Besiktas reappoint former player Yalcin as manager

Updated 3 min 48 sec ago

August 30, 2025 17:05

Besiktas reappoint former player Yalcin as manager

Updated 3 min 48 sec ago

August 30, 2025 17:05

The 52-year-old Turk has agreed a deal until the end of the 2026-2027 season
The club sacked Solskjaer on Thursday following their exit from the Conference League

ISTANBUL: Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas have appointed former leading player and manager Sergen Yalcin at their new boss, the club announced on Saturday.

The 52-year-old Turk, who will be making his second stint as the club’s manager, has agreed a deal until the end of the 2026-2027 season.

Besiktas, who have won the Turkish Super Lig title 16 times, finished fourth in the league last season.

The club sacked Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the former Manchester United manager, on Thursday following their exit from the Conference League.

Besiktas had already been knocked out of the Europa League by Shakhtar Donetsk in the qualifying rounds and defeat by Swiss side Lausanne-Sport in the Conference League playoffs brought an end to Solskjaer’s time at the club after seven months.

During Yalcin’s first term as manager, Besiktas won a domestic double in the 2020-2021 season.

Man City face mid-winter trip north of the Arctic Circle in Champions League

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 16:05

Man City face mid-winter trip north of the Arctic Circle in Champions League

City will play an away match at Norwegian champion Bodo/Glimt on Jan. 20
Pep Guardiola and his team of mega-stars will face harsh temperatures at the 8,000-capacity Aspmyra stadium

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 16:05

NYON: Manchester City face a trip north of the Arctic Circle in the middle of the European winter after the dates of this season’s Champions League games were published on Saturday.

City will play an away match at Norwegian champion Bodo/Glimt on Jan. 20, meaning Pep Guardiola and his team of mega-stars will face harsh temperatures at the 8,000-capacity Aspmyra stadium — a venue farther north than soccer’s top club competition has ever been.

Bodo/Glimt are a tournament debutant like Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty, whose first-ever Champions League match — at Sporting Lisbon — is the longest away trip in the competition’s history.

Kairat will have to travel across three time zones and more than 6,500 kilometers (4,000 miles) to Lisbon from Almaty, near Kazakhstan’s border with China, for the Sept. 18 game on the Champions League’s first matchday.

Almaty can have temperatures as low as minus-20 C (minus-4 F) in January — chillier even than Bodo/Glimt — so Club Brugge’s visit to Kairat on Jan. 20 could be the coldest game in Champions League history.

Paris Saint-Germain open the defense of their title at home to Atalanta on Sept. 17.

Kevin De Bruyne won’t have long to wait before his match against Man City, his former long-time club. He will make his return to Etihad Stadium on Sept. 18.

Topics: Man City ��ǻ�ø/�ұ�� Pep Guardiola UEFA Champions League

AC Milan signs speedy Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 10:13

AC Milan signs speedy Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea

The French player signed a five-year contract, Milan announced without providing financial details
The 27-year-old Nkunku came up through Paris Saint-Germain’s youth system

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 10:13

MILAN: AC Milan signed dribbling expert Christopher Nkunku from Chelsea on Saturday for a reported fee of 37 million euros ($43 million).
The French player signed a five-year contract, Milan announced without providing financial details.
The 27-year-old Nkunku came up through Paris Saint-Germain’s youth system before moving to Leipzig in 2019. He spent the last two seasons at Chelsea and his extra-time goal sparked the Blues to a win over Benfica in the round of 16 at the Club World Cup – which Chelsea went on to win – in July. He scored 18 goals in 62 matches for Chelsea.
Known for his 1-on-1 abilities and speed with the ball, Nkunku will be counted on to add pace to Milan’s attack. He can play both as an attacking midfielder and as a forward. He has made 14 appearances for France.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca said in August that Nkunku would no longer be part of the squad – after joining on a six-year deal in 2023 that was worth 52 million pounds (nearly $70 million).
“Christo is a fantastic professional,” Maresca said Friday. “The only problem with him is that in his position we have Cole Palmer, so it was tough to find minutes for him.”
Milan bounced back from a loss at the San Siro to promoted Cremonese in its Serie A opener with a 2-0 win at Lecce on Friday.

Topics: football Christopher Nkunku AC Milan Chelsea

Miranda Wang waits a long time for a short birdie and leads rain-delayed FM Championship by 2 shots

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 08:47

Miranda Wang waits a long time for a short birdie and leads rain-delayed FM Championship by 2 shots

Most of the wet day at TPC Boston was a series of rain delays, and it wound up taking Wang some 10 hours to finish the round
Wang: I didn’t expect the weather because on the forecast we didn’t see any thunderstorms coming in this morning. But, well, that’s golf

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 08:47

NORTON, Mass.: Miranda Wang waited a long time to make a short birdie and finally finish a 5-under 67, giving her a two-shot lead Friday among those who completed their second rounds in the rain-delayed FM Championship.

Most of the wet day at TPC Boston was a series of rain delays, and it wound up taking Wang some 10 hours to finish the round.

Nelly Korda, scheduled for an afternoon start, managed to get in four holes (two birdies) and will return with the second half of the field Saturday morning.

Jeeno Thitikul, the No. 1 player in women’s golf, joined Hannah Green and defending champion Lauren Coughlin in jogging down the ninth fairway when they saw darkening skies and wanted dearly to finish their round before the next delay.

“I don’t think I could have mentally prepared myself for another delay,” Green said with a laugh.

Wang already has 16 birdies over 36 holes and has stretches of big birdie runs. She started the tournament with eight birdies in her opening nine. She finished the second round with three in a row, only it didn’t go all that quickly.

She had an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th when the horn sounded — again — stopping play. Wang returned some two hours later and holed the putt to reach 11-under 133.

“I didn’t expect the weather because on the forecast we didn’t see any thunderstorms coming in this morning. But, well, that’s golf,” Wang said. “We’re playing in nature, so it’s sometimes unpredictable. We just have to face it and prepare mentally, physically for the thunderstorms and just try to stay calm and every time warm up just like you didn’t stop and just keep going.”

Madelene Sagstrom had a 66 and was at 9-under 135. Green (68), Azahara Munoz (68) and Celine Borge (66) were another shot back.

The LPGA was hopeful that with a reasonable weekend forecast, the tournament could be close to getting back on schedule by Saturday evening or Sunday morning. The plan was for the cut to be made and then to send threesomes off both nines.

Korda, who has yet to win this year, faced 32 holes on Saturday as she tries to stay in position for a chance at her first victory of the year.

Thitikul, who replaced Korda atop the world ranking earlier this month, charged into the mix with four birdies on the back nine. But she played the front nine in event par for a 68 and was four shots behind.

On this day, what mattered was finishing. It was her idea the group waste no time playing the ninth when they saw the clouds.

“The security guard told us ... three minutes left, so run, ready and go,” Thitikul said. “It was start and stop, start and stop. It was frustrating a little bit, but glad we’re done.”

Also four shots behind were Women’s British Open champion Miyu Yamashita (66) and Jodi Ewart Shadoff, who finished the opening round with four straight birdies to share the 18-hole lead. She had to settle for a 72 on Friday.

Topics: golf

Hat-trick for Joao Felix on debut as Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal start their seasons in style

Updated 30 August 2025

John Duerden

August 30, 2025 07:52

Hat-trick for Joao Felix on debut as Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal start their seasons in style

Al-Nassr thrash Al-Taawoun 5-0, while last season’s Saudi Pro League runners-up Al-Hilal enjoy comfortable 2-0 victory over Al-Riyadh
Reigning champions Al-Ittihad begin the defense of their title on Saturday at Al-Okhdood

Updated 30 August 2025

John Duerden

August 30, 2025 07:52

RIYADH: Al-Nassr began their 2025-26 Saudi Pro League campaign with a 5-0 thrashing of Al-Taawoun on Friday, while Al-Hilal also kicked off their season comfortably with a 2-0 victory over Al-Riyadh.

Joao Felix scored a hat-trick on his league debut for visiting Al-Nassr after his summer move from Chelsea, the first of his goals coming after just seven minutes. Angelo pulled the ball into the area from the left and Portuguese star Felix fired a first-time shot from the left side of the penalty spot into the opposite corner.

Cristiano Ronaldo increased the lead from the spot in the 54th minute after a handball in the area. And just a minute later it was effectively game over when Kingsley Coman scored his first goal in ��ֱ��, heading home from the edge of the area.

Midway through the second half, Felix grabbed his second with another fine strike from distance. He wasn’t done yet, though his third, Al-Nassr’s fifth, came from close range.

Earlier, Al-Nassr’s Riyadh rivals, and last season’s SPL runners-up, Al-Hilal also took three points from their opening game, at home. After impressing at the FIFA Club World Cup this summer under new coach Simone Inzaghi, it did not take them long, after an early claim for a goal from new signing Darwin Nunez was ruled out, to begin their campaign in spectacular style during a dominant first-half performance.

The opener came midway through the opening 45 when Salem Al-Dawsari found Moteb Al-Harbi on the left and the 25-year-old unleashed a rocket from just inside the area that left goalkeeper Milan Borjan with no chance.

Al-Dawsari assisted once again for the second, just before the break, and it was another beauty. Malcom, now wearing No. 10, cut inside from the right, exchanged a quick one-two with Saudi international Al-Dawsari on the edge of the box and then curled the ball into the bottom corner.

There would be no more goals for the 19-time champions but nor was there ever much indication that they would fail to take all three points come full time.

In the day’s other game, visiting Al-Khaleej comfortably defeated Al-Shabab 4-1. Champions Al-Ittihad begin the defense of their title on Saturday at Al-Okhdood.

Topics: football Saudi Pro League SPL Al-Nassr SPL Al-Hilal SPL Al-ittihad SPL Al-Taawoun SPL Al-Riyadh Cristiano Ronaldo

Lauri Markkanen’s 43 points lead Finland to 109-79 rout of Britain at EuroBasket

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 07:07

Lauri Markkanen’s 43 points lead Finland to 109-79 rout of Britain at EuroBasket

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of Denver Nuggets had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Miami Heat’s Nikola Jovic added 18 points and six boards as tournament favorite Serbia defeated Portugal 80-69
Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder scored a game-high 23 points and made seven assists to lead world champions Germany to a 105-83 win over Sweden

Updated 30 August 2025

August 30, 2025 07:07

TAMPERE, Finland: Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen scored 29 of his 43 points in the first half in a dazzling performance that highlighted Finland’s 109-79 rout of Britain at EuroBasket on Friday.

Markkanen played just 23 minutes while matching his EuroBasket high for points, set in 2022 against Croatia. He was four points off the all-time tournament record of 47 points by Slovenia’s Luka Doncic against France in 2022.

Finland are tied at 2-0 with Germany and Lithuania in Group B, which is being played in Tampere, Finland. Britain dropped to 0-2.

Markkanen, who scored 28 points in a 93-90 win over Sweden on Wednesday, shot 9 of 15 from the field in his 14 first-half minutes. He made five 3s in the first half and finished with seven, his last one giving Finland an 84-56 lead early in the fourth quarter. He was on the bench for the last 7 1/2 minutes.

Markkanen overshadowed teammate Sasu Salin, who shot 7 of 9 on 3s for all 21 of his points. Olivier Nkamhoua added 13 for Finland. Britain got 13 points from Luke Nelson.

Jokic, Jovic lead Serbia

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets had 23 points and 10 rebounds and the Miami Heat’s Nikola Jovic added 18 points and six boards as tournament favorite Serbia defeated Portugal 80-69 in Riga, Latvia. Serbia improved to 2-0 in Group A and Portugal dropped to 1-1.

Jovic’s inside basket early in the third quarter gave Serbia it’s biggest lead, 53-35, and Portugal never got closer than nine points the rest of the way.

Diogo Brito had 22 points and nine rebounds to lead Portugal and Travante Williams had 15 points and five steals.

Germany roll past Sweden

Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder scored a game-high 23 points and made seven assists to lead world champions Germany to a 105-83 win over Sweden.

Schroder shot 7 for 12 from the field, making three 3-pointers. Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner added 21 points as Germany went 2-0 in Group B after also beating Montenegro in its opening game.

Melwin Pantzar led Sweden with 18 points, with Pelle Larsson of the Miami Heat sidelined by an undisclosed illness.

Germany shot 60 percent for the game. Daniel Theis made a quick three buckets to help build an 8-0 lead and the world champion never looked back.

Germany are among the title contenders after they upset the US en route to winning the 2023 Basketball World Cup, beating Serbia in the final.

Valanciunas leads Lithuania

Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting to lead Lithuania to a 94-76 win over Montenegro.

Lithuania, 2-0 in Group B, made a EuroBasket record 35 assists, according to the organizers.

The 33-year-old Valanciunas also reached the milestone of 500 points in Eurobaskets, playing in his sixth edition of the tournament.

Sengun nearly has triple double

Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun came close to a triple double as he helped Turkiye beat the Czech Republic 92-78.

Sengun scored 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting, pulled in 12 rebounds, and made nine assists as Turkiye impoved to 2-0 in Group A, which is being played in Riga.

Turkiye got 21 more points from Cedi Osman and as his team dominated in points in the paint, 50-26.

Czech center Martin Peterka stepped outside and hit five 3-pointers, scoring 23 in a losing effort.

The Czechs, 0-2, hit five early 3-pointers to open a six-point lead after the first quarter, but Turkiye responded with a 14-0 run and never fell behind again.

Porzingis keys Latvia comeback

Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis started Latvia’s comeback late in the third quarter and finished with 26 points in a 72-70 win over Estonia in Riga.

Estonia was up by seven points when Porzingis hit a short turnaround jumper, and Kristers Zoriks’ 3-pointer gave Latvia their first lead at 63-61. Estonia pulled to 66-64 in the fourth quarter, but Porzingis’ dunk and three-point play made it a seven-point game with a minute left.

Arturs Zagars had eight points, six assists and three steals for Latvia, who won despite shooting 18.2 percent (6 of 33) on 3-pointers. Latvia improved to 1-1 in Group A.

Matthias Tass and Artur Konontsuk scored 13 points apiece and Kristian Kullamae added 12 for Estonia, who dropped to 0-2 in group play.

Topics: basketball EuroBasket

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