Arsenal and Coventry City
Friday

Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a 3-0 home win over newly promoted Coventry City. Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard scored as the champions controlled Coventry’s first top-flight match in 25 years.

The victory followed Arsenal’s Community Shield success and gave Mikel Arteta his 150th Premier League win in 249 matches. Coventry managed only one effort on target, while Arsenal’s fit-again attacking core delivered a comfortable opening-night statement.

Mohamed Salah, Trabzonspor and Ferencvaros
Thursday

Mohamed Salah’s first start for Trabzonspor ended in a 1-0 home defeat to Ferencvaros in the first leg of their Europa League play-off. Kristoffer Zachariassen scored the only goal as the Turkish side failed to convert several second-half chances.

Salah twice went close to scoring before Trabzonspor finished with ten men following Chiboke Nwayo’s stoppage-time red card. The result leaves the Turkish club needing a comeback in Budapest on 27 August to reach the Europa League league phase.

Kazuyoshi Miura and Fukushima United
Wednesday

Kazuyoshi Miura became the oldest goalscorer in Emperor’s Cup history at 59, converting two penalties as Fukushima United beat Oyama Soccer Club 7-0. The Japanese veteran is playing his 42nd professional season and broke Shinji Ono’s previous age record.

Miura’s double extends a professional career that began in the 1980s and follows his first competitive goal in nearly four years during qualifying last month. His latest record adds another extraordinary milestone to one of football’s longest playing careers.

Nashville SC, Inter Miami and Lionel Messi
Saturday

Nashville SC beat Inter Miami 4-1 in a meeting of the leading MLS sides as Lionel Messi had a penalty saved. It was Messi’s third consecutive missed penalty, following two failures for Argentina during the summer World Cup.

Hany Mukhtar scored twice after Andy Najar opened the scoring and Sam Surridge added Nashville’s third. The result gives Nashville a five-point lead over Miami in the Supporters’ Shield race and extends Miami’s losing run to three matches.

Mohamed Salah, Trabzonspor and Kasimpasa
Saturday

Mohamed Salah made his competitive Trabzonspor debut as a second-half substitute in a 1-1 draw away to Kasimpasa. The 34-year-old Egypt captain entered after 58 minutes but could not produce a winner in his first Turkish Super Lig appearance.

Salah joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer after eight years at Liverpool and arrived to huge supporter attention. His league debut formally begins a major new chapter after a move reportedly worth €17m per season on a two-year contract.

Raul Jimenez, Wolves and Blackburn Rovers
Friday

Raul Jimenez scored a 93rd-minute penalty on his first league appearance back at Wolves as they drew 2-2 with Blackburn in the Championship curtain-raiser. The Mexico striker returned to Molineux this summer after three years away and began the match as a substitute.

Blackburn led through Andri Gudjohnsen after Sean McLoughlin cancelled out Marshall Munetsi’s opener, but a late handball gave Wolves their chance. Jimenez converted calmly to rescue a point and give new manager Cesar Peixoto a draw in his first English league game.

NEC Nijmegen and Olympiakos
Tuesday

NEC defeated Olympiakos 2-1 after extra time to reach the Champions League play-offs following a goalless first leg. Bryan Linssen equalised before Emre Mor scored the decisive extra-time goal against a Greek side reduced to ten men.

Kostas Fortounis was sent off late in normal time, giving NEC an advantage they eventually converted through Mor. The Dutch club now face Bodo/Glimt for a league-phase place and have secured millions of euros through UEFA competition payments.

Fenerbahce and Sturm Graz
Tuesday

Fenerbahce beat Sturm Graz 1-0 in Austria to advance to the Champions League play-off round with a 3-0 aggregate victory. Anderson Talisca scored the only goal from the penalty spot midway through the second half.

The Turkish side controlled much of the return leg after carrying a two-goal advantage from Istanbul. Their defensive shutout removed any comeback threat, setting up a final qualifying tie against either Olympique Lyon or Sparta Prague.

Philadelphia Union, Cavan Sullivan and Necaxa
Sunday

Sixteen-year-old Cavan Sullivan scored and assisted as Philadelphia Union beat Necaxa 3-1 in the Leagues Cup. The Manchester City-bound prospect created Nathan Harriel’s early opener before scoring his first goal in the competition shortly after half-time.

Sullivan has now started 10 of Philadelphia’s last 11 matches and produced two goals and four assists during that stretch. The victory keeps the Union’s tournament hopes alive, although qualification still depends on their final game and other results.

Celtic, Kilmarnock and Kasper Hogh
Saturday

Celtic thrashed Kilmarnock 5-1 as record summer signing Kasper Hogh scored his first goals for the club with a first-half hat-trick. The £11m striker completed his treble within little more than half an hour at Rugby Park.

Hogh opened the scoring after 64 seconds, added a low finish and completed the hat-trick with a diving header. It was Celtic’s first league hat-trick by a forward since James Forrest against Hibernian in October 2022.