South Africa Cricket Player Positive for Virus, England All Clear

In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, England's wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dives to take the catch to dismiss Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi during the third cricket Test match between England and Pakistan, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England. England's cricketers are flying to South Africa it is announced Monday Nov. 16, 2020, on the back of reassurances from team management that the white-ball tour will take place as scheduled, although England star Jos Buttler said CSA's issues had led to him fearing the tour might be canceled. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)
In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, England's wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dives to take the catch to dismiss Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi during the third cricket Test match between England and Pakistan, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England. England's cricketers are flying to South Africa it is announced Monday Nov. 16, 2020, on the back of reassurances from team management that the white-ball tour will take place as scheduled, although England star Jos Buttler said CSA's issues had led to him fearing the tour might be canceled. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)
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South Africa Cricket Player Positive for Virus, England All Clear

In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, England's wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dives to take the catch to dismiss Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi during the third cricket Test match between England and Pakistan, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England. England's cricketers are flying to South Africa it is announced Monday Nov. 16, 2020, on the back of reassurances from team management that the white-ball tour will take place as scheduled, although England star Jos Buttler said CSA's issues had led to him fearing the tour might be canceled. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)
In this file photo dated Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020, England's wicketkeeper Jos Buttler dives to take the catch to dismiss Pakistan's Shaheen Afridi during the third cricket Test match between England and Pakistan, at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton, England. England's cricketers are flying to South Africa it is announced Monday Nov. 16, 2020, on the back of reassurances from team management that the white-ball tour will take place as scheduled, although England star Jos Buttler said CSA's issues had led to him fearing the tour might be canceled. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, FILE)

One player in the South Africa cricket squad has tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of a six-game limited-over series against England and two others have also been isolated after being in close contact with him.

Cricket South Africa said the positive result came back among 50 tests conducted on Wednesday on players and support staff before the squad goes into a "biosafe environment" in Cape Town ahead of the games, which start at the end of next week.

The three players who have been isolated are showing no symptoms of COVID-19, CSA said. None of the players were named.

England's squad flew into Cape Town on Tuesday on a chartered flight and all the players were negative for COVID-19 after arriving, the England and Wales Cricket Board said.

The England and South Africa squads will stay in the same hotel in Cape Town in a controlled environment throughout the series. England players need to observe 10 days of quarantine before the games but are being allowed to train at the Newlands cricket ground during the quarantine period.

The tour, arranged on short notice after the virus-wreaked havoc affected international cricket fixtures, is England's first trip overseas during the pandemic. South Africa hasn't played any cricket since March.

All six matches will be in Cape Town and the nearby city of Paarl to limit travel for players and officials in a country which has the highest number of confirmed virus cases in Africa at more than 750,000. No spectators will be allowed to attend any of the games.

The series starts next Friday with the first of three Twenty20 games. The teams will also play three one-day internationals.



Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
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Liverpool New Signing Jacquet Suffers 'Serious' Injury

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026  Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - RC Lens v Stade Rennes - Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Lens, France - February 7, 2026 Stade Rennes' Jeremy Jacquet in action REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Liverpool's new signing Jeremy Jacquet suffered a "serious" shoulder injury while playing for Rennes in their 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat at RC Lens on Saturday, casting doubt over the defender’s availability ahead of his summer move to Anfield.

Jacquet fell awkwardly in the second half of the ⁠French league match and appeared in agony as he left the pitch.

"For Jeremy, it's his shoulder, and for Abdelhamid (Ait Boudlal, another Rennes player injured in the ⁠same match) it's muscular," Rennes head coach Habib Beye told reporters after the match.

"We'll have time to see, but it's definitely quite serious for both of them."
Liverpool agreed a 60-million-pound ($80-million) deal for Jacquet on Monday, but the 20-year-old defender will stay with ⁠the French club until the end of the season.

Liverpool, provisionally sixth in the Premier League table, will face Manchester City on Sunday with four defenders - Giovanni Leoni, Joe Gomez, Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley - sidelined due to injuries.


Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
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Højlund Rescues Napoli with Dramatic 3-2 win Over Genoa in Serie A

Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal  during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026.  EPA/LUCA ZENNARO
Napoli's Rasmus Winther Hojlund celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Genoa Cfc and Ssc Napoli at the Luigi Ferraris stadium in Genoa, Italy, 07 February 2026. EPA/LUCA ZENNARO

Rasmus Højlund scored a last-gasp penalty as 10-man Napoli won 3-2 at Genoa in Serie A on Saturday, keeping pressure on the top two clubs from Milan.

Højlund was fortunate Genoa goalkeeper Justin Bijlow was unable to keep out his low shot, despite getting his arm to the ball in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

The spot kick was awarded after Maxwel Cornet – who had just gone on as a substitute – was adjudged after a VAR check to have kicked Antonio Vergara’s foot after the Napoli midfielder dropped dramatically to the floor.

Højlund’s second goal of the game moved Napoli one point behind AC Milan and six behind Inter Milan. They both have a game in hand.

“We showed that we’re a team that never gives up, even in difficult situations, in emergencies, and despite being outnumbered, we had the determination to win. I’m proud of my players’ attitude, and I thank them and congratulate them because the victory was deserved,” Napoli coach Antonio Conte said, according to The Associated Press.

His team got off to a bad start with goalkeeper Alex Meret bringing down Vitinha after a botched back pass from Alessandro Buongiorno just seconds into the game. A VAR check confirmed the penalty and Ruslan Malinovskyi duly scored from the spot in the second minute.

Scott McTominay was involved in both goals as Napoli replied with a quickfire double. Bijlow saved his first effort in the 20th but Højlund tucked away the rebound, and McTominay let fly from around 20 meters to make it 2-1 a minute later.

However, McTominay had to go off at the break with what looked like a muscular injury, and another mistake from Buongiorno allowed Lorenzo Colombo to score in the 57th for Genoa.

“Scott has a gluteal problem that he’s had since the season started. It gets inflamed sometimes," Conte said of McTominay. "He would have liked to continue, but I preferred not for him to take any risks because he’s a key player for us.”

Napoli center back Juan Jesus was sent off in the 76th after receiving a second yellow card for pulling back Genoa substitute Caleb Ekuban.

Genoa pushed for a winner but it was the visitors who celebrated after a dramatic finale.

"The penalty wasn’t perfect. I was also lucky, but what matters is that we won,” Højlund said.

Fiorentina rues missed opportunity Fiorentina was on course to escape the relegation zone until Torino defender Guillermo Maripán scored deep in stoppage time for a 2-2 draw in the late game.

Fiorentina had come from behind after Cesare Casadei’s early goal for the visitors, with Manor Solomon and Moise Kean both scoring early in the second half.

A 2-1 win would have lifted Fiorentina out of the relegation zone, but Maripán equalized in the 94th minute with a header inside the far post after a free kick for what seemed like a defeat for the home team.

Fiorentina had lost its previous three games, including to Como in the Italian Cup.

Earlier, Juventus announced star player Kenan Yildiz's contract extension through June 2030.


Juventus Ties Down Star Player Kenan Yildiz Until 2030

Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
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Juventus Ties Down Star Player Kenan Yildiz Until 2030

Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)
Turkish player Kenan Yildiz (Reuters)

Türkiye midfielder Kenan Yildiz has extended his contract with Juventus through June 2030, the Italian club announced Saturday.

The 20-year-old Yildiz scored on his debut against Frosinone in December 2023. He has since inherited the club’s No. 10 jersey and last year became the youngest player to captain the team.

Altogether Yildiz has scored 25 goals and also set up 19 in 115 appearances over two and half seasons with Juventus. This season he has eight goals and five assists in Serie A.

“Kenan embodies leadership, sacrifice and the constant pursuit of improvement. He is the personification of Juventus’ values, and he carries them onto the pitch in every game he plays,” The Associated Press quoted the club as saying.

Media reports suggested the new deal made Yildiz the best-paid player in the squad.

The German-born Yildiz switched to Juventus Under-19s from Bayern Munich’s youth setup in 2022.