Sports Round-Up: Soccer Results, Tennis Upsets, and Lottery Updates

Thursday evening brought a series of notable sporting events across soccer, tennis, and state lottery draws, featuring significant shifts in tournament standings and long-standing rivalries. In the Brazilian Championship, Grêmio secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Athletico-PR at the Arena on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The win temporarily lifted Grêmio out of the relegation zone into 15th place with 37 points, while pushing their rival Inter into the drop zone. Goals from Marlon in the first half and Balbuena in the second sealed the performance, earning high praise for midfielder Noriega.

Following the match, Grêmio coach Renato Portaluppi addressed the arduous nature of his tenure, stating that he felt as though he was changing all four tires while the car was moving and had to work extensively to lift the squad's morale. Grêmio will return to action on Sunday, November 1, to face Atlético-MG in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinals.

Meanwhile, the historic rivalry between Vasco and Flamengo extended its streak as Vasco reached 11 years without a win against its cross-town rival in the Brasileirão. Flamengo triumphed 4-1 in Thursday's matchup at the Nilton Santos Stadium. Vasco manager Pedro Emanuel fielded an alternate lineup with five changes to preserve key players for an upcoming Copa do Brasil clash against Palmeiras on Sunday, ultimately resulting in a 16-game winless run in the national tournament against Flamengo dating back to October 2015.

In international tennis, Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising defeat at the ATP 500 in Basel, Switzerland, on Thursday. German player Jan-Lennard Struff overcame the former world number one in a tight 2-36 match, winning 6/7(4), 7/6, and 7/6(5) while firing 27 aces. The victory marked Struff's first career win against Djokovic after eight previous losses, advancing the German to the quarterfinals to face Portuguese player Nuno Borges.

In off-pitch sports news, FIFA is reportedly planning to double the prize pool for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil to at least $220 million, according to The Athletic. The proposed increase would also raise the minimum guaranteed payment per player from $30,000 in 2023 to $60,000 in 2027. The 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand featured $150 million in financial commitments, which included $110 million in prize money and $40 million for club benefits and preparation. The proposal still requires approval from the FIFA Council during its scheduled meeting in December in Zurich, Switzerland.

On the lottery front, the Timemania 2461 drawing on Thursday, October 29, in São Paulo accumulated after no player matched all seven drawn numbers. The numbers drawn were 02, 06, 17, 39, 57, 64, and 71, with Inter de Limeira chosen as the Heart Team. Although the main prize went unclaimed, two bettors matched six numbers, securing R$ 90,776.04 each. The estimated prize for the upcoming drawing on Sunday, November 1, 2026, is R$ 24 million.