Harry Kane marked his record-equalling 125th England cap with two goals in a 3-0 win over Czechia on Tuesday, keeping the Three Lions three points behind perfect Spain in Group A3 of the Uefa Nations League.

Kane, equalling Peter Shilton’s appearance record, took his England scoring record to 91 goals.

England led after 27 minutes when Vladimir Coufal turned an England cross into his own net, before Kane finished a slick team move on 40 minutes to wrong-foot the keeper.

He hit the crossbar early in the second half then headed home a corner for 3-0 just before the hour mark.

England lost their opener at home to Spain but have now won three straight matches and will reach the quarter-finals should they avoid heavy defeat to Croatia in their next game.

Elsewhere, Spain fought back to beat Croatia 2-1 to stay perfect and book their last eight spot, stretching their unbeaten run to 42 games.

Ivan Perisic, Kane’s former Spurs teammate, headed Croatia ahead after 17 minutes after Unai Simon parried Igor Matanovic’s drive.

Dani Olmo teed up substitute Mikel Merino to level on 61 minutes, before Perisic was sent off for a second booking.

Merino, who also scored off the bench against Czechia on Saturday, then turned and fired in the winner with a minute remaining.

With the international break now wrapped up, attention will turn to club football after what was a lengthy pause to proceedings.

Puso Dithejane’s second-half goal gave South Africa a hard-fought 1-0 friendly win over Egypt at the Cairo International Stadium on Sunday night to maintain Pitso Mosimane’s perfect start.

The result makes it three wins from three for Bafana Bafana under Mosimane in this window.

Hossam Hassan’s side started the better team and should have led in the ninth minute when Tottenham Hotspur forward Omar Marmoush failed to hit the target from close range.

Bafana grew into the contest and threatened on the counter, with Mohamed Shobeir saving well from Cassius Mailula’s powerful drive in the 25th minute. Ibrahim Adel shot straight at Sipho Chaine at the other end. The sides went in goalless at the break.

The breakthrough came six minutes after the restart after a costly error from Shobeir.

The Egypt goalkeeper rushed out of his box and failed to clear, allowing Dithejane to pounce and fire into an empty net for his first international goal.

Substitute Hamza Abdelkarim was denied by Ricardo Goss in the 71st minute as South Africa held firm to secure the win.

Bafana will now turn their focus to next month’s back-to-back 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya.

Egypt, beaten for the first time since their 2026 World Cup elimination by Argentina, will look to respond when they face Malawi in their AFCON qualifiers.

Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the season with an imperious drive in chaotic, storm-delayed conditions at the Bahrain GP, which took place in Malaysia on Sunday.

Nine years after the last Formula One race at Sepang, the four-time world champion delivered Red Bull’s first win of the year, his 72nd career victory and first since Abu Dhabi last year.

He finished 2.307 seconds ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

The race started almost two hours late after a tropical downpour, with half the field on intermediate tyres.

Mercedes made the early call pay, with Antonelli sweeping past Verstappen at turn one with George Russell following through.

Lewis Hamilton, who started on soft slicks, had no grip and tumbled down the order.

A safety car on lap nine after Valtteri Bottas slid into the gravel changed a lot. Most pitted for dry tyres, Verstappen for softs and Antonelli for mediums. Hamilton stayed out, and at the restart Verstappen pounced to reclaim the lead he would not lose.

Hamilton produced a thrilling recovery from more than a minute down to finish third behind Antonelli, passing Isack Hadjar in a final four-lap dash after a late safety car.

Charles Leclerc recovered from last to fourth, ahead of Hadjar, Oscar Piastri and Liam Lawson. Antonelli now leads Russell by 84 points after his teammate retired with a power failure.

World champions Spain were forced to dig deep for a 3-1 win over Czech Republic on Saturday to make it 41 games unbeaten, while England produced their best display under Thomas Tuchel to thrash Croatia 7-0.

In Oviedo, Spain secured a third straight win in Group A3 thanks to an exquisite opener from Lamine Yamal, before Rodri doubled the lead.

Jiri Slama pulled one back for the Czechs as they threatened a comeback, but substitute Mikel Merino – just as he did at the World Cup – came off the bench to seal the victory.

In Rijeka, England responded to last week’s loss to Spain in emphatic fashion.

Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka both scored twice while Jude Bellingham also netted and provided three assists.

Spain lead the group with nine points, while England sit second on six.

Elsewhere, Scotland beat North Macedonia 2-0 to give new boss Sebastien Pocognoli his first win, while Switzerland edged Slovenia 2-1 to stay perfect in Group B1.

The Nations League action continues through until Tuesday before the club season resumes on the weekend.

Relebohile Mofokeng netted twice as South Africa thumped Eritrea 5-0 to make it two wins from two in Group D of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Wednesday.

The victory takes Bafana Bafana to six points at the top of the table, five clear of second-placed Kenya ahead of their clash with Guinea on Thursday.

Eritrea started brightly and should have led through Ali Sulieman, while a hopeful lob struck the crossbar after a slip from Ronwen Williams.

South Africa settled and Mofokeng stung the palms of Yonathan Sultan from distance in the 12th minute.

He opened the scoring in the 19th minute, controlling a defence-splitting pass from Oswin Appollis before firing beyond Sultan for his maiden Bafana goal.

The 21-year-old doubled the lead just before half-time, collecting from Samukelo Kabini and showing great skill to find the bottom corner.

Bafana needed only seven minutes of the second half to make it 3-0, Yaya Sithole tapping in the rebound after Appollis forced another save. Appollis then set up Iqraam Rayners for 4-0 on the hour with a crisp finish from a tight angle.

Williams made two fine saves to deny Esrom Yohannes and Sulieman before substitute Luther Singh swept home a third assist from Appollis in injury time to complete the rout.

Alex Carey’s feisty 74 helped Australia to a consolation 47-run victory on DLS in the third ODI in Potchefstroom on Wednesday, after rain ended South Africa’s chase on 145/4.

The Proteas won the series 2-1 after wins by 67 runs in Durban and 32 runs at the Wanderers.

Australia were asked to bat first and all of their top seven reached 20, with captain Mitch Marsh continuing his fine form with 56 off 42 balls to add to scores of 60 and 84 earlier in the series.

Travis Head made 24, Cooper Connolly 23, Oliver Peake a measured 48, Matt Renshaw 30 and Cameron Green 23.

Carey’s 74 off 88 balls with four fours and two sixes was the top score in a total of 322/9.

Corbin Bosch was the pick of the bowlers with 4/60, Gerald Coetzee took 2/61 and Bjorn Fortuin 1/50.

In reply, South Africa were hampered by the loss of Tony de Zorzi, who injured a hamstring in the field and could not bat.

Quinton de Kock went for duck, Aiden Markram for 15 and Matthew Breetzke for 25, before Ryan Rickelton kept hopes alive with an unbeaten 71.

Rickelton was alongside Bosch (13) when rain forced the abandonment, with Xavier Bartlett taking 2/25.

Australia’s tour continues with the first of three tests kicking off in Durban on Friday 9 October.

• Amajita won all five matches at the tournament, scoring 13 goals and conceding just three, without losing a single game.

• The win sends Amajita to the 2027 U20 AFCON in Ghana, where they will defend the title they already hold.

Publish time:2026-0

Amajita have won their third straight COSAFA U20 title, beating 10-man hosts Mozambique 2-1 in the final in Matola on Sunday.

Goals from Oarabile Booysen and Steven Mendes sealed the win. South Africa finished the tournament with a perfect record, winning all five of their matches. They opened with a 3-0 win over Lesotho, then beat Angola 2-0 and eSwatini 2-0.

In the semi-final, Amajita came from behind to beat Zambia 4-2 in a tough contest, before completing the campaign with the final win over Mozambique.

Across the tournament, South Africa scored 13 goals and conceded only three. Steven Mendes finished as the competition’s top scorer with six goals, and goalkeeper Takalani Mazhamba was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.

The win gives Amajita automatic qualification for the 2027 U20 AFCON in Ghana, where they will defend the title they already hold as reigning champions.

Head coach Ray Mdaka said winning back-to-back titles gives the team confidence and consistency. He credited the win to preparation, planning, character, unity within the technical team, and discipline from the players.

“There is a lot of work taking place behind the scenes planning for the games. Our boys were also strong mentally, because in a tournament such as this one there is a lot happening, it was really a tough one,” he said.

Mdaka said the final, the semi-final and the Angola game were the toughest of the tournament. He added that their main focus ahead of the tournament had been winning the semi-final, since that was the ticket to AFCON qualification.

Well-known football fan Mama Joy congratulated the team.

“Congratulations to the coach, Raymond Mdaka, technical staff HOD Mkhabela and the boys,” she said.

• Tatjana Smith won the 50m and 100m breaststroke titles at the SA Short Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg.

• Her times automatically qualified her for December’s World Short Course Championships as she builds towards the 2028 Olympics.

Publish time: 2026-09-28 10:45

Tatjana Smith has made a winning return to elite swimming, taking two national titles and booking her place at the World Short Course Championships.

According to Wesley Botton’s report, the four-time Olympic medallist was one of the top performers at the SA Short Course Championships in Pietermaritzburg.

Smith, who retired from competitive swimming in 2024, won the women’s 50m breaststroke in a personal-best 29.50 seconds.

She then won the 100m breaststroke in 1:04.00, just 0.11 seconds outside her own national short course record.

Both times automatically qualified her for the World Short Course Championships in December.

Smith also recorded the fastest time in the 200m breaststroke heats at 2:23.27 but withdrew from the final.

The 29-year-old is now focusing more on shorter races as she looks towards the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 50m breaststroke will be part of the Olympic programme for the first time.

Smith said she is still getting used to racing over the shorter distance.

“It was the first race in a new event, so there are a lot of things going on in your mind,” she said.

She admitted she was surprised by her 50m time.

“I didn’t feel like I executed it that well… but I didn’t do so bad. Not bad at all.”

Smith will race both the 50m and 100m breaststroke at the World Short Course Championships after qualifying in both.

Michael Houlie, Chris Smith and Duné Coetzee also achieved automatic qualifying standards at the championships.

Another 15 swimmers reached B qualifying standards and can be considered for national selection.

Pitso Mosimane began his second spell as Bafana Bafana coach with a victory as South Africa opened their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Guinea in Group D at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Ime Okon and Samukelo Kabini scored for the hosts, with Seydouba Cisse replying for Syli National.

Guinea started the brighter side and forced Ronwen Williams into a sharp save from Aliou Balde in the seventh minute, but Bafana soon took control. 

Relebohile Mofokeng missed a golden chance in the 12th minute after a defensive error, dragging wide with only Soumaila Sylla to beat.

The breakthrough came on the half-hour when Teboho Mokoena’s in-swinging delivery from a short corner caused chaos and Okon drove home the rebound for 1-0.

South Africa pushed for a second through Aubrey Modiba and Mokoena, while Serhou Guirassy fired a free-kick just over before the break.

Guinea levelled controversially in the 69th minute when Guirassy’s free-kick hit the wall and fell to Cisse to tap in from close range, though replays later suggested it may have been offside.

Bafana responded eight minutes later as substitutes combined. Yanela Mbuthuma teeing up Kabini to sweep home the winner. Guirassy blazed a late chance over as Mosimane’s men held on.

Temba Bavuma and David Miller hit contrasting centuries as South Africa sealed the ODI series against Australia with a 32-run victory in the Pink Day showpiece at the Wanderers on Sunday.

The Proteas posted 365/9 after losing both openers inside seven overs. 

Bavuma steadied the innings with a patient 103 off 116 balls, his sixth ODI century, before David Miller took over. 

Coming in at 93/3, Miller smashed a career-best 142 off just 93 balls with 12 fours and nine sixes, dominating a 156-run fourth-wicket stand with Bavuma.

Marco Jansen chipped in with 19 and brother Duan finished 27 not out as Jack Edwards claimed a maiden five wicket haul with 5/67, while Josh Hazlewood took 3/70. 

Adam Zampa went wicketless for 77 in nine overs, with Nathan Ellis bowling only four overs due to a side strain.

Chasing 366, Australia started fast through Mitch Marsh and Travis Head, who both made 84 and put on 130 without loss. 

Bjorn Fortuin bowled Marsh for while Aiden Markram trapped Head leg before. 

Keshav Maharaj removed Alex Carey (17 off 21) and Matt Renshaw (32 off 34).

Maharaj and Fortuin finished with two wickets each before Marco Jansen’s double in the 47th over closed out Australia for 333.

South Africa will eye a whitewash in Potchefstroom on Wednesday with the action kicking off at 13:30.