Prodigies

The NWSL playoff picture became a little clearer Wednesday after four results brought every team to 20 matches played in the 22-game regular season. However, there's still everything to play for with the distance between first-place and sixth-place (the final playoff position) just five points.

Alex Morgan's San Diego Wave had been leading the NWSL Shield race for a majority of the season, but the Portland Thorns took pole position last night, and clinched a spot in the playoffs, after a 3-0 hammering of already eliminated Racing Louisville.

LONDON - Fifteen-year-old Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a substitute for Arsenal as they returned to the top of the Premier League with a comfortable 3-0 win at Brentford on Sunday.

Goals from William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus gave Mikel Arteta's side a 2-0 lead at the break before Fábio Vieira completed the win in the 54th minute.

Amid reported interest from Man City, Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool, Barcelona has secured the services of football's most highly regarded midfield talent through 2026 after 18-year-old Gavi put pen to paper on a new three-year deal that sees his release clause rise to $1 billion.

Heading into this week, UCLA held the No. 3 ranking in NCAA Division I Women's Soccer but faced a daunting East Coast trip to play No. 2 Duke on Thursday and No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. Well, get ready for a new No. 1 across the land because UCLA won both of them.

On Thursday, it was junior forward Reilyn Turner who earned a penalty for UCLA's first and then scored the all-important second in her team's 2-1 victory at the Blue Devils.

The last time we checked in on Brazilian prodigy Kauan Basile, it was Jan. 27, 2021, and the eight-year-old Santos futsal baller had just signed a three-year deal with Nike, making him the sportswear giant's youngest-ever affiliated athlete.

"I like to play football," Kauan Basile said at the time.

During a distinguished playing career with Boca Juniors that included five Primera División titles and three Copa Libertadores triumphs, Argentine legend Juan Román Riquelme made a habit of destroying rival River Plate.

He loved nothing more than snatching the souls of lost Millonarios. 

24/05/00

The Greatest Nutmeg Ever

By Juan Román Riquelme on Mario Yepespic.twitter.com/hs1T4bWuE2

MANCHESTER — Manchester City's Erling Haaland struck a second half hat trick as the Premier League champions came back from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The Norwegian, who averaged almost a goal per game in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund before his move to City in June, has now scored six times in his opening four league matches for Pep Guardiola's side.

The win moves City to the top of the table, level on 10 points with Brighton & Hove Albion. Palace are 13th with four points from their opening four games.

Barcelona got its first win of the season with a hard-fought 4-1 victory over Real Sociedad at the Anoeta on Sunday night in a match that largely swung in the visitor's favor following the introduction of Ansu Fati in the 64th minute.

With Sergio Busquets suspended following his red card in Barça's opening draw with Rayo Vallecano, Xavi handed a start to Frenkie de Jong in midfield and introduced Álex Balde and Ferran Torres on the left-hand side.