Roger Federer is coming back to US Open four years after retirement, set for two blockbuster matches US Open confirmed Roger Federer's return on Sunday, and he will be joined by three other tennis greats Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:25:16 IST Written by Aratrick Mondal Prefer HTon Google Share
Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Nerves cost us against Australia, but I'm proud of the team: women's hockey coach: Marijne Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 13:09:14 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
After seventh seed Victor Lai fell in three games to ninth seed Alex Lanier at the 2026 BWF World Championships in New Delhi, the former described the Frenchman as a ‘beast’, lauding his physical fitness and tenacity to go the distance and play the long game
India men’s football team will face Panama in a FIFA international friendly in September, ahead of another friendly against five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil in Kolkata on October 3. According to a report by The Times of India, the match between India and the North American side is
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the running to replace Gianni Infantino, but says he expects a candidate to challenge the Fifa president's leadership in March. Infantino has faced calls to step down after he scrapped a controversial plan to sell off stakes in Fifa's
Saved by 'special talent' - but did penalty award wrong Brighton?
It was a moment Charalampos Kostoulas will never forget.
An acrobatic overhead-kick equaliser in stoppage time - not a bad way for Brighton's 18-year-old Greek forward to open his account at the Amex Stadium.
The substitute, who signed from Olympiakos for £29.78m in the summer, struck just when all looked lost for the Seagulls after they trailed Bournemouth to a hotly-disputed first-half penalty.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was full of praise for his teenage saviour but it still did not ease his anger over the award of the spot-kick that led to Marcus Tavernier's equaliser - as goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen was adjudged to have fouled Amine Adli after video assistant referee (VAR) review.
He said: "It was a nice goal. We all know what he is capable of. But, we all prefer to win."
Asked if he thought it was a penalty, the German said: "No. It is difficult to speak to referees. They have their own opinion and it is very difficult to have a conversation with them. We have to accept it even though we don't agree.
"A touch and a contact is not enough, and that is what the referees said to us before the start of the season. And in certain moments they don't do it, that's just the truth.
Contact doesn't mean foul and in this situation it's contact, maybe a little bit, but it's not a foul. It doesn't make sense.
Greece Under-21 international Kostoulas made his professional debut in 2024, having come through Olympiakos' academy - netting seven goals in 22 first-team league appearances last season.
Should an add-on of £1.7m for him be paid during his time at Brighton, it would make the transfer a record deal for a Greek player.
Since arriving at Brighton, he has made 17 appearances and scored two goals, with captain Lewis Dunk describing him as a "special talent".
Dunk said: "I've seen him score better in training, but that was unbelievable.
I think you've seen glimpses, and there'll be many more things to come from him. He's adapting to the country, new league, and he's shown what he can do. That shows exactly what he can do.
The incident happened around the half-hour mark when Bournemouth's Adli was initially cautioned for simulation by referee Paul Tierney after tumbling under the challenge of goalkeeper Verbruggen.
But, after recommendation from VAR official Jarred Gillett, Tierney reviewed it on the pitchside monitor, reversed his decision and awarded a penalty - announcing contact had been made.
Tavernier subsequently slotted home the spot-kick earning the visitors the opener, which looked like winning Bournemouth the game until Kostoulas's late intervention.
Replays showed the slightest of contact was made by Verbruggen's high foot but, with the ball seemingly running harmlessly away from goal, Brighton's staff, players and fans were left incensed by the decision.
After a weekend that saw Arsenal furious they were not awarded a penalty and Manchester City incensed Diogo Dalot was not sent off in their Manchester derby defeat, it was another decision that was the main talking point on Monday night.
Unsurprisingly, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola felt the decision was correct.
He said: "As soon as I saw the replay... Verbruggen also raises his leg a lot and contacts Amine. So I expected the decision, yes."
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry agreed on Sky Sports: "It is a penalty. You're lifting your leg, at the time that you're hitting the player, the ball is still in play. Regardless on if he can get it or not, it is still in play.
In the modern day, as we all know, you're looking at a situation in slow motion. And it was given. Instead of arguing with this right now, whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, it could've been avoided and we can clearly see the contact.
Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, added: "These type of penalties would not have been given maybe 10 years ago. The ball is still in play and you can see the contact. Adli wouldn't have got to the ball."
Video assistant referee errors had risen in the first half of the Premier League season.
Data collected by BBC Sport taken from the Premier League's Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel shows mistakes had increased 30% season-on-season from 10 to 13 before the weekend.
It was still a marked improvement on previous years, with 20 errors at this stage of the 2023-24 campaign and 23 in 2022-23.
Clear and obvious? That is the question Brighton will probably be asking after Bournemouth's VAR penalty.
Had referee Tierney identified the contact by Verbruggen on Adli and simply said 'no penalty' then a pitchside review was unlikely. His description would have been a justifiable interpretation.
The intervention from the VAR was based around Tierney getting that wrong. Tierney booked the Bournemouth attacker for simulation. That was incorrect and it opened the door for a review.
The VAR still had to feel this reached the threshold for a penalty, though. There was an argument that the contact was slight and not enough to make Adli go down.
A key factor was that Verbruggen's challenge made in an irregular way, with a high boot catching the thigh of Adli after he had gone past.
That Adli may not have been able to keep the ball in play does not matter, only that it was still in when the foul contact happened.
Sam, Brighton: Terrible decision to overturn, barely touched him and was already going down. Embarrassing from the ref and embarrassing from VAR,
Simeon, Woking: Another week, another poor VAR decision - Get rid!
Russ, Upton: Football's just not worth watching anymore is it? Why has the ref decided to change his mind with that penalty? The striker a) isn't getting a shot off, b) isn't getting to the ball once he's pushed it on c) isn't the victim of enough contact to send him down anyway! Turns out that when refs are as poor as they are these days, having more of them just makes matters worse!
Phil, Toronto: Clear and obvious is the problem. It seems like any minute infringement is now considered clear and obvious. Technology can help, ball crossing the goal line, even semi automated offside, but tackles and hand balls, the ref has his eyes on the game and is best placed to make a call. Any time players are standing around waiting is not clear and obvious…
Tom, Innsbruck: Stop with this 'there was contact' nonsense. Does the player go down because he's actually brought down, or does he throw himself to the ground the moment he's touched? Football is turning into a sport for divers.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Sports
Barcelona began their La Liga title defence with a commanding 5-0 victory over Elche on Sunday, with Raphinha and Fermin Lopez scoring twice each and Anthony Gordon setting up two goals on his debut. The result comea a day after Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid defeated Espanyol 2-1 with a late winner
11 hours ago
GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals GCT Grand Finale: Praggnanandhaa beats Keymer to stake his claim for finals Published on: Aug 24, 2026, 09:43:17 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link St. Louis
11 hours ago
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin may have been vocal in his demand for the current FIFA president Gianni Infantino to step down but he has no interest in replacing the under-fire Swiss. Infantino continues to face pressure to leave his position as world football’s governing body chief following
11 hours ago
The French are known for a lot of things but badminton isn’t one of them. Till Sunday, when the country that has never been considered among the top nations even in Europe created history at the 2026 World championships, in more ways than one
11 hours ago
AITA picked them, the government cut them: Why has India’s Asian Games tennis squad been slashed from 12 to 7? The AITA had originally proposed a 12-member squad for for the Asian Games, which included six women. But the list was slashed down to just seven players. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026
11 hours ago
Ashton Jeanty injury update: Is the Raiders RB out for the season? Doctor reveals possible diagnoses; ‘best case…’ Ashton Jeanty was injured after attempting a catch, prompting a tense silence at the Raiders’ facility before his teammates gathered and knelt in prayer. Updated on: Aug 24
15 hours ago
When Liverpool came to Newcastle last August, there was utter jubilation as Rio Ngumoha scored a remarkable 100th-minute winner. They scored late again this time around, through Dominik Szoboszlai's 99th-minute penalty, but it felt more like a sense of relief than joy as they rescued a point
15 hours ago
'Is Sydney Taylor playing tonight?' Chicago Sky guard's slow start vs Fever sparks injury concerns Sydney Taylor was in Chicago’s starting lineup when the Sky hosted the Indiana Fever on Sunday night. Updated on: Aug 24, 2026, 07:32:12 IST By Ojas Jaiswal Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
15 hours ago
Yet again, the England men's cricket team is picking through the wreckage of a late-night misdemeanour. The latest stain on the game's reputation is a result of pictures of fast bowler Brydon Carse in handcuffs and surrounded by police officers outside a nightspot in Derby
15 hours ago
Jean-Philippe Mateta is arguing the remainder of his Crystal Palace contract is invalid and has taken his case to Fifa. Multiple sources have told BBC Sport the France international has launched an official challenge over the validity of the final 10 months on his Selhurst Park deal
1 days ago
Bangladesh 64: Starc 6-12 & 95: Shanto 31; Starc 4-39, Cummins 3-10, Lyon 3-25 Mitchell Starc took 10 wickets in the match as Australia bounced back from last week's shock defeat by Bangladesh to win the second Test by an innings and 51 runs and draw the series 1-1. Second Test
1 days ago
Jannik Sinner's absence benefits Carlos Alcaraz: What to expect from the US Open champion after his long injury layoff Jannik Sinner is out, but is it premature to call Carlos Alcaraz the US Open favourite after four months away? Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
US Open leaves Stan Wawrinka out in the cold, denying former champion a wild card for his final Grand Slam The US Open has surprisingly denied Stan Wawrinka a wild card for what could be his final appearance at a Grand Slam. Updated on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
India faced the Netherlands in their Pool E match of the ongoing FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 on Saturday (August 22) at the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen but suffered a 1-3 defeat. India conceded one goal in the third quarter and two in the fourth quarter to go down against the hosts
1 days ago
There is an uncanny resemblance between Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa’s bronze-medal run at the 2011 BWF World Championships and Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand’s campaign at the 2026 edition. Jwala and Ashwini faced the second-seeded Cheng Wen-hsing and Chien Yu-chin as early as the
1 days ago
Runs on the board and rival wickets, is the template that Dhananjaya de Silva will chase when the second Test commences at the SSC Ground on Sunday (August 23, 2026). “It’s about putting runs on the board. That’s what India did [at Galle]. For the first two days they batted and got 460 runs
1 days ago
Serena Williams returns to US Open after four years, joins Carlos Alcaraz for mixed doubles Serena Williams will return to the US Open for the first time since 2022, partnering Carlos Alcaraz in mixed doubles after receiving a wildcard. Published on: Aug 23, 2026
1 days ago
Roberto De Zerbi may have spent close to £400m by the time his Tottenham Hotspur rebuild is complete – but it took just his side's first Premier League game of the season to prove all the money in the world is no guaranteed cure for a losing mentality
1 days ago
Manchester United's fans had endured a bad enough day on the banks of the River Humber when Hull City's stadium announcer gleefully piped up midway through the second half. Two trains back to Manchester from the city centre station had been cancelled
1 days ago
From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life From a shy girl to team mentor, Savita Punia says hockey changed her life Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:08:49 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Amstelveen
2 days ago
Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Shubhankar makes cut after spectacular ace at Nexo Championship Published on: Aug 22, 2026, 12:17:58 IST PTI Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link Aberdeenshire , Shubhankar Sharma ended his streak of four missed cuts as he made the
2 days ago
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi has been fined for slapping Philadelphia Union's Quinn Sullivan during their side's Major League Soccer (MLS) 2-2 draw on Wednesday. Messi, 39, slapped Sullivan around the back of the head towards the end of the game as he complained the Union player had elbowed him after
2 days ago
Premier League champions Arsenal will start the new season with some of the nightmares of the previous two as their marquee signing, midfielder Bruno Guimarães, is not part of the squad due to an injury. Guimarães signed for £75 million (Rs. 979 crore) from Newcastle United and suffered a knock
2 days ago
Nostalgia may have enveloped Sairaj Bahutule when he entered the SSC Ground. He would have remembered his last Test played at the same venue in 2001, a game India lost. The Indian spin-bowling coach, though, quickly immersed himself in the nets here Friday (August 21, 2026)
2 days ago
Lionel Messi fined for slapping opponent on the head as Inter Miami-Philadelphia clash erupts into late red-card chaos Lionel Messi was fined by MLS after slapping Philadelphia's Quinn Sullivan on the head as Inter Miami's 2-2 draw desecended into stoppage-time chaos. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026
2 days ago
Double Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra managed to deliver his season’s best performance at the Lausanne Diamond League on Friday but fell agonisingly short of the top spot, as Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage finished first with a throw just nine centimetres more than his
2 days ago
Why did Nick Chubb retire? Net worth in focus as NFL player ends career at 30 Nick Chubb played for eight seasons in NFL that included seven years with the Cleveland Browns and one with the Houston Texans. Updated on: Aug 22, 2026, 09:25:09 IST By Shirin Gupta Prefer HTon Google Share via Copy link
2 days ago
