Sports
Arsenal teach Chelsea a Champions League lesson in clinical finishing
LONDON — On Tuesday, Arsenal showed why they have won the UEFA Women’s Champions League and Chelsea have not. It was such a dominant display from the title holders that even two disallowed goals for the visitors could not overshadow the Gunners’ ease at finding the back of the net.
Chelsea needed no reminder of what Arsenal were able to do last summer, beating Barcelona to earn a second Champions League trophy. Yet the Blues were given front-row seats to witness what a clinical European performance looks like in a 3-1 loss that was, at times, a turgid performance from Sonia Bompastor’s charges.
Arsenal scored early, cruising to a 2-0 lead after Stina Blackstenius — who scored the winner in the final in Lisbon last season — headed home Katie McCabe‘s free kick, followed by Chloe Kelly‘s strike from distance that barrelled into the back of the net.
The Gunners knew they would have only a few key chances — 11 in total with six on target — and ensured they buried the ones that mattered early to leave Cheslea on the back foot. That is why they are the only English side to have lifted the coveted trophy.
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Though they had lost control of the game early on, Chelsea responded late into the first half and managed to get the ball into the back of the net. It was supposed to be the goal that got Chelsea back into the game.
Instead, it turned the match on its head.
Veerle Buurman had rose higher than Laia Codina to nod the ball home, but referee Alina Pesu deemed the Netherlands international had fouled the Arsenal defender in the process. It was a soft decision, but VAR was never going to overturn the referee’s on-field decision.
“I don’t think any single player on the pitch thought that was a foul to be honest, apart from the ref,” Lucy Bronze told Disney+. “But I think as soon as the ref gave it, VAR are not going to overturn it.
“It was disappointing because I feel like we could have swung the momentum back a little bit and then it just took a little bit longer. It would have been an important goal to score at half-time. And I think we probably could have got even more back into the game in the second half.”
Had that first goal not been ruled out, the complexion of the game would have looked completely different and may have been the key to galvanizing Chelsea into a comeback.
Indeed, Chelsea looked depleted and though Lauren James had a moment of magic to dispatch a cool-as-you-like strike curling into the top corner, it did not inject enough fight into the side. Some sloppy defending from the visitors allowed Alessia Russo to clinch a third goal.
1:15
Lucy Bronze: Ref the only one on the pitch who would disallow Chelsea’s goal
Lucy Bronze shares her frustrations after Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League quarterfinal.
The referee then disallowed yet another Chelsea goal for a foul on goalkeeper Anneke Borbe in the closing stages of the game. The decision was far more clear-cut given Kadeisha Buchanan‘s collision with Borbe, and Arsenal stood firm to keep the upper hand heading into the second leg.
Renée Slegers’ side seem to have peaked at the right time. After a slow start to the season, and a poor start to this competition in losing 2-1 to OL Lyonnes, the Gunners are hitting their stride when it matters most.
This time last season, they were heading into the second leg of the quarterfinal with a 2-0 deficit to Real Madrid. To overturn that result, it took a mental resilience that plenty have admired. But now to hold on to their lead will require a different type of mentality. It is now their tie to lose and having defeated Chelsea at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season, they will feel confident about their chances.
It would be wrong to blame the entirety of Chelsea’s problems on the referee. They had two key chances early into the evening, one via Alyssa Thompson and one from James that both hit the woodwork, something they both will be regretting with hindsight.
Despite once boasting squad depth to be admired, The Blues have been hit hard by injuries. They had no No. 9 to call on with Sam Kerr absent, and Mayra Ramírez and Aggie Beever-Jones injured. Catarina Macario — though yet to be announced — is no longer a Chelsea player, sources have said, and Guro Reiten departed the club for Gotham FC ahead of the NWSL window closing.
The Blues are also lacking defenders with Nathalie Björn, Niamh Charles and Millie Bright ruled out with various injuries. They will be boosted by the return of Matildas pair Kerr and Ellie Carpenter from Women’s Asian Cup duties for the second leg. So too will Arsenal, however, with Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross all returning home as well. All five were unavailable due to fatigue after Australia’s 1-0 loss to Japan in last Saturday’s Asian Cup final.
This is still effectively half-time on the tie. With a second leg at home, Chelsea will be hoping to overturn their two-goal deficit to reach the semifinals. They did this against Manchester City last season, so hope is not lost. Really, if Chelsea want to succeed and reach the semifinals of the competition, they need to keep James fit and get her the ball in key areas.
Ironically, James’s goal was the best of the evening. She was the glimmer of hope in Chelsea’s games and can pull something out of nothing, even having the courage to chip an audacious ball over the backline to set up her teammates.
She has been in fine form since returning from an extended period of absence through injury and Chelsea scarified earlier results to have her in form for when it matters most. And nothing really matters more now for Chelsea. There is nowhere to hide, and a devastating loss would not be repaired by their League Cup victory and possible victory in the FA Cup, given they are likely going to have to return their league trophy after holding it for six years. Man City are nine points ahead of them, eight points ahead of Manchester United in second.
The pressure could not be higher when they host Arsenal, and the second leg next week will define their season.
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IndyCar rookie Caio Collet was involved in a terrifying crash toward the end of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday afternoon with Felix Rosenqvist and Pato O’Ward fighting for first place.
Collet got loose in Turn 2 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and overcorrected just enough to send his vehicle into the wall. His right rear caught fire as he skidded down the track and onto the grass.
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Caio Collet drives a Combitrans AJ Foyt Enterprises Chevrolet through turn three during practice on Miller Lite Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 22, 2026. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire)
Emergency personnel came over to put the fire out and help Collet out of his car.
He was able to walk away from the scary wreck, but track officials called for a red flag. The red flag stopped the race and gave drivers a breather for what would be a total shootout for the final few laps.
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Caio Collet leads the field during the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 24, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
Collet will fall down the leaderboard as he didn’t finish the race.
The A.J. Foyt Racing driver was making his first appearance in the Indy 500. He graduated into the NTT IndyCar Series after finishing second in the Indy NXT Series last year. He won three races on the Indy NXT Series in 2025.
The Brazilian came into the race in 21st place in the IndyCar standings with 70 points through six starts. He has yet to finish in the top 10 in his first season.
David Maluka talks with Caio Collet before practice for the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis on May 18, 2026. (Michael Conroy/AP)
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The 2026 Indy 500 already featured more than 50 lead changes and was one of the more competitive events in recent memory.
Felix Rosenqvist won the race on the final lap.
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When the NASCAR Cup Series went to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 in 2025, Ross Chastain got into Victory Lane after closing at +1800 to be the outright winner.
Chastain’s impressive win came after leading only eight laps on the day.
Which driver will take the checkered flag when the series goes back to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Memorial Day Weekend for one of NASCAR’s Crown Jewels?
Here are the odds at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 24.
This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.
NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600
Denny Hamlin: +380 (bet $10 to win $48 total)
Tyler Reddick: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Kyle Larson: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Christopher Bell: +800 (bet $10 to win $90 total)
Chase Briscoe: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
William Byron: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Carson Hocevar: +1100 (bet $10 to win $120 total)
Ryan Blaney: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Chase Elliott: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Brad Keselowski: +1800 (bet $10 to win $190 total)
Ty Gibbs: +2000 (bet $10 to win $210 total)
Ross Chastain: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Chris Buescher: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Bubba Wallace: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Alex Bowman: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Austin Dillon: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Joey Logano: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Connor Zilisch: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Hill: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)
Austin Cindric: +5500 (bet $10 to win $560 total)
Ryan Preece: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Michael McDowell: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Corey Heim: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Erik Jones: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
Shane van Gisbergen: +13000 (bet $10 to win $1,310 total)
AJ Allmendinger: +15000 (bet $10 to win $1,510 total)
Daniel Suarez: +17000 (bet $10 to win $1,710 total)
Josh Berry: +18000 (bet $10 to win $1,810 total)
John Hunter Nemechek: +25000 (bet $10 to win $2,510 total)
Zane Smith: +35000 (bet $10 to win $3,510 total)
Ty Dillon: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Noah Gragson: +50000 (bet $10 to win $5,010 total)
Todd Gilliland: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Riley Herbst: +60000 (bet $10 to win $6,010 total)
Cole Custer: +80000 (bet $10 to win $8,010 total)
Katherine Legge: +90000 (bet $10 to win $9,010 total)
Timmy Hill: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Cody Ware: +100000 (bet $10 to win $10,010 total)
Here’s what to know about the oddsboard:
The Favorite
Denny Hamlin is coming in hot off an All-Star Race win at Dover. And while it wasn’t a points race, coming into Charlotte after starting from the pole and leading 103 laps in last week’s exhibition could give him the momentum he needs to grab the checkered flag at the Coke 600. His first and only win at this race came in 2022. In 2025, he started 20th but finished 16th after posting the best lap of the day at 29.37 and leading 53 laps.
One to Watch
Tyler Reddick is having an incredible season. He’s gotten into Victory Lane five times, including the first three races of the year. Cup qualifying got rained out, so Reddick will start from the pole today at Charlotte in accordance with league rules. On the season, Reddick has led 201 laps and has eight finishes in the top five. In 2025, he finished the Coca-Cola 600 26th after leading only one lap.
Sports
Pakistan’s Faisal Shafi becomes first local runner to achieve provisional eighth marathon star
KARACHI: Pakistani runners turned the streets of Cape Town into a landmark chapter of the country’s growing marathon movement as Karachi’s Faisal Shafi and British-Pakistani runner Huma Rehman achieved the eighth star, although currently a provisional star, at the 2026 Cape Town Marathon, a race expected to become the next Abbott World Marathon Major.
Competing against a backdrop of Table Mountain, the Pakistani contingent produced a significant collective performance on the global marathon stage.
More than 27,000 runners participated in the event, but for Pakistan’s marathon running community, the spotlight belonged to a small group of runners representing the country’s running community in the world’s most scenic marathon courses.
Karachi-based Shafi emerged as the central figure of the story. Completing the 42.195-kilometre race in 3 hours, 35 minutes and 37 seconds, Shafi became the first Pakistan-based runner to complete eight World Marathon stars, a milestone considered among the rarest achievements in recreational endurance running.
“This is my eighth star,” Shafi told Geo News after crossing the finish line.
“The eighth Major was actually supposed to happen in Cape Town last year, but due to bad weather, the marathon was cancelled.”
The Cape Town Marathon currently remains in the candidacy phase for Abbott World Marathon Major status.
Organisers announced before the race that every finisher would receive a provisional Major star, similar to the pathway Sydney followed before officially becoming a Major.
Once Cape Town passes its final assessment and is officially inducted into the World Marathon Majors, the provisional star will automatically convert to a fully recognised star, retroactively counting toward your Major
The development effectively made this year’s Cape Town Marathon one of the most historically significant races outside the existing Major circuit. If officially approved, Cape Town would become the first African race to join the elite series alongside Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Sydney.
For Shafi, it was beyond personal achievement.
“I am the first eight-star finisher from Pakistan and the first person to complete eight stars while living in Pakistan,” he said.
“This is a huge leap for Pakistan in marathon running because eight stars is a very elusive achievement. Even globally, only a few hundred people may have completed eight stars.”
Shafi’s run itself reflected the composure of an experienced marathoner. He crossed the halfway mark in 1:39:56 and maintained a disciplined pace through the opening 30 kilometres, consistently running between 4:44 and 4:46 per kilometre before the challenging latter stages tested the field.
While Shafi carried Pakistan’s headline moment, British Pakistani runner Huma Rehman produced one of the strongest performances among the Pakistani-origin participants. She completed the race in an impressive 3:31:34, finishing ahead of Shafi overall and becoming the first British Pakistani runner to secure the eighth world star milestone.
Her race was a masterclass in rhythm and consistency. After reaching 5km in 25:52, Huma gradually accelerated through the course, clocking 51:36 at 10km and 1:16:45 at 15km before crossing halfway in 1:46:43. Remarkably, she maintained almost identical pacing deep into the latter stages of the race, covering 30km in 2:30:52, reaching 35km in 2:56:08 and crossing 40km in 3:20:53, averaging almost exactly five minutes per kilometer across much of the second half of the marathon, a sign of elite endurance management on a demanding course.
Pakistan and the overseas Pakistani community had six representatives in the marathon. Karachi’s Hina Shaukat produced a personal-best performance of 4:31:23, while Lahore runner Amina Sibtain completed her first-ever marathon in 4:44:51. Kashif Zulfiqar crossed the line moments later in 4:44:54.
Canadian Pakistani runner Ziyad Rahim completed the race in 6:54:33.
Hina Shaukat said that the Cape Town marathon was the proudest finish of her running career.
“It was my third marathon, and I was able to shave 40 minutes off my PR,” she said.
“My family was there at the finish line, and they made this one extra special. The photos may not look fast, but the clock definitely was. This was, undoubtedly, my proudest finish yet,” she told Geo News.
Beyond the results, however, the race symbolised something larger for Pakistan’s slowly expanding marathon running culture. Community running events in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore have witnessed rapid growth in recent years, and Faisal Shafi believes milestones like Cape Town can inspire even more people to embrace marathon running.
“God willing, more people will now be inspired towards marathon running,” he said. “Just like the recent One Run event in Karachi, where so many people participated, I believe this sport will continue growing in Pakistan.”
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