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McCarthy delivers in debut, leads Vikings’ rally

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McCarthy delivers in debut, leads Vikings’ rally


CHICAGO — Everyone in the Minnesota Vikings locker room had their own favorite J.J. McCarthy moment of the night. And in the end, they all added up to a thrilling 27-24 victory over the Chicago Bears on Monday night.

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave recalled McCarthy telling him that “he’s got us” as the team trudged off the field at halftime, trailing by four points after an anemic offensive showing. Coach Kevin O’Connell noted the “unbelievable look” in McCarthy’s eyes as the Vikings launched into a fourth-quarter comeback, with McCarthy accounting for three touchdowns.

After McCarthy had an interception returned for a touchdown early in the third quarter, right tackle Brian O’Neill listened intently as McCarthy — a 22-year-old quarterback making his NFL debut — spoke to players on the sideline.

“He believed that it was about to pop,” O’Neill said. “There’s a lot of times where you’re like, ‘Yeah, all right, cool. Let’s go, whatever.’ But the conviction in his voice and how he was walking up and down the sideline talking to everybody, little details about different plays, getting guys locked in in the huddle. It was really cool to see.”

And running back Aaron Jones Sr., whose 27-yard touchdown reception gave the Vikings their first lead with 9 minutes, 46 seconds left in the fourth quarter, recalled seven words McCarthy used once in the huddle: “Is there any place you’d rather be?”

McCarthy’s previous competitive football game was on Jan. 8, 2024, when he was playing for the college football national championship at the University of Michigan. In the ensuing 609 days, he was the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft by the Vikings and then sat out his rookie season because of a torn meniscus in his right knee.

The Vikings committed to him as their 2025 starter as they bid farewell to veterans Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones, both of whom finished 2024 on their roster, and passed on an opportunity to sign free agent Aaron Rodgers. Early Monday night, though, McCarthy looked like a quarterback who wasn’t ready to assume the mantle.

He managed only 48 passing yards in the first half, and the Vikings didn’t convert a third down until his 13-yard touchdown pass to receiver Justin Jefferson with 12:13 left in the game. That cut an 11-point deficit to a 17-12 score, and McCarthy went on to throw his scoring strike to Jones and score himself on a 14-yard run with 2:53 left.

In all, McCarthy completed 13 of 20 passes for 143 yards. In the process, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to account for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of his NFL debut. He also joined Steve Young as the only quarterbacks in the past 45 years to overcome a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter of their debut and win.

McCarthy grew up in La Grange Park, outside of Chicago, and said he largely blocked out the cheers and jeers Bears fans subjected him to. Instead, he leaned on his experience in the semifinals of the 2022 College Football Playoff — when he had two interceptions returned for touchdowns in a 51-45 loss to TCU.

“You never want to earn wisdom that way,” he said, “but it just brought me straight back to TCU when I had that first one early on in the game and then the second one later and at the end of the day. It sucks. It’s one of the worst things you could do as a quarterback, but you can’t do anything about it. You got to focus on the next play. The defense kept us in it the whole time, so it was just on our shoulders to go out there and execute and play as one and move on from that. That’s one of those things I don’t really hang on. And I was really grateful the way coach O’Connell handled it and was everyone on the same page.”

Jefferson said last week that McCarthy’s college career gave him confidence that, despite an uneven training camp, he would perform well when needed. McCarthy is now 64-3 in games that his team starts, dating to his sophomore year in high school.

“We knew he had that dog in him,” Jefferson said.

The Vikings have tried to build a support system around McCarthy to reduce the likelihood that he would have to carry the team late in a game. O’Connell leaned heavily on tailback Jordan Mason, who rushed for 54 yards in the second half, and the Vikings got strong play from their defense and special teams all game.

“But,” O’Connell said, “there’s no way to deny that we don’t win this game unless J.J. plays the way he did in the second half, and most importantly kept the belief of his football team behind him. And now we know it’s possible. So we hope to not be in these circumstances very often, but his team’s made of the right stuff.”



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Transfer rumors, news: Bournemouth ask clubs for £75m to sign Semenyo

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Transfer rumors, news: Bournemouth ask clubs for £75m to sign Semenyo


AFC Bournemouth have set a transfer fee for Chelsea and Liverpool target Antoine Semenyo, while Manchester United are considering a January move for Atlético Madrid‘s Conor Gallagher. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.

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TRENDING RUMORS

– An offer worth in excess of £75m will be required to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, reports the Daily Mail. Interest is continuing to grow in the 25-year-old, with Chelsea believed to be keen on a move, while Liverpool as well as clubs in Europe’s top leagues would also be ready to compete to sign him. The Cherries are expected to resist offers for Semenyo in January as they look to turn down all approaches before next summer, following an impressive season which has seen him directly contribute to nine goals in eight Premier League matches.

– Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher is on Manchester United shortlist of midfielders to sign in the January transfer window, according to talkSPORT. The 25-year-old has made more than 60 appearances for the LaLiga club since joining them last year. since signing from Chelsea in 2024 for €40 million. However, while the Old Trafford hierarchy would prefer to secure a loan deal, talkSPORT reports that Atlético want to move him on permanently for a fee similar to the €40m they paid Chelsea for him. Meanwhile, Diario AS that Gallagher is being “more questioned all the time” at Atlético. The newspaper says the England midfielder “isn’t in his best moment” after the team’s performance dropped when Gallagher came off the bench in the 4-0 loss at Arsenal in midweek.

Bayern Munich have made Crystal Palace‘s Marc Guéhi and Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck the top options in their search for a center-back, Florian Plettenberg reports. The Bundesliga champions are “fully involved in the race” for Guéhi, 25, with plans to challenge Real Madrid and Liverpool for his signature. They could also look to 25-year-old Schlotterbeck as a second reinforcement if both Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-Jae leave the Allianz Arena, with Upamecano yet to agree to terms on a new contract. Meanwhile, Bild reports that AC Milan and Internazionale are keen on Bayern defender Kim. Both clubs are looking at a potential January move for the 28-year-old South Korea international, who has made just one start in the Bundesliga so far this season.

Everton are keen on reuniting with Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison, according to TEAMtalk. The Toffees are believed to be prioritising a move to reinforce their forward line in the next transfer window, with hopes of landing an experienced Premier League forward. Richarlison has scored three goals in eight league games so far this season, but it is reported that Spurs would be open to letting the 28-year-old leave in 2026, with belief that both Dominic Solanke and Randal Kolo Muani would be ahead of him in the pecking order.

– Clubs in MLS are attentive to the situation of RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner, according to Florian Plettenberg. Werner, 29, has played just one minute so far this season when coming on as a substitute in the 1-0 league win over Wolfsburg in September, and it looks as though the Bundesliga will look to part ways with him in January. Philipp Hinze reports that Werner is open to calling time on his spell in Germany, with Leipzig willing to accept an offer worth less than €1m.

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN’s Alex Kirkland looks at what the future might hold for Conor Gallagher at Atlético Madrid:

Conor Gallagher has never quite found his place at Atlético Madrid. Even if some of his qualities — above all his work-rate and energy — look tailor-made for a Diego Simeone team, the coach hasn’t appeared convinced by the midfielder, signed for €42m in 2024.

Gallagher has started just two of Atlético’s nine LaLiga games so far this season, with seven substitute appearances. Last year, in his debut campaign, he started 19 league games, and was introduced as a sub 13 times.

Simeone doesn’t often pick Gallagher in central midfield, in theory his best position. When he does play, he tends to feature out wide in a midfield four, often on the left. The coach prefers Pablo Barrios and Koke — both more creative, reliable passers, with better technique — in the middle, and now has options like Giuliano Simeone, Thiago Almada, Alex Baena and Nico González on the flanks.

Gallagher’s attitude is excellent, he’s popular with teammates and fans, and he is a useful impact player off the bench. But you wonder how long he’ll be happy with that role. A move back to the Premier League seems inevitable at some point. The only question is when it happens.

OTHER RUMORS

– AC Milan recently made an enquiry regarding Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski. (Diario Sport)

– Manchester United forward Joshua Zirkzee plans to ask the club to let him leave in January. He has previously been linked with West Ham, as well as clubs in the Serie A. (Daily Mirror)

– An agreement has been reached between Arsenal and midfielder Max Dowman over scholarship terms. (The Athletic)

– Paris Saint-Germain center-back Willian Pacho has agreed terms regarding a new contract at the Parc des Princes until the summer of 2030. (Nicolò Schira)

– Newcastle United striker Nick Woltemade remains open to a switch to Bayern Munich. (Bild)

– Two clubs in the Serie A have been offered the opportunity to sign Real Madrid Endrick on loan. (Nicolò Schira)

– Borussia Dortmund are “optimistic” that forward Karim Adeyemi will sign a new contract, with talks currently ongoing. (Florian Plettenberg)

– LAFC, Vancouver Whitecaps, and Montreal are set to challenge Chelsea in the race for Randers FC forward Mohamed Toure. (TEAMtalk)

– Clubs in Europe could look to tempt Sao Paulo forward Lucca away in January. A release clause in his contract allows clubs from outside of Brazil to sign him for €80m. (Ekrem Konur)

– Al-Hilal defender Kalidou Koulibaly is set to extend his stay with the club until the summer of 2027. (NIcolo Schira)



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Maresca: ‘I didn’t like’ Guiu training performance

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Maresca: ‘I didn’t like’ Guiu training performance


Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has revealed he warned striker Marc Guiu over his poor performances in training earlier this month.

The 19-year-old had a season-long loan move to Sunderland cancelled after just three appearances at the end of the summer transfer window as the Blues sought to reshuffle their squad in the wake of Liam Delap’s hamstring injury.

However, Guiu did not play for a month until a late cameo against Liverpool prior to this month’s international break.

The Spanish forward then scored his first goal of the season in Chelsea’s 5-1 Champions League thrashing of Ajax on Wednesday.

And ahead of Saturday’s visit of Sunderland to Stamford Bridge, Maresca said: “We had a chat with Marc two weeks ago. I told him the way he was training, I didn’t like and he needs to change.

“He changed and he gets a chance. It is like that. He was not training well, in all the ways.”

Asked why that was the case, Maresca continued: “I don’t know. That’s why young [players], they are sometimes, they are in one way, the other way, so you need to go slowly, slowly with them.

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“Since we chat, he is top, fantastic, working very good, absolutely yes, he is ready to start.

“Marc is a typical number nine, physically strong, a box player. He can improve and do many things better and we are working with him every day trying to help him and as I said already many times, he is going to play games with us.”

Guiu has previously spoken about the difficulty in joining Sunderland only to suddenly return to London.

“It was all a bit chaotic, but in the end, I’m a person who faces everything with the utmost positivity, and that’s how I faced it, now enjoying every moment, because a footballer’s career is short,” he told Spanish outlet RTVE earlier this month.

Speculation persists that Guiu could return to the Stadium of Light in January, although Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris appeared to play down that prospect on Friday when telling reporters: “At the minute we have good strikers and we don’t need anything.”

Asked about the possibility of Guiu leaving in January, Maresca said: “We are in October. I don’t know, also because in football things can change very quick for everyone — for players, for managers, for everyone –so it is very difficult to say.”

Saturday’s game will come too soon for Delap but he returned to full training this week and Maresca suggested there is a possibility the £30million summer signing from Ipswich Town could feature in next Wednesday’s EFL Cup tie at Wolves.



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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1

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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1


The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season in Japan on March 18.

Now, 220 days later, they meet the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

Will the Dodgers be the first team to repeat as champs since the New York Yankees at the turn of the century? Or will the underdog Blue Jays win their first title since 1993?

It all starts Friday night. We’ll have the action covered right here, from pregame lineups to live analysis during the game to takeaways after the final pitch.

Key links: Mega-preview, predictions | Schedule

Live updates

Gamecast: Follow the action pitch-by-pitch here

Lineups

Starting pitchers: Blake Snell vs. Trey Yesavage

Dodgers

1. Shohei Ohtani (L) DH
2. Mookie Betts (R) SS
3. Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
4. Will Smith (R) C
5. Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF
6. Max Muncy (L) 3B
7. Enrique Hernandez (R) LF
8. Tommy Edman (S) 2B
9. Andy Pages (R) CF

Blue Jays

1. George Springer (R) DH
2. Davis Schneider (R) LF
3. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
4. Bo Bichette (R) 2B
5. Alejandro Kirk (R) C
6. Daulton Varsho (L) CF
7. Ernie Clement (R) 3B
8. Myles Straw (R) RF
9. Andres Gimenez (L) SS



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