MANCHESTER, England-- Inter Milan escaped Etihad Stadium with a surprise 0-0 draw against Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday, exacting a small measure of revenge for their narrow loss to Pep Guardiola's side in the 2023 final.
Both teams squandered numerous chances in a breathless back-and-forth affair. City were largely stalled by Inter's impressive discipline in defence, while Simone Inzaghi's Inter, who were dangerous on the break on a nervy night for both sides, were wayward with their finishing. "We faced a really difficult team," Guardiola said. "I'm still really, really satisfied for the game we played, especially with how (Inter) defended, they are masters of that, so big, they help each other unbelievably. So you cannot expect to create a lot of chances." Inzaghi was similarly pleased with his squad's night.
"I said 'well done guys', they put in a giant performance," the manager said. "I asked them to play exactly as they did. We all know Manchester City, what they are capable of, we knew we had to pull out all the stops, play a great game and we did it." City's goal machine Erling Haaland, who would have become the fastest player in history to record 100 goals for a European club had he scored, will have to wait to achieve that milestone.
The Norwegian, who has nine goals in four Premier League games this season, narrowly missed a couple of first-half chances including a header that keeper Yann Sommer jumped up to grab on the line, and a hard, low shot that rolled just wide of the post. Henrikh Mkhitaryan had City fans breathing a huge sigh of relief when he missed a late chance, launching a rocket just over the bar from about eight metres out, then holding his head in disbelief. At the other end, Ilkay Gundogan elicited huge groans from City fans after twice failing to convert with close-range headers in the dying seconds.
He launched the first one straight at the keeper, with the second one glancing just over the bar right before the final whistle. City fired 22 shots to Inter's 13, but only had one more shot on target than their visitors with five. "A very intense game against a very strong opponent," City defender Ruben Dias told TNT. "We knew what was coming, they're a top team as well, they're used to winning, and we knew we're not going to have an easy job. In the end, I think the team had a great performance, we were very close to scoring." Under the new Champions League format, teams play eight matches against eight different opponents, with the top eight sides in the 36-team league automatically advancing to the last 16, and the next 16 playing a further knockout round. "We prefer to win, but we have seven games (left to advance), we'll see what happens," Guardiola said.
It was a lacklustre performance for four-time defending English champions City, who are in a familiar spot sitting atop the Premier League table after four games with a 100% record. Inter are third in the Serie A table. One negative on the night was a potential injury to City captain Kevin De Bruyne, who appeared to pick up a knock late in the first half and did not play in the second. "I haven't spoken to the doctors yet," Guardiola said. His team face another intense contest on Sunday when they host Arsenal, who sit two points behind them in the table.
City, who edged Inter 1-0 to hoist the 2023 Champions League trophy in Istanbul as part of their treble, were eliminated by eventual winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of Europe's top competition last season, while Inter were ousted by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz in action with PSV Eindhoven's Richard Ledezma during their Champions League match at Allianz Stadium, Turin.
TURIN, Italy -- Juventus made a perfect return to the Champions League as they beat Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven 3-1 at home on Tuesday, helped by two quick-fire goals from Kenan Yildiz and Weston McKennie in the first half. Yildiz and McKennie put Juve 2-0 up at the break in coach Thiago Motta's debut leading a side in European competition and Nicolas Gonzalez added a third after the break before Ismael Saibari pulled one back for PSV in stoppage time.
BOLINGBROOK --Jon Rahm captured two titles on Sunday, winning the 2024 LIV Golf League individual championship with his victory at LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook (Ill.) Golf Club. The Spaniard, in his first year on the tour after leaving the PGA Tour in December, collected his second tournament victory this season with a bogey-free, 4-under 66 in the third round for 11-under 199. He earned $4 million and collected the $18 million prize for the season points crown.
He won by three strokes over his main competition for the season-long title, Chile's Joaquin Niemann (bogey-free 66 on Sunday), and fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia (bogey-free 68). "Today was a special day in many ways," Rahm said. "I woke up really nervous today, as I thought I would, and even warming up, I told Adam (Hayes, his caddie), man, I'm nervous.
But then I started thinking, playing with Sergio and Brooks (Koepka), last time both me and Sergio played good, it was a good Sunday in Valderrama; Sergio ended up winning. Last time I went up against Brooks, he ended up beating me. I wanted to, hopefully, do a really good showing this time and maybe get it over the line." Rahm entered the tournament leading Niemann by 2.97 points in the season standings.
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He had a one-shot lead starting the day and birdied Nos. 3, 6, 10 and 17. Garcia, who was in second going into the final round, birdied the sixth and 14th holes but couldn't keep pace. Niemann, tied for fourth and three shots off the pace after two rounds, started strong with birdies on the par-4 first hole and par-5 third but couldn't gain ground with only birdies at Nos. 11 and 15. "It wasn't very difficult to keep an eye up because (Niemann) was right up there on the leaderboard," Rahm said. "I said yesterday in my presser, I like to know where I stand. I wasn't always looking directly, but anytime I saw the leaderboard, it was very noticeable that his name was there, amongst many others because Tyrrell (Hatton) started great, Sergio was also on my heels. I'm glad that once I took that two-shot lead on 3, it never got any closer than that." England's Hatton was alone in fourth place at 7 under following a round of six birdies and a bogey at No. 16 for a 65. Crushers led the team competition by four shots after Friday and were tied with Cleeks at 10 under through two rounds. Crushers emerged at 14 under for a one-shot victory over Legion XIII and team captain Rahm. India's Anirban Lahiri carded a 67 on Sunday, while team captain Bryson DeChambeau shot 68, Great Britain's Paul Casey 70 and Charles Howell III 71. "I couldn't be more proud of Paul, Ban and Charles for sticking through it," DeChambeau said. "When Charles was not here for quite a while (leg injury), it was tough for us, but John (Catlin) filled in nicely, and once we had ol' Chucky back here, he delivered for us today. He didn't do his best here, but we're all a team here, and that's why we play LIV Golf." Legion XIII with Rahm, Hatton, Kieran Vincent and Caleb Surratt, was at 13 under. Fireballs was third at 12 under, with Cleeks falling to seventh at 8 under. The tour's team championship is Sept. 20-22 at Maridoe Golf Club near Dallas in Carrollton, Texas.
Swiss, US win reprieves in America's Cup qualifiers SPAIN- - Switzerland and the United States both kept their America's Cup hopes alive on Monday with dramatic semi-final race wins over Britain and Italy respectively in the qualifier series.
The Swiss and U.S. teams had both been on the brink of elimination from the first-to-five Louis Vuitton Cup semi-finals off Barcelona, with the British and Italians, with four wins apiece, each only needing to win to meet in the final. But in light and tricky wind conditions, the less-experienced crew staged a stunning comeback against Britain, just completing the race within the time allowed as they left Ben Ainslie's AC75 monohull wallowing in the doldrums. Britain had established what appeared to be an unassailable lead over the Swiss, but came off their hydrofoils during a tack at a key moment, only to watch their opponents foil past them.
The Swiss too dropped into 'displacement' mode -- when the hull is in the water rather than lifted above it -- but managed to maintain enough momentum to complete a shortened course. Italy against the U.S. began as an incredibly close tactical 'match race' which was effectively handed to the U.S. team when the Italians, who were in the mix despite a series of penalties, tried to outmanoeuvre their opponents and get them penalised.
The gambit failed spectacularly when the Italian boat dropped off its foils, leaving the U.S. to disappear into the distance and claim a crucial victory in the series. Racing was then abandoned for the day, with the next races now scheduled to take place on Wednesday as the crews battle it out for the right to challenge America's Cup defenders New Zealand in October.
DETROIT--Jacob Stallings doubled twice and drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth as the visiting Colorado Rockies snapped Detroit's four-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory on Thursday afternoon. Jordan Beck supplied a solo homer for the Rockies (55-92). Seth Halvorsen (1-0) notched his first career win with an inning of scoreless relief and Tyler Kinley pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 12th save. Colorado starter Ryan Feltner gave up two runs and three hits while recording six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Rockies manager Bud Black was ejected in the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes. Detroit starter Tarik Skubal allowed one run and four hits with six strikeouts in six innings. Spencer Torkelson drove in both runs for the Tigers (75-72) with a fourth-inning double. Colorado struck first for a 1-0 lead in the third inning on Beck's home run, his third, off a Skubal curveball. Detroit took the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Riley Greene had a one-out single and Jace Jung drew a two-out walk. Torkelson ripped a double to left, bringing home both runners. Skubal snared a Brenton Doyle line drive in the top of the sixth and needed some extra time to get the feeling back on his non-throwing hand.
He was able to stay in the contest and set down the next two batters. The Rockies tied the score in the seventh. Stallings had a one-out double against Brenan Hanifee and stopped at third on Hunter Goodman's single. Sean Guenther replaced Hanifee and Stallings scored on Charlie Blackmon's infield hit. With the Tigers' Jason Foley (3-6) on the mound, the Rockies grabbed the lead in the ninth. Brendan Rodgers led off with a single and advanced on a passed ball. Stallings' bloop double scored Rodgers with the go-ahead run
. Nolan Jones replaced Stallings as a pinch runner and moved to third on a groundout. Jones scored on Jake Cave's sacrifice fly. Detroit threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Colt Keith drew a one-out walk and Torkelson had a two-out single but Zach McKinstry struck out to end the game.
