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Diaz Inspires Bayern to Friendly Win Over Villa

Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v Aston Villa - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - August 7, 2026 Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz during the match. (Reuters)
Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v Aston Villa - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - August 7, 2026 Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz during the match. (Reuters)
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Diaz Inspires Bayern to Friendly Win Over Villa

Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v Aston Villa - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - August 7, 2026 Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz during the match. (Reuters)
Football - Pre-Season Friendly - Bayern Munich v Aston Villa - Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong, China - August 7, 2026 Bayern Munich's Luis Diaz during the match. (Reuters)

A wondergoal from Luis Diaz powered a youthful Bayern Munich to a 2-1 win over Aston Villa in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong on Friday.

Diaz starred in Colombia's run to the World Cup last-16 and the winger lit up a sometimes scrappy game between last season's German double-winners and the Europa League champions.

Bayern hit the front in the 37th minute when South Korean defender Kim Min-jae ghosted in to glance a free-kick into the far corner from the edge of the six-yard box.

The Bavarian club brought some of their big guns off the bench in the second half and started turning the screw, Diaz having a shot cleared off the line.

He stretched the lead in trademark style in the 73rd minute, picking up the ball on the left, jinking inside and cracking a dipping shot in off the crossbar.

It was a superb strike that delighted the majority of the 38,000 fans inside Kai Tak stadium who were mostly cheering for Bayern.

Villa pulled one back in the 83rd minute when new signing Joao Gomes took aim from the edge of the area and left Manuel Neuer with no chance.

They nearly equalized moments later but the legendary German stopper reacted quickly to block Tammy Abraham's point-blank header, and Bayern closed out the game.

Several World Cup stars, including Bayern's Michael Olise and Harry Kane, did not travel to Hong Kong.

"I told the players honestly that I was impressed (with the performance) because you know who's there and you know who's not there," Bayern coach Vincent Kompany said.

"It's difficult to go into these games... and still look the same, still look (like) the Bayern Munich that we can be.

"The last 10 or 15 minutes were a little bit a reflection of what pre-season is -- a lot of changes... it's (more) difficult to control in that sense, as a coach."

Villa are adjusting to life without Morgan Rogers after the England midfielder moved to Chelsea last month for a reported British record fee of 117 million pounds ($157 million).

They face Paris Saint-Germain in the European Super Cup on Wednesday before travelling to Brighton for their opening Premier League fixture on August 23.

Bayern kick off the new Bundesliga season at home to Stuttgart on August 28.

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Carrick Confident He Can Turn Around Man Utd Slump

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick gestures as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick gestures as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP)
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Carrick Confident He Can Turn Around Man Utd Slump

Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick gestures as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP)
Manchester United's head coach Michael Carrick gestures as he leaves the pitch after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Como and Manchester United in Como, Italy, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP)

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick said on Friday he is convinced he can arrest his side's slump as he refused to confirm whether Bruno Fernandes will remain as the club's captain.

Carrick labelled a 4-1 thrashing by Champions League debutants Como on Wednesday, which stretched United's winless run to seven games, as "unacceptable".

After a successful interim spell in charge in the second half of last season, the former England midfielder was appointed on a permanent basis just five months ago.

But his position is at risk ahead of Sunday's visit of Bournemouth to Old Trafford.

United sit 13th in the table after their worst start in the Premier League era.

Carrick's men were also dumped out of the League Cup by Brighton and have lost two of their opening three Champions League games.

"We're in a moment where it's not gone well, so we need to show exactly what it means. Respect this football club, respect what it takes to be here, respect what it takes to win, what you have to do to win," Carrick said in his pre-match press conference.

"We've kind of lost our way a little bit if I'm totally honest and we'll get it back. I'm totally confident we'll get it back."

- Fernandes decision swerved -

Carrick's tactics were publicly questioned by Fernandes after the Como defeat for being too passive.

Despite being repeatedly probed on whether last season's Premier League player of the year will retain the armband, Carrick refused to clarify the Portuguese midfielder's future.

"The most important thing for me is the team, first and foremost, is the squad, is the dynamics in the squad," added Carrick.

"Again, it's about the football club. I always do what's best for the football club."

Fernandes's criticism came just over a week after defender Lisandro Martinez took aim at the club's board for a lack of investment in the transfer market.

Carrick is just the latest manager struggling to turn around the ailing fortunes of the 20-time English champions since his former boss Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

United have not won either the Premier League or Champions League in the 13 years since under seven different managers.

Appointed on a short-term deal in January, Carrick led the Red Devils back into the Champions League for the first time in three years with a third-placed finish in the Premier League.

But their only two victories in 11 matches in all competitions this season have come against newly-promoted Ipswich and Azerbaijani side Sabah.

"Recently we haven't had a good time. I totally accept that. We had five months of relative success in a spell where I was happy with a lot of things we were doing as a team," Carrick said in an opening address to his media duties.

"We haven't done well enough lately. We've had a spell we're really not happy with. Wednesday was a bad night for a lot of reasons... it was really unacceptable."

"The supporters have to make the effort and spend the money to come and watch us. To have the feeling we all had after the game was a tough moment."

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler said he had "too much respect" for Carrick to comment on speculation he is among the candidates to become the next United manager.

Hurzeler's side have plundered 23 goals in their opening seven Premier League games to sit third in the table.

Former Chelsea and Tottenham coach Antonio Conte also stated he is not in "advanced" negotiations with any club.

Conte, who has been out of work since leaving Napoli at the end of last season, has been repeatedly linked with United over the past decade.

"I will take the time I need to consider how and when to return to management," the Italian posted on social media.

"It will be a carefully considered decision, one I will make when I believe the conditions are right."

Former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is another of the leading candidates should Carrick be replaced.

Sports

PSG's Ligue 1 Home Game Against Lyon Is Moved to Monday at the Police’s Request Amid Paris Protests

A French police vehicle is stationed outside the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris on April 9, 2024, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. (AFP)
A French police vehicle is stationed outside the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris on April 9, 2024, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. (AFP)
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PSG's Ligue 1 Home Game Against Lyon Is Moved to Monday at the Police’s Request Amid Paris Protests

A French police vehicle is stationed outside the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris on April 9, 2024, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. (AFP)
A French police vehicle is stationed outside the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris on April 9, 2024, on the eve of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. (AFP)

Paris Saint-Germain's clash with Lyon in Ligue 1 has been moved from Sunday to Monday evening at the request of Paris police, the French football league said on Friday.

The game was scheduled for 8:45 p.m. on Sunday — only hours after France's first NFL game was taking place just north of Paris — and will now be played at Parc des Princes in western Paris at 8:30 p.m. local time. Police resources are stretched in the French capital with mass protests planned for this weekend.

“The LFP said in a statement that it “acknowledges the order issued by the police prefecture prohibiting the staging of the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais (on Sunday).”

France’s worst rioting in years saw city halls, other public buildings and thousands of businesses across the country impacted last weekend. There were scenes of widespread violence as police and protesters clashed, with shops destroyed and burned out, and local residents and shopkeepers left feeling exasperated by the chaos.

Last Saturday, 110 marches drew about 550,000 people across the country as they protested against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools.

Defending champion PSG and Lyon were level on 14 points at the top of Ligue 1 heading into this weekend’s eighth round of games.

France's first NFL Game

The NFL holds its first American football game in Paris on Sunday afternoon, when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New Orleans Saints in their sold-out contest.

Around 80,000 fans are expected to attend the gridiron contest at Stade de France, which is just on the outskirts of Paris.

It can be reached via a short train ride from stations in Paris at Gare de Lyon, Gare du Nord and Châtelet or by subway lines.

Sports

Second Round of Saudi Toyota Drift and Autocross Championships Kicks Off in Al-Ahsa

The drift competition features 59 drivers contending across professional, semi-professional, and amateur categories - SPA
The drift competition features 59 drivers contending across professional, semi-professional, and amateur categories - SPA
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Second Round of Saudi Toyota Drift and Autocross Championships Kicks Off in Al-Ahsa

The drift competition features 59 drivers contending across professional, semi-professional, and amateur categories - SPA
The drift competition features 59 drivers contending across professional, semi-professional, and amateur categories - SPA

The second round of the 2026 Saudi Toyota Championship Drift launched Thursday in Al-Ahsa Governorate, alongside the ongoing second round of the 2026 Saudi Toyota Championship Autocross.

The drift competition features 59 drivers contending across professional, semi-professional, and amateur categories. A further 59 racers are competing in the autocross championship across 11 classifications, including a dedicated women's cup, SPA reported.

Drift events continue today with qualifying sessions for amateur and semi-professional classes, alongside tandem battles in the professional tier, culminating in a podium ceremony.

Autocross track action commences on Saturday, with official drivers' briefings and practice runs, followed by two timed heats and the awards presentation.

Both championships will conclude their seasons in Jeddah, with the final round of the Saudi Toyota Championship Drift scheduled for November 26–27, followed by the decisive round of the Saudi Toyota Championship Autocross on November 27–28.