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Iâ€m a bit late to this, but worth flagging this miss from Beto earlier this week. Guinea-Bissau were trailing Ethiopia 1-0 in their World Cup qualifier but created a golden opening in the 89th minute, only for the Everton striker to fluff his lines at the back post.

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This explainer from Andy Martin is a very nice run down of where we are globally with World Cup qualification. Twenty of the 48 places at the tournament have now been filled, including co-hosts Canada, Mexico and the USA.

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Perhaps we should start with Scotland. Ewan Murray was our reporter at Hampden and was brutally honest about how fortunate the home side were to take a crucial victory over Greece.

If Scotland make it to the promised land of next summerâ€s World Cup, they will glance back at this as a crucial evening. There must also be laughter to accompany reflection.

No sane observer could claim Steve Clarkeâ€s team deserved to prevail here. Lewis Ferguson and Lyndon Dykes sealed the win. Dick Turpin sprang to mind. Someone, somewhere appears to be smiling on Scotlandâ€s bid to play in a World Cup for the first time since 1998. The Scots, who had just 31% possession, are now in an excellent position in Group C. A playoff spot could be secured on Sunday evening, when Belarus visit Glasgow. Greece, who next travel to Denmark, need snookers.

“Football is a 90-minute game and you have to make sure you come out of it with a positive result,†said Clarke. “Maybe 3-1 flatters us but we did enough to win the game. It is a big win for us. Results are the only thing that qualify you for a tournament.â€

This is how Group C looks after that result. Had they lost, a play-off place could be slipping out of reach. But now, automatic qualification to the World Cup remains a very real possibility.

Photograph: Uefa.comShare

Preamble

You could hear the collective sigh emanating from the Football Association HQ last night as Thomas Tuchel decided that the best way to dissect Englandâ€s excellent 3-0 win over Wales at Wembley on Thursday night was to criticise the home fans that had parted with their hard-earned money and alternative evening plans to attend an international friendly.

The stadium was silent. We didnâ€t get any energy back from the stands. We did everything to win. What more can you give in 20 minutes? We didnâ€t let them escape. If you hear just Wales fans for half an hour, itâ€s sad because the team deserved more support today.

I stand by this statement. We cannot do more than being 3-0 in a derby. I would have wished for a bit more support in phases where it gets difficult. In the second half to get behind us, there was a bit too much support for Wales. It could have helped us to regain energy, but it is what it is and that is it.â€

Hmmm. How odd, picking a fight when there was almost none to be had. Anyway, weâ€ll have lots of reaction from Wembley, including the actual football, as well as the eight other World Cup qualifiers around Europe (including Scotlandâ€s crucial victory over Greece at Hampden) and preview the eight further qualifiers coming this evening.

Letâ€s get to it.

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Restricted free agent Quentin Grimes has signed a one-year, $8.7 million qualifying offer to return to the Philadelphia 76ers, agent David Bauman told ESPN on Wednesday.

Grimes, who averaged career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (4.3), assists (3) and steals (1) last season, will now have the ability to veto all trades during the 2025-26 season and will enter unrestricted free agency next summer when at least 10 teams are slated to have significant salary cap space.

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After Grimes’ side indicated it desired a contract in the $30 million range early in free agency and then a deal at around $20 million to $25 million, the two sides never found traction on a new agreement this offseason ahead of Wednesday’s 11:59 p.m. ET deadline for the qualifying offer.

Bauman said the Sixers’ first formal proposal of the offseason came Sept. 24 — nearly three months into free agency — with a four-year, $39 million offer. Days later, Grimes was offered a one-year, $8.8 million deal that gave him $100,000 more than his qualifying offer in order to waive an inherent no-trade clause. Those frameworks were declined, Bauman said, and negotiations never advanced.

On Wednesday, Bauman said Grimes’ side offered the 76ers a one-year framework at $17 million while waiving the no-trade clause and a two-year deal at $34 million with a player option. Both were rejected by the 76ers, Bauman said.

Quentin Grimes, who averaged career highs in points (14.6), rebounds (4.3), assists (3) and steals (1) last season, will have the ability to veto all trades during the 2025-26 season. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

The 76ers selected VJ Edgecombe with the No. 3 pick in the NBA draft to bolster their backcourt and have had uncertainty entering the 2025-26 season given the injury concerns from last season surrounding Joel Embiid and Paul George — two factors challenging their ability to provide a high-money proposal to Grimes this offseason. With Grimes now on the qualifying offer, the 76ers will retain his Bird rights and believe they have a solid chance to retain him while maintaining the sign-and-trade possibility next summer.

Grimes, 25, averaged 21.9 points and 4.5 assists in 28 games with the 76ers after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks at the February deadline. He had five 30-point games and two 40-point games with the 76ers last season. He is set to reclaim a significant role in the 76ers backcourt to start this season as Jared McCain is expected to miss four to six weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right thumb.

Grimes was selected No. 25 in the 2021 NBA draft and spent his first two seasons with the New York Knicks prior to trades to the Detroit Pistons, Mavericks and 76ers from 2023 to 2025.

He was the last of the restricted free agents to reach a deal. Josh Giddey (four years, $100 million with the Bulls), Cam Thomas (one year, $6 million qualifying offer with the Nets) and Jonathan Kuminga (two years, $48.5 million with the Warriors) signed in September.

Entering free agency, the Nets were among just a few teams with significant cap space, which created a freeze for the restricted free agent market. The Nets have operated as the only team with real cap space over the past two months.

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Quentin Grimes is betting on himself.

Grimes picked up the $8.7 million qualifying offer to return to the Philadelphia 76ers this season, a one-year contract that comes with a no-trade clause (which he can waive for a deal he likes) and makes him an unrestricted free agent next summer, a story first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN.

While the Sixers and Grimes†representatives discussed a deal all summer, they never came close to a final agreement. Grimes†agent, David Bauman, told ESPN that the teamâ€s first formal offer came only a week ago and was for four years, $39 million, which is well below the closer to $20 million a season that Grimes was seeking (Sixers officials pushed back on that number). Philadelphia retains Grimes†Bird rights and can re-sign him next summer, but after this negotiation there will be bridges to repair.

Grimes was one of the few bright spots in Philadelphia last season. After coming over at the trade deadline, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game. Pairing him in a backcourt with Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and No. 3 pick VJ Edgecombe could be the backcourt for the next decade, but also has the potential to be expensive (Maxey is already making $38 million this season). Add in having to pay Joel Embiid and Paul George more than $50 million each this season and the 76ers were not looking to go big on Grimes.

Grimes is betting that after a strong season, another team will (or at least there will be enough interest to pressure the Sixers to pay up).

With this signing, Philadelphia is $7 million over the luxury tax line with 14 roster players heading into the season (they are about $1 million below the first apron). As noted by ESPNâ€s Bobby Marx, this is a top-heavy payroll, with the top three players (Embiid, George, and Maxey) accounting for 74% of the salary cap.

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Quentin Grimes wants to capitalize on his red-hot finish to last season after being traded to Philadelphia. The 76ers remain $1.7 million below the luxury tax line this season — despite having two players in Joel Embiid and Paul George making north of $50 million this season — and donâ€t want to mess with future flexibility for a roster where there is great potential but a lot of questions.

That is likely to lead to a one-year deal between Grimes and Philly, something that has seemed likely from earlier reporting and was confirmed by Michael Scotto of Hoopshype. Grimes was seeking a long-term offer starting north of $17 million (approximately $20 million per season or close to it), and the Sixers†first formal offer was significantly below that, at four years, $39 million, Grimes†agent, David Bauman, told Scotto. The Sixers have pushed back on that idea as a formal offer and it was simply part of a negotiation.

However the sides wish to spin it, they are too far apart to find common ground on a long-term deal before the Oct. 1 deadline (when Grimes would have to pick up his qualifying offer). That has the sides moving toward a one-year contract. Scotto added details on that.

At this point, the 76ers have formally offered Grimes a one-year deal thatâ€s slightly higher than his qualifying offer of $8.7 million with the caveat that heâ€d waive his no-trade clause, league sources told HoopsHype. For Grimes to waive his no-trade clause flexibility on any one-year deal, Philadelphiaâ€s offer would preferably be somewhere north of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14 million) and $19 million range, league sources told HoopsHype.

Grimes has made a total of $11.1 million across four NBA seasons, so taking the qualifying offer at $8.7 million more than doubles what he made in any one season of his career. That said, he doesnâ€t want to leave money on the table now, and for Philly, if it offers him something like $15 million for the season, it retains his Bird rights and can pay more next summer to keep him if it wishes. That said, anything north of $9.8 million pushes the Sixers above the first apron of the luxury tax, somewhat limiting their ability to make in-season moves.

Grimes wants to cash in on the red-hot 28 games he had with the 76ers after the trade deadline last season, when he averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists a game. Philadelphia is deep with guards, including Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain (who will miss the start of the season with a thumb injury) and just-drafted VJ Edgecombe. Grimes†role this season will be a smaller one than he had at the end of last season, but still a key one as a starter or sixth man, and how much are the 76ers willing to pay for that?

We will find out by Oct. 1.

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