The Iranian women's basketball team in the 3x3 discipline secured two victories at the 2026 Asian Games on Monday.
The Iranian women's basketball team in the 3x3 discipline secured two victories at the 2026 Asian Games on Monday.
The 'Melli' team first defeated Uzbekistan with a score of 19:5 at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue, and in the second match, they won against the host nation, Japan, with a score of 18:16.
Mahla Abedi was the top scorer for the Persians, scoring eight points, while Japanese athlete Yuki Hirashita recorded five points.
As part of the women's 3x3 basketball tournament at the 2026 Asian Games, held in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from September 10 to 20, Iran will face Taipei from China in Group B on Tuesday. The tournament is limited to players under the age of 23.
Despite the midfielder from Kaizer Chiefs, Lebohang Maboe, arriving at the national team with a bruise after missing a penalty in the Betway Premier League match that ended 0-0 on Sunday, he will remain part of the 'Bafana Bafana' squad.
The head coach of the 'Bafana Bafana' national team, Pitsos Mosimane, confirmed that Lebohang Maboe will stay with the team, even though he sustained an ankle injury during Sunday's match against Golden Arrows.
Maboe reported for duty with the national team on Monday but was sent for examination following complaints of sharp pain in his ankle. Speaking before the 'Bafana' first training session at the AW Muller University stadium in Johannesburg, Mosimane stated that the medical team recommended caution regarding the midfielder.
Mosimane said: 'He has a minor ankle injury; it looks like no one even touched him. It is sensitive; the doctor informed me that we must be careful with him and give him a chance.'
This injury came at an unfortunate time for Maboe, who was recovering with 'Bafana' after an impressive performance for 'Chiefs'. Instead of immediately sending him back to the club, Mosimane decided to keep the midfielder in the camp while medical staff assess the extent of the problem.
The 'Bafana' coach also expressed hope that Maboe can recover in time to participate in the three matches of the international window scheduled for South Africa. 'Bafana' will play Guinea at Orlando Stadium on September 26 as part of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, and then travel to Egypt to face Eritrea on September 30. Following this, they will play a friendly match against Egypt on October 4.
Mosimane acknowledged the disappointment Maboe might feel, especially after hard work to earn his spot in the squad. He noted: 'We have a three-week camp. He took tests, and the results will show how far along he is, and I think he worked hard to get into 'Bafana'. He must be disappointed by the injury, and no one hit him. Sometimes that happens in football; let's hope Lebo recovers and tries.'
For now, Maboe remains with the national team while 'Bafana' medical staff assesses his condition. The examination will determine the scope of the injury and the possibility of the 'Chiefs' midfielder participating in any of the three matches in Mosimane's first international window since returning as 'Bafana' coach.
Uzbekistan national team defender Behruz Karimov helped Lugano secure a convincing away victory against Lausanne with a score of 4-0 in the ninth round of the Swiss championship. The match took place at the Stade de la Tuilière stadium.
All four goals for Lugano were scored by defenders, with central defender Hans Delcroix scoring a hat-trick. He opened the scoring in the 35th minute from a corner kick, and then doubled the team's lead with a header in the 48th minute.
Delcroix completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute, receiving a pass from Behruz Karimov, who delivered it from the right flank. Lugano's fourth goal was scored in the 61st minute due to a Lausanne player's error when defender Karim Sou directed the ball into his own net following a cross from substitute Mattia Zanotti.
Before Lugano scored its third goal, the Lausanne team had already been reduced to 10 men. In the 52nd minute, home player Seku Kone, who is on loan from Manchester United, received a straight red card for a serious foul on Anto Grgic.
Thanks to this victory, Lugano maintains its sole lead in the Swiss Super League table. After nine rounds, the team has accumulated 25 points, achieving eight wins and one draw. Lugano leads the closest challenger, Young Boys, by six points.
For 19-year-old Behruz Karimov, this assist was his second consecutive contribution to the Swiss club's goals. In the previous round, on September 16, he scored his first goal for Lugano in a match won 4-1 against St. Gallen. Karimov joined Lugano from 'Surkhon', based in Tashkent, in August 2026, and his contract with the club is valid for five years.
A historic friendly match in the T20 International format between India and Japan is scheduled for September 22 (Tuesday). Special attention in this match will be paid to the 15-year-old young player of the Indian team, Vaibha Suryanshi, from whom an explosive performance at the major arena is expected.
Vaibha Suryanshi has already attracted significant attention in the cricket world due to his aggressive play. His ability to quickly score runs at the beginning of the over period makes him a valuable player for the Indian squad. If he is given the opportunity to start the game against Japan, it is hoped that he will provide a quick start to the team.
This match will be the first international confrontation between India and Japan and will take place at the Sano International Cricket Stadium in Japan. It is organized in honor of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Japan.
The Indian team has arrived for this historic match against Japan, as well as as part of the 2026 Asian Games campaign.
It is possible that the Indian team's coaching staff will give Vaibha Suryanshi a chance to start the game alongside Abhishek Sharma. Meanwhile, Sanju Samsana might be kept on the bench. Both players, Vaibha and Abhishek, are known for their aggressive playing style. It should be noted that in the recent T20 series against Afghanistan, Vaibha did not make the starting lineup in any of the three matches. However, he previously won the 'Player of the Series' title during his visit to Zimbabwe, where in July 2026, he scored a total of 151 runs across three matches.
Representatives of the BCCI, including President Mithun Manhas, met with His Excellency Ono Keiichi, the Japanese Ambassador to India in Delhi, before this historic bilateral T20I between Japan and India. The ambassador presented...
The Indian opening pair will try to put pressure on the Japanese bowlers from the very beginning of the match. Now it remains to be seen whether Vaibha will get a spot in the final squad against Japan.
The projected Indian squad includes Shreyas Iyer (captain), Vaibha Suryanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Yashas Thakur.
