Category: Sport

Hugo Ekitike has apologised to Liverpool followers after he was despatched off for eradicating his shirt following his late League Cup winner towards Southampton — a celebration labelled “silly” by supervisor Arne Slot.

The 23-year-old new signing slid residence Federico Chiesa’s cross 5 minutes from time to seal a 2-1 win over second-tier Southampton as Liverpool produced one other late present at Anfield on Tuesday.

The France ahead had changed £125-million ($168 million) British-record signing Alexander Isak at half-time after the Sweden worldwide opened his account for the membership.

Ekitike’s first involvement was to be booked for punching the ball away in frustration.

Shea Charles equalised however Ekitike scored the winner within the eighty fifth minute — wheeling away to the nook flag and eradicating his shirt earlier than holding it up for the cameras.

Referee Thomas Bramall had no choice however to subject a second warning adopted by a purple card, which means the ahead might be suspended for the Premier League leaders’ journey to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

A shame-faced Ekitike, who signed for the membership in July for £69 million, mentioned he had obtained carried away.

“I used to be so excited tonight to assist the staff obtain one other victory right here in our residence for my first Carabao Cup (League Cup) match,” he posted on Instagram.

“The emotion obtained the higher of me tonight,” he added. “My apologies to all of the Crimson household.”

Liverpool supervisor Slot was distinctly unimpressed, labelling Ekitike’s behaviour within the third-round tie “pointless” and “silly”.

“I instructed him that in the event you rating within the Champions League closing within the 87th minute after outplaying three gamers and hitting it within the prime nook I can perhaps perceive,” he mentioned.

“He’s like, ‘That is all about me, what did I do’?

“However I’m old style, I’m 47 and outdated. I by no means performed at this degree however did rating a number of targets and if I scored a objective like this, I’d have circled and walked as much as Federico Chiesa and mentioned: ‘This objective is all about you, this isn’t about me’.”

Ekitike has began the season nicely, with three targets in 5 Premier League video games.

However he’s locked in a battle for a ahead slot with Isak and may ailing afford to overlook video games, with the Swede desirous to make his mark.

jw/bc

SEATTLE — Ultimately, once they wanted a giant hit, it was Josh Naylor, the person who introduced such a noticeable edge to this surging Seattle Mariners group over these previous two months, who delivered it.

His eighth-inning, bases-loaded three-run double Tuesday night time triggered a 4-3, come-from-behind victory over the Colorado Rockies, despatched the Mariners again into the postseason and put them on the cusp of a long-awaited division title. The final time the Mariners gained the American League West, it was 2001, a yr highlighted by 116 regular-season wins. That may change as early as Wednesday, with both one other win by them or one other loss by the Houston Astros.

However first, the Mariners celebrated their first postseason clinch since 2022 — and hoped for a lot of extra.

“We wanna do all of ’em — and a giant one ultimately,” Naylor mentioned, puffing on a cigar simply steps away from a champagne-and-beer celebration in the course of the Mariners’ clubhouse. “With a pleasant parade across the metropolis.”

Seattle stays the one present main league metropolis that has but to host a World Sequence sport, however this season’s group is frequently inspiring hope for October.

Tuesday’s win was the Mariners’ fifth in a row and fifteenth in a stretch of 16 video games — instantly following a 6-15 stretch that made followers marvel if their group was poised for an additional late-season slide. It adopted a powerful sweep in Houston, one through which the Mariners by no means trailed. And it has them pondering their greatest is perhaps forward of them.

The Mariners’ vaunted rotation — minus Bryan Woo, nursing a pectoral harm the group hopes gained’t preserve him out of the playoffs — is dominating once more as so many anticipated at the beginning of the season. Their lineup, bolstered by the midseason additions of Naylor and fellow nook infielder Eugenio Suarez, is producing. Their bullpen seems deadly. In a yr when virtually each group possesses obvious weaknesses and has navigated robust stretches, the Mariners are making a case for being probably the most full.

“There’s a variety of work to do, beginning with the division,” mentioned Dan Wilson, a longtime Mariners catcher in his first full season as their supervisor. “Hopefully we get that completed before later and we preserve going. However there’s lots forward of us. And this group I feel is prepared and primed for it.”

The Mariners gained 90 video games and snuck into the playoffs, ending a 21-year drought, in 2022. They adopted by successful back-to-back video games in Toronto in the course of the wild-card spherical however misplaced three consecutive heart-wrenching ones to the Astros within the division collection, the final one an 18-inning shutout. In 2023, they flamed out in September and had been eradicated on the penultimate day of the common season. In 2024, they blew a 10-game lead within the division and had been eradicated with three video games left.

“These final two years have felt actually lengthy,” Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh mentioned. “Not going again, it’s been hurtful. Loads of ache.”

That wrestle, a few of the gamers consider, helped produce this second.

“These years served its goal — to get us stronger,” Mariners middle fielder Julio Rodriguez mentioned. “To get us in a greater place. To develop.”

Raleigh at one level put his arm round Jerry Dipoto, Mariners president of baseball operations, lamented how they’d simply performed eight innings of unhealthy baseball, then shifted the main focus. “Let’s go win the World Sequence,” Raleigh recalled saying.

For seven innings, the Mariners’ offense lagged in opposition to a Rockies pitching workers that possesses the best ERA within the main leagues. They trailed 3-1 heading into the underside of the eighth, however Rockies reliever Juan Mejia began the inning by plunking Luke Raley. J.P. Crawford adopted with a stroll, however Randy Arozarena and Raleigh struck out. Rodriguez then took a 1-2, 97.5 mph fastball off his left elbow guard, to load the bases.

Three pitches later, Naylor — slashing .292/.333/.486 since being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 24, seven days earlier than Suarez additionally came visiting from the D-backs — despatched a 2-0 fastball into the left-center-field hole, scoring Rodriguez from first base.

“It felt like two seconds,” Rodriguez mentioned. “It felt like two seconds for me, actually. As quickly as I noticed him hit the ball within the hole, I simply began operating.”

Andres Munoz, the Mariners’ lights-out nearer, breezed by way of the ninth, sending a T-Cell Park crowd of 35,925 into jubilation. The Mariners improved to 49-27 at residence. Their lead over the Astros has stretched to 4 video games with 5 left. Their lead over the surging Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers, all of the sudden tied within the AL Central, is at three video games for a first-round bye.

It has been practically 1 / 4 century because the Mariners gained a playoff sport at residence.

They need as many as they will get this yr.

“We need to play at residence,” Rodriguez mentioned. “I don’t need to go away my neighborhood to play.”

NEW YORK — José Caballero, a Yankee for all of 54 days, proudly carried a championship belt — given to the participant of the sport after each New York victory — round his left shoulder as alcohol-soaked chaos raged round him within the dwelling clubhouse Tuesday evening.

Acquired on the commerce deadline to offer a flexible set off the bench, the utility infielder fulfilled his duties to the max for the excellence: An inning after getting into the sport as a pinch runner, Caballero swatted a two-out, walk-off single on the ninth pitch of his at-bat to carry the Yankees to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox and clinch the sixtieth postseason berth in franchise historical past.

“That is the perfect time to have the belt,” Caballero stated, “and I’m not letting it go.”

Coupled with the Toronto Blue Jays’ loss to the Boston Crimson Sox, the Yankees moved inside a recreation of first place within the American League East with 5 video games remaining. Toronto, nonetheless, holds the tiebreaker over New York. The Yankees must surpass the Blue Jays within the standings by the top of Sunday to assert their twenty second division title and earn a bye into the AL Division Sequence to start their pursuit of a second consecutive AL pennant after falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers within the World Sequence final season.

“This October we’re coming to show some extent,” Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. stated.

For now, the Yankees are assured their eighth postseason look over the previous 9 years and their twenty sixth journey within the 32 seasons because the playoffs have been expanded to eight groups in 1994. Their magic quantity to clinch the highest AL wild-card spot — and assure home-field benefit in a three-game wild-card collection — is three. The Yankees haven’t performed in a wild-card collection because it was first applied in 2022.

“The final word purpose is to win our division,” New York proper fielder Aaron Decide stated as teammates bathed him with MVP chants and showered him with alcohol. “It’s nonetheless proper there for us. So, we’re enthusiastic about getting in, however we acquired greater issues forward of us.”

The Yankees, regardless of boasting the third-most costly roster in baseball, entered the season with urgent questions after shedding Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free company and Gerrit Cole to a season-ending UCL tear in spring coaching.

What adopted has, to this point, been a three-chapter story. The Yankees’ 42-25 file to begin the season by means of June 12 was third finest within the majors. From there, they went 22-31 by means of Aug. 12, tied for the seventh-worst mark in baseball. They then went 25-12 since Aug. 13, the perfect file within the majors, to ignite Tuesday’s celebration and lower the Blue Jays’ division lead by 5 video games.

Challenges surfaced all through the marketing campaign. Oswaldo Cabrera’s ugly season-ending knee damage in Could opened a gaping gap at third base that wasn’t addressed till the commerce deadline. Giancarlo Stanton didn’t make his season debut till mid-June as he handled tendon accidents in each elbows. Clarke Schmidt, one other rotation stalwart, joined Cole on the checklist of Tommy John surgical procedure recipients in July. Luis Gil missed the season’s first 4 months with a lat damage.

Anthony Volpe’s struggles at shortstop and within the batter’s field drew constant boos all summer season and, ultimately, a dip in taking part in time. Devin Williams, acquired over the winter, twice misplaced his job as nearer. Veterans DJ LeMahieu and Marcus Stroman have been designated for task.

And at last, the newest main blow: The flexor pressure Decide suffered in his proper arm in late July — which compelled a 10-day journey to the injured checklist to interrupt his MVP-level marketing campaign — restricted him to designated hitter for a month upon his return and forged doubt over his capability to unleash full-effort throws from proper subject.

“It’s been a difficult yr, no query about it,” Yankees supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “However at my core, and particularly as we acquired right here to the ultimate couple months after which we acquired to the ultimate month, I’m wanting round in there and figuring out that we’re fairly wholesome and getting guys again … I [felt] like our greatest baseball was completely forward of us and, hopefully, even nonetheless is forward of us.

“However I believe we’re a extremely good membership. It doesn’t assure something, however I’ll actually take our probabilities up towards anybody.”

The Yankees overcame the obstacles with a mixture of inner improvement and exterior additions.

Trent Grisham emerged because the every-day middle fielder with a profession yr. Cody Bellinger, acquired over the offseason to compensate for Soto’s departure, gave the Yankees the left-handed bat they wanted behind Decide whereas offering elite protection at 4 positions. Ben Rice solidified himself as a potent energy hitter and a catcher the Yankees can belief. Rookie Cam Schlittler joined the rotation in July, simply earlier than the All-Star break, and didn’t relinquish his rotation spot. Chisholm turned the third Yankee to ever submit a 30/30 season.

And on the deadline, common supervisor Brian Cashman, recognizing the roster was clunky and quick on relievers, acquired three place gamers for extra roster versatility and 4 right-handers to overtake the bullpen.

“The depth may be very spectacular,” Bellinger stated. “Simply the kind of guys we acquired right here, man. The tradition right here may be very spectacular, may be very enjoyable to be part of. And we simply imagine in one another.”

A type of place gamers added on the ultimate day in July starred when it mattered most Tuesday evening, placing collectively the sort of at-bat that wins video games in October to ship the Yankees to the postseason once more for an additional probability at World Sequence title No. 28.

“We’re coming for the large factor,” Caballero stated.

CLEVELAND — It occurred quick. And with no ball even leaving the infield. The Detroit Tigers took a 2-0 lead into the underside of the sixth inning in an important sport in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday solely to see their ace crumble on the mound in a number of totally different and dramatic methods.

“We did numerous uncharacteristic issues, and it’s hurting us,” Tigers supervisor A.J. Hinch mentioned after the Tigers’ 5-2 loss.

First, Tarik Skubal tried to flip a bunted ball by his legs along with his again to first base, solely to see it sail over teammate Spencer Torkelson’s head, placing runners on second and third. It was the second of two consecutive bunts by the Guardians, who got here into the night time trailing the Tigers by only one sport after being down as many as 10 1/2 on Sept.1.

After a 3rd bunt within the inning went awry — Skubal’s 99 mph fastball struck designated hitter David Fry within the face, and he needed to be carted off — Skubal threw a wild pitch after which balked. Each of these led to runs.

Recreation. Set. Match. The Tigers have been caught within the AL Central.

“There’s some frustration,” Skubal mentioned. “Dropping isn’t enjoyable, and we’ve been dropping loads.”

Hinch added: “He selected to do the emergency flip [through his legs], which isn’t simple to do and didn’t produce play. That’s an instance of an uncharacteristic mistake piling up on us on the worst time.”

That’s an understatement. The American League’s finest group within the first half has fallen laborious, losers of seven in a row. Not solely did the Guardians catch Detroit within the standings however additionally they secured the tiebreaker, in case the groups match data when the common season ends later this weekend. Nothing goes proper for the Tigers.

“We didn’t play our sport tonight,” catcher Dillon Dingler mentioned. “I do know that’s redundant to say during the last two weeks.

“We’ve been this manner for a pair sequence now. We positively really feel a few of the stress. Now we have to eradicate it. Now we have to search out methods to remain unfastened and residential in on what we have now to do and go on the market and do it.”

The Tigers performed that a part of being unfastened earlier than the sequence opener: Skubal was engaged on his crossword puzzle, others have been taking part in ping pong, whereas Hinch was advocating a constructive perspective. Who wouldn’t need to be taking part in significant video games and management their very own future, he opined within the dugout a number of hours earlier than first pitch. However then the sport began, and a win as soon as once more slipped by their palms.

And if these sixth-inning miscues weren’t sufficient, the Tigers additionally struck out 19 occasions. That tied a franchise file for Cleveland pitchers.

“They received the strike zone on each side tonight,” Hinch mentioned. “They dominated tonight. We didn’t.”

The times are working dangerously low for Detroit to show issues round. Cleveland has all of the momentum. Enjoying at residence didn’t assist the Tigers final week, nor did a change of surroundings Tuesday with their ace on the mound. However they nonetheless management their future regardless that their future is as muddied as ever. A wild-card berth or maybe a shocking ouster altogether from the postseason are rising prospects.

“Have to point out up tomorrow and win a baseball sport,” outfielder Riley Greene mentioned. “We consider in one another. Now we have to play higher baseball and we have now to win. That’s what it comes all the way down to.”

LIVERPOOL, England — It took lower than a minute for Alexander Isak to make his intentions clear.

With simply seconds on the clock in Liverpool’s 2-1 Carabao Cup victory over Southampton on Tuesday, the Sweden worldwide took the ball in his stride and drilled it goalwards, solely to see his effort tipped over the bar by the stretching Alex McCarthy.

Barely 40 minutes later, although, McCarthy was choosing the ball out of his personal web as Liverpool’s latest marksman wheeled away in celebration, having notched the primary purpose of what many on Merseyside hope can be an illustrious Anfield profession. Within the second half, Isak watched from the bench as fellow summer season signing Hugo Ekitike scored the successful purpose for the hosts, reserving the membership’s place within the fourth spherical of a contest they’re bidding to win for a record-extending eleventh time.

After weeks of debate about how Slot will be capable of preserve his two big-money strikers completely happy, each Isak and Ekitike delivered to make sure the Liverpool boss ended the evening with a smile on his face — even when the Dutchman was left to lament Ekitike’s “pointless” second-half dismissal for selecting up two yellow playing cards.

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Contemplating the likes of Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz had been afforded a uncommon likelihood to observe the motion unfold from the consolation of their very own sofas, it’s no exaggeration to say Slot now has a humiliation of attacking riches at his disposal.

Nonetheless, the Liverpool head coach was as soon as once more made to attend to see his workforce clinch the victory, with Ekitike’s 86th-minute strike marking the sixth event in seven video games this season the Reds have scored a successful purpose within the remaining 10 minutes of a sport. The disjointed nature of Liverpool’s show on Tuesday evening can, partially, be attributed to the actual fact Slot made 11 adjustments to the facet that beat Everton 2-1 in final weekend’s Merseyside derby.

In addition to a begin for Isak, Slot handed debuts to goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and defender Giovanni Leoni, with the latter, specifically, impressing earlier than he was substituted with what gave the impression to be a knee damage late within the second half. However, despite the massive gulf in assets between the 2 golf equipment, Southampton carried out admirably and nearly took the lead shortly earlier than the break when Leo Scienza nodded large after Adam Armstrong’s preliminary strike got here crashing off the publish.

Simply 39 seconds later, Will Nonetheless’s facet discovered themselves behind, with Isak sweeping previous McCarthy after the Southampton goalkeeper’s miscued go was picked off by the energetic Federico Chiesa. Because the Sweden striker slid throughout the Anfield turf in celebration, it seemed as if a weight had been lifted.

After discovering himself on the centre of the summer season’s most poisonous switch saga earlier than his acrimonious Newcastle United departure, Isak is now enjoying with a goal on his again. After all, having joined the Premier League champions in a British file deal, there’s an expectation the ahead will ship for Liverpool on far grander phases however, in scoring towards Southampton, he has now formally introduced his Anfield arrival.

“It’s good,” Slot mentioned of the striker’s landmark purpose. “It is just six or seven days in the past he made his debut, so time goes so quick, however we received him not in the very best circumstances by way of match health. You can not play him 90 minutes and in the event you solely play him 45 it would take some time earlier than he scores his first purpose.

“The very best second we begin to see what he’s hopefully is when he comes again from the Sweden nationwide workforce. Then we are able to count on much more from him, however till now very completely happy.”

It was Ekitike, although, who made certain of the win, tapping residence from Chiesa’s lay-off after Shea Charles had restored parity for the guests within the second half. It was the Frenchman’s fifth purpose in eight video games since becoming a member of the membership in a £69 million deal from Eintracht Frankfurt however, if his cool end provided additional proof of his high quality, then his impetuous determination to take away his shirt throughout the celebrations — having already been proven a yellow card for dissent — confirmed he’s nonetheless a participant with loads to study.

“It was pointless and silly,” Slot mentioned. “The primary one was already pointless and to a sure extent silly as a result of you need to management your feelings. I understand how arduous it’s when you’re a No. 9 when the defender can to a sure extent do something he likes.

“It’s all the time the very best to regulate your feelings. For those who can’t, do it in a method that doesn’t result in a yellow card.”

Ekitike’s antics imply he can be unable to function for Liverpool in Saturday’s Premier League conflict with Crystal Palace. However, with Isak now off the mark, it could possibly be the proper alternative for the Reds’ new No. 9 to essentially make an announcement.

Sacking Dak Prescott could be bittersweet for Micah Parsons.

The 2-time All-Professional go rusher downplayed his upcoming return to Dallas and expressed his emotions about probably taking down his buddy and former teammate in a dialog with The Related Press on Tuesday.

Parsons and the Inexperienced Bay Packers (2-1) face off towards Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys (1-2) in entrance of a nationwide tv viewers on Sunday night time.

“It’s going to be painful,” Parsons advised the AP about getting an opportunity to sack Prescott. “That’s my man. He was at all times like mentor for me. However you understand how it’s. He at all times advised me if I ever confronted him that it’ll be an incredible matchup, so I’m excited to see what Sunday brings itself.”

Parsons plans to deal with it like an abnormal recreation, although it’ll be his first time inside AT&T Stadium as a customer.

“I accepted my destiny weeks in the past when the commerce occurred,” Parsons mentioned. “So, for me, it’s simply all about enjoying one other recreation and simply doing what I do greatest, and that’s simply be a disruptive soccer participant. I believe the media and the followers try to blow it as much as be such an enormous factor. However I simply have a look at it as simply one other recreation at AT&T.”

Only a recreation that was circled on everybody’s calendar after Cowboys proprietor Jerry Jones traded Parsons to the Packers one week earlier than the NFL’s season opener, ending a prolonged contract dispute.

The Packers elevated their Tremendous Bowl hopes with Parsons and made the 26-year-old the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL historical past by signing him to a four-year, $188 million contract that features $136 million assured.

The Cowboys (1-2) have struggled with out Parsons, particularly on protection. They’ve allowed the third-most yards (397.7 per recreation), most passing yards (288) and sixth-highest factors (30.7).

Regardless of lacking all of coaching camp and arriving in Inexperienced Bay per week earlier than the primary recreation, Parsons made an instantaneous influence on protection in a 27-13 win over the two-time defending NFC North champion Detroit Lions in Week 1. The Packers defeated the Washington Commanders soundly 27-18 4 days later. However the offense couldn’t get on monitor in a 13-10 loss on the Cleveland Browns in Week 3.

“Apart from the followers, simply the teammates, the help employees, I imply they made this transition so nice and I’m simply extraordinarily honored and blessed to be with such an incredible group of fellows that need to win and that simply need to play soccer and I believe we’ve been enjoying actually good soccer up to now, in order that helps and I simply hope we proceed that,” Parsons mentioned.