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Messi-less Argentina Down Venezuela in Friendly

Argentina midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso (11) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates defender Nicolas Tagliafico (3) and forward Lautaro Martinez (22) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso (11) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates defender Nicolas Tagliafico (3) and forward Lautaro Martinez (22) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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Messi-less Argentina Down Venezuela in Friendly

Argentina midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso (11) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates defender Nicolas Tagliafico (3) and forward Lautaro Martinez (22) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Argentina midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso (11) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates defender Nicolas Tagliafico (3) and forward Lautaro Martinez (22) during the first half of an international friendly soccer match, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Argentina shrugged off the absence of Lionel Messi to ease to 1-0 victory over Venezuela in a friendly international in Miami on Friday.

A well-worked 31st-minute goal from Giovani Lo Celso secured the win for the reigning world champions in a match played before just 15,000 fans at the 65,000 capacity Hard Rock Stadium, AFP reported.

Inter Miami star Messi looked on from the stands as the Albiceleste eased to victory without ever being seriously tested by Venezuela.

Argentina forwards Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez looked threatening throughout, while fullback Nahuel Molina also impressed.

Alvarez and Martinez were involved in Argentina's winner, combining deftly to set up Lo Celso, who who beat Venezuela goalkeeper Jose Contreras with a crisp left-footed shot.

The match is the first of two friendlies Argentina are playing in Florida during the international break.

The world champions will play Puerto Rico in Fort Lauderdale next Tuesday in a game that was moved from Chicago's Soldier Field earlier this week amid an ongoing US government crackdown on immigrants.

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Tuchel: England Need Bellingham's Edge

England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during a press conference at Wembley stadium in London, on November 7, 2025, ahead of England's World Cup qualifying football match against Serbia. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during a press conference at Wembley stadium in London, on November 7, 2025, ahead of England's World Cup qualifying football match against Serbia. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
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Tuchel: England Need Bellingham's Edge

England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during a press conference at Wembley stadium in London, on November 7, 2025, ahead of England's World Cup qualifying football match against Serbia. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)
England's German head coach Thomas Tuchel reacts during a press conference at Wembley stadium in London, on November 7, 2025, ahead of England's World Cup qualifying football match against Serbia. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)

England must use Jude Bellingham's intensity and fiery on-field behavior to their advantage, manager Thomas Tuchel said after calling up the Real Madrid midfielder for next week's World Cup qualifiers at home versus Serbia and away against Albania.

Bellingham was left out of Tuchel's squad for the 5-0 victory over Latvia last month, which sealed England's spot in next year's World Cup finals in North America, sparking speculation of a player-manager rift.

Tuchel, who had previously apologized in June for saying that his mother found Bellingham's on-field demeanor "repulsive," played down talk of problems between the two in a press conference on Friday.

"There is no problem with him, there is no problem with the character," Reuters quoted Tuchel as saying. "Jude just has the edge, it is a very good thing because you need a certain edge to reach the heights that he reached."

"I think we all need to help him and encourage him and create an environment in which he can live this edge towards the opponents and towards the goals we are building as a team."

"The message is, 'make sure you keep this thing going and make sure you accelerate the thing because we have something going here, we are building something, we are super-excited that you are back.' The message is - 'contribute to it.'"

Phil Foden also returned to the squad, with Tuchel saying he planned to deploy the Manchester City attacker in a more central role behind forward Harry Kane, rather than his usual wide position for England.

Foden scored twice for City in a 4-1 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday while playing in a similar position behind striker Erling Haaland.

"(Foden) will be in the number 9-10ish position, in the middle of the pitch," the manager said.

"Because I have this fantasy about him since a long time. I think it suits him the most."

"The second goal (for City) against Dortmund is for me a key trademark Phil Foden goal. So he comes and supports Harry (Kane) more or less, plays maybe for Harry or whatever, in the nine and a half-ish role."

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Man Utd Boss Amorim Tells 'Control Freak' Sesko to Take Criticism in his Stride

Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko (C) is challenged by Brighton's Swedish midfielder #26 Yasin Ayari (L) and Brighton's Cameroonian midfielder #17 Carlos Baleba (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 25, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko (C) is challenged by Brighton's Swedish midfielder #26 Yasin Ayari (L) and Brighton's Cameroonian midfielder #17 Carlos Baleba (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 25, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
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Man Utd Boss Amorim Tells 'Control Freak' Sesko to Take Criticism in his Stride

Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko (C) is challenged by Brighton's Swedish midfielder #26 Yasin Ayari (L) and Brighton's Cameroonian midfielder #17 Carlos Baleba (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 25, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Manchester United's Slovenian striker #30 Benjamin Sesko (C) is challenged by Brighton's Swedish midfielder #26 Yasin Ayari (L) and Brighton's Cameroonian midfielder #17 Carlos Baleba (R) during the English Premier League football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford in Manchester, north west England, on October 25, 2025. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko must learn to accept the criticism that is directed towards him during his difficult start to life at Old Trafford, the Premier League club's manager Ruben Amorim said.

Sesko, signed from RB Leipzig in August for a transfer fee of 76.5 million euros ($89.21 million) with a further 8.5 million in bonuses, has scored just two goals in 11 appearances for United.

Asked about the Slovenian's return, Amorim told reporters: "I'm relaxed – he's not relaxed...

"If you don't perform every week, you are going to hear a lot of things from club legends, from pundits, from the media, and sometimes they are right," added the Portuguese manager, speaking ahead of a league match at Tottenham Hotspur.

"To have the ability to understand that is normal and still maintain your level of confidence is really hard for a young kid, especially for a young kid that is a control freak, wants to control everything, and he's not going to control everything.

"He is going to be our striker for the long term. But he's going to have these struggles and these bumps during the ride, and that is a normal thing in football."

Following last week's 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest, former United player and pundit Gary Neville said Sesko looked "awkward" on the ball, comparing him unfavorably to the club's other recent signings.

"Of course, nobody likes to hear that, but he (Sesko) struggled a little bit, and that is a fact. So, let's embrace that," Amorim continued, according to Reuters.

"It's not personal (Neville's comments). That is what I try to explain to the players. That it is not personal. It's an opinion that is going to change in three weeks...

"My advice to Ben is you are going to get used (to it). And then it's going to be natural ... That is part of the process, and we are going to help him and we are going to protect Ben because he works really hard and we want to succeed."

United, eighth in the standings, face sixth-placed Tottenham later on Saturday.

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Rybakina Topples Pegula to Book Place in WTA Finals Title Clash in Riyadh

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan acknowledges the applause from the crowd after her win against Jessica Pegula of the United States in the women's singles semifinal match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP)
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan acknowledges the applause from the crowd after her win against Jessica Pegula of the United States in the women's singles semifinal match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP)
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Rybakina Topples Pegula to Book Place in WTA Finals Title Clash in Riyadh

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan acknowledges the applause from the crowd after her win against Jessica Pegula of the United States in the women's singles semifinal match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP)
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan acknowledges the applause from the crowd after her win against Jessica Pegula of the United States in the women's singles semifinal match at the WTA tennis finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP)

Elena Rybakina came from a set down to dismantle Jessica Pegula 4-6 6-4 6-3 on Friday and make the WTA Finals title clash in Riyadh, where the Kazakh will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Amanda Anisimova for a shot at her first season-ending crown.

World number one Sabalenka meets American Anisimova next at the King Saud University Sports Arena in a rematch of their US Open final in September, which the Belarusian won in straight sets to claim her fourth Grand Slam trophy.

Pegula dialed up the intensity after an early exchange of breaks in the opening set, as the 2023 runner-up eased to a 4-2 lead when Rybakina appeared to struggle with accuracy due to a shoulder issue sustained during her warm-up a day earlier.

"It was such a tough battle. It's always difficult to play against Jessica and she started pretty well," Rybakina said.

"It was very quick, she broke me and it wasn't easy to come back. I'm glad I managed to find my way in the second and win it in a three-set battle."

The 31-year-old Pegula promptly closed out the first stanza thanks to Rybakina's 25th unforced error, but there was a sudden shift in momentum in the next set as she found herself 1-4 behind and in danger of being dragged the distance.

Pegula recovered her rhythm and pushed hard in her bid to draw level in the set, but Rybakina responded fiercely in the 10th game to force a decider, where the pair swapped breaks again in a tight battle.

A forehand into the net from Pegula at the end of the eighth game handed the advantage back to Rybakina, who remained calm to hold in the next game and secure the victory that maintained her perfect record in the season finale.

"My serve helped me when I needed it," said Rybakina, who sent down 15 aces.

"I was trying to stay focused on each point when we had some tough rallies. In the end I managed to push myself a bit more."