United News of Bangladesh

Sam Surridge scored from the penalty spot on Wednesday night as Nashville SC defeated CF Montreal 1-0 to extend its winning streak to five matches. Nashville (12-1-3), which also edged Atlanta United 1-0 on Friday, is now unbeaten in 10 consecutive matches and tops Major League Soccer with 39 points. Surridge converted the penalty in the 68th minute for the game's only goal. The 27-year-old forward has now scored 10 goals in 10 appearances, including six starts, this season. Goalkeeper Brian Schwake made two saves to secure the clean sheet for Nashville. Montreal (4-9-3), which played out a scoreless draw against Toronto last Thursday in its first match after the World Cup break, has now gone five games without a victory. Nashville remains unbeaten at home this season with an 8-0-1 record, while Montreal has struggled on the road, going 1-7-1 away from home.

Former Australia opener David Warner has pleaded guilty to a mid-range drink-driving charge after being stopped by police in Sydney during a break from the Pakistan Super League earlier this year. Warner entered the plea through his lawyer at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday and was not required to appear. He is due to be sentenced on August 18. Police pulled Warner over in Sydney's eastern suburbs on April 5. A roadside breath test led officers to take him to Maroubra Police Station, where he returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.104 — more than twice the legal limit. His lawyer, Bobby Hill, has previously said Warner accepted he made a mistake. "He knows what he did was wrong," Hill said. "He accepts that was a reckless decision, a foolish decision to get in his car instead of taking an Uber." Hill said Warner had drunk three glasses of wine at a friend's apartment before driving. He said Warner would seek leniency when he is sentenced but expected to be treated like any other member of the public. The case comes as Warner prepares for another Big Bash League season with Sydney Thunder, where he was appointed captain after his lifetime leadership ban from the 2018 ball-tampering scandal was lifted in 2024. Cricket NSW Chief Executive Lee Germon said after Warner was charged that the allegations were "concerning" and that the organization strongly opposed drink-driving. Sydney Thunder has yet to say whether Warner's guilty plea will affect his captaincy.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has cast doubt over his international future after the team's defeat to Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final. He said he would use the aftermath of the loss to consider what comes next. Writing on Instagram after Argentina returned to Buenos Aires on Monday, Martinez spoke of the disappointment of missing out on a second straight World Cup title and questioned whether it was time to step away from the national team. "We dreamed of winning the World Cup again, of bringing the trophy back to Argentina and making history once more," he wrote. "It's hard to put this pain into words. Now it's time to think about many things, about how to move forward. And maybe it's also time to ask whether my moment to step aside has come." Martinez made no attempt to point fingers after the defeat. Instead, he apologized to Argentina supporters, saying he had given everything he could for the team. "I'm truly sorry," he wrote. "I tried to give everything I had to help my country and my teammates." The 33-year-old was one of Argentina's best players during the tournament. In the final, he produced 11 saves but could not keep out Ferran Torres, whose extra-time goal gave Spain a 1-0 victory. Thousands of supporters welcomed the squad home in Buenos Aires despite cold and rainy weather, applauding the players after their run to a second consecutive World Cup final. Martinez made his Argentina debut in a World Cup qualifier against Chile in June 2021 and quickly established himself as the team's first-choice goalkeeper. He played a central role in Argentina's Copa América and World Cup triumphs and has become one of the senior figures in Lionel Messi's squad. Martinez stopped short of announcing his retirement, but his comments left open the possibility that the World Cup final could prove to be his last appearance for Argentina.

FIFA has opened an investigation into the scuffle involving players and coaching staff from Spain and Argentina after Sunday's World Cup final. The governing body said it has appointed an investigator under Article 36 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code after reviewing the referee's report. "Following an assessment of the match report from the FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, disciplinary proceedings have been opened," FIFA said in a statement. It said the disciplinary committee would decide on the next steps after receiving the investigator's report. Spain beat Argentina to lift the World Cup, but celebrations after the final whistle gave way to a confrontation involving players from both teams and members of Argentina's coaching staff. Videos shared on social media showed Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes arguing with Spain defender Eric Garcia before appearing to punch him, setting off a melee.

Sports Minister Aminul Haque said on Tuesday he expects India's cricket team to tour Bangladesh in September as scheduled.  He said he is hoping that the series will help restore cricket ties after months of strain between the two countries following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, which was a close ally of the Indian ruling party.  Sports organisation structure being rebuilt from ground up: Aminul  India are due to play three ODIs and three T20Is in Bangladesh in September. The series was originally scheduled for last year but was postponed amid diplomatic tensions. Questions over the tour resurfaced after Bangladesh's interim government withdrew from this year's T20 World Cup in India, citing security concerns. The decision came after Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was dropped from the Indian Premier League in March. Speaking to reporters at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur, Aminul said the government wants to use sport to improve relations with neighbouring countries. "I have spoken with officials at the Indian High Commission, and they have also been in touch with us," Aminul said. "Everyone is waiting for India to come to Bangladesh in September." He said the government believes the tensions that emerged over recent events should not stand in the way of sporting ties. "We should move past what happened and ensure that our sporting relations, communication and exchanges with neighbouring countries continue as normal," he said.

Spain's World Cup-winning football team returned home on Monday to a royal welcome before meeting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, with hundreds of thousands of fans expected to celebrate their triumph during an open-top bus parade through central Madrid. The 26-man squad was received by Spain's royal family before heading to the prime minister's office. Later, the players will travel on an open-top bus from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence, to Cibeles Square, where a public celebration is scheduled. Cibeles Square has long been the traditional venue for celebrations by Spain's national teams and their supporters. Spain secured the World Cup title on Sunday by defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in the final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It was Spain's second men's World Cup triumph after lifting the trophy for the first time in South Africa in 2010. The team's victory was congratulated by the leaders of the tournament's three co-hosting nations — U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The win sparked celebrations across Madrid on Sunday night as thousands of fans filled streets, bars and public squares, waving Spanish flags, singing, dancing and sounding car horns. Many continued celebrating into the early hours of Monday. "I'm very happy. I've slept only three or four hours, but for the team, it's worth it," said 19-year-old supporter Victor Álvarez. With the men's World Cup title adding to Spain's Women's World Cup victory in 2023, the country has become the first nation to hold both world titles at the same time. "It was a very emotional moment. We stayed at home to watch the match and enjoyed every minute," said 59-year-old civil servant Gema Rodero. The celebrations were overshadowed by the death of a 13-year-old boy in Salamanca after a fountain he had climbed with friends to celebrate the victory collapsed, local authorities said. For many young Spaniards, Sunday's triumph marked the first time they had seen the men's national team win the World Cup. Fans began gathering near Cibeles Square on Monday morning, many carrying umbrellas to shield themselves from temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius, as they waited to welcome the champions.

Spain's World Cup-winning football team is set to receive a heroes' welcome on Monday as the 26-man squad returns home following its 1-0 victory over defending champion Argentina in the FIFA World Cup final in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The players will be welcomed by King Felipe VI, other members of the Spanish royal family and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez before boarding an open-top bus for a victory parade through central Madrid. Thousands of supporters are expected to line the route from near Moncloa Palace, the prime minister's official residence, to Cibeles Square, where a public celebration will be held. The square has traditionally hosted celebrations for Spain's national teams and their supporters. Spain secured only its second men's World Cup title, having previously lifted the trophy in South Africa in 2010.

Bangladesh captain Towhid Hridoy has said winning the T20I series in Zimbabwe meant more because the team finished the tour with a depleted squad after injuries sidelined three frontline fast bowlers. Bangladesh clinched the three-match series 2-1 with a four-wicket win in the decider on Sunday, ending the tour on a positive note after losing the one-off Test and the ODI series. Leading the side for the first time in place of injured Litton Das, Hridoy said Bangladesh had little room to maneuver by the final match."We had only 13 players available by the end," he said after the victory. "Nahid Rana got injured during the second game, Shoriful Islam was not available, and we were already without Mustafizur Rahman. We had to fight with the players we had." Mustafizur missed the entire series because of hamstring and knee injuries, while Shoriful was unavailable with a hamstring problem. Nahid, who took four wickets in the opening T20I, suffered a side strain in the second match and missed the decider. Left-arm spinner Abdul Gaffar Saqlain came into the side for the final and took one wicket as Bangladesh chased 143 with two balls to spare. The result contrasted with Bangladesh's struggles earlier in the tour, when they lost the Test and ODI series after failing to build on promising positions. "It was challenging because we could not meet our expectations in the Test and ODI series," Hridoy said. "We made some mistakes there. In the T20s, we adjusted better, even with the injuries." He said the team have made progress in the shortest format but still have work to do. "We are not looking too far ahead," Hridoy said when asked about preparations for the next T20 World Cup. "Our focus is on one match and one series at a time." The T20I series was Bangladesh's first success of the tour and their first series victory in Zimbabwe since 2022.

Spain defender Pedro Porro said he kept a promise to his grandfather by helping Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final on Sunday, setting up the extra-time winner that brought a second star home. Substitute Ferran Torres swept the ball into the roof of the net in the 106th minute after Nico Williams had headed Porro's cross back across goal, giving Spain its first world title since 2010. But the moment carried a deeper personal meaning for the Tottenham right-back. "A few days ago my grandfather told me, 'Bring the cup home, son,'" Porro said in the mixed zone. "Today I fulfilled those words. I can't wait to get out of here and call him, because he will be very happy, very emotional and so am I." Porro, one of the revelations of the tournament, admitted he was still struggling to process the achievement. "I don't believe it. I think the first days will pass and I still won't believe it. But I want to thank all the people who have supported us from the first minute. I don't even want to imagine what Spain is like right now." The 26-year-old has spent much of his club career away from the Spanish spotlight, and said reaching the summit of international football felt like a reward for years of quiet work. "I play in the Premier League, I'm outside of Spain, so a lot of people don't see me much. Since I debuted for the national team, it's never been easy to establish myself here. Now life has given this back to me." Porro's message to the nation was one of shared pride, stressing the unity that carried the squad through the tournament together. "This isn't just about the 11 on the pitch, it's about the 26 of us who lived together. I hope Spain feels proud that we have brought a second star home."

Substitute Ferran Torres said destiny was written for Spain to win the World Cup after his extra-time strike sealed a 1-0 victory over 10-man Argentina in Sunday's final. Torres, who replaced Mikel Oyarzabal in the 62nd minute, swept home Nico Williams' knockdown in the 106th minute to hand Spain its second World Cup title and first since 2010. "I think in the end the goal came from 47 million people, not just those of us that are here," said Torres, who hadn't scored in the tournament before Sunday. "Today destiny was written, it was made for us to win. We're far from our people today but we tried to be as close as possible to them." The Barcelona forward admitted facing Lionel Messi's Argentina in the final had been a daunting prospect, but said Spain never doubted its approach. "Finals are hard. When you have Messi on the opposing team you do get worried but we always backed ourselves and tried to show our football and I think we managed to do it once again," he said. Torres had come under scrutiny during the tournament before his match-winning intervention on Sunday. "It was a huge relief [to score]," he said. "I've been criticized throughout the whole tournament but as I said before destiny was written," he added.