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Yuma Kagiyama Wins Despite Errors at Finlandia Trophy in Figure Skating Grand Prix Series

Figure Skating - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Finlandia Trophy 2024 - Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland - November 16, 2024 Japan's Yuma Kagiyama performs during the men's free skating Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via Reuters
Figure Skating - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Finlandia Trophy 2024 - Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland - November 16, 2024 Japan's Yuma Kagiyama performs during the men's free skating Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via Reuters
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Yuma Kagiyama Wins Despite Errors at Finlandia Trophy in Figure Skating Grand Prix Series

Figure Skating - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Finlandia Trophy 2024 - Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland - November 16, 2024 Japan's Yuma Kagiyama performs during the men's free skating Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via Reuters
Figure Skating - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Finlandia Trophy 2024 - Helsinki Ice Hall, Helsinki, Finland - November 16, 2024 Japan's Yuma Kagiyama performs during the men's free skating Vesa Moilanen/Lehtikuva via Reuters

Yuma Kagiyama skated what he thought might be his “worst program” of the season but still won the Finlandia Trophy figure skating Grand Prix on Saturday, securing his place at next month's Grand Prix Final.

The Olympic silver medalist from Japan had a big lead from Friday's short program. He needed it. Kagiyama bailed out of his opening quadruple flip and had to put a foot down to steady himself on the landing of his second quad jump.

Kagiyama credited the crowd with helping him stabilize the skate, landing two more quads and finishing with a total score of 263.09 to win by less than four points from France’s Kevin Aymoz, who had been nearly 19 adrift following the short program.

“More than the feeling of being happy, I have regrets of how I skated in the free skate and I think it may have been the worst program that I’ve done this season,” Kagiyama said through an interpreter. “I regret not having been able to bring my best to you all here today.”

Kagiyama joins Ilia Malinin of the United States on two Grand Prix wins this season. Kagiyama won his titles back-to-back a week apart on opposite sides of the world after victory at the NHK Trophy in Japan last week.

Aymoz picked up his fourth career Grand Prix silver medal and second of this season — he has yet to win a gold in the series — after some problems of his own. Aymoz fell on his opening quad toeloop but recovered for a total 259.15, narrowly beating Italy's Daniel Grassl on 258.55.

Grassl had been sixth in the short program and rose to a podium place in the free skate for the second week running after improving from fifth to second at the NHK Trophy.

The 2023 world championship silver medalist Cha Jun-hwan of South Korea withdrew from the event overnight with an unspecified injury after placing seventh in the short program.

Hana Yoshida shrugged off a fall on her opening triple axel to become the third Japanese skater to win a women's Grand Prix this season. She won by the tightest of margins.

Yoshida's score of 199.46 was only ahead of fellow Japanese skater Rino Matsuike on 199.20 because Matsuike was given a one-point deduction for a time violation.

“I’m really happy that I got to win a gold medal but I wanted to land the triple axel, so I think I could do better. But I’m happy because I didn’t give up until the last second,” Yoshida said.

The field for the competition had been depleted by the withdrawals last week of world silver medalist Isabeau Levito of the United States and European champion Loena Hendrickx of Belgium.

Italy's Lara Naki Gutmann wasn't even meant to be in the competition, but those withdrawals handed her a spot and she turned it into her first career Grand Prix medal with bronze on 198.49, denying Sarah Everhardt of the United States a podium spot.

Gutmann is the only skater not from the US or Japan to win a women's medal in a Grand Prix this season. The ice dance event begins with the rhythm dance later Saturday.

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Sports

Man City Go Top With 2-1 Win at Forest After Cherki Heroics

27 December 2025, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Manchester City's Rayan Cherki (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Erling Haaland during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at the City Ground. (Barrington Coombs/PA Wire/dpa_
27 December 2025, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Manchester City's Rayan Cherki (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Erling Haaland during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at the City Ground. (Barrington Coombs/PA Wire/dpa_
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Man City Go Top With 2-1 Win at Forest After Cherki Heroics

27 December 2025, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Manchester City's Rayan Cherki (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Erling Haaland during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at the City Ground. (Barrington Coombs/PA Wire/dpa_
27 December 2025, United Kingdom, Nottingham: Manchester City's Rayan Cherki (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Erling Haaland during the English Premier League soccer match between Nottingham Forest and Manchester City at the City Ground. (Barrington Coombs/PA Wire/dpa_

Manchester City beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to move provisionally to the top of the Premier League table after Rayan Cherki grabbed a goal and assist away at The City Ground on Saturday.

The French midfielder first threaded the pass for City's opener before striking an 83rd-minute winner from a set-piece to secure their eighth straight victory across all competitions.

The result moved City to 40 points, one ahead of Arsenal who face Brighton & Hove Albion later on Saturday. Forest remain in 17th place, nervously looking over their shoulder at a five-point gap between them and the relegation zone.

"When the games come we need just one thing: to win. We take the points because the championship is so long and so hard, so today is a big win," Cherki told TNT Sports.

"It's good for the team because the game was not simple."

City dominated ‌possession in a ‌goalless first half but struggled to break down Forest's compact defensive ‌shape, ⁠with striker Erling ‌Haaland largely isolated up front.

Forest's best chance fell to Morgan Gibbs-White, who failed to convert Callum Hudson-Odoi's cross in behind the defense early in the game.

CHERKI AND REIJNDERS FIND CITY BREAKTHROUGH

The breakthrough came within three minutes of the restart when Cherki slipped the ball through for Tijjani Reijnders and the Dutchman fired home from an angle to make it 1-0.

"Cherki knows how to find those passes and I could finish that one. He is very good, he finds spaces and when he gets the ball ⁠you have to be ready and in position," Reijnders said.

But City's lead lasted only six minutes as Forest launched a swift counter-attack ‌that ended with Igor Jesus crossing for Omari Hutchinson, who ‍took his shot first-time and beat Gianluigi ‍Donnarumma to score his first goal for the club.

Forest sensed victory but squandered chances when Jesus ‍and Nicolo Savona both shot over, while at the other end Phil Foden's effort was well saved by goalkeeper John Victor.

City's sustained pressure finally paid off when Josko Gvardiol headed down a corner kick for Cherki, who took it on the half-volley and sent a low drive from the edge of the box into the back of the net to restore their lead.

"All the kilos I won (gained) over Christmas time in weight, today I lost it. I am fit again. ⁠What a team Sean Dyche has made again. That's a really, really big three points," Guardiola said.

Forest's loss also extended Sean Dyche's winless record against Pep Guardiola to 17 Premier League games, the longest winless streak for a manager against another in the league.

DYCHE UNHAPPY WITH MATCH OFFICIALS

But Dyche blamed the match officials for the defeat, describing their performance as "unacceptable" after he felt decisions did not go their way.

Dyche complained that Gibbs-White was pushed to the ground for the second goal and could not get back up in time to block Cherki's shot.

"Unfortunately, the officials had a huge part of the game today and that's very unfortunate," Dyche said.

"We don't want that, but scratching my head now, I can't believe it. Just look back at some of the incidents, I just can't believe what I'm watching.

"There's ‌plenty of people here, there's TV cameras here, but everyone can see the performance today. But it's unacceptable, in my opinion, because it affects the game massively."

Sports

Salah Steers Egypt into Africa Cup Knockout Stages After VAR Denies South Africa Late Penalty

Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
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Salah Steers Egypt into Africa Cup Knockout Stages After VAR Denies South Africa Late Penalty

Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)

Mohamed Salah scored again on Friday as Egypt's 10 men held on to beat South Africa 1-0 to reach the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah, who secured the Pharaohs’ opening win with a stoppage-time strike against Zimbabwe on Monday, did it again in Agadir and his penalty before the break secured progression from Group B.

But South Africa should arguably have been given a penalty in stoppage time when Yasser Ibrahim blocked a shot with his arm. After a long delay, the referee decided against awarding the spot kick after consulting video replays and Ibrahim sank to the ground in relief.

“We didn’t have much luck. We also had several refereeing decisions go against us,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said.

Salah converted his penalty after he was struck in the face by the hand of the retreating South Africa forward Lyle Foster. Salah showed no ill effects from the blow and sent his shot straight down the middle while goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dived to his right.

There was still time before the break for Egypt defender Mohamed Hany to get sent off, after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Teboho Mokoena.

Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was Egypt’s key player in the second half.

“We gave our all in this match right until the end, and we also hope for the best for what comes next,” the 37-year-old El Shenawy said.

Earlier, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1 in the other group game, a result that suited neither side after opening losses.

Egypt leads with 6 points from two games followed by South Africa on 3. Angola and Zimbabwe have a point each. The top two progress from each group, along with the best third-place finishers.

Zambia drew 1-1 with Comoros in the early Group A fixture after both lost their opening games, meaning the winner of the late match could be sure of progressing.

Sports

Draper to Miss Australian Open Due to Injury

Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
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Draper to Miss Australian Open Due to Injury

Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)

Briton Jack Draper said on Friday he will not compete in next month's Australian Open, citing ongoing recovery from an injury.

Draper, 10th in the world rankings, was forced to withdraw from the second round of ‌the US Open ‌in August ‌due ⁠to bone ‌bruising in his left arm.

"Unfortunately, me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year. It's a really, ⁠really tough decision," the British ‌number one said in ‍a video ‍posted on X.

The 24-year-old ‍is targeting a February return alongside preparation for the defense of his Indian Wells title in March.

"This injury has been the most difficult ⁠and complex of my career," Draper added. "It's weird, it always seems to make me more resilient. I'm looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing."

The Australian Open begins on January 18 in ‌Melbourne.