Tundra Esports ended Team Liquid’s run at The International 2025 with a 2-1 victory in the elimination round, advancing to the playoffs. The loss ended Team Liquid’s bid for a consecutive title, as they finished 9th–13th.
The series carried high weight for both Western European sides. Team Liquid entered as defending champions and maintained a steady form, while Tundra Esports had to field Tobias ‘Tobi’ Buchner as a stand-in due to Matthew ‘Whitemon’ Filemon’s visa issue. The games showed both squads on near equal ground, but Tundra proved stronger when it mattered most.
Game one turned after Remco ‘Crystallis’ Arets and Neta ’33’ Shapira combined for fight-winning plays. Liquid struck back in game two with precise execution in late fights, dragging the series to a decider. Tundra then controlled game three from start to end, pressing their lead and closing the match in just over 30 minutes.
Tundra now joins the top 8, along with Team Falcons and PARIVISION followed suit after winning their respective matches against Team Spirit and Wildcard, respectively. The main stage awaits in Hamburg, Germany, on September 11, 2025.
Somerset’s match against Yorkshire in a County Championship Division One cricket match at Taunton ended early after heavy rain forced players off the field. The storm hit in the afternoon, and only 42 overs occurred on the opening day.
Earlier in the day, Yorkshire won the toss and bowled first. George Hill struck twice in the first ten overs. He removed Archie Vaughan for 10 and bowled Tom Lammonby to leave Somerset at 20 for 2.
Tom Kohler-Cadmore led the fightback. He scored 76 runs from 110 balls, hitting 11 fours and two sixes. Meanwhile, James Rew gave steady support with 54 not out. The pair lifted Somerset to 155 for 3.
Jordan Thompson ended Kohler-Cadmore’s innings when he forced an edge to Hill at first slip. Tom Abell joined Rew but added only eight runs before the storm returned and halted play.
Somerset hopes for better weather so they can continue their fight in this crucial match.
Thomas Tuchel’s first five games as England manager have brought mixed reactions. While England won four matches, the style of play has left many unimpressed. Critics say the football looks too much like Gareth Southgate’s era as safe, slow, and lacking excitement.
England opened Tuchel’s run with a 2-0 win over Albania, then followed it with a 1-0 victory over Andorra, where Noni Madueke stood out. A stronger 5-0 result over Ireland came earlier under interim coach Lee Carsley, making Tuchel’s scorelines look modest in comparison. Against Latvia, ranked 137th, England managed only a 3-0 win, with two late goals and a free kick from Reece James securing the victory.
The low point came in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal at the City Ground, marking the first time an African side beat England. Tuchel’s side closed this stretch with another win over Andorra, 2-0, though one goal was an own goal.
Fans now question whether Tuchel can lift performances before the World Cup. Results have come, but the lack of spark has raised concern about England’s readiness for tougher tests.
After three straight defeats, Bengaluru Bulls bounced back and beat Patna Pirates 38-30 at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag. This marks their first win in the PKL Season 12. Alireza’s Super 10 and Aashish Malik’s additional eight points helped the team secure the win.
The game started slowly, with both teams defending well. Patna Pirates were slightly ahead at first, thanks to tackles by Deepak and Sanket Sawant, while Ayan Lohchab added points for the Pirates. Bengaluru’s raiders, including Ganesha Hanamantagol, faced some challenges early, but the Bulls gradually gained momentum.
Both teams scored ALL OUTs in the first half, and Bengaluru went into halftime leading 19-15. Patna tried to come back with some good raids in the second half, but Bengaluru kept their lead.
In the last minutes, Bengaluru scored another ALL OUT on Patna, securing an eight-point win. This victory gives Bengaluru its first points of the season and a boost in confidence.
England smashed South Africa on Sunday with a record win in the third one-day match at the Rose Bowl. The gap was 342 runs, the largest in one-day cricket. The result topped India’s 317-run win over Sri Lanka in 2023.
England, sent to bat first, stacked up 414-5 in 50 overs. Joe Root held the line with a steady 100. Young Jacob Bethell stole the show with 110 from 76 balls, his first ton.
His stand of 182 with Root drove the charge and made him England’s second-youngest one-day centurion after David Gower. Jos Buttler then struck hard, blasting 62 off 32 balls unbeaten, while Jamie Smith added a sharp 62.
Then, Jofra Archer ripped through South Africa’s top order with heat and bite, grabbing 4-18 in nine overs. The chase fell apart fast, as the visitors slumped to 7-4 and never found ground. They were skittled for 72 in just 20.5 overs. Brydon Carse and Adil Rashid wrapped it up, sharing five wickets to seal the rout.
Despite the heavy loss, South Africa had already won the series 2-1. Still, England’s huge win sent a bold note. The teams now turn to a three-match T20 run, starting September 10 in Cardiff. England will aim to ride their spark into the shorter game.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill expressed that there is a ‘real sense of disappointment’ after his side lost 3-1 to Germany in Cologne. Serge Gnabry gave the hosts an early lead, but Northern Ireland fought back to level through Isaac Price’s volley from a corner. It looked like a draw, but Nadiem Amiri and Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz scored two quick goals in three minutes to give Germany their first win in Group A.
O’Neill said the team showed pride but lacked the depth to cope with two tough games in a short time. ‘We are very proud of the display, but there is a real sense of disappointment in the dressing room, which is understandable’, he added. Northern Ireland is second in Group A of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers with one win and one loss. O’Neill added that the team must focus on home games in October against Slovakia and Germany.
Micro Wellness, the over-the-counter arm of Micro Labs, has teamed up with UP Yoddhas for Season 12 of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). The tie-up was revealed in Visakhapatnam during the team’s jersey launch, marking a new step in the brand’s plan to reach more sports fans in India.
As part of the deal, DOLO, a well-known pain relief brand, will serve as the official partner of UP Yoddhas. Micro Labs’ leaders said the move builds on their long-standing link with Indian sport. With the wellness market in India set to reach $256.9 billion by 2033, the firm sees kabaddi as a strong stage to earn more trust.
This year’s PKL season opened on August 29, 2025, which was National Sports Day. The Yoddhas, led by captain Sumit Sangwan, made a bright start by beating Telugu Titans in their first match.
After winning the 2024/25 Premier League, Liverpool have done a fantastic job in the summer transfer window of 2025. They want to maintain their success, so they doubled down and broke the British transfer fee twice with moves for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.
This is a great step in the right direction for Liverpool, as they have superstars to build around. They are quite young compared to their foundation of Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk, who are both well into their 30s.
Liverpool have insane attacking firepower
With Isak, Wirtz, and Salah, Liverpool already have arguably the best attack in the league. Add a role player like Cody Gakpo and new signing Hugo Ekitike to that, and you have one of the most dangerous front lines in the sport. This firepower could propel them to keep winning matches through their offence.
This is especially true for Liverpool, as they do not have the legs and depth in the midfield and defensive areas. They lost out on Marc Guéhi, who would have been a fantastic cover for Van Dijk. Guéhi has stayed with Crystal Palace after his move to Liverpool collapsed, as it was too late in the window to let go of the Palace captain.
With those issues in the midfield and defence, Liverpool will try to outscore any opponent they play against. That is a huge task, but Liverpool’s talent makes them such a strong choice.
The pressure is on Liverpool to perform
With the spending they did, Liverpool must be under pressure. They broke the record transfer fee twice, which should mean people will look at them as the winners. They are under pressure to perform, as the Reds must defend their title win against title race rivals Arsenal.
Liverpool will operate under pressure, but their talent can help them get through some of the issues the club has with their defence. With manager Arne Slot leading the way alongside veterans like Van Dijk and Salah, the squad is in good hands.
Defending champions have higher expectations
As defending champions, Liverpool have a target on their back. It will be tough to follow up on the 2024/25 season. However, the Reds must live up to the pressure, as they are a title-winning side, so they must do their best to defend it with everything they can.
It will be challenging to play with these expectations, but Liverpool can get through that kind of issue. This happened with Manchester City, as they lost in the 2024/25 season despite having connections. Liverpool must step up their game and meet the lofty expectations.
South Africa beat England by five runs in the second ODI at Lord’s to win the series with one match left. It was their first ODI series win in England since 1998. Matthew Breetzke played a key role, scoring 85 on his return from injury. Alongside Tristan Stubbs, who made 58, he helped South Africa reach 330 for 8.
England had three players who made fifties, Joe Root (61), Jacob Bethell (58), and Jos Buttler (61), but none of them carried on to make a match-winning score. Buttler played bravely, even celebrating his 50 by looking to the sky after the recent passing of his father.
Needing six off the final ball to force a Super Over, Archer could only manage a single, leaving England stranded on 325 for 9. The victory gives South Africa an unassailable 2–0 series lead with one game to spare, ending a 27-year wait for an ODI series win in England.
The fighting game community (FGC) has been a foundational piece of esports. Throughout its history, there have been a few players who could be considered legends of their specific game and the rest of the genre.
These players have demonstrated exceptional skill and proven that fighting game players can reach the pinnacle of esports. It is as prestigious as other games within the esports industry. Discover the top players who could be considered all-time greats below.
Daigo Umehara
Arguably the most iconic name in fighting game history, Daigo Umehara became a legend with his performances. Known as ‘The Beast’, Daigo is best known for his iconic comeback against Justin Wong back in EVO 2004 during a Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike match. It is now known as Evo Moment #37, which continued to stay with both players since.
Beyond that highlight, Daigo is an accomplished Street Fighter player, having won championships and achieved notable results. He has been dominant across multiple games, including Street Fighter II, Street Fighter Alpha, and Street Fighter IV. Even though he has played across these games, he did not lose a step in any of them when he jumped.
As a player, Daigo always pushed the limits of his characters. He had a versatile skill set that made him a nightmare matchup. Across multiple games, Daigo stayed consistent as he had the adaptability of an elite player.
SonicFox
If Daigo is considered the icon of the older FGC players, SonicFox is the younger generation’s best representative. They are a standout in the FGC’s modern era as they have incredible versatility across many games. They were first known for their Mortal Kombat and Injustice runs, as they loved the NetherRealm games.
However, they made sure to transition into other games, becoming a champion in Dragon Ball FighterZ and Skullgirls. There are many more games he has done well in, which shows their prodigious talent for fighting games.
They have claimed many EVO titles, as he is celebrated for his skill on the sticks and being an influential figure outside of matches. They are one of the most complete fighting game players ever, and that will always stick with them.
Tokido
Another legend from Japan, Tokido is known for being one of the Five Gods of Fighting Games. He has been superb across many years due to his ruthless consistency. He succeeded in multiple titles, including Street Fighter, King of Fighters, and Tekken Tag Tournament.
The biggest breakout moment for Tokido was in 2017 when he won EVO in Street Fighter V. This proved he is one of the best Street Fighter players ever, as he is always prepared for tough matches every time he picks up the fighting game.
