Weekend Recap: Rangers Pip Motherwell, a Belgrade Derby, and Tampa Bay Steal One in Texas

The marquee fixture this weekend was supposed to tell us something about the Texas Rangers' playoff ambitions — instead it told us their pitching depth just got shallower. Prospect Ryan Scarborough was shut down for four to six weeks with a right elbow strain before the weekend even arrived, and then the Rays came to Globe Life Field and made things worse. Elsewhere, a Belgrade derby, a Scottish Premiership scrap, and a Caribbean Premier League thumping all had something to say. Let's get into it.

Shutting down a pitching prospect for four to six weeks with a right elbow strain is the kind of news that colours everything that follows, and what followed at Globe Life Field was a Tampa Bay Rays win, 7–6. Texas Rangers sit eighth in the AL; the Rays arrived as the division's top side, and they played like it. Worth noting: these two met in the same fixture just recently, with Texas winning 8–6 — so the Rays returned the favour with interest, and then some. The Rangers had the runs to make it uncomfortable but not quite enough to close it out. With Scarborough's season effectively over, the margin for error in the rotation just got narrower at exactly the wrong time. Full match details here.

At the UMMC Arena, Yekaterinburg beat Dynamo Moscow 2–1 in a tight KHL opener. Yekaterinburg came into this one having put six past Kunlun without reply in their most recent outing; Dynamo had edged Nizhny Novgorod 3–2. On that evidence, the one-goal margin here feels about right — two sides capable of scoring, one that defended better on the night. Yekaterinburg held on, and on their home ice that is probably what they expected to do. Full match report.

Lawrence Shankland scored twice in a 2–1 win at Falkirk last time out, and Rangers FC carried that momentum into a 1–0 home win over Motherwell at the weekend. Third in the table on 10 points, Rangers are doing enough — though a one-goal margin against a side sitting fifth on eight points is not exactly a statement of intent six rounds in. Motherwell's previous outing was more eventful than the scoreline suggested: Dundee Utd had Emmanuel Agyei sent off in just the 14th minute of a 3–0 defeat, which does take the shine off that result slightly. Rangers won, which is what matters in Regular Season 6 of the Scottish Premiership, but the performance left room for debate. Match details.

At Stadion Spartak, Spartak Varna held CSKA Sofia to a 1–1 draw in the Bulgarian First League. CSKA arrived sitting third on 17 points — Spartak are seventh on nine — and a point apiece is probably a fair reflection of a match where the better side didn't quite impose themselves. CSKA had beaten Cherno More Varna 3–1 in their previous fixture; Spartak drew 1–1 with Ludogorets Razgrad. Neither side came into this in bad shape, and neither left it with much to show. Full details here.

Ninth versus seventh, both on seven points — and they played like it. Groningen and FC Twente shared a 2–2 draw at Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium, which is the kind of result that neither side will feel great about. Groningen had lost 3–2 to Fortuna Sittard last time; Twente had put four past Cambuur. On that form, Twente probably felt they should have taken all three points. They didn't, and at this stage of the Eredivisie season, a point at Groningen might look slightly more acceptable in hindsight than it does right now. Match details.

Griquas 52, Lions 12. There is not a great deal to add, except that Griquas had already beaten Boland Cavaliers 48–17 in their previous outing, so this was not a side suddenly finding form from nowhere. They arrived in good shape, they played in good shape, and the Lions had no answer to any of it. A 40-point winning margin in the Currie Cup is the kind of result that prompts a quiet word in the Lions' changing room. Full details.

China Women beat Czech Republic Women 74–70 at the Uber Arena — a narrow win, and one China probably needed after being beaten 94–61 by USA Women in their previous match. Czech Republic had lost 63–54 to Italy Women going in, so neither side was flush with confidence. China took it, and at the FIBA Women's World Cup that is the only thing that matters. Match details.

Qarabağ FK beat Araz 3–2 in a match that was tighter than a side of Qarabağ's standing should have allowed. In their previous fixture, Qarabağ won 1–0 at Sumqayıt despite having Kady Borges sent off in the 32nd minute — so they are clearly a side that can manage adversity. Araz had lost 1–0 to Sabah FA last time, and their 3–2 scoreline here at least shows they competed. Not enough, but a better showing than their recent form might have suggested. Full match report.

Top of the Serbian Super Liga on 18 points, FK Crvena zvezda against FK Partizan — who sit 12th on seven — was always going to be one-sided on paper, and a 2–1 home win for Crvena zvezda is about as comfortable as a Belgrade derby ever gets. Partizan's previous outing was a 3–1 win over OFK Beograd, which at least gave them something to build on; Crvena zvezda had won 2–0 at Zemun, with Zemun's D. Medic seeing red in the 88th minute. The result keeps Crvena zvezda clear at the summit. Whether Partizan's season improves from 12th is a question for another round. Match details.

A busy weekend, then — and with Gauff in that kind of form and Griquas hitting half-centuries, the next round of fixtures has a lot to live up to.