The Japan Times - Sports (English)

Spain call up majority of Women's World Cup winners, not Hermoso

New Spain coach Montse Tome called up the majority of the Women's World Cup winning players into her squad for upcoming Nations League matches, but left out Jenni Hermoso on Monday -- despite the fact many of them have not ended their strike.

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Iranians give Ronaldo an excited welcome in Tehran

Crowds of Iranian football fans gave Cristiano Ronaldo a rapturous welcome on Monday as his Saudi team arrived in Teheran for the first home-and-away club tie since the two countries resumed diplomatic relations.

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Springboks choose against picking late call-up Pollard for Ireland match

South Africa's director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said on Monday fly-half Handre Pollard will not feature against Ireland in their keenly-awaited Rugby World Cup Pool B match this weekend.

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Man City boss Guardiola says single Champions League trophy 'nothing special'

Pep Guardiola said Manchester City have not done "anything special" by winning just one Champions League as the holders prepare to launch the defence of their crown.

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Wan-Bissaka injury gives Man Utd fresh headache

Aaron Wan-Bissaka is set for several weeks on the sidelines after suffering an injury, giving manager Erik ten Hag a fresh headache as Manchester United's season threatens to unravel.

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New-look PSG in relaxed mood ahead of latest Champions League bid

Paris Saint-Germain have undergone sweeping changes over the summer ahead of their latest bid for Champions League glory, but new coach Luis Enrique insists the Qatar-owned club will not make winning European football's biggest prize an obsession this season.

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Derby nightmare set aside for Newcastle clash, says Milan's Pioli

Stefano Pioli insisted on Monday that AC Milan have turned their attentions to the Champions League opener with Newcastle United after local derby humiliation at the weekend.

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Spanish federation urges Women's World Cup winners to return

The Spanish football federation urged 39 striking players to return to the women's national team on Monday, ahead of new coach Montse Tome's first squad announcement.

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Barca under brutal pressure after our golden era: Xavi

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said Monday his time in the team as a player helped set a high bar which the club are now struggling to reach in the Champions League.

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African players in Europe: Tunisian's special United goal in vain

France-born Tunisia international Hannibal Mejbri scored his first goal for Manchester United at the weekend, four years after joining the club.

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Jones vows to protect Wallabies fly-half Gordon against Wales

Australia coach Eddie Jones admitted on Monday he will have to find a way to better protect young fly-half Carter Gordon after the playmaker had a horror show in the Wallabies' World Cup defeat to Fiji.

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Roy World Cup axe shows 'ruthless' side of sport: England selector

Jason Roy fell victim to "the ruthless side of sport" when he was axed from England's World Cup squad on the eve of the tournament, selector Luke Wright said on Monday.

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Position of privilege: enviable English dilemma over keys to No 10

England coach Steve Borthwick finds himself in the enviable position of overseeing a wealth of riches at fly-half as a returning Owen Farrell joins the mix alongside George Ford and Marcus Smith in the contest to start at No 10.

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India celebrates World Cup 'booster shot' after Sri Lanka 'battered'

India celebrated the 10-wicket thrashing of Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final as "a booster shot" Monday for the one-day World Cup starting on home soil in a fortnight.

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Springboks coach Nienaber has tricks up his sleeve, says Murray

Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray has warned his teammates that if there is one thing he knows about South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber from his time at Munster, it is to expect the unexpected.

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Giants deliver epic comeback, Commanders rally and Chiefs win

The New York Giants rallied from 21 points down to win 31-28 at the Arizona Cardinals in a remarkable franchise-record-equalling comeback on Sunday.

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Red miss, super Sainz, lively Lawson: Singapore GP talking points

Red Bull's hopes of winning every race in the 2023 season were dashed in Singapore, where Ferrari's Carlos Sainz triumphed and an exciting rookie claimed his first championship points.

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Theegala sweeps to maiden PGA Tour victory in California

Sahith Theegala cruised to a maiden PGA Tour title on Sunday, romping to victory by two strokes at the Fortinet Championship in northern California.

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Coe eager to see Tokyo stadium filled with fans for 2025 World Championships

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe is looking forward to seeing Tokyo Olympic Stadium packed with fans for the 2025 World Championships, but says the sport will feel the knock-on effects of the Covid pandemic through 2028.

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World records for Duplantis, Tsegay as Diamond League concludes in Eugene

World and Olympic pole vault champion Armand Duplantis improved his world record with a leap of 6.23m at the Diamond League finals on Sunday, as Gudaf Tsegay shattered the women's 5,000m world record.

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'Not the prettiest', but England pleased with bonus-point win over Japan

England coach Steve Borthwick said he was "really pleased" that his side bagged a bonus point in their 34-12 World Cup victory over Japan in Nice on Sunday.

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Fiji light up World Cup, South Africa cruise and England grind out win

Fiji produced the upset the Rugby World Cup needed on Sunday beating Australia to end almost seven decades of rugby pain at their hands while the 2019 finalists South Africa and England made it two wins from two.

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Madrid comeback to stay perfect, Ramos enjoys Sevilla return

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 and climb back to the top of La Liga on Sunday, maintaining their perfect start to the season.

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Britain book Davis Cup finals berth with tie-break win over France

British doubles pair Dan Evans and Neal Skupski edged a white-knuckle duel with France to clinch one of the eight Davis Cup finals berths on Sunday.

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Tsegay, Duplantis set world records in Eugene

Gudaf Tsegay shattered the women's 5,000m world record and Armand Duplantis added a centimeter to his pole vault world record at the Diamond League finals in Eugene, Oregon on Sunday.

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England labour to victory over Japan in World Cup

England laboured to a 34-12 bonus-point victory over Japan in their second error-strewn World Cup match in Nice on Sunday to set themselves up as likely Pool D winners.

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Perfect Madrid come from behind to beat Real Sociedad

Real Madrid came from behind to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 and climb back to the top of La Liga on Sunday, maintaining their perfect start to the season.

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Lukaku on target as Roma smash seven past Empoli

Romelu Lukaku scored his first Roma goal in Sunday's 7-0 demolition of Empoli, his new team's first win of the Serie A season.

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Australia's Jones backs fly-half Gordon to bounce back

Australia coach Eddie Jones backed his young fly-half Carter Gordon to come good despite hauling him off following a poor showing in Sunday's historic World Cup defeat to Fiji.

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Mahomes leads Chiefs over Jags, Bills bounce back

Patrick Mahomes threw for two touchdowns as the Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from their season-opening loss to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

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Tsegay shatters 5,000m world record in Eugene

Ethiopia's 10,000m world champion Gudaf Tsegay shattered the women's 5,000m world record on Sunday, winning the Diamond League finals at Eugene, Oregon in 14min 00.21sec.

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Raiwalui praises Fiji's 'jackals' in Australia win

Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui paid tribute to his "jackals" after the Pacific Island nation claimed their first win over Australia since 1954 in a World Cup thriller on Sunday.

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