Former England player Dele Alli gets sent off after 9 minutes in first soccer match in two years

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Former England player Dele Alli gets sent off after 9 minutes in first soccer match in two years

2025-03-16 06:16 Last Updated At：06:21

MILAN (AP) — Dele Alli’s first professional appearance in more than two years lasted just nine minutes before he was sent off.

The former England international was shown a straight red card late on in Como’s 2-1 loss at AC Milan on Saturday following a tackle on countryman Ruben Loftus-Cheek from behind.

The 28-year-old Alli had only just come off the bench for his Como debut and his first appearance in a soccer match since last playing for Turkish club Besiktas in February 2023.

Alli was initially shown a yellow card but it was upgraded to a red after a VAR review. His former Tottenham teammate Kyle Walker, who now plays for Milan, appeared to join the Como players in pleading with the referee not to send Alli off.

Alli was one of English soccer’s biggest talents, a member of the England team that reached the World Cup semifinals in 2018 and a star of Mauricio Pochettino’s young Tottenham side that reached the Champions League final in 2019.

However, the attacking midfielder’s career has derailed in recent years and he spent six weeks in rehab in the United States in 2023 in a bid to deal with mental-health problems stemming from a traumatic childhood and after getting addicted to sleeping pills.

Alli did not play at all last season for Everton before his contract expired in June 2024. His last appearances were for Besiktas during a loan spell the previous campaign.

Alli began training with Como at the end of last year and impressed coach Cesc Fabregas enough to earn himself an 18-month contract, with the option to extend for an additional 12 months.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Luka Doncic scores 33, Lakers snap their 4-game skid with a 107-96 win over the Suns

2025-03-17 06:16 Last Updated At：06:20

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luka Doncic had 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped their four-game losing streak with a 107-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.

Austin Reaves scored 28 points and Jaxson Hayes matched his season high with 19 for the Lakers, who returned from an 0-4 road trip to extend their home winning streak to seven games.

Kevin Durant scored 21 points and Devin Booker had 19 for the 11th-place Suns, who missed a chance to gain ground on Dallas for the West's final play-in spot after the Mavericks lost at Philadelphia. Phoenix remained 1 1/2 games behind Dallas with a game in hand.

LeBron James (left groin strain) missed his fourth straight game, but coach JJ Redick said the top scorer in NBA history is “ramping up” toward a return.

Lakers starter Rui Hachimura (knee) also missed his ninth straight game, but Doncic (ankle) returned after sitting out Friday's loss in Denver, as did Hayes, Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent.

Suns: A rough shooting game and their usual unimpressive defense were a bad combo. Durant and coach Mike Budenholzer also had another animated huddle exchange, this time while Phoenix was falling behind by 20 in the first quarter.

Lakers: They fell three spots in the West during their road trip, and their current stretch is brutal with seven games in 10 days, including five at home in seven days. With Doncic and Reaves healthy, they can compete until James returns.

Phoenix trimmed its deficit to 100-92 with less than two minutes left, but Finney-Smith buried a 3-pointer to seal it.

Durant, Booker and Bradley Beal went a combined 2 of 12 on 3-point attempts. Phoenix was 9 of 41 overall.

Both teams finish a back-to-back Monday. The Suns host the Raptors, and the Lakers host the Spurs.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA