Europe

French winger Allan Saint-Maximin has left Newcastle United and joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli on a three-year deal, both clubs said on Sunday.

"We pick the best, and he’s one of them," Al-Ahli posted on messaging platform X, previously known as Twitter.

The clubs did not disclose the transfer fee for the 26-year-old, who joined Newcastle from Ligue 1 side Nice in 2019.

Saint-Maximin, 26, will team up with former Premier League players Roberto Firmino, Édouard Mendy and Riyad Mahrez at Al-Ahli.

AC Milan are strong candidates for having the best transfer window of the summer. The latest edition to the team is star United States men’s national team midfielder Yunus Musah.

Milan had Musah on their transfer radar earlier this summer, however it appeared the negotiations had fallen through. Musah has played with Valencia for the past three years and the LaLiga club originally wanted a higher price for the American. Fulham looked like a likely candidate rather than Milan, but ultimately the American will go to Italy.

BRISBANE — Captain Wendie Renard's header seven minutes from time earned France a dramatic 2-1 win over Brazil at Brisbane's Lang Park on Saturday as Herve Renard's side picked up their first win in Group F of the Women's World Cup.

The defender met Selma Bacha's corner with a firm downward header that bounced back up off the turf and beyond goalkeeper Leticia to give the French all three points after opening their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Jamaica last Sunday.

WONDERFUL WENDIE

SYDNEY — England's hopes of winning the Women's World Cup suffered a blow on Friday when Keira Walsh was taken off the pitch on a stretcher with what appeared to be a serious knee injury during their win over Denmark.

The 26-year-old holding midfielder, who was an integral part of the England team that won the Euros last year, crumpled to the turf at Sydney Football Stadium without contact in the 38th minute and immediately called for medical assistance.

The USWNT vs. Netherlands World Cup group stage match on Wednesday night was a fascinating midfield battle that epitomized the old cliché of it being "a game of two halves."

In the opening 45, the Dutch diced the Americans apart with a precision so masterful that it resembled ease. In reality, it's very difficult to turn the USWNT's finely tuned press against themselves, but the Netherlands were a Clockwork Oranje with clever movement, one-touch play and numerical superiority.