Seeking to make qualifying for the World Cup and European Championship more interesting, UEFA said Wednesday that men’s teams will no longer play in six-team groups after Euro 2024. UEFA said it expected “less predictable and more dynamic” play when qualifying for the 2026 World Cup begins in March 2025 with 12 groups of four or five teams each.In qualifying for the 2022 World Cup, England was unbeaten in a six-team group with four wins against Andorra and San Marino by a combined score of 24-0.A wider revamp of European men’s national-team soccer will see a new knockout round in the Nations League start in 2025 — which shapes as a congested year as UEFA and FIFA schedule potentially rival events.FIFA president Gianni Infantino has targeted a June 2025 launch for a 32-team Club World Cup which will lean heavily on European entries and could be played in North America. His goals detailed in Qatar last month met with pushback from European officials who said they were not consulted.UEFA’s projected calendar for the European summer in 2025 also includes a double-header of games for national teams in early June.“FIFA is planning a Club World Cup in the full knowledge of the international calendar,” UEFA director of competitions Giorgio Marchetti told reporters in an online briefing. “This (new UEFA) format does not impact the calendar at all.”Marchetti suggested an expanded Club World Cup could replace the old FIFA Confederations Cup slot that until 2017 was played in late June in the country hosting the next year’s World Cup. The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.However, the Confederations Cup had eight teams playing over two weeks, while a 32-team Club World Cup would likely last one month.Europe will have 16 teams at the 2026 World Cup when the tournament expands to a 48-team format and the three extra slots helped prompt UEFA’s review of qualifying.The 12 qualifying group winners in 2025 will advance to North America and the four remaining entries should be decided in playoffs in March 2026.“This is not the end of the story,” Marchetti acknowledged about the revised European schedule. “We will need to discuss also with FIFA because the World Cup is their competition.”Qualifying for Euro 2028 is likely to see 12 group winners and the six best runners-up advance directly. Six more entries for the 24-team tournament should be decided in playoffs that involve some teams based on their Nations League ranking.The biennial Nations League format currently sees the four winners of top-tier groups advance to a Final Four mini-tournament the following year.In 2025, the top two from each group will advance to a new quarterfinal round that will be played in March over two legs. Also in March, middle-ranking teams will play in new promotion-relegation playoffs between the top, second and third tiers.The added competitive games for some mid-ranking nations can compensate any revenue lost from having one fewer home game in World Cup and Euros qualifying.There has been speculation Brazil and Argentina could join Nations League play as part of UEFA’s close relations with South American soccer body CONMEBOL. However, Marchetti said UEFA’s plan detailed Wednesday envisaged just the 55 European soccer federations.

UEFA said it expected “less predictable and more dynamic” play when qualifying for the 2026 World Cup begins in March 2025 with 12 groups

UEFA said it expected “less predictable and more dynamic”

UEFA to have smaller groups for World Cup, Euros qualifying

Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis will miss at least the next couple of weeks after spraining his right medial collateral ligament and right ankle in a 150-130 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Bucks announced the severity of Portis’ injuries to his knee and ankle on Wednesday and said he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.Portis, who turns 28 on Feb. 10, is averaging 14.4 points and a career-high 10.1 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-11 forward will miss a game for the first time this season when the Bucks host the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.Portis got hurt the same night that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton returned from knee injuries. Middleton, who had been out with right knee soreness, played just his eighth game of the season on Monday. Antetokounmpo returned after missing five games with left knee soreness.

The Bucks announced the severity of Portis’ injuries to his knee and ankle on Wednesday and said he would be re-evaluated in two weeks

Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis (9) dunks against Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love and forward Evan Mobley (4) during the first half of an NBA basketball game

Bucks' Portis out at least 2 weeks with sprained MCL, ankle

Fernando Santos is going from coaching Cristiano Ronaldo to leading another soccer great, Robert Lewandowski. A month after parting company with his native Portugal, Santos was presented in Warsaw on Tuesday as the coach of Poland's national team, covering the European Championship in 2024 and the World Cup in 2026.The 68-year-old Santos became Poland’s third foreign-born coach — after Leo Beenhakker and Paulo Sousa — and arrives with experience of leading high-profile players such as Ronaldo, who Santos even benched last month during the knockout stage of the World Cup.Now Santos will be coaching a team captained by Lewandowski, the Barcelona striker who, at 34, is approaching the end of his career and might only have the European Championship in 2024 and possibly the 2026 World Cup left to play at international level.“We want to be in the group stage of the Euros and then we want to keep winning,” said Santos, who stated his belief that Poland has the potential to compete with every team in the world.“Starting today, I am a Pole, I am one of you,” Santos said in his first comments as coach, having greeting the media conference in Polish.Santos is tasked with improving Poland’s underwhelming record at recent major tournaments.Since 1986, the national team has only advanced from the group stage at one World Cup (2022) and one European Championship (2016).Santos, renowned for being a pragmatic, defensive-minded coach, has good pedigree at international level. In eight years with Portugal, he led the team to the Euro 2016 title — the country’s first international trophy — and the inaugural Nations League title in 2019. He also coached Greece at Euro 2012, where it reached the quarterfinals, and the 2014 World Cup.Cezary Kulesza, the head of Poland's soccer federation, said his criteria in choosing the new coach were experience in running a national team, past successes, charisma and experience working with stars.“We can afford to have the best coach available now,” Kulesza said.Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, said he believes that “our national team and all the fans will go though many nice moments with the new coach.”Poland didn’t extend the contract of Santos' predecessor, Czeslaw Michniewicz, after reaching the knockout stage of a World Cup for the first time in 36 years. Michniewicz’s contract ended Dec. 31.Former Portugal and South Korea coach Paulo Bento and Liverpool great Steven Gerrard, recently fired by Aston Villa in the Premier League, were linked with the job after the Polish soccer federation said it would be hiring a foreign coach.Santos' greater experience might have made the difference. On Monday, when it became clear Santos would be hired, Polish Sports Minister Kamil Bortniczuk congratulated the soccer association on Twitter on its decision and called Santos a highly successful coach with “experience in working with great stars" such as Ronaldo.

Santos arrives with experience of leading high-profile players such as Ronaldo, who Santos even benched last month during the World Cup

Poland hires Santos as coach through 2026 World Cup

Contrary to all those high-scoring games, players still are playing defense in the NBA. Seriously, they are.It's just the task of stopping two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic or Joel Embiid or anyone else in the league has become more challenging than ever.Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle may have described the assignment of locking down a premier — or even a reserve — player the best: "It’s a wild, hot mess trying to guard in the NBA now," he said.A combination of rule changes, style-of-play alterations, the ongoing addiction to the 3-point shot and more have added up to the game being significantly tilted toward the offensive player.Someone will win “Defensive Player of the Year” this spring, even after a season where no one seems to be able to stop anyone with the ball. It’s almost certain that more players will average 20 points per game than ever before. A decade ago, there were a dozen or so players. This season, 50 isn’t out of the question (there were 27 last season and 31 in 2020-21).The NBA will analyze all the variables after the season. But since its sense is fans love scoring, and there’s nothing out there contradicting that stance, a massive swing of the rules pendulum toward helping out defenders doesn’t seem likely.“For me, a fan, the talent level is just off the charts, and that has a lot to do with what we’re seeing,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in Paris last week. “Of course, the enormous increase in 3-point shooting is going to lead to more scoring, too, especially when these guys, even the big men, shoot 3-point shots as well as they do.“I don’t think it’s necessarily a case that defense is not being focused on as it once was,” Silver added. “I’ve been around the league long enough to remember when the claim was guys played no defense at all, and so there’s a fair amount of defense played.”From zone defenses to constant rotations, teams are trying a little bit of everything to slow down offensive stars. Still, the stars shine. In January alone, Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points on Jan. 2; Chicago's Zach LaVine knocked down 11 3-pointers on Jan. 6; and Miami's Jimmy Butler went 23 of 23 from the free throw line on Jan. 10.Playing defense is harder these days, but not impossible.“It just requires a real connectedness defensively,” Carlisle explained.Scoring is up again this season, with teams averaging more points (114.1) than the league has seen at any time in the last half-century. Sacramento leads the way with 120 points per game, with six players averaging 12 or more points.It's hardly a surprise to longtime NBA veteran Ish Smith that 44 players are currently averaging at least 20 point a game.“I guarantee you, when I come and show my kids the game in 10 or 15 years, we’re going to be talking about how it might be 100 guys now averaging 20,” cracked Smith, the Nuggets guard who broke into the league in 2010. “It’s just a tribute to guys getting better. Everybody can dribble, shoot, pass — and it makes it difficult.”Bottom line: The standouts are simply doing what they do best — stand out. Doncic and Embiid lead in points per game (33.6), Jokic in triple-doubles (14), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in two-point field goals (398) and Buddy Hield in 3-pointers (181).“The league is in such a great place and people are so into checking out highlights and seeing high scores for entertainment,” said David Adelman, an assistant coach for the Nuggets and son of longtime NBA coach Rick Adelman. “I don’t think the NFL is any different. I mean, it’s hard to be a defensive back these days. That's probably the hardest job in sports, maybe.“So I don’t see (the NBA) changing it. My son is 9 years old and he loves watching the NBA because we’re scoring 130 points. That’s just the way it is.”Given rule enforcements designed to allow more freedom of moment in both the post and on the perimeter, it's only natural to expect free throws to be on the rise. There have been an average of 23.8 attempts at the line (through Sunday) this season, which is on pace to be the highest since 2010-11 (24.4).“Generally, when you look at some of these really, really, explosive individual performances where guys have put up huge numbers, I think you can immediately look at the free-throw line. There’s always a correlation,” Chicago coach Billy Donovan explained. “The free throw and the fouling has become a real challenge, because the minute you get your hands on people, those elite scorers know how to manipulate and draw fouls.”The league has tried to minimize that, at least when it comes to shooters looking to draw contact on flailed 3-pointers. But the NBA knows any rule change or shift always gets countered somehow by smart players, who just find another avenue to get to where they want.“I remember people were saying, ‘It’s all about dunking and guys can’t shoot.’ Now it’s, ‘They shoot too well. It should be more of an inside game,’” Silver said. “We’ll keep looking at it.”

Playing defense is harder these days, but not impossible

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) loses his balance while dribbling against Los Angeles Clippers forward Robert Covington (23) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Dallas

Analysis: Trying to play good NBA defense 'wild, hot mess'

<h2>LOOKAHEAD TO WEDNESDAY</h2>There couldn’t be more contrasting men’s quarterfinals at the Australian Open.&nbsp;Novak Djokovic is still on track for his 10th title at Melbourne Park and now faces No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev — who is 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. The other men’s match Wednesday features a pair of unseeded 20-something Americans: Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul. Neither has ever been this far at a major tournament and the matchup between the 89th-ranked Shelton, a 20-year-old from Florida, and the 35th-ranked Paul, a 25-year-old from New Jersey, will be the first Slam quarterfinal between two men from the U.S. since 2007, when Andy Roddick beat Mardy Fish in Melbourne. Roddick’s title at the U.S. Open 20 years ago remains the last major singles championship for an American man. There is also a fresh face among the women: Magda Linette is playing in her first quarterfinal in 30 Grand Slam appearances at age 31. She faces Karolina Pliskova, a two-time runner-up at majors. The other quarterfinalists are appearing for the first time in the last eight at Melbourne Park: No. 5 Aryna Sabalenka and unseeded Donna Vekic. Sabalenka is 8-0 in 2023.<h2>TUESDAY'S KEY RESULTS</h2>Women's Quarterfinals: No. 22 Elena Rybakina beat No. 17 Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4.Men's Quarterfinals: No. 18 Karen Khachanov beat No. 29 Sebastian Korda 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-0, retired.<h2>WEDNESDAY'S FORECAST</h2>Partly cloudy with a high of 83 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius).<h2>STATE OF THE DAY</h2>35 — Tournament-leading ace count for Elena Rybakina, including 11 against Jelena Ostapenko.<h2>QUOTE OF THE DAY</h2>“It’s obviously not the way you want to finish a match, and I think until a certain point, it was very competitive and a good battle." — Karen Khachanov on Sebastian Korda's mid-match retirement because of an injured right wrist.

There couldn’t be more contrasting men’s quarterfinals at the Australian Open

Tommy Paul of the U.S. reacts after defeating Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 23, 2023

Australian Open lookahead: Djokovic and 2 US first-timers

Mikaela Shiffrin holds a slim lead during the first run of a giant slalom and is in position for a record-breaking 83rd World Cup win. Shiffrin currently shares the women’s record of 82 wins with former American teammate Lindsey Vonn.Shiffrin stood 0.13 seconds ahead of world champion Lara Gut-Behrami and 0.27 ahead of home favorite Federica Brignone at the Kronplatz resort in San Vigilio on Tuesday.Petra Vlhova, Shiffrin’s usual rival, was 1.01 back, with Olympic champion Sara Hector nearly two seconds behind.Lower-ranked skiers were still coming down the course.The second run starts at 1:30 p.m.

Shiffrin currently shares the women’s record of 82 wins with former American teammate Lindsey Vonn

United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski, women's World Cup giant slalom, in Kronplatz, Italy, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023

Shiffrin leads 1st run of GS as she chases record win No. 83

Sébastien Haller has already faced his toughest challenge of this season, or indeed any season. Reviving Borussia Dortmund looks simple by comparison. A loud roar greeted Haller on his belated debut for Dortmund on Sunday, ending six months out of the game. Following two operations for testicular cancer and chemotherapy, he was back.Before the game, a dramatic 4-3 win over Augsburg, Haller reminded his teammates to keep soccer in perspective."He (Dortmund coach Edin Terzic) asked me how I feel to speak, and I said, ‘Of course, if you give me the chance, I will speak, because it’s, in my opinion, something even more than football,'” said Haller, an Ivory Coast international who was born in France.“It's always nice to try to make them realize how big the things are, and football at the end, it's in the background. So (we) just need to not forget why we play.”Haller was first diagnosed with a tumor in July, less than a month after signing for Dortmund. He had been brought in from Ajax to replace Erling Haaland after the Norwegian was sold to Manchester City, and Dortmund's plans for 2022-23 were built around him.Without Haller, Dortmund slipped to sixth in the Bundesliga. Anthony Modeste was signed as an emergency replacement, but the experienced French striker scored only twice in 20 games. Eighteen-year-old forward Youssoufa Moukoko has plenty of talent but hasn't looked quite ready to lead a team of Dortmund's stature every week.Haller came on against Augsburg with a half hour remaining to replace Moukoko — Modeste was out of the squad entirely — and while he didn't score, he created space for other substitutes to shine as bench players Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Gio Reyna scored crucial goals.“We all know what’s happened the first part of the season, and now we have the chance to start the new year with another dynamic. Something new, something extra. Another boost,” Haller said. “Also with my return, I hope that it can give a boost. Of course, with the atmosphere today, with the fans, with the team, with the win, we need to use those things, too, to create something new.”Dortmund's perennial quest to end the dominance of Bayern Munich may be out of reach for another year, seven points behind the champions, but a battle looms for the Champions League places with Eintracht Frankfurt, Leipzig, Wolfsburg and surprise challengers Union Berlin and Freiburg.After getting through a Champions League group with Manchester City, Sevilla and Copenhagen, Dortmund has a last-16 match next month against another big team in difficulties, Chelsea.

Before the game, a dramatic 4-3 win over Augsburg, Haller reminded his teammates to keep soccer in perspective

Back on the field, Haller hopes to spark Dortmund's revival

It took about a week for Novak Djokovic to go from worrying about whether he simply could play a match at all on his injured left hamstring to thinking he can win the Australian Open. And one pain-free, nearly perfect performance in the fourth round Monday made a world of difference.“Tonight, the way I played, the way I felt, gives me reason now to believe that I can go all the way,” Djokovic said after completely overwhelming 22nd-seeded Alex de Minaur 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals for the 13th time at Melbourne Park and 54th time at all Grand Slam tournaments.“I mean, I always believe I can go all the way, in terms of my tennis,” continued Djokovic, whose 21 major championships include nine in Australia. “But the way my leg felt before tonight wasn’t giving me too many hopes, so to say, for the entire tournament, to go all the way through. Tonight I feel that, so I feel positive about it.”A year ago, he got kicked out of the country before the Australian Open because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19. He still hasn't gotten the shots, but the government's coronavirus rules have been relaxed.After looking out of joint occasionally in his first three matches in the tournament last week, sometimes stumbling to the ground, sometimes seeking treatment from a trainer, the 35-year-old from Serbia looked like his usual flexible, court-covering, dominant self at Rod Laver Arena against de Minaur.Djokovic won 42 of 64 points that lasted five shots or more. He accumulated a 26-9 edge in winners. He won all 12 of his service games, never facing a single break point. Generally considered the best returner in the game now — and, perhaps, ever — Djokovic earned a dozen break chances and converted half.He broke to lead 4-2 in the first set and again to end it. He broke to go up 2-0 and 4-0 in the second. He broke for advantages of 1-0 and 3-0 in the third.“It just felt like constant pressure today. Every service game I had, wasn’t getting free points. It felt like an uphill battle from the start,” de Minaur said. “Never really was able to get my teeth into the match, make it tough for him, or bring the pressure moments and situations.”Djokovic said he felt “fantastic” and “really great in terms of mobility and movement.”In addition to taking “a lot” of anti-inflammatory pills to help the hamstring, Djokovic said he has been using “different treatments and machines and stuff” to help improve his leg. He also cautioned that he does not “want to celebrate too early, ’cause I don’t know how the body’s going to respond tomorrow and for the next match.”Yes, there are still contests to come and players to contend with.His upcoming opponent is No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev, who will head into their matchup Wednesday with an 0-6 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals. That day’s other men’s match will be between two unseeded Americans in their 20s who’ve never been this far at a major tournament: Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul.The men’s quarterfinals scheduled for Tuesday: No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas against unseeded Jiri Lehecka, and No. 18 Karen Khachanov vs. No. 29 Sebastian Korda.Of the seven remaining men other than Djokovic, none has won a Grand Slam title and only Tsitsipas ever has even reached a major final, and that was just once, losing to — yep, you guessed it — Djokovic at the French Open in 2021.“I’ve been in this situation so many times before,” Djokovic said, leaning back in his chair and placing both palms on his chest. “From that point of view I think it helps me have kind of a more, let’s say, clear approach to the remaining days of the tournament and what I need to do. Of course, I’ll keep an eye on all the other matches, see how the other guys are doing. We’ll see what happens.”De Minaur, for one, knows what he thinks is going to happen.“What I experienced today was probably Novak very close to his best, I would say,” he said. “To me, if that’s the level, I think he’s definitely the guy that’s going to take the title.”

A year ago, he got kicked out of the country before the Australian Open because he was not vaccinated against COVID-19

With Djokovic's leg OK, he sees Australian title realistic

Eddie Nketiah kept Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge on track with two goals as the Gunners beat Manchester United 3-2 in a pulsating game at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Nketiah netted the winner in injury time with a back-heeled flick-on after a shot from Martin Odegaard to secure a crucial victory that keeps Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City with a game in hand.United is the only team to have beaten Arsenal in the league this season and looked set to deal Mikel Arteta’s team another blow when Lisandro Martinez equalized in the 59th minute.But Arsenal was finally rewarded for a period of relentless pressure over the last 10 minutes, with David De Gea having already denied Nketiah once from close range.Marcus Rashford had put United ahead with a long-range strike in the 17th minute, but Nketiah responded seven minutes later when he headed in a cross from Granit Xhaka at the far post.Bukayo Saka gave Arsenal the lead for the first time in the 53rd when he collected the ball on the left flank, drove past Christian Eriksen and then curled in a strike from 25 yards that beat De Gea at the far post.But goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale then made a rare mistake as he collided with his own defender when trying to collect a corner, spilling the ball to Martinez — who reacted quickly to head in the equalizer.

Arsenal was finally rewarded for a period of relentless pressure over the last 10 minutes

Eddie Nketiah gives Arsenal 3-2 win over Man United

Erling Haaland can break all sorts of Premier League scoring records this season and it still might not secure Manchester City another title. That's because there is just no stopping Arsenal, which overcame another big obstacle in its bid for a first league title since 2004.A few hours after Haaland scored his fourth hat trick of the season in City's 3-0 win over Wolverhampton, Arsenal responded by beating Manchester United 3-2 thanks to a 90th-minute winner by Eddie Nketiah.Arsenal stayed five points clear of second-place City and has a game in hand. The top two must still meet each other twice in the league so there is scope for a turnaround.<h2>With Halland there is hope for Man City</h2>It will need Arsenal to slow down and Haaland to keep on scoring. Currently, there's no sign of either of those things happening.Arsenal was relentless against United after going behind to Marcus Rashford's ninth goal since the World Cup. Goals by Nketiah and Bukayo Saka put the hosts ahead, Lisandro Martinez equalized after a weak punch clear by Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, only for Nketiah to flick home from close range for a goal that was reviewed for offside.Remarkably, Arsenal has still only dropped seven points from a possible 57 and has just come through a tough-looking run of games against Brighton, Newcastle, Tottenham and United by taking 10 points from 12.Still, with Haaland there is hope for City, the defending champion.The Norway striker moved to 25 goals for his debut league campaign in England by scoring all of City's goals against Wolves. That would be enough to win the Golden Boot in the Premier League in any of the previous four seasons.The record goal tally for a 38-game Premier League season is held by Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, with 32 in 2017-18. The most in a 42-game Premier League campaign was 34, by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole.If Haaland stays fit, he is on course to easily surpass those records.Arsenal and City meet for the first time in the league on Feb. 15. Before that, they play each other at City's Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup on Friday.United and third-place Newcastle are both six points behind City now.<h2>Leeds frustrated&nbsp;</h2>Leeds' winless run in the league is up to six matches.A 0-0 home draw with Brentford moved Leeds a point clear of the relegation zone but it was another frustrating game for the home fans, who saw Willy Gnonto denied by visiting goalkeeper David Raya in the best chance.

Arsenal was relentless against United after going behind to Marcus Rashford's ninth goal since the World Cup

Arsenal beats United 3-2, Haaland hat trick propels City

Swiss skier Daniel Yule won a men’s World Cup slalom Sunday after first-run leader Manuel Feller straddled a gate and failed to finish his home race. Yule ranked only seventh after the opening run, but he posted the third-fastest time in the second and then saw the top six fail to beat his leading time on the icy Ganslern course. It was his second victory in the classic race after his maiden triumph in 2020.Dave Ryding, who triumphed last year to become the first British skier to win a World Cup race, posted the fastest time in the second run and improved from 14th to second place, 0.40 behind Yule.Norway's Lucas Braathen, who was runner-up to Feller in the first run, dropped to third, 0.41 off the pace. Linus Strasser of Germany was one-hundredth further back in fourth.Henrik Kristoffersen, who won the classic slalom at Wengen last week, placed fifth after bouncing back from a disappointing opening run, where he finished in ninth, left him with no realistic chance of winning.It was Yule’s second win of the season, after triumphing in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, last month. The Swiss skier remained the only non-Norwegian skier to win a men's World Cup slalom in the 10 races since the Beijing Olympics.Braathen overtook Kristoffersen on the top of the season slalom standings.Feller was after his third career win and first in almost two years. His best result in Kitzbuehel remained fifth place in 2018, a year after record eight-time overall champion Marcel Hirscher was the last Austrian winner.The slalom in Kitzbuehel was the first of three technical races in Austria within four days, with a night slalom on Tuesday and a GS on Wednesday scheduled for Schladming.

Norway's Lucas Braathen, who was runner-up to Feller in the first run, dropped to third, 0.41 off the pace

Swiss skier Yule beats Ryding to win slalom in Kitzbuehel

Defense lawyers are asking for a University of Alabama basketball player charged with capital murder to be released on bond, arguing he is not a threat to the community and there is scant evidence against him. Darius Miles' attorney on Thursday asked a judge to set a bond hearing. The 21-year-old former junior reserve forward for the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide is accused of providing the gun in a fatal shooting that killed a young woman near the University of Alabama campus. Miles has been dismissed from the team.University spokesman Shane Dorrill said he also “has been suspended and removed from campus pending the outcome of a student conduct case related to this serious matter.” Miles is currently being held without bond at the Tuscaloosa County Jail.Defense lawyer Mary Turner wrote in the request that Miles is not a flight risk and has no prior criminal history. She also asserted that the prosecution would be unable to produce enough evidence at the bail hearing for a jury to sustain a capital conviction against Miles. She argued one standard regarding bail is to deny bail if prosecutors show evidence that could sustain a conviction and “to allow bail if the evidence is not so efficacious.”Prosecutors have not responded to the request for a bond hearing.Miles and Michael Lynn Davis, 20, are charged with capital murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris. The shooting occurred early Sunday morning on the Strip, a student-oriented business district of bars and restaurants near the Tuscaloosa campus. Harris was sitting in the passenger seat of a car when she was struck by a bullet, police said.Investigators wrote in a court document that Miles admitted to providing the gun used in the fatal shooting, but Davis fired the weapon.Miles will appear before a judge for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 7 at the Tuscaloosa County Jail, according to a court document.

Defense lawyer Mary Turner wrote in the request that Miles is not a flight risk and has no prior criminal history

Defense lawyers seeks bond for basketball player

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo have fought for 12 1/2 thrilling rounds in three bouts over the past 25 months. When they meet for a fourth time Saturday night, the winner will have the UFC flyweight title and the last word in one of the top rivalries in recent martial arts history. Moreno knows exactly what he's getting into when the cage door closes in Rio de Janeiro, and he's outspokenly confident in his ability to reclaim the belt he won in their second bout and lost in their third.<h2>Four men</h2>It's the walk to the cage in front of the famously maniacal Brazilian MMA fans that has this likable Tijuana native both concerned and excited."I can visualize this," Moreno said with a grin. “Maybe starting the fight or walking to the octagon, maybe the people will be a bit aggressive with us – with me especially. But with the passage of rounds, the people will see all my hard work, and people will understand I’m just a little kid trying to put food on the table for my family.”Only four men have held the UFC’s 125-pound title since it came into existence in 2012, and two of them will fight for that belt again at UFC 283. It's the first title tetralogy in the promotion's history, and Moreno is anticipating a big finish.“It’s the last dance, man," Moreno said. “My plan is to make a statement in this one. My plan is to finish Deiveson Figueiredo. I know it. I’ve done it before. I can do it again. I understand that people, when the rumor started to come, people would say ‘Oh man, again, these guys?’ I understand their point, but I also understand that Deiveson and me, we make fireworks in the ring. I don’t want to see this guy again.”The UFC's first pay-per-view show of 2023 also is the promotion's first show in Brazil since its infamous Fight Night in an empty arena in Brasilia on March 14, 2020, in the final event before the postponement of nearly all sports for the coronavirus pandemic.The main event features 43-year-old Brazilian ex-champion Glover Teixeira against Jamahal Hill in a matchup for the vacant light heavyweight belt. Every fight on the main card features a Brazilian contender, including welterweight Gilbert Burns, flyweight Jessica Andrade and light heavyweight Johnny Walker.The undercard is headlined by Brazilian former light heavyweight champ Maurício “Shogun” Rua, who claims he will retire after this fight with Ihor Potieria.But the most compelling matchup on the card is the one with the most history. Moreno and Figueiredo both realize they have little chance of surprising each other after three bouts, so the winner will need to capitalize on his strengths.<h2>First three fights&nbsp;</h2>“He’s the same guy with a lot of power in the right hand, trying to be a bully,” Moreno said. “Brandon Moreno is the same guy with the amazing cardio, with the speed, with the volume of punches. I think we can’t change that.”Their first three fights were uniformly exciting, but ultimately decided nothing. After they fought to a thrilling majority draw in December 2020 in Las Vegas, Moreno finished Figueiredo with a rear naked choke in the rematch before Figueiredo won a decision in the third bou t last January in Anaheim.Figueiredo injured both of his hands in that victory, and the UFC annoyed him by awarding an interim flyweight title belt during his injury recovery. Moreno won that temporary strap, stopping Kai Kara-France last summer.Moreno's training for the fourth bout was interrupted last month when his new coach, James Krause, was prohibited from training fighters for UFC competition amid an investigation into a suspicious result in a bout involving another one of Krause's students in November.Moreno continued his training camp with the rest of his team in Las Vegas, and he emerged ready to continue this remarkable rivalry in front of the most hostile crowd he has ever faced. To a competitor like Moreno, it's a thrill.“I try not to think too much about it, but it’s a lot of pressure,” Moreno said. “It’s for the belt. It’s in a different country. I’m just ready to get going. It's going to be fun.”

It's the walk to the cage in front of the famously maniacal Brazilian MMA fans that has this likable Tijuana native both concerned and excited

Fantastic 4: Moreno, Figueiredo extend rivalry at UFC 283

Ecuador on Sunday beat hosts Qatar 2-0 in the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.Fenerbahce attacker Enner Valencia netted an early one for Ecuador in the 3rd minute before it was disallowed by the video assistant referee (VAR) at Al Bayt Stadium.
Valencia again put the ball into Qatar’s net, with a penalty kick, in the 16th minute, and then in the 31st, he scored again with an accurate header.
Valencia walked off from a light injury in the 43rd minute, and the first half ended 2-0, despite Qatar's better display after the second goal and Almoez Ali missing a critical shot in the final seconds.
Pedro of Qatar wasted another important goal chance in the 61st minute.&nbsp;Enner Valencia substituted in the 77th minute, coming off the bench with applause.After a long shot by Qatar's Muntari missed the Ecuador goal by inches in the 85th minute, the game ended 2-0 for Ecuador.
With this result, Qatar became the first hosts in the history of the World Cup to lose the opening match.&nbsp;Ecuador now leads Group A of World Cup with 3 points while Qatar placed fourth with zero.Senegal will take on the Netherlands in the next Group A match on Monday.

Fenerbahce attacker Enner Valencia rallies Ecuador to victory in first game of 2022 World Cup

Players of Ecuador celebrate after a goal during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group A match between Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor City, Qatar on November 20, 2022.

Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 in 2022 FIFA World Cup's opening match

Pobjedom 4:0 nad Nantesom, Paris Saint- Germain je osvojio francuski Superkup na Bloomfield stadionu u izraelskom Tel Avivu. Neymar je zabio dva gola, a po jednom su se u strijelce upisali Lionel Messi i Sergio Ramos. Jedan dječak se na kraju utakmice želio uslikati sa Messijem ali mu to nisu dozvoljavali zaštitari.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/uuh1J4wJft">pic.twitter.com/uuh1J4wJft</a>— Out Of Context Football (@nocontextfooty) <a href="https://twitter.com/nocontextfooty/status/1554001732887318528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Dječak je uspio nasamariti i pobjeći osiguranju ali su ga ubrzo uhvatili i grubo reagovali. To je primjetio i Messi koji se zauzeo za dječaka i zaustavio osiguranje. Nakon toga je strpljivo pričekao dječaka da izvadi telefon kako bi se uslikali. Video koji su snimili očevici ovog događaja je odmah postao viralan, a dječak težim putem došao do slike sa svojim omiljenim nogometašem ali čini nam se da je vrijedilo s obzirom da je ovo uspomena za cijeli život.

Dječak težim putem dobio uspomenu za cijeli život

Trenutak kada dječak pravi fotografiju s Mesijem

Mesi zaštitio dječaka koji je nasamario obezbjeđenje

New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin won the seventh leg of the 57th Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkiye on Saturday.

Bevin, who rides for Israel-Premier Tech, finished the race in three hours, 21 minutes, and two seconds at the 135.3-kilometer (84-mile) Gelibolu-Tekirdag track in western Turkiye.
The 31-year-old moved to the top of the tour's overall standings with this win.
Alpecin-Fenix's Jay Vine trailed two seconds behind Bevin, and Arkea Samsic's Nicolas Edet came third, four seconds behind the leader.
The seventh stage, which hosted 153 participants from 25 teams, kicked off in the historic Gallipoli Peninsula and ended in the northwestern Tekirdag province.
The eight-stage tour of Turkiye spans a total distance of 1,303 km (810 mi) and will culminate in Istanbul on Sunday.
The Turkish Cycling Federation has been organizing the tour, earlier known as the Marmara Tour, since 1963. It gained international status in 1965 and was taken under presidential authority in 1966.
The race is being broadcast live on TRT Spor Yildiz and Eurosport, and Anadolu Agency is among the sponsors of the global event.

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Mesi zaštitio dječaka koji je nasamario obezbjeđenje

New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin wins 7th leg of Tour of Turkiye

Sports

UEFA to have smaller groups for World Cup, Euros qualifying

Bucks' Portis out at least 2 weeks with sprained MCL, ankle

Poland hires Santos as coach through 2026 World Cup

Analysis: Trying to play good NBA defense 'wild, hot mess'

Australian Open lookahead: Djokovic and 2 US first-timers

Shiffrin leads 1st run of GS as she chases record win No. 83

Back on the field, Haller hopes to spark Dortmund's revival

With Djokovic's leg OK, he sees Australian title realistic

Eddie Nketiah gives Arsenal 3-2 win over Man United

Arsenal beats United 3-2, Haaland hat trick propels City

Swiss skier Yule beats Ryding to win slalom in Kitzbuehel

Defense lawyers seeks bond for basketball player

Fantastic 4: Moreno, Figueiredo extend rivalry at UFC 283

Ecuador beat Qatar 2-0 in 2022 FIFA World Cup's opening match

Mesi zaštitio dječaka koji je nasamario obezbjeđenje

New Zealand cyclist Patrick Bevin wins 7th leg of Tour of Turkiye