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In the A-League Grand Final Melbourne City (starring Marco Tilio) defeated Melbourne Victory (featuring Daniel Arzani) 1-0…
Marco Tilio played full game and Daniel Arzani lasted 89 minutes. Both wingers have been selected in extended squad for Socceroos last two group world cup qualifiers against Japan in Perth WA on Thursday and away to Saudi Arabia next week.
Both players could also be Scotland bound after that with Tilio possibly returning to Celtic after his loan spell ended while former Celt Arzani has been linked with a move to Hearts. However Tilio might end up staying with Melbourne as talks are currently ongoing with Celtic.
The pressing question as far as the Celtic support is concerned is ‘does Marco Tilio still have a chance of making it at Celtic?’
“Marco Tilio, remember him?”
“Who?” you might well ask. The young Aussie winger signed for £2 million two years back who has spent more time more time back in his native Australia than Glasgow? Yes that very same Marco Tilio.
Marco of course didn’t make an impression on Brendan Rodgers, he arrived in Scotland with an injury picked up while in international duty with the Socceroos just days after signing for Celtic.
When he got fit enough to play he got a few minutes here and there but did nothing to impress and was promptly loaned back to Melbourne City where he has remained ever since. But with his loan deal now expired he will be soon on his way back to Lennoxtown and whether he is hungry to fight for a first team place or more importantly Brendan Rodgers sees him as part of his plans remains to be seen.
Tilio impressed yet again in his loan spell back in his native land with the club we signed him from. Now he needs to bring that form with him to Glasgow, something he failed to bring with him first time around if he wants to make an impact at this level.
In Marco’s defence he had to deal with transitioning to a new culture and a different style of football which would have been something an eye opener for the young man, but that’s something he must overcome if he wants to be a success. He also needs to stay fit.
With Jota out for a long period of time we will be in need of a wide man. Will Marco be that man? He was unlucky the first time he came to Scotland, maybe it will be second time lucky for the young Aussie winger?
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Chelsea are really getting into gear this week in terms of sales, and it looks like another one is about to come from nowhere to become a done deal. David Ornstein confirms deal close for midfielder Just yesterday morning we were lamenting the difficulties in selling Lesley Ugochukwu, and saying that a Premier League team from lower down the division were the most likely destination for the 21 year old. Well, just now David Ornstein has put out an exclusive which claims that Chelsea are close to selling the France youth international to Burnley. He says that the Clarets have “reached an agreement with Chelsea” for the midfielder, who is set to travel for his medical and complete his medical today. Ugochukwu was been given permission to travel to take his medical, meaning that the terms of the deal are already agreed between clubs. This has really come out of nowhere, so it’s not clear what the sums involved are – given there’s still 5 years to run on his contract, we would imagine we’re making at least a small profit on the €27.5m we paid for him. Ugochukwu moved on without getting fair crack at Chelsea Ugochukwu moves on without ever really fulfilling his potential. He was given a few chances under Mauricio Pochettino after signing, playing 15 games. But clearly did didn’t do enough in 31 games on loan at Southampton last season to prove he was worthy of a role in Enzo Maresca’s squad. Dario Essugo was signed as a tough tackling midfielder who filled the same squad role one would have expected Ugochukwu to fill, and once that happened a departure always looked likely. We think he’s got tons of potential, and could be playing for a bigger and better team before too long. We hope we’ve got a sell on fee in there.
Tiger Woods Sends Strong Message to Retiring CBS Broadcaster on Sunday
At Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sunday’s final round of the 2025 Wyndham Championship closed out the PGA Tour’s regular season. It also marked the end of an era for one of golf’s most revered broadcasters. For the last time, Ian Baker-Finch manned the hole-announcing microphone for CBS Sports, capping 30 years in the booth following a playing career that peaked with his victory at the 1991 Open Championship. Before the day was over, Tiger Woods took to X to salute "Finchy." "Congrats Finchy for 30 incredible years behind the microphone. You brought insight into things that the viewing audience could understand and relate to. From all of us—thanks for the memories." The message joined tributes from Jack Nicklaus, Jason Day, Adam Scott and others, underscoring Baker-Finch’s standing among champions past and present. Ian Baker-Finch: From Major Champion to Broadcast Mainstay Baker-Finch turned pro in 1979, winning 17 professional tournaments worldwide. His lone major title came at Royal Birkdale in 1991, where he secured the Open Championship by five strokes. After retiring in the mid-1990s, Baker-Finch transitioned smoothly into broadcasting. He cut his teeth as an analyst on Australian television before joining ESPN and ABC in 1998. In 2007, he became CBS Sports’ dedicated hole announcer, a role he held through 2025, calling golf’s defining moments with a blend of technical acumen and warm delivery. Over 19 seasons with CBS, he covered five Masters and contributed to countless PGA Tour telecasts. Throughout Woods’ five green-jacket haul (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), Baker-Finch was a trusted on-course voice that helped demystify championship golf for television audiences. As a player, Baker-Finch remains one of only seven Australian men to win a major championship and is one of a select few to dominate links golf on British soil. As a broadcaster, Baker-Finch’s voice guided generations of fans through golf’s signature moments, shaping how millions understand the game’s subtleties. When the G.O.A.T. of professional golf uses his platform to honor your contribution to the sport, it signals a broadcast career worth remembering.
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love’s ‘Fiery’ Response to Wife’s Take on Franchise’s Timeless Tradition
DK Metcalf makes huge claim about Steelers defense
D.K. Metcalf has faced plenty of steep competition through his first six NFL seasons, both during games and practice, but the star wide receiver has noticed something different in his first training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During an interview with Ian Rapoport and Steve Smith of NFL Network on Sunday, Metcalf discussed some of his first impressions of the Steelers. He spoke about how challenging it has been to go up against cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay every day. When asked how the practice competition compares to what he saw with the Seattle Seahawks, Metcalf made a bold claim about his new teammates. "You don't want my opinion, because I think they're the best defense I've ever seen," Metcalf said. "There's some dogs everywhere on the field, and I tip my hat to them because they come to work every day and we don't have any choice but to get better." There is no question that the Steelers should have one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL on paper. While they sent five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in the Ramsey trade, their cornerback trio of Ramsey, Porter and Slay is as talented as any in the league. The Steelers allowed 20.4 points per game last year, which ranked eighth in the NFL. Their pass defense surrendered 228 yards per game, which only ranked 25th. If Metcalf's assessment is accurate, Pittsburgh should show great improvement against the pass in 2025.
Michael Soroka embraces 'new life' ahead of Cubs' debut vs. Reds
Michael Soroka is scheduled to make his Chicago Cubs debut when the right-hander takes the mound against the visiting Cincinnati Reds in the opener of the teams' three-game series on Monday night. Soroka (3-8, 4.87 ERA) was acquired from the Washington Nationals on Wednesday for the No. 13 and 14 prospects in the Chicago farm system in shortstop Ronny Cruz and outfielder Christian Franklin. "It's new life," Soroka said. "Kind of like a new start to the season for me. You get some long days in July. You're looking forward to this [MLB] trade deadline and seeing what happens. Obviously, joining a team like this, it's a new breath of adrenaline and life. So looking to take that through the end of the season and, hopefully, help this team compete for a World Series." Soroka spent his first four major league seasons with the Atlanta Braves, developing a friendship with current Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson. Soroka missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons after twice rupturing his Achilles tendon but got to witness Atlanta's run to the World Series up close in 2021. "Although it was exciting to be along with the team and a lot of guys that I played with those previous couple years, it's still something that's burning me to this day that I really didn't do a ton that year," he said. "I didn't throw a pitch, so looking to rewrite that and have new memories this time." Soroka will go from pitching in front of one of the poorest defenses in the majors to one of the best. "It's exciting," he said. "A goal this year was coming in and being relentless inside the strike zone. It helps a ton when the defense is as good as it is. I obviously got to watch Dansby for a long time with the Braves, and this is a team, from the outside looking in, you see that as well." Soroka is 1-2 in three career starts against the Reds with a 3.94 ERA. He will face a Cincinnati team that spent the previous two days in Bristol, Tenn., trying to squeeze in the first MLB game played in Tennessee. The weather finally was good enough for the Reds to face the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. Cincinnati lost 4-2 in the rubber match of the three-game series after the first two games were played in Ohio. Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.09 ERA) is set to take the mound for the Reds in the series opener on Monday. He is coming off a solid July in which he went 3-1 in five starts with a 1.89 ERA. The left-hander most recently received a no-decision after holding the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings last Tuesday, striking out a season-high 11 batters in his team's 5-4 loss. He handed over a 4-2 lead to the bullpen, but Los Angeles scored two runs in the seventh and one run in the ninth. The start was the career-high 22nd of the season for Lodolo. "It means a lot," he said of his starts. "That was my goal I set out for in the offseason. ... I don't want to just barely beat [his career high in starts], I want to blow past it. I feel good and in a position to do that." Lodolo is 2-2 in seven career starts against the Cubs with a 4.46 ERA.
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