final against US fourth seed Ben Shelton, who beat sixth-seeded hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Fritz, who had 20 aces and six
RSS