Torika Delai Makes Historic FIFA World Cup Debut for Fiji
It was a proud and emotional moment for Fiji and the Oceania region when Fijian referee Torika Delai made her FIFA World Cup debut by taking charge of the Group C match between Norway and Ecuador at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025. Delai’s appointment to the center of the field marked her first appearance at a FIFA World Cup tournament, and she became only the second referee from Fiji ever to officiate at a FIFA World Cup event, following in the footsteps of pioneering referee Finau Vulivuli, who officiated at multiple global tournaments. The match saw Delai lead an international team of officials, which included Natalia Lumukana of the Solomon Islands and Allys Clipsham of New Zealand as assistant referees. Veronika Bernatskaia of the Czech Republic served as the fourth official, and Suwida Wongkraisorn of Thailand was the reserve assistant referee. The diverse all-female line-up reflected FIFA’s continued commitment to inclusion and representation across all confederations. Fiji Football Association President Rajesh Patel said Delai’s achievement was a proud day for the nation. “Torika’s appointment to officiate at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is a moment of great pride for Fiji. It reflects years of commitment, perseverance, and hard work,” Patel said. “She has shown that our referees can reach the highest level of football. Her achievement will inspire many young Fijians — especially women — to believe that they too can excel in this sport.” Patel added that Fiji FA remains committed to developing and supporting match officials across the country. “This success is also a reflection of our referee-development programmes, which have continued to raise the standard of officiating in Fiji. Torika has carried our flag with pride and professionalism, and we are incredibly proud of her.” Fiji FA Referees Director Avinesh Narayan also paid tribute to Delai’s impressive debut on the world stage. “Torika’s performance in the Norway versus Ecuador match was excellent. She showed great composure, confidence, and control throughout the game,” Narayan said. “She has set a new standard for our referees and has proven that Fijians can perform with distinction on the global stage. Her success will motivate others to follow in her footsteps.” Delai is the only referee from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) appointed to the tournament, a testament to her talent and consistency. Her selection highlights Fiji’s growing reputation in world football and the success of Fiji FA’s ongoing investment in referee education, fitness, and professionalism. Patel concluded by saying, “This is a milestone not just for Torika but for the entire Fijian football community. She has shown that dreams can become reality through hard work, dedication, and passion for the game. We stand proud behind her as she continues to represent Fiji on the global stage.” The Fiji Football Association extended heartfelt congratulations to Delai for her historic debut, calling it a moment that will inspire the next generation of Fijian referees for years to come.
Arsenal 4-0 Atletico Madrid: Mikel Arteta praises Viktor Gyokeres
Mikel Arteta says striker Viktor Gyokeres makes Arsenal a better team after the striker ended a lean spell with two goals against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. READ MORE: Gyokeres double as Arsenal put four past Atletico Available to UK users only.
Eddie Howe challenges Newcastle to back up impressive Champions League display
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Eddie Howe hopes Newcastle can back up their 3-0 Champions League win over Benfica with similar performances in domestic matches. The Magpies earned their second win in the competition with a comprehensive victory against Jose Mourinho’s Portuguese side after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before substitute Harvey Barnes struck twice. Victory comes on the back of a frustrating defeat to Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday, and with a home clash with Fulham this weekend being quickly followed by a Carabao Cup tie with Tottenham and a trip to West Ham, Howe hopes his team can carry over their European form. He said: “It wasn’t an easy game that’s for sure. They’ve got a manager who’s been there and done everything in the game. “We knew today was a difficult game and especially off the back of Saturday’s result for us that ramped the pressure on. We had to handle that. “That’s why the win and the way that we won was really pleasing and hopefully we can take that into our next few games because we’re going to need to back it up. “One game in isolation in the Champions League means nothing. Now it’s all about the next few games.” Newcastle took the lead when Gordon fired home just after the half-hour mark from Jacob Murphy’s cross. Barnes then came off the bench and doubled Newcastle’s lead after racing on to Nick Pope’s incredible throw launched into the Benfica half and slotting home. He then wrapped up victory with seven minutes of normal time remaining after beating goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin following fine link-up play between Gordon and Nick Woltemade. Newcastle have scored eight goals in three Champions League games compared to seven in eight Premier League matches. In the Champions League, Gordon has four goals while Barnes took his tally to three but neither have netted in the Premier League this season. Howe said: “It’s a head scratcher for me as well. We know their qualities, we know they’re goalscorers. “We know how good a player they are, and that goes for another good few players in our squad as well. “Everyone’s pointing to the fact that we haven’t been scoring enough in the Premier League, but when you see us play like this, how we attacked and the number of chances we created, it’s a difficult one for us to work out. “All we can do is return to the Premier League with the same attitude. If the attitude is there, the quality will show.” Defeat is Benfica’s third straight loss in the Champions League and boss Mourinho admitted Newcastle’s second goal killed the game. He said: “They brought their enthusiasm in set-pieces, which is normal. “When you have a team of giants, you know that every set-piece, throw in, lateral free-kick, corner, you know that is a dramatic moment for the opponent and it was the only moment where they brought that enthusiasm and that pressure to the opponent. “We felt very comfortable in the first half. In the second half, the second goal kills the game and then after that, it was easy for Newcastle to play, easy for the fans to enjoy.”
Delai makes historic FIFA World Cup debut for Fiji – FBC News
[Photo Credit: Fiji Football] Fijian Football referee Torika Delai has made history on football’s biggest stage by becoming only the second referee from the country to officiate at a FIFA World Cup event. The 32-year-old took charge of the Group C clash between Norway and Ecuador at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025 this morning where Ecuador beat 2-0 and marking her debut at a global tournament and a proud milestone for Fiji and the Oceania region. Delai’s appointment places her alongside trailblazer Finau Vulivuli, who was the first Fijian to officiate at multiple FIFA World Cups, cementing Fiji’s growing presence in world football. Article continues after advertisement She led an international officiating team featuring Natalia Lumukana from the Solomon Islands and New Zealand’s Allys Clipsham as assistant referees, underlining FIFA’s push for diversity and regional representation in the women’s game. Fiji FA President Rajesh Patel says Delai’s selection reflected years of hard work and determination. “Torika’s appointment to officiate at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup is a moment of great pride for Fiji. It reflects years of commitment, perseverance, and hard work. Her achievement will inspire many young Fijians, especially women, to believe that they too can excel in this sport.” Fiji FA Referees Director Avinesh Narayan praised Delai’s composure and performance in her World Cup debut. “Torika showed great confidence and control throughout the match. She has set a new benchmark for Fijian referees and proven that we can perform with distinction on the global stage.” Delai was the only referee from the Oceania Football Confederation appointed to the tournament — a testament to her consistency, professionalism and the success of Fiji FA’s referee development programmes. Her historic debut not only celebrates individual achievement but also marks a defining moment for Fijian football — one that signals the nation’s growing influence in the global game. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Northern Ireland Open: Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson win in Belfast
Judd Trump and reigning champion Kyren Wilson were among the winners at the Northern Ireland Open on Tuesday. Trump battled past Jackson Page from Wales 4-2 at the Waterfront Hall to reach the third round. The four-time NI Open champion will face the winner of Gary Wilson and Martin O’Donnell, who meet on Wednesday, for a place in the quarter-finals. Tom Ford also progressed with a 4-1 win over Chris Wakelin, while Yuan Sijun defeated fellow Chinese player Long Zehuang 4-2. Ireland’s Aaron Hill held off a Barry Hawkins comeback to win the deciding frame with a superb break of 92. Earlier on Tuesday, Wilson, who defeated Trump in last year’s final, booked his spot in the second round by winning a final-frame decider with Oliver Lines. Despite a break of 133 in the third frame, Wilson found himself 3-2 down against Lines but the 2024 world champion won the final two frames to progress. In the other first round matches that opened Tuesday’s action in Belfast, Stephen Maguire defeated 2023 world champion Luca Brecel, while there were also victories for Ali Carter, Mark Davis, Si Jiahui and Ryan Day. Home favourites Mark Allen and Jordan Brown are in second-round action on Wednesday. Two-time winner Allen faces Ben Woollaston and Brown, who stunned world champion Zhao Xingtong in the opening round, faces Ashley Hugill. Both matches start at 19:00 BST.
Erling Haaland hits another Champions League milestone and PSG in seventh heaven
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Erling Haaland moved into the top 10 Champions League goalscorers with yet another strike as Manchester City won 2-0 at Villarreal. Captain Bernardo Silva was also on target at the Estadio De La Ceramica as he followed up the Norwegian’s early effort with a powerful header before half-time. City were not at their fluent best and their Spanish hosts gave them some uncomfortable moments, particularly in the second half, but a second victory in the league phase did not seem in doubt. Haaland’s 16th-minute goal was his 24th in 14 outings for club and country this season and extended his goalscoring streak to 12 matches. It was also his 53rd in the Champions League, lifting him to 10th on the all-time list at the age of just 25. City grabbed a deserved lead when Savinho played a nice ball to Rico Lewis and he swivelled sharply in the area to tee up Haaland for a simple tap-in. Villarreal had a good spell in response but City City doubled their lead five minutes before the interval as Savinho whipped in a cross and Bernardo Silva headed in powerfully at the near post. open image in gallery Erling Haaland moved into the top 10 of the all-time Champions League scorers’ list (AFP via Getty Images) Meanwhile, reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain scored three times in seven minutes at the end of a rollercoaster first half on the way to crushing Bayer Leverkusen 7-2, after both teams played with 10 men for almost an hour. Topping the league phase table after three matches, PSG, whose Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored on his comeback from injury, took a seventh-minute lead through Willian Pacho’s far-post header. Leverkusen had the chance to level with Alejandro Grimaldo’s 25th-minute penalty but the Spaniard hit the post. It got worse for the hosts when captain Robert Andrich was sent off for elbowing Desire Doue in the 32nd minute but PSG went down to 10 men themselves when Illia Zabarnyi felled Christian Kofane to give the hosts another spot-kick. Aleix Garcia equalised but Leverkusen’s joy only lasted three minutes with Doue putting the visitors back in front before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made it 3-1 with a shot off the post and Doue struck again to virtually ensure a third straight win in the competition for PSG this season. open image in gallery PSG demolished Leverkusen (Getty Images) Nuno Mendes slotted home to make it 5-1 in the 50th minute before Garcia pulled a goal back four minutes later but Dembele scored in the 66th minute with an easy tap-in and Vitinha completed the rout. PSV Eindhoven’s Dennis Man scored twice as the home side handed Napoli a 6-2 thrashing after coming from a goal down to get their first win in this season’s Champions League. Scott McTominay put the Italians ahead in the 31st minute but the Dutch champions swept into a 2-1 lead within seven minutes as Alessandro Buongiorno put the ball into his own net and then Ismael Saibari scored on the counter-attack. After half-time Man netted twice and although Napoli’s Lorenzo Lucca was sent off 14 minutes from time for dissent, McTominay scored their second in the 86th minute from a corner. But straight from the restart Couhaib Driouech set up substitute Ricardo Pepi to score with his first kick of the game and within a minute Driouech got one himself with a thumping strike at the end of a series of swift one-touch passes. open image in gallery Dennis Man scored twice as PSV thrashed Napoli (ANP/AFP via Getty Images) Borussia Dortmund midfielder Felix Nmecha scored in each half as they overcame conceding an own goal to comfortably beat FC Copenhagen 4-2, while Francesco Esposito made up for an earlier horror miss to score his first Champions League goal in Inter Milan’s 4-0 thumping of Union Saint-Gilloise in Brussels. A Fermin Lopez hat-trick and two goals from Marcus Rashford powered Barcelona to a crushing 6-1 victory over Olympiacos, who were left fuming over a controversial sending off for Santiago Hezze as he earned a second yellow card despite barely touching his opponent’s face but no VAR review was allowed for a second booking. And there was also red-card drama as Joao Correia was sent off inside four minutes but his Pafos side still grimly held on for a 0-0 draw away to Kazakh outfit Kairat. Additional reporting from Reuters
What did we learn from Danny Rohl’s first Rangers press conference?
There were plenty of questions from the media pack for Thelwell. Much has been made of the appointment of his son Robbie as head of recruitment, with fans unconvinced he is qualified for the role. However, he defended and explained the decision to bring Thelwell Jnr to Ibrox. “It’s always uncomfortable to hear and optically I think we all agreed when we made this step to appoint Robbie that he was going to be seen in a particular way,” Thelwell said. “The reality of the situation is that we want to bring the very best talent here to Rangers. “My view on Robbie’s career and situation is he didn’t need my help in football. “He’s worked at Aston Villa as a senior scout, he then moved to Norwich City as head of scouting and then got promoted to player pathways manager. “Before we recruited him, two Premier League clubs wanted to take him. What we did right at the start of the process was talk to Patrick, Andrew and [vice-chairman] Paraag Marathe about this situation. “I was extremely transparent and I think Robbie probably went through a more rigorous process than anybody else who’s employed by this football club. “What I do know is that he will work 25/8 to be successful in this football club and I’m looking forward to him proving that he’s going to be an excellent employee for Rangers.” Thelwell also defended the signing of striker Youssef Chermiti, who arrived at Rangers for a reported initial fee of £8m, having failed to score in 24 appearances for Everton. It was Thelwell who brought the Portuguese youth international to Merseyside from Sporting – again for big money in a £15m deal. He was asked if he stands by his multi-million pound signing, who is yet to score in seven outings for the club. “Yes, very much so,” Thelwell said. “I think Youssef Chermiti is a player who’s got huge potential. “I’ve never doubted him in any way, shape or form. Again, I think Danny will help to get the best out of Youssef. “It’s very early days for him, he’s a young talent and of course with young talents they sometimes take a little bit of time. “But I’m certain over the course of his career here he’s going to prove that he’s a very, very good player.”
Kamikamica plays for pride, family and Fiji’s future – FBC News
[ Source: FNRL / Facebook ] Fiji Bati captain Tui Kamikamica says every game he plays in the white jersey is a reminder of where he comes from and who he represents. The Melbourne Storm prop, who has become one of Fiji’s most consistent performers on the international stage, says his goal is to use that platform to inspire the next generation of players. He believes young Fijians need to see that with hard work and faith, they too can make it to the professional level. Article continues after advertisement “Every time I go out there and play for the Fiji Bati, I try to inspire any young kids. Growing up in the islands, I wanted to be a professional footy player.” The Bati skipper says his motivation goes beyond the game itself, it’s about family, culture, and identity. “At the end of the day, it’s me representing my family, my friends, not forgetting our culture in Fiji.” Kamikamica says that pride and sense of purpose are what drive him to give his best every time he steps onto the field, knowing he carries not just a jersey, but the hopes of an entire nation. The Fiji Bati are on bye this week and will take on the Papua New Guinea Kumuls next weekend. All Pacific Championship matches are live on FBC Sports. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Arsenal v Atletico Madrid live: Score and updates as Gunners welcome Diego Simeone’s team in Champions League
A reminder of the teams at the Emirates! Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Zubimendi, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli. Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Le Normand, Hancko; Guiliano, Barrios, Koke, Gonzalez; Sorloth, Alvarez. Kieran Jackson21 October 2025 19:54 Arsenal have a good record against Madrid teams Arsenal recorded a famous win against a club from Madrid in the Champions League last season. Their victims were Real, not Atletico, but a meeting with the Spanish capital’s other power offers a chance to build on a fine start to this season. Of their six remaining Champions League group games, three look distinctly winnable, the other three – Atletico, Bayern and Inter – tougher. But Arsenal have six points already, the prospect of nine to come and thus could only need a couple from those tougher games to book a top-eight finish. Richard Jolly at the Emirates 21 October 2025 19:47 Match stats Arsenal are one of only two sides – along with Internazionale – who haven’t conceded a goal in the UEFA Champions League this season. The Gunners rank first for xG against (0.85) in the competition this term, while they have held their opponents to under one xG in seven of their 10 league phase matches since the start of last term (0.35 v Athletic Club and 0.5 v Olympiakos this season). Bukayo Saka has been directly involved in 17 goals in 19 appearances in the UEFA Champions League (11 goals, six assists). Since his debut in the competition on 20th September 2023, Saka has the second best minutes per goal involvement ratio of any winger (89 – min. 500 minutes played), only behind Barcelona’s Raphinha (69). Chris Wilson21 October 2025 19:40 Other UCL fixtures tonight Here’s a list of the other matches in the Champions League today: (kick-off at 8pm BST unless specified) Barcelona vs Olympiacos (5.45pm BST) Kairat vs Pafos (5.45pm BST) Villarreal vs Manchester City Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid Royale Union Saint-Gilloise vs Inter Milan Chris Wilson21 October 2025 19:35 Match stats Atlético Madrid have never won away to an English side in the group/league phase of the UEFA Champions League, failing in all five attempts to date (D2 L3), and including a 4-0 defeat in London (versus Chelsea in October 2009. Arsenal have won each of their last six games against Spanish teams, beating four different opponents in this run (Real Madrid x2, Sevilla x2, Girona and Athletic Club). This is already the longest winning run by a team against Spanish opposition in UEFA Champions League history. Kieran Jackson21 October 2025 19:31 Head-to-head These two sides have faced each other just twice in Uefa competition, with those matches coming in the Europa League in 2017/18. A semi-final first-leg tie at the Emirates ended 1-1 before Atleti won 1-0 at home to take a place in the final, with the Spanish side eventually beating Marseille to lift the trophy in Lyon. Chris Wilson21 October 2025 19:20 Current Champions League table Arsenal are fifth as one of six clubs with a perfecr record so far, while Atletico are in 10th. Champions League table (Google) Kieran Jackson21 October 2025 19:10 Viktor Gyokeres doesn’t need goals to do damage for Arsenal, says Theo Walcott Viktor Gyokeres does not need goals to be a “problem” for opposition defences, according to to ex-Arsenal winger Theo Walcott. Kieran Jackson21 October 2025 19:00 Team news Mikel Arteta has made just two changes to the side that beat Fulham last time out, with Myles Lewis-Skelly coming in to replace Riccardo Calafiori at left-back and Gabriel Martinelli taking the place of Leandro Trossard. Viktor Gyokeres and Bukayo Saka will support the Brazilian in attack, while the midfield three of Ebere Eze, Declan rice and Martin Zubimendi continues at the Emirates. Chris Wilson21 October 2025 18:57 Atletico Madrid XI: Oblak; Llorente, Gimenez, Le Normand, Hancko; Guiliano, Barrios, Koke, Gonzalez; Sorloth, Alvarez. Subs: Musso, Ruggeri, Lenglet, Molina, Pubill, Galan, Gallagher, Baena, Griezmann, Almada, Carlos M., Raspadori. Chris Wilson21 October 2025 18:52
Rhys Carre: Wales coach Steve Tandy excited to recall Saracens prop
Steve Tandy has spoken of his excitement at being able to recall Saracens prop Rhys Carre to his first squad as Wales head coach. Carre, 27, has not played for his country since 2023 and was ineligible under the Welsh Rugby Union’s selection policy because he has 20 caps, five short of the required number for those playing for clubs outside Wales. But there are loopholes, as demonstrated when Wales selected Jarrod Evans in the Six Nations earlier this year despite the Harlequins fly-half having fewer than 25 caps – because he was not given a reasonable offer to remain with former club Cardiff. It seems the same applies to Carre, who left Cardiff last year to join Saracens for a second time. He was overlooked under previous Wales head coach Warren Gatland, but Tandy is glad to be able to bring the prop in from the cold. “The Professional Rugby Board have approved him to play. That gives me real excitement to have him available for us and to bring him into the autumn,” said the former Scotland defence coach. “The way he’s playing for Saracens is outstanding. Saracens are playing really well at the minute and he’s having huge impacts. It’s really exciting to have him back. We’ve got some really good loose-heads but it adds to that depth which is great.”