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Trump the football fan: US president to attend FIFA club final

BEDMINSTER, United States: Donald Trump will on Sunday showcase his unexpected attachment to a sport in which “America First” remains a dream, for now. The US president is attending the final of the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup in his latest use of the beautiful game as a soft power political weapon. His appearance at the MetLife stadium in New Jersey, where Paris Saint-Germain face Chelsea, is very much a trial run for the World Cup final, which will take place in the same stadium next year. Trump has made it clear he sees both tournaments, as well as the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, as showpieces for what he calls the “Golden Age of America” during his second term. The billionaire Republican’s close friendship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, a frequent visitor to the White House, is also a factor in his appearance. Trump has kept the Club World Cup trophy next to his desk in the Oval Office since Infantino dropped by in March. But Trump’s embrace of football, or soccer as he would say, is also personal. The president’s 19-year-old son Barron is a fan, as Infantino pointed out in a press conference at FIFA’s new office in Trump Tower in New York on Saturday. Asked if Trump liked the game, Infantino replied: “Well I think he does. In his first term as president of the United States there was a soccer goal in the garden of the White House. “He then explained to me that his son loved football, and that he loved the game.

Hamzah Sheeraz stops Berlanga, Shakur Stevenson defends lightweight title at home of US Open tennis

NEW YORK: Hamzah Sheeraz punctuated the first boxing card held on the grounds of the US Open tennis tournament by stopping Edgar Berlanga in the fifth round Saturday night.The English fighter moved up in weight to make his debut at super middleweight and showed he has plenty of power for it, dropping Berlanga twice in the fourth round and then pouncing quickly to start the fifth before referee David Fields stopped the fight.Sheeraz (22-0-1, 18 KOs) has been touted as a potential opponent for 168-pound champion Canelo Alvarez and would not only deserve it but have a chance to win if if he looked as good as he did against Berlanga (23-2), who had boasted that he would have an easy night.In the co-main event, Shakur Stevenson remained undefeated and defended his WBC lightweight title with a dominant performance, beating William Zepeda by unanimous decision.One judge favored Stevenson 119-109, while the other two had it 118-110 for the 2016 Olympic silver medalist.Stevenson (24-0) won just before Berlanga and Sheeraz fought in the final bout of the night in Louis Armstrong Stadium, the No. 2 venue at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.But it was a main event-level performance from Stevenson and the first wide victory of the night after the previous two bouts were close right to the finish.Zepeda (33-1) landed a left hand shortly after the opening bell that drew a smile from the champion, and he was able to get inside a number of times to unload a series of shots at Stevenson.

Messi at the double again to lift Miami to MLS win over Nashville

MIAMI: Lionel Messi continued his historic Major League Soccer scoring run Saturday, netting two goals for the fifth game in a row to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Nashville. Just days after he became the first player to score multiple goals in four straight MLS matches, Messi did it again as Miami continued their climb up the Eastern Conference standings after their league hiatus for the Club World Cup. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a trademark left-foot free-kick, which found the only gap in Nashville’s defensive wall to go past goalkeeper Joe Willis. Miami dominated in the first half but, just four minutes after half-time, Hany Mukhtar’s header pulled Nashville level. Messi grabbed the winner in the 62nd minute when he capitalized on a bad mistake from Willis, who misjudged a pass to tee up the Argentine for the strike. The two goals — on the heels of his two in a 2-1 win over New England on Wednesday — took Messi’s total to 16 in 16 appearances this season, tied with Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who was unable to add to his tally of 16 on Saturday. “There are not many words. It’s incredible what he keeps doing, breaking records now every three days, not even every weekend,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “He is the standard-bearer of our team that shows us the way to compete.

Crawley’s last-over ‘theatrics’ against India spark time-wasting row at Lord’s

LONDON: England and India accused each other of sharp practice after Zak Crawley’s conduct at Lord’s on Saturday drew an angry reaction from visiting captain Shubman Gill. India ought to have been able to bowl two overs late in the third day’s play of the third Test after being dismissed for 387 — exactly level with England’s first-innings total. Crawley, however, ensured there were only six deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah before stumps by twice withdrawing from his stance and then calling for the physio after the fifth ball appeared to make only minimal contact with his glove. Tempers flared as it became evident India would not be able to bowl another over before the close, with host broadcaster Sky Sports issuing an on-air apology after a stump microphone picked up Gill swearing angrily at Crawley. Crawley and Gill jabbed fingers at each other as they exchanged choice words, with Ben Duckett, England’s other opener, also getting involved. Tim Southee, England’s bowling consultant, suggested Gill was guilty of double standards after delaying the end of the hosts’ innings to receive treatment on the second day, while India all-rounder Washington Sundar also held up proceedings for what appeared to be a comfort break while batting. “I’m not sure what they were complaining about when Gill was lying down getting a massage in the middle of the day yesterday,” Southee told reporters after stumps on Saturday. “It’s obviously part of the game. It’s always exciting to see both sides animated toward the end and it was an exciting way to finish the day.

India look to maintain momentum against faltering England in third Test

LONDON: An in-form India will continue their quest for just a fourth series win in England when the third Test at Lord’s starts on Thursday.

Doug Ghim leads John Deere as Max Homa, Rickie Fowler also go low

SILVIS, Illinois: Doug Ghim made an eagle from the sixth fairway en route to a bogey-free, 9-under par 62 on Thursday to set the firs round lead at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois

‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

ORLANDO, US: Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi said the death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota had impacted his team ahead of their Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday. The Saudi club’s full-back Joao Cancelo is a Portugal international and midfielder Ruben Neves was a team-mate of Jota with both the Portugal national team and at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. The 28-year-old Jota died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames on Thursday. “We all know it’s a sad day because of what happened to Diogo and Andre, unfortunately, these are things that shouldn’t happen, which happened,” said the Italian. “As we are all aware, we have two Portuguese players, Ruben Neves and Cancelo, who were very close to the guys. Clearly today was a difficult day for everyone.

England in Deep trouble after India captain Gill’s superb double century

BIRMINGHAM, UK: India captain Shubman Gill scored a superb maiden, record-breaking Test double-century before stand-in fast bowler Akash Deep took England in consecutive balls at Edgbaston on Thursday. Gill’s commanding 269 was the cornerstone of India’s first-innings 587 on the second day of the second Test. England were 77-3 at stumps — a huge deficit of 510 runs. Deep only played because India rested Jasprit Bumrah, the world’s top-ranked Test bowler who is only due to play in three games in this five-match series to minimize the effects of a back injury. The 28-year-old Deep conceded 12 runs in his first over, but his second was a double-wicket maiden that left England faltering at 13-2. He had Ben Duckett, fresh from a superb 149 in England’s five-wicket win in the first Test at Headingley, edging to third slip.

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England Sport News

Trump the football fan: US president to attend FIFA club final

Hamzah Sheeraz stops Berlanga, Shakur Stevenson defends lightweight title at home of US Open tennis

Messi at the double again to lift Miami to MLS win over Nashville

Crawley’s last-over ‘theatrics’ against India spark time-wasting row at Lord’s

India look to maintain momentum against faltering England in third Test

Doug Ghim leads John Deere as Max Homa, Rickie Fowler also go low

‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

England in Deep trouble after India captain Gill’s superb double century