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Brazil Thrash Panama 6-2 in World Cup Send-off

Brazil's players celebrate Vinicius Jr's opening goal in a 6-2 thrashing of Panama at the Maracana Stadium. Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP
Brazil's players celebrate Vinicius Jr's opening goal in a 6-2 thrashing of Panama at the Maracana Stadium. Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP
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Brazil Thrash Panama 6-2 in World Cup Send-off

Brazil's players celebrate Vinicius Jr's opening goal in a 6-2 thrashing of Panama at the Maracana Stadium. Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP
Brazil's players celebrate Vinicius Jr's opening goal in a 6-2 thrashing of Panama at the Maracana Stadium. Mauro PIMENTEL / AFP

Brazil turned on the style with a 6-2 drubbing of Panama on Sunday in a lopsided World Cup send-off at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr fired the Brazilians into the lead inside the opening minute, collecting a pass from veteran midfielder Casemiro before lashing in a thunderous strike from 25 yards.

The five-time World Cup-winners were jolted though in the 14th minute when Panama grabbed a freak equaliser, Michael Murillo's free-kick taking a wicked deflection off Matheus Cunha and sailing past Brazil keeper Alisson.

The combination of Vinicius and Casemiro restored Brazil's advantage six minutes before half-time.

Vinicius jinked into space on the left hand side of the penalty area, and what looked like a curling shot destined for the far corner was helped into the net by a glancing header from Casemiro.

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti rang the changes at half-time, replacing his entire starting line-up with the exception of Leo Pereira as the second half got under way.

The new-look Selecao wasted no time in asserting their superiority, rattling in three quick goals to put Brazil 5-1 up.

Teenager Rayan made it 3-1 in the 53rd minute, the 19-year-old Bournemouth talent collecting a misplaced pass from Panama goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera on the right flank and calmly curling in his shot to the delight of the Maracana crowd.

Lucas Paqueta swept in Brazil's fourth from the edge of the area in the 60th minute, and Igor Thiago made it 5-1 from the penalty spot three minutes later after being brought down by Mosquera.

Botafogo's Danilo completed Brazil's scoring in the 81st minute, controlling Paqueta's floated pass into the box before wrongfooting the covering Panama defense and burying the finish.

Panama grabbed a late consolation when Carlos Harvey crashed in a 30-yard screamer.

Brazil face a final friendly against Egypt in Cleveland, Ohio next Saturday, before opening their World Cup Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13.

The Brazilians also face Haiti and Scotland in the first round of the tournament.

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Eala Ready to Disappear for a Bit After Breakout Season Comes to an End

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala celebrates after beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari in their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong on November 7, 2026. (AFP)
Philippines’ Alexandra Eala celebrates after beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari in their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong on November 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Eala Ready to Disappear for a Bit After Breakout Season Comes to an End

Philippines’ Alexandra Eala celebrates after beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari in their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong on November 7, 2026. (AFP)
Philippines’ Alexandra Eala celebrates after beating Greece’s Maria Sakkari in their women's singles semi-final match at the Hong Kong Tennis Open in Hong Kong on November 7, 2026. (AFP)

Alex Eala said ‌she is looking forward to lying low for a while after her breakout campaign ended on Sunday with a 6-3 6-0 defeat by American Claire Liu in the Hong Kong Open final.

The 21-year-old, who became the highest-ranked Filipino and Southeast Asian player in WTA history earlier this season, has become a fan favorite ‌this year and ‌her run in Hong ‌Kong ⁠will lift her ⁠to a career-high 15th in the world rankings.

Eala won her first WTA Tour-level title at the Washington Open in August and claimed seven wins over top-10 players across the year. She also won ⁠a bronze medal at the Asian ‌Games last month.

"I ‌didn't know that was on the cards ‌for me, to end the year at ‌15th," she told reporters after the Hong Kong final.

"This whole season, just to top it off with ending the year 15th, it's ‌like dreams are only dreams until they're not."

Asked what her goals ⁠were ⁠for 2027, Eala said she had not spent much time thinking about next season.

"I've been really enjoying the fruits of my labor of this year. Just because it's been one (tournament) and then the other and then the other...

"I'm going to spend time with my family, just lay low, disappear for a little bit," she added.

"Yeah, those are my plans. Just to disappear."

Sports

Hamilton Says Tension with Ferrari Teammate Leclerc 'Squashed'

Ferrari's seven-time world champion British driver Lewis Hamilton. Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP
Ferrari's seven-time world champion British driver Lewis Hamilton. Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP
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Hamilton Says Tension with Ferrari Teammate Leclerc 'Squashed'

Ferrari's seven-time world champion British driver Lewis Hamilton. Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP
Ferrari's seven-time world champion British driver Lewis Hamilton. Nelson ALMEIDA / AFP

Lewis Hamilton said he and his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc had "squashed" the tension between them that followed their first lap tangle in Mexico.

He said they had resolved to work together for the team in Sunday's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, AFP reported.

The seven-time champion spoke after qualifying 11th in Saturday's rain-hit qualifying at Interlagos where he will start Sunday's race from the back of the grid after taking a penalty for using two new engines.

When asked if his relationship with Leclerc was improved after team boss Fred Vasseur held clear the air talks with them on Thursday evening, Hamilton said: "Fred hasn't cleared the air. It was me and Charles.

"We sat and we spoke, we squashed it. And we're moving on. We still have a huge amount of respect for each other.

"I'm glad we had a chat and now we move on. We've been getting along just fine, as normal.

"Sometimes in those certain scenarios, it just takes having a conversation.

"There's been no demands from either side. It's just been both of us giving our points in areas we can do better and support each other.

"I'm hoping to have better races now, moving forward."

His comments came amid much discussion of Ferrari's need to introduce "rules of engagement" for their drivers, a notion resisted by Vasseur.

Of his qualifying, he said: "I love qualifying and getting to drive in the rain - and this is such an amazing track to race in all conditions, but in the wet particularly.

"It was really a bit of a practice for me in case it is wet again tomorrow."

Leclerc, who had returned to Monaco after Mexico for the birth of his daughter, qualified fourth but will start 14th due to serving a 10-place penalty for taking a new engine.

He agreed he and Hamilton had sorted out their problems.

"When we speak, things are much better straightaway," he said.

"Of course, there is some tension. We want to finish ahead of each other and sometimes we are not going to do things right, but it's OK to disagree sometimes on the way you see things.

"But discussing things helps a whole lot."

Sports

Too Close for Comfort for Arteta Despite Arsenal’s Fifth Win in a Row

Arsenal v Hull City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - November 7, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
Arsenal v Hull City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - November 7, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
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Too Close for Comfort for Arteta Despite Arsenal’s Fifth Win in a Row

Arsenal v Hull City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - November 7, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)
Arsenal v Hull City - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - November 7, 2026 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta applauds fans after the match. (Reuters)

Arsenal earned a sixth ‌Premier League victory by a single-goal margin as they edged a dogged Hull City 1-0 on Saturday but while his side have opened a healthy lead at the top of the table, Mikel Arteta would prefer a little less jeopardy.

Martin Odegaard's 72nd-minute goal after Noni Madueke's shot had been parried by Hull keeper Konstantinos Tzolakis was enough to break Hull's resistance and secure a ninth win for the champions from their first 10 games.

It was not a comfortable ‌afternoon for Arteta, ‌though, as his side had 21 ‌goal ⁠attempts but only ⁠converted once.

"To be more efficient," Arteta told reporters when asked what his side need to do to win by healthier margins.

"We are one against one against the keeper. That's happened twice today. There is a penalty there, there is another situation inside the box where the ball is bouncing. ⁠So many shots that have been deflected, ‌blocked.

"We need to find ways to ‌be more efficient, sometimes even more pragmatic," he added.

"We need ‌to be much more chaotic than that, and that's it. ‌And open, I think, score much earlier because obviously that's going to change the course of the game."

Arsenal were not firing on all cylinders on Saturday but will head into the international ‌break in a dominant position after five successive league wins since losing to Brighton & ⁠Hove Albion ⁠ahead of the first international stoppage.

They are six points clear of stuttering Manchester City and look to be overwhelming favorites for back-to-back titles.

"I think it is time to praise my players. What they have done not only today but after the international break is remarkable because of the games," Arteta said.

"We are not in a really strong position. We know that we can improve in a lot of areas and we'll analyze in this break how we're going to do that. And I will know what to expect afterwards because it's going to be super difficult."