Mateusz Bogusz scores against Yohei Takaoka in the 1st half
Mateusz Bogusz scored just 35 seconds into the game, and Ilie Sánchez added another goal in stoppage time, leading Los Angeles FC to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night.
Bogusz’s goal was his career-high 15th this season for LAFC (18-8-7), assisted by David Martínez and Olivier Giroud. Martínez recorded his fourth assist in his 16th game, while Giroud got his third in just his ninth match.
Vancouver (13-12-8) equalized in the 62nd minute when Sebastian Berhalter scored from a free kick. It was his second goal of the season and the fourth of his career. The free kick was awarded after LAFC midfielder Sergi Palencia committed a handball foul.
Sánchez scored in the third minute of stoppage time, marking his first goal of the season and the 10th of his career. Kei Kamara provided his fifth assist of the season.
Sebastian Berhalter and Eddie Segura fights for the ball
Hugo Lloris, who had two clean sheets in previous matches, made three saves for LAFC. Yohei Takaoka saved two shots for the Whitecaps.
LAFC is now just three points behind the Los Angeles Galaxy in the fight for the top spot in the Western Conference and is guaranteed to finish no lower than second. Earlier this season, LAFC won 3-0 at home against the Whitecaps and leads their all-time series 10-6-4.
Vancouver, currently ranked No. 8 in the West, has not won in its last six matches, with a record of 0-4-2.
LAFC will host the San Jose Earthquakes next Saturday for Decision Day, while the Whitecaps will visit Real Salt Lake to wrap up the regular season.
Following a significant court ruling related to soccer transfers, FIFA announced on Monday that it will invite important global participants for discussions about updating regulations questioned by former France player Lassana Diarra.
On October 4, the European Court of Justice decided in the Diarra case that some aspects of FIFA’s transfer rules did not align with competition laws and workers’ freedom of movement.
While some experts believe this could shake up the entire global transfer market, valued at over $10 billion annually, FIFA thinks the talks can focus more specifically on disputes between players and clubs involving contract terminations without valid reasons.
The discussions will include the global players’ union FIFPRO, as well as representatives from clubs, leagues, and national soccer federations.
Lassana Diarra in the 1st half
“Together with them, FIFA will determine what conclusions must be drawn from the Diarra decision, and which changes are most appropriate and suitable to make to article 17 of the (transfer regulations),” said Emilio García, FIFA’s chief legal officer.
Diarra, who previously played for Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Chelsea, signed a four-year contract with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2013. He ended the contract a year later due to dissatisfaction with alleged pay cuts.
FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport found that Lokomotiv terminated the contract “with just cause” and ordered Diarra to pay 10.5 million euros ($11.2 million). Diarra argued that FIFA’s rules affected his ability to find a new club, making the next club partly responsible for compensating Lokomotiv.
“The Diarra decision confirms the sanctity of contracts. Nobody, neither a club nor a player, can simply walk away from a valid contract,” García stated. “Consequently, if players wish to be released from a contract, there will be financial consequences.”
The FIFA-led discussions will begin as the Diarra case returns to a local court in Belgium, where a final decision could take years.
During a hectic soccer season where players have mentioned the possibility of a strike, their union has joined forces with domestic leagues to challenge FIFA in the European Union. This challenge focuses on FIFA’s approach to introducing new and larger men’s competitions.
The European branch of the player union FIFPRO and the 33-nation European Leagues group have submitted a formal complaint. They claim that FIFA does not properly consult stakeholders about decisions that benefit its commercial interests.
This is the latest legal issue FIFA faces, as it has dealt with pressures from rulings related to the European Super League, player agent regulations, and the global transfer market this month.
On the field, FIFA is set to launch a 32-team Club World Cup next June and July in the United States, which will include 12 teams from Europe. Additionally, the 2026 World Cup in North America will expand to 48 teams and last an extra week.
FIFPRO expressed concerns that “the oversaturated international football calendar risks player safety and wellbeing.” They shared a video featuring star players like Kylian Mbappé discussing their increasing workloads.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal, and Denmark’s Victor Kristiansen battle for the ball during the UEFA Nations League
Mbappé stated, “You have so many competitions and we are happy to play, but when it’s too much, it’s too much,” during an awards ceremony in May.
The complaint filed with the European Commission focuses on FIFA, which organizes the schedule for national-team matches. Clubs are required to release players for these selections.
“The complainants are not asking for financial compensation from FIFA but for a fair and inclusive decision-making process,” said their lawyer, Mark English. He added that they are requesting the Commission to take action against FIFA for violating European competition laws.
The complaint does not mention UEFA, which has committed many players to additional games this season by expanding the Champions League, Europa League, and Nations League.
“We have some representation (at UEFA) and we use that,” said Mathieu Moreuil, a lawyer for the English Premier League, when asked why UEFA was not included in the complaint. “With FIFA, we have literally nothing.”
In the past, league officials, clubs, and unions had a formal role on FIFA’s Football Stakeholder Committee, but it was disbanded in 2021 by President Gianni Infantino.
This season, European domestic leagues have had their schedule options limited due to four additional midweeks from September to January now taken up by UEFA club competitions.
Ronaldo takes the ball forward in the game
Belgian league CEO Lorin Parys compared FIFA’s new club event to a threat, similar to the Super League plan that elite clubs tried to implement in 2021, which was stopped by fan opposition.
“Here comes FIFA through our back door whistling and yelling: ‘Surprise,’ saying: ‘We have got a present for you guys,’ and it’s really the Super League under a different name,” Parys said.
The leagues’ complaint against FIFA also includes not being properly consulted during discussions about the new calendar for national-team games through 2030, which forces them to cancel profitable weekend matches.
FIFA has stated that its offers to discuss the matter this year were not accepted. The complaint filed in Brussels, which is part of the European Union made up of 27 nations, also includes Spain’s La Liga and claims that FIFA is abusing its dominant position in soccer.
The complaint argues that FIFA’s role as the governing body and regulator conflicts with its commercial goals as a competition organizer.
FIFA has previously suggested that there is hypocrisy in European soccer, which allows clubs to play profitable offseason matches worldwide while it has a responsibility to protect and develop the sport globally.
Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman celebrates after a goal
On Monday, Nigeria’s soccer players announced they will not participate in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Libya after being stuck overnight at Al Abraq Airport. The team captain called this situation “mind games.”
Libyan authorities, however, denied any intent to sabotage the team.
The Super Eagles are set to play the second leg of the match on Tuesday. The first leg, which Nigeria won 1-0 on Friday, also involved similar claims of sabotage from the Libyan team.
Captain William Troost-Ekong explained that their flight was supposed to land at Benghazi Airport but was unexpectedly redirected to Al Abraq, which is about 220 kilometers (136 miles) away.
“The Libyan government canceled our approved landing in Benghazi without giving a reason,” Troost-Ekong said on X. “They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games.”
“As the captain, along with the team, we have decided that we will not play this game,” he added.
The Libyan Football Federation expressed regret over the flight diversion and explained: “It is essential to note that such incidents can occur due to routine air traffic control protocols, security checks, or logistical challenges that affect international air travel.”
Nigerian team poses for a group photo
Pictures shared online by the players showed some of them lying on airport seats with their luggage, and by Monday morning, some were seen asleep with no other passengers around.
Star striker Victor Osimhen, who is out due to a muscle injury, accused the Libyan soccer federation in an Instagram post of using “an intentional tactic to weaken and ruin the morale” of Nigeria’s players.
“It’s beginning to look more like a hostage situation,” he wrote, adding: “My brothers and coaches must return home safely. We are not criminals or prisoners.”
The Nigerian squad includes players like Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat trick for Atalanta in the Europa League final last season and is on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, as well as Victor Boniface, a striker for German champion Bayer Leverkusen.
Premier League players Ola Aina, Calvin Bassey, Alex Iwobi, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wilfred Ndidi were part of the Nigerian team that won 1-0 against Libya on Friday.
The Libyan team accused Nigeria of mistreatment before the first leg, but the Nigerian Football Federation denied these claims.
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri, said they were delayed for three hours as their bags were searched before they were driven to the city where the match took place.
“This is not the first time we have been maltreated in Africa … (and) we express the need for reciprocity,” Al-Badri said.
Nigeria’s sports minister, John Owan Enoh, stated that he has asked the soccer federation to file a formal complaint with the continent’s soccer body. “This must be on record and thoroughly addressed,” he added in a statement.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal, and Denmark’s Victor Kristiansen battle for the ball during the UEFA Nations League
Tests have confirmed that Lamine Yamal has only a strain in his left hamstring, which he got while playing for Spain, Barcelona announced on Monday.
The young star had the tests after leaving the national team following their 1-0 victory over Denmark in the Nations League on Saturday.
Spain stated that the 17-year-old forward was sent back to his club to avoid “the risk of injury.”
Barcelona did not provide a specific timeline for his return, only mentioning that he “will be out of action until he has fully recovered.”
Lamine Yamal controls the ball in the match
Barcelona’s next match is at home against Sevilla in the Spanish league on Sunday.
Yamal is expected to be ready for the matches against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on October 23 and the Spanish league “clasico” against Real Madrid three days later.
He will miss the Nations League home game against Serbia on Tuesday. Yamal played a key role in Spain’s success at this year’s European Championship.
Coach Luis de la Fuente has called up Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo Riquelme to take Yamal’s place.
So far this season, Yamal has played 11 games and scored five goals for Barcelona.
Breanna Stewart was determined to change the outcome this time.
As the Minnesota Lynx made another push in the fourth quarter, the two-time league MVP was not going to let the New York Liberty lose again.
Stewart scored 21 points and set a WNBA Finals record with seven steals, helping the Liberty defeat the Lynx 80-66 on Sunday in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals.
Similar to Game 1, New York built a double-digit lead in the first half, but this time they managed to hold on, evening the series at 1-1 before heading to Minnesota for Game 3 on Wednesday night.
“The moment the game ended Thursday night, I was looking forward to Sunday to change things, change the narrative a little bit,” Stewart said. “Be the same I was and be obviously better.”
Minnesota was down by nine early in the fourth quarter but narrowed the gap to 68-66 with a layup from Courtney Williams with 3:40 left. Those were the last points Minnesota would score.
Jackie Young shoots over Betnijah Laney-Hamilton in the 1st half
“Our offense was bad at a time when we really needed it. Our pace was slow,” said Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve. “We were taking too long to get into our plays, and I don’t think we were very difficult to defend at that moment. That was a tough time for that to happen.”
New York stepped up their defense and scored effectively. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton kicked off a game-ending 12-0 run with a 3-pointer from the corner. Stewart’s putback with 57 seconds left gave New York a comfortable lead. She had missed a free throw with just 0.8 seconds left in Game 1 that could have won the game for New York.
Laney-Hamilton contributed 20 points, hitting crucial shots throughout the game and also playing strong defense. She had missed more than a month due to a right knee injury before the Olympic break and has been working to get back into shape.
“I think what she brings is this grit, this toughness,” said Liberty coach Sandy Brondello. “We all know she’s giving us everything she has. The way she kept being aggressive, they were going under on her, and she confidently knocked down those shots.”
Stewart also contributed eight rebounds and five assists to go along with her record for steals. “I wanted to make it difficult for all the players I was going against,” Stewart said.
The game attracted a sellout crowd of 18,040, including celebrities like Jennifer Hudson, Katie Couric, Fat Joe, and UConn coach Geno Auriemma. This was the largest crowd ever for the Liberty at Barclays Center.
With this win, New York avoided going down 0-2, which would have required a historic comeback. In fact, all 20 teams that have trailed 0-2 in the best-of-five Finals have lost the series.
Betnijah Laney-Hamiltonreacts after shooting a 3-point basket in the 1st half
For the Lynx, Napheesa Collier scored 16 points, and Courtney Williams added 15.
New York led 23-21 before finishing the first quarter with the last eight points to take a 31-21 lead at halftime. Sabrina Ionescu scored 10 of her 15 points in the first 10 minutes, and Stewart added seven.
The Liberty extended their lead to 46-31, but Minnesota cut it down to 10 by halftime.
The Lynx closed the gap to 57-53 near the end of the third quarter, but Stewart responded with two free throws, made a big block on defense, and then scored a jumper to give New York a 61-53 lead heading into the fourth.
New York was ahead 64-55 early in the fourth before the Lynx scored 11 of the next 15 points, getting briefly within striking distance.
Betnijah Laney-Hamiltonreacts after shooting a 3-point basket in the 1st half
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton has been working hard to come back after her knee surgery six weeks ago.
On Sunday, she looked like her old self again, scoring 20 points in New York’s 80-66 victory over Minnesota, tying the WNBA Finals series at 1-1.
“I think everyone has seen her. She’s been struggling, but she’s been feeling good these last few days, can tell you that much,” said Liberty coach Sandy Brondello. “We just knew it would take some time.
We’ve given her plenty of rest, and she was ready to go. She puts in the work. Like I said, she’s tough. We talked about the grit she brings us.”
Laney-Hamilton, who had surgery on July 16 and came back to play on August 26, felt good after making her first drive of the game. The former Rutgers star mentioned she had “a little bit of everything” done to help her knee.
“I think it gives me a little bit of momentum going through the series,” said Laney-Hamilton, who scored five points in the first game. “I’ve been struggling physically and mentally through this process. … I’m finally starting to feel good and take advantage of it.”
Betnijah Laney-Hamilton reacts after scoring in the 2nd half
Laney-Hamilton’s college coach, C. Vivian Stringer, was at the game to support her. When healthy, Laney-Hamilton contributes greatly to New York on both offense and defense.
“We missed her grit and competitiveness. She takes pride in guarding the best player. Now with Leo on the team too, we really have a versatile defense.
But you also miss her ability to create plays,” Brondello said. “We wanted her to focus on play-making this year, but it was tough for her when she was limping around. We needed her to regain her confidence first, then go out and play.”
When Minnesota closed the gap to 68-66 with 3:40 left in the fourth quarter, Laney-Hamilton sparked a 12-0 run by hitting a 3-pointer in the corner, giving New York a lead they wouldn’t lose.
“She’s impactful because she plays hard on both ends and she’s a winner,” Brondello said. “I’m so happy for her success tonight, and I hope she keeps building on it.”
After the game, Laney-Hamilton had a chance to meet Jennifer Hudson, who wanted to connect with her. The two talked for a few minutes after the win.
Kyle Larson leads the field on a restart in the NASCAR Cup Series auto race
When rain interrupted Kyle Larson’s attempt to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day—preventing him from completing a single lap at Charlotte Motor Speedway—he returned to the track ready to impress.
“I don’t want to say it’s a chip, but I think the fact that he didn’t get to race here and Indy didn’t turn out too good, that was the extra motivation,” said team owner Rick Hendrick.
On Sunday, Larson secured his sixth win of the season in the Cup Series, easily moving on to the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs by winning at The Roval, a combination road course and oval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Crew chief Cliff Daniels commented, “After some of the comments he made about the Indy-Charlotte experience, he felt a lot of pressure on himself, almost like he let his team and fans down. I don’t think that was fair for him to feel, but he did. He’s been working hard, showing intensity, and is determined to perform well like everyone else.”
Larson led the race for a record 62 laps in the No. 5 Chevrolet, winning by a large margin over his rival and title contender, Christopher Bell, by 1.511 seconds.
“It was good to have a little bit of a stress-free weekend,” Larson said, mentioning he was taking his family to Cabo for a short vacation before the next round of playoffs starts in Las Vegas.
Kyle Larson celebrates in victory lane after winning the race
He shared that he traveled to Paris during the season, went to Italy during the Olympic break, and usually wins a race before taking a vacation.
“I think every vacation I’ve taken this year, I think I’ve won the race leading into it,” Larson said. “So I should start taking vacation every week. I shouldn’t have to argue. I shouldn’t have to prove a point. It’s my life, and we perform at a high level, so whatever.”
This was Larson’s second win in the playoffs, and he is the first championship-eligible driver to win in the round of 12. The elimination race cut the field from 12 drivers to eight, and among those eliminated from title contention was Hendrick driver Alex Bowman, who was disqualified after failing post-race inspection.
Bowman was disqualified for not meeting the minimum weight, according to NASCAR. This disqualification knocked him out of the playoffs and allowed Joey Logano to re-enter title contention.
“We are working to understand the decision Monday to about whether to submit an appeal,” said Hendrick Motorsports.
Along with Bowman, Team Penske driver Austin Cindric, Daniel Suarez from Trackhouse Racing, and Chase Briscoe from Stewart-Haas Racing were also eliminated from title contention.
Three of the four Hendrick drivers—Larson, William Byron, and Chase Elliott—have officially moved on to the round of eight.
Joining them for the next three-race series are reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney from Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell in Toyotas, and Tyler Reddick, the regular-season champion, who made it through in a Toyota for 23XI Racing.
Kyle Larson celebrates with his daughter after the win
Blaney and Logano are the two Ford drivers still eligible for the Cup title.
Bell finished in second place, followed by Byron, Cindric, Elliott, defending race winner AJ Allmendinger, and Shane Van Gisbergen. Logano took eighth place, while Bubba Wallace and Blaney rounded out the top ten.
Reddick won the first stage but got involved in a spin with Austin Dillon in the second stage, which dropped him to 37th place and below the cutline. He had to work hard the rest of the race to finish 11th and keep his spot in the playoffs.
Michael Jordan, who co-owns 23XI Racing with Hamlin, embraced both Hamlin and Reddick on pit lane after they advanced.
Logano finished eighth and was nearly eliminated by four points from moving to the next round until Bowman’s disqualification changed the situation.
Isac Lundestrom scored a goal midway through the third period, breaking a scoreless tie and helping the Anaheim Ducks earn a 2-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks in their season opener on Saturday night.
Lundestrom took a wrist shot from the slot after receiving a pass from Brock McGinn with nine minutes to go in the game.
Trevor Zegras added an empty-net goal with 1:35 remaining to secure the win.
Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal made 30 saves for the shutout, while Sharks goalie Vitek Vanecek stopped 28 shots.
San Hose Sharks with Ryan Warsofsky in the 3rd period
The Sharks applied constant pressure on Dostal but could not find the net. They missed rookie Macklin Celebrini, the 18-year-old 2024 first-overall draft pick, who was placed on injured reserve earlier that day.
Dostal, at 24 years old, performed well in his first opening-night start.
Sharks forward Fabian Zetterlund scored a power-play goal early in the first period, but it was overturned after a coach’s challenge showed he was offside. This set the stage for a long stretch of scoreless play that continued past the midway point of the third period.
Jake Middleon and Marco Rossi celebrates in the 1st period
Kyle Connor scored a power-play goal just 51 seconds into overtime, leading the Winnipeg Jets to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday. This win marked their third consecutive victory.
Mark Scheifele contributed with a goal and an assist in his 800th NHL game, while Connor Hellebuyck made 26 saves. This was the Jets’ second overtime win in a row.
Jake Middleton scored for Minnesota, and Filip Gustavsson recorded 33 saves.
Wild defenseman Zach Bogosian was penalized for holding Scheifele’s stick with just 6 seconds left in regulation, giving Winnipeg the advantage as they headed into overtime.
Scheifele scored his 301st career goal and has extended his point streak to three games, totaling four goals and two assists during this stretch.
Connor Hellebuyck makes a save in the 3rd period
Winnipeg has been focusing on improving its special teams this season, and it’s paying off. They successfully killed three penalties in this game, bringing their total to 5 for 5 this season. Last year, they ranked 22nd in the league.
Wild: Minnesota faced difficulties even before the game began, coming off a 5-4 shootout loss at home to Seattle the night before. They also lost their top center, Joel Eriksson Ek, and defenseman and captain, Jared Spurgeon, to injuries in that game.
The Jets pulled Hellebuyck with 2.9 seconds left in the first period and added an extra attacker in the offensive zone. Adam Lowry won the faceoff against Matt Boldy and passed the puck to Scheifele, who scored under Gustavsson with 1.5 seconds remaining, tying the game at 1-1.
Sam Steel and Wyatt Johnston scored 14 seconds apart late in the first period, and Casey DeSmith made 25 saves for his 11th career shutout in his Dallas debut, leading the Stars to a 2-0 win over the Seattle Kraken on Sunday night.
This was the second shutout for the Stars in two nights, as their top goalie, Jake Oettinger, had shut out the New York Islanders the night before.
Steel was at the back post when he tapped in a cross-ice pass from Colin Blackwell with 3:43 left in the first period. Johnston quickly followed with a wrist shot into the stick side just 13 seconds later after receiving a drop pass from Jamie Benn.
Grubauer, the Kraken’s goalie, had 21 saves.
Johnston, who led Dallas with 32 goals last season, has scored points in each of his first three games this season.
The last time Dallas had back-to-back shutouts was late last season, with a 3-0 win at Seattle on March 30 and a 5-0 victory against Edmonton at home on April 3.
Dallas Stars layers celebrate after a goal
Kraken: They were shut out for the first time in three games under new coach Dan Bylsma. Last season, they were blanked seven times and ranked 29th in goals.
Stars: With nine games scheduled in their first 17 days due to an early November trip to Finland, Dallas hopes for strong early performances from DeSmith.
Johnston won the faceoff right after Steel’s goal, which he turned into a 2-0 lead just seconds later.
The Stars successfully killed all four penalties, allowing only two total shots on goal, and they are 10 for 11 on the penalty kill this season.
Natthew Coronato and Justin Kirkland celebrates after a goal
Rasmus Andersson scored a goal and had two assists as the Calgary Flames defeated the winless Edmonton Oilers 4-1 on Sunday night, keeping their undefeated record.
Anthony Mantha, Justin Kirkland, and Connor Zary also found the net for the Flames, who improved to 3-0-0. Dan Vladar made 24 saves.
Jeff Skinner scored for the Oilers, who are now 0-3-0 after starting last season at 2-9-1 but eventually reaching Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton has been outscored 15-3 in their first three home games.
Stuart Skinner recorded 25 saves for Edmonton.
Flames: Mantha’s 300th point in his NHL career helped the Flames go ahead 2-1 at 7:06 of the third period. He managed to grab a rebound and lifted it over Skinner for his second goal of the season.
Daniil Miromanov and Leon Draisaitl figts for the puck in the 2nd period
Oilers: Captain Connor McDavid assisted on Skinner’s goal in the first period, marking the 15th time he has helped a player score their first goal. This ties him with Ryan Smyth for the second most in franchise history, behind only Wayne Gretzky’s 21 first-goal assists.
The Oilers seemed to score and take a 2-0 lead with less than two minutes left in the first period when Corey Perry tipped in Troy Stecher’s shot. However, Calgary challenged for goaltender interference, and the goal was disallowed. Edmonton had another goal taken away 5:40 into the second period when it looked like Derek Ryan had scored, but Viktor Arvidsson was offside on the play.
The Oilers allowed five power-play goals without making a save in their first two games, but they kept Calgary from scoring on all three power-play chances. Last season, the Oilers allowed only four power-play goals in 25 playoff games.
