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McLaren heads into Azerbaijan Grand Prix on verge of F1 constructors’ title

McLaren heads into Azerbaijan Grand Prix on verge of F1 constructors’ title
Asking Oscar Piastri to give up second place to Lando Norris at the Italian Grand Prix because of a slow pit stop showed how McLaren’s. (AP)
Updated 3 min 15 sec ago

McLaren heads into Azerbaijan Grand Prix on verge of F1 constructors’ title

McLaren heads into Azerbaijan Grand Prix on verge of F1 constructors’ title
  • Asking Oscar Piastri to give up second place to Lando Norris at the Italian Grand Prix because of a slow pit stop showed how McLaren’s

The Formula 1 title race is heating up, and McLaren’s golden rule — “Let ‘em race” — risks expanding into a whole rule book.
Asking Oscar Piastri to give up second place to Lando Norris at the Italian Grand Prix because of a slow pit stop showed how McLaren’s seemingly simple approach risks being bogged down in debates about what’s fair on track.
The battle between Norris and Piastri will become McLaren’s sole focus if the team can wrap up the constructors’ title Sunday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku with a record seven races remaining.
McLaren leads by 337 points and takes the title if one driver wins and the other is second or third, which would end the faint mathematical chances of Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull.
It’s a big contrast to last year, when McLaren held off Ferrari in the final race of the season to win the constructors’ title for the first time in 26 years. “It’s a pretty remarkable position that we’re in,” Piastri said. “A very proud moment for everybody and myself included.”
McLaren ‘aligned’ on its rules
Was swapping the cars in Italy the best way for McLaren to make up for a team mistake beyond Norris’ control? Or was Piastri punished for something that’s “just part of racing,” as he suggested over the radio?
The Monza decision has prompted yet more discussion at McLaren about the best way to race.
“We’ve again had a lot of discussions about how we want to go racing and a lot of that is to stay for us,” Piastri said, adding that giving away the details could allow rival teams to exploit McLaren’s approach. “I do think we have enough freedom to control our own destiny in the championship.”
That call left Piastri with a lead of 31 points, instead of 37. Expect to hear a lot more about it at the end of the season if that six-point swing decides the title.
“You can’t plan for every single scenario that’s going to happen, but I think we’re very aligned,” Piastri said. “Ultimately I respect the team’s decisions and trust that they’ll certainly do their best to make the right ones.”
Red Bull decisions
Azerbaijan is a place where team rivalry has boiled over before.
In 2018, it was where up-and-coming challenger Max Verstappen collided with established contender Daniel Ricciardo. It forced Red Bull into a rethink of its “no team orders” approach — not dissimilar to McLaren’s “let ‘em race” — and set the two drivers on opposite trajectories.
Ricciardo was only on the podium once more that season, lost out to Verstappen by 79 points and left the team at the end of 2018. Verstappen hasn’t had a teammate who’s challenged him since.
The gap between him and Yuki Tsunoda is vast — 230 points to 12.
Red Bull heads into Azerbaijan widely expected to promote Isack Hadjar, whose podium finish in the Netherlands was an exclamation point in a strong rookie season, to Tsunoda’s seat for 2026.


Source: Messi, Inter Miami agree to extend contract beyond 2026

Source: Messi, Inter Miami agree to extend contract beyond 2026
Updated 19 September 2025

Source: Messi, Inter Miami agree to extend contract beyond 2026

Source: Messi, Inter Miami agree to extend contract beyond 2026
  • The contract extension would ensure that the 38-year-old remains in competitive action until and after the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico
  • An official announcement is expected within the next two weeks, said the source

MIAMI: Inter Miami and Lionel Messi have agreed to extend the Argentine superstar’s contract to remain in Major League Soccer (MLS) beyond next year’s World Cup, according to a source close to the club.

The contract extension would ensure that the 38-year-old remains in competitive action until and after the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

The tournament gets under way on June 11, with the final to be played at the MetLife Stadium on July 19.

Messi’s previous deal was due to run out at the end of this year following the 2025 MLS season.

An official announcement is expected within the next two weeks, said the source contacted by AFP late Wednesday, and could mean Messi ending his career in the MLS.

Messi moved to Inter Miami in 2023 after an unhappy stay at Paris Saint-Germain, but the rump of his stellar career was spent at Barcelona, where he played from 2004 to 2021 after coming through the youth system at the Spanish giants.

At Barcelona he won the La Liga title 10 times and lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy on four occasions.

In 2022, he led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar and has expressed a desire to try to retain the trophy next year.

He has scored 114 international goals and also won the Copa America twice with Argentina, in 2021 and 2024.

Messi could play at a sixth World Cup next year, which would set a new all-time record, although he could be matched by long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is also just three goals short of Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 career World Cup goals.

Argentina comfortably booked a spot at next year’s finals, finishing nine points clear at the top of the South American qualifying table.

Messi finished as the top scorer with eight goals, including a brace in what may have been his last competitive match on home soil against Venezuela two weeks ago.

He was named the MLS Most Valuable Player in the 2024 season even though Inter Miami were eliminated in the playoffs.

In 2025 he became the fastest player to reach 40 goals in MLS history.

Inter Miami sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and well-positioned to qualify for the play-offs, with multiple games in hand on most of their rivals due to their participation in the Club World Cup.

They were thrashed 4-0 in the last 16 of that tournament by Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi’s side were also well beaten in the final of the Leagues Cup earlier this month, going down 3-0 to Seattle Sounders.


Neom climb to 4th in Saudi Pro League after victory over Al-Okhdood

Neom climb to 4th in Saudi Pro League after victory over Al-Okhdood
Updated 19 September 2025

Neom climb to 4th in Saudi Pro League after victory over Al-Okhdood

Neom climb to 4th in Saudi Pro League after victory over Al-Okhdood
  • Hard-fought 1-0 home win leaves the newly promoted side on 6 points from their first 3 matches
  • 21-year-old Saudi international Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari grabs decisive goal with a superb right-foot shot

RIYADH: Newly promoted Neom climbed into fourth place in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday thanks to a hard-fought 1-0 home victory over Al-Okhdood that left them on six points after their first three matches.

The only goal of the game came on 28 minutes when 21-year-old Saudi international Abdulmalik Al-Oyayari received Abdoulaye Doucoure’s pass and struck a superb right-foot shot past the stretching Samuel Portugal in goal. It was his team’s first home goal in the Pro League and gave then their first home victory.

Another home-grown player, Abdulaziz Noor, hit the bar with a stunning left foot shot from almost 30 meters in what was one of the standout moments of the match. Despite the presence of danger man, and former France international, Alexandre Lacazette the home team could not add to their tally but ultimately one goal proved to be enough.

To add insult to injury, Al-Okhdood had Colombian midfielder Sebastian Pedroza sent off in second-half stoppage time.

Earlier in the day Al-Taawoun moved into fifth place, also on six points, after thrashing Ettifaq 4-1 at home, and Al-Kholood earned their first points of the season with a 2-1 win against visiting Damac.


Alcaraz headlines Team Europe in Laver Cup title defense

Alcaraz headlines Team Europe in Laver Cup title defense
Updated 19 September 2025

Alcaraz headlines Team Europe in Laver Cup title defense

Alcaraz headlines Team Europe in Laver Cup title defense
  • Alcaraz arrived in San Francisco on Monday, showing off his newly colored platinum hair, with which he celebrated his Sept. 7 victory over Sinner in the US Open final
  • Friday’s matches are worth one point apiece. Saturday’s schedule also features three singles and one doubles match, all worth two points apiece

SAN FRANCISCO: World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz returns to the court in the wake of his US Open triumph on Friday when he headlines a Team Europe side aiming to retain the Laver Cup title against Team World.

This year’s edition of the global tennis showdown will see some changes at Chase Arena, home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.

France’s Yannick Noah takes over from Bjorn Borg as captain of Team Europe while American Andre Agassi is the new captain of Team World, succeeding John McEnroe.

Europe are defending the title they won last year in Berlin. They have won five of the first seven editions, although Team World triumphed the last time the competition co-created by Swiss great Roger Federer was held in North America, in Vancouver in 2023.

Europe won’t have world No. 2 Jannik Sinner or fourth-ranked superstar Novak Djokovic.

But Noah captains a strong lineup that also features world No. 3 Alexander Zverev of Germany, Denmark’s Holger Rune, Norway’s Casper Ruud, Czech Jakub Mensik and Italian Flavio Cobolli.

Miami Masters champion Mensik is riding high after helping Czech Republic defeat the US to book a spot in the Davis Cup finals.

Alcaraz arrived in San Francisco on Monday, showing off his newly colored platinum hair, with which he celebrated his Sept. 7 victory over Sinner in the US Open final.

Team World has been hit by the withdrawals of Americans Ben Shelton, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe.

But they have two top-10 players in American Taylor Fritz and Aussie Alex de Minaur and rising talents Alex Michelsen and Joao Fonseca alng with Francisco Cerundolo and American Reilly Opelka.

At 19, Brazil’s Fonseca will be the youngest player ever to compete in the Laver Cup.

Fonseca admitted he was star-struck when he was able to meet his idol Federer for the first time this week.

But he’ll be down to business on Friday as he opens the night session against Cobolli.

Competition will kick off with Ruud taking on Opelka. Ruud is 4-0 against the big-serving American.

“Hopefully, I can lead Team Europe to a good start, give us some good momentum,” said Ruud, who captured his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Madrid this year.

“I know how tough it is to play him, especially with his serve. There’s a different rhythm.”

Mensik will take on Michelsen in the second of three singles matces on Friday and Alcaraz will make his bow in the evening’s closing doubles alongside Mensik against Fritz and Michelsen.

Friday’s matches are worth one point apiece. Saturday’s schedule also features three singles and one doubles match, all worth two points apiece.

Sunday’s schedule opens with doubles, followed by three singles as required — all worth three points.

The first team to reach 13 points claims the cup.


Haaland sets new Champions League scoring benchmark but still far behind Ronaldo

Haaland sets new Champions League scoring benchmark but still far behind Ronaldo
Updated 19 September 2025

Haaland sets new Champions League scoring benchmark but still far behind Ronaldo

Haaland sets new Champions League scoring benchmark but still far behind Ronaldo

MANCHESTER, England: Another goal, another record for Erling Haaland.
The Manchester City striker became the fastest player to score 50 goals in the Champions League in a 2-0 win over Napoli on Thursday — reaching the landmark in his 49th game in European club soccer’s top competition.
Haaland surpassed the previous record by former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took 62 games to reach that total.
“He seems to break every record going. At his age, it’s unheard of what he’s doing,” City teammate Phil Foden said.
At the age of 25, Haaland looks capable of chasing down Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time Champions League record of 141 goals.
“The numbers speak for itself,” City manager Pep Guardiola said. “If he plays 10, 12 years... if he maintains this progression, absolutely .”
Haaland already took Van Nistelrooy’s Champions League record as the fastest player to score 30 goals, back in 2023. That same year he became the fastest player to score 50 in the Premier League.
He has 130 goals in 151 appearances since joining City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
“How lucky and fortunate we are to have to him,” added Guardiola, who said Haaland’s record puts him among the game’s greats like Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski.
The Norway international’s latest strike came from a looping header early in the second half at the Etihad Stadium.
He has scored 12 goals in seven appearances for club and country this season — including five in Norway’s 11-1 win over Moldova last week. He also struck twice in City’s 3-0 victory over United on Sunday.
Haaland has now surpassed some of European soccer’s greats on the Champions League and European Cup all time scorers list. He moved ahead of Madrid icon Alfredo di Stefano and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He is level with Filippo Inzaghi and one behind Thierry Henry, who is 11th on UEFA’s list.
Messi is still the youngest player to score 50 goals — reaching that figure at the age of 24 years, 284 days.
Kylian Mbappe reached 50 goals in 79 appearances and the Madrid forward is currently on 57 in the competition.
The next target in Haaland’s sights is Messi’s record of 60 Champions League goals in 80 games. Messi also holds the record for the fewest games  to reach 70 goals.
Lewandowski’s 80 Champions League goals in 100 games is another record.
While Ronaldo leads the scoring list, Messi is second with 129 goals and Lewandowski third on 105.


Rashford stars in Barcelona win as De Bruyne loses on Man City return

Rashford stars in Barcelona win as De Bruyne loses on Man City return
Updated 19 September 2025

Rashford stars in Barcelona win as De Bruyne loses on Man City return

Rashford stars in Barcelona win as De Bruyne loses on Man City return

Marcus Rashford proved the perfect replacement for Lamine Yamal in Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Newcastle in the Champions League on Thursday and Kevin De Bruyne watched mostly from the sideline as Napoli lost 2-0 at his former club Manchester City.
With Yamal missing through injury, Rashford — a loan signing from Manchester United — got a start on his return to England and scored both of Barcelona’s goals at St. James’ Park. The second took the breath away, a piledriver from 25 meters that flew in off the crossbar.
De Bruyne was also back on English soil, at the club where he spent 10 years before an emotional farewell in May. But his Etihad Stadium return lasted 26 minutes before he was substituted following a red card for teammate Giovanni Di Lorenzo and City wound up a comfortable winner thanks to second-half goals from Erling Haaland and Jeremy Doku.
Haaland’s header put him on 50 goals in 49 Champions League appearances, with the Norway striker reaching that milestone quicker than any other player in the competition’s history.
Kairat, a tournament newcomer from Kazakhstan, made what is thought to be longest ever trek for a Champions League fixture — across three time zones and more than 7,000 kilometers  — and lost 4-1 at Sporting Lisbon. Sporting scored its final three goals in a four-minute span in the second half and also had a penalty saved.
The comeback of the night went to Eintracht Frankfurt, which recovered from conceding in the eighth minute to beat Galatasaray 5-1.
Rashford’s double
England coach Thomas Tuchel was in the stands of a raucous St. James’ Park to witness Rashford showcase his finishing abilities that Man United could do with right now.
His first goal was a header off Jules Koundé’s cross in the 58th to put Barcelona ahead before he created space for himself with some clever footwork and blasted a right-footed shot from outside the area off the underside of the bar in the 67th.
“100 percent, I’m full of excitement,” Rashford said after his first goals for Barcelona. “I’m very motivated and determined. The quality we have in the team, that excites me alone. It’s so refreshing to play with these guys.”
Anthony Gordon pulled one back for Newcastle in the 89th, putting in a low cross from substitute Jacob Murphy.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe left record signing Nick Woltemade — the replacement for Alexander Isak — on the bench until the 63rd.
De Bruyne’s return
Napoli’s defensive reorganization following Di Lorenzo’s red card for fouling Haaland as the last man meant De Bruyne was sacrificed. Ever the team player, the Belgium playmaker took the decision well, jogging off to applause from a home crowd that once cheered his every assist and goal.
“It was the only option I could do,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte said. “I was really, really sorry for him.”
By the end of the game, City fans were chanting De Bruyne’s name, confident the three points were safe and their former hero — perhaps the club’s greatest-ever player — couldn’t hurt them.
“He’s a legend of the club,” City midfielder Phil Foden said. “I can’t thank him enough for what he has done.”
City’s undoubted star is now Haaland and the Norway striker has started the season in red-hot form, with his clever header in the 56th from Foden’s flick into the box making it 12 goals in seven matches for club and country.
“He seems to break every record going,” Foden said of Haaland. “It’s unheard of what he’s doing.”
Doku’s goal was a superb solo run and finish through the goalkeeper’s legs in the 65th as City eventually wore down Napoli and took the opportunity to take off key players, like Rodri and Haaland, for a big Premier League game at Arsenal on Sunday.
Monaco blown away
Club Brugge proved too hot to handle for Monaco.
The visitors were beaten 4-1 a day after their flight to Belgium was aborted because the air conditioning on the plane malfunctioned and players were forced to take their clothes off due to the excessively hot conditions.
Monaco, which ended up flying out Thursday morning instead, was blown away by a three-goal burst in a 10-minute spell late in the first half, when Nicolò Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and Hans Vanaken were the scorers.
Hjulmand’s return
Kasper Hjulmand returned to Denmark for his first Champions League match in charge of Bayer Leverkusen — and a first in over a decade — and saw his new team escape with a 2-2 draw at FC Copenhagen thanks to a stoppage-time own-goal.
Pantelis Hatzidiakos deflected the ball into his own net from substitute Claudio Echeverri’s cross to gift Leverkusen a second equalizer, with the first coming from Álex Grimaldo’s stunning free kick in the 82nd..
Hjulmand, the former Denmark coach, replaced Erik ten Hag at Leverkusen just three games into the season. Ten Hag only took over from Xabi Alonso in the summer.