Global Sport This Week: Goals, Hoops, Gridiron and Speed
Hamidur Rahim Mahir 
World sport away from cricket delivered high drama this week.
Champions League shocks, NBA streaks, a chaotic Formula 1 night in Las Vegas and key NFL results all grabbed attention.
Football: Champions League drama and new young stars
In Europe, the UEFA Champions League league phase produced one of Arsenal’s biggest modern wins.
Mikel Arteta’s side beat Bayern Munich 3–1, ending Bayern’s long unbeaten run and securing a perfect record in their group.
Teenage forward Lennart Karl still made history for Bayern, becoming the youngest player to score in his first two Champions League starts.
However, the night belonged to Arsenal’s midfield, with Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze dominating as the Emirates crowd celebrated a statement victory.
Elsewhere, PSV Eindhoven stunned Liverpool 4–1 at Anfield to deepen pressure on coach Arne Slot, while Benfica revived their campaign by beating Ajax 2–0 under José Mourinho.
Chelsea’s Brazilian teenager Estevão was named Player of the Week after a brilliant solo goal against Barcelona, underlining how much fresh talent is shaping this year’s competition.
Basketball: Thunder streak and NBA Cup twists
In the NBA, the Oklahoma City Thunder extended their hot start with a 113–105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in an Emirates NBA Cup group game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points as the Thunder claimed a 10th straight victory to move to 18–1, the best 19-game start since the Golden State Warriors’ 24–0 run in 2015–16.
The game stayed tight until the final minutes.
However, a crucial Chet Holmgren three-pointer and late free throws from Gilgeous-Alexander sealed the result, while Minnesota’s poor free-throw shooting proved costly.
Not every power has thrived in Cup play.
The Boston Celtics were officially eliminated from the NBA Cup after finishing group play 2–2, missing out on a wildcard despite a final win over Detroit.
The San Antonio Spurs also impressed, beating Portland 115–102 behind 37 points from De’Aaron Fox and a dominant offensive rebounding display, moving to 2–1 in their Cup group.
Motorsport: Verstappen wins wild Las Vegas Grand Prix
Formula 1’s title race stayed alive under the Las Vegas lights.
Max Verstappen delivered a dominant drive to win the Las Vegas Grand Prix, keeping himself in mathematical contention for the 2025 championship.
The race result changed again after the chequered flag.
McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified for technical infringements, promoting George Russell to second and reshaping the points haul behind Verstappen.
The Dutch driver controlled the pace despite multiple safety-car periods on the high-speed street circuit.
As a result, Red Bull left Vegas with renewed momentum, while McLaren faced frustration after losing a double podium hours after celebrating it.
NFL: Rams charge and 49ers grind in Week 12
In American football, NFL Week 12 offered big swings in the playoff picture.
The Los Angeles Rams crushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34–7, with quarterback Matthew Stafford throwing three touchdown passes and strengthening his MVP case.
Tampa Bay’s night worsened when quarterback Baker Mayfield left with a shoulder injury and did not return after halftime.
The result allowed the Rams to seize the inside track for the NFC’s top seed after the Philadelphia Eagles slipped earlier in the week.
Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Carolina Panthers on Monday Night Football, with running back Christian McCaffrey starring against his former team.
Analysts say true contenders are now separating from pretenders as the season heads into the crucial December stretch.
Tennis: season closes with champions crowned
Tennis is moving into its off-season, but recent results still shape this week’s conversation.
On the WTA side, Elena Rybakina ended the year by beating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh, earning a record US$8 million champion’s cheque.
Sabalenka still finishes 2025 as year-end No. 1 for the second straight season, after four titles and 63 match wins.
Rybakina’s victory lifts her to a career-high No. 5, confirming her as one of the main threats heading into 2026.
On the ATP Tour, home favourite Jannik Sinner recently claimed the Nitto ATP Finals trophy in Turin, capping a breakthrough season.
Attention now turns to the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, where rising talents will try to follow Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as future stars.
Featured image: Collected
About The Author
Sultanul Arefin 
