Bourne Again

Captain James Tarkowski rescued Everton from the death; lashing home a 91st-minute equaliser after an uncharacteristic Bournemouth mix-up in their own penalty area, as Everton continued their fine unbeaten start to the season with a priceless 1-1 draw.

After a promising start; the Toffees were left to rue their sudden lethargy; as they suddenly allowed Bournemouth to wrest control of the match and make progress. In one of those exchanges; it was impressive midfielder Alex Scott who found the time & space to fire past an exposed Jordan Pickford and put the home team in front.

Everton; who had a notable chance from Thierno Barry earlier on to open the scoring; were then left to defend resolutely in the second half; with Tarkowski & Vitaliy Mykolenko putting in some vital challenges to keep the deficit at one. They could hardly believe their luck when two Bournemouth players went for the same clearance at a harmless ball; leaving Tarkowski with space to fire home.

Hays-Maker

One of the strengths of the Golden State Valkyries is indeed their depth; how deep it is; as evidenced by their league-leading bench scoring. And tonite it was the turn of veteran Tiffany Hayes to come up big; as she produced a twisty-turny 22-point performance to power the Valkyries to another big victory over one of the league's dark horses: Chicago Sky.

Unlike their previous win against the Los Angeles Sparks; which saw them lead comfortably from coast-to-coast; they actually struggled a bit in the early part of this one; before coming back to take control and eventually win by a comfortable margin of 20 points.

As usual, Hayes was abetted by the usual suspects of Gabby Williams, Veronica Burton and Cecilia Zandalasini; who all took their turn at beefing up the Golden State attack. For the Sky; they will regret not doing more when they had the chance; but in the end DiJonai Carrington couldn't continue her hot streak and they should really have went more with 6'7" center Kamilla Cardoso who had a decent size advantage over any of the Valkyrie bigs.

The Greatest Soundtrack

There have been many good soundtracks over the years. In the 1980s, Top Gun of course produced a soaring soundtrack with the legendary 'Take My Breath Away' from Berlin with its distinctive bass sound and 'Hungry Eyes'. And Dirty Dancing did its number with 'She's Like The Wind' by a surprisingly decent Patrick Swayze and 'The Time Of My Life'.

There was also Moulin Rouge; with its central theme song of 'Lady Marmalade' proving a hit; along with the epic duet of 'Come What May' starring both Ewan McGregor & Nicole Kidman.

But the greatest soundtrack of all time should be The Greatest Showman. With a string of original hits; there are enough classics on this soundtrack to last a lifetime. What stands out are the themes behind them  and the inspirational message they carry. From the inspirational 'From Now On'; to the delicate 'Tightrope' and the epic 'Never Enough' by Loren Allred; this soundtrack is so good we should end the debate right now.

Valkyries Stay Golden

The Golden State Valkyries continued their impressive sophomore season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA); this time coming up with a morale-boosting 84-78 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

The Valkyries have made their name this year with their relentless defense and three-point shooting; and this was again the case today; as their swarming defense and Cecilia Zandalasini's hot outside shooting proved too much for the Sparks to handle.

Credit to Los Angeles though; they did come back well when the game looked well beyond them; and in fact won the 4th quarter 31-20. But it was the early impetus controlled by the Valkyries that finally got them the win.

Full Nelson

More sad news came out of the National Basketball Association (NBA) this morning; with the news that Don Nelson; the acclaimed coach of the Golden State Warriors, had passed away at the age of 86. A storied player with the Boston Celtics; it was in head coaching that Nelson really made his name in; with an innovative and unique personality setting him apart from the other head coaches of his time.

And it was probably his tenure with the Golden State Warriors in the early-nineties that brought him his greatest fame; when he managed the legendary 'Run TMC' trio of Chris Mullin; Tim Hardaway & Mitch Richmond that torched the league with their explosive; run-and-gun style. He was also one of the longest-serving coaches with the best track record; usurped only by other legendary coaches such as Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs.

One In A Million

Liam Brady was a one-of-a-kind footballer. Talented; mercurial; elegant. You just didn't see many of him these days. And his book 'Born To Be A Footballer' is exactly that; something that cannot be replicated.

I have read many football autobiographies; but this is the best I've ever read. Better than Fowler; better than Vieira and better than The Basketball Book. The thing I like about it is his engaging style; he writes as if you're a friend; and you know he is saying it exactly as it is. He also does not repeat himself; something which many football autobiographies tend to do.

You are treated to an exact hometale of how Brady came to be a footballer; from his aspiring growth at Arsenal; through to his time in Italy and finally back to England. All through out, you hear about how his time at Italy wasn't all roses; how even a talented footballer like him faced rejection; his views on that Thierry Henry handball incident; and his colorful run-ins with fellow pundit Eamonn Murphy.

U just couldn't put it down.

Thrilla In Cambodia

Ilhan Fandi, the much talked-about man these days; came up big for Singapore again; as his sensational 101st-minute winner propelled Singapore to an opening match win in a Thrilla In Cambodia.

Singapore looked the more accomplished of the 2 teams; and they took the lead after 22 minutes when Shawal Anuar took an opportunistic pot-shot that beat a poorly-positioned Hul Kimhuy in the Cambodian goal.

The second half though was a different story; as the Cambodian substitutes Chanthea & Sa Ty added pace & impetus down the flanks. Suddenly Cambodia looked threatening; and their persistence paid off when right-back Ouk Sovann lashed home a brilliant drive at the hour mark to draw the home side level.

There was more VAR drama to come; as a late goal from Singapore was correctly ruled out for offside on substitute Jacob Mahler. But that was before the late show from another substitute Ilhan Fandi; who picked up a pass from Song Ui Young & smashed in an acrobatic winner with virtually the last kick of the game.

Spanish Eyes

Madonna was on stage for the half-time show; so it was fitting that her hit 'Spanish Eyes' were smiling at the end of this 2026 World Cup final. It was not a great final to be honest; the first half was still decent; but the second half was about as laborious as it could get; bringing to mind memories of the 1990 World Cup Final between West Germany & Argentina that was just about the worst game of football you could see.

Just like that day, Argentina chose to play defensive and try to ride it out to penalties; banking on the fact their goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is certainly better at saving penalties than his opposite number Unai Simon. In the end, Spain's perseverance paid off; as Nico Williams' brilliant cut-back header was swept home by fellow substitute Ferran Torres.

For Argentina; their dream run of 4 consecutive miracle escapes finally came to an end. Their luck finally ran out in the end. For 117 minutes; they did not muster a single shot at goal; with only Guiliano Simeone's effort right at the end just about their only meaningful target at goal. I personally thought they should have gone toe-to-toe with Spain; but I guess coach Lionel Scaloni had other ideas.

Darker Shade Of Blue

Everton kicked off their Pre-Season preparations with a comprehensive 4-0 away victory over Dundee at Dens Park. It was a surprisingly accomplished performance from David Moyes' men, who may have been weeks behind in schedule compared to Dundee but looked anything but.

Beto opened the scoring with a trademark turn-and-shot that took a fortuitous deflection off Owen Bevan; but it was then the turn of Dundee reserve goalkeeper Harrison Sharp; who looked anything but sharp in gifting the next 3 goals to Everton; first with a lackadaisical clearance that rebounded in off Thierno Barry; then a scuffed clearance that was turned in by Harvey Foster; and finally another calamitous sequence that led its way to Dwight McNeil's fourth.

It was nice to see some of the Everton youngsters getting game time. The likes of right-back George Finney; centre-back William Teemu and striker Braiden Graham all came on in the second half; and for large parts looked accomplished. Tim Iroegbunam also looked assertive in central midfield in the first half; and Tyler Dibling had a decent outing out wide on the right.

The Final Countdown

So it all comes down to this. After the greatest World Cup in history, we have the two best teams left standing. Who's gonna win it? My bet is still with Spain. They are clearly the better team; as evidenced by their comprehensive 2-0 victory over previous favorites France. They seem to execute a controlled composure over the game; as befits their DNA and their academy principles of talent. patience and possession.

Argentina have been somewhat lucky over the past 4 rounds; requiring a near superhuman effort against Cape Verde; 3 fantastical goals in 11 minutes against Egypt; extra-time brilliance against Switzerland and yet another last-ditch effort against England. Surely that luck has to run out some time. With Messi and their passionate team; you can't quite count them out. But I just have this feeling that Spain will have too much for them.

Writing's On The Wonderwall

It's an all too familiar script. England take the lead; start to panic; play defensive; and end up throwing it away. This time, it was old enemy Argentina who inflicted the latest heart-break in England's World Cup journey now lasting 60 years.

After a slugfest of a first half that looked more like a WWE bout, England looked to be heading into dreamland as Anthony Gordon finished brilliantly from an astute Morgan Rogers cross. England had Argentina on the ropes; but then what happens? Thomas Tuchel; supposedly the tactical mastermind for England; makes a few crazy changes that alters the complexion of the match.

He brings on defenders Dan Burn & Nico O'Reilly; huge defenders when the Argentine attackers are rather small? Worse still; it signals to the whole team that they must now start defending; and that is exactly what Argentina wants. Soon enough; the Argentines start dominating; and as is their style; they breakthrough in the final minutes via Enzo Fernandez's stunner and Lautaro Martinez's header; both from Lionel Messi assists as England's tiring defence finally fell apart.

The Spanish Armada

Spain put up a magnificent performance to upset favourites France 2-0 and reach the World Cup Final; of which they surely will be considered favourites against either Argentina or England.

France, looking nigh-on unbeatable in this tournament, put up their worst performance when it really mattered; and there will be an inquest into how they played so badly on such a big occasion. Lucas Digne, looking out of his septh at left-back, gave away a needless penalty when he blindly attempted to clear & ended up fouling an onrushing Lamine Yamal.

Things got worse for France in the second half; when their defence parted like the Red Sea to allow Pedro Porro to play a one-two with Dani Olmo and stride on unmolested for the second goal. For all their attacking talent, France failed to fluster; with Kylian Mbappe; Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise all having sub-par games. Even substitutes Desire Doue and Rayan Cherki failed to produce the goods; as coach Didier Descamps started getting increasingly desperate.

Fr Spain; they look back to their 2008-2012 best, with Rodri bossing the midfield; and the talents of Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal coming to the fore. Their strength in depth is also unparalleled; with the likes of Pedri, Gavi and Ferran Torres waiting on the bench.

Georgia On Their Minds

England booked their date in Atlanta, Georgia after a titanic semi-final against Norway in which they edged it 2-1, but it was close...

Norway had the temerity to take the lead through Andreas Schjelderup's teasing cross-shot, and might even have made it 2-0 had Alexander Sorloth chosen to pass to a wide-open Erling Haaland instead of going it on his own.

Their one mistake late in the first half allowed in-form Jude Bellingham to score the equalizer; but as the second half started, it was Norway who looked the more likely with a succession of corners that were causing England increasing palpitations.

In fact; from one of those; they actually scored through Thorbjorn Heggem; but it was unfortunately overturned by VAR after Haaland was caught pushing Elliot Anderson. Left-back David Wolfe also hit the bar as the England defence seemed to be teetering.

It was still anyone's game until into extra-time; when a mistake by the previously-reliable Orjan Nyland allowed Bellingham to pounce again and seal England's victory.

That Little Bit Extra

In a pulse-shredding Quarter-Final not for the faint-hearted, Argentina bested Switzerland 3-1 by the skin of their teeth; needing extra time to come up with the goods just when it seemed like the match was headed for the dreaded penalties.

Argentina had taken the lead early through Alexis Mac Allister's header from Lionel Messi's corner; and they looked good value for their lead till Switzerland upped the ante after half-time. Suddenly; they looked more & more menacing as Argentina seemed to back off; and it was not the biggest surprise when Dan Ndoye found space inside the penalty box to slot past Emiliano Martinez and bring the Swiss level.

Just when it seemed Murat Yakin's men had the upper hand though; a moment of madness from Breel Embolo turned the match on its head. For no apparent reason, he decided to do an Oscar-worthy simulation; with the referee first giving a yellow card to Leandro Paredes before going the other way & showing Embolo his second.

The match now turned again; but Argentina were still struggling to break through against a compact & disciplined Swiss unit; who were now operating in a defensive 5-3-1 formation. Until the moment of truth when Julian Alvarez unleashed an absolute stunner deep into extra-time to beak Swiss hearts. Just for good measure; they even counter-attacked and scored a third in stoppage time; with substitute Lautaro Martinez following up well after fellow sub Thiago Almada's shot was saved.

By George, They've Done It

In perhaps the most lop-sided trade in NBA history, the Boston Celtics have traded their superstar Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for 36 year-old Paul George. George is a legend in his own right, but at 36 years old; surely his best days are behind him. Brown though is in his absolute prime; a living legend in Boston together with Jayson Tatum; and someone who has actually led them to a storied NBA championship and coming off his best season.

It brings to mind another lopsided trade years ago; that of Charles Barkley; who was traded by the 76ers to the Phoenix Suns for Jeff Hornacek, Tim Perry & Andrew Lang. It was just about the most ridiculous trade anyone could have hoped for. Just like in that case, the Celtics probably have reached their limit with Brown. Behind the scenes, there was probably some unrest and maybe he did feel underappreciated at Boston despite his exploits; culminating in their disastrous loss to the 76ers in the Playoffs last season after being up 3-1.

Heat Check

The Miami Heat have pulled off one of the biggest blockbuster deals in NBA history; getting superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks for a whole host of players & draft picks. Of course; this deal has been brewing for some time; with Giannis & the Bucks' relationship having soured after their historic NBA championship win back in 2021.

It's safe to say things haven't developed since then; to the point that previous head coach Doc Rivers & Giannis had some disagreements; leading to Giannis' frequent injury problems last season; the failed experiment with Damian Lillard; and now ultimately this.

But who gets the better of the deal? I dare say Milwaukee. At 31; Giannis' best days may be behind him; and his form & injury problems look set to mount up in the coming seasons. The Bucks on the other hand; acquire a legit superstar in sharpshooter Tyler Herro; someone you can surely build your team around; and a whole host of draft picks that may yet serve them well in the years ahead. Let's see how this one plays out.

That Kolek Moment

A rather bizarre scene happened at the New York Knicks' championship parade recently; one that surely doesn't happen very often. Tyler Kolek; a 6'2" reserve point guard of the Knicks; was mistaken by security to be a crazed fan trying to literally hop on the bandwagon.

Not sure who should be more ashamed; him or the security officer involved. I'm sure he wasn't best pleased; as it shows he is simply not famous enough lol. Averaging about 11 minutes per game; it is not like he doesn't play at all. Perhaps the security officers just weren't big Knicks fans.

Africa Calling

I just love Morocco. The reigning African champions are so pleasing on the eye it's untrue. Playing with a confidence & swagger that was unimaginable just 10 years ago; the Atlas Lions now look to build on their semi-final showing at the last World Cup.

It's safe to say they gave Brazil a real scare in this one. The record 5-time champions are used to having things their own way; but on this day; it was them who were making the mistakes. I didn't quite like their line-up to be honest. Igor Thiago of Brentford should not be their first-choice striker; and Roger Ibanez & Douglas Santos are nowhere near Cafu & Roberto Carlos at full-back. Also; the fact they are still relying on Casemiro & Fabinho in the middle of the park shows there's not enough good players coming through.

On the other side, Morocco are vibrant and looking good. Achraf Hakimi is the best right-back in the world; and on the other flank; Manchester United's Noussair Mazraoui is not a bad choice either. On the right wing; you have the manacling flair of Real Madrid's Brahim Diaz; of which all good things seem to flow through. But the one that really excites me is 18 year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi in the center of the park. For one so young; he seems so composed and elegant in central midfield; with a good engine to boot. It's no wonder that Manchester United is now keeping tabs on him.

The Stars-Spangled Banner

32 years ago, when the USA last hosted the World Cup; they were almost a joke. It seemed that any team could beat them. Fast forward to now; and things could not be more different. Managed by former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino; they are a team packed with stars; such as former Chelsea ace Christian Pulisic; Juventus mainstay Weston McKennie and Crystal Palace's outstanding defender Chris Richards.

And the way they played this morning; with a sharpness and pace that was just beautiful to watch; in their 4-1 hammering of Paraguay; meant that they have to be taken seriously. With a 4-2-3-1 formation that plays to their strengths; they rely on speed on the wings and penetrating passes to overlapping runners. And with wing-backs like Sergino Dest & Antonee Robinson; this suits them down to a tee. In striker Folarin Balogun; they also have perhaps the hottest striker in the world; as evidenced by his two confident strikes.

There is also a touch of nostalgia to their team; with no less than 3 sons of former legends. Giovanni Reyna; son of Claudio; capped off the night with an outstanding fourth; while Timothy Weah (son of Ballon D'Or winner George) impressed on the right wing and Sebastian Berhalter (son of coach Gregg) was another substitute. It will be very interesting to see how the US progresses in this tournament.

Mexico Wave

Mexico opened the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the best way possible; beating South Africa 2-0 in a style that could yet make them the dark horses for this tournament. Riding the wave of their frenetic fan support; they were confident & stylish on the biggest stage; proving too powerful for a South African team that always looked second-best.

South Africa made things difficult for themselves; with Sphephelo Sithole losing the ball in dangerous territory deep in his own half; allowing the impressive Julian Quinones to open the scoring with a low drive. Things got worse for the Africans when Sithole was sent off for a goal-denying foul on midfielder Brian Gutierrez.

Mexico basically sealed the win shortly after when Fulham legend Raul Jimenez headed home from Roberto Alvarado's cross. But there was still more drama to come when 36 year-old substitute Thema Zwane was dismissed for a careless slap on Alvarado; before Mexico captain Cesar Montes was himself sent off after another goal-denying challenge on Khuliso Mudau. There was also an appearance for 17 year-old Mexican prodigy Gilberto Mora; who became the second-youngest player to appear at a World Cup after the legendary Pele.