Frank Lampard hailed Coventry's clinical finishing as the Championship leaders beat 10-man Watford 3-1 on Saturday.

Brandon Thomas-Asante and Jamie Allen set the Sky Blues on their way inside the first seven minutes before Tatsuhiro Sakamoto effectively wrapped up their sixth successive league win before the interval.

Watford's James Abankwah was sent off for a professional foul before halftime, while Imran Louza's second half penalty was little consolation for the out-classed visitors.

"At the minute we're clinical and we're dangerous, and we've been more dangerous than today," Lampard said.

"It was a tricky game for us and I thought we did the job and we did it well."

Hayden Hackney's first goal since August preserved second-placed Middlesbrough's unbeaten home record by securing a 1-1 draw with Wrexham at the Riverside Stadium.

Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna was impressed with his players' character in their gritty 1-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion at Portman Road.

Jack Clarke netted in the 83rd minute as Ipswich got back to winning ways after successive Championship defeats.

"To be fair it was a good win in that if I could have picked the type of win that would really benefit the group today, I think it would be one where we have a clean sheet, we have a really stable performance and give nothing away," McKenna said.

Millwall boss Alex Neil ranked the 1-0 victory against Leicester at The Den as a key step in his side's development.

Femi Azeez produced a fine finish from Casper De Norre's sublime pass late in the first half.

The win could have been more comfortable had Mihailo Ivanovic not had a penalty saved in the second half, but third-placed Millwall are now just two points behind Middlesbrough.

"It felt like a big win because, in this narrative, I think - because this has happened at a lot of clubs, it's not the first time it's happened to me - there's always 'oh, we've won a few, we're going to lose the next one'," Neil said.

"Then when you win the next one, the feeling changes, doesn't it?"

Sheffield Wednesday's 2-1 defeat against Oxford added to the club's woes after they were placed in administration this week.

Bottom of the table Wednesday received a 12-point deduction as a result of the administration, leaving them on -6 points.

Goals from Will Lankshear and Cameron Brannagan gave Oxford a two-goal lead at the break before Sean Fusire pulled one back for Wednesday early in the second half.

The game was played amid a backdrop of renewed optimism among Wednesday supporters following the news that the appointment of administrators had seen controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri relinquish control of the club.

Swansea piled the pressure on beleaguered Norwich boss Liam Manning as Zan Vipotnik's double secured a 2-1 win for the Welsh club.

Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker says competing in African club competitions must be seen as a privilege and his club’s nomination for the Club of the Year at the Confederation of African Football Awards is special.

Stellenbosch are one of the 10 finalists for the award after reaching last season’s African Confederation Cup semifinal in their first season of continental competition.

They are back in the competition this season and on Sunday host 15 de Agosto from Equatorial Guinea in the second leg of their second round tie, having forced a goalless draw away last weekend.

“It's a privilege to play on the continent and then to be nominated for Club of the Year in CAF, when you look how many teams there are on the continent, is just really special.

“We want to be playing in Africa, and we don't mind where we play. I do think it builds a bit of resilience in a team. I mean, we’ve had to spend five days together, whether it's on a plane, in an airport, on a bus, at a hotel, and I think that brings the team together.

“We've brought in a number of new players, and I think actually enduring a little bit of hardship might in the long run be good for team morale.”

Stellenbosch will be looking for a spot in the group phase, which carries considerable prize money, but had to play midweek when they beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 4-3 in the league.

Asked whether clubs flying the South African flag should be playing playing games on a Wednesday before a continental competition game, Barker said: “I do think that should be a big consideration, but I do know, obviously, seasons when you have Afcon and the amount of Fifa breaks we had leading up to the World Cup qualification, that if you don't play these games, eventually it catches up to you.

“We initially tried to get the game against Arrows postponed but we were unable to. So now having played and got the positive result, then I think it plays in our favour. I think playing regularly is not a bad thing. It's just managing players and their workload and just making sure everybody's as fresh as they can be.”

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said their embarrassing 1-0 home defeat by Cypriot minnows AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League on Thursday should serve as a reminder for the FA Cup winners to "stay humble".

The Premier League club were hosting a European match for the first time in their 101-year history but Riad Balic's goal early in the second half spoiled the party at London's Selhurst Park.

Palace are eighth in the Premier League and enjoying a good run of form while Larnaca are fifth in the Cypriot league.

"We will learn from it, the players will learn. And yes, it's disappointing, it's a frustrating night, but maybe the whole environment needed it to stay humble," Glasner told reporters.

"You are always told when you play in the Premier League you win the Conference League. Stay humble. I don't know if any debutant (is able) to win the competition. I don't think so."

Palace next visit league leaders Arsenal on Sunday.

Full-time thoughts from Oliver Glasner.

Watch in full ⤵️

— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) October 23, 2025

Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah and Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi are among 10 stars nominated for the 2025 African Player of the Year award, the organisers announced on Wednesday.

Salah finished fourth and Hakimi sixth in the 2025 Ballon d'Or and are the favourites for the African award.

Egypt captain Salah has been voted African Player of the Year twice while Morocco skipper Hakimi is seeking a first success.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 (𝗠𝗲𝗻) - 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝘀#CAFAwards2025 pic.twitter.com/z4VOFZERxM

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) October 22, 2025

Apart from Salah, the other two contenders from the Premier League are both Senegalese – Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr and Everton striker Iliman Ndiaye.

There are two Africa-based nominees, Congolese Fiston Mayele from Egyptian club and African champions Pyramids and Oussama Lamlioui of Moroccan outfit Renaissance Berkane. Both are prolific scorers.

The last winner, Nigeria striker Ademola Lookman, did not make the short list, but 2023 winner and compatriot Victor Osimhen was included.

CAF technical and development committee members, coaches, former stars and selected media representatives chose the 10 nominees.

Nominees

Andre Frank Zambo-Anguissa (CMR/Napoli), Fiston Mayele (COD/Pyramids), Mohamed Salah (EGY/Liverpool), Denis Bouanga (GAB/Los Angeles FC), Serhou Guirassy (GUI/Borussia Dortmund), Achraf Hakimi (MAR/PSG), Oussama Lamlioui (MAR/Renaissance Berkane), Victor Osimhen (NGR/Galatasaray), Iliman Ndiaye (SEN/Everton), Pape Matar Sarr (SEN/Tottenham Hotspur)

Coventry extended their lead at the top of the Championship thanks to Brandon Thomas-Asante's double to win 2-1 at Portsmouth on Tuesday, while Millwall beat Stoke 2-0 to go third.

Frank Lampard's Sky Blues have won five straight games to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table over Middlesbrough.

Frank Lampard reacts to tonight’s 2-1 win away at Portsmouth. 🎙️

— Coventry City (@Coventry_City) October 21, 2025

Thomas-Asante converted his seventh and eighth goals of the season as Coventry took another step towards ending a 25-year absence from the Premier League.

Goals from Femi Azeez and Tristan Crama bolstered Millwall's unlikely promotion hopes with a third consecutive victory.

However, it was another night to forget for all three clubs relegated from the Premier League last season.

Charlton climbed to fifth with a 3-0 win at Ipswich.

Southampton lost 3-1 at Bristol City despite going in front, while Leicester were beaten 2-1 at Hull.

Sheffield United, who only missed out on promotion last season in the play-off final, climbed out of the relegation zone thanks to a 3-1 win at Blackburn.

Norwich fell into the bottom three after they lost 1-0 at Derby, while Birmingham beat Preston 1-0 to climb up to 12th and within three points of the playoff places.

New Rangers boss Danny Rohl said on Tuesday only by winning games can he gain the confidence of supporters underwhelmed by the German's appointment.

Rohl, 36, has only previously managed Sheffield Wednesday but enjoyed spells as a backroom coach at Bayern Munich and the German national team under Barcelona boss Hansi Flick.

The Rangers hierarchy have been heavily criticised by the club's support for a chaotic recruitment process to find the successor to Russell Martin.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh watches on as Danny Röhl leads his first session at the Rangers Training Centre.

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) October 21, 2025

Martin was sacked on October 5 after just 123 days in charge.

Talks with former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard and Shaghai Port coach Kevin Muscat broke down without an agreement, leaving the club's under-19s coach Steven Smith to take charge of Saturday's 2-2 draw against Dundee United.

"You can be the first, the second or the third choice, what's important is that you win the next games and then you have to go forward," Rohl told reporters at his unveiling.

"The first step is, and this is the huge one, we need wins in a row. This is very important, because with wins in a row you can create self-confidence."

Rohl takes over a team that has only won five of their 18 games this season.

Rangers sit 13 points behind surprise Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts and eight adrift of fierce rivals Celtic.

The Ibrox side are also yet to win a point in the Europa League after two games ahead of Rohl's first match in charge at Brann in Norway on Thursday.

Yet, he said there is huge potential in a squad that has won just one of eight league games so far this season.

"I see so much potential. If you can bring the squad together with your style of football, with the things you demand, then you will go in a fantastic direction," added Rohl.

Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell have been the target for angry fans at the failed hire of Martin and an expensive squad overhaul in the transfer market that is yet to reap any reward.

However, the former Manchester United executive defended the process that led to Rohl's appointment.

"I can understand that on the outside it might look as though the process has gone awry, but all we can look at is the outcome of the process," said Stewart.

"We had discussions with a number of very credible candidates and we got one of those over the line."

There was anger on Monday in Israel after police banned the Israeli Premier League's Tel Aviv derby amid chaotic scenes, triggering complaints from the clubs and political opposition.

Sunday's match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was called off after what a police spokesman described as "disorderly conduct, riots, the hurling of objects, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured officers and damage to the stadium infrastructure".

Speaking to public broadcaster KAN, he said: "This is not a soccer game: this is severe disorder and violence."

After the police order, the Bloomfield Stadium, the home ground for both teams, was evacuated, with police on horseback intervening to control the 30 000 fans.

Hapoel's management was infuriated by the police decision and tactics.

"From the preliminary discussions before the game, it seemed that the police were preparing for a war rather than a sports event," the club said in a statement published on social media.

"Everyone saw the harsh videos, children trampled by horses, police officers beating fans indiscriminately," it said, accusing the police of taking over the sport and demanding football authorities regain control.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid also seized upon the incident to attack Israel's far-right interior minister.

"To the endless list of failures of the incompetent minister Itamar Ben Gvir, tonight was added the inability to facilitate a soccer game in the State of Israel," Lapid posted on social media.

Ben Gvir responded in a statement from his office, justifying the clampdown.

"The decision was made by the district commander, and I support him, believing that the police acted correctly," Ben Gvir said.

"Dozens of flares were thrown and both officers and civilians were injured. It was a real battlefield, and the response was justified."

Israeli Police cancelled the Tel Aviv derby tonight between Maccabi Tel Aviv Vs Hapoel Tel Aviv after a riot between rival fans broke out that posed a "risk to life"

According to Keir Starmer the Israeli Police are now Anti-Semitic pic.twitter.com/FRItLIJVSY

— Cllr Martin Abrams 🕊️🍉 (@Martin_Abrams) October 19, 2025

Maccabi Tel Aviv was less outspoken than its rival club.

In a separate controversy, Maccabi's supporters are already facing a ban from an upcoming Europa League match in Birmingham, England, where a local safety committee has tried to ban Israeli away fans from Aston Villa's stadium.

The UK government is trying to reverse the ban, which has been criticised by Israeli ministers, Europe's football governing body Uefa and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said: "We will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets."

Rangers have named former Sheffield Wednesday coach Danny Rohl as their new manager to replace the sacked Russell Martin, the Scottish club said on Monday, with the German 36-year-old signing a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Rohl left Championship side Wednesday by mutual consent in July, less than two weeks before the start of the season, having been in charge since October, 2023 and guiding them to a 12th-place finish last season.

That was the German's first senior managerial role having previously served as assistant manager at RB Leipzig, Southampton, Bayern Munich and with the German national team.

Martin was dismissed on October 5 after a disappointing start to the season, where one win in seven league games left Rangers well off the pace in the Scottish Premiership standings.

Rangers drew 2-2 at home to Dundee United on Saturday and are sixth in the standings, 13 points adrift of leaders Hearts.

"I know it has been a difficult start to the season, but there is still so much to play for in four competitions," Rohl said in a club statement.

"My staff and I will give it everything to reward the supporters and the club."

Rohl's first game in charge is an away trip to face Norwegian side SK Brann in the Europa League on Thursday.

Rangers lost their opening two games in the competition to Genk and Sturm Graz under Martin.

Welcome to Rangers, Danny Röhl.

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) October 20, 2025

Liverpool captain Grace Fisk has replaced injured Arsenal defender Katie Reid in the England squad for this month's friendlies against Brazil and Australia, the FA said on Monday.

Fisk, 27, will hope to earn her senior international debut as England play their first matches since winning the Euros in July.

Along with Reid, Manchester City midfielder Grace Clinton has also withdrawn due to a small injury, the FA said in a statement.

"Both will remain with their clubs for rehabilitation," the FA added.

England will play Brazil on Saturday in Manchester, before facing Australia in Derby three days later.

Former Bafana Bafana defender Bradley Carnell saw his club Philadelphia Union finish top of the regular season standings in Major League Soccer at the weekend and is now looking ahead to the post season playoffs.

Union topped the Eastern Conference by a single point from Cincinnati but had already secured top place before their weekend loss at Charlotte and will also have a spot in next season’s Concacaf Champions League.

They won 20 of their 34 games with six draws and eight defeats.

Carnell’s side won the Supporters’ Shield for the club who were the best in the regular season, but the tricky part now lies ahead for them in the playoffs.

Union are the top seed in the postseason after claiming the Supporters' Shield for the second time in club history and will have home advantage throughout the entire playoffs.

They kick off with a Round One Best-of-3 series at home on Saturday, where they will take on the winner of Wednesday's Eastern Conference Wild Card match between Chicago Fire FC and Orlando City.

The Union's lone away match of the postseason is scheduled for Saturday, November 1.

Should a third game be needed, Union would host the match on Saturday, November 8.

 

Mark your calendars 🗓️#DOOP https://t.co/8itJ7X33e8 pic.twitter.com/ba2HLaJlZy

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) October 19, 2025

 

Carnell took over at the club before the start of the season and ensured Union finished with the best defence in MLS with just 35 goals conceded and also established a club record of eight away wins.

Carnell was coach at St. Louis City in their debut MLS season in 2023 and took them to the top of the regular season standings. But they lost at the first hurdle in the playoffs to Sporting Kansas City.

He was fired midway through their second season but has bounced back in Philadelphia, where he has also given South African defender Olwethu Makhanya a chance to shine in the side.

Manchester United claimed a major scalp with a win at Anfield on Sunday, and one of Africa’s leading stars in the Premier League was central to their success.

Here is a look at the continent’s star performers in Europe this past weekend.

BRYAN MBEUMO (CAMEROON & MANCHESTER UNITED)

Next fixture: Brighton & Hove Albion (home)

Is the tide turning for Manchester United after they won back-to-back Premier League matches for the first time under manager Ruben Amorim? And not just any victory either, but a 2-1 success at Anfield against bitter rivals Liverpool. It was a sweet moment, and they were set on their way by Mbeumo, who continued his fine form at the start of the season with a goal inside two minutes. He was worked into space on the right-hand side of the box and drilled a low shot past Alisson in the home goal. It was his second goal of the campaign to go with one assist in his eight Premier League starts.

Bryan Mbeumo slices through Liverpool's defence in 62 seconds 🤯⚽

📺 Stream #LIVMUN on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/S96paE50Uz

— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) October 19, 2025

PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (GABON & MARSEILLE)

Next fixture: Lens (away)

Mason Greenwood scored four goals as Marseille crushed Le Havre 6-2, but Gabon great Aubameyang played a part in the win too with an assist for the fifth goal by Robinio Vaz. It was his fourth goal contribution in Ligue 1 this season, having found the back of the net on three occasions and provided this assist. That comes in just three starts and three substitute appearances. He may be 36, but Aubameyang still has much to give for both club and country, with Gabon still in the mix for 2026 World Cup qualification via the play-offs.

AKOR ADAMS (NIGERIA & SEVILLA)

Next fixture: Real Sociedad (away)

Adams scored for Nigeria in their victory over Lesotho in the recent World Cup qualifiers, his first international goal, which came shortly after he had helped Sevilla to a thumping 4-1 success against Barcelona with another strike. He has now scored twice in his last three LaLiga matches, and three times in four games if you include his goal against Lesotho. He came off the bench on Saturday as Sevilla lost 3-1 at home to Mallorca but is set to play a big role for his club this campaign, and for the Super Eagles in next month’s World Cup play-offs.

ANDRÉ-FRANK ZAMBO ANGUISSA (CAMEROON & NAPOLI)

Next fixture: Inter Milan (home)

Anguissa has been in top form for Napoli this season as they head into a crunch Serie A clash with Inter Milan on Saturday. Defending champions Napoli are in third place after a surprise 1-0 defeat at Genoa this past weekend, one point behind AC Milan and level with Inter. Napoli have not managed a win in their last five meetings with the latter (D3 L2), but Anguissa was hugely influential the last time they did so, a 3-1 success in May 2023. He will be crucial again as they look to break their winless run against a team who will be major title rivals this time around. Anguissa has two goals and an assist in six Serie A starts this season.

The Swedish Football Association said on Monday that ex-Chelsea manager Graham Potter had been appointed national team coach after Jon Dahl Tomasson was sacked last week following three straight losses in World Cup qualifying.

Sweden terminated Tomasson's contract on October 14 after his team only managed to win a single point in the first four games of the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

The Swedish FA said Potter, who was sacked by Premier League club West Ham in September, would be tasked with turning around a team containing star strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres and attempt to qualify for the finals in the US, Canada and Mexico.

"The goal is to create the optimal conditions to reach the World Cup in the summer of 2026," the Swedish FA said in statement.

Graham Potter är herrlandslagets nya förbundskapten 🇸🇪

🗞️ https://t.co/Xevu92RlZG pic.twitter.com/0zHiSg2o1X

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 20, 2025

The FA said the contract with Potter covered the ongoing qualifying period, with games against Switzerland and Slovenia in November, as well as a potential playoff in March.

The contract would automatically be extended to the World Cup finals themselves if Sweden qualify.

"I am very humble facing this assignment, but also incredibly inspired. Sweden has fantastic players who deliver week after week in the world's best leagues," 50-year-old Potter was quoted saying.

Despite having £125 million ($168 million) Liverpool striker Isak and Arsenal's £73 million Gyokeres starting together up front, Sweden has failed to even score in their last three matches and sit bottom of Group B.

📩 (1) nytt meddelande från Graham Potter pic.twitter.com/jSgi08rs8Q

— Svensk Fotboll (@svenskfotboll) October 20, 2025

Potter managed Swedish team Ostersund FK between 2011 and 2018, bringing it up to Sweden's top league.

He has since managed Swansea City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea and West Ham.

He was once regarded as one of English football's brightest coaching talents but was sacked by Chelsea in April 2023 after the team's form nosedived.

There then followed a difficult nine-month stay at West Ham.

Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe are all scoring at better than a goal-a-game rates in a blistering start to the season from Europe's top three marksmen.

Ahead of their return to Champions League action this week, the trio are already battling at the top of the charts to be the competition's top scorer and making the early running in a World Cup campaign for next year's Ballon d'Or.

AFP Sports looks at the astonishing stats all three strikers are producing for both club and country.

ERLING HAALAND (MAN CITY AND NORWAY)

Haaland's leads the way with 23 goals in 13 games to haul City back into contention for the Premier League and Norway to the brink of their first World Cup since 1998.

Only once has Haaland failed to find the net this season and he has struck in all of his last 11 matches.

The 25-year-old scored twice against Everton on Saturday to take his Premier League tally for the campaign to 11.

Haaland now boasts the three quickest occasions any Premier League player has reached 10 goals in a season after doing so in six matches in 2022 and five games last season.

"If you are building from scratch what you want as the ideal centre-forward, look at Haaland," said the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer Alan Shearer.

"He has goals, pace, strength, is good in the air. Doesn't mind being roughed up, it doesn't bother him if he doesn't have many touches. He is almost perfect."

Previously he has been questioned in his homeland for not reproducing his prolific club form for Norway.

Those complaints have been washed away as Haaland has struck 12 times in six qualifiers to finally take a golden generation towards his first major international tournament.

HARRY KANE (BAYERN MUNICH AND ENGLAND)

Kane headed in his 22nd goal of the season to put Bayern on course for victory in Der Klassiker against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.

The England captain has three goals in as many games for his country as the Three Lions became the first European team to qualify for the World Cup with a flawless qualifying record through six matches.

Kane has racked up incredible numbers since swapping his homeland for Bayern in 2023, even if it took until his second season to end a long wait to win a trophy.

The 32-year-old has 104 goals in 107 games for the German giants, including 19 in 11 at club level this season.

Bayern already look set to defend their Bundesliga title, making a first ever Champions League crown for Kane even more of a priority.

He has scored four times in wins over Chelsea and Pafos to begin their quest for European glory and will expect more when Club Brugge visit Bavaria on Wednesday.

KYLIAN MBAPPE (REAL MADRID AND FRANCE)

Mbappe's frustrating first few months following his dream move from Paris Saint-Germain last year are now long forgotten in the Spanish capital.

The Frenchman racked up 44 goals in 59 games across all competitions last season and adapted to playing as the central striker in Carlo Ancelotti's system.

Xabi Alonso has maintained Mbappe's position and the 26-year-old has been Madrid's key player during the opening weeks of the season.

Lightning quick, slick on the ball and capable of finishing lethally from outside the area, Mbappe has 15 goals in 11 matches between LaLiga and the Champions League.

He is the Spanish top flight's leading goalscorer with 10, while netting five goals in just two Champions League appearances.

Mbappe has also netted three times for France this season in three appearances.

In only one of 14 appearances for club and country this season has Mbappe failed to find the net, and he has netted in his last 11 consecutive matches.

Mbappe has finished as his league's top scorer in each of the last seven seasons, six with PSG and then in his first year at Real Madrid.

Wydad Casablanca beat Asante Kotoko in a showdown between former African giants and Nairobi United upset Etoile Sahel in CAF Confederation Cup second round qualifiers on Sunday.

Joseph Bakasu from the Democratic Republic of Congo was the first leg match-winner on 47 minutes as Moroccan outfit Wydad won 1-0 away to Ghanaian opponents Asante Kotoko in Accra.

Kotoko were reduced to 10 men just three minutes after falling behind when Guinea-born goalkeeper Mohamed Camara was sent off.

Wydad have won five CAF titles, including the Champions League three times. Kotoko reached the final of the same competition seven times, winning twice.

Results are in from Day 3. 📋 #TotalEnergiesCAFCC pic.twitter.com/ommnfRP9G0

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 19, 2025

African debutants Nairobi won 2-0 in the Kenyan capital against two-time Confederation Cup winners Etoile from Tunisia through goals from Ovella Ochieng and John Otieno.

It was an unexpected outcome as Nairobi were a second division club last season, who qualified for Africa by shocking leading Kenyan club Gor Mahia in the FA Cup final.

Tanzanian teams have been constantly improving in continental competitions and Singida Black Stars are favoured to reach the group stage after drawing 1-1 with Burundians Flambeau Centre in Bujumbura.

Zambian Clatous Chama put Singida ahead on 60 minutes and Edison Munaba equalised just two minutes later.

The return match is on Saturday.

A rampant Lionel Messi scored a sensational hat-trick to seal Major League Soccer's Golden Boot award on Saturday as Inter Miami roared into the playoffs with a 5-2 victory over Nashville SC.

The Argentine superstar tallied an astonishing 29 goals from 28 matches, with Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga and Nashville's Sam Surridge tied for second best with 24 goals.

Messi claimed his first MLS Golden Boot and also staked his claim to a second straight Most Valuable Player award with a bravura performance that saw Inter rally to clinch third place in the Eastern Conference.

They'll face the same Nashville team in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs starting on 24 October.

"What can I say about Leo?" Inter coach Javier Mascherano said. "Today he was exceptional, as he usually is. Surely he will be awarded the Most Valuable Player award for what he has demonstrated.

"I'm happy for him because he has helped us win the match once again."

Nashville had seen some quality chances go begging when Messi put Miami in front in the 34th minute with a cracking goal from outside the penalty area.

Messi took a pass from Jordi Alba and made one cut before he unleashed a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner.

Nine minutes later, Nashville's Surridge grabbed his 24th goal of the season when he headed in a pinpoint delivery from Hany Mukhtar at the near post.

Nashville seized a 2-1 lead deep in first-half injury time when Jacob Shaffelburg was there to fire home the rebound off a Mukhtar shot that hit the post.

Messi's first penalty conversion of the season pulled Inter level in the 63rd.

The referee pointed to the spot after a ball deflected by Luis Suarez hit Mukhtar on the arm.

Messi stepped up and rolled it past Nashville keeper Joe Willis.

After Baltasar Rodriguez made it 3-2 to Miami in the 67th, Messi completed his hat- trick in the 81st with a curling shot through traffic and past Willis.

Miami's Telasco Segovia completed the scoring against a shell-shocked Nashville in second-half injury time.

GREAT LEVEL

"In the first half, it was very tough for us, we lacked intensity," Mascherano said.

"We defended very deep, and with the ball, we didn't have many ideas either.

"The second half was different. We played in the opponent's half, took more risks, and finished at a great level."

There was plenty up for grabs in the final Western Conference games of the season.

Expansion club San Diego FC pipped Thomas Mueller's Vancouver Whitecaps for top seed in the West as their 4-0 victory over the Portland Timbers coupled with Vancouver's 2-1 loss to Dallas left them tied on 63 points.

Amahl Pellegrino and Anders Dreyer scored two goals apiece for San Diego, who topped the conference on a tiebreaker to complete the best regular season for a debut franchise in MLS history.

Dallas, who were among four teams chasing the last two Western Conference playoff berths, had goals from Osaze Urhoghide and Kaick in their victory in Vancouver.

Mueller scored a penalty but the Whitecaps played most of the match with 10 men after Mathias Laborda was sent off in the 11th minute.

Dallas and Vancouver will meet again in the first round of the playoffs.

Real Salt Lake also qualified for the playoffs with a 2-2 draw at St. Louis coupled with Colorado's 2-2 draw with Los Angeles FC.

Star striker Mahmoud Mayele scored the only goal of the game as Pyramids of Egypt beat Renaissance Berkane of Morocco 1-0 in the CAF Super Cup match on Saturday in Cairo.

The 31-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo struck on 75 minutes in the annual clash between the holders of the CAF Champions League and the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup.

The goal came after Imad Riahi was dispossessed by Mohamed Chibi as he tried to take the ball into the Pyramids half at the 30 June Stadium in the Egyptian capital.

Moroccan Chibi pushed the ball into the Berkane area and Mayele fired a low shot across goalkeeper Munir Mohamedi and into the net off the far post.

1st appearance 🟰 1st silverware. 🏅

Pyramids FC are your 2025 #TotalEnergiesCAFSC champions. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/mStcvFFDfr

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 18, 2025

Mayele, who joined Pyramids in 2023 from Tanzanian club Young Africans, changed his first name from Fiston to Mahmoud after converting to Islam last month.

He was a key figure when Pyramids lifted the Champions League at only the second attempt last season, finishing as leading scorer with nine goals in the premier African club competition.

Pyramids, whose victory was worth $500 000, are the third Egyptian club to win the Super Cup after Al Ahly (eight titles) and Zamalek (five).

Berkane were victorious in a previous Super Cup appearance three seasons ago.

A man who says I'm King IS indeed the true King. 😏👑 #TotalEnegiesCAFSC pic.twitter.com/o2O39vcQJP

— TotalEnergies CAFCL & CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) October 18, 2025

Malaysia's football federation suspended its secretary-general Friday and said it would establish an independent committee to probe an ongoing eligibility scandal involving seven foreign-born players.

Earlier this week, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) appealed against a Fifa decision to ban the seven players after the world body accused it of submitting doctored or false documents claiming the players had Malaysian ancestry.

Fifa said an investigation showed none of the players – who helped Malaysia to a 4-0 drubbing of Vietnam in June in an Asian Cup qualifier – had a parent or grandparent born in the Southeast Asian nation.

The FAM denies any deliberate wrongdoing.

"We are going to form an independent committee to look into what exactly has taken place, in order for us to be in a better position to give an answer to all this," said FAM deputy president S. Sivasundaram.

FAM secretary-general Noor Azman Rahman "is suspended effective today to allow the committee to carry out its duties", he told reporters at a press conference.

Apart from banning the seven – Hector Hevel, Jon Irazabal, Gabriel Palmero, Facundo Garces, Rodrigo Holgado, Imanol Machuca and Joao Brandao Figueredo – Fifa fined the Malaysian association $440 000.

 

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) on Friday held a press conference at 3 p.m. local time to address the ongoing scandal involving the alleged falsification of citizenship documents for seven naturalized players representing the national team.

Yet, the… pic.twitter.com/S6OtOzmDMF

— The Wall Pass Journal (@wallpassjournal) October 17, 2025

 

The matter is now with Fifa's appeals committee for a final decision.

Nepal, meanwhile, on Thursday appealed to Fifa to have the result of its 2-0 defeat against Malaysia in March to be overturned.

One of the seven, Hector Hevel, scored Malaysia's opening goal in the match played in Johor, Malaysia.

Nepal is currently at the bottom of Asian Cup qualifying Group F with no points from four games.

Malaysia is top with 12 points, Vietnam is second with nine points, while Laos is third with three points.

Spain coach Sonia Bermudez began her tenure by recalling Jenni Hermoso and Mapi Leon in a 23-player squad on Friday for the Nations League semifinal against Sweden.

Hermoso, 35, Spain’s all-time leading scorer with 57 goals, returns after a year’s absence, while defender Leon, who has not featured since Euro 2022, is also back in favour.

Both players were left out by former coach Montse Tome, who stepped down in August following Spain’s defeat by England in the final of Euro 2025.

Bermudez, previously in charge of the Under-23 women’s team, has taken over the senior squad with the immediate task of leading them in the Nations League semifinals.

Spain face Sweden in a two-legged tie, with the first match at La Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga on October 24 and the return leg at Gamla Ullevi Stadium in Gothenburg four days later.

Germany play France in the other semi on the same dates.

Hermoso’s return marks a significant moment for the forward, who was central to Spain’s World Cup triumph in 2023 and also at the heart of the controversy involving former Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales.

Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault for kissing Hermoso without her consent during the World Cup celebrations in Sydney.

The South African Football Association (SAFA) and adidas are proud to announce a landmark three-year partnership that will see the global sports brand become the official technical sponsor of South Africa’s national football teams.

This partnership marks a powerful homecoming for adidas, reigniting the spirit of unity and pride that captured the world during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™. Fifteen years later, that same sense of belief and belonging returns - as South Africa once again stands ready to make its mark on the global stage.

With Bafana Bafana’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, and Banyana Banyana’s continued rise in women’s football, adidas and SAFA are uniting to celebrate a new generation of South African excellence. Together, they’ll carry forward the message that has become adidas’ rallying call: “You Got This.”

“This partnership is more than a sponsorship - it’s a return to shared values of pride, resilience, and performance. adidas has long been part of our football story, and together we’ll inspire South Africans everywhere to believe that they’ve got what it takes. This return also marks the strengthening of our standing among the global football nations community as we compete at FIFA and CAF tournaments regularly and being supported by a brand that invests in innovation, performance and style to meet the needs of a modern sports organisation like us.” – Ms Lydia Monyepao, Chief Executive Officer, SAFA

Sam Handy, VP of Product and Design, adidas Football - “Football has the power to change lives while uniting and inspiring. adidas has a proud and rich football heritage, pioneering products for the best teams and athletes around the world. We’re proud to again stand alongside Bafana Bafana, Banyana Banyana and other SAFA teams as they represent the spirit of South Africa on the international stage.”

Fans and players can look forward to the iconic Three Stripes gracing the kits for all South Africa football teams as of 24 March 2026, with an offer that will cover match wear, training and pre-match apparel, travel ranges and a comprehensive fan collection.

Portugal great Cristiano Ronaldo once again topped the Forbes highest-paid footballers list for the 2025-26 season, as one of three members of the top 10 plying their trade in Saudi Arabia.

It is the sixth time in the last decade that Ronaldo has topped the Forbes list and comes just over a week after Bloomberg announced that the 40-year-old had become football's first billionaire.

With on- and off-field earnings of an estimated $280 million, Al Nassr's Ronaldo will earn more than double that of second-placed rival Lionel Messi, whose $130 million estimate is made up of more off-field earnings than those from playing for his US club Inter Miami.

Next up is French former Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema, who earns $104 million a year thanks to his huge contract at Saudis Al Ittihad.

The third member of the top 10 playing in Saudi Arabia is Senegalese forward Sadio Mane, a teammate of Ronaldo's who earns an estimated $54 million in eighth.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the world’s highest-paid soccer players, collectively earning $945 million this season. But as the sun sets on his legendary career, two young stars are stepping into the spotlight.#Forbes

For More Details: https://t.co/gq6ThDYod7 pic.twitter.com/HWxXH8IVN3

— Forbes Middle East (@Forbes_MENA_) October 16, 2025

The number of players from Saudi clubs in the top 10 compared to a year ago has dropped by one as Brazil's Neymar left Al Hilal in January to return to his boyhood club, Santos in Sao Paulo.

He had been third on the list with $110 million in 2024-25 but now apparently earns a paltry $38 million, mostly from off-field contracts.

Despite the power and wealth of the English Premier League – whose clubs spent a record £2.6 billion ($3.5 billion) on transfers in the summer window – only two players from that competition make the top 10 with Manchester City's Erling Haaland fifth and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah seventh.

But it is Spain's LaLiga that has the most representatives in the top 10, including three Real Madrid players in Kylian Mbappe (fourth), Vinicius Jr (sixth) and Jude Bellingham (ninth).

While the fourth player from Spain is Barcelona's teenage starlet Lamine Yamal, who is 10th with $43 million.

"Combined, the world's ten highest-paid soccer players are set to earn an estimated $945 million during the 2025-26 campaign," Forbes said in a statement.