Declan Rice believes he will provide an assist from every corner he takes as England target set-piece dominance at the World Cup following their opening victory over Croatia.
The Three Lions looked consistently threatening from dead-ball situations during a 4-2 win against the Croatians.
Captain Harry Kane scored a penalty after Noni Madueke was fouled from a dangerous cross, before heading home his second goal directly from a corner.
The 27-year-old midfielder has developed into one of the most reliable dead-ball specialists in the Premier League.
Arsenal success breeds confidence
That transformation began during a mid-season training camp in Dubai back in January 2024.
Arsenal set-piece coach Nico Jover identified a unique crossing technique that convinced the management team to hand over the responsibilities.
The former West Ham captain was instrumental in a historic domestic campaign last season.
His deliveries helped the Gunners score from a record 19 corners on their way to securing a first top-flight title in 22 years.
“I wouldn’t ever take corners or set-pieces, but Nico and the manager at Arsenal saw something in me that others didn’t,” Rice explained.
The combative midfielder admitted that buying into that tactical vision completely changed his mindset on the pitch.
“As time has gone on I feel like now every time I put down a ball for a set-piece – whether it’s a corner or a wide free-kick – I feel like I’m going to get an assist or make something happen that’s dangerous.”
Tuchel targeting Premier League intensity
England manager Thomas Tuchel wants his national side to replicate the high-octane style seen weekly in the English top flight.
The German tactician has heavily emphasised dead-ball routines since taking charge of the national team in January 2025.
Despite limited time on the training pitch in Kansas City, the squad has spent over a year perfecting these specific attacking movements.
“There’s a real gameplan and it’s just on me to deliver and obviously the boys have to free themselves up in the box,” Rice added.
Chelsea defender Reece James provides another elite delivery option for the national team as they progress through the tournament.
However, the vice-captain remains confident that his current form should leave supporters incredibly optimistic about their chances of lifting the trophy.
Germany defender Nico Schlotterbeck has suffered a suspected medial ligament injury during a World Cup group-stage victory over Ivory Coast, potentially jeopardising a summer transfer to Liverpool.
The Borussia Dortmund centre-back was withdrawn at half-time after initially attempting to play through the issue.
He received treatment from medical staff just 15 minutes into the contest before being replaced by Antonio Rudiger.
Nagelsmann pessimistic over scanner results
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann confirmed the 26-year-old requires an immediate scan to determine the severity of the damage.
He has something with his medial ligament, he has to have an MRI tomorrow.
It doesn’t look too good, unfortunately.
In the end, it is largely a tactical decision whether he can still perform, and he did very well until half-time.
The national team ultimately secured their place in the tournament’s knockout stages without the imposing defender.
A late brace from Deniz Undav completed a dramatic comeback victory after Franck Kessie had opened the scoring for the African side.
Anfield rebuild continues under Iraola
A prolonged spell on the sidelines could severely impact an anticipated summer move to the Premier League.
The Merseyside club are facing fierce competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid for the highly-rated stopper.
New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola is actively reshaping his squad following the departure of Ibrahima Konate to the Spanish capital.
Defensive reinforcements remain a priority at Anfield despite the recent acquisition of highly-rated prospect Jeremy Jacquet.
The Reds are also preparing an improved offer for RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande after seeing a significant initial bid rejected.
Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven represents an alternative defensive target for the Premier League giants.
Oklahoma secured a commanding 9-3 victory over North Carolina in the opening game of the best-of-three Men’s College World Series finals in Omaha.
Deiten Lachance led the offensive charge with two home runs to give his side an early advantage.
Freshman pitcher Cord Rager overcame a turbulent opening inning to earn the crucial win on college baseball’s biggest stage.
The Tar Heels initially responded with a three-run rally in the bottom of the first inning, but their momentum quickly unravelled.
Defensive struggles plague Tar Heels
North Carolina suffered several costly defensive lapses as the game slipped completely beyond their control.
Gavin Gallaher, recently named the nation’s best defensive second baseman, visibly showed his frustration after narrowly missing a diving catch in the eighth inning.
The misstep followed a dramatic three-way collision in the outfield that left the infielder on his back while the ball dropped safely onto the turf.
Meanwhile, the Sooners revelled in their dominance in front of 24,707 fans at Charles Schwab Field, dancing in the dugout and forming a conga line in the bullpen.
Coaches look ahead to crucial Game Two
Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson praised his squad’s emotional intensity following the comfortable triumph.
“It’s been really fun to watch. They play with so much passion,” said Johnson.
“You can feel it when they’re getting accurate. That’s a beautiful thing.”
For North Carolina, the immediate focus shifts to mental recovery ahead of Sunday’s must-win encounter.
Head coach Scott Forbes addressed his roster immediately after the final pitch to prevent the heavy defeat from lingering.
“It’s a weekend series. I just talked to them, I said that you’ve got to forget this one,” Forbes explained.
The Tar Heels now face a high-stakes battle to keep their national championship hopes alive in the second fixture.
The 2026 World Cup in North America has reached 100 goals in just 33 matches after Cody Gakpo scored for the Netherlands, making it the fastest edition to hit the milestone since 1958.
The Liverpool forward brought up the century mark during a comprehensive 5-1 victory over Sweden on Saturday.
It represents the first time in 68 years that a global finals has taken so few fixtures to reach triple figures.
The only faster tournament in history remains the 1954 edition in Switzerland, which required just 20 matches for the landmark to be achieved.
Avalanche of goals across North America
Co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the current competition is averaging a remarkable 3.09 goals per game.
If this ferocious scoring rate continues, the tournament is firmly on course to surpass 300 goals in total.
Previous modern editions have been significantly slower, with both the 2014 and 1982 finals taking 36 games to reach 100 strikes.
The scoring spree began on the opening day when Julian Quinones found the net during a 2-0 win for Mexico over South Africa.
Massive scorelines have since become a recurring theme, including Germany’s 7-1 rout of debutants Curacao and Canada’s 6-0 hammering of Qatar.
Former England international Ellen White highlighted the relentless attacking nature of the group stages to BBC Sport.
“Probably the most compact and tactically tight game I’ve seen so far was Netherlands versus Japan – and even that had four goals.”
Is the Adidas ‘Trionda’ ball to blame?
Experts have pointed to the official Adidas ‘Trionda’ match ball as a potential catalyst for the unprecedented scoring rate.
Several goalkeepers appear to have been completely caught out by unpredictable flight paths from long-range efforts.
France captain Kylian Mbappe illustrated this perfectly by beating Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from 30 yards out.
The Real Madrid star’s spectacular strike is currently the longest-range goal of the tournament.
He is not alone, with more than 10 goals already being scored from well outside the penalty area.
Sweden’s Yasin Ayari managed to net twice from over 24 yards against Tunisia, while Australia’s Connor Metcalfe and Morocco’s Ismael Saibari also struck from distance.
Goalkeepers struggling to adapt
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart suggested that shot-stoppers are finding it incredibly difficult to read the Trionda’s movement.
Hart noted that the ball seemed to rush Jordan Pickford much quicker than expected when Martin Baturina equalised for Croatia.
Tap-ins have also increased dramatically following fumbled saves from violently swerving shots.
“There are one or two occasions where this football has not necessarily behaved as you would expect it to. It is something to keep an eye on.”
Paul Robinson, former England goalkeeper
This is not the first time a tournament ball has generated severe criticism from defensive players.
During the 2010 finals in South Africa, the infamous ‘Jabulani’ became globally renowned for its erratic dipping and swerving in the air.
Newly crowned UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje plans to continue his fighting career following his historic title victory over Ilia Topuria.
The American captured the 155lb belt at UFC Freedom 250 last week after forcing the former champion to quit on his stool.
Speculation had mounted regarding a potential retirement following the landmark event held at the White House.
However, the titleholder dismissed those rumours during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience released on Saturday.
No immediate rematch for Topuria
“Right now, I’m planning on fighting again,” he stated during the interview.
“There’s not something natural in me that feels like it’s over.”
Despite Topuria’s status as the former champion, an immediate second encounter has been firmly ruled out.
“He doesn’t get a rematch. He can try but he doesn’t get one,” stated the newly minted champion.
Wealth of lightweight options await
“He quit on the stool. He quit twice. I stopped him twice, what else do I have to do?”
The division kingpin instead suggested the defeated fighter should face contenders such as Paddy Pimblett to rebuild his momentum.
The 155lb weight class currently boasts several top-tier challengers eager for a championship opportunity.
Third-ranked Arman Tsarukyan remains a logical contender, though the champion admitted he does not yet have a specific opponent in mind.
Looming shadows of McGregor and Holloway
Former titleholder Charles Oliveira also sits prominently in the rankings without a scheduled bout for the remainder of 2026.
Meanwhile, rising star Mauricio Ruffy recently cemented his contender status with a dominant stoppage over Michael Chandler.
Another lucrative avenue could emerge from the upcoming welterweight clash between Conor McGregor and Max Holloway.
The two veteran fighters are scheduled to meet at UFC 329 in Las Vegas this July.
A chance for BMF redemption
A showdown against the Irish superstar would represent a massive commercial event that has never previously materialised.
Alternatively, a rematch with Holloway offers a clear path for competitive redemption.
The Hawaiian famously secured a spectacular last-second knockout victory for the BMF title at UFC 300 in 2024.
An opportunity to avenge that dramatic defeat would undoubtedly appeal to the reigning lightweight king.
Collin Gillespie has agreed to a new four-year contract worth $48m to remain with the Phoenix Suns following a breakout season in the NBA.
The former Villanova standout spent his first three professional seasons on two-way contracts after going undrafted in 2022.
This lucrative new deal marks a significant milestone for a player who has become integral to the franchise’s newly established culture of grit and toughness.
Representatives from Excel Sports Management finalised the agreement shortly after teams became permitted to negotiate with their own free agents.
Record-breaking campaign
The playmaker enjoyed a spectacular recent campaign, setting a new Phoenix franchise record by connecting on 232 three-pointers.
He also posted career-high averages across the board, including 12.7 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds over 80 regular-season appearances.
Operating effectively alongside All-Star Devin Booker, the dynamic guard showcased remarkable versatility on the perimeter.
Elite shooting was a hallmark of his game, making him one of only eight players league-wide to hit at least 90 catch-and-shoot three-pointers alongside 90 off-the-dribble triples.
From undrafted to cornerstone
Securing such substantial financial terms represents a remarkable rise for a prospect initially overlooked by all 30 teams on draft night.
His development from a fringe roster piece into a foundational core member underscores the successful cultural shift in Arizona.
Angel Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career rebounds as the Atlanta Dream secured a commanding 113-96 victory over the Indiana Fever on Saturday.
The record-breaking star achieved the impressive landmark in just her 79th professional appearance.
She contributed 18 points and eight boards to help her new side claim their third consecutive win in front of a sold-out State Farm Arena crowd.
Relentless rebounding yields success
Rhyne Howard top-scored for the hosts with 24 points, while Allisha Gray added a further 22 to seal the crucial victory.
“I think people don’t realize rebounding is harder than you think,” Reese said.
“Defensive rebounds are a little bit more easier, but going in and crashing every single time to get second-chance opportunities on the offensive end.”
The formidable forward noted that her tireless work in the paint directly translates into vital extra scoring chances for her teammates.
Star-studded crowd witnesses latest clash
This highly anticipated match-up was shifted to the 17,044-capacity home of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks to accommodate immense ticket demand.
Caitlin Clark led the scoring for the visitors with 26 points, but the high-profile guard struggled in possession and registered seven turnovers.
“Take care of the ball better,” Clark admitted after the defeat. “And that’s just with me.”
South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley received a standing ovation from the Georgia crowd as she watched seven of her former collegiate players compete.
Dream continue fine form
Atlanta initially trailed 59-56 at the interval following a strong start from Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell, who registered 16 points in the opening half.
However, the home side dominated the third quarter, outscoring their opponents 28-15 to establish an 84-74 lead heading into the final period.
Naz Hillmon added 19 points off the bench, while Jordin Canada scored eight of her 12 points during that decisive third-quarter surge.
This latest triumph elevates the soaring Dream to an 11-4 record for the campaign, leaving the struggling Fever at 9-7.
Former Manchester United and Wales striker Mark Hughes is mourning the sudden and unexpected death of his 38-year-old son, Alex.
The League Managers Association released a deeply emotional statement on behalf of the 61-year-old and his wife, Jill, confirming the tragic news.
“Jill and I are totally heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved son Alex.”
The grieving parents have formally requested privacy as their family attempts to come to terms with the devastating blow.
Career in football recruitment
Alex Hughes had carved out his own successful path within the professional game, serving as the Player Recruitment Lead at League Two side Grimsby Town.
The family’s statement highlighted that he was a highly respected colleague with numerous close friends across the sporting landscape.
He leaves behind his wife Jessica and their two young children, Sebastian and Leonardo, alongside siblings Curtis and Xenna.
“Alex was a wonderful son, brother to Curtis and Xenna, devoted husband and father to Jessica and their two beautiful children.”
Tributes pour in
Tributes have immediately begun to arrive from across the football community in support of the revered ex-player and former Stoke City boss.
The former Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers manager remains a hugely popular figure within British football following a glittering playing career.
Clubs and supporters nationwide are united in sending their deepest condolences to the Hughes family during this incredibly difficult period.