Manchester City came from behind to beat Championship side Southampton 2-1 in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium on April 25, 2026. Finn Azaz put the visitors ahead in the 79th minute with a curled strike that threatened a major upset, but Jeremy Doku equalised within three minutes when his effort deflected in off James Bree. Nico González then rifled a 30-yard winner in the 87th minute to seal City’s comeback and send Pep Guardiola’s side into an unprecedented fourth consecutive FA Cup final. City, who have already won the Carabao Cup this season, will face the winner of Chelsea v Leeds in the final on May 16. Guardiola made extensive changes to his starting XI and used substitutes — notably Doku and González — to turn the game, while several regulars, including Erling Haaland, featured only from the bench. The defeat ended Southampton’s 20-game unbeaten run and leaves them focused on the Championship promotion race; City remain heavily involved in the Premier League title battle as they pursue a possible domestic treble.

Manchester United moved to the brink of Champions League qualification after a 2-1 Premier League win over Brentford at Old Trafford on April 27, 2026. Casemiro headed the opener from a Bruno Fernandes corner in the 11th minute and Benjamin Sesko doubled the lead just before half-time after a driven Bruno pass. Mathias Jensen pulled one back for Brentford with an 87th-minute long-range strike but United held on. The victory took United to 61 points and, with four league games remaining, the club needs two more points to mathematically secure a top-four finish, according to club statements. Interim manager Michael Carrick praised Casemiro and Fernandes; the Brazilian midfielder is expected to leave at season’s end. Goalkeeper Senne Lammens produced crucial saves and Kobbie Mainoo impressed in midfield. Off the pitch, United face major summer decisions: replacing Casemiro in central midfield is a priority, transfer targets are being assessed and the club says it will not overpay for signings as it rebuilds for a heavier fixture load next season.

April 28, 2026 — Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was named the NBA’s 2025-26 Rookie of the Year in a tight vote by a 100-member global media panel. Flagg finished with 412 points to Charlotte rookie Kon Knueppel’s 386, earning 56 first-place votes to Knueppel’s 44. Philadelphia’s VJ Edgecombe placed third with 96 points. The 19-year-old Flagg, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft, led all qualifying rookies with 21.0 points per game, ranked second in assists (4.5) and third in rebounds (6.7), and produced historic scoring bursts late in the season including a 51-point game — the most ever by a teenager. Knueppel, the No. 4 pick, set the rookie record with 273 three-pointers and averaged 18.5 points while helping the Hornets to a 44-win season, but his play in the NBA play-in tournament — in which he shot poorly across two games — may have influenced some voters despite ballots nominally reflecting the regular season.

The Minnesota Timberwolves moved within one win of eliminating the Denver Nuggets in their Western Conference first-round series after a 112-96 Game 4 victory that left both teams shorthanded. Minnesota grabbed a 3-1 lead as Ayo Dosunmu erupted for 43 points off the bench, while starters Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards exited Game 4 with serious injuries — DiVincenzo with a reported torn right Achilles and Edwards with a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise (listed week-to-week or out “multiple weeks” in reports). Denver, meanwhile, was already dealing with absences: Peyton Watson is out with a hamstring strain and Aaron Gordon was ruled out of Game 5 with left calf tightness after playing limited minutes in Game 4. The closing seconds of Game 4 also produced a heated on-court altercation: Nikola Jokic was ejected after shoving Jaden McDaniels following a late layup, prompting fines and added tension. Game 5 was scheduled in Denver on Monday night, with the injury-ravaged Nuggets needing a win to extend the series.

Victor Wembanyama returned from concussion protocol and the San Antonio Spurs rallied to a 114-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series, seizing a 3-1 lead. De’Aaron Fox led the Spurs with 28 points while Wembanyama posted 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals in his first game back after a head injury sustained earlier in the series. San Antonio overcame as much as a 17-19 point deficit, outscoring Portland by a dominant margin in the second half to turn the game around. Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson contributed key minutes in the comeback. Portland’s Deni Avdija scored 26 and Jrue Holiday added 20, but the Blazers could not stop the Spurs’ second-half surge. Wembanyama voiced frustration after the game about how the NBA’s concussion process was handled, saying the situation was “very disappointing” though he declined to elaborate. The Spurs return home for Game 5 on Tuesday with a chance to close out the series.

The Cleveland Guardians will promote second baseman Travis Bazzana, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, for Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays, sources said on April 28, 2026. The 23-year-old Australian, an Oregon State product, has been thriving at Triple-A Columbus this season, hitting .287 with a .422 on-base percentage and .511 slugging in 24 games, with two home runs, 10 RBIs, 21 walks and eight stolen bases. Juan Brito, who had started five of the last seven games at second base, is expected to be optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. Bazzana, the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history, missed time last season with oblique injuries but rose quickly through the minors in 2025. Cleveland, sitting near the top of the American League Central, has an open 40-man roster slot and summoned Bazzana despite considerations about service time and arbitration eligibility. The call-up gives the Guardians a left-handed bat and a player known for plate discipline as they chase the division in the early part of the 2026 season.