United News of Bangladesh

Graham Arnold has extended his contract as Iraq's head coach until the 2027 Asian Cup, a few months after leading the team to its first World Cup appearance in 40 years. The 63-year-old former Australia coach has agreed to a six-month extension, despite receiving an offer for a four-year contract from the Iraq Football Association. “I have renewed my contract for six months and this decision is in my best interest and in the best interest of the Iraq national team,” Arnold told reporters in Baghdad on Monday. Arnold took charge of Iraq in May 2025 and helped the team qualify for the 2026 World Cup through an intercontinental playoff. It was Iraq's first World Cup appearance in four decades. Despite serious logistical challenges caused by conflict in the Middle East, Iraq secured the final place among the 48 teams competing at the tournament. Iraq lost all three of its group matches against Norway, France and Senegal in June. However, the campaign gave the players valuable experience against some of the world's top footballers, including France's Kylian Mbappe and Norway's Erling Haaland. At the 2027 Asian Cup, Iraq will be in a group with Australia, Singapore and Tajikistan. The tournament is scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia in January. Iraq, which won the Asian Cup in 2007, will begin its preparations at the Gulf Cup in September. Arnold said he returned early to scout new players and prepare the squad for both tournaments. “I returned early to watch and identify new players ahead of the Gulf Cup and Asian Cup and to build the team for the future,” he said. “You will see new faces in the next phase.”

Chelsea's record signing Morgan Rogers scored on his debut as the London club defeated Fulham 3-2 on Monday, giving new coach Xabi Alonso a winning start to the Premier League season. Rogers, who joined Chelsea from Aston Villa last month, put his side ahead four minutes before halftime, calmly finishing a well-placed cutback from Maxence Lacroix. Brazilian forward João Pedro had given Chelsea the lead just 32 seconds into the match, but Fulham responded through Josh King, who leveled the score midway through the first half. Cole Palmer, one of Chelsea's standout performers, restored the visitors' advantage in the 49th minute. He fired into the net from a tight angle after receiving a pass from João Pedro. Fulham quickly reduced the deficit when Gonzalo García headed the ball down and into the net after Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sánchez could only parry Timothy Castagne's low shot. The hosts then pressed forward in search of an equalizer, but Chelsea held on for the victory. Chelsea's attacking trio drew praise for an impressive display, with Alonso describing the performance as “a good first day.” “It is a great combination and great quality,” Alonso said. “We know that if we reach them in a good position then they have this talent to create special things. Today I am happy that all three scored.” The match also saw Alonso face his former Real Madrid and Spain teammate Álvaro Arbeloa, who was making his first appearance in the Fulham dugout. “We deserved a little bit more but football is not about what you deserve, it's about what you take,” Arbeloa said after the defeat, while praising his players' attitude. “This is how we're going to play no matter who is in front of us,” he added. Alonso and Arbeloa both managed Real Madrid for periods last season before leaving the Santiago Bernabeu and moving to England. On Monday, Alonso came out on top in an entertaining contest at Craven Cottage. Chelsea have spent more than 300 million pounds ($408 million) on new players and are among the early favorites to challenge defending champions Arsenal.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin says he has no plans to challenge FIFA President Gianni Infantino but warned that Infantino may face a rival candidate if he refuses to step down. Infantino has faced growing criticism over his now-abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity investors. Three of FIFA's continental confederations accused him of "deception," while UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions. Speaking to the British podcast "The Rest is Politics: Leading," Ceferin said Infantino has two choices: resign or contest the FIFA presidential election in March against a challenger. One option, Ceferin said, is for Infantino to recognize that he no longer has the support of the wider football community, including fans, players, former players and coaches, in addition to those who vote in the election. "The second option is that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him," Ceferin said, adding that he did not yet know who that candidate would be. Excerpts from the interview were published by British media on Sunday. Ceferin rules out FIFA bidInfantino has led FIFA since 2016 and had appeared likely to win another term unopposed at next year's election in Morocco before the backlash over his World Cup proposal. FIFA has set Nov. 18 as the deadline for candidates to enter the race. Ceferin, 58, has long been viewed as a possible challenger but said he remains committed to UEFA and has no interest in replacing Infantino. "I'm not interested because of two reasons," Ceferin said. "One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here." He also said he believes it is time to enjoy life more and that staying away from the FIFA presidency would strengthen his credibility. "My credibility is much, much higher if I'm not interested in the position," Ceferin said.

FC Barcelona kicked off its La Liga title defense with a convincing 5-0 win away to Elche on Sunday. Barcelona took an early lead from the penalty spot through Raphinha, and debutant Karim Adeyemi doubled the advantage before halftime following an assist from Raphinha. New signing Anthony Gordon came on as a second-half substitute before providing assists for Raphinha to score his second of the game and for Fermin Lopez to tap home Barcelona's fourth. Lopez rounded off the scoring with an excellent individual goal in the 79th minute. Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, who has expressed a desire to leave the club, was greeted by a chorus of boos and whistles when his name was read out ahead of the home game against Villarreal. Atletico opened the scoring through Marc Pubill's excellent shot, but two penalties saw Villarreal turn the game around through Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze, with Robin Le Normand sent off after fouling the Georgian striker. Giuliano Simeone rescued a point for Atletico with a solo goal five minutes from time. Also on Sunday, Enes Unal's 81st-minute goal gave Getafe a 1-0 home win over Racing Santander. Osasuna hosts Levante, while Malaga and Deportivo La Coruna meet in a game between promoted sides on Monday.    

Josh Sargent and Derrick Etienne Jr. scored three minutes apart in the second half as Toronto FC held on to beat Inter Miami 2-1 on Saturday night. Neither side managed to score in the opening half before rookie Sargent put Toronto ahead in the 59th minute. Dániel Sallói and Etienne provided assists on Sargent's fourth goal of the season. The assist was Sallói's seventh of the season, while Etienne recorded his third. Etienne then doubled Toronto's advantage three minutes later, scoring his third goal of the season without an assist. The goal helped Toronto secure its first-ever victory in Miami. Lionel Messi pulled one back for Inter Miami in the 82nd minute, scoring his 14th goal of the season and the 64th of his career in 71 appearances. Rodrigo De Paul and Maximiliano Falcón were credited with assists. Luka Gavran made two saves for Toronto (5-7-9). Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair did not make a save as Miami (11-4-6) extended its winless run in August to four games, going 0-2-2. Toronto has gone unbeaten in its last four matches at 2-0-2 and is 2-1-4 since July 1. Inter Miami defeated Toronto 4-2 in their previous meeting in May and continues to lead the all-time series 9-3-2.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur endured disappointing starts to the new Premier League season on Saturday, with both sides suffering heavy defeats and raising early questions about their preseason optimism. United, under new permanent manager Michael Carrick, were beaten 2-0 by newly promoted Hull City, while Tottenham, one of Europe’s biggest spenders this summer, suffered a 3-0 defeat away to Brentford. United stunned by Hull Hull marked its return to the Premier League after a nine-year absence with a memorable victory, while United struggled to make an impact throughout the match. Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy scored first-half goals from set pieces to give Hull a deserved win over the 20-time English champions. Carrick, who guided United to third place last season and helped secure Champions League qualification before receiving a permanent contract, admitted his side had plenty to improve. “It was never going to be perfect,” Carrick said, while insisting that one defeat would not alter the club’s overall direction. New midfielders Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos failed to make a major impact, while Marcus Rashford, returning from a loan spell at Barcelona, came on as a second-half substitute. The result highlighted the gap between United and their former level of dominance, with the club last winning the Premier League title in 2013. Tottenham overwhelmed by Brentford Tottenham also endured a difficult opening day despite spending around $300 million on new players during the summer. Brentford dominated the visitors and moved 2-0 ahead by the 33rd minute through close-range goals from Keane Lewis-Potter and Vitaly Janelt. Michael Kayode added a third shortly after halftime, while Brentford striker Igor Thiago hit the post from the penalty spot as Tottenham struggled to cope with the hosts. Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, who joined Tottenham from Newcastle for a club-record fee of about $133 million, was among the new signings unable to prevent the defeat. Everton, Ipswich secure winsEverton began their campaign with a 2-0 home victory over Crystal Palace, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry scoring for the hosts. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, a lifelong Everton supporter, watched the match at the stadium. Promoted Ipswich Town also secured a victory, beating Sunderland 2-1 with Jack Clarke scoring in the 90th minute against his former club. Leeds United claimed a 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest through Anton Stach’s 88th-minute free kick. Arsenal, meanwhile, opened their title defense with a 3-0 victory over second-tier champions Coventry City on Friday. Manchester City will face Bournemouth on Sunday, while Liverpool travel to Newcastle as the opening weekend continues.

Manchester City have agreed to sell Brazil winger Savinho to Tottenham for 85 million pounds ($115 million), making it the English club's record sale, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the details of the transfer have not yet been made public. Neither Manchester City nor Tottenham has officially commented on the deal. Savinho's expected departure comes just days after City sold Spain midfielder Rodri to Barcelona for a reported 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million). City have also moved on from midfielder Tijjani Reijnders and defender Nathan Ake, while John Stones and Bernardo Silva have left the club. Their only senior outfield signing this summer has been England midfielder Elliot Anderson, reportedly for a club-record 116 million pounds ($155 million). City are expected to remain active during the final week of the transfer window as newly appointed coach Enzo Maresca reshapes the squad following Pep Guardiola's departure. City were beaten 3-0 by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday. Savinho struggled at City Savinho joined City from sister club Girona for 40 million euros ($43.6 million) in the summer of 2024 amid high expectations that he could become a future star. However, he struggled to make a major impact, scoring only two goals in 53 Premier League appearances. His final passes and decision-making often frustrated both teammates and supporters. Savinho was also left out of Brazil's squad for this year's World Cup. Tottenham spending heavily The move would add to Tottenham's major spending spree this summer. The London club signed Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali from Newcastle last month for a reported club-record 100 million pounds ($133 million), shortly after paying 85 million pounds ($113 million) for midfielder Mateus Fernandes from West Ham. Tottenham have also signed center backs Jan Paul van Hecke and Marco Senesi, along with former Liverpool left back Andy Robertson. Manager Roberto De Zerbi is rebuilding the squad after Tottenham narrowly avoided relegation last season, finishing 17th in the Premier League. A deal for Savinho would put Tottenham among Europe's biggest spenders this summer, alongside Chelsea. It marks a major change for a club that has traditionally spent less than many of its Premier League rivals. Two consecutive 17th-place finishes, just one place above relegation, appear to have prompted Tottenham's leadership to change course. In an open letter after last season, chairman Peter Charrington acknowledged that "football success had not been driving our decisions."

Paris Saint-Germain has moved its opening French league match of the season against Rennes to Rennes after a summer heatwave badly damaged the pitch at Parc des Princes. The match, scheduled for Sunday, will now be played at Rennes’ stadium, the French soccer competitions committee announced late Wednesday. PSG said the condition of its home pitch had deteriorated so badly that the game could not be played there safely or under suitable conditions for the players. The club said the venue change was agreed with Rennes and thanked the club for helping make the match possible. “Paris Saint-Germain fully understands the inconvenience caused by this change for its supporters and all those who had planned to attend this match at the Parc des Princes,” the club said, adding that it regretted the unusual situation. PSG said it had already found a solution to replace the damaged pitch at Parc des Princes. The new surface is expected to be ready for the club’s next home Ligue 1 match against Monaco on Sept. 4.

Lionel Messi scored a goal and provided an assist as Inter Miami drew 2-2 with the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday night. Messi set up Inter Miami’s opening goal in the 21st minute when his cross was headed by Luis Suarez into the path of Daniel Pinter, who finished from close range. Five minutes later, Messi cut inside onto his favored left foot from about 12 yards and curled the ball into the corner of the net. It was his first goal since returning to action following the death of his father. Messi now has 13 goals and nine assists in 17 MLS appearances this season. Against the Union, he has six goals and four assists in six matches across all competitions. Indiana Vassilev scored on a volley in the first half to put Philadelphia ahead, with 16-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan providing the assist. The Union leveled in the 58th minute when 18-year-old defender Neil Pierre headed home his third goal in five games this season. Philadelphia thought it had taken the lead again in the 62nd minute through Milan Iloski, but the goal was ruled out after a video review because Pierre was offside in the buildup. The match ended with both teams reduced to 10 men after Yannick Bright and Sullivan were shown red cards in stoppage time following an off-the-ball scuffle. Inter Miami, now 11-3-6, remained second in the Eastern Conference after losing 4-1 to leaders Nashville on Saturday. Messi played the full 90 minutes in that match, missing a penalty and hitting the post twice while assisting Telasco Segovia. Miami had lost three consecutive matches in all competitions before Wednesday's draw, including two defeats to Mexican clubs in the Leagues Cup. The loss to Nashville also ended Miami's seven-game unbeaten run in MLS. Messi returned as a substitute in Miami's Aug. 12 defeat to Leon, playing 45 minutes. He missed the Aug. 8 match against Monterrey to attend the funeral of his father, Jorge, who died on Aug. 7. The Union, 5-10-5, are unbeaten in five matches, with four wins and a draw, since Ryan Richter took charge as interim coach. Rodrigo De Paul, Messi's teammate on Argentina's 2022 World Cup team, missed Wednesday's match through suspension after accumulating yellow cards. Inter Miami had beaten the Union 6-4 on May 24 in the teams' last meeting before the World Cup break. Messi did not score in that match, but Suarez netted a hat trick as Miami came from behind after trailing 2-0 and 3-1.

Barcelona completed the signing of Spain captain and midfielder Rodri from Manchester City, adding the reigning World Cup best player to a squad that already includes several members of Spain’s title-winning team. The 30-year-old midfielder has signed a contract with Barcelona until 2030 after completing his medical examination and the final transfer formalities, the Spanish club announced Tuesday. A person familiar with the deal said Barcelona agreed to pay 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million) for Rodri. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial details had not been officially released. Rodri arrived in Barcelona on Monday and described the move as a dream. “Very happy to arrive,” he told reporters. “For me it’s a dream to play for Barcelona. I’m excited about being with my teammates, many of them I already know. Now it’s time to get to work and give my best.” Rodri will reunite with several Spain teammates at Barcelona, including Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi and Pedri. He played a key role as Spain won its second World Cup title and was named the tournament’s best player. Real Madrid had also reportedly shown interest in Rodri, who had previously spoken highly of the club. However, Spanish media reported that the Madrid side failed to reach an agreement with the midfielder. Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and went on to become a central figure in the English club’s midfield. He scored the winning goal in City’s 2023 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan and won the Ballon d’Or the following year after helping Spain win the European Championship. His departure is another blow to City’s midfield following Bernardo Silva’s move to Real Madrid during the offseason. Rodri had one year remaining on his City contract before completing his move to Barcelona. He did not feature in City’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday as he continued recovering from minor back surgery following the World Cup. Barcelona, meanwhile, are seeking a third consecutive La Liga title and have continued strengthening their squad. The club have also signed England forward Anthony Gordon and are expected to bring in defender Joao Cancelo. Gordon is expected to help fill the attacking void created by the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal in extra time in the World Cup final against Argentina.