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Scheffler cruises to £19m Tour Championship victory

ination online — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 09:26:02 +0000

Tour Championship final leaderboard

-30 S Scheffler (US); -26 C Morikawa (US); -24 S Theegala (US)

Selected: -16 R McIlroy (NI), S Lowry (Ire); -11 R MacIntyre (Sco); -10 T Fleetwood (Eng); -6 A Rai (Eng)

Scottie Scheffler underlined his status as the world’s number one golfer with a dominant victory at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.

It caps a remarkable 2024 for the American who has won an Olympic gold medal, his second Masters and become the first to land successive Players Championship titles.

He is the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to win seven events in a PGA Tour season.

Scheffler, who started the final round with a five-shot lead over Collin Morikawa, shot a four-under 67 to win on 30 under and collect $25m (£19m) of the $100m prize fund.

He was four clear of Morikawa, who hit a 66, with another American, Sahith Theegala, in third on 24 under after a 64.

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‘I’ve shanked it before’ – Scheffler

For a third successive year, Scheffler began the week on 10 under par as the leader of the FedEx Cup standings, two clear of Xander Schauffele in second, with Morikawa among a group on four under in the staggered start.

And he stayed ahead through the first three rounds to set up what looked like a straightforward final round.

His five-shot lead was six after Morikawa bogeyed the first hole.

However, Scheffler made uncharacteristic errors as he recorded successive bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes that allowed Morikawa, who birdied the fourth, sixth and eighth holes, to close to within two.

A wayward drive left Scheffler hacking out from underneath a conifer tree down the left of the seventh, while he mis-hit a greenside bunker shot on the eighth that squirted out right and ended up further away from the hole.

“I was a bit frustrated because it was quite a basic shot, but I’ve shanked it from a similar lie before,” he said.

“Ted [Scott, Scheffler’s caddie] did a good job of helping me reset. He gave me a nice pep talk there on the back of the eighth green because I looked at him like, ‘man, I don’t know about this, this isn’t looking so hot right now’.

“He gave me a little pep talk and then I was able to hit a really nice iron shot in there [on nine] and got things rolling.

“He really is a huge part of the team. I don’t know if I’d be able to do any of this without him on my bag.

“And then I did some really nice stuff to finish this tournament off.”

That “nice stuff” started on the ninth hole with a birdie, and two more followed on the 10th and 11th as Scheffler surged four clear.

Morikawa responded with a birdie on the 13th, but Scheffler drained a 15-foot eagle putt on the next to re-establish his five-shot lead, and he parred his way home to secure his first FedEx Cup title.

“Nothing fazes him,” said Morikawa, who collected $12.5m for finishing runner-up.

“Whether I was gaining some ground or he was gaining ground, it didn’t change how he walked or how he played or how he went through every shot.

“That’s something to learn. His mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people know.”

Sunday’s prize money takes Scheffler’s official earnings for the season to around $54m and he has broken the PGA Tour record in that respect for a third season in a row.

It has also been quite the year off the course for Scheffler, who became a father for the first time in May and then just days later was arrested on the morning of the second round of the US PGA Championship for an alleged traffic offence as he arrived at the course.

He was taken to the police station and charged with assaulting a police officer but made it back to the course in time to play. All charges were later dropped.

“I feel like I’ve lived almost a full lifetime in this one year,” said Scheffler “It’s been nuts.”

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy finished the best of the UK golfers. He started the week level with Morikawa on four under and closed with a five-under 66 to end joint ninth on 16 under.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre had six birdies on his back nine as he shot a 64 to end 11 under, one ahead of Tommy Fleetwood who sneaked into the top 20 with a 67.

Fleetwood’s fellow Englishman Aaron Rai, who won his first PGA Tour title in August, hit a closing 70 for a total of six under.

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From GCA to ICC Chairman: Jay Shah’s Journey

ination online — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 12:02:18 +0000

With no Independent Woman Director appointed yet, the International Cricket Council (ICC) board currently consists of 16 members. To get elected to the Chair, a candidate is required to secure nine votes, a simple majority. The election process is preceded by a nomination phase, where each candidate requires a proposer and a seconder. Jay Shah, who was elected as Chairman on Tuesday, received backing from 15 out of the 16 current directors in the nomination stage. Who is the 16th director is inconsequential, and there was no need for an election. Among those backing him were directors from Australia, England and New Zealand.

Never before has the ICC board been so strongly united in its support for a single director. Over the years, India has exported several leaders to the ICC, including Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar, and none of them could claim the unanimous and overwhelming backing of the ICC members.

Dalmiya (in 1997) had to rely on the votes of Associate nations and the Asian bloc to fend off challenges from the England-Australia-New Zealand-West Indies group in a vertically split ICC. When Pawar ascended the position in 2010, Australia and New Zealand were pushing for John Howard, the former Prime Minister of Australia. Srinivasan (2014) managed to win over England and Australia, but many other boards were not fully aligned with him. He was, after all, one of the architects of the highly controversial Big Three arrangement. Manohar (2017), who dismantled the Big Three system, garnered global support, but questions remained about whether he had the full backing of the BCCI at all.

At just 35, Shah becomes the youngest administrator to lead the world governing body with unanimous support. It is remarkable that in a very short time, he managed to gain so much trust from its members. “Just as he has done for Indian cricket, both men and women, players worldwide will benefit,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote in a recent column in Sportstar.

Shah’s single most contribution to world cricket to date has been ensuring cricket’s entry into the Olympics – a feat that may well be his most lasting legacy. Historically, the BCCI leaders resisted joining the Olympic fold, fearing it would compromise their autonomy at the national level, particularly vis-a-vis the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Shah’s perspective transcended such concerns, focusing instead on the larger interest of the sport. Without the BCCI’s backing, an Olympic berth for cricket would not have been possible, and Shah saw the importance of taking the game to the Olympic Games.

At the BCCI level, few can match his achievements as the secretary. From establishing a state-of-the-art high-performance centre in Bengaluru to creating a distinct identity for women’s cricket and advocating for the primacy of Test cricket, the list of his achievements have been plenty. The best part of his five-year tenure in the BCCI, since taking over as its secretary in 2019, has been that he has consistently placed his priorities in the right areas.

One of Shah’s biggest achievements was navigating the challenging Covid period in 2020 and 2021, when much of the world had come to a standstill. But cricket in India did not. He successfully managed several international home series and, most notably, two seasons of the IPL in a strict bio-secure bubble. While his father Amit Shah’s position (the Union Home Minster) in the Central Government may have helped, the fact remained that cricket continued to thrive in India, even in the most difficult times. Crucially, he ensured that the 2021 T20 World Cup was held in the UAE, with the BCCI retaining the hosting rights. Last year, he delivered the most successful World Cup ever.

A landmark decision in Shah’s tenure was the launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), ensuring that both the franchises and media rights were not undervalued or undersold. The league’s teams were cumulatively sold for an impressive Rs 4,669 crore, while the media rights added Rs 951 crore, numbers hitherto unthinkable in women’s cricket. This came on top of the Rs 48,390 crore for the IPL media rights, an eye-popping and jaw-dropping valuation. The value of BCCI’s bilateral rights also saw a considerable uplift, with each international game fetching Rs 67.8 crore, bringing the overall four-year value to Rs 5,963 crore. These figures would have made even Lalit Modi proud.

Shah’s administrative journey began at the district and state levels in 2009, when he worked with the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad (CBCA), and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) as an executive. In 2013, he became the joint secretary of the GCA, where he played an instrumental role in raising the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world’s largest cricket ground. Taking over as the BCCI secretary in 2019, Shah also oversaw one of the finest phases in Indian cricket history, marked by success at international level, including the recent T20 World Cup triumph. Notably under his leadership, the BCCI – an organization known for its factionalism otherwise – remained solidly united. Few cricket administrators in India, perhaps, can boast of such a track record. World cricket is sure to benefit from his drive to bring about improvements.

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Spirited Sri Lanka aim to draw level at Lord’s

ination online — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 11:59:33 +0000

At one point in the opening Test at Old Trafford, England were on course for a routine win. Not many gave Sri Lanka a chance when the series got underway. And on expected lines, the island nation were put under the pump after they conceded a lead of 122. By the time they could surpass it, they had already lost four wickets. However, they came up with an excellent comeback from thereon with both bat and ball to stretch England right till the end.

They would hope to draw some confidence from that finish at Old Trafford in their bid to pull one back. Kamindu Mendis was excellent once again as his stocks continued to rise. Debutant Milan Rathnayake was a surprise package as well. If senior players like Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne can chip in, the visitors can give a good account of themselves. Sri Lanka will also be happy with the fact that they won’t be facing Mark Wood after the pacer suffered an injury.

Sri Lanka’s history at this venue should provide some hope as well. They have not lost in over 20 years at Lord’s with all five encounters in this period ending in draws. Realistically, they wouldn’t mind a sixth one but a win would set up an interesting series decider. England on their part would hope for a better bowling performance after struggling for wickets at one point during Sri Lanka’s second innings at Old Trafford. Olly Stone has been named as Wood’s replacement and this game is a massive opportunity for the 30-year-old. His last Test appearance came three years ago and a good performance here would keep him in contention for England’s winter tours.

When:England vs Sri Lanka, 2nd Test, August 29 – September 2, 11 AM local time,

Where:Lord’s, London

What to expect:Clear skies are expected during the course of the Test match. While Sri Lanka would hope for a drier surface, the fast bowlers had a great outing here last month when England hosted West Indies.

Team News

England:The hosts have confirmed their XI once again ahead of the game. The skipper would love some runs after the twin failures in Manchester.

Probable XI: Daniel Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Shoaib Bashir

Sri Lanka:The visitors have announced their XI as well, making two changes in the process. Kusal Mendis has been axed in favour of Pathum Nissanka, whose last Test was in 2022. Lahiru Kumara comes in place of Vishwa Fernando, who failed to make an impact in England’s run chase.

Probable XI: Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Kamindu Mendis, Milan Priyanath Rathnayake, Prabath Jayasuriya, Asitha Fernando, Lahiru Kumara

What they said:

“It’s obviously a fresh start. For me, it had a slightly different feel… it’s the first time you do it, almost like that debut feeling again.” – Ollie Pope on captaining England for the first time

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There’s three months to decide – Goenka on retaining KL Rahul

ination online — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 11:55:32 +0000

Sanjiv Goenka regards KL Rahul as family but would not reveal whether the India wicketkeeper batter will be retained for the next three seasons. “As far as I am concerned, I treat him as part of my family. He knows that too,” Goenka told Cricbuzz on Wednesday in an exclusive interaction.

Rahul captained his Lucknow Super Giants for three years but their equation has been a subject of immense debate since their public discussion after a game against Sunrisers Hyderabad last season when LSG were mauled by 10 wickets.

“He (Rahul) has been there since the inception of Lucknow Super Gants. He’s led us for three years. I have gone on record before and I have no hesitation in saying this again that he wanted to win. KL is an important part of the Super Giants family. As far as retention is concerned, I don’t know. It’s not something I’m going to discuss now. That has to be confidential. There are three months to decide on this.”

There has been intense speculation whether Rahul would be continued as captain. “What is your opinion,” Goenka quipped in a quick riposte declining a direct reply.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), having recently spoken to the owners of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, is expected to come out with a policy on retention. Does LSG have a position on the subject? Goenka refused to spell out the franchise’s stand.

“We don’t even know what is going to be the retention policy of the BCCI. Let the BCCI announce the policy. Then we will have three months to decide. It’s too early to take a call on anything like that.” He, however, made it clear that he is for the continuation of the mega-auction. “Yes, it should be there.”

With Zaheer Khan by his side, Goenka outlined what are the expectations from the new mentor. “We are looking to get into a winning habit, making winning a habit. For Zaheer, right through his playing career and then in his non-playing career, winning has been a way of life for him. That is what we want and that is what we hope to get. So when I realized he’s no longer with Mumbai Indians, I approached him. It is as simple as that.”

Zaheer has taken the place of Gautam Gambhir, who was the team’s mentor in the first two seasons, when LSG made the play-offs. But they failed to make the last-four stage in the third season. Goenka attributed the poor result to the absence of a mentor.

“We all learn from the mistakes. I think it’s not only about strategic guidance and advice (from a mentor) but also inputs. It’s about making players feel comfortable in their skin. They go out and express themselves, and do so with freedom and clarity. I think that is where we felt that we missed something last year.

“We lost that game to Hyderabad badly, then we lost to Delhi in a game which we could have won. In the game against Gujarat, we should have won with a better margin. We took it to the 20th over. Those are the situations for which we have nobody else to blame but ourselves. But we are here to improve. And we recognize that in sport you don’t win every year. You cannot win every year and you cannot win every game. But as long as that attitude of winning is there and that attitude to improve from your losses and mistakes is there, I’m satisfied.”

Goenka purchased the franchise for INR 7090 crore in 2022, making LSG the costliest team in the IPL. He has no regrets for such a heavy investment. “I’m very happy, I’m delighted and I’m excited. I see the valuations going up. We need to improve our performance.”

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Jannik Sinner advances at US Open, his first match since doping case ruling announced

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 11:05:33 +0000

Jannik Sinner said it “took some time to get in the rhythm,” but the world No. 1 in men’s tennis advanced to the second round of the US Open with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win against American Mackenzie McDonald.

His win Tuesday in New York was Sinner’s first match since his doping case became public knowledge last week – news that shocked the tennis world. Sinner, who avoided suspension after twice testing positive for trace amounts of a banned substance, has said he hasn’t done anything wrong.

He will face another American, Alex Michelsen, in the second round Thursday.

After his match against McDonald, Sinner told reporters he was “curious to see how the reaction of the fans has been.”

“But it has been very positive,” the Italian said. “I was very glad how the support was, also playing against an American. It’s a little bit different.

“I’m happy how I handled those sort of situations; it was not easy. So I think a lot of positive things from (today), and so let’s keep seeing what’s coming in the next round.”

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Cincinnati Open: Defending champion Coco Gauff loses in first round of final tournament before US Open

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 11:00:56 +0000

Coco Gauff’s defense of her Cincinnati Open title didn’t get past the first round as the American was surprisingly defeated 6-4 2-6 6-4 by Yulia Putintseva.

The world No. 34 was trailing 2-4 in the final set, but won four straight games to see out the match in spectacular fashion and claim her first career win over Gauff.

The American world No. 2, who only reached the second round of the Canadian Open last week, hit nine double faults in an error-strewn performance.

“I think the level of the game was high, especially for those conditions,” Putintseva said, per the WTA. “The courts are lightning fast, so I’m pretty happy to get through.

“The whole match was a roller coaster. At this point, I was thinking I broke her a couple of times and it was not something special to break someone again. She hit two double faults, and I hit two good returns. She mishit it, the game changed immediately.

“On these kinds of courts, you have to stay really focused because the game can change quickly.”

Yulia Putintseva shocked the world No. 2.

Susan Mullane/USA Today/Reuters

Putintseva will face Spain’s Paula Badosa in the next round.

Gauff heads into the US Open, which begins on August 26, as the defending champion after winning the first grand slam title of her career last year on home soil.

The 20-year-old recently represented Team USA at the Olympics in Paris, losing to Croatia’s eventual silver medalist Donna Vekić in the third round.

Elsewhere, 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez caused another upset as she shocked fourth seed Elena Rybakina, winning 3-6 7-6(3) 6-4.

Fernandez, who lost in the 2021 US Open final to Emma Raducanu, has steadily risen through the rankings over the last year and is now the world No. 26.

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‘I just want to go to bed’: Dan Evans outlasts Karen Khachanov in longest US Open match in history

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 10:57:15 +0000

Britain’s Dan Evans outlasted Karen Khachanov in the longest match in US Open in history on Tuesday, holding off the Russian in a mammoth, five-set epic which lasted for five hours and 35 minutes.

The pair’s first three sets went to tie breakers in New York, with Khachanov leveling the score with victory in the fourth. And the sun began to set, Evans produced a remarkable comeback in the final set, coming back from 4-0 down by winning the match’s final six games to advance to the second round with a score of 6-7(6), 7-6(2), 7-6(4), 4-6, 6-4.

An exhausted Evans was asked by Sky Sports for his reaction to the marathon encounter in the immediate aftermath, to which he replied: “I just want to go to bed.”

In his press conference after his victory, Evans outlined his mentality as the match wore on, saying he was just trying to “play, stay out there as long as possible at four-love and just see where I could get myself.”

“I’ll say it, it’s the longest I’ve ever been on a court,” the 34-year-told reporters. “In the fourth set, I had to check the set to see what set we was in. I wasn’t entirely sure what set we was in.

“But I don’t really want to do that again. That’s for sure.”

Evans and Khachanov’s encounter broke the record for longest match at the grand slam which had previously been held by Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang in their 1992 semifinal which ran for five hours and 26 minutes.

All five sets on Court 6 lasted more than an hour, with the third set lasting 72 minutes.

As the match progressed, both players appeared to be battling injuries and fatigue, with Evans holding his lower back at times and bent over with his hands on his knees in between points. He said afterwards that he was “hurting all over really.”

Evans returns a shot against Khachanov.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

But as Evans mounted a heroic comeback in the final set and with the crowd roaring him on, he closed out the historic victory with a final forehand which Khachanov could only hit into the net.

Evans’ fellow Brit and playing partner at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Andy Murray, posted a succinct review of the match’s conclusion on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Goosebumps.”

Evans described it as an “immensely proud” moment to complete the mammoth victory after having an injury-plagued year.

“I’ve had a lot of first rounds this year. It’s nice to win a match,” he said. “Obviously, it was a long match. But, yeah, that’s the overriding feeling is to still be able to win at this level. You always have doubts when you’ve been not winning. That’s normal in any walk of life.

“If you’re not doing well, you have doubts. It’s no different in tennis. That would be my overriding feeling is I’m happy to come through that match. Of course, it’s a special match to win in what fashion, or however you want to say. But yeah, I’m proud that I’m still able to compete on the tour.

“As you said, my ranking has dropped. I thought I could [still compete], but it’s easier said than done. You can always think it, but you’ve got to go out there and do it.”

Evans said he will prioritize rest on Wednesday before facing Mariano Navone of Argentina in the second round on Thursday.

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‘A magical night’: Kylian Mbappé scores first Real Madrid goal in UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 06:04:05 +0000

It took Kylian Mbappé just 68 minutes to open his account for Real Madrid as the French superstar helped Los Blancos to a 2-0 win over Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final.

Widely regarded as a glorified preseason friendly, the Super Cup is contested between the winners of last season’s Champions League and Europa League.

Both sides hit the woodwork in what was an even first half, the highlight coming when a stunning fingertip save from Thibaut Courtois denied Mario Pašalić what looked a certain opening goal for the Italian side.

Real finally found the breakthrough in the 59^th minute when Federico Valverde tapped into an empty net after being set up by some brilliant play on the wing by Vinícius Jr.

Mbappé, who completed a free transfer to Real in June after letting his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expire, then ran onto Jude Bellingham’s low pass and fired his effort into the top corner to secure a record sixth Super Cup triumph for the club and for manager Carlo Ancelotti.

“It’s a magical night,” Mbappé told CBS after the game. “I’ve always dreamed about these types of night, and now, it’s a reality. Playing for this club, the best club in the world, is something crazy.

“I’m really happy to make my debut today. Of course, we won a trophy and it’s really important to win a trophy here because everybody’s won here.

“It’s a big pleasure for me to score a goal as a striker, to be there to score for my team is always a pleasure and I hope to improve to help the team more.”

Mbappé was effusive in his praise of his new teammates, calling Vinícius and Rodrygo “great players” and saying it is “easy to play with them” after some concerns about how he would fit in.

“That’s why this is Real Madrid and that’s why this is the best club in the world because we have the best players here,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to play with Rodrygo and Vinícius, also with Bellingham.”

Real Madrid won a record sixth Super Cup.

Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Ancelotti said Mbappé did “really well” on his debut and stressed the importance of his star players playing as a team.

“It was the first game, he adapted really well to the team,” he said. “He combined well with Vinícius and with Bellingham.

“Of course, we have a lot of quality, but we have to be able to play together, we did tonight and this is good for us.”

Madrid kicks off its league season away at Mallorca on Sunday.

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US women ‘here to win’ Olympic soccer gold ahead of crunch match against Brazil

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 06:01:30 +0000

Not even three months into her time as head coach of the US women’s soccer team, Emma Hayes is already going for an Olympic gold medal.

Only Brazil and the legendary Marta stand between the US and a record-extending fifth Olympic title, which would be the team’s first gold medal since 2012.

Despite her players struggling to find goals for large parts of the knockout stages, victory in Paris on Saturday would nevertheless cap off a brilliant start to Hayes’ coaching tenure.

“It’s been unbelievable … It’s honestly much better than I thought it would ever be,” Hayes told CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies about her Olympic experience so far. “I still can’t quite believe that we’re in a gold medal final, but one that I’m very excited for.”

Hayes started her role as head coach of the USWNT in May and has overseen victories against Zambia, Germany (twice), Australia and Japan at the Olympics.

An extra-time goal from forward Sophia Smith was needed to defeat Germany in the semifinals, while Trinity Rodman also struck late in extra-time to see off Japan in the quarters.

Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman celebrate during the USWNT’s win against Japan.

Agustin Marcarian/Reuters

The US is the favorite to win Saturday’s final, which kicks off at 11 a.m. ET at the Parc des Princes, but a Marta-inspired Brazil is a challenging prospect for any team.

The 38-year-old Marta, playing in a sixth and final Olympics, will return from a two-game ban for the final, determined to end her last appearance at a major international tournament on a high. She was red carded in Brazil’s final group-stage game but watched on as her side recorded unlikely victories against host France and World Cup winner Spain in the knockout rounds.

“I’m delighted for Marta,” said Hayes. “What an opportunity for her and her team. She deserves it. You could see how much it meant to the players to do that for her.”

For some of the stars of the US team, it will likely be the last time playing against one of the icons of the women’s game on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

“It goes without saying Marta has changed the game of soccer around the world,” Rodman told reporters on Thursday. “She’s such a talented soccer player but also a great human, which speaks volumes.

“I’ve always looked up to her, we all kind of do, she’s a legacy forever. But we want that gold, so I’m not going to say too much on that. I love her, but we want to win.”

The Paris Olympics have been an opportunity for this US team to start afresh after a disappointing World Cup campaign last year, which ended in a round-of-16 defeat against Sweden.

US players celebrate their late goal against Germany in the semifinal of the Olympics.

Nir Elias/Reuters

After topping Group B with three wins, the US had to display resilience and resolve to progress through the Olympic knockout rounds and continue the team’s famous legacy at this tournament.

In France, the conditions have been challenging and the matches long, but Hayes, who coached Chelsea’s women’s side for 12 years before joining the USWNT, is confident that her players will summon enough energy for one last performance.

“You’ve got plenty of time to rest after this,” she said. “We’re in the gold medal final. I’m sure everybody will dig deep in their reserves to deliver the performance. I have complete and utter faith in this group to be able to do that, so I don’t think that’ll be a problem.

“We’re here to compete, we’re here to win,” Hayes added. “It will be a chaotic game, I’m sure … I expect it to be quite a battle, quite feisty. But honestly, I’m just focusing on getting the best out of us, and I want to make sure that that we get as prepared as we can.”

The players, meanwhile, are enjoying the opportunity to play under Hayes in her first international coaching role.

Emma Hayes looks during the USWNT’s game against Australia.

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

“Emma came in so soon before this tournament,” Smith told reporters. “We knew that, obviously, that’s going to be a challenge. It’s a challenge to build trust with a new coach, let alone a few months before a world tournament, but she just came in flying.

“We absolutely love her. She has worked every day to build our trust and show us that she really, genuinely cares about us not only as players, but as people. That goes a really long way for us … Obviously, we’re a completely different team and a lot of the credit goes to Emma.”

The scrappy victory against Germany earlier this week means that at least an Olympic silver medal is guaranteed for the US, but going one step further would round off a hugely successful – if not always smooth-sailing – start to Hayes’ time in charge.

For the most storied team in women’s soccer, it would happily usher in the end of a long tournament and the start of a new era.

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Mauricio Pochettino to become new US men’s national soccer team head coach, per multiple reports

ination online — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 05:55:02 +0000

The next head coach of the US men’s national soccer team will be Mauricio Pochettino, according to reports.

Pochettino has agreed to terms with the team and will soon be announced as head coach, according to multiple reports, including The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

CNN has reached out to the USMNT to confirm.

Pochettino represents a significant get for the US and will bring a wealth of top-level coaching experience to the team.

The 52-year-old head coach most recently managed Chelsea in the English Premier League and guided the club to a sixth-place finish last season.

Pochettino has also notably been the head coach of Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, where he led PSG to a Ligue 1 title.

This will be Pochettino’s first foray into international management and he will be tasked with guiding the US team at a World Cup on home soil in 2026.

The Argentine coach joins the US after previous head coach Gregg Berhalter was fired following a disappointing Copa América exit in July.

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