Author: AFP

Virgil van Dijk scored a last-gasp winner against Everton on Sunday as Liverpool strengthened their push for a Champions League spot next season ahead of a Premier League summit meeting between Manchester City and Arsenal.

On a pivotal day in the English top division, fourth-placed Aston Villa squandered a two-goal lead against Sunderland but scored in stoppage time to win 4-3.

At the other end of the table, Morgan Gibbs-White netted a hat-trick as struggling Nottingham Forest came from behind against Burnley to win 4-1 and heap the pressure on troubled Tottenham.

Just a few weeks ago, the battle for the top five, which guarantees entry into the Champions League, looked as though it might be tight.

But fifth-placed Liverpool’s 2-1 victory in their first match at Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium takes them seven points clear of stumbling Chelsea, in sixth spot.

Captain Van Dijk was the hero for Arne Slot’s Liverpool, heading Dominik Szoboszlai’s corner past a helpless Jordan Pickford in the 100th minute.

“Today was massive in the situation that we are, in hunt for the Champions League spots,” Van Dijk told Sky Sports.

“That is definitely not Liverpool-worthy, in my opinion, but it is the reality, and it was important we got the win. I’m glad we did.

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“We’ve got five more games left (some) against teams that are also fighting for the Champions League spots. Every game is a big one.”

Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring for last season’s champions, slotting home in the first half following a superbly weighted pass from Cody Gakpo.

The goal came just two minutes after Iliman Ndiaye’s effort at the other end was canceled by VAR, with Jake O’Brien ruled offside.

Salah, departing at the end of the season, has equaled Steven Gerrard’s nine goals to become the joint top-scoring player in the Premier League fixture between the two Merseyside teams.

The goal took the wind out of the sails of David Moyes’ team, but they were level through Beto within 10 minutes of the restart.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, on the left of Everton’s attack, fired across goal for Beto to attack, and he poked home ahead of an onrushing Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was immediately stretchered off, replaced by Freddie Woodman.

The game looked destined to end as a draw but the officials signalled 11 added minutes but Van Dijk had the last laugh.

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A humanoid robot competing against flesh-and-blood runners broke the world record at a Beijing half-marathon on Sunday, showcasing the rapid technological advancement achieved by Chinese makers.

Spectators lined the roads in Yizhuang in the capital’s south to watch the machines and their human rivals race, each group in a separate lane to avoid accidents or collisions.

Some of the robots were highly agile, moving like famous runners such as Usain Bolt, while others had more basic capabilities.

The winning humanoid, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and running for Chinese smartphone maker Honor, completed the roughly 21-kilometre (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometres per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

That was far faster than the top human in Sunday’s race, while also surpassing the current men’s world record of 57:20 held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo.

The result represented spectacular progress from last year, when robot-runners fell repeatedly and the best took more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish.

The number of humanoid entries jumped from around 20 last year to more than 100, according to organisers, a sign of the sector’s growing popularity.

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Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student who watched the race from behind a safety barrier, barely had time to take out her phone and snap a picture of the leading robot as it whizzed past.

She told AFP she was enthusiastic about such leaps in technology and thought the event was “pretty cool”.

But, she added, “as someone who works for a living, I’m a little worried about it sometimes. I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people’s jobs”, particularly with artificial intelligence growing increasingly sophisticated.

Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years, in the media as well as in public spaces.

Xie Lei, 41, who watched Sunday’s race with his family, said robots could “become part of our daily lives” within several years, potentially used for “things like housework, elderly companionship or basic caregiving” or “dangerous jobs, even firefighting”.

The humanoid half-marathon aims to encourage innovation and popularise the technologies used in creating and operating such machines.

In a sign of the industry’s strength, investment in robotics and so-called embodied AI amounted to 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in China in 2025, according to a study by a government agency.

“For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots. Just in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in this specific sport event, they’re already starting to surpass us,” Xie said.

“On one hand, it does make you feel a little bit sad for humanity. But at the same time, technology, especially in recent years, has given us so much imagination.”

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Frank Lampard has silenced his critics by leading Coventry into the Premier League for the first time in 25 years, masterminding a promotion-winning campaign that rehabilitated the former Chelsea star’s managerial reputation.

Lampard’s Championship leaders clinched promotion on Friday with a 1-1 draw against Blackburn, sparking jubilant celebrations from the Sky Blues boss, his players and 7,500 Coventry fans at Ewood Park.

It was a cathartic scene for Lampard and his club after both endured painful spells in the wilderness.

Redemption was an emotional moment for Lampard, who wiped away tears of joy after the final whistle.

“Everything I’ve ever done in my career has been a point to prove to be honest. It’s been in me since I was a young player. You are always fighting against something,” he said in answer to his detractors.

For Coventry, the end of their 34-year stay in the Premier League in 2001 triggered a miserable decline.

The 1987 FA Cup winners crashed into the fourth tier in 2017 and were homeless for three seasons during a legal battle over their stadium.

They are finally back among English football’s elite thanks to Lampard, for whom being “sent to Coventry” has proved far more enjoyable than the quirky British expression meaning “ignoring someone” might suggest.

The 47-year-old’s appointment in November 2024 was a gamble by Coventry, given his chequered managerial career to that point.

It was not a popular move with Coventry fans, but Sky Blues owner Doug King was convinced Lampard had the experience and character required to succeed at a club in need of a fresh outlook after the sacking of long-serving boss Mark Robins.

“Frank cut his teeth in the Championship and knows what is needed in this league to be successful,” King said.

King’s hunch has paid rich dividends, with Coventry’s promotion banking an estimated £200 million ($275 million) in increased revenue.

The road to Premier League riches was paved with potholes for Coventry, and Lampard has had a rocky ride of his own to get back to the big time.

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Frank Lampard knew nothing but success during a glittering playing career with Chelsea, winning 11 major trophies and scoring a club-record 211 goals.

His managerial career has been more humbling until now. Lampard suffered a Championship play-off final defeat with Derby in his first season as a boss in 2019.

The prodigal son returned to Chelsea that summer, earning plaudits for the development of youngsters Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount amid a transfer embargo.

Chelsea finished fourth in Lampard’s debut season at Stamford Bridge, but he was sacked in 2021 after failing to win a trophy.

He returned to management with Everton and saved them from relegation in 2022, but that wasn’t enough to avoid the sack after less than 12 months in charge.

Back at Chelsea on an interim basis in 2023, Lampard lost eight of his 11 games. Reviving his reputation was far from assured at Coventry, who were just two points above the relegation zone when he arrived at the CBS Arena.

Crucially, the lessons of his managerial mentors resonated more with Lampard as he sought ways to improve.

“Working under Jose Mourinho was an incredible experience. He was very hands-on and emotional, strong tactically and in managing the group. Carlo Ancelotti was very calm and relaxed,” he told Sky Sports recently.

“I am probably somewhere in the middle. I also remember things I did not enjoy and try to learn from them. I aim to stay authentic.”

Less emotional and more willing to delegate than in his early days as manager, Lampard inspired a rapid turnaround that carried Coventry to the play-off semi-finals last term.

Determined to make amends for that near-miss, Coventry were the class act of the Championship this season.

It was a vindication of Lampard’s decision to gamble his career with Coventry.

“We came into a bit of an unknown when we arrived in a people carrier 15 months ago,” he said. “We’ve fallen in love and this is right up there with what I have achieved. I’m very proud to be the manager.”

READ: Coventry clinch promotion to end 25-year Premier League exile

Coventry secured promotion to the Premier League on Friday as the Championship leaders’ 1-1 draw against Blackburn ended their 25-year exile from the top-flight.

Frank Lampard’s side needed a point from their trip to Ewood Park to be certain of automatic promotion. They did it the hard way, trailing to Ryoya Morishita’s deflected 54th-minute strike before Bobby Thomas headed the priceless equaliser in the 84th minute.

Having led the Championship table for much of the season, the Sky Blues have wrapped up their return to English football’s elite with three games to spare.

“It was an incredible moment. This is what it’s about,” a tearful Lampard said in an emotional post-match interview.

“Coming here and getting a point at this stage isn’t easy. We had to see it out, and we didn’t know whether to attack again.

“Doing this after 25 years? Wow! Wow!”

Backed by 7,500 raucous fans crammed into the Darwen End, Coventry were below their best for long periods of a nervous display. But their performance will quickly be forgotten, replaced by life-long memories of the promotion party that followed Thomas’ glancing header from Victor Torp’s free-kick.

Supporters wept tears of joy when the final whistle announced their ascent to the Premier League.

“Amazing, amazing. I couldn’t believe it when it went in,” Thomas said. “It’s been a hell of a season. I feel like we deserve it.”

Now Lampard’s men can set their sights on winning the Championship title, with second-placed Ipswich 11 points behind with five matches to play.

“This is a serious, serious football club. I grew up with them as a top flight club but I didn’t realise,” Lampard said.

“To go and get promotion automatically as a non-parachute team with three games to go. These boys have managed to achieve something special and unique.”

Fittingly, Coventry’s previous promotion to the top-flight in 1967 was also sealed at Blackburn when Rovers drew with Bolton.

That was the start of a 34-year spell in the top tier before relegation in 2001 sparked a steep decline.

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Coventry plunged into the fourth tier for one season in 2017-18 and were even forced to play their home games in Northampton and Birmingham for three seasons due to a bitter legal battle between the club and their stadium’s owners.

The 1987 FA Cup winners’ rise back to prominence was initially piloted by Mark Robins, whose second spell in charge brought promotion from League Two and League One.

Losing the 2023 Championship play-off final against Luton stalled Coventry’s momentum and eventually led to Robins’ dismissal in 2024.

Hiring former England star Lampard as Robins’ replacement proved an inspired move as he revived his career following sackings by Chelsea and Everton.

Lampard led Coventry away from the relegation zone in his first season before losing to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals.

Fuelled by the pain of that near-miss, Coventry embarked on a relentless march to promotion.

A 7-1 demolition of QPR and a 5-3 win at Lampard’s former club Derby in August established Coventry as the Championship’s dominant force.

Jack Rudoni’s assured presence in midfield, complemented by the goals of Haji Wright, Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante, kept Coventry top of the pile as the promotion dream came true.

The Sky Blues’ success has also reinvigorated the Midlands city, according to Coventry’s Lord Mayor, Rachel Lancaster.

“It’s huge for Coventry football club and the fans, but for Coventry itself as a city, this has been massive,” she said.

Coventry owner Doug King added: “The fans have been starved of it for a long time and you can feel it.

“Twenty-five years is a huge amount of time. If you don’t bounce back you feel like it’s never going to happen.

“Getting out of this league is very difficult but we did it. We got the whole city together. I’m super proud of everybody.”

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Paceman Blair Tickner took four quick wickets as New Zealand held their nerve to beat Bangladesh by 26 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match one-day international series on Friday.

Chasing 248 on a slow surface at the Mirpur stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh, lost their last six wickets for just 37 runs and were bowled out for 221 off 48.3 overs.

Bangladesh were off to a shaky start after pacer Nathan Smith struck twice off consecutive deliveries in the third over, removing Tanzid Hasan Tamim (2) and Najmul Hossain Shanto for a duck.

Smith could have had another wicket when Saif Hassan edged one to first slip, but Henry Nicholls spilled a simple chance.

Saif made the most of the reprieve, scoring 57 off 76 balls for his second ODI half-century, and adding 93 runs with Litton Das to revive the innings.

Litton contributed a patient 46 off 68, but both fell at crucial moments.

Saif was caught while trying to pull Will O’Rourke, and Litton was undone by Dean Foxcroft’s turning off spin.

Towhid Hridoy kept Bangladesh in the hunt with a composed 55 off 59 balls, registering his 12th ODI half-century.

He shared a steady stand with Afif Hossain, who was out for 27 while attempting a big hit off Jayden Lennox.

With the required rate climbing, Tickner removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz before sending back Rishad Hossain and Shoriful Islam off successive balls in the 46th over.

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Tickner also got rid of Taskin Ahmed to ensure a fine win for the Kiwis with nine balls to spare.

Earlier, Bangladesh bowlers produced a disciplined performance to restrict New Zealand to 247-8 after the visitors opted to bat first.

Shoriful impressed on his return, removing Nick Kelly early and conceding just nine runs in his opening five overs.

Shoriful was drafted in the squad at the last minute to replace Mustafizur Rahman, who has a knee injury.

Nicholls anchored the New Zealand innings with a composed 68 and shared useful stands with Will Young (30) and Tom Latham (14) before falling to Rishad Hossain, who picked up two key wickets.

Foxcroft’s aggressive 59 off 58 balls and Nathan Smith’s unbeaten 21 provided late impetus to the New Zealand innings.

READ: Australia confirm schedule for historic Bangladesh white-ball tour

Former three-time winner Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Madrid Open beginning next week as he needs more time to recover from a shoulder injury.

The former world number one and 24-time Grand Slam winner has not played since losing to Briton Jack Draper in the Indian Wells fourth round just over a month ago.

“Madrid, unfortunately I won’t be able to compete this year,” the Serbian 38-year-old posted on Instagram on Friday.

“I’m continuing my recovery in order to be back soon. Hasta pronto!”

The current world number four lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final at the beginning of February before hinting that retirement may be just around the corner.

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He pulled out of the Doha Open later that month due to fatigue.

He reached the fourth round in Indian Wells but then pulled out of the Masters 1000 events in Miami and Monte Carlo due to his shoulder injury.

He has played just two tournaments this year.

The news is another blow for Djokovic with time running out to be fit for the year’s second Grand Slam, the French Open, which begins in Paris in a month’s time.

READ: Australia confirm schedule for historic Bangladesh white-ball tour

Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes Hugo Ekitike can come back even stronger from a ruptured Achilles tendon that has ended the French striker’s season and his dreams of playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Ekitike suffered the injury against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), on Tuesday as Liverpool bowed out of the Champions League.

The 23-year-old had scored 17 goals in his debut season in England after a £69 million ($93 million) move from Eintracht Frankfurt and was almost certain to make Didier Deschamps’s France squad for the World Cup.

“Devastating for him,” said Slot on Friday, with Ekitike expected to be out for at least nine months.

“Missing out on so many special moments, but he’s not the first and will not be the last player that experienced something like this at the start of his career.

“There are so many examples of players that came back even stronger, and that’s the challenge he has now.

“I’m 100 percent sure he will be one of those that in 10 to 15 years say, ‘maybe this injury even helped me to become stronger and become even more ready to perform even at a higher level than I did before’.”

The loss of Ekitike was also a huge blow to Liverpool’s hopes of securing a place in the Champions League next season.

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Slot’s men sit fifth in the Premier League, which will be enough to qualify, and enjoy a four-point lead over sixth-placed Chelsea.

But Everton can cut the gap on their local rivals to two points if they win the first-ever Merseyside derby at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

Liverpool also still have to face Chelsea, Manchester United and Aston Villa in their final six games of the campaign.

Alexander Isak’s return is timely for Slot, given Ekitike’s absence. The Premier League’s most expensive ever player made his first start since December against PSG. But the £125 million signing lasted only 45 minutes, and Slot said the Swedish striker is still not ready to play a full match.

The decision to splash out over £200 million on two similar strikers has been questioned, given Liverpool’s struggles this season. But Slot said that the injury problems suffered by Isak and Ekitike justified the club’s strategy in pursuing two number nines last summer.

“It’s nice to have Alex back, although we also know that he’s not ready to play 90 (minutes) yet,” added Slot.

“At least a good thing is that we signed two nines because there were a lot of people who were debating why we signed two nines.

“We thought maybe it’s smart not to be the only club in the world that only has one. Now all of a sudden that looks maybe quite good!”

READ: Canada T20 World Cup game under ICC scrutiny after corruption claim

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday that it is investigating Cricket Canada over allegations of match-fixing, including the team’s loss to New Zealand at the recent T20 World Cup 2026, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The game in Chennai, which Canada lost by eight wickets, is under scrutiny following allegations of corruption highlighted in a documentary aired by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) on Thursday.

“The ACU (anti-corruption unit) is aware of the programme broadcast by CBC,” Andrew Ephgrave, interim general manager of the ICC’s Integrity Unit, said in a statement.

The documentary by the public broadcaster made wide-ranging accusations of corruption and poor governance against Canada Cricket.

In the Chennai game, suspicion is focused on the fifth over bowled by captain Dilpreet Bajwa during New Zealand’s chase, according to the ESPN Cricinfo website.

He started with a no-ball, bowled a wide, and ended up conceding 15 runs in the over.

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Canada scored 173 for four wickets in 20 overs, while New Zealand replied with 176 for two off 15.1 overs.

The ICC, the game’s world governing body, is also investigating a telephone call involving then-Canada coach Khurram Chohan in which he claims that senior board members put pressure on him to select certain players, it said.

“Governance matters in relation to ICC Members are considered by the ICC, where they fall under its jurisdiction, in accordance with the ICC’s standard constitutional processes,” Ephgrave said.

Cricket Canada said it was treating the matter with “utmost importance”.

“Recent promotional material alludes to allegations related to organized crime and match-fixing — issues that Cricket Canada takes extremely seriously,” the organisation said on its website.

“Where matters are raised, we are committed to reviewing them responsibly and taking appropriate steps as needed.”

READ: PCB, Cricket Australia in talks over white-ball series schedule in Pakistan

Bernardo Silva will leave Manchester City when his contract expires at the end of the season, the Premier League club announced Thursday as they hailed his “incalculable” contribution to our “greatest sustained period of success”.

The 31-year-old Portuguese playmaker, who is the current club captain, joined City from Monaco for £43 million ($58 million) in 2017 and has gone on to make over 450 appearances for manager Pep Guardiola’s side, winning 15 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and one Champions League, as well as this season’s League Cup.

He has also scored 76 goals and provided 77 assists to date, with Silva also involved as City won the ‘treble’ of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the 2022/23 season.

Silva recently moved into the top 10 of all-time City appearance holders, overtaking several notable former players, including David Silva, Paul Power and Willie Donachie.

“Manchester City can confirm Bernardo Silva will leave the club this summer,” said a City statement.

“Bernardo will now focus on seeking to try and ensure his remaining time at City ends with even more silverware, with Pep Guardiola’s side still very much in the hunt to win both the Premier League title and the FA Cup.

“In short, he will be deservedly remembered both as one of City’s finest and most popular players of all time.”

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Confirming his departure from the Etihad on his Instagram page, Silva wrote: “When I arrived nine years ago, I was following a dream of a little boy, wanting to succeed in life, wanting to achieve great things.

“This city and this club gave me much more than that, much more than I ever hoped for. What we won and achieved together is a legacy that will forever be cherished in my heart.

“The Centurions, the domestic quadruple, the Treble, the Four In A Row and much more… It wasn’t that bad.

“In a few months, it’s time to say goodbye to the city where not only we won so much as a football club, but also where I started my marriage and my family. From the bottom of my heart, Ines and Carlota, thank you!”

Bernardo Silva, who thanked fans for their “unconditional support” and said he would leave the Etihad as a “Man City supporter for life”, added: “To the club, Pep, the staff and all my team-mates these nine years, thank you for all the memories and for letting me be a part of this journey for so long.

“The atmosphere we created every day in the training ground made me feel at home and a part of a big family. Let’s enjoy together these last weeks and fight for what this season still brings us.”

READ: Saudi wealth fund sells football club Al-Hilal

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund announced Thursday the sale of its majority stake in Saudi Pro League football club Al-Hilal, where French striker Karim Benzema plays.

The PIF, which also owns English Premier League side Newcastle United, sold 70 percent of Al-Hilal to Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), the firm run by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a billionaire businessman and member of the Saudi royal family.

The deal values the share capital of Al-Hilal at 1.4bn Saudi riyals ($373m).

The sale comes amid scrutiny over the PIF’s investment in LIV Golf, with reports circulating that the breakaway tour is on the verge of collapse due to the possible withdrawal of Saudi Arabian financing.

“Al-Hilal is a national symbol and a source of pride for the Saudi people,” Bin Talal said in a statement.

“This acquisition expresses our deep belief in the power of sports as a unifying force and a catalyst for national development.

“By applying our global investment standards and cultivating strategic partnerships, we will unlock Al-Hilal’s full potential while preserving its history and identity.”

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The PIF, a wealthy public fund managed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, acquired a majority stake in the Riyadh-based club in 2023, along with three other teams in the Saudi league, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al-Ittihad, as part of the kingdom’s sports investment policy.

This capital injection enabled Al-Hilal to attract numerous foreign players, notably Brazilian star Neymar, before his departure in January 2025.

French striker Benzema joined Al-Hilal most recently after terminating his contract with Al-Ittihad.

“The sale aligns with PIF’s strategy to maximize returns and redeploy capital within the domestic economy,” the PIF statement read.

“This strategy supports PIF’s wider efforts to drive the development and diversification of Saudi Arabia. PIF is unlocking opportunities to make a transformative impact in the Saudi sports sector and deliver positive, long-term results.”

The PIF added that it had “led the transformation of Al-Hilal… empowering it to achieve significant value growth. “As a remaining shareholder, PIF will continue supporting Al-Hilal’s growth journey.”

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