LISBON: Portugal beat Denmark 5-3 on aggregate to reach the Nations League semifinals on Sunday, winning a pulsating second leg 5-2 after extra time.
Portugal will face Finals hosts Germany in June in the last four after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to brave Denmark.
Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty but later scored a crucial goal, before Francisco Trincao’s late double set Roberto Martinez’s men on course for the semis.
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel stared down Ronaldo’s stuttering run-up to save a fluffed spot-kick on six minutes, diving left and comfortably holding the ball.
But Portugal eventually pushed the tie to extra time at 3-2 on the night, despite Denmark twice edging ahead on aggregate.
Portugal first drew level on aggregate when Joachim Andersen’s panicked clearance looped horribly into his own goal in the 38th minute.
But, unmarked at a corner, Rasmus Kristensen’s cool header put Denmark back in front overall on 56 minutes.
Ronaldo redeemed himself for his penalty error, pouncing on a rebound to score with 18 minutes left, only for Christian Eriksen to then silence the home crowd by tapping into an open goal four minutes later.
Playing in his home Sporting Lisbon stadium, substitute winger Trincao then sent the game to extra time with a late, left-footed strike.
Shortly after the restart, he threaded his second goal through a sea of players to put Portugal in the driving seat.
Trincao was then involved in the build-up for Goncalo Ramos’s clincher in a full-blooded encounter.
Denmark arrived with a first-leg lead from Thursday and departed with their heads held high after their stoic resistance, along with Portugal’s unrelenting attack, ensured a battle that swung either way several times.
Winners of the inaugural tournament in 2019, Portugal are aiming to become the first team to lift the Nations League trophy for a second time.
Portugal beat Denmark in thrilling Nations League quarter-final
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Portugal beat Denmark in thrilling Nations League quarter-final

- Portugal will face Finals hosts Germany in June in the last four after overturning a 1-0 first-leg deficit to brave Denmark
Philipsen wins nervy Tour de France opener as Evenepoel loses time

- Philipsen took the yellow jersey in a frantic sprint finish at the northern city of Lille
- Race favorites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard both finished safely in the lead pack on a day marred by a series of falls
LILLE, France: There were mixed fortunes for the thousands of Belgian fans who poured over the border for the opening stage of the Tour de France on Saturday as Jasper Philipsen won, but star rider Remco Evenepoel lost valuable time.
Philipsen took the yellow jersey in a frantic sprint finish at the northern city of Lille, while double Olympic champion Evenepoel was trapped in a second group and lost 39 seconds.
Race favorites Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard both finished safely in the lead pack on a day marred by a series of falls.
Even defending champion Pogacar appeared flustered at the finish line.
“It was as frantic as we had expected, but when the split came fortunately I was near the front,” said the 26-year-old Slovenian.
“I’m just happy day one is done. Nine days to go before the first rest day.”
Africa’s sole rider Biniam Girmay, winner of three stages in 2024, was second on the day as Philipsen got ahead of him with 100m to go.
“It’s a day I will never forget. This is why I have been getting up early and training hard each day,” said Philipsen after notching up a 10th career stage win on the Tour.
His Alpecin team, marshalled by Mathieu van der Poel, formed an old-school sprint train that the winner hailed.
“What an experience! Those final kilometers, to be part of that,” beamed Philipsen.
Around 40 riders in the first group contested the sprint where one of the day’s many falls happened.
Primoz Roglic of Red Bull and Team UAE’s Joao Almeida were also caught in the surprise split in blustery winds.
Fans packed the route in one of France’s more modest regions passing First World War memorials, red-brick houses and slagheaps from long-closed coal mines along the Belgian border.
Under overcast skies with the temperature a manageable 22C, the peloton cut a fast pace despite the windy conditions, but no rain fell until the riders had passed the finish line.
Racing toward an intermediate sprint over cobbles, escapee Benjamin Thomas slid sideways and took out his sole rival Matteo Vercher in one spectacular fall and the pair were still bickering when the peloton shot past them.
Former time-trial world champion Filippo Ganna was one rider who will take no further part after a clumsy fall on a corner.
The Italian would have been a contender on the lengthy stage 5 individual time-trial, as well as key in the Ineos team’s campaign to get veteran Geraint Thomas into the top 10 on his 14th and final Tour de France.
Philipsen, in yellow, will lead the peloton out for Sunday’s second stage, a hilly 209km route to the beaches of Boulogne-sur-mer.
Sinner demolishes Martinez to reach Wimbledon last-16

- “Obviously very happy but I think we all saw that he was struggling with his shoulder,” said Sinner
- The Italian said his first week at Wimbledon “couldn’t have gone better“
LONDON: Imperious Wimbledon top seed Jannik Sinner made short work of Spain’s Pedro Martinez on Saturday to reach the the last 16 without dropping a set.
The Italian three-time Grand Slam champion eased past his 52nd-ranked opponent, who was struggling with a shoulder problem, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 in less than two hours.
“Obviously very happy but I think we all saw that he was struggling with his shoulder,” said Sinner.
“He couldn’t serve very well. Especially on this surface when you don’t serve well, then it’s not easy to play.”
The Italian said his first week at Wimbledon “couldn’t have gone better.”
“Every time when you reach the second week of a Grand Slam it’s a very special occasion,” he said.
“Even more special here in Wimbledon, so I’m very happy to be in the second week.”
Sinner, a Formula One fan, said he would organize his practice schedule around the British Grand Prix, which takes place at Silverstone on Sunday.
He will face either 19th seed Grigor Dimitrov or Sebastian Ofner in the fourth round at the All England Club.
The 23-year-old took a vice-like grip on the Center Court match from the start, racing into a 5-0 lead.
Martinez was given a time-out at that point and received treatment on his right shoulder before winning the next game to love on his own serve but Sinner wrapped up the set in the following game.
The second set was tighter until Sinner broke in the fifth game, repeating the feat to take the set.
Martinez required further treatment before the third set but it had little impact as Sinner raced into a 5-0 lead.
The Spaniard, 28, held up a finger to the crowd after clawing a game back but that only delayed the inevitable.
Sinner has lost just 17 games in total across his three matches in the first week of Wimbledon, in contrast to defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who has shown patchy form.
The Italian returned from a doping ban in May, losing the Italian Open final to Alcaraz and squandering three championship points against the same opponent in the French Open final.
His best performance at Wimbledon was a run to the semifinals in 2023 and he reached the quarters last year.
India and Bangladesh postpone cricket tour to 2026

- The series, including three one-day and three T20 matches, had been due to start on August 17 in Dhaka
- India, Bangladesh ties have turned frosty since a mass uprising last year toppled then PM Sheikh Hasina
NEW DELHI: India’s six-match white-ball cricket tour of Bangladesh next month has been postponed to 2026, both cricket boards said Saturday.
The series, including three one-day and three T20 matches, had been due to start on August 17 in Dhaka.
Political relations between India and Bangladesh have turned frosty since a mass uprising last year in Dhaka toppled then prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have “mutually agreed to defer” the series, the statement read.
It said the decision was made “taking into account the international cricketing commitments and scheduling convenience of both teams,” without giving further details.
It added that Bangladesh’s BCB “looks forward to welcoming India in September 2026,” with exact fixtures to be released later.
There is deep anger in Dhaka at the fate of Hasina, who escaped a student-led uprising by helicopter in August 2024 and flew to New Delhi.
Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August last year, according to the United Nations, when Hasina’s government ordered a crackdown on protesters in a failed bid to cling to power.
Elections are expected in early 2026.
Al-Hilal showed Saudi league not just about money, says Koulibaly

- “Everyone thinks that when we went there we only went for the financial argument but we showed that we are working over there,” Koulibaly said
- “We want to improve the league, we have improved a lot in two years“
ORLANDO: Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal bowed out of the Club World Cup on Friday, after a 2-1 defeat to Fluminense, but after an unexpected run to the last eight they have left their mark on the global stage.
Simone Inzaghi’s team beat Manchester City 4-3 in the round-of-16, delivering the biggest upset of the tournament and one of the competition’s most thrilling games.
Al-Hilal began their campaign with a draw against Spanish giants Real Madrid and they came through the group stage unbeaten with a draw against Champions League regulars Salzburg and a 2-0 win over six-times CONCACAF Champions Cup winners Pachuca of Mexico.
With a squad that mixes local Saudi talent with international recruits, the newly appointed Inzaghi was able to take the team to the brink of the last four.
For former Napoli defender and Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly, one of the expensively recruited foreign players, the performances at the first 32-team Club World Cup, were a message that the Saudi league is not just a lucrative retirement home for European and South American players.
“We showed that the teams from Saudi are very strong, very powerful and we have a lot of good players. Everyone thinks that when we went there we only went for the financial argument but we showed that we are working over there,” he told reporters.
“We showed it at this World Cup and every team who played against us can see that we have talent. We want to improve the league, we have improved a lot in two years,” he added.
Koulibaly was one of the early recruits to the Saudi Pro League, after leaving Premier League team Chelsea to join the Riyadh club and he said he has witnessed rapid growth in the league.
“I was there at the beginning and I see today it is very tough. We saw it last year and next year it will be tougher as more players are coming. The Saudi league is taking a nice place in the football world and we are happy because we are part of a very nice project and want to show all the world that the football is improving,” he said.
Inzaghi, who left Inter Milan and took charge of the team shortly before the tournament began, says he has been impressed with what he has seen from his players so far.
“Clearly, for me and my staff, it was very important to be able to play in this World Cup. We realized what kind of team we have, the quality of our players, the pleasure with which they work every day. Now we are looking forward to a great season,” he said.
Leclerc tops final red-flagged practice at Silverstone

- The Monegasque driver was quickest in one minute and 25.498 seconds to outpace Piastri
- Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren
SILVERSTONE, UK: Charles Leclerc confirmed Ferrari’s competitive renaissance by clocking the fastest lap ahead of championship leader Oscar Piastri of McLaren in Saturday’s third and final practice at the British Grand Prix.
In an incident-filled and closely-contested session, punctuated by red flag interventions, the Monegasque driver was quickest in one minute and 25.498 seconds to outpace Piastri by 0.068 seconds.
Four-time champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Lando Norris in the second McLaren, a revived Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull and British rookie Ollie Bearman of Haas.
Leclerc was the third different driver to top the times in the three practice sessions following Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton and Norris on Friday.
Alex Albon was seventh for Williams ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell and the RB rookies Isack Hadjar and Liam Lawson.
Seven-time champion Hamilton, who had been among the front-runners for Ferrari, was on a fast flying lap in the closing minutes when he was forced to abort his lap because of the first of two late red flags.
Both incidents were caused by incidents that required the track to be cleared. In the second Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto crashed, but was unhurt.
The start of the session was delayed by 10 minutes to clear some minor debris before the two Alpines and both Aston Martins initiated the fray.
On a grey and cool day, with rain threatening the drivers jostled for top spot as Leclerc reported rain at Copse corner.
The track was clearly ramping up and delivering faster lap times as Leclerc demonstrated again by outpacing Piastri by half a tenth before a late red flag, to clear a broken winglet from the circuit at Stowe, paused the action.
Hamilton had been on a flying lap at the time and was given no chance to run again as the final four minutes began, after a restart, before another red flag ended the action.
This time it came when Sauber’s Bortoleto lost control at Becketts where he snapped on entry and broke his car’s suspension and front wing.
In a separate incident Ollie Bearman lost his Haas and hit the barriers as he headed back to the pits.
In a tight session, the top three were separated by less than one-tenth of a second and the top 14 by less than one-tenth.