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By Timothy Akintola

News on Jannik Sinner, Manchester United, Pochettino, Portugal and Zubimendi.

Jannik Sinner stuns Novak Djokovic to win the Shanghai Masters.

World no. 1, Jannik Sinner claimed his seventh title of the season by defeating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to win the Shanghai Masters. The top-ranked Italian triumphed 7-6 (4), 6-3 in an hour and 37 minutes, without facing a breakpoint. Sinner hit eight aces and 22 winners, while Djokovic managed four aces and 12 winners. Djokovic, aiming for his 100th career title, fell short, remaining behind Jimmy Connors (109 titles) and Roger Federer (103) in all-time records. Sinner’s win brings his head-to-head record against Djokovic to 4-4. At 23, Sinner is the first man since Andy Murray in 2016 to win more than six titles in a season. Reflecting on the match, Sinner called Djokovic “a legend” and praised his resilience. This victory follows Sinner’s runner-up finish to Carlos Alcaraz at the China Open, with both losses this season against top-5 players coming from Alcaraz.

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Manchester United’s dressing room reportedly bugged before the Villa game.

According to reports from The Sun, A prankster reportedly snuck into Manchester United’s dressing room at Villa Park, hiding a recording device two days before their goalless draw. The device captured Erik ten Hag’s team talks during the crucial Premier League match, which played a key role in determining his future. Although the recordings haven’t been published, reports suggest ten Hag’s instructions are clearly audible. The prankster attempted to retrieve the device the following day. This incident coincides with ten Hag’s efforts to increase privacy at United’s Carrington training ground by installing screens to protect tactical discussions. It adds further distraction for ten Hag, who recently faced talks about his future following United’s poor start to the season. Despite holding onto his job for now, he remains under pressure and will be hoping for a win against Brentford to relieve some of the tension.


USMNT defeats Panama 2-0 to give Pochettino a perfect start.

Mauricio Pochettino’s debut as United States manager started strong with a 2-0 win over Panama in a friendly match in Austin. This game followed the USA’s earlier Copa America loss to Panama, which led to Gregg Berhalter’s departure and Pochettino’s appointment. Yunus Musah opened the scoring in the 49th minute with an assist from Christian Pulisic. Pochettino’s attacking style was clear as seven USA players contributed to chances during the first half. Despite Panama having more attempts, they only managed 0.89 expected goals (xG) compared to USA’s 1.7 xG from 11 shots. Goalkeeper Matt Turner made key saves, while Panama missed crucial opportunities. In stoppage time, substitute Ricardo Pepi sealed the win after a pass from Haji Wright. USA now prepares to face Mexico, presenting a new challenge for Pochettino and his squad.

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Goals from Ronaldo and Bernado Silva help Portugal dispel Poland.

Portugal secured a 3-1 win over Poland in the Nations League, maintaining their perfect start with three consecutive victories. Bernardo Silva opened the scoring in the 26th minute, finishing from a Bruno Fernandes assist. Captain, Cristiano Ronaldo doubled the lead 11 minutes later, netting his 133rd international goal and 11th of the season, after Rafael Leão hit the post. Poland’s Piotr Zielinski pulled one back in the 78th minute with a powerful shot, but Jan Bednarek’s own goal sealed Portugal’s win in the final moments. Portugal leads League A Group One with nine points, three ahead of Croatia, who earlier beat Scotland 2-1. Poland, with three points from their win over Scotland, sit third, while Scotland remains at the bottom of the group without any points.


Zubimendi scores a late winner to give Spain a hard-earned victory over Denmark.

Spain claimed a 1-0 victory over Denmark in Murcia, taking them to the top of their UEFA Nations League group. Spain dominated possession from the start, creating several chances but struggled to break through Denmark’s defense. Lamine Yamal had a golden opportunity in the first half but blasted over the bar. Denmark’s best chance came when Christian Eriksen delivered a dangerous cross, but David Raya intercepted before Kasper Dolberg could connect. Álvaro Morata missed another close-range opportunity in the 68th minute, with Kasper Schmeichel making a crucial save. Spain’s persistence finally paid off just before the 80th minute when Martín Zubimendi fired a long-range shot to secure the win. This result extends Spain’s unbeaten run in competitive matches to 18, continuing their strong form under Luis de la Fuente, with their last loss coming in March 2023 against Scotland.

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