Morocco confirmed their progress to the World Cup last 32 but twice had to come from behind to get the better of plucky Haiti with a 4-2 win in an action-packed game on Wednesday and fell short of topping Brazil in the Group C standings.
Indian golfer Saptak Talwar made a strong start at the English Open, carding a three-under 69 despite an early double bogey, placing him T-22. Fellow Indian Veer Ahlawat finished T-96. England's George Bloor leads the tournament.
The Netherlands secured the top position in World Cup Group F with a decisive 3-1 victory over Tunisia. Tunisia's campaign ended disastrously, marked by an early own goal and a series of errors, following previous heavy losses and a coaching change.
Iga Swiatek and Alexander Zverev are set to compete in their fourth-round matches at the French Open, while Casper Ruud and Elina Svitolina will also be in action.
Belgium's dressing room erupted in celebration after their dramatic 3-2 comeback win over Senegal, with match-winner Youri Tielemans leading the festivities.
Germany's World Cup campaign ended in a shocking penalty shootout loss to Paraguay, marking another early exit for the four-time champions. This defeat highlights a concerning pattern of underperformance in major tournaments since 2014, raising questions about coach Julian Nagelsmann's future and the team's overall direction.
Novak Djokovic's latest bid to claim a record 25th Grand Slam title was left in tatters after his 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 third-round defeat by Brazilian teen sensation Joao Fonseca at the French Open on Friday.
Anas Khan and Ayesha Gupta have established significant leads in their respective categories at the NCR Cup Junior Golf Tournament. Khan leads the Boys' Category A by eight strokes, while Gupta holds a six-stroke advantage in the Girls' Category A. Other categories also saw strong performances, with Chaitanya Pandey, Mohd Rehan, Aaradhya Rawat, and Unnati Singh leading their divisions.
George Russell won the Austrian Grand Prix from pole position, his second victory of the season, reducing Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli's Formula One lead to 40 points.
Ecuador's World Cup nightmare turned into a dream, as La Tri's once seemingly doomed campaign was resurrected against Germany in a remarkable conclusion to Group E on Thursday.
GM Iniyan Pa maintained his lead at the Global Chess Festival after defeating Ayush Sharma, while third seed GM Abhijeet Gupta suffered a loss. Other key results include upsets in the Challengers and Junior Masters sections, and a notable win for Sri Lanka's Oshini Gunawardhana Devindya.
Egypt's players and Coach Hossam Hassan blasted FIFA and accused the governing body of blatantly 'favouring' Lionel Messi and his team.
England's World Cup campaign has increasingly come to rest on the shoulders of Harry Kane, whose goals, link-up play and ability to deliver in decisive moments have repeatedly rescued a side still searching for fluency and conviction.
Eugenio Chacarra of Spain leads the Indian Open after the third round, while Om Prakash Chouhan is the highest-placed Indian golfer.
Ousmane Dembele delivered a sensational first-half hat-trick for France against Norway in their final Group I match, overshadowing the anticipated clash between Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage after a thrilling 3-1 comeback victory against Uzbekistan. Yoane Wissa scored twice, including a crucial penalty, and Fiston Mayele added another goal to seal their progression. This win marks DR Congo's return to the World Cup knockouts after 52 years, setting up a clash with England.
Ecuador secured a stunning 2-1 victory over Germany in a crucial World Cup match, ensuring their qualification for the last 32. Despite an early German goal, Ecuador fought back with goals from Nilson Angulo and Gonzalo Plata to clinch the win.
In one of the biggest upsets ever seen at the World Cup, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved the efforts of Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade before Jonathan Tah fired over the bar, paving the way for Jose Canale to blast home the decisive spot kick.
GM Iniyan Pa is on the verge of winning the master's section of the Global Chess Festival in Mumbai, holding a one-point lead. Other categories like Challengers and Junior Masters also saw significant developments, with new leaders emerging and contenders vying for titles.
Senegal's coach Pape Bouna Thiaw insists his team's World Cup hopes are not over despite two consecutive defeats to France and Norway. The team needs to beat Iraq in their final group game to have a chance at qualifying as one of the best third-placed teams.
Indian golfer Karandeep Kochhar secured his third Top-10 finish of the season at the USD 500,000 Am Green IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco, rising to 12th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He finished tied 9th with a bogey-free final round.
Anthony Elanga's equaliser helped Sweden qualify for the World Cup's round of 32 following a 1-1 draw with Japan, but while his teammates were celebrating the result, the striker collapsed on the ground in frustration thinking they had not qualified.
Harry Kane has surpassed Gary Lineker's long-standing record to become England's all-time leading goal scorer at World Cups.
Nyck de Vries of Mahindra Racing achieved a third-place finish at the Sanya E-Prix after a post-race penalty elevated him, securing valuable points for himself and the team. The race was marked by chaotic incidents, including front wing damage and a multi-car traffic jam, while his teammate Edoardo Mortara was forced to retire due to a technical issue. De Vries also set the fastest lap, contributing to Mahindra's standing in the Teams' Championship.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said he is running out of words to describe Lionel Messi after the captain became the first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches during the 3-1 win over Jordan.
Sudarshan Yellamaraju finished T-14 at the Valero Texas Open, while JJ Spaun secured victory after a strong performance.
Sorana Cirstea defeated Aryna Sabalenka in their third-round clash at the Italian Open.
US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed that Iran had requested a meeting with the US after the recent military escalation between the two sides over the Strait of Hormuz and announced that talks with Tehran would take place in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, despite Iranian officials stating that no technical meetings have been scheduled this week.
Mexico continued their perfect start to the World Cup with a 3-0 romp against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, finishing their group-stage campaign with a flourish.
Aditi Ashok recovered with three birdies on the back nine to finish tied for 36th place at the JM Eagle Los Angeles Championship. Sei Young Kim of Korea leads the tournament despite a late-round struggle.
Ecuador's President Daniel Noboa declared a national holiday after the country's football team secured a spot in the World Cup knockout phase with a surprising 2-1 victory over Germany. This marks only the second time Ecuador has reached this stage, sparking widespread celebrations.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre expressed pride in his team's performance at the World Cup, despite their exit after a close match against England.
Aditi Ashok carded a second round of 6-under 66 to move into tied third alongside world number one Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand at the Fortinet Founders Cup.
Japan v Tunisia marks 1,000th FIFA World Cup match
Shubhankar Sharma fired an eight-under 64 to take a commanding lead at the Boulders Classic golf tournament in Hyderabad.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni discussed his team's hard-fought 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup last-32, emphasising the unexpected difficulty of the match despite being heavy favourites. He praised his players' resilience and character, acknowledging the physical toll and the need for improvement, while also highlighting the unique "suffering" inherent in being Argentine in football.
CAT and MBA expert and rediffGURU Patrick D'Souza explains how a simple daily reading habit can help aspirants clinch 99 percentile in the Common Admission Test this year.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew with Wesley So in the fifth round of the Super Chess Classic, part of the Grand Chess Tour, while Vincent Keymer of Germany maintained his lead.
Teenager Pritam Kendre won a gold medal in the men's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany, contributing to India's growing medal tally of 11, including five golds. India also secured a bronze in the women's 25m pistol team event, showcasing strong performances from its young shooting contingent.
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok experienced a setback at the Fortinet Founders Cup, while Hyo Joo Kim extended her lead.
