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Match Report – RCB vs CSK 68th Match, May 18, 2024

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 218 for five (Du Plessis 54, Kohli 47, Patidar 41, Inexperienced 38, Thakur 2-61) beat Chennai Tremendous Kings 191 for 7 (Ravindra 61, Jadeja 42*, Dayal 4-42) by 27 runs

Virat Kohli was practically in tears. Faf du Plessis couldn’t include his pleasure. MS Dhoni was nowhere to be seen after the sport. All of it summed up the drama of the night time in Bengaluru, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) gained their sixth recreation on the trot in IPL 2024 to knock Chennai Tremendous Kings (CSK) out and make the playoffs.

RCB have been on this scenario many occasions – needing a win of their final league match to make it to the knockouts. They had been on the identical venue final yr, the place they managed to publish a tall rating that includes a Kohli century, just for a Shubman Gill ton to overshadow all of it and knock them out. On Saturday, they discovered themselves in the same scenario once more.

RCB had been requested to bat first. They posted 218 and wanted to win by at the least 18 runs to knock CSK out. They had been helped by blazing begins from Kohli and du Plessis with cameos from Rajat Patidar and Cameron Inexperienced.

CSK got here inside touching distance. They wanted 10 off the final two balls to qualify with Ravindra Jadeja, the batter who hit a six and 4 to win CSK their fifth title final yr, on strike. However Yash Dayal bowled two off-pace size balls to disclaim Jadeja and CSK. This was after being taken for an enormous six on the primary ball of the final over by MS Dhoni, after which utilizing the back-of-the-hand slower one to have him caught at deep sq. leg.

CSK hopes dipped at that second and RCB by no means allow them to again.

Kohli, du Plessis and the rain break

Kohli has reinvented himself this season like none different. He’s main not simply the pack of run-scorers this season (708) but additionally that of six-hitters with 37 to his title. Tushar Deshpande delivered a few size ball that he duly deposited into the stands. Du Plessis additionally struck one off Shardul Thakur when rain hit pause on RCB’s cost at 31 for 0 in three overs.

The 40-minute intervention appeared to have modified the monitor, with each Maheesh Theekshana and Mitchell Santner bowling seven dots within the two overs since resumption. RCB completed the powerplay at 42 for none, their joint-lowest rating this season alongside the 42 for 3 they made towards CSK within the season opener.

Kohli tried to interrupt the shackles with sixes off Santner and Ravindra Jadeja however holed out to huge long-on. Du Plessis, although, hit two sixes and a 4 of a Jadeja over to get to a 35-ball fifty after being on 29 off 28 at one level.

Patidar, Inexperienced and a tall end

That Patidar takes down spin is an open secret, and he proved it with an enormous hit over long-off off Theekshana, who was probably the most economical CSK bowler. However he loves taking part in quick bowlers extra. And that side got here to the fore with the benefit he hit Simarjeet Singh for a 4 and 6 off successive balls. He continued his unhindered strokeplay towards Deshpande and Thakur to super-charge RCB’s progress, together with Inexperienced, who confirmed his energy recreation to full impact.

Inexperienced slapped Simarjeet by means of level earlier than hammering Theekshana straight down the bottom. He then hit Thakur for back-to-back sixes as RCB crossed 200 for the sixth time this season, changing into the third staff to take action in an IPL season.

The consequence? CSK leaked 63 on the dying (overs 17 to twenty), probably the most they conceded within the section in your entire season. The presence of dew meant they weren’t capable of grip the ball and use the help the pitch had, particularly when off-pace size balls had been dug in.

Ravindra and Jadeja, the intense spots within the chase

After Glenn Maxwell, introduced again rather than Will Jacks, struck first ball to have Ruturaj Gaikwad caught at brief superb leg. Dayal then had Daryl Mitchell miscue to huge mid-off. CSK’s cost within the powerplay was led by Rachin Ravindra, with some help from Ajinkya Rahane.

Rahane focused Dayal and hit a six and two perfectly-timed fours off him. He added 66 off 41 for the third wicket with Ravindra, whose gameplan appeared fairly easy – to slice the size balls sq. by means of off.

Like he did and succeeded towards Maxwell within the first over. He would use even the slightest of width – like Mohammed Siraj offered within the fourth over – to thrash it by means of level, whereas the short-of-good-length ones would both be ramped over brief third or heaved by means of midwicket. He introduced up his half-century off 31 balls and appeared good to be the distinction, earlier than a mix-up with Shivam Dube noticed him be run out.

Thereon, dew was a continuing presence within the center, which made RCB reluctant to bowl spin. That helped Ravindra Jadeja, who walked in after Ravindra’s dismissal, to get into the groove shortly. An off drive towards Inexperienced acquired him going earlier than hit a six every of Dayal, Siraj and Lockie Ferguson. Regardless of middling nearly all the pieces, it was not sufficient to see the aspect by means of.

Contrasting center overs

In hindsight, the center overs proved to be the distinction between the 2 groups. It was the section during which Patidar and Inexperienced confirmed RCB the way in which. It was the section had been RCB scored boundaries at will. It was the section that set them up for a tall closing flourish with the bat.

RCB scored 113 runs in overs 7 to 16, and misplaced simply two wickets. However CSK couldn’t fairly capitalise within the section, and will rating solely 80. What’s extra, they misplaced 4 wickets within the section, one every within the twelfth, thirteenth and the 14th to be devoid of any momentum. A kind of was all du Plessis’ brilliance. Mitchell Santner had creamed a lofted off drive off Siraj that appeared to clear mid-off. However du Plessis swiftly moved to his proper and timed his leap completely to pluck out a one-handed stunner. CSK, consequently, went from 115 for 3 to 129 for six within the house of 13 balls.

It prompted Dhoni to stroll out to bat on the earliest level this season. And even his 25 off 13 was not sufficient for a potential fairytale ending, if it certainly is one.

S Sudarshanan is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo. @Sudarshanan7

LIVE COVERAGE: Oilers vs. Canucks (Game 6)

THIRD PERIOD

0.0: GAME OVER! THERE WILL BE A GAME 7 ON MONDAY NIGHT! Edmonton receives three factors from every of Evan Bouchard, Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, however it was a whole crew effort to increase this sequence, with Edmonton’s PK going 4-for-4 – together with an prolonged 5-on-3 within the second interval – as a part of a 5-1 Oilers victory that evens the sequence at 3-3. What a end to this Second Spherical we’re about to have.

See you Monday, Oilers followers, and produce your greatest! It is going to take everybody to beat this Canucks crew in Recreation 7.

6:56: KANE CONVERTS OFF THE FACEOFF! Cool as you want from EK91! Leon Draisaitl wins the o-zone draw proper to Kane and he liens up the proper shot over Silovs’ left pad. 5-1 Oilers.

16:34: NUGE NUDGES IT FIVE-HOLE! McDavid made the net-front cross on the push and No. 93 is ready to get a bit of it and ship it by the wickets of Silovs, who was stretched out attempting to get to the again submit. Bouchard, McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins all get their third level of the competition. 4-1 Oilers.

20:00: GAME ON! Simply 20 extra strong minutes to see us into Recreation 7 on Monday at Rogers Enviornment in Vancouver. Come on, boys!

SECOND PERIOD

0.0: Quinn Hughes hits the submit on that energy play earlier than Derek Ryan comes out of the field and almost will get a breakaway. Edmonton sees their 3-1 lead by to the intermission.

1:12: Derek Ryan takes an interference penalty earlier than the Oilers’ bench is charged with too many males, organising a Canucks’ five-on-three for 56 seconds. Vancouver takes their timeout.

5:31: Dakota Joshua hits Hyman within the face along with his stick! A two-man benefit is incoming for the Oilers.

6:36: Conor Garland throws Brett Kulak again for an interference penalty. Edmonton is 0-for-1 tonight to this point with the person benefit.

8:40: BOUCH BOMB DETONATED! A superb offensive-zone shift by the highest line and its prime defensive pairing comes by on the finish, with Bouchard delivering a shot from the highest of the zone off the far submit and previous Silovs for a two-goal Oilers lead with 8:309 left within the center body.

Roberto De Zerbi to leave Brighton at end of Premier League season | Football News

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is to depart the membership after Sunday’s season-ending conflict with Manchester United.

The Italian joined Albion in September 2022 after Graham Potter left for Chelsea and loved rapid success, taking the membership to their highest-ever top-flight end of sixth.

That secured a marketing campaign on this season’s Europa League and noticed De Zerbi linked with quite a lot of high-profile jobs.

Brighton and De Zerbi made the final 16 of the Europa League, whereas they sit tenth within the Premier League with a recreation to go.

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Talking in his ultimate press convention earlier than the announcement, Roberto De Zerbi mentioned it has been a tricky season for Brighton with the quantity of accidents they’ve had, however is happy they will nonetheless end within the high 10 within the Premier League

“I’m very unhappy to be leaving Brighton, however I’m very happy with what my gamers and workers have achieved with the help of everybody on the membership and our superb followers prior to now two historic seasons,” De Zerbi mentioned in a press release.

“We’ve got agreed to finish my time at Brighton in order that the membership and I can proceed to work in the best way that fits every of us greatest, following our personal concepts and visions, in addition to our work and human values.

“I’ve actually loved an intense and difficult two years working within the Premier League, not least competing in 4 main competitions this season. Leaving now offers me with time to take a break earlier than deciding on my future plans.”

Whereas the information could come as a shock to some, there was appreciable hypothesis concerning the 44-year-old’s future for a while.

Requested in March about his place and the prospect of signing a brand new deal, he mentioned: “We did not discover the settlement. The contract is part of the longer term. It is vital for me, it is vital for everybody nevertheless it’s a small half, the large half is the plan. We’ve got to talk with the membership.”

Brighton proprietor Tony Bloom mentioned that the parting of the way was a mutual one.

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Watch highlights of the Premier League match between Brighton and Chelsea

“Roberto has given us two glorious seasons of service wherein he has led the membership to new heights, not least our first ever European marketing campaign which can stay lengthy within the reminiscence of Albion followers,” he mentioned.

“We’ve got mutually agreed to finish Roberto’s contract at a time that fits each events permitting us the earliest alternative to plan for subsequent season, and Roberto loads of time to contemplate his subsequent transfer and his future.

“I’m positive our followers will give Roberto and his workers a beautiful and absolutely deserved ship off on the Amex earlier than, throughout and after tomorrow’s match.

Picture:
The lack of Kaoru Mitoma has been key in Brighton’s dip

“Within the meantime, I would wish to thank Roberto and his workers for all their arduous work prior to now two seasons. All of them go away our membership on good phrases and with our highest needs for the longer term.”

Andrea Maldera, Ricard Segarra, Marcattilio Marcattilii, Vincenzo Teresa, Agostino Tibaudi, Marcello Quinto and Enrico Venturelli can even go away after Sunday’s ultimate Premier League recreation.

Coaches Andrew Crofts and Jack Stern will stay with the membership.

Ipswich boss McKenna pursuits Brighton

Picture:
Kieran McKenna gained promotion with Ipswich City

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna could be a reputation of curiosity to Brighton proprietor Tony Bloom as he seems to interchange De ­­Zerbi this summer time.

His teaching type and success at Ipswich has been catching the attention for quite a lot of Premier League golf equipment, Brighton being one in all them.

McKenna has attracted rising consideration as he has led Ipswich from League One to the Premier League through back-to-back promotions, ending their 22-year absence from the highest flight within the course of.

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Ipswich City head coach Kieran McKenna discusses what it means to perform back-to-back promotions for the membership and likewise what he seems to realize with the facet now they’re within the Premier League

A former coach at Tottenham and Manchester United, McKenna, 38, took over at Portman Street in December 2021 when Ipswich had been twelfth in League One.

In his first full season, 2022/23, McKenna steered Ipswich to a second-placed end in League One.

They adopted that up by ending as runners-up to Leicester within the Championship this season with McKenna’s achievements incomes him the division’s supervisor of the 12 months award.

McKenna is at the moment contracted to Ipswich till 2027 after signing a brand new four-year deal in June 2023.

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De Zerbi to leave Albion after Manchester United match

Brighton & Hove Albion has confirmed that head coach Roberto De Zerbi will depart the membership after tomorrow’s closing Premier League match of the season in opposition to Manchester United on the American Categorical Stadium.

De Zerbi, who joined Brighton in September 2022, following the departure of Graham Potter to Chelsea, oversaw the membership’s highest high flight end in 2022/23 and led the membership to the final 16 of the UEFA Europa League earlier this season.

Chairman, Tony Bloom, stated, “Roberto has given us two glorious seasons of service wherein he has led the membership to new heights, not least our first ever European marketing campaign which is able to reside lengthy within the reminiscence of Albion followers.

“We’ve mutually agreed to finish Roberto’s contract at a time that fits each events permitting us the earliest alternative to plan for subsequent season, and Roberto loads of time to contemplate his subsequent transfer and his future.

“I’m certain our followers will give Roberto and his workers a beautiful and absolutely deserved ship off on the Amex earlier than, throughout and after tomorrow’s match.

“Within the meantime, I’d prefer to thank Roberto and his workers for all their laborious work prior to now two seasons. All of them depart our membership on good phrases and with our highest needs for the long run.”

Roberto De Zerbi stated, “I’m very unhappy to be leaving Brighton, however I’m very pleased with what my gamers and workers have achieved with the help of everybody on the membership and our wonderful followers prior to now two historic seasons.

“We’ve agreed to finish my time at Brighton in order that the membership and I can proceed to work in the best way that fits every of us finest, following our personal concepts and visions, in addition to our work and human values.

“I’ve actually loved an intense and difficult two years working within the Premier League, not least competing in 4 main competitions this season. Leaving now supplies me with time to take a break earlier than deciding on my future plans.”

Andrea Maldera, Ricard Segarra, Marcattilio Marcattilii, Vincenzo Teresa, Agostino Tibaudi, Marcello Quinto and Enrico Venturelli can even depart after tomorrow’s closing Premier League match. Membership coaches Andrew Crofts and Jack Stern will stay with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg (May 18, 2024) Game Analysis

Champions Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg 2-1 on the final matchday Saturday to change into the primary workforce within the historical past of the Bundesliga to finish a full season with no loss.

Xabi Alonso’s treble-chasing workforce additionally stretched their European document unbeaten run throughout all competitions this season to 51 matches in an ideal costume rehearsal for subsequent week’s Europa League ultimate towards Atalanta.

– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, extra (U.S.)

– Subsequent wave of elite soccer managers: Alonso, Thiago Motta, extra

Leverkusen, who additionally face Kaiserslautern within the DFB-Pokal ultimate Might 25, completed prime on 90 factors with 28 wins and 6 attracts, 17 factors forward of second-placed VfB Stuttgart.

On the different finish of the desk Cologne had been relegated, becoming a member of Darmstadt, following a 4-1 defeat at Heidenheim. VfL Bochum will go right into a relegation playoff.

Bayer Leverkusen overcame Augsburg to spherical off their unbeaten Bundesliga season.

Marius Becker/image alliance by way of Getty Pictures


“It is an distinctive season that we have made, not simply in Germany however I believe in Europe,” Alonso mentioned. “We bear in mind the [2003-04 Arsenal] Invincibles within the Premier League and Juventus [in Serie A in 2011-12], so we deserve this a part of historical past in European soccer.”

Leverkusen acquired off to a robust begin and Victor Boniface intercepted a ball from Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek to faucet in for the lead within the twelfth minute as the house followers ready to kick off the town’s massive get together to have fun the membership’s maiden league title.

Robert Andrich, a part of Germany’s Euro 2024 preliminary squad, doubled the benefit from shut vary within the twenty seventh however Augsburg got here out combating after the break and minimize the deficit with Mert Kömür simply previous the hour.

Each groups had their share of probabilities however it was all the time going to be Leverkusen’s day, with followers hoping their first ever Bundesliga trophy would be the first of three titles in what’s already a exceptional season.

– Leverkusen heal previous wounds to carry historic Bundesliga title

– Watch: Xabi Alonso expects a ‘nice ultimate’ towards Atalanta

– 2023-24 Bundesliga desk

A choral “Hallelujah” performed over BayArena’s PA system on the ultimate whistle and a airplane trailed a “German Champion” banner over the stadium as followers sang the gamers’ praises. The sellout crowd of 30,000 was on its ft as Leverkusen’s gamers obtained the membership’s first ever league winners medals.

Alonso, who took over in October 2022 with Leverkusen within the relegation zone, punched the air to a roar from the gang as he obtained his medal. He has already pledged to remain subsequent season after curiosity from Bayern Munich.

Goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky climbed into the stands and handed the trophy to followers to carry. He led a membership chant right into a microphone as Alonso climbed as much as be part of him.

Alonso was requested if Leverkusen’s achievements within the Bundesliga had sunk in but. “I imagine it, however I want extra time, and for now we do not have a lot time,” he mentioned. “For tomorrow we have now our subsequent massive goal.”

Info from the Related Press contributed to this report

Eddie Izzard explains how fear made her learn to be a pilot

Eddie Izzard shocked Saturday Kitchen host Donal Skehan with the revelation that she has a pilot’s licence. The prepare dinner and presenter was left baffled by the information of Izzard’s hidden expertise away from appearing and comedy.

Izzard defined that she had realized to tackle lots of issues that scare her, having needed to overcome lots of concern as a way to come out as transgender a number of years in the past. A kind of issues was air journey.

Eddie Izzard defined why she turned a pilot on Saturday Kitchen. (BBC)

Izzard appeared on the present to debate bringing her one-woman manufacturing of William Shakespeare’s traditional tragedy Hamlet to the London stage. The 62-year-old star recoiled at being supplied ricotta cheese as a part of a recipe on the present.

“I am fearful of cheese, however I will attempt it. I am right here to attempt issues,” mentioned Izzard. “Having come out as trans 4 years in the past, I needed to push again lots of concern in my life.”

She then went on to clarify that among the issues she determined to attempt as a way to get previous concern have been much more harmful and dramatic than a number of piece of cheese.

Donal Skehan was stunned to study Eddie Izzard’s pilot licence on Saturday Kitchen. (BBC)

Izzard mentioned: “I realized to fly as a result of I used to be fearful of flying, so I’ve a pilot’s licence. I pushed again on concern. You already know, like, bumpy air. I was very fearful of the bumpy air. But it surely’s similar to bumpy street, but it surely’s within the air. So I acquired the grasp of it.”

Skehan was shocked, explaining that in all of his analysis previous to interviewing Izzard on the present, he had no concept that she had realized to fly alongside her many pursuits, together with in politics and marathon operating in addition to comedy.

He was significantly impressed by Izzard’s distinctive manufacturing of Hamlet, by which she performs 23 totally different roles and even manages to stage a sword struggle with herself.

Eddie Izzard joined a panel of Saturday Kitchen cooks and visitors. (BBC)

Skehan was joined within the kitchen by cooks Sabrina Ghayour and Jack Stein, in addition to wine knowledgeable Olly Smith. Followers on social media, although, have been disillusioned by the absence of standard host Matt Tebbutt.

Viewers got the selection of whether or not Izzard can be served her meals heaven or hell on the finish of the present. The heaven dish was a “trio of Thai treats”, whereas her meals hell was a seafood dish together with fish, clams, and mussels.

Learn extra:

Jai Opetaia shares hospital snap with Mairis Briedis following brutal battle on Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury undercard

  • Jai Opetaia and Mairis Briedis shared a brutal battle in Riyadh 
  • The Australian received again his cruiserweight world title 
  • The pair needed to go to hospital after the bout 

Jai Opetaia and Mairis Briedis could have shared one other 12 brutal rounds collectively, however the pair have been all smiles following their titanic battle in Saudi Arabia. 

Opetaia, 28, reclaimed his cruiserweight title in Riyadh on the judges scorecard however was pressured to hold on within the latter rounds along with his veteran rival approaching sturdy seeking a decisive knockout.

The Australian, who defeated Briedis on the Gold Coast to first win the title in 2022, was hospitalised with a damaged jaw after that bout and as soon as once more visited hospital after his second bout towards the Latvian.

And within the early hours of Sunday morning, Opetaia and Briedis each obtained medical consideration, they usually every noticed the humorous aspect of being again in hospital collectively. 

Jai Opetaia and Mairis Briedis shared a hospital selfie after their brutal battle

The Australian and Latvian shared one other 12 brutal rounds collectively in Saudi Arabia

Briedis shared a selfie of himself with a bandage on his nostril whereas Opetaia was sat in a mattress within the background. Each males have been grinning. 

Opetaia reclaimed the belt he took off Briedis in 2022 however was pressured to surrender earlier this yr, when he fought Ellis Zorro in Saudi Arabia towards the organisation’s needs.

The Gold Coast-based 28-year-old’s victory snapped a run of current title-fight losses by Australian quartet Tim Tszyu, George Kambosos Jnr and Moloney twins Jason and Andrew.

With Cristiano Ronaldo among the many celebrities within the entrance row, Opetaia was in cruise management within the first half of the battle.

Within the sixth spherical he rattled Briedis with a brief left hook then a straight left that appeared to interrupt his nostril.

Opetaia secured victory on the judges scorecards to reclaim his cruiserweight title

The robust Latvian dropped to 28-3, his solely losses by factors choices to Opetaia twice and Usyk.

Earlier, Queensland-based New Zealand Olympic bronze medallist David Nyika improved to 9-0 with a business-like stoppage of beforehand undefeated German Michael Seitz.

Cruiserweight Nyika pounded the physique of his opponent, who finally succumbed within the fourth spherical.

Bayer Leverkusen completes unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season and Cologne relegated

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich by no means managed it.

Bayer Leverkusen turned the primary crew for the reason that Bundesliga was based in 1963 to finish a complete season undefeated on Saturday.

Early targets from Victor Boniface and Robert Andrich gave the league champion a 2-1 win over Augsburg of their final sport of the season.

The win was their twenty eighth in 34 Bundesliga video games.

Leverkusen, which gained the title in April to finish Bayern Munich’s 11-year run, is the primary crew to finish an unbeaten season in any of Europe’s high 5 leagues since Juventus within the Italian Serie A in 2011-12.

Leverkusen hasn’t misplaced a sport in any competitors all season, a file 51-game unbeaten run.

It had a agency grip on Augsburg however Mert Kömür pulled one again within the 62nd minute, prompting Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso to ship on Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, the star gamers he’d been attempting to relaxation earlier than the Europa League and German Cup finals subsequent week.

COLOGNE DEMOTED, UNION SAFE

Native rival Cologne was relegated. Cologne’s hopes of avoiding the drop evaporated in a 4-1 loss at Heidenheim.

“It’s very unhappy, such a pity. To apologize maybe lacks a bit of respect,” Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe mentioned of followers’ offended response.

Janik Haberer scored in stoppage time for Union Berlin to clinch survival with a 2-1 win over Freiburg.

It got here after Union missed a penalty, conceded an equalizer with 5 minutes remaining in a sport it needed to win to keep away from the relegation playoff, then missed one other penalty in stoppage time. Thankfully for Union, Haberer was there to fireside within the rebound and ship beer cups flying throughout the stadium.

Union’s win meant Bochum dropped into the playoff place after shedding at Werder Bremen 4-1.

Bochum faces Fortuna Düsseldorf over two legs to see which crew will play within the Bundesliga subsequent season. Düsseldorf was third within the second division.

Mainz ensured its survival with a 3-1 win at Wolfsburg.

BAYERN ONLY THIRD

Stuttgart completed second at Bayern’s expense with a 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, whereas Bayern slumped to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim in Thomas Tuchel’s final sport as coach.

“One other bitter defeat,” the livid Tuchel mentioned at some point after revealing that talks on him extending his keep on the membership fell by way of.

Bayern’s third place is its worst end since ending behind 2011 winner Borussia Dortmund and Leverkusen. It’s the Bavarian powerhouse’s first trophyless season since 2012.

Stuttgart’s 73 factors is a membership file and it comes after preventing relegation within the earlier two seasons.

REUS’ BIG DAY

Marco Reus led Dortmund to a 4-0 win over last-placed Darmstadt. The 34-year-old, who’s leaving after 12 years on the finish of the season, was handed the captain’s armband for his final Bundesliga sport with Dortmund and starred by establishing Ian Maatsen for the opener earlier than scoring with an excellent free kick.

Dortmund subsequent performs the Champions League closing in opposition to Actual Madrid on June 1.

A Dortmund win could be excellent news for Eintracht Frankfurt, which completed sixth within the Bundesliga after drawing with Leipzig 2-2. If Dortmund beats Madrid, Frankfurt would qualify for Europe’s premier competitors.

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AP Sports activities Author James Ellingworth in Leverkusen contributed.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Jai Opetaia weathers Mairis Briedis’ late rally to reclaim belt

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Jai Opetaia survived a late surge from Mairis Briedis to hold on for a unanimous-decision victory and regain the IBF cruiserweight title early Sunday at Kingdom Area.

Opetaia, ESPN’s No. 1 cruiserweight, was badly damage in Spherical 10 and misplaced the ultimate three rounds on all three scorecards however banked sufficient of the early frames to win the battle by way of scores of 117-111, 116-112 and 116-112.

Opetaia (25-0, 19 KOs) was stripped of his title in December when he elected to battle Ellis Zorro in Riyadh for a career-high payday fairly than face his obligatory challenger, Briedis, in a rematch of their July 2022 assembly.

Opetaia, a 28-year-old Australian, delivered a spectacular first-round knockout of Zorro and proceeded to signal on for the rematch with Briedis, whom he defeated by way of unanimous choice the primary time. Opetaia suffered a damaged jaw within the first assembly, and each fighters suffered a damaged nostril Saturday.

“We knew we have been in for a troublesome battle, I stated it from the entire lead-up,” Opetaia stated. “We have been prepared for 12 rounds of conflict, and that is what we bought. … He bought me with an excellent shot [in Round 10]. He bought me with a couple of good photographs. He is a troublesome dude, retains coming ahead. He wished it. I may hear the ache in his f—ing punches, so I take my hat off to him.”

After Briedis (28-3, 20 KOs), a 39-year-old Latvian, broke although in Spherical 10, he picked up the place he left off within the championship rounds, pouring it on Opetaia, who was bleeding from the nostril and mouth.

This was Briedis’ first motion because the first battle with Opetaia. Briedis’ solely different defeat got here towards Oleksandr Usyk in a cruiserweight title unification in 2018 by way of majority choice. Usyk, in fact, meets Tyson Fury in the primary occasion Sunday for the undisputed heavyweight championship.

“Man, I broke his nostril; he broke mine,” Opetaia stated. “We simply stored punching on. So, shout out to him. … I knew he was going to come back sturdy after he [broke] my nostril. That type of rocked me a bit, however we stayed sensible. We simply stored boxing and we gained the battle, in order that’s all that issues.”

Opetaia stated he’d wish to unify 200-pound titles subsequent. Specifically, he known as for the winner of the June 15 WBO cruiserweight title battle between Chris Billam-Smith and Richard Riakporhe.

“After which after that,” Opetaia stated, “we’ll accumulate the remainder of the belts.”

Anthony Cacace pulls off shock TKO over Joe Cordina for first world title

Anthony Cacace pulled off a shock, eighth-round TKO win when he overwhelmed Joe Cordina for the IBF world junior light-weight title on Saturday.

Cacace (22-1, 8 KOs), 35, from Belfast in Northern Eire, gained his first main world title and ended Cordina’s second reign as champion in a second protection on the undercard of the undisputed world heavyweight title struggle between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

A pivotal second within the struggle got here within the third spherical, when Cacace caught Cordina with a left hand after referee Bob Williams referred to as for the fighters to interrupt and cease preventing. Cacace then went on the assault and landed an ideal proper uppercut and Cordina crashed face first on to the canvas for a rely.

Cacace produced the struggle of his life and dominated Cordina after flooring the champion within the third spherical.

Cordina (17-1, 9 KOs), 32, from Cardiff in Wales, acquired up and his head cleared as he recovered by the fourth spherical, however Cacace repeatedly nailed the Welshman with proper uppercuts.

From then, Cacace went on to land 116 energy punches to Cordina’s 41 in accordance with CompuBox statistics.

Simply 39 seconds into the eighth spherical, a dominant Cacace overwhelmed Cordina, who was bullied for giant durations of the struggle from the third spherical onward.

“I am in shock,” Cacace mentioned. “Joe is a hell of a competitor however I used to be hurting him with each single shot. The referee mentioned break as I threw a punch, there was nothing soiled about it.”

Cordina could now decide to step as much as light-weight after some shut fights not too long ago. Cordina gained a disputed, majority factors determination over Edward Vazquez in November after prevailing by a cut up factors verdict towards Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov earlier final yr.

The Welshman made an excellent begin however within the third he appeared shocked by the blow that landed after Williams referred to as the fighters to interrupt. Cacace piled on the stress and snapped again Cordina’s head with a proper uppercut that despatched the champion down for a rely.

Cordina seemed in bother however he recovered by the fourth spherical. Nonetheless, Cacace remained on high and he repeatedly landed heavy hooks. Cacace completed the sixth spherical by touchdown three successive proper uppercuts and within the seventh Cordina took some punishment camped on the ropes.

Cacace landed some large hooks amid a barrage of punches that led to the smart stoppage and Cordina will now take into account stepping up a division to restore the harm of his first skilled defeat.