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Sharks fire Quinn after historically woeful season
The San Jose Sharks have fired David Quinn after a season that saw San Jose finish with the second-fewest points in the salary cap era.
Quinn's firing after two seasons Wednesday came less than a week after the Sharks (19-54-9) lost three straight games and five of their last six and ended the regular season with the worst record in the NHL.
"After going through our end of the season process of internal meetings and evaluating where our team is at and where we want our group to go, we have made the difficult decision to make a change at the head coach position," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. "David is a good coach and an even better person. I would personally like to thank him for his hard work over these past two seasons. He and his staff did an admirable job under some difficult circumstances, and I sincerely appreciate how they handled the situation."
Quinn oversaw the New York Rangers for three seasons but was fired after the 2020-21 season, having missed the playoffs after the team had reached the postseason in his second campaign.
The Sharks hired Quinn before the 2022-23 season to oversee a team in transition. The Sharks had missed the playoffs only twice between the 2003-04 and 2018-19 seasons but had missed the postseason in three straight years before Quinn's arrival.
Two weeks before Quinn was hired, the Sharks traded venerable defenseman Brent Burns to the Carolina Hurricanes. During Quinn's first season, the team also traded away star forward Timo Meier at that year's deadline and would ultimately trade away star defenseman Erik Karlsson, who won the Norris Trophy, to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the offseason.
The Sharks finished the 2022-23 season at 22-44-16, the fourth-fewest points in the NHL, and received the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft, which saw them select United States national team development forward Will Smith, now at Boston College, as part of their rebuild.
Quinn's second season was expected to be even more challenging.
The Sharks opened 0-10-1 and were 3-15-2 through their first 20 games. From Dec. 15 through Jan. 9, they lost 15 straight games. In late February, they had a nine-game losing streak that was broken with a March 9 win over the Ottawa Senators before another streak of nine consecutive defeats.
San Jose had the fewest goals scored per 60, the most goals allowed per 60, the most scoring chances allowed per 60 and the second-lowest team save percentage, all contributing factors in the Sharks finishing with the NHL's worst record.
Those numbers also played a role in the Sharks finishing with a minus-150 goal differential, which is also the lowest differential in the salary cap era.
Finding a new coach will come in an offseason that could also see the Sharks take a major step in their rebuild by winning the draft lottery for the first time in franchise history. Winning this year's lottery would allow the Sharks a chance to take the consensus No. 1 pick in Boston University freshman center Macklin Celebrini, who won the Hobey Baker Award as the top men's collegiate player in the nation.
Celebrini was born in North Vancouver, and his family moved to the Bay Area after his father, Rick, accepted a job with the Golden State Warriors. Celebrini played a year with the San Jose Jr. Sharks years before he went to BU, where he scored 32 goals and 64 points during his freshman year.
LaLiga president Javier Tebas said the Spanish league is hopeful of playing competitive games in the United States as soon as the 2025-26 season.
Tebas originally planned to stage a league match involving Barcelona and Girona at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium in 2018 but was met with opposition from the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and FIFA, among others.
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However, a recent lawsuit involving Relevent Sports Group, the company involved in moving LaLiga matches to the U.S., has reopened the possibility of it happening in the future.
"I don't know when, but this time LaLiga will play official games abroad," Tebas told Expansión. "I think it could be from the 2025-26 season.
"An official game in the United States would strengthen our position in the North American market, which is the second [biggest] for LaLiga after Spain.
"Other really competitive leagues are coming, so we can't always do the same thing. They would jump ahead of us."
Sources at LaLiga told ESPN that while the prospect of taking a game abroad is closer than in the past, Tebas' comments do not constitute an official announcement.
Tebas' renewed optimism comes on the back of a potentially landmark case involving Relevent, FIFA and the U.S courts.
The Supreme Court recently allowed Relevent's antitrust lawsuit to go forward against FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation over the world governing body's policy of not permitting a country to host league matches involving teams from other countries.
The high court order leaves in place a federal appeals court ruling in favour of Relevent, controlled by Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.
Relevent sued in 2019 after FIFA disrupted its plan to host Barcelona and Girona at Miami Gardens, Florida, and the USSF refused permission to sanction a league match between two teams from Ecuador.
A district court dismissed the lawsuit, but a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reinstated it. The Biden administration weighed in on Relevent's side at the Supreme Court.
Relevent and FIFA reached an agreement this month to drop FIFA from the suit, a deal that the USSF wants to review and that has not yet been approved by U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni.
Relevent organises and promotes soccer events in the U.S. Its portfolio includes a 50-50 joint venture with Spain's LaLiga in North America that covers the league's media rights, sponsorship assets, fan events and grassroots efforts.
It has organised preseason friendlies and tournaments in the U.S. at the same time as seeking to stage matches from FIFA-affiliated teams in LaLiga and similarly situated leagues.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes came to his side's rescue with two goals in a 4-2 home victory over the Premier League's bottom club Sheffield United on Wednesday just when more trouble loomed for beleaguered manager Erik ten Hag.
Twice United trailed with Jayden Bogle and Ben Brereton Diaz both on target for the visitors but Fernandes helped avert another damaging result.
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He levelled from the penalty spot in the 61st minute after a foul on Harry Maguire, scorer of United's first equaliser.
Fernandes then smacked home a sizzling left-footed shot to edge his side in front before setting up Rasmus Højlund to finally subdue their battling opponents.
Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images
It was another far-from-convincing display from Ten Hag's side although victory moved United into sixth place to keep them in the hunt for a European qualifying spot.
Time is nearly up for Sheffield United who have only 16 points from 34 games and could be relegated at the weekend.
United's FA Cup semifinal win on penalties was dubbed embarrassing in some quarters after squandering a 3-0 lead against second-tier Coventry City and being spared defeat only by a controversially disallowed goal in extra time.
Ten Hag came out fighting this week, branding the criticism disgraceful but the Dutchman appeared to be staring into the abyss as his side again conjured trouble of their own making.
They could and should have been well ahead as chances went begging and Sheffield United keeper Wes Foderingham pulled off several great saves, one from Diogo Dalot in the opening minute and another from teenager Kobbie Mainoo.
But United keeper André Onana then gifted the visitors the lead in the 35th minute with a dreadful pass out that was intercepted by Bogle who ran through to score.
United were level before half-time as Alejandro Garnacho, one of the shining lights in a poor season, whipped in a low cross that Maguire delicately glanced in with his head.
The second half was only five minutes old when United's defence was breached all too easily with Ben Osborn cutting back a pass for Brereton Diaz to stab high into the net.
United looked stunned but were handed a lifeline when Maguire went down in the box and Fernandes stepped up to send his kick into the corner.
Fernandes then showed his class with a superb finish and United could finally breathe easy as Højlund, who scored the winning penalty on Sunday, steered in Fernandes' pass.
Mbappé makes history to put PSG on brink of title
Kylian Mbappé scored twice to make more history with Paris Saint-Germain and put the club on the verge of a record-extending 12th Ligue 1 title, with a 4-1 away victory against second-from-bottom Lorient on Wednesday.
Luis Enrique's side will now seal the Ligue 1 crown if they beat Le Havre at home on Saturday after nearest-challengers Monaco delayed their title celebrations by defeating Lille later on Wednesday.
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Mbappé's brace took his tally for PSG to 254 goals in all competitions, breaking a tie with Roger Courtois for the most top flight goals with a single club in the history of French football. Courtois scored 253 in all competitions for Sochaux, according to the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).
Ousmane Dembélé also scored twice for PSG to put them on 69 points with four games left, with Monaco trailing by 11 points.
PSG were without the in-form Bradley Barcola, Marquinhos, Achraf Hakimi, Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery who were rested a week before the team's Champions League semifinal first leg against Borussia Dortmund.
The capital side went ahead on 19 minutes as Dembele beat two defenders before slotting the ball past Yvon Mvogo from just inside the box.
Three minutes later, Mbappé connected with a Nuno Mendes cross to double the advantage.
Dembélé then put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark when he tapped in from Mbappé's cross.
Mohamed Bamba reduced the arrears in the 73rd minute, but it was too little, too late for a team with 26 points from 30 games.
Mbappé added another one in the last minute with a right-footed effort to take his season tally in the top flight to 26.
Information from Reuters contributed to this report.
Xavi Hernández has agreed to remain as Barcelona coach until the end of his contract in 2025, a source confirmed to ESPN, reversing his decision to step down in the summer.
Xavi, 44, announced in January that he would walk away from the post at the end of the season following a string of bad results, saying that the job had also taken its toll on him mentally.
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However, following a meeting with president Joan Laporta on Wednesday, the former Spain international has decided to fulfil his contractual commitment with the Catalan club.
Xavi was appointed as Barça coach in 2021, leading them to their first league title in four years last season and signing a contract extension until June 30, 2025, with an option for an additional year, in September.
The team ran into difficulties in December and January, though, when they conceded four or more goals in defeats to Girona, Real Madrid, Athletic Club and Villarreal as they were eliminated from the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey.
That 5-3 loss to Villarreal in January led to Xavi's announcement that he would leave in the summer, but it also sparked a revival on the pitch.
Barça went 13 games unbeaten in all competitions, with Laporta, vice president Rafa Yuste and sporting director Deco all expressing their desire for Xavi to continue during that run.
That streak ended last week as Barça lost 4-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League to exit the competition at the quarterfinal stage, missing out on a first semifinal appearance since 2019.
They then lost El Clásico 3-2 to Real Madrid on Sunday, leaving them 11 points behind the leaders in LaLiga and effectively out of the title race with just six games to be played.
However, sources told ESPN that those results had not affected Barça's position on Xavi and that they still hoped he would reverse his decision.
In addition to the league title won and the faith placed in young players, such as Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, Barça's financial situation also played a role in their desire to keep Xavi.
Mexico international Rafa Márquez, currently in charge of the club's B team, and German coaches Hansi Flick and Thomas Tuchel were all on the short list to come in if a new coach was needed.
On Wednesday, though, the board convened to discuss the coaching situation and reaffirmed their preference for Xavi to continue, with a final agreement then reached later in the day when Xavi met with Laporta.
Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored in an impressive 2-0 home victory over Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday that could prove to be the death of the visitors' withering Premier League title hopes.
Everton's first derby victory at Goodison Park in more than 13 years prevented Liverpool from climbing level with Arsenal at the top of the league table. Jurgen Klopp's men are three points behind the Gunners (77) with four games to play.
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Holders Manchester City remain in the driver's seat on 73 points with two games in hand. Everton's victory has them breathing easier, eight points above the relegation zone in 16th.
"Very disappointed in so many ways and I think everyone has to look in the mirror look at their own performances, did they give everything and do they really want to win the league?" Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said.
"Obviously there are still games after tonight, but if we play like we did tonight, we have no chance to win the title. It's a tough one and obviously we have to do much better against a side that is playing against relegation."
Everton were sharper from the start and won a penalty when Calvert-Lewin was tripped by Liverpool keeper Alisson only for it to be overturned by the VAR for an offside.
Yet it wasn't long before Branthwaite had the old stadium shaking in the 27th minute when he capitalised on poor defending from Liverpool, slotting home from close range after the Reds missed several attempts to clear the ball.
Alisson could not quite get his hands on the ball which rolled off the post and in.
Branthwaite is the first Everton player to score against Liverpool since Demarai Gray in a 4-1 league home loss in late- 2021.
Calvert-Lewin leapt to head home from a corner kick to double the Toffees' lead in the 58th minute, and while Liverpool have mounted some masterful comebacks this season, Everton held strong to hand Klopp, who is leaving his role at the season's end, his first defeat at Goodison in his final derby.
"It's extra special, isn't it? Local derby -- I've been here long enough to know what it means to the fans, what it means to me," Calvert-Lewin told Sky Sports. "Where we are in the league, we needed a massive three points and everything kind of came together tonight."
Liverpool kept Everton keeper Jordan Pickford busy in the dying minutes as he leapt to bat Harvey Elliott's shot over the crossbar and then dived to save a shot from Reds talisman Mohamed Salah while Everton manager Sean Dyche looked at his watch in frustration, desperately wanting the final whistle to blow.
It was joyful bedlam when it finally did, with Everton's faithful serenading the team off the pitch.
"Great atmosphere, thoroughly deserved it, was a massive win. Hard work pays off," Pickford told Sky.
While Liverpool, who had 77% possession and seven shots on target to Everton's six, won the League Cup earlier this season, the Premier League is the final trophy up for grabs for the Reds after they were eliminated from the FA Cup and Europa League.
Mack and Morris lead Thunder to thumping win over Sunrisers
Thunder 292 for 5 (Mack 100, Morris 89) beat Sunrisers 150 (Grewcock 38, Cross 3-21, Ecclestone 3-40) by 142 runs
With Saturday's loss fresh in the memory, Thunder would have been forgiven for having a sense of déjà vu when opener Emma Lamb fell early, mistiming a pull shot to Maddy Villiers at midwicket off Kate Coppack for 5 and things got worse when Seren Smale missed a full, straight one from Jodi Grewcock to be bowled for 21 and leave the hosts 32 for 2.
But where that defeat saw Thunder fail to recover from the loss of early wickets, here they seemed galvanised by the challenge as Mack and Morris set about a stunning rebuilding project. Full of inventiveness, skill and some excellent running between the wickets, the partnership began with the duo never allowing Sunrisers' spinners to settle into any kind of rhythm.
While Mack's knock was full of ramps, sweeps and late cuts, Morris frequently walked down the pitch to meet the spinners' deliveries with the combination of finesse and power between the two working perfectly.
Mack reached her half-century off 67 balls with Morris passing hers off 66 as the pair's partnership went beyond 100 runs and into record-breaking territory.
Eventually Morris was dismissed by the returning Coppack who trapped her lbw for 89, but the damage was done and the stand was the second-highest for any wicket by any side in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy.
Mack deservedly reached her century soon after with a characteristic late cut to the boundary before she was stumped off Villiers for 100 - her fourth century in List A cricket.
At the other end, Sunrisers skipper Grace Scrivens was stuck in an almighty rut and had reached just 9 off 46 balls when she skied one to bowler Hannah Jones to make it 36 for 2 which became 36 for 3 after Cordelia Griffith departed for 11 after another caught and bowled for Ecclestone.
The longed-for partnership just would not materialise for the visitors with Mady Villiers and Amara Carr falling to Morris and Ecclestone as the run rate continued to climb.
The one bright spot for Sunrisers was Grewcock who stood firm in reaching 38 as she and Florence Miller compiled 50 runs for the sixth wicket before the former was bowled by Jones and the latter edged Phobe Graham behind for 19.
Ecclestone picked up her third when Nicola Hancock was caught on the boundary by Norris for 15 and her England teammate Cross made quick work of the rest of the tail in dismissing Joanne Gardner for six and Coppack without scoring to end with 3 for 21 off 8.1 overs as Sunrisers failed to score a run off the bat off the last 30 balls of the innings.
Hollie Armitage hundred rescues Diamonds, sees off Storm
Northern Diamonds 275 for 9 (Armitage 103, Glen 53*, Wellington 3-30) beat Western Storm 265 (Glen 3-42, P Turner 3-46) by 10 runs
Inserted, the Diamonds slipped to 89 for 5 in the 21st over before captain Armitage led the fightback to 275 for 9 during her 114-ball innings with 13 fours.
Storm suffered a heavy opening day defeat, by eight wickets against Sunrisers when they were bowled out for 114. So this performance was much improved.
Storm made an eye-catching start, led by Gibson's dismissals of openers Sterre Kalis and Lauren Winfield-Hill. Both had stumps uprooted as the hosts fell to 50 for 2 after 10 overs.
Spinners Sophia Smale and Amanda-Jade Wellington claimed three wickets like Gibson, but it was Australian overseas legspinner Wellington who was the pick of the Storm attack with 3 for 30 from 10 overs bowled on the reel through the middle of the innings.
She had Bess Heath caught at point, fellow Aussie overseas Burns bowled trying to cut a ball too close to her and Leah Dobson caught brilliantly by a diving Niamh Holland coming in from deep midwicket.
That left the Diamonds five down and still short of 100. But Armitage was outstanding.
Last month, the 26-year-old made her senior England debut as a concussion substitute in a T20I against New Zealand in Nelson. Western Storm's Gibson was in the same team.
Armitage, who has scored two of her three regional centuries against the Storm, pulled with authority and drove with grace, supported well by Phoebe Turner's 32 and Glen's late fifty.
She shared half-century stands with both for the sixth and eighth wickets, whilst reaching her century off 112 balls. She was caught at long-on two balls later off Smale as the innings drew to a close.
Glen hit three fours off Lauren Filer in the innings' last over, which went for 15. But the damage had already been done.
Storm did, however, start their chase of 276 positively. Openers Smale and Alex Griffiths shared 59 inside 13 overs before the latter pulled Phoebe Turner out to deep midwicket to fall for 26.
Turner then bowled Smale for 35, only for Fran Wilson and captain Sophie Luff to steady once more. They shared 47 and were well set at the crease when the off-spin of Aussie Erin Burns was introduced into the attack.
And after eight balls, she had bowled both Wilson for 32 and Gibson for 5, leaving the score at 140 for 4 in the 25th over.
When legspinner Katie Levick had Luff caught at mid-off for 25 shortly afterwards, Storm were 160 for 5 in the 30th having lost three wickets for 33.
Natasha Wraith kept hopes alive with 27, only to be bowled by Phoebe Turner - one of two Turners in the Diamonds team along with Sophia. At 192 for 6 in the 38th, it felt like the decisive moment. So it proved.
Wellington hit an aggressive 28 and Niamh Holland a laboured 29, and both were bowled by Glen and Sophia Turner before the former bowled Mollie Robbins. The Storm then needed 12 off the last with one wicket remaining. But Glen had Filer stumped to seal the win.
Scenarios - Can RCB still make it to the IPL 2024 playoffs?
For a moment, however unlikely it might seem, let's assume that RCB win each of their remaining six matches, starting with the one against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday. They will then finish on 14 points. Then, if other results go their way, they could finish in the top four without going into an NRR scenario.
The best-case scenario for RCB will be if the top two or three teams run away with plenty of wins, leaving the rest of the teams fighting for the crumbs. Given the current IPL 2024 standings, it's most likely that those teams will be Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers.
If we assume that Royals will win four of their remaining six, and KKR and Sunrisers five of their remaining seven, then they will finish on 22, 20 and 20 points respectively. In that case, it is possible that RCB, with 14 points, will finish fourth with the other teams on 12 or fewer points.
Can RCB even make it to No. 3?
Since you - RCB fan - are being rather greedy, let's see.
Let's assume Sunrisers and KKR both suffer a sudden, and acute, slump in form and finish on 12 points - so just one win in the remaining seven matches. Let's also assume that one of the other teams, say Lucknow Super Giants, strike a purple patch and win five of their last six. Then LSG will get to 20, and finish in the top two along with Royals. RCB will then finish third on 14 points, with six teams tied on 12. That scenario is also possible if one of KKR and Sunrisers finish in the top two.
So RCB can make it - mathematically - even if they lose to Sunrisers
Yes. With 12 points - the maximum they can get then - they will still be in contention. In a bizarre points-distribution scenario, it's possible for eight teams to finish on 12 points, fighting for two spots.
However, for any of these scenarios to work for RCB, they will have to start winning, and keep winning, ideally by sizeable margins.
Jamie Overton back injury hands England T20 World Cup selection dilemma
But he was ruled out of Surrey's County Championship fixture against Kent last week with a back issue, and will not feature against Hampshire this week after initial scans returned unclear results. He is due for another scan in two weeks' time after a short period of rest, by which time England will have named their provisional squad to meet the ICC's May 1 deadline.
The identity of England's wicketkeeper will also be up for discussion, with the ICC's new stop-clock and fielding penalties for slow over-rates making it more challenging for Buttler to captain the side while also keeping wicket. Phil Salt took the gloves in the final two T20Is of England's Caribbean tour in December, while Jonny Bairstow is the other alternative.
The ECB has not yet indicated publicly whether it will allow England players to stay at the IPL for the knockout stages if their franchises qualify, which would rule them out of the first two Pakistan T20Is. Buttler, who has recently scored two unbeaten hundreds for table-topping Rajasthan Royals, is likely to miss the start of the Pakistan series regardless while on paternity leave.
England are expected to name their squad on Tuesday morning. They will have until May 25 - the day of the second T20I against Pakistan - to make changes but will be keen to avoid a repeat of the debacle last year that ensued when Harry Brook was drafted into their 50-over World Cup squad at late notice after his initial omission.
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