Israel enters the flag football European Championship tournament with strong momentum and determination. The men’s team is currently ranked eighth globally, while the women’s team holds the 17th spot in the world rankings.
The Israeli men got off to a hot start at the championship on Thursday, securing blowout victories over Slovakia and Sweden to open the tournament on a high note.
Photo credit: Giulio Busi/Courtesy
No. 19 Texas A&M will host the Auburn Tigers on Saturday afternoon, just two weeks after their impressive victory over Notre Dame in South Bend. That win is still considered one of the best of the season, and if the Aggies continue to rack up wins, it will significantly enhance their College Football Playoff resume.
Late last week, head coach Mike Elko provided updates on the status of three key players. Safety Bryce Anderson, who dodged a serious injury against Notre Dame, senior linebacker Scooby Williams, who sustained an ankle injury in the same game, and senior offensive tackle Reuben Fatheree, who has yet to play this season, are all progressing toward returning to the field.
On Wednesday, three days before Texas A&M kicks off Week 5 against Auburn, the initial injury report for both teams was released. As expected, Bryce Anderson is listed as out for the game. Scooby Williams is marked as questionable, indicating about a 50% chance he will suit up. With two days remaining until kickoff, Williams will have additional time to test his ankle in hopes of playing.
Reuben Fatheree, meanwhile, will be available for the game as he was not listed on the injury report. This aligns with Coach Elko’s earlier comments that the versatile offensive lineman has made significant progress in his recovery.
For the Auburn Tigers, wide receiver Horatio Fields is out after breaking his foot earlier this week. Offensive lineman Connor Lew and defensive end Amaris Williams are both listed as questionable. Starting cornerback Jay Crawford, who is also recovering from an injury, has been upgraded to probable, giving him roughly a 75% chance to play on Saturday.
Stay tuned as both teams finalize their lineups ahead of what promises to be an exciting matchup.
https://aggieswire.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/aggies/football/2025/09/24/texas-aggies-football-auburn-football-injury-report-week-5/86337452007/
Victoria Police are cracking down on drunk and drug drivers over the AFL Grand Final long weekend.
As the celebrations begin, authorities are increasing patrols and checkpoints to ensure roads remain safe for all commuters. Drivers are urged to plan ahead and avoid getting behind the wheel if they have consumed alcohol or drugs.
Stay safe and remember: the consequences of impaired driving can be severe.
*Published on September 24, 2025, at 4:53 PM.*
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/police-cracking-down-on-drunk-driving-during-afl-grand-final-weekend-20250924-p5mxos.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed
Shilo Sanders, the brother of Shedeur Sanders, is currently a free agent after being released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Following his recent departure from the team, Shilo is now without an NFL roster spot as he explores new opportunities in professional football. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see where he lands next in his career.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-deion-sanders-calling-favors-we-already-cheerleaders-nfl-fans-react-shilo-sanders-works-49ers
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A defiant Mikel Arteta has hit back at critics who have claimed his cautious tactics are threatening to derail Arsenal’s bid to win the Premier League.
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher both accused Arteta of selecting an overly defensive team following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday. Notably, Arsenal’s marquee summer signing Eberechi Eze was dropped to the bench despite the absence of Martin Odegaard. Instead, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino formed a midfield three.
Addressing criticism that he approaches big matches with the “handbrake on,” Arteta responded:
“Surprised? In football? I don’t think I’m surprised by anything. I don’t read it, but if you tell me that this is the main narrative, I’d be extremely surprised given my knowledge and how I analyse a football game.
Because it was impossible for somebody to predict such dominance from Arsenal throughout 96 minutes — something that never happened in 17 years of Pep Guardiola as a manager. So if the narrative goes somewhere else and we’re talking about dominance, how can you be dominant against such a team if you have, what was the word? Handbrake. Dominance and handbrake are two different words. But I accept everything. I will learn more to have a different vision.”
Arsenal trailed 1-0 at the interval, with Eze brought on to replace Merino, while Bukayo Saka was also introduced at the break in place of the injured Noni Madueke. On Tuesday, Arteta confirmed that the England international faces a period on the sidelines with a knee injury.
“I respect everybody’s opinion, but when I watched everything back and saw all the stats, I was surprised. I don’t think one player makes that big of a difference when you see the behaviour of our team,” Arteta added.
“We played Ebz on the right-hand side. Could he play 90 minutes? That’s a question I asked myself because none of you know the load he can handle. So it’s easy to say he could have played from the start — maybe not. He’d already played two games from the start and he’s never played as a right attacking midfielder before. So that’s another new element for him. But all good.”
Currently five points behind runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool after just five matches, Arsenal will face Port Vale in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday. Madueke will be absent from Arteta’s travelling squad, but 15-year-old Max Dowman could make his first start for Arsenal. Meanwhile, former Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to replace David Raya.
On Madueke’s injury, Arteta said:
“He’s going to be out for a few weeks. We’ll probably have to do a scan again next week. He felt something at the beginning of the match against City, tried to carry on, but at half-time he was too sore.
It doesn’t look too bad. He was gutted, obviously. It’s very disappointing because he was in such good form and looked a real threat — so it’s a big miss for us.”
https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/mikel-arteta-hits-back-at-accusation-that-his-arsenal-approach-is-too-cautious-1810146.html
The Buffalo Bills are on a winning streak, and it feels great. They’re a perfect 3-0 heading into their fourth week of the season. With MVP-winning quarterback Josh Allen leading the charge, the Bills are always a high-profile team. But right now, they’re even more in the spotlight, as not many other NFL teams are enjoying this kind of success.
Following the Bills’ decisive win over the Miami Dolphins, several players have been making media appearances to discuss the state of the team. On Monday, September 22, Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir spoke with Kay Adams on *Up & Adams* about the recent win, what makes Buffalo special this season, Allen, and all things NFL.
During the conversation, the topic shifted to some gossip about Josh Allen — gossip that Shakir quickly debunked. The moral of the story? Don’t believe everything you hear.
### Josh Allen Didn’t Take the Team on a Luxury Vacation
If you heard rumors about Allen taking his teammates on a lavish trip, those claims aren’t true.
The chatter started on Monday, September 19, when MLFootball tweeted that Allen was a class act for taking the entire team on a two-day trip to Costa Rica, supposedly at his own expense, according to Damar Hamlin. Reports said the trip cost at least a couple hundred thousand dollars.
NFL insider Dov Kleiman also chimed in on X (formerly Twitter), calling Allen a “role model” for taking the whole team on the Costa Rica trip, covering flights, food, and more, with an estimated cost of over $100,000.
While the idea of Allen treating his team to such a vacation is a nice thought and sparked plenty of positive reactions online, it turns out that the trip never actually happened.
### Khalil Shakir Sets the Record Straight
Speaking on *Up & Adams*, Shakir addressed the rumors directly. “Josh did not take 53 men for $100k,” he said. “I don’t know where you guys think they were staying — in a tent somewhere — for $100k for 53 men. That did not happen.”
### The Buffalo Bills Do Bond, Though
Although the Costa Rica trip story isn’t true, the Bills do have strong team chemistry and often find ways to bond outside of the game. Their success on the field this season reflects that unity and dedication.
As the Bills continue their impressive start to the year, fans can look forward to more exciting football — and hopefully, some real stories about the team’s camaraderie along the way.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/buffalo-bills/viral-story-bills-qb-josh-allen/
**Arsenal Were the Better Team Against Man City, Says Pep Guardiola**
*By Rajdeep Saha | Sep 22, 2025, 01:18 AM*
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Arsenal outperformed his team in their recent Premier League encounter, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite an early goal from Erling Haaland giving City the lead, Arsenal fought back with a late equalizer from Gabriel Martinelli. Reflecting on the match, Guardiola admitted, “I think the result is fair. In general, Arsenal were better.” He praised Arsenal’s overall performance, describing the game as “demanding” and commending their solid defensive organization, especially during set-pieces.
### Tactical Shift: Defensive Approach from City
In a departure from his usual style, Guardiola deployed a five-man defense to contain Arsenal’s attacking threats. “We don’t try to be like this but when the opponent is better we defend deeper and counter-attack,” he explained. This defensive setup helped frustrate Arsenal for most of the match but was ultimately breached in the closing stages when Martinelli scored.
### Resilience Amid Fatigue
Guardiola also highlighted the physical and emotional challenges his squad faced leading up to this fixture. Having played intense matches against Manchester United and Napoli earlier in the week, fatigue was a significant factor. “Hats off to our team for the resilience. It’s so difficult when you’re not effective with high pressing,” he remarked.
He further noted the toll of their prior encounter with Napoli and the long journey to London, which impacted his team’s usual dominance.
### Notable Stats
According to Opta, the 1-1 draw marked a record low for Guardiola’s teams in terms of possession during a top-flight league match. Manchester City held just 32.8% possession, the lowest average of any Guardiola side in his Premier League career, and one of the two lowest possession stats recorded in his 601 league games as City manager — both occurring against Arsenal (the other being 36.5% in March 2023).
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Pep Guardiola’s candid reflections underline Arsenal’s rising stature and the challenges facing Manchester City as they navigate a congested fixture schedule this season.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/sports/pep-guardiola-praises-arsenal-after-stalemate-at-the-emirates/story
Mikel Arteta used the word “finishers” when talking up the importance of Arsenal’s substitutes following their Champions League win over Athletic Club on Tuesday. They came through again five days later in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City, helping the Gunners out of a tricky spot.
There did not seem to be much on when Eberechi Eze picked up the ball in his own half during the third of seven minutes of stoppage time after a largely listless Arsenal display. However, his perfectly weighted ball over the top found fellow “finisher” Martinelli, who did the rest.
The pass and looping finish that followed were rare moments of individual quality in an Arsenal performance that lacked attacking inspiration. For Martinelli, fresh from his goal and assist from the bench in midweek, it was further proof of his impact.
More broadly, though, it again reflected the increased depth available to Arteta. While it was clear the Arsenal boss got his starting line-up wrong, he is right in thinking matches can be changed from the bench—even if this time it was only enough for a draw.
Martinelli, in particular, will hope his latest contribution is enough to win him a place in the starting line-up against Newcastle next weekend. Alongside Eze, he provided another reminder that Arsenal have the quality and tools to turn games with their substitutes.
Nick Wright
Pep Guardiola smiled when asked if he had “parked the bus” during his post-match press conference at the Emirates Stadium. “One time in 10 years isn’t bad,” joked the Manchester City boss.
City recorded just 32.8% possession in their draw with Arsenal—the lowest share of the ball by a Guardiola team in any league game throughout his 601-game top-flight career.
Guardiola attributed this not to a deliberate defensive tactic but to Arsenal’s quality. There may be some truth to that, especially considering the second-lowest possession percentage of his managerial career also came against Arsenal two years ago.
He also highlighted the context of a gruelling week for his players. Arsenal had two more days’ rest than City, who had faced Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday, following their Manchester derby win the previous Sunday.
There was an acceptance, too, that his new-look team is still finding its way. Changes in personnel over recent months require certain adjustments in their style. Erling Haaland’s goal reflected an increased emphasis on direct attacks, but the lack of possession was something different altogether.
Nick Wright
A combined expected goals total of just 0.69 summed up what was a dull affair between Newcastle and Bournemouth. The goalless draw was far from exciting but is not unfamiliar territory for Newcastle away from St James’ Park this season.
The Magpies have now failed to score in their last four away games, extending a winless run on the road to six matches.
Eddie Howe fielded a heavily changed Newcastle side, making seven alterations from the team that had been beaten by Barcelona. One of those changes included their club-record signing, Nick Woltemade. Despite some impressive moments on the ball, Woltemade failed to register a single shot, which will be a concern for Howe.
Having lost one of the league’s leading goalscorers in Alexander Isak, Newcastle now face a troubling goalscoring problem. This issue adds to the narrative about the impact of Isak’s departure.
The good news for Newcastle is they will have time to address their toothless away goalscoring run, as their next away match is against Brighton after the upcoming international break.
William Bitibiri
Few expected Granit Xhaka’s move from Bayer Leverkusen to newly-promoted Sunderland in the summer, but the decision has already been justified for both club and player.
The 32-year-old has played every minute of Sunderland’s first Premier League campaign since the 2016/17 season, helping Regis Le Bris’ side to eight points from their opening five games.
Xhaka is not only a calming presence in front of a defence with limited top-flight experience but also provides valuable attacking support. He assisted Wilson Isidor in the 2-1 win over Brentford last month and repeated the feat in the 1-1 draw against Aston Villa, cleverly cushioning a header to set up Isidor to score and earn a point.
In his post-match press conference, Le Bris revealed that Xhaka had addressed the squad following Reinildo’s needless red card, underlining his leadership qualities as captain.
William Bitibiri
The 2025-26 edition of La Liga is back in action this weekend, featuring an important encounter as Mallorca lock horns with Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix on Sunday. Both teams have experienced contrasting fortunes over the past year and will be eager to secure a win in this matchup.
### Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid Preview
Mallorca currently sit in 19th place in the La Liga standings and have struggled to make a significant impact so far this season. The home side suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of Espanyol last week and will need to work hard to bounce back in this fixture.
Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, are positioned 11th in the league table at the moment. The team has been inconsistent throughout the season. In their previous game, Los Colchoneros faced a 3-2 defeat against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League and will be looking to prove their mettle this weekend.
### Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
Atletico Madrid boast an excellent recent record against Mallorca, having won 17 of the last 35 matches played between the two sides, compared to Mallorca’s nine victories.
Notably, Mallorca have won six of their last 11 home matches against Atletico Madrid in La Liga — matching the number of wins they had achieved in the 19 such games prior to this run.
Atletico Madrid have won each of their last five La Liga encounters against Mallorca and have a chance to secure six consecutive victories against them for only the second time in the history of the competition.
Additionally, Mallorca have failed to find the back of the net in their last four La Liga matches against Atletico Madrid, highlighting the defensive strength of the visitors.
### Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid Prediction
Atletico Madrid have yet to hit their stride this season and cannot afford any slip-ups going into this game. Marcos Llorente, who scored a brace in the previous match, will be looking to make an impact once again this weekend.
Meanwhile, Mallorca have fallen short of expectations and will need to be at their very best to challenge Atletico. Given the current form and head-to-head statistics, Atletico Madrid appear to be the stronger side and are expected to secure the victory.
**Prediction:** Mallorca 1-3 Atletico Madrid
### Mallorca vs Atletico Madrid Betting Tips
– **Tip 1:** Atletico Madrid to win
– **Tip 2:** Over 2.5 goals in the game
– **Tip 3:** Atletico Madrid to score first
Get ready for an exciting clash this Sunday as Mallorca and Atletico Madrid battle it out in what promises to be a thrilling La Liga encounter!
https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/mallorca-vs-atletico-madrid-prediction-betting-tips-21st-september-2025
