IN ENGLAND
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Arsenal star, Max Dowman has scored twice as Arsenal eased to a Carabao Cup third-round with a four-two victory at Ipswich Town.
The 16-year-old was one of two youngsters making their first appearance of the season from the start, alongside centre-back Marli Salmon, 17.
Dowman opened the scoring with a fine solo goal in the seventh minute.
Noni Madueke rifled in their second effort following Mikel Merino’s flicked ball over the top.
Merino fired in Arsenal’s fourth goal off the inside of the post, while Ipswich’s two goals were scored by Anis Mehmeti and Chuba Akpom.
Arsenal who have won every game this season will discover their fourth-round opponents on Wednesday.
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Fulham star Oscar Bobb struck his first goal to seal their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup after a three-two win over West Ham.
On an emotional night, Hammers fans paid tribute before kick-off to their former goalkeeper Ludek Miklosko who made almost 400 appearances between 1990 and 1998 after he died from cancer at the age of 64.
And the hosts twice fought back in a first half containing four goals with Morato and Pablo his first for the club cancelling out efforts from Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz and Cesar Palacios.
Defeat ended a six‑match unbeaten run for Championship leaders West Ham.
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Tottenham’s difficult start to the season continued as they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by a largely second string Liverpool side.
Roberto de Zerbi’s team at least managed to score their first goal this season against Premier League opposition, having failed to find the net in four league games.
But goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai helped Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool progress to the fourth round at Spurs’ expense.
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Brentford have secured their spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round with a two-one win at League One Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Callum Wilson and Fabio Carvalho both found the net in the first half to put Brentford into a two-goal lead, before Paudie O’Connor’s second-half header ensured the visitors had to work for their victory.
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Peterborough has moved into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup for the first time since 2009 thanks to a seven-six penalty shootout victory over Barnsley that followed a thrilling three-all draw between the two League One sides.
Barnsley were gifted the lead after sixty-one seconds when Peterborough goalkeeper Alex Bass was charged down by Cameron McGeehan, with the Tykes captain nodding in after the ball had come off the bar.
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Brighton star Femi Azeez is set to undergo a late fitness test ahead of Brighton’s Carabao Cup third-round clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Azeez joined Brighton from Sky Bet Championship side Millwall on transfer deadline day, but his debut for the Seagulls has been delayed by a minor hamstring injury.
The Nigeria international picked up the injury during Millwall’s opening-day clash with Bristol City.
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler revealed ahead of the trip to Old Trafford that Azeez will be assessed before a decision is made on his availability for the game.
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Referees’ chief, Howard Webb has admitted that the video assistant referee, VAR, did not even consider whether Enzo Fernandez was offside for Erling Haaland’s controversial winner in Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Speaking on the first edition of ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ of the season, Webb said he was really disappointed with the error made by the VAR Matt Donohue and his assistant Blake Antrobus.
Webb backed the decision to dismiss Foden, but said the action by Fernandes did not meet the threshold for violent conduct.
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Richarlison has publicly expressed his displeasure at Roberto de Zerbi’s decision to leave him out of Tottenham’s squad for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup tie against Liverpool.
The Brazil striker shared a screenshot of a social media post about his omission and accompanied it with the message “Why” and a tearful sad-faced emoji.
Richarlison’s future in north London has become increasingly uncertain after a proposed transfer to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama fell through last week.
Sources suggested the Premier League club had agreed a fee with with Vasco for the 29-year-old, but personal terms were not agreed before the Brazilian transfer window closed on Friday.
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Former Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma is on the verge of joining Ajax on an initial deal that runs until the end of the season.
The defensive midfielder, was out of contract following his release from Spurs in June but is now set for a return to football in the Netherlands.
It is understood Bissouma has agreed a deal until the end of the season with the option of a further twelve months.
The Mali international is currently in Amsterdam finalising the move to the Eredivisie club.
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England manager, Thomas Tuchel says he regrets not eating any of the grass at the Azteca Stadium after England’s World Cup win against Mexico.
His Three Lions beat the co-hosts three-two in the last-16 tie in July, despite playing much of the second half with ten men following Jarell Quansah’s red card.
Tuchel, though, made a bizarre admission during an interview with Daniel Sturridge for the FA’s forthcoming feature ‘Reflections: England’s World Cup Journey’.
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Cardiff’s Principality Stadium will host the women’s Champions League final in 2029.
The 73,931-seater venue hosted the men’s final between Real Madrid and Juventus in 2017 and will now welcome Europe’s elite female talents later this decade.
It comes nine years after Cardiff City Stadium hosted the women’s Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon with the latter winning on penalties following a goalless draw after extra-time.
The Cardiff city centre venue will be named National Stadium of Wales for the event to comply with Uefa sponsorship rules.
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Former England footballer, Raheem Sterling has admitted dangerous driving on a motorway before he crashed a Lamborghini in May.
The 31-year-old, from Berkshire, also admitted possessing nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation, and failing to provide a specimen for analysis.
Sterling, who appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, was arrested after crashing near the M3 in Hampshire on the morning of 28th May.
Sterling has eighty-two England caps, the last of which was won at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The former England winger pleaded guilty to driving a Lamborghini Urus dangerously on the M25, the M3, the A327 and Minley Road before he crashed.
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IN NIGERIA
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Nigeria’s Falconets have arrived in Bielsko-Biala ahead of their Round of sixteen clash against England.
The Falconets will now look to maintain their impressive form as they battle England for a place in the quarter-finals.
The encounter is scheduled to take place at the Bielsko-Biala Stadium on Thursday, with kick-off set for 2pm.
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Nigeria Premier Football League, NPFL champions, Enugu Rangers’ matchday 3 fixture with Nasarawa United has been moved to the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri, Imo State.
The shift of venue was confirmed by organisers of the Nigeria topflight, NPFL, in a statement on their official X handle.
According to the NPFL, the game was initially scheduled to take place at the Awka Township Stasium in Anambra.
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Meanwhile, Rangers General Manager, Amobi Ezeaku, rewarded the players with ten thousand dollars for their qualification for the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League
Ezeaku announced the cash gift while addressing the players after their penalty shootout victory over Sobemap in Lomé, Togo, assuring them that there would be more rewards for their efforts.
He also charged the players to maintain their discipline as they prepare for a tougher challenge in the next round of the competition.
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Doma United head coach, Deji Ayeni says the main objective of the club is to make a good impression in the Nigeria Professional Football League.
Off the back of a dream start to the 2026/27 campaign, winning three consecutive matches without conceding a single goal, Ayeni, praised his squad’s defensive discipline and winning mentality.
Buoyed by major scalps like their victory over Enyimba, the Savannah Tigers are fully focused on maintaining their momentum and proving that their flawless run is no fluke as they head into the clash against Kano Pillars.
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Super Eagles star Frank Onyeka is set to undergo a late fitness test ahead of Coventry City’s Carabao Cup third-round clash against Aston Villa.
Onyeka was forced off with an injury during Coventry’s five-nil home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
The defensive midfielder was replaced by Ghana international Caleb Yirenkyi with 18 minutes remaining.
Onyeka’s international teammate, Taiwo Awoniyi, will miss the encounter through suspension after being sent off in the 53rd minute against Brighton.
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Nigerian forward Gift Orban has made it clear that newly promoted Amedspor will not be intimidated when they face Turkish giants Beşiktaş this weekend.
The warning comes hot on the heels of a stellar individual performance from Orban, who netted a sensational 23-minute hat-trick to help Amedspor crush İstanbul Başakşehir five-nil.
Orban stated that the team would not be afraid to face Besiktas.
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Nigerian midfielder, Mubarak Suleiman has signed a new contract with Slavia Prague that will keep him at the Czech club until June 2031.
Suleiman joined Slavia Prague from Right2Win Academy in 2024 and quickly made an impression with the club’s youth side, scoring five goals in just three UEFA Youth League appearances.
The 19-year-old made his professional debut for Slavia Prague on February 8, 2026, scoring in their emphatic four-nil victory over Mladá Boleslav.
Suleiman continued to earn the trust of head coach Jindřich Trpišovský and has already made four appearances for the first team this season.
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OTHER LEAGUES
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Philippe Coutinho has joined his close friend and Brazil team-mate Neymar at Santos FC until the end of the season.
The former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder, has been without a club since leaving Vasco da Gama in February.
Coutinho returned to his childhood club in 2024 but left after eighty-one appearances, saying he was tired mentally.
Santos welcomed the player on social media by posting an old photo of Coutinho and Neymar as teenagers, alongside a new version of them re-enacting the pose in the gym.
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Hull City forward, Oli McBurnie has been recalled to the Scotland squad for the first time in five years, with new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli also including seven uncapped players.
Luis Binks, Colby Donovan, Jon McCracken, Josh McPake and Stephen Welsh join McBurnie in Pocognoli’s first selection for upcoming Nations League matches against Slovenia (home and away), North Macedonia, and Switzerland.
As expected, Stoke defender Luke Graham and Sevilla striker Robbie Ure also received their first senior call-ups.
Scott Bain, Kieron Bowie, Josh Doig, Lennon Miller and James Wilson are recalled, and Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour returns after missing the World Cup injured.
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Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill says what upsets him the most regarding rules over international eligibility is the pressure put on young players to make an irreversible choice.
Any player born in Northern Ireland is also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland, but Fifa rules state that an application to transfer international allegiance can only be made once.
The situation has again been in the spotlight with regards to Arsenal teenager Ceadach O’Neill who has won two senior caps for Northern Ireland and on Tuesday was included in the squad for a Nations League quadruple-header, but has also been subject to an approach from the Republic of Ireland.
At present, the player would be required to undertake a Fifa transfer of international allegiance should he wish to play for the Republic of Ireland at any level, but if he makes an appearance in the upcoming Nations League quadruple header, would have to wait until he is 21 to do so.
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Wales coach, Craig Bellamy has handed a first call-up to Cardiff City forward Cian Ashford for Wales’ return to the top flight of the Nations League but is without key defender Joe Rodon to take on Erling Haaland and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Wales face Portugal, Denmark and Norway in League A of the competition, but will do so without first-choice centre-back Rodon who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Defensive partner Dylan Lawlor is also missing from the 28-man squad he is yet to appear this season because of a knee problem as is fellow Cardiff defender Ronan Kpakio.
Leeds United’s Harry Wilson and Wolves midfielder Jordan James return to the squad after missing June’s friendlies with Ghana and Romania through injury, as does Swansea City defender Ben Cabango.
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OTHER SPORTS
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In Athletics, Kenya has been awarded the right to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships after beating competition from the United Kingdom.
The historic decision was announced on Tuesday, during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting held in Budapest, marking a significant achievement for Kenya and African athletics.
The 2029 championships will become the first edition of the global athletics competition to be staged on African soil.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praised Nairobi’s bid as compelling and emotional, fulfilling the federation’s goal of bringing the championships to the African continent for the first time.
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In Tennis, Former world number four Jack Draper will not play again this season, but says he is aiming to return to the tour at the start of next year.
The 24-year-old has been suffering with bone bruising in his serving arm and has only played nine events since last year’s Wimbledon.
Draper missed the US Open, after losing in the first round in Montreal and Cincinnati last month and was in tears during his defeat to France’s Terence Atmane in Canada.
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In Rugby, Wales have been dealt another injury blow before their WXV Global Series campaign with Harlequins’ Kayleigh Powell ruled out of the entire tournament.
The 27-year-old sevens Olympian was a standout player at full-back during the Six Nations and impressed at fly-half when Wales ended their nine match losing streak against the Barbarians in June.
She will sit out Wales’ Tests against South Africa, USA and Japan after suffering a hamstring injury in training.
Wales open their WXV campaign against South Africa at Cardiff Arms Park on Friday before hosting USA at the same venue eight days later.
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In Golf, there are no plans to create an instant pathway back to the PGA Tour for LIV Golf’s biggest stars.
Major winners Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith are contemplating their futures after LIV filed for bankruptcy protection last week as the breakaway league tries to create a new circuit for next year.
Rahm said he was uncertain about his future plans.
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In Cycling, Tom Pidcock and Zoe Backstedt will lead Great Britain’s challenge at the 2026 Road World Championships.
The races for the coveted rainbow jerseys take place in Montreal, Canada, from 20th to 27th September.
The championships include both the road race and time trial disciplines, with Pinarello Q36.5’s Pidcock leading the men’s team in the road race, while Ethan Hayter races in the men’s time trial.
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TODAY’S FIXTURES
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IN CARABAO CUP – THIRD ROUND
Everton vs Wolves
Fleetwood Town vs Sheffield United
Coventry City vs Aston Villa
Manchester United vs Brighton
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IN UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE- LEAGUE STAGE
Ararat-Armenia vs Sparta Prague
Omonia Nicosia vs Celta Vigo
AC Milan vs Benfica
Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Celje
Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar
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IN SPANISH LA LIGA
Atletico Madrid vs Osasuna
Deportivo de A Coruña vs Sevilla
Barcelona vs Racing de Santander
Levante vs Athletic Club
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning…words from Pelé.
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