
Will Lionel Messi play? MLS All-Stars brace for clash against Liga MX elite
The absence of the two former Barcelona stars did not go unnoticed - even among their fellow All-Stars."I know they're on the roster, and I don't know if they're coming in today or tomorrow," said New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil. "Hopefully they can join like everyone else. With just two training days, it's difficult to build chemistry."Real Salt Lake and United States international Diego Luna shared similar thoughts."Am I surprised? Maybe a little, because they were named in the squad. But they've got their own individual situations," Luna said. "The only cool thing is, they could arrive tomorrow and we get to play together and have fun."As of Tuesday evening, there had been no official word from MLS or Inter Miami regarding a potential withdrawal. Despite having struggled with fitness at times since joining MLS in 2023, Messi has featured in every minute of Inter Miami's last 19 matches across all competitions - a sign that he is match-fit.However, league rules stipulate that any player who misses the All-Star Game without a credible injury reason could face a one-match suspension - a potential blow for Inter Miami ahead of their weekend fixture against FC Cincinnati."Leo is more a question for the league, for his club," said Austin FC manager and MLS All-Star coach Nico Estevez on Monday, speaking in Spanish. "I simply coach and direct the players they give me. But I hope so - because having the best player in history is important for everyone. I'm always optimistic. Why not? I hope he can be here."If Messi does take to the pitch, it would be a landmark moment for the MLS All-Star Game. The concept, a mid-season exhibition between hand-picked talents, is largely unfamiliar to football fans outside North America. This year, 14 of the 30 MLS All-Stars hail from outside the United States, Canada and Mexico - a reflection of the league's increasing international profile.advertisementAmong them is English striker Sam Surridge of Nashville SC, who enters the match level with Messi atop the MLS scoring charts, with 18 goals each."It is very unique," Surridge said of the experience. "You get to play with some really good players. Training on Monday was brilliant - getting to know some of the lads, a few familiar faces but also meeting people I didn't know. Everyone comes together for this week. Then it's back to business at the weekend."The 2025 match marks the 29th edition of the All-Star Game - the 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic - and the fourth time the MLS and Liga MX format has been used. MLS have won two of the previous three encounters, although Liga MX ran out 4-1 winners in last year's contest.Among those returning for the Liga MX All-Stars is Tigres UANL's Juan Brunetta, who scored and was named Most Valuable Player in 2024.- EndsTrending Reel
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Is Angel Reese Sidelined? Latest Injury Update Shoves Chicago Sky Into Uncertainty Amid Rising Star's Mysterious Status
Angel Reese (Image credit: Instagram) The Chicago Sky were dealt a tough blow on Sunday as questions surrounding the status of their breakout rookie Angel Reese added yet another twist to a season already riddled with adversity. With the franchise battling mounting injuries, roster instability, and increasing pressure in the playoff race, the timing couldn't be worse. A Rookie Phenomenon at the Heart of the Chicago Sky's Season Angel Reese has been the heartbeat of the Chicago Sky's 2025 WNBA campaign. At just 23, the All-Star rookie has dazzled fans and analysts alike with her consistent double-doubles and relentless energy. She recently became the fifth-fastest player in franchise history to hit 750 points, a testament to her rapid rise and impact. Angel Reese 's intensity has fueled the Chicago Sky's resilience, offering fans renewed hope following seasons of instability. Her strong paint presence, vocal leadership, and signature swagger—including a now-viral postgame rant about questionable officiating—have made her one of the most magnetic figures in the league. 'We only had two free throws up until the fourth quarter, and when I asked the ref, she told me it's not her job,' Reese said after a narrow loss to Minnesota—an outburst that sparked debate and reflected her unfiltered passion. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Sunday's Roster Shake-Up Raises Eyebrows The latest concern emerged when the Karli Bell gave us an update that ruled Angel and Hailey OUT of the game. Furthermore, Chicago Sky signed guard Marquesha Davis to a hardship contract, typically reserved for emergency situations when teams fall below the minimum roster threshold. In a season where Reese has become the central pillar of the team's on-court identity—especially with Ariel Atkins already out due to injury—her absence pulls up concern across the roster. Why This Matters: Angel Reese's Absence Could Derail the Chicago Sky's Playoff Push With a razor-thin bench and Angel Reese being Chicago's only All-Star this season, any stretch without her significantly compromises the team's competitiveness. The Sky rely heavily on her defense, rebounding, and scoring. Without her, they face an uphill battle in a crowded playoff race. Reese's situation also comes amid a broader backdrop of league-wide tension. The WNBA is inching toward collective bargaining negotiations, and players like Reese have stepped up to speak about working conditions and compensation. Her growing off-court voice has added a layer of advocacy to her already powerful on-court presence. Despite the turbulence, the Chicago Sky have produced some of the season's most memorable moments. From Angel Reese's fearless attitude to the team's ability to grind out wins with a depleted roster, their grit remains undeniable. The addition of Davis, while born out of necessity, could be another unexpected storyline in a rollercoaster season. As of now, the Sky have not issued a formal statement detailing Reese's condition. However, the roster changes and her online commentary offer a strong hint that she is currently out of action—temporarily, fans hope. Also read: Los Angeles Lakers Bring in Four Undrafted Rookies on Exhibit 10 Deals Ahead of 2025-26 Season With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Chicago Sky will be hoping Angel Reese's return is imminent. If not, the franchise risks losing momentum at a crucial stretch, with their season—and possibly more—on the line. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!


Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
World Cup chess: Humpy, Divya draw Game 2, push match into tiebreaker
Mumbai: A more sedate draw in the second classical game of the FIDE Women's World Cup final between young Divya Deshmukh and the seasoned Koneru Humpy took matters into the faster tie-breaks on Monday to determine the new Indian champion at Batumi, Georgia. India's Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh at the FIDE Women's World Cup final.(FIDE/X) Playing with white on Sunday, GM Humpy was expected to press for an advantage. Despite creating some chances towards the end to push her opponent into an awkward position, the two shook hands for a 34-move draw that was less dramatic than on Saturday. Still, speaking to FIDE after Sunday's game, the teen challenger felt it could've been a much easier draw for her. 'I got into some trouble for no reason,' she said. IM Divya has been the more adventurous finalist across the two classical games, but now enters into a rapid and blitz tie-breaks territory where her experienced opponent flaunts greater pedigree. Humpy, 38, is the reigning world rapid champion, a title she had also won in 2019. In the faster formats, as Divya herself called it, her opponent is a 'really strong player'. 'In rapid, Humpy is the current world champion. Even if it comes down to blitz, she has been a world No.2 before. I think Humpy could have better chances in rapid and blitz. Divya will have to play very carefully because of Humpy's judgement that tends to put her in better positions around the 10-minute mark,' GM Pravin Thipsay told HT. Divya, however, has also shown good form in the rapid format in this tournament. She won both her rapid matches against GM Harika Dronavalli to enter the semi-final. The key for the teen, according to Thipsay, lies in the positions she can get into when the clock runs down to the final 2-3 minutes of the games. 'If it's passive, she will find it difficult to defend. If she has the initiative, she can win. If things come down to less than one minute or so, Divya's speedy calculations can help her,' said Thipsay. While Humpy has been a picture of calm so far in this all-Indian title clash, Divya has had her up-and-down moments. Speaking about it 24 hours later, she would still rue that missed opportunity in the first game, when she could've really pushed for a victory from a 'closing to winning position', as Thipsay put it, before an impulsive moment and a miscalculated move blew it away. For Divya, that draw stung. 'I was quite disappointed with the first game because I saw everything but ended up making the wrong choice. It was quite a pity. Even though it was a draw, it felt like a loss,' she told FIDE. To her credit, the 19-year-old recovered from that quickly and turned up just as composed and prepared with black to thwart any dangers. 'Divya has shown great maturity for her age. She's very professional in her approach, which is normally not seen in players of that age,' Thipsay said. She will need all of that professionalism and maturity for the decisive tie-breaks against her more accomplished opponent in the format. 'She's a really strong player, but I'm hoping things go my way,' Divya said. The tiebreaker will be held on July 28, Monday.


Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh play out a second classical draw. Now what to expect in the tiebreakers of World Cup final?
If the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 wasn't already a physically exhausting and mentally draining tournament, it became all the more so on Sunday after Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy took their all-Indian final clash into an extra day in Batumi, Georgia. The second classical game of their final ended in a draw, pushing the decider to a tiebreak on Monday. While the first leg was a tale of missed opportunities for Divya, the second leg saw a different approach from Humpy, who opted for a non-risky opening with White. She began with knight to f3 from the right flank, choosing a well-known English opening, sticking to her strength, which is positional chess, in the hope of grinding Divya down later in the game. The players quickly exchanged all minor pieces, except for Humpy's dark-squared bishop, which she retained in exchange for Divya's knight, with queens still on the board for counterplay. GM Pravin Thipsay analysed Humpy's opening choice: 'It was expected that Humpy would try to press for an advantage, and that's what happened. She began with the English opening but eventually transposed into the regular Queen's Gambit Declined, the Semitarash variation,' Thipsay told The Indian Express. Explaining Humpy's middle-game strategy, Thipsay added: 'I expected her to play for a better pawn structure, as she excels at exploiting weaknesses. But on move 9, she had a choice between a bishop-over-knight advantage or a superior pawn structure and she opted for the former. In my opinion, a pawn structure advantage would have suited her better.' By the 22nd move, the players entered an endgame with equal pawns, though Humpy sought an edge with her active bishop, placing it on long diagonals. She even sacrificed a central pawn to keep the position sharp and pressure Divya into an error. 'Divya exchanged one of Humpy's knights for a bishop on move 9, and on the 12th move, she gave up her second bishop for a knight, leading to a complex but roughly equal position in a symmetrical pawn structure,' said Thipsay. 'Double bishops are generally better than double knights, but this was a semi-open position with central pawns. I've played this structure many times, and the advantage isn't significant. Divya correctly exchanged rooks, and by the 20th move, a draw seemed inevitable.' 'But Humpy took bold decisions,' he added. 'She sacrificed a pawn on move 23, putting Divya in a tricky spot. Divya missed the best 24th move, which would have forced a draw. After that, Humpy had chances, especially on move 28, where she could have regained the pawn with some advantage.' However, Humpy allowed Divya's position to improve before regaining her pawn, by which point she also forced Divya to end the game by perpetual checks. In the all-Chinese battle for third place, Tan Zhongyi prevailed over top seed Lei Tingjie, clinching her spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Though both players are drained after nearly a month of relentless chess, one can still expect a high-octane tiebreak clash, with neither player likely to back down until the very end. Humpy holds an edge in shorter time controls as a two-time and reigning World Rapid Champion. However, the odds aren't entirely skewed as Divya has never lost to her in Rapid chess. In their two recorded rapid encounters, Divya has one win and one draw. Things will change though, if the tiebreak heads to the Blitz round, the gulf between the two players widens. Humpy, the 2022 World Blitz Championship runner-up, has dominated Divya in this format, winning four of their five blitz games. Five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand analysed their strengths ahead of the tiebreak. He said, 'On paper, Humpy has better results, but Divya has more momentum. Humpy's wins have been shakier, but since the 2024 Olympiad (where Humpy didn't play) she's won the Women's World Rapid Championship, the Pune Grand Prix, and performed strongly at Norway Chess. Divya, though, must be relieved this tournament is finally here. Everyone's been waiting for her breakthrough, and both seem pleased with how things are unfolding,' Anand said on ChessBase India YouTube stream. This will be Humpy's second Candidates appearance in a row after her second-place finish in 2023. 'It's a great result (two Indians in the World Cup final), but what I like is this twin thing that on the one hand, we have Harika and Humpy as two veterans of the game but on the other hand, the last Candidates was Vaishali and now we're guaranteed a spot for Humpy and Divya so I like this combination of one youngster and one of the veterans,' Anand remarked. Praising India's first female Grandmaster, he added, 'What Humpy is doing is incredible. I feel bad calling her a veteran, but this is amazing stuff. She has come from a break, so her ability to relaunch herself, so to speak and even she's specialising in the faster format, she's doing quite well there. If you look at her openings, it's all current. In that sense, she shows that not only she's able to play but she's also fully in touch with all the current developments in chess.'