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.
Aguirre Puts Faith in a New Generation as Mexico Seeks World Cup Redemptionhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5279172-aguirre-puts-faith-new-generation-mexico-seeks-world-cup-redemption
Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre gestures during an international friendly soccer match against Ghana in Puebla, Mexico, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP)
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Aguirre Puts Faith in a New Generation as Mexico Seeks World Cup Redemption
Mexico's coach Javier Aguirre gestures during an international friendly soccer match against Ghana in Puebla, Mexico, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP)
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre opted Sunday for a new generation of players to use home ground advantage at the World Cup in a bid to seek redemption after one of the worst failures for El Tri in modern times at Qatar 2022.
“El Vasco” Aguirre, guiding the Mexican team into a World Cup for the third time, overhauled a squad that floundered in Qatar and failed to advance from the first round for the first time since 1978.
He picked 13 players who weren't part of the squad four years ago. The most intriguing of them all is 17-year-old midfielder Gilberto Mora, who could become the youngest Mexican man to appear in a World Cup.
Mexico’s youngest World Cup player is Manuel “Chaquetas” Rosas, who was 18 years, 88 days when he played in the inaugural 1930 World Cup.
Brazil great Pele is among the seven players who have contested a World Cup at age 17 — the youngest of them all was Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside in 1982 in Spain.
Depending on when Mora makes his World Cup debut — Mexico opens against South Africa on June 11 — he would become the sixth or seventh on the international all-time list for youngest players at the tournament.
Among the veterans returning after the disappointment of Qatar 2022 is goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who has been picked in a World Cup squad for the sixth time.
Although Ochoa, who made his World Cup debut in 2006, has only played in three World Cups and is currently considered the backup to starter Raúl Rangel.
After taking on South Africa at the Azteca stadium, Mexico will face South Korea in Guadalajara and close out the first round against Czechia on June 24.
Mexico, on a seven-match unbeaten streak, has one more World Cup warmup match against Serbia.
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Mexico:
Goalkeepers: Raúl Rangel, Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Acevedo.
Defenders: Jesús Gallardo, Johan Vázquez, Israel Reyes, César Montes, Jorge Sánchez, Mateo Chávez.
Midfielders: Edson Álvarez, Erik Lira, Alvaro Fidalgo, Gilberto Mora, Brian Gutierrez, Luis Romo, Orbelín Pineda, Alexis Vega, Obed Vargas, Luis Chávez.
Forwards: Roberto Alvarado, Santiago Giménez, Raúl Jiménez, Julián Quiñones, Armando González, Guillermo Martínez, Cesar Huerta.
Kvaratskhelia Named Champions League Player of the Seasonhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5279045-kvaratskhelia-named-champions-league-player-season
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Kvaratskhelia Named Champions League Player of the Season
(FILES) Paris Saint-Germain's Georgian forward #07 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates at the end of the UEFA Champions League second-leg, semi-final football match between FC Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Munich, southern Germany on May 6, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's Georgia winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named Champions League player of the season on Sunday by a UEFA panel of judges.
Kvaratskhelia was a constant menace in PSG's defence of the title with ten goals and six assists from his 16 games.
PSG came from a goal down against Arsenal on Saturday to equalise from the spot on 65 minutes after Kvaratskhelia was scythed to the floor inside the box with Ousmane Dembele converting the spot-kick.
Both had left the fray before the game went to extra-time and ended 1-1, before PSG emerged from a shoot-out as narrow 4-3 winners.
UEFA's technical observer board of around 30 football dignitaries such as Gareth Southgate, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Rafa Benitez voted for the award.
The panel's statement described his season as pivotal and dazzling, AFP reported.
"Arguably Kvaratskhelia's finest performance came in the unforgettable 5-4 semi-final first-leg win over Bayern, as he curled in a beauty to draw his side level at 1-1 before adding a fierce drive in the second period to complete a fine double," they said.
He also scored three goals over the two legs against Chelsea in the last 16 and another at Liverpool in the quarter-finals.
The now 25-year-old was also on the score sheet in the 2025 final as PSG thumped Inter Milan 5-0.
Kostyuk Stuns 4-time Champion Swiatek on Big Day for Ukraine at French Openhttps://english.aawsat.com/sports/5279029-kostyuk-stuns-4-time-champion-swiatek-big-day-ukraine-french-open
31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Kostyuk Stuns 4-time Champion Swiatek on Big Day for Ukraine at French Open
31 May 2026, France, Paris: Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk celebrates a point against Poland's Iga Swiatek during their Women's Singles Match on Day 8 of the French Open tennis tournament on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the Roland-Garros Complex. Photo: Matthieu Mirville/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
There will be a first-time women’s champion at the French Open this year, and two Ukrainian players are among the strongest contenders.
Undefeated this season on clay, 15th-seeded Marta Kostyuk showed her strong credentials as she reached the quarterfinals in Paris for the first time on Sunday by taking out four-time champion Iga Swiatek 7-5, 6-1 and ruining her birthday.
She will be up against her compatriot Elina Svitolina next, ensuring there will be an Ukrainian woman semifinalist at Roland Garros for the first time in the professional era (1968). The seventh-seeded Svitolina rallied past Belinda Bencic 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.
“There’s going to be Ukraine in the semifinals, so it’s already amazing,” said Svitolina, whose country is in a 4-year-old war with Russia.
“I think it couldn’t be a better, amazing achievement for Ukrainian tennis. I think in such a difficult situation right now in the war, with the invasion, it’s really, really difficult, and I think it’s really inspiring for the next generation to really believe that it is possible one day to play on this court and win.”
None of the players still in the draw have yet lifted the trophy in Paris, following Coco Gauff’s elimination on Saturday and Swiatek's exit. It's the same in the men’s draw, after the defeats of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic and with Carlos Alcaraz absent because of an injury.
Kostyuk had lost her three previous matches against Swiatek and never taken a set against the former top-ranked player, who turned 25 on Sunday.
“I’m still in shock. To beat such an unbelievable player, who won four times here," The Associated Press quoted her as saying.
Kostyuk has been the best player of the clay-court season. She defended extremely well, chasing Swiatek’s shots all over the court, and also produced some stunning groundstroke winners while her rival was also undone by her own mistakes.
Poland's Iga Swiatek leaves the court after losing to Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk in the fourth-round tennis match at the French Open in Paris, Sunday, May 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
An intense baseline battle unfolded from the outset. Swiatek showed signs of nerves as she double-faulted, shanked a forehand wide and then missed a volley at the net, allowing Kostyuk to level at 5-5 in the opener. Swiatek hit two more double faults in the 12th game and the 15th-seeded Ukrainian player sealed the set with a backhand passing shot.
Swiatek then briefly left the court. Meanwhile, Kostyuk kept herself warm by stretching and hopping beside her chair, then received some applause as she did a few dance moves to the music playing in the stadium.
Following a first week marked by a suffocating heatwave, relief finally arrived in Paris on Sunday, with temperatures dropping to 21 degrees C (70 F) around midday. When play resumed, Swiatek broke but another double fault coupled with more unforced errors brought her opponent back at 1-1. Kostyuk then won the last five games.
Kostyuk, who had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros in 2021 when she lost to Swiatek, extended her winning streak on clay to 16 matches. Ahead of the French Open, she won in Madrid, the biggest title of her career, after she claimed another clay-court title in Rouen, France.
“The most important thing that I’ve been doing this whole time is really just trying to enjoy,” she said. “It’s helping. I want to keep enjoying. I try not to focus at all on winning or losing because I’m not playing tennis to win, I’m playing tennis because I love it."
17 years later Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, who is planning to retire at the end of the season, beat Chinese qualifier Wang Xiyu 6-3, 7-6 (4) to reach her second Roland Garros quarterfinal, 17 years after first making it to the last eight.
The gap between Cirstea’s first and second Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances in Paris is the longest at a single major by any woman in the Open Era.
“There is no expiration date for ambition and for dreams,” Cirstea said. “I think back then I was a kid, just started on tour. Now I have so many years behind me. I have so much experience, maturity. I feel I’m a completely different player.”
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