Why Fever-Lynx doubleheader could decide WNBA's No. 1 seed originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Minnesota Lynx have spent most of the 2026 season looking like the WNBA's team to beat. Finishing the job will not be simple. Minnesota returns from the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup break with a league-best 31-9 record. The Lynx have already clinched a playoff berth, but they have not secured the No. 1 seed or home-court advantage throughout the postseason.
Golden State sits only two games behind Minnesota at 29-11. The Lynx own the head-to-head tiebreaker, giving them control of the race, but their final four games are considerably more difficult than the Valkyries' remaining schedule.
Minnesota hosts the New York Liberty on Friday before visiting the eliminated Connecticut Sun. The season then could be decided by two games against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever over three days. The Lynx visit Indiana on Sept. 22 and host the Fever in the regular-season finale Sept. 24.
The playoff math is straightforward.

#minnesota #playoff

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After an impressive 4-0 victory over Sabah on Thursday, Manchester United will be back in action this Sunday against fierce rivals Manchester City.
In one of the most anticipated matches of the season, fans will be keen to see when and where they can follow the match around the globe.
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the match will be broadcast on Sky Sports and will kick off at 16:30 BST local time.
In countries such as Spain and Portugal, the game will be shown on DAZN and will start at 17:30 in Spain and 16:30 in Portugal.

#manchester #spain #sabah #sunday

Unlike many of his players, Michael Carrick has personal experience of the special nights at Old Trafford in the Champions League. This was scarcely one of them, but if Carrick had compiled a list of things he wanted from the evening, this must have ticked nearly every box. A perfect night? "Yeah, I think so," he said.
The fixture list made it a low-key comeback to the Champions League but Carrick was able to rest four players ahead of the Manchester derby, take off five more and chalk up a comfortable win. "Some of the football we played was really good," said Carrick. "We just did a lot of good things." Some players benefited. Matheus Cunha, who was fortunate to avoid a late red card for a studs-up challenge on Erivaldo Almeida, surely needed his first goal of the season. Benjamin Sesko marked his first start of the campaign with a second goal in a week.
Bruno Fernandes was instrumental as United put four past Sabah (Reuters)
In a sense, though, the most meaningful goal came from Bruno Fernandes. The captain was nominated for the Ballon d'Or even after a campaign when United were not in any continental competition. He showed a loyalty to United during their European exile. More than any other player, he dragged them back into the Champions League. It was fitting he scored on their return. Fernandes being Fernandes, it was also typical he was not among the rested or the removed.
Carrick has rarely needed to rotate since he took charge. Given this season's greater workload, this was something of a learning exercise. Patrick Dorgu played left-back for the first time under Carrick, excelled in attack and played a part in the first two goals, but revealed defensive deficiencies. Noussair Mazraoui, brought back in for Diogo Dalot, seemed to have a point to prove and looked lively going forward. A fit-again Mason Mount made a belated first appearance of the campaign in the second half. Andrey Santos, dropped after his ill-fated debut at Hull, got the final half-hour. The youngsters Harry Amass and Shea Lacey appeared for the last 20 minutes.

#league #played

The US LBM Coaches Poll following college football's Week 1 results was released on Tuesday, with the Florida Gators entering the top 25 after a decisive 66-21 victory over the FAU Owls inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Jon Sumrall's squad began the season just outside the rankings in the de facto No. 27 spot with 147 votes when the first edition of the poll was released back at the beginning of August. With one-plus week of play now in the books, the Orange and Blue finds itself now tied with the Virginia Cavaliers for the No. 25 spot with 157 votes — both of whom are just seven votes behind the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines.
Next up for Florida are the Campbell Fighting Camels, an FCS program that will travel to the Swamp on Saturday, Sept. 12, for a clash on the collegiate gridiron. Kickoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on the SEC Network+.
RK
TEAM

#poll #week #spot #owls

Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos has said his side must "take care" of their impressive defensive record as they aim to challenge for promotion.
Championship leaders Swansea have conceded just once across their first five games of the season, fewer than any other team in the English Football League (EFL).
A 0-0 draw against Wrexham means the Swans have managed four clean sheets in their first five league games for the first time since the 1978-79 season.
"It's good, but we know it can change quite quickly. We all know how the league is and how the results are," Matos said after Saturday's Welsh derby.
"That [defensive record] is something that we need to take care of, of course. It's important for us."

#first #swansea #care #record

Juventus are one of the Serie A clubs representing Italy in European football this season as they compete in the Europa League after failing to finish in the top four last term. The Bianconeri will be among the biggest clubs in the competition and are expected to perform well.
Juve and AC Milan are representing the country at this level of European competition, and both clubs will be expected to make a strong impression. Many of their opponents will not be considered to be at the same level, allowing the Italian sides to go deep into the tournament.
The Bianconeri have one of the strongest squads in the Europa League this season, and they will want to make the most of their quality to win as many matches as possible. Juventus have the players required to compete for the trophy.
The men at the Allianz Stadium have what it takes to go all the way in the Europa League while also challenging for the domestic league **** le. Managing both competitions will not be easy, but the quality within the squad gives Juve reason to believe they can compete on both fronts.
Expectations are therefore rising around the Old Lady as they enter an important period of the season. Juventus know they will be expected to perform well in Europe, particularly given the strength of their squad compared with several other teams in the competition.

#league #season

BUFFALO - The wins over Football Bowl Subdivision teams will be much harder to come by over the next three years.
The University at Albany is set to play Purdue next season, Michigan State in 2028, and Cincinnati in 2029, according to an athletic department official.
Those games will offer big paydays but a slim chance of victory against teams from the Power Four conferences.
However, UAlbany had a realistic chance of pulling off an FBS upset on Thursday night. The Great Danes were sitting on the Buffalo 1 with less than two minutes left and trailing by 4 points.
Instead, UAlbany unraveled with mistakes in a 21-17 defeat in a game that didn't end until 1:22 a.m. because of lightning and heavy rain that delayed the opening kickoff by more than 2 ½ hours.

#buffalo #ualbany #next #bowl

Legacy Motor Club, the NASCAR team owned by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and a host of celebrities, now has an open seat to fill ahead of next season.
The team announced on Wednesday, Sept. 2 that John Hunter Nemechek would not return to drive the No. 42 Toyota for Legacy next season. The news is both surprising and abrupt considering that Legacy announced sponsors for the 2027 season for Nemechek back in May.
"Legacy Motor Club has made the decision to part ways with John Hunter Nemechek at the conclusion of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season," the team said in a statement. "We are grateful for John Hunter's contributions to Legacy Motor Club and appreciate his professionalism and commitment to the organization throughout his time with the team. We remain focused on finishing the 2026 season strong together and wish John Hunter the very best in the future."
Nemechek, who is in his fourth full-time season in the Cup Series — and third with Legacy — released his own statement after.
"I am incredibly grateful to Legacy Motor Club for the past three years. While I am obviously disappointed with their decision, I am as motivated as ever. It has been such an honor to represent Toyota, Legacy Motor Club and all of their sponsors," Nemechek said. "I can't wait to continue this journey, as I know my best days are ahead.

#hunter #time

Liverpool have moved early and decisively, completing the signing of teenage goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans from Genk in a deal worth up to £30m. He is 18, stands at 6ft 7in, and has signed a six-year contract. For now, there is no rush. He will stay at Genk on loan for the rest of this season and arrive at Anfield ahead of the 2027-28 campaign.
This is not a transfer driven by short-term need. It is a calculated investment in a specialist position where timing matters. Goalkeepers develop differently, and Liverpool clearly believe Brughmans has the profile to become a serious first-team option down the line. He has already started all four of Genk's games this season and has represented Belgium at youth level, which tells you there is substance behind the fee.
The headline figure is up to £30m, with add-ons built into the agreement. In simple terms, Liverpool are paying for potential, height, reach and projection. In the modern market, elite young goalkeepers are expensive, particularly when clubs think they can become starters for a decade.
There is also logic in the timing. Liverpool currently have Alisson, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman and Vitezslav Jaros among their goalkeeping options. Alisson's contract expires next summer, while Mamardashvili's longer-term situation remains unclear. Brughmans gives the club another route, and a potentially high-upside one.
Photo IMAGO

#Liverpool #genk #timing #become

It took minutes to convince everybody that Katie Taylor truly did deserve a final fight in front of 80,000 people at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night.
The tickets went on sale and then the tickets for boxing's greatest final fight sold out; it was all over in 30 minutes of trading, and Taylor's position as one of the most popular fighters in history was secure.
The journey to the very end of the boxing line started so long ago when Taylor, with her hair in braids tucked inside a headguard, posed as a boy to have her first fight. A legend was born on a tiny amateur show, and the girl from Bray was on her way.
Katie Taylor will fight at Croke Park, Dublin, at long last (PA Wire)
The battle for equality was on; Taylor moved through the ranks, became the star of the Irish boxing team, won medals in tournaments all over the world and then won the Olympic ***** le in London in 2012.

#fight #dublin #final #tickets