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USMNT milestone: Weston McKennie and Tim Weah combine for special Juventus strike

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USMNT milestone: Weston McKennie and Tim Weah combine for special Juventus strike

In a week when he lamented a bias against United States men’s national team players in Europe, Weston McKennie did what he does best.

In adversity, the midfielder stood up to be counted and proved that you write him and his USMNT team-mates off at your peril.

Left on the bench, alongside compatriot Tim Weah, for their Italian club Juventus as they hosted Manchester City, the pair combined as second-half substitutes to help secure a statement win against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Only six minutes after their introduction to the contest, McKennie started a move by finding Weah and then burst into the box, before the latter sent a perfect cross to the back post for the Texan to volley spectacularly past Ederson.

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It made the score 2-0 against the reigning Premier League champions and created a slice of men’s Champions League history in the process.

It was the first time an American has assisted another American for a goal in Europe’s premier club competition. “There was a lovely, lazy confidence about the way Timothy Weah tossed it into the path of his fellow countryman,” said commentator Clive Tyldesley on Paramount +.

“I was falling over,” McKennie said post-match. “Nah, I’m just playing. We’ve seen it before, I did it also against Barcelona.”


McKennie and Weah are bringing their USMNT bond to club level (Valerio Pennicino / Getty Images)

There was a timely resonance to the moment, especially for McKennie, who spoke of his frustration at the perceived prejudice against American players in excerpts from a new Paramount + documentary about Christian Pulisic.

“There is definitely a bias,” said McKennie, who has had to prove himself to two different managers in the last two summers after appearing to be surplus to requirements in Turin. “I go through it most of the time when I’m at Juventus. Every year somehow I’m on the out and ready to be discarded, and every summer I’m like a new player coming in looking to make a name for myself.”

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McKennie has only started three Champions League games out of a possible six for Juventus, and on Wednesday found himself initially benched with Weah, having recently recovered from muscle issues that had limited his involvement.

After the final whistle Juventus’ X account published a photograph of the pair with the caption ‘American connection’ and a stars and stripes emoji. The win moved Thiago Motta’s side up to 14th in the Champions League table and boosted their chances of automatic qualification for the last 16 of the tournament, with two fixtures of the initial league phase to go.

It was a Champions League night which began inauspiciously for the Americans in Europe — with Christian Pulisic injured for Milan, striker Folarin Balogun sidelined for Monaco and McKennie and Weah on the bench. The previous evening, in-form striker Ricardo Pepi started on the bench as PSV lost to Brest, while Malik Tillman had a tough night in the same game.

Gio Reyna bucked that trend though, given his first start of the season in any competition for Borussia Dortmund in their home meeting with Barcelona.

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Reyna started in midfield against the Catalan giants, a major upturn on his recent minimal game time from the bench in the Bundesliga, where his campaign to date has been ruined by groin problems.


A positive step for Gio Reyna despite Dortmund’s defeat to Barcelona (Photo by Lars Baron / Getty Images)

But the 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 73 minutes of a pulsating 3-2 defeat at Signal Iduna Park, in a sign he is ready to take on a more meaningful role in Nuri Sahin’s team going forward. Against Barcelona, no other Dortmund player made more passes into the final third than Reyna’s six, according to Fotmob.

He was back in the starting XI on the second anniversary of the start of a spectacular feud with former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter that left a sour note on their relationship after the 2022 World Cup.

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Gio Reyna apologized to U.S. teammates over his lack of effort, sources say

At the San Siro, Milan’s USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah was another who started for his team, as the Rossoneri ran out 2-1 winners against Red Star Belgrade.

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But the headline grabber came in Turin, where there was a distinctly American touch to Manchester City’s latest struggle, and where the goal of the night might have done a little to ease that supposed stigma.

(Top photo: Valerio Pennicino / Getty Images)

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MLB prospect, 24, fighting for life after Dominican Republic car crash kills 3 people

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MLB prospect, 24, fighting for life after Dominican Republic car crash kills 3 people

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An MLB prospect is under “intensive medical care” after a car crash in the Dominican Republic that killed three people.

Antonio Jimenez, a 24-year-old pitcher in the San Francisco Giants farm system, fractured his femur and spine and suffered “several” lacerations as a result of the Monday morning crash.

An SUV collided with two scooters in front of an Altice office building in San Pedro de Macoris, according to a local outlet.

 

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Antonio Jimenez of the San Francisco Giants throws a bullpen session at Scottsdale Stadium on Feb. 12, 2025 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images)

“We are aware of the tragic car accident involving one of our players, Antonio Jiménez, and are in the process of gathering more information,” the team said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Out of respect for everyone affected and due to the ongoing investigation, we will refrain from further comment at this time.”

“Our prayers are with our pitcher Antonio Jiménez, who suffered several injuries in a regrettable traffic accident,” Jimenez’s Dominican Winter League team, Toros del Este, said on X. “We extend our condolences and prayers to the families of the victims who lost their lives in the incident.”

Antonio Jimenez of the Montgomery Biscuits pitches during the game between the Montgomery Biscuits and the Birmingham Barons at Rickwood Field  on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama.  (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Prospect Savant lists Jimenez as the Giants’ 31st-ranked prospect.

Pitching for the team’s Triple-A affiliate this season, he recorded a 3.55 ERA with opponents hitting .217 off him in 45.2 innings pitched. He struck out 27.9% of the batters he has faced but walked 17.3% of them.

Antonio Jimenez of the Montgomery Biscuits looks on during the game between the Montgomery Biscuits and the Birmingham Barons at Rickwood Field on Tuesday, June 18, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama.  (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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Jimenez has been in the minor leagues since he was 18, beginning as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays organization. He joined the Giants ahead of this past season.

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Spitting on Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey to cost Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase $500,000 for 1-game suspension

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Spitting on Steelers’ Jalen Ramsey to cost Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase 0,000 for 1-game suspension

It was a spat — or a spit — between two All-Pro NFL players: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey.

And it’s going to cost Chase a half a million dollars unless the appeal he filed goes his way.

Chase was caught on video spitting in Ramsey’s direction during Cincinnati’s lopsided loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Ramsey retaliated by throwing a punch at Chase and was ejected.

The NFL suspended Chase for one game, which would cost him a week’s pay plus a bonus for being on the active roster totaling $507,156.

After the game, Chase denied spitting and referee Bill Vinovich told pool reporters “We did not see anything that rose to that level at all.” However, video captured the mid-air saliva.

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Ramsey, a 10-year veteran who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, responded violently and had to be restrained.

“I’m always going to be all for trash talking … stuff like that,” Ramsey told reporters after the game. “I actually enjoy that part of the game. I think people know that. But as soon as he spit, it was like ‘f— that.’”

Ramsey, 31, said that Chase snatched his mouthpiece earlier in the game, which prompted a scuffle that resulted in offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Chase had been guilty of that behavior before against the division rival Steelers, grabbing the mouthpiece of defensive back Ahkello Witherspoon and flipping off safety Minkah Fitzpatrick during a game in 2022. Chase was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Ramsey, who played for the Rams from 2019-2022, is a seven-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro cornerback on a Hall of Fame trajectory.

Chase, 25, has been an elite receiver since being drafted out of LSU in 2021. He was Rookie of the Year and an All-Pro in 2021 and last season again was an All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 127 catches, 1,708 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.

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This season he already has 79 receptions, including 16 for 161 yards in the Bengals’ 33-30 victory over the Steelers on Oct. 16. Last Sunday, however, he had only three catches for 30 yards in the 34-12 loss.

Despite the appeal, Bengals coach Zac Taylor made no excuses for Chase’s actions Monday.

“Obviously what happened is crossing the line, and we can’t have that,” Taylor said. “I know he’ll own up to that.”

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Cam Newton accuses Browns coach Kevin Stefanski of not wanting Shedeur Sanders to succeed

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Cam Newton accuses Browns coach Kevin Stefanski of not wanting Shedeur Sanders to succeed

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Shedeur Sanders made his regular-season debut for the Cleveland Browns during the team’s 23-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and it wasn’t the outing he would’ve hoped for in his first real action in the NFL.

Sanders went 4-of-16 for 47 yards, was sacked twice and threw an interception. The Ravens ultimately saw tight end Mark Andrews score a rushing touchdown in the 23-17 victory.

Sanders was critical of himself after the game, but former NFL quarterback Cam Newton said this game backed up an opinion he’s had for quite a while.

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Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns warms up before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field on Nov. 16, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

“I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: I do not think Kevin Stefanski wants Shedeur Sanders to succeed in Cleveland,” Newton said on ESPN’s “First Take”. “The reason being is, don’t tell me what he said, don’t tell me what he’s saying. I’m going off of actions – alright? Let’s go off actions.

“The actions is, if I’m Shedeur, or if I’m a Shedeur Sanders fan, I would not want him to take the field because that’s going to consistently be the display we’re going to see. It doesn’t matter if it’s Deshaun Watson, it doesn’t matter if it’s Shedeur Sanders, it doesn’t matter if it’s Dillon Gabriel, it doesn’t matter if it’s Dan Orlovsky, it doesn’t matter if it’s Cam Newton. You need help in Cleveland. When you have a quarterback that’s still making $46 million on your roster, and he’s not healthy, that impacts the talent that’s around him. They are not a good team.”

The Browns are 2-8 this season, and Sanders marks the third quarterback change since the regular season began. At first, 41-year-old journeyman Joe Flacco was leading the way in Stefanski’s offense, but he was benched, leading to rookie Dillon Gabriel taking over.

BROWNS’ SHEDEUR SANDERS OFFERS BLUNT CRITIQUE OF PERFORMANCE IN NFL DEBUT

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After Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Gabriel became the full-time starter with Sanders backing him up. It’s been a struggle for Gabriel, who went 7-of-10 passing for 68 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions Sunday before Stefanski turned to Sanders after Gabriel suffered a concussion.

Newton believes Sanders is being set up to fail, saying the Colorado product and son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders isn’t being given a fair chance to make his mark in Cleveland.

“But this is the thing that really irks me the most… because [Sanders] doesn’t get any reps,” Newton said. “Circa 2015, circa when Cam Newton was the MVP, circa when, hey, my backup for [the] majority of my career was probably the biggest blessing of my career, to have a veteran in Derek Anderson. Ron Rivera still knew, ‘We’re one play away, kid, from you not being available.’”

Cam Newton attends the BET Awards Media House on June 29, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.  (Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for BET)

Sanders was blunt in his postgame press conference while discussing his performance in his first regular-season action.

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“I don’t think I played good,” Sanders said. I think there’s a lot of things we need to look at during the week and go and just get comfortable with even throwing routes with Jerry [Jeudy] and throwing routes with all those guys.

“I think that was my first ball to him all year,” he continued. “But other than that, I just think overall, we just got to go next week and understand, so that we have a week to prepare stuff I like to do.”

To Newton’s point, Sanders hadn’t received any first-team reps in practice before this game. He started the season as the team’s third-string quarterback before moving to Gabriel’s backup after the Flacco trade.

Despite the poor outing, Sanders’ confidence isn’t wavering as the Browns move on to next week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders on the road.

Shedeur Sanders of the Cleveland Browns walks off the field after losing to the Baltimore Ravens 23-16 at Huntington Bank Field on Nov. 16, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

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“I still have the same confidence. I’m still me,” he said. “I’ll never go anywhere. You know, just going out there, seeing daylight, that’s all I needed to see how they move out there. Playing against a great defense. You got guys from the Pro Bowl out there, so it’s exciting to see. Okay, this is what it’s like? Alright. This is what it’s like? I’m excited for it. So, you know, I just got to take this one and build on it.”

Stefanski has not named a starting quarterback for the Raiders matchup, though an announcement is expected later this week.

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