COPENHAGEN — Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo announced on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) that he had left the team’s training camp in Denmark after coach Jorge Jesus told reporters that the striker would be dropped for their next match. Ronaldo had been due to train with his teammates at the Parken stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday but left abruptly after Jesus’ press conference. The veteran coach had said that Ronaldo, who spent the entire match on the bench against Norway on Sunday, would not start Thursday’s Nations League clash away to Denmark either. “Following the national team coach’s press conference, and after having a conversation with the Portuguese Football Federation president, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” Ronaldo wrote on Instagram. “In due course, I will tell the truth to all the Portuguese people about my reasons for leaving the national team, to which I have always been dedicated. “Now is time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.” Jesus had insisted earlier that there was no rift between him and Ronaldo, although the 72-year-old did acknowledge that his captain had been disappointed to remain on the bench in the side’s Nations League win over Norway. The news sparked a wave of memes on social media and furious backlash from Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro. “They don’t deserve to have the best of anything,” she said about the Portuguese people on Instagram. “We are envious, scornful, and ignorant, and we deserve to return to the mediocrity that defined us in the pre-CR7 era of football.” No incident Following the 2-1 victory in Oslo, Ronaldo went straight to the changing rooms without joining his teammates in acknowledging the Portuguese supporters in the stands. “There was no incident whatsoever,” Jesus told reporters. “Any player — and I was a player myself ... when you spend 20 or 30 minutes warming up and then don’t get on ... no one is happy about that,” Jesus said on Wednesday. The Portuguese coach added that he had told Ronaldo before the match that he would not be in the starting lineup, but that he might bring him on towards the end of the game. “Afterwards, as coach, I decided not to bring him on. It’s nothing to make a fuss about,” Jesus insisted. The former Benfica boss also explained that Ronaldo had not refused to train on Tuesday, as some Portuguese media outlets had suggested, but that he had had to do individual exercises for physical “mobility” and “strengthening.” Jesus had said that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner would train as normal on Wednesday, however, despite arriving at the stadium in the team bus, Ronaldo did not join his teammates on the pitch in Copenhagen. Portuguese media shared a video of him leaving the Parken stadium alongside two members of the backroom staff just after Jesus’ press conference. They also said that Ronaldo’s private jet was heading to Copenhagen.

NAGOYA, Japan — A gold medal for two South Korean golfers at the Asian Games would mean more than a chunk of metal to dangle around their necks. For Kim Joo-hyung and Kim Seong-hyeon, winning gold at the Asian Games — in the men’s individual or team event — would excuse them from mandatory military service at home. Kim Joo-hyung goes by Tom Kim when he plays on the PGA Tour, and Kim Seong-hyeon goes by S.H. Kim. Under any name, they got a good start in the first round on Wednesday toward landing the exemption. The final round is Saturday. “I am 100-percent nervous,” S.H. Kim said. “A lot of pressure.” He added he’s struggling with knee and back injuries and was not optimistic about his chances in the individual event. “Team gold is easier,” he said. Japan led the men’s team competition after the first round, with South Korea and China two strokes behind. In the individual event, Wang Wei-hsuan of Taiwan and Kazuki Higa of Japan were tied at 5-under 65 atop the leaderboard at Kasugi Country Club. Mun Do-yeob, the third member of the South Korea team, was tied with four others at 4-under 66. Unlike his teammates, 35-year-old Mun doesn’t need the exemption. In South Korea, most men serve 18-21 months of military service. “I already finished my military service so I don’t really think about the military (exemption)”, Mun said. “But I want to play good, so we make our team get a gold medal ... to make sure they don’t go to the military.” The format is 72 holes of stroke play. The teams are made up of three players, but only the best two scores count each day toward the team total. Mun led South Korea with a 66 and Tom Kim shot 67. S.H. Kim shot a 68, so his score was excluded from the team total of 133. Japan was in at 131 with Higa’s 65 and a 66 by Keita Nakajima.

Archer Amaya Amparo Cojuangco bagged a silver medal in archery, while the country's taekwondo jins scored silver and a bronze medals in the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday. Tennis ace Alex Eala, meanwhile, secured a bronze to lift the Philippines' medal haul up to 22 medals.

The Alas Pilipinas Men fell short against Indonesia, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22, 25-21, in the classification match of the 2026 Asian Games men"s volleyball tournament on Thursday in Japan.

Max Verstappen said he wants to win “at least one race this year” as ⁠the four-time Formula 1 champion sits ⁠in an unfamiliar sixth place in the championship ⁠standings after 15 rounds. Having dominated Formula 1 in recent years, Verstappen has managed only seven podium finishes this season and is still searching for that elusive first win, coming close with second-place finishes in his past two outings in Madrid and Baku. Verstappen’s desperate charge against George Russell on the final...

MANILA, Philippines — College of Saint Benilde needed extra time to fend off the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 81-79, in the crossover round of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Thursday night at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. Justine Sanchez led the scoring for the Blazers with 27 points. Jhomel Ancheta added 17 points and eight assists. While there were only two double-digit scorers on St. Benilde’s side, Perpetual Help put up a fight with Mark Gojo Cruz scoring 15 points while LA Casinillo and Kenji Duremdes added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Benilde improved to a 3-1 win-loss record, while Perpetual fell to 2-3.

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament   Benilde def. Perpetual 81-79  Justine Sanchez Player of the Game #NCAASeason102

Most of the hype on the National Day undercard surrounded Hot Delight and Jedi Spurs, but it was Sky Jewellery and Ka Ying Lightning who stole the show and underlined their own immense talent with impressive victories. Sky Jewellery stamped himself a potential Group One Hong Kong Mile contender with a barnstorming return in the Class Two Beijing Handicap (1,400m), improving his record to six wins from nine starts after gunning down Hot Delight late. And Ka Ying Lightning maintained his perfect...

Justine Sanchez dropped a career-high 27 points as De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde escaped the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 81-79, in overtime in the NCAA Season 102 men"s basketball tournament.

David Eustace has not ruled out international targets for his crack sprinter Colourful King after he ran riot to win the Group Three National Day Cup (1,000m) at Sha Tin on Thursday. Sent off the $2.2 favourite, those who took skinny odds about Colourful King had very few worries, with the Blue Point galloper breaking well and sitting handy behind duelling leaders Beauty Waves and Magical Control. The latter won that argument handily at the 400m pole, but he was always being stalked by Colourful...

MANILA, Philippines — Jeus Gabriel Yape grabbed the bronze medal in the men's individual poomsae on Thursday afternoon at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan. The 22-year-old Yape scored 9.0900 to make the podium with Thailand’s Navin Pinthasute earning the silver medal (9.2800) and South Korea’s Kyusung Yun taking the gold (9.3800). Earlier, Juliana Mykhail Candelaria clinched a silver medal in the women’s category after posting 9.1300 points.

MANDAUE CITY — Daniel “The Beast” Boiwo and Teresiah Kabui captured the men’s and women’s 21K titles as more than 1,800 runners opened the PalawanPay Trilogy Marathon 2026 in this city on Sept. 27. Boiwo led the men’s 21K field with Arvengie Encinada taking second and Glady Kipto third. Kabui topped the women’s race, followed by Michelle Raniola and Cristine Ann Sardoncillo. The Cebu leg offered four race distances: 5K, 10K, 16K and 21K as competitive runners shared the course with families, friends, employees, partners, and other members of the community. Mark Mahinay won the men’s 16K, followed by Nickson Kosgei and Jerome Casinillo. Michelle Zamora topped the women’s 16K, with Lyn-nel Martus second and Abigael Jerop third. Anthony Orellano secured the men’s 10K title, while Joseph Mururi placed second and Darwin Lucaylucay third. Lijeaven Noay won the women’s 10K, followed by Glaiza Mae Hamora and Joanna Christine Galeza. Zeus Lecera led the men’s 5K, with Oswaldo Arcelo Jr. in second and Bryan Amesola in third. Jane Pangalao topped the women’s 5K, followed by Gretchen Sambo and Ziane Ysabelle Villarico. PalawanPay organized the event with RunRio and the UP Office of Athletics and Sports Development.  The three-leg series also carries a fundraising component that will support the purchase of fully equipped emergency ambulances for underserved communities in Aklan and South Cotabato. Palawan Group of Companies chose Cebu as the opening venue partly because of its established operations in the province. The company has 295 Palawan branches and more than 1,500 Cebuano partners and associates in Cebu. “Bringing the Trilogy to Cebu is another way for us to be part of the community, not just in the services we provide every day, but also in activities that promote health, wellness, and time together,” said Lisa Castro-Sabado, chief business development officer of Palawan Group of Companies.   The company also used the Trilogy to continue its grassroots sports programs, which include tennis, basketball, aside from running. The Trilogy will move to Palawan for its second leg on Oct. 18 before concluding in Manila on Nov. 28.

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino is confident the country would surpass its target of four gold medals in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Tolentino said the country still has a strong chance in multiple disciplines, including jiu-jitsu and judo. “There are still three days until Sunday morning. Last 3 days, still hoping for more golds,” he said.   His bold prediction, however, took a hit Thursday afternoon when top seed Alex Eala lost in women's tennis semifinals and settled for the bronze.  At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, the Philippines finished with four gold medals from pole vaulter EJ Obiena, jiu-jitsu fighters Annie Ramirez and Meggie Ochoa, and the Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team. At press time, the Philippines has three gold medals, one from Obiena and two from Carlos Yulo. Tokyo Olympic silver medalist and pugilist Carlo Paalam and the jiu-jitsu fighters, including Ramirez and Kaila Napolis are still in the hunt for a gold medal. “God willing. Fellow Filipinos, let's pray for our athletes at Team Philippines. They’re still on the qualification stage. That’s why we can still surpass the four, hopefully,” Tolentino said. The POC chief earlier said that their target was to win four gold medals — later increased to eight — for this edition of the Asian Games. The closing ceremony is set to be held on Sunday with Japan handing over the Olympic Council of Asia flag to Doha, Qatar, which will host the quadrennial event for the second time in 2030.

Mapua University handed Arellano University its first loss in NCAA Season 102, 69-55, as the crossover phase of the group stage commenced on Thursday.

The Premier League has won a lengthy legal battle with Manchester City over financial impropriety, but the consequences could leave lasting damage for a league that has long been the envy of world football. City face severe sanctions after being found guilty of more than 100 charges between 2009 and 2018, with an independent commission exposing “sham” contracts to artificially inflate the club’s revenues and reduce costs by more than £900 million (US$1.2 billion). A hefty points deduction...

University of Perpetual Help got off to a sizzling start against La Salle Greenhills and never looked back en route to its fourth consecutive victory in  the NCAA Season 102 juniors basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Thursday. Lord Dulanas collected 22 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals to lead the Junior Altas to a convincing 108-86 win over the Greenies.  Rookie Sizco Roquid contributed 16 points, 5 boards and a steal while Francis Rosales scored 13 points behind a 3-of-4 shooting from the 3-point area for the Joph Cleopas-coached team. Cleopas lauded his team for not wilting to pressure when the Greenies mounted a rally in the second quarter. In the second half, however, the Junior Altas regained their composure and led by as many as 25 points.    Patrick Pasinos led the Greenies with 31 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks.

MANILA, Philippines — Mapua University dealt Arellano University its first loss in NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Thursday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City. Yam Concepcion stuffed the statistical sheet with 22 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and four steals to lead the Cardinals to a 69-55 victory. Ivan Lazarte chipped in 17 points while Lance Nitura added nine points for Mapua. Mapua outrebounded Arellano, 56-30, and shot 43.1 percent (28/65) from the field  compared to Arellano’s 27.9 percent (19/68) shooting clip. The Cardinals also contained T-mc Ongotan, who was named NCAA Player of the Week last week. After scoring a career-high of 29 points against Letran, he was limited to only seven points against Mapua. Renzo Abiera and Yuan Camay led the Chiefs with 13 and 10 points, respectively. Mapua, which suffered three consecutive heartaches, scored a breakthrough win over San Beda University and kept its momentum against Arellano to tally a 2-3 win-loss card. Arellano dropped to 4-1.

Alex Eala still walked away from the Asian Games with a bronze medal for the Philippines, but the pain of coming so close to a place in the final was evident.

Philippines tennis star Alexandra Eala saw her bid for Asian Games gold, and ⁠qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles ⁠Olympics, end in Thursday’s semi-finals after a stunning 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 loss to China’s world No 85 Wang Xiyu. Top seed and world No 18 Eala was looking to become the first woman from the Philippines to win the title. The 21-year-old will instead go home with only a bronze medal, which she had also won at the last Games in Hangzhou, where she also won bronze in the mixed...

NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament Mapúa def. Arellano, 69-55 Yam Concepcion Player of the Game #NCAASeason102

Taekwondo jin Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape secured the bronze medal in the men"s individual poomsae at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday in Japan.

MANILA, Philippines — Favored to win the gold medal, Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala bowed to Xiyu Wang of China in a grueling three-set match, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, in their women's tennis semifinal duel at the 20th Asian Games on a windy Thursday afternoon at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center. Eala, ranked 18th in the world and seeded No. 1 in the tournament, failed to sustain her rousing start and lost to world No. 85 Wang after a long three-hour battle. Eala fully took control of the match against Wang after a 5-0 start in the opening set, orchestrating razor-sharp swings. Wang did not back down from the fight and pulled three straight loves to challenge the No. 1-seeded netter of the tournament, 5-3. Eala had enough with the back-and-forth against Wang and loaded up her swings to take the first set, 6-3. In set three, Wang held a comfortable 5-2 lead, nearing to book her ticket in the finals. Wang finished the match with a loaded hammer, 6-2. Eala fell short in her bid to end the 64-year gold medal drought of the nation, as the last time the Philippines won a gold medal was at the 1962 Jakarta Games, when Johnny Jose defeated Michio Miyagi in the men’s singles final. Wang will next face compatriot Shuai Zhang, ranked World No. 54, making it an all-Chinese women's final.

MANILA, Philippines — Favored to win a gold medal, Filipina tennis ace Alex Eala settled for a bronze medal in the 2026 Asian Games after losing to Xiyu Wang of China in a grueling three-set match, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, on a windy Thursday afternoon at the Higashiyama Park Tennis Center. The World No. 18 Eala, seeded No. 1 in the tournament, bowed to the World No. 85 Wang in the semifinals after a long three-hour battle. Eala fully took control of the match against Wang after a 5-0 start in the opening set, orchestrating razor-sharp swings. Wang did not back down from the fight and pulled three straight loves to challenge the No. 1-seeded netter of the tournament, 5-3. The World No. 18 Eala had enough with the back-and-forth against the World No. 85 Wang, loading up her swings to take the first set, 6-3. In set three, Wang held a comfortable 5-2 lead, nearing to book her ticket in the finals. Wang finished the match with a loaded swing, 6-2. Eala fell short in her bid to end the 64-year gold medal drought of the nation, as the last time the Philippines won a gold medal was at the 1962 Jakarta Games, when Johnny Jose defeated Michio Miyagi in the men’s singles final. Wang will next face compatriot Shuai Zhang, ranked World No. 54, making it an all-Chinese women's final.

Alexandra Eala ended her 2026 Asian Games campaign with a bronze medal after falling to China"s Wang Xiyu, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, in the semifinals on Thursday in Japan.

MANILA, Philippines — Teenager Juliana Mykhail Candelaria finished with a silver medal in women's individual poomsae on Thursday afternoon in the 20th Asian Games at the Toyohashi Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan. The 18-year-old Candelaria showed poise and grace in her routine, scoring 9.1300 points for a silver medal. South Korea's Haeun Jung scored 9.310 for the gold. Thitaree Kaewolanwasu completed the podium with 9.040 points.

Taekwondo"s Juliana Mykhail Candelaria won the silver medal in the women"s individual poomsae event at the 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, giving the Philippines its fifth silver medal.

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) announced that the country will host two World Tennis Association (WTA) events next year with the addition of a WTA 250 event. Following a successful and first-ever Philippine Women’s Open (WTA 125) held last January, the Philippines is qualified to host a higher-tier event starting next year. "We're happy to announce and confirm that late last night we threshed out some details with our franchise holder of WTA 250. We're going to have WTA 250 next year, 2027, late October, early November," Philta secretary general John ReyTiangco said. "To clarify, we won't be replacing the 125. We will still have the WTA 125 in January," said Tiangco. The WTA 125 Women’s Open will still be held in the second week of January while the WTA 250 will be held in the last week of October or the first week of November. The WTA officially approved Manila's hosting application last week, bouyed by the phenomenal international breakout run of Alex Eala, whose matches have continuously drawn packed crowds across the tour this year.

Sha Tin Racecourse was filled with music, acrobatic displays and cheering on Thursday as some 10,000 tourists and local residents gathered to celebrate National Day. Despite Hong Kong sweltering in 33-degree Celsius (91.4 Fahrenheit) heat on October 1, spectators fanned themselves under clear morning skies, eagerly awaiting special performances for the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the marquee Group 3 National Day Cup. Jockey Club boss Winfried...

The Philippines will host two WTA tournaments in 2027 -- the Philippine Women"s Open (WTA 125) in January and an additional WTA 250 event in November as part of the Asian swing.

Alexandra "Alex" Eala of the Philippines will take on veteran Wang Xiyu of China as she eyes a place in the gold medal match of the 2026 Asian Games women's singles competition in a semifinal clash on Thursday.