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De Zerbi Wants ‘Soul and Passion’ from New-Look Tottenham

English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven (2nd L) and Chelsea's Robert Sanchez (2nd R) pose with Australian A-League players Sydney FC's Jordan Courtney-Perkins (L) and Western Sydney Wanderers FC's Brandon Borrello (R) during an official event in front of the Sydney Opera House on July 27, 2026. (AFP)
English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven (2nd L) and Chelsea's Robert Sanchez (2nd R) pose with Australian A-League players Sydney FC's Jordan Courtney-Perkins (L) and Western Sydney Wanderers FC's Brandon Borrello (R) during an official event in front of the Sydney Opera House on July 27, 2026. (AFP)
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De Zerbi Wants ‘Soul and Passion’ from New-Look Tottenham

English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven (2nd L) and Chelsea's Robert Sanchez (2nd R) pose with Australian A-League players Sydney FC's Jordan Courtney-Perkins (L) and Western Sydney Wanderers FC's Brandon Borrello (R) during an official event in front of the Sydney Opera House on July 27, 2026. (AFP)
English Premier League football club Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven (2nd L) and Chelsea's Robert Sanchez (2nd R) pose with Australian A-League players Sydney FC's Jordan Courtney-Perkins (L) and Western Sydney Wanderers FC's Brandon Borrello (R) during an official event in front of the Sydney Opera House on July 27, 2026. (AFP)

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi urged his team on Monday to play with "soul and passion" as the London club rebuild after narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs have embarked on an aggressive summer of spending to boost their fortunes after avoiding the drop by coming 17th, but it was a nail-biting outcome that went down to the wire.

Big-money signings include midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. De Zerbi also raided his old club Brighton for center-back Jan Paul van Hecke.

Full-back Andy Robertson, center-back Marcos Senesi and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka have all arrived on free transfers as the squad takes on a new look.

De Zerbi, in Sydney on a pre-season tour, said he expected more when the new campaign begins on August 22 and outlined that he wanted to "build a new team with the qualities, with big players, but with soul, with passion, with all the values we have".

The Italian added: "Football now is not just on the pitch, it's not just with the ball, it's before, it's in life. It's how many hours during the day you think about your job."

Spurs opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday with goals from Dane Scarlett and Richarlison.

They face Sydney FC on Wednesday then meet London rivals Chelsea in Sydney three days later.

De Zerbi started with a host of younger players in Auckland, before more of a first team feel in the final 30 minutes when the likes of Fernandes, Richarlison, Conor Gallagher and Ben Davies all got a run.

"We didn't concede, we didn't suffer any injuries and this is big news, important news, especially for the beginning of the season," said De Zerbi.

He suggested there could be more signings before the transfer window closes.

"I think we can be happier at the end of this transfer market because I spoke a lot of time with the owner, with the board and they want to build a very strong team for this season, to make the days for the future become great again," he said.

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Al Ahli Defeats Auckland FC 1-0, Advances to African-Asian-Pacific Cup Final

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
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Al Ahli Defeats Auckland FC 1-0, Advances to African-Asian-Pacific Cup Final

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026, held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah before a crowd of more than 46,000 fans.

The only goal came in the 63rd minute, scored by Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

With this victory, Al Ahli advanced to the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup final, where they will face African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African side, on September 19.

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Williams Sisters Granted US Open Doubles Wildcard

Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
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Williams Sisters Granted US Open Doubles Wildcard

Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)

Venus and Serena Williams are slated to compete in women's doubles at the 2026 US Open after being granted a wildcard, tournament officials announced Wednesday.

The announcement by the US Tennis Association follows Serena Williams' dramatic return to Arthur Ashe stadium Tuesday when she and mixed double partner Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won their first match before losing in the quarterfinals.

Venus Williams had earlier been granted a USTA wildcard to compete in women's singles, an event Serena Williams is not participating in.

The sisters together have combined for 14 women's doubles Grand Slam titles, including two US Opens. They have also won three gold medals together at Olympics in women's doubles.

The sisters last competed together in New York in 2022 when they lost their opening match to the Czech team of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova.

They dropped their opening match at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.

The pair had been entered in Wimbledon earlier this summer, but withdrew after Serena suffered an injury in an opening round singles loss.

Sports

English Soccer Star Raheem Sterling Charged with Dangerous Driving after Highway Collision

Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
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English Soccer Star Raheem Sterling Charged with Dangerous Driving after Highway Collision

Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
Raheem Sterling (Reuters)

Former England forward Raheem Sterling has been charged with three offenses including dangerous driving after being involved in a collision on a highway, police said Wednesday.

The charges relate to an incident on May 28 when a Lamborghini was involved in a “single-vehicle collision” on the M3 in southern England, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

The 31-year-old Sterling is accused of dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide — also known as laughing gas — for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a sample for suspected alcohol or substance use, said the police force, which added that no other vehicles were involved in the collision and no injuries were reported.

Sterling is due to appear at a magistrates’ court on Sept. 15 for a hearing.

Sterling is currently without a club. He has played for a number of England's top teams — Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal — and was at Dutch club Feyenoord on a short-term deal last season.