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Italy Stuns France with 3-1 Victory Despite Losing Arsenal’s Calafiori to Injury

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Italy Stuns France with 3-1 Victory Despite Losing Arsenal’s Calafiori to Injury

Italy pulled off a surprising 3-1 victory against France in their Nations League opener, but the win came at a cost as they lost Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori to injury. The 21-year-old suffered the injury in a freak collision when Ousmane Dembélé was tackled, accidentally catching Calafiori’s leg with his studs as he landed. Despite attempting to continue, Calafiori was eventually forced to leave the pitch.

France took an early lead, with Bradley Barcola scoring just 12 seconds into the match after intercepting an Italian pass and slotting the ball home. Italy responded quickly, almost equalizing five minutes later when Davide Frattesi’s header struck the crossbar.

Italy’s equalizer came through a stunning volley from Federico Dimarco, who connected perfectly with Sandro Tonali’s flicked pass. This match marked Newcastle midfielder Tonali’s first international appearance since September 2023, following his 10-month ban for breaching gambling rules.

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The Italians took the lead early in the second half, thanks to a clinical finish from Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi, who capitalized on a ball from Mateo Retegui. Giacomo Raspadori then sealed the victory with a well-controlled goal, leaving France’s William Saliba behind after receiving a pass from Destiny Udogie.

Michael Olise, London-born and playing for Bayern Munich, made his senior debut for France in the match, having previously represented Les Bleus in the Olympic Games this past summer. However, his efforts were not enough to turn the tide for France, who were unable to recover from Italy’s strong second-half performance.

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Cyclist killed at Worlds not found for 82 minutes

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Cyclist killed at Worlds not found for 82 minutes

An investigation into the death of Swiss cyclist Muriel Furrer has found she was not discovered for 82 minutes after crashing during the 2024 UCI Road World Championships in Zurich.

The 18-year-old died after leaving the road in wet conditions during the junior road race and crashing into a wooded area near her hometown. According to the Zurich Public Prosecutors’ Office, the accident occurred out of sight of race officials, spectators, and support vehicles.

Investigators said Furrer lay hidden in undergrowth and was not visible from the road, which contributed to the delay in locating her. Her disappearance was not immediately reported, and she was only found more than an hour later before being airlifted to hospital, where she died from a head injury.

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Despite the circumstances, prosecutors concluded there was “no evidence of criminal conduct or negligence” by organisers. The race had been overseen by a local committee alongside the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

At the time of the incident, neither GPS tracking nor race radios were permitted in the World Championships—unlike in events such as the Tour de France—a factor that may have delayed the response. Following the tragedy, the UCI introduced GPS tracking for the 2025 championships in Rwanda to monitor riders’ locations in real time.

Cyclists’ union representatives have argued that such safety measures should have been implemented earlier to prevent similar incidents.

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The findings come shortly after another serious crash involving British rider Tom Pidcock at the Volta a Catalunya, where he fell into a ravine unnoticed by organisers but was able to communicate with his team via radio.

In tribute, the UCI retired Furrer’s race number—84—from women’s junior road races, honouring her memory as calls continue for improved safety protocols in the sport.

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Ghana sack manager Addo Just 72 days before World Cup

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Ghana sack manager Addo Just 72 days before World Cup

Ghana Football Association has dismissed head coach Otto Addo with just 72 days remaining before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Addo’s departure follows a poor run of results, including a 2-1 defeat to Germany in Stuttgart and a heavy 5-1 loss against Austria in Vienna. The Ghana national football team have now lost their last four matches.

Despite boasting attacking talent such as Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus, Ghana also failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations under Addo’s leadership.

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In a statement, the Ghana Football Association confirmed it had “parted ways” with Addo with immediate effect, adding that a new technical direction for the team would be announced soon.

Addo, 50, was born in Germany and spent his entire playing career there, earning 15 caps for Ghana. He had been in his second spell as head coach since March 2024.

The upcoming World Cup—set to be hosted across United States, Canada, and Mexico—will run from 11 June to 19 July.

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Ghana’s campaign is scheduled to begin against Panama on 18 June, followed by group matches against England and Croatia.

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Scott Brown Leaves Ayr United Role by Mutual Consent

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Scott Brown Leaves Ayr United Role by Mutual Consent

Scott Brown has stepped down as manager of Ayr United by mutual consent, the Scottish Championship side has confirmed.

The 40-year-old departs Somerset Park alongside assistant Steven Whittaker following a difficult run of nine matches without a win.

Ayr’s form has seen them drop to sixth place in the Scottish Championship after a 3-0 defeat to Raith Rovers, a result that allowed their opponents to overtake them in the standings. The team now sits outside the promotion play-off positions, trailing Dunfermline Athletic by five points, with their rivals also holding a game in hand.

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Brown, a former Celtic and Scotland national team midfielder, took charge of Ayr in January 2024. He initially guided the club away from relegation danger before achieving a third-place finish in his first full season. However, recent results have reversed that progress.

Before joining Ayr, Brown began his coaching career at Aberdeen as a player-coach and later managed Fleetwood Town. He was dismissed from Fleetwood in September 2023 after a poor run of results in his second season.

In the interim, training duties at Ayr United have been overseen by veteran winger Jamie Murphy, along with first-team coach Tommy Tait and goalkeeping coach Dave Timmins, as the club prepares to announce a temporary managerial arrangement.

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