How long will it take Wrexham A.F.C to get up to the Premier League?
Andi Petrillo is joined by analyst Amy Walsh to break down all the action in Canadian soccer news this week.
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Winnipeg Free Press
24 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
UFC returns to Vancouver with Oct. 18 Fight Night show at Rogers Arena
VANCOUVER – The UFC is returning to Vancouver for an Oct. 18 Fight Night show at Rogers Arena. It will mark Vancouver's seventh UFC event since 2010, tying Toronto for the second-most UFC events in Canada (behind Montreal). The UFC's most recent visit to the city was UFC 289 in June 2023, drawing 17,628 fans and a $5.14-million live gate. The mixed martial arts promotion has held 35 shows across 11 cities in Canada, debuting with UFC 83 in Montreal in 2008. In other Canadian UFC news, flyweight Jamey-Lyn Horth of Squamish, B.C., has a new opponent in American Vanessa (Lil Monster) Demopoulos, replacing Czechia's Tereza Bledá, on the UFC's June 14 Fight Night card in Atlanta. Horth (7-2-0) is coming off a December loss to American Miranda (Fear The) Maverick, who is ranked 11th among 125-pound contenders. Horth is 2-2-0 in the UFC. Demopoulos (11-7-0) is 5-4-0 in the UFC but has lost her last two outings. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
38 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Manchester United teenager Gabe Biancheri gets first taste of camp with Canada
TORONTO – Born in Wales to a Canadian mother and Italian father, Gabe Biancheri has options when it comes to playing international soccer. The 18-year-old Manchester United academy forward has already represented Wales at youth level and attended a Welsh senior camp. Now he is getting a taste of Canada as a training player with Jesse Marsch's squad at the Canadian Shield Tournament. Having already represented Wales at the 2023 UEFA U-17 Championship and in UEFA U-19 qualifying, Biancheri would have to make a one-time switch with FIFA to change international allegiance. 'I don't know what is going to happen next,' Biancheri said of his international future. 'I've got some time.' But for the time being, he is weighing his options and checking out Canada. 'All the players and all the staff have made me feel very welcome to ease me in,' Biancheri said. Biancheri's mother was born in Calgary but moved to Florida when she was six. University brought her to Wales where she met Biancheri's father, a native of Sicily who came to Wales for work. Biancheri is also eligible for England given his grandmother on his mother's side was born in Birmingham. While England has not yet contacted him, Italy reached out last year. Biancheri has been letting his agent handle such. Biancheri's mother helped him prepare for his first visit to Canada. 'She was just telling me about Canada, how nice the people are,' he said. 'She also sang me the national anthem and sent me the lyrics. She was excited for me.' Biancheri has been able to play tourist here, having already gone up the CN Tower. In attending the Canada camp in Halifax and Toronto, Biancheri missed out on the Welsh under-21 side's 4-0 loss to Norway on Friday in its final friendly before opening 2027 UEFA U-21 qualifying against Denmark in September. Biancheri spent nine years at Cardiff City FC before joining Manchester United at 16. United reportedly paid Cardiff a six-figure fee for the teenager, who signed his first pro contract upon turning 17 in September 2023. While comfortable at Cardiff, the club he grew up supporting, Biancheri decided it was time for a move. 'I wanted to test myself and put myself in the deep end … I needed that challenge,' he said. 'There were teams looking at me. But when United comes, it's very hard to say no,' he added. 'It's one of the biggest clubs in the world.' Last season he started with United under-18 team before moving up to the under-21 side that plays young talent from other top teams in Premier League 2. 'I'm enjoying it. Obviously being at such a big club has its benefits — travelling around. playing the best teams in the U.K. and Europe,' he said. Biancheri, who stands five foot 10, says his favourite role is playing up front as a No. 9. 'I'm not the biggest or the fastest or the strongest, but I know where to be,' he said. 'And that will always get me goals. And I've got an eye for a goal as well. 'But I can also play out wide or just behind or off the striker.' Football has always been his game. 'My first word was ball,' he said with a smile. Biancheri, who has two more years plus an option on his United contract, knew Canadian defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, having played against him in England. And he talked to Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles in advance of the Canada camp to get the lay of the land, with Marsch putting the two in contact. Biancheri says the intensity of Canadian training sessions surprised him. Marsch clearly likes what he sees in Biancheri. 'He's a dynamic player. He's very good around the goal,' said Marsch. 'He's technically gifted. You can see he's an intelligent player. 'He's a version of Jonathan David. He's not exactly the same player but he's a striker that can play up on the backline but also is good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the buildup phase.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. In Manchester, Biancheri still lives with a host family and one of his young United teammates. He has already had a couple of training sessions with the United first team. 'A good experience,' he said. 'Watching them on TV when I was growing up and watching them on TV now and then getting a chance with them is always nice. It's good experience and it's also challenges me and develops me. And it's what I need.' — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 9, 2025.
Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and OKC Thunder recalibrated and have Pacers in trouble
More calculating, more efficient, the MVP took what he wanted in Game 2. Get the latest from Ryan Wolstat straight to your inbox Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots against Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard during Game 2 of the NBA Finals. AP Photo Maybe this won't be much of a series after all. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account That was the initial thought after Oklahoma City mauled the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, making up for a stunning Game 1 loss in the NBA Finals. This Thunder team is a juggernaut (you don't win 68 games easily) and the team looked much more like its usual self in tying things up. Some takeaways from Game 2: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander never really looks uncomfortable — his cool, calm demeanour is part of his unflappable package — but like his teammates, he wasn't quite himself in Game 1. He forced some shots (30 in all, just the sixth time in his career he has attempted at least 30, including two in these playoffs) and seemed to be recalibrating to how Indiana was keying on him. Well, mission accomplished. Sunday was vintage Gilgeous-Alexander, as the Canadian guard dominated. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He looked to facilitate a lot more and attacked, with 12 of his 21 attempts coming in the paint, but was probing with more of a purpose than in the previous game. He actually drove more in Game 1, but had more turnovers and fewer assists and shot a lower percentage. This time, Gilgeous-Alexander generated 12 trips to the free-throw line and six of his eight assists were on three-point makes, with three of the assists coming off drives. Nobody can stop Gilgeous-Alexander from driving, he's the best in the NBA at it for a reason, but when he also knows what's coming and does exactly what he wants to — which happened far more often Sunday than in the opener — it makes Oklahoma City extremely tough to handle. STICKING WITH IT Thunder coach Mark Daigneault had thrown a curve ball ahead of Game 1 by going small. Out was centre Isaiah Hartenstein, who had started 53 of 57 regular-season appearances and all 16 in the playoffs until then, and in was guard Cason Wallace. The move was made even though the previous lineup had gone 12-4 in the playoffs and 9-4 in the regular season. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The old adage might be 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it,' but Daigneault tinkered anyway. It didn't pay immediate dividends (Chet Holmgren, who had spent about 40% of the time at power forward, became the lone big man on the floor and struggled mightily, shooting 2-for-9 for six points, Wallace went 3-for-9) and defensively they couldn't keep the Pacers in check. But the Thunder stuck with the move Sunday (perhaps because they had been 6-0 with this group during the year) and Holmgren, the team's third-best player, who had been all but invisible to start the series (one basket after an early layup), broke out. Holmgren again got an early bucket (a layup after missing a first attempt and grabbing his own rebound), and he looked a lot more involved. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More The stretch big man was the main reason the Thunder led by six after a quarter and he had another strong stretch in the second when the game got broken open with a block, dunk and assist setting up a three-pointer. Holmgren was pretty quiet the rest of the way, but he'd made his impact. Meanwhile, Hartenstein was great off the bench (even if his stats didn't indicate that), the reserves dominated Indiana (Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins each had more points than any Indiana player), and the smaller, quicker first group was disruptive. STATS PACK In picking our favourite stats from Game 2, a common theme emerged — Gilgeous-Alexander's season for the ages just keeps on going: This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed Allen Iverson for most points by a player through his first two Finals games. Gilgeous-Alexander eclipsed Allen Iverson for most points by a player through his first two Finals games. He tied Michael Jordan and LeBron James with 11 games in one playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists. He tied Michael Jordan and LeBron James with 11 games in one playoffs with at least 30 points and five assists. The Thunder has still only lost two straight games twice all year, not once in the playoffs. The Thunder has still only lost two straight games twice all year, not once in the playoffs. Indiana's the first team without a 20-point scorer through two games since Miami in 2013. Indiana's the first team without a 20-point scorer through two games since Miami in 2013. OKC's 33 free-throw attempts were the third-most by a team in a Finals game since 2016. OKC's 33 free-throw attempts were the third-most by a team in a Finals game since 2016. And one for Caruso, the elite defensive guard who isn't known for his scoring. Caruso's 20 points tied his playoff high (also done against Denver) and most amazingly, he only has scored at least 20 five times in 417 career regular-season games. @WolstatSun World Sunshine Girls Golf Canada Editorial Cartoons
