Haaland scores in 100th appearance as Man City beats Chelsea 2-0 in Premier League
LONDON (AP) — Erling Haaland has marked his 100th appearance for Manchester City with his 91st goal for the club as the defending champion began its campaign for a fifth straight Premier League title with a 2-0 win at Chelsea. Haaland gave his team the lead Sunday in the 18th minute. Mateo Kovacic added a strike from just outside the area in the 84th to make it a harsh welcome for new Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca in his first game in charge. Brentford beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the early game.
Gardner Minshew beats out Aidan O’Connell for Raiders starting quarterback job
HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce says Gardner Minshew will be the team’s starting quarterback going into the season. Minshew beat out Aidan O’Connell. Pierce said Minshew’s experience and his handling of the offense gave him the edge. Minshew is in his sixth season. He nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs last season. The Raiders host the San Francisco 49ers on Friday in their final preseason game.
Coast-to-coast conferences and expanded playoff mark a season of change in college football
A new era has arrived in college football, with some of the most recognizable programs in history now playing in different leagues. The College Football Playoff expands from four to 12 teams. There’s also change for some of the game’s biggest names. Jim Harbaugh won his national championship at Michigan and moved back to the NFL. Nick Saban retired from coaching with a record seven national titles and becomes an analyst on ESPN. The prolific Dillon Gabriel takes his big arm to Oregon for his sixth and final season. Georgia is the AP’s preseason No. 1 team.
Jordan Spieth’s season is over and he plans surgery on his left wrist
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jordan Spieth’s season is over. Next up is surgery on his left wrist. Spieth says he needs to get the sheath on his left wrist fixed. It’s what holds the tendon in place and it’s an injury that has troubled him for the last 16 months. He’s tried various forms of rehabilitation. Spieth says the total recovery is expected to about three months and he has no golf ahead of him. He failed to advance among the top 50 after the first FedEx Cup playoff event. Spieth says this is one of the most frustrating seasons of his career.
Chelsea coach Maresca defends decision to make Fernandez captain after racist chant
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca has defended his decision to give midfielder Enzo Fernandez the captain’s armband for the team’s opening game of the season despite the Argentina international being filmed singing a racist chant this offseason. Fernandez captained the team in the place of the injured Reece James, even after he was criticized by Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana for posting a video on social media showing Argentina players appearing to sing about French players with African heritage after their Copa America title win. Maresca says “if you did a mistake and you recognize (it), you are not going to be punished your whole life.”
Minnesota Vikings agree to 1-year contract with veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore
The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to a one-year contract with Stephon Gilmore. The veteran is the fifth cornerback the team has added since training camp began in an effort to bolster a vital position group. Gilmore will get $7 million guaranteed on a deal that could be worth as much as $10 million, his agent Jason Chayut told ESPN. The 2019 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year with New England and five-time Pro Bowl pick will join his fifth team in five seasons. Gilmore played for Dallas in 2023 and underwent offseason shoulder surgery.
Dallas QB3 Trey Lance finds groove in Cowboys’ victory in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy wants quarterback Trey Lance to find a comfort zone and play within his capabilities. Forget living up to being the No. 3 overall pick by San Francisco out of North Dakota State in 2021, the key is assuring McCarthy the Cowboys didn’t make a mistake in trading for him nearly one year ago. The 24-year-old acquitted himself quite well Saturday in Dallas’ 27-12 exhibition victory in Las Vegas. After starting quarterback Dak Prescott’s backup, Cooper Rush, played the entire first quarter, Lance threw for 151 yards and completed 15 of 23 pass attempts, including his first touchdown as a Cowboy over the final three quarters.
Tampa Bay Rays lose combined no-hitter in 7th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays lost their bid for a combined no-hitter when Arizona’s Corbin Carroll hit a leadoff single against Tyler Alexander in the seventh inning. Carroll flared a ball to shallow left field that shortstop Taylor Walls just missed on an attempt for a bare-handed catch. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. followed Carroll with another base hit. Drew Rasmussen struck out two during two perfect innings as the opener for Tampa Bay. Alexander allowed one baserunner before the seventh, issuing a leadoff walk to Geraldo Perdomo in the fourth.
Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes completes behind-the-back pass to Travis Kelce in preseason game vs Detroit
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes completed a behind-the-back pass to longtime tight end Travis Kelce on the Kansas City Chiefs’ second drive against the Detroit Lions on Saturday, injecting a little bit of life into the preseason game. Mahomes was rolling to his right and started to get some pressure from Detroit defensive lineman Josh Paschal when he zipped the pass behind his back to Kelce, who was dragging across the field. The completion on third-and-3 at the Detroit 33 was good for 9 yards and a first down, and eventually led to a field goal. Mahomes has fooled around with behind-the-back throws in practice but has never completed one during a game.
Pro Bowl lineman Jeffery Simmons says Titans pass rusher Arden Key’s suspension overturned
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons first teased some big news on social media and then shared Saturday that Tennessee teammate Arden Key won his appeal of a six-game suspension to start the season. Simmons shared the update hours before the Titans played Seattle in an exhibition game Saturday night. Simmons wrote that he and his fellow defensive starter will see everyone Sept. 8 in the Titans’ opener at Chicago. A report July 30 said Key was facing the suspension to start the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers. The NFL never announced a suspension of Key. A league spokesman declined to comment Saturday.
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