Match Overview

Ecuador enters this crucial second group stage match with a sense of urgency after a shock 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast ended their impressive 19-match unbeaten streak. Considered a strong candidate to advance from the group, the South American side now faces a must-win scenario to keep their knockout round aspirations alive. The pressure is immense for a team that excelled in qualifying but stumbled out of the gate in the tournament proper.

Curaçao, making their debut on the world’s biggest stage, are the definitive underdogs. While they were comprehensively beaten 7-1 by Germany in their opener, the island nation showed commendable spirit, even managing to score an equalizer early in the match. Against a less formidable, albeit desperate, opponent in Ecuador, Curaçao will be looking to deliver a more competitive performance and perhaps even snatch a historic point.

Tactical Analysis & Match Context

The trajectories of these two teams could not be more different. Ecuador built their campaign on a foundation of defensive solidity and disciplined performances during the grueling South American qualifiers. Their opening loss was uncharacteristic, and they will need to rediscover that resilience. In contrast, Curaçao is on a steep learning curve, with their primary objective being to gain experience and prove they can compete at this level after a difficult introduction.

This match projects to be a classic clash of possession versus counter-attack. Ecuador, who averaged 52% possession in both qualifying and their first match, will almost certainly control the ball and dictate the tempo. The key challenge for them will be breaking down a Curaçao defense that will likely deploy a low block to frustrate their opponents. Creating high-quality chances was an issue against Ivory Coast, and they must be more clinical here.

Motivation is clear-cut for both sides. For Ecuador, anything less than three points would be a disaster, severely jeopardizing their chances of advancing. They must play on the front foot and assert their quality. For Curaçao, the pressure is off. Their goal is to be organized, disciplined, and seize any opportunity on the break, with the ultimate prize being a historic result in their inaugural tournament appearance.

Head-to-Head Record & Historic Trends

This fixture marks a brand new chapter in international soccer, as Ecuador and Curaçao have never faced each other before in any competition, including friendly matches. Their clash in Kansas City will be the first-ever meeting between the two nations, adding a layer of unpredictability to the contest.

While there is no direct history, we can look at their records against teams from their respective confederations. Ecuador has a solid track record against CONCACAF nations at past tournaments, winning two and losing just one of their three encounters. Their last such match was a 2-1 victory over Honduras in 2014. For Curaçao, this will be their first-ever competitive match against a team from CONMEBOL.

Statistically, Ecuador‘s recent games have been tight. Their defense was their strong suit in qualifying, conceding just 0.32 goals per game over their 19-match unbeaten run. However, their attack has been less potent, a trend that continued in their opener. Interestingly, Ecuador’s last 10 matches have seen more goals in the second half, suggesting they may take time to break down a defensive Curaçao side.

Squad News & Projected Lineups

Both managers will be pleased to have fully fit squads available, with no new injuries or suspensions reported from their opening group stage fixtures.

For Ecuador, manager Sebastián Beccacece has his full complement of players to choose from. The primary concern will be getting more production from his attacking unit. All-time top scorer Enner Valencia and his partner Gonzalo Plata were quiet against Ivory Coast, managing just a single shot on target between them. Expect them to be heavily involved as Ecuador seeks a vital win.

Curaçao also came through their challenging opener against Germany without any fitness issues. Coach Dick Advocaat is likely to rely on the same core group that showed impressive energy despite the lopsided scoreline. The midfield engine room, powered by the Bacuna brothers and the dynamic Tahith Chong, will be critical to both disrupting Ecuador’s rhythm and launching counter-attacks.

Ecuador Projected XI (4-2-3-1):
Galindez; Hincapie, Ordonez, Pacho, Franco; Caicedo, Vite; Minda, Plata, Yeboah; Valencia.
Ecuador is expected to field an unchanged lineup, banking on chemistry to overcome their opening-day struggles. The focus will be on Valencia, the nation’s leading scorer at international tournaments, to provide the clinical finishing that was absent in their first match. The creativity of Plata and Yeboah from the wings will be essential to unlocking the Curaçao defense.

Curaçao Projected XI (4-3-1-1):
Room; Fonville, Obispo, Bazoer, Floranus; J Bacuna, Comenencia, L Bacuna; Chong; Hansen, Locadia.
A similar formation to their first game is anticipated, emphasizing a compact and organized defensive shape. Curaçao’s strategy will revolve around frustrating Ecuador in the midfield and using the pace and dribbling ability of Tahith Chong to create chances on the break. Their resilience will be tested against a motivated opponent.

More details on how to watch

You can find the Ecuador vs Curaçao channel on Fubo. The service is compatible with a wide range of devices, including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and gaming consoles, as well as web browsers and mobile apps.

In addition to this match, a subscription to Fubo gives you access to other competitions, including Liga MX and LaLiga. The platform is a comprehensive home for soccer fans looking to watch games from around the world.

A subscription costs $14.99 per month, providing extensive coverage of the tournament and much more. You can stream every single match of the competition, ensuring you don’t miss a moment of the action.

SEE MORE: Schedule of World Cup games on US TV.

How to watch anywhere with VPN

If you’re abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as Nord VPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming.

There could be more movement in Group E of the 2026 World Cup, with Curacao looking to improve against Ecuador the image left in the first match, a 7-1 loss to Germany that pushed them down slightly in the FIFA world ranking.

The current ranking of Curacao is 83rd, which is one spot lower than the June 11 update. That puts the Caribbean side in a difficult position ahead of the match, even if they are mostly enjoying their first-ever appearance in the competition.

With the ranking changing after every match, Curacao will be looking to climb if it can put together a strong result. A positive performance against Ecuador would help them keep pace, even if their goal may be more modest than what some other teams might aim for.

Curacao’s rivals

As expected, the team that stands out most in the group is Germany. They are currently 9th in the FIFA world ranking, making them the highest-ranked side in the section by a clear margin after being 10th in the latest ranking.

Ecuador are next in line, but far behind at 28th, which made them one of the main contenders to advance from the group until they lost their opening match and put themselves at risk of missing out on the next round.

Ivory Coast follow closely behind at 30th after starting the competition three spots lower. The most important thing for them is that they beat their direct rivals, which also means Curacao are the lowest-ranked team among the four.

Curacao’s highest ranking

Curacao have remained in a steady position over the years in the FIFA ranking. Their current position is not too far from their highest ranking, which came in 2017 when they reached 68th place. Their lowest ranking came in 2014, when they were 183rd.

Christian Pulisic’s situation has become one of the biggest talking points around the United States after the captain missed the historic victory over Australia. While the USMNT secured its place in the 2026 World Cup knockout stage, questions remain over how Mauricio Pochettino will manage his star player ahead of the final Group D clash against Turkiye.

The United States entered the final group match with the pressure removed after a perfect start to the tournament. Back-to-back wins over Paraguay and Australia secured first place in Group D, giving the national team valuable flexibility before the knockout rounds.

The Americans had already completed the most important part of their group-stage mission after defeating Australia 2-0 in Seattle. Hours later, Paraguay’s 1-0 victory over Turkiye officially confirmed that the United States could not be overtaken at the top of the group.

The result meant that the final match against Turkiye would no longer decide qualification or first place. Thanks to FIFA’s new head-to-head tiebreaker system, the USMNT holds the advantage over both Australia and Paraguay regardless of what happens on the final matchday.

Pulisic’s status ahead of Turkey clash comes to light

The biggest question now revolves around Pulisic’s involvement. The forward suffered a calf injury during the opening match against Paraguay and was unable to recover in time for the 2-0 win over Australia. However, reports suggest that Pulisic is expected to be fit enough to face Turkiye, although his participation is far from guaranteed.

With the USMNT already locked into first place, playing the captain could create an unnecessary risk before the knockout stage. Journalist Ben Jacobs explained the situation to talkSPORT and revealed why Pochettino may decide to protect his most important attacking player. “I think he’ll be back for Turkiye, but the only caveat is now the game means nothing because they’ve already won the group.”

Jacobs added that the injury itself is not considered serious: “It’s just a kick to the back of the calf. But now that game doesn’t mean that much. Maybe it’d be more prudent for Mauricio Pochettino to wait to rest him and then bring him back for that Round of 32 game.” The decision will likely depend on Pochettino’s evaluation of Pulisic’s fitness and how much match sharpness the coaching staff believes he needs.

Pochettino has freedom to rotate the squad

The victory over Australia gave the USMNT something it rarely experiences at a World Cup: the ability to approach the final group match without fear. Several important players are carrying yellow cards, including Tyler Adams, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun, and Chris Richards. Another booking against Turkey could create suspension problems for the knockout round.

With first place already secured, Pochettino now has the option to rest key players and avoid unnecessary injuries or suspensions. Pulisic’s situation fits perfectly into that strategy, as the team can prioritize having him fully ready for the more important matches ahead.

The USMNT’s depth was already proven against Australia. Without Pulisic, Pochettino changed his approach and started Balogun alongside Ricardo Pepi, creating a more aggressive attacking setup. The adjustment worked immediately, with Balogun helping create the opening goal before Alex Freeman scored a historic World Cup goal to complete the 2-0 victory.

Christian Pulisic experienced one of the biggest moments of the United States’ World Cup journey from the sidelines, but his influence around the group remained clear. The USMNT achieved a historic milestone with a victory over Australia, and the captain’s reaction afterward showed the importance of the bond inside Mauricio Pochettino’s squad.

The American national team produced a confident performance in front of a passionate crowd in Seattle, earning a 2-0 win over Australia and securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 with one group match remaining. Even without its biggest star on the pitch, the United States continued its impressive tournament start.

In the days leading up to the game, Pulisic’s fitness was the main talking point. The Milan forward suffered a calf injury during the opening victory over Paraguay and was unable to recover in time to feature against Australia.

Despite losing their main attacking leader, the United States showed that the squad has enough depth to compete. Pochettino made a tactical adjustment by starting both Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi together in attack, and the decision immediately paid off.

The USMNT controlled the tempo from the beginning and created constant pressure against an Australian side trying to remain compact. The breakthrough arrived in the 11th minute when Balogun exploded down the left side before sending a dangerous cross into the box, forcing Cameron Burgess into an own goal.

Alex Freeman writes his name into USMNT history

The second goal arrived shortly before halftime and created another unforgettable moment for American soccer. A long-range attempt from Sergiño Dest took a deflection and bounced into the air, allowing 21-year-old defender Alex Freeman to react quickly and score his first World Cup goal.

Freeman’s header made him the third-youngest American player to score at a men’s World Cup, joining Julian Green and Bert Patenaude among the youngest goalscorers in USMNT history. The goal was especially meaningful because Freeman had already shown incredible growth over the previous year.

After struggling for opportunities at club level, the defender quickly became an important part of Pochettino’s plans and earned his place on the biggest stage. The second half belonged to the American defense. Led by Chris Richards, who completed 91 of 95 passes, the United States managed the match professionally and recorded its first World Cup clean sheet in ten games.

Pulisic’s message after watching the milestone from the bench

Although Pulisic could only watch his teammates complete the historic victory, he still celebrated the achievement with the group. After the final whistle, the captain shared a message on social media that highlighted his pride in being part of the team. “Grateful to be a part of this group. Onto the next round all together”, he wrote on social media.

The message reflected the atmosphere inside the USMNT camp. While the 27-year-old remains one of the most important players for the national team, the victory over Australia showed that the squad has developed beyond depending on one individual.

There could be more teams reaching the next round of the 2026 World Cup in Group E, with Ivory Coast far behind Germany in the FIFA ranking.

The current ranking of Ivory Coast is 30th with 1568.62 points ahead of their match. This takes into account the matches played after the previous update on June 11, with the nation gaining some spots compared to the start of the competition.

With the ranking changing after every match, Ivory Coast were able to climb three places because of how they started the group. Their victory over Ecuador with a late goal by Amad Diallo made them move ahead of countries like Algeria provisionally.

Ivory Coast’s rivals

As expected, no other team in the group is close to Germany. They are clearly the highest-ranked team, in ninth place after climbing over Belgium with the 7-1 victory over Curacao, along with Belgium’s draw with Egypt.

While Ecuador remain the nearest team to Germany, their opening match caused them to lose several positions, with the defeat dropping them from 23rd to 28th in the world ranking.

Not many changes were expected for Curacao, who are enjoying their first appearance in the competition. Their current ranking is 83rd, having been overtaken by New Zealand after a draw with Iran. Haiti remain the only team below them among the 48 participating countries.

Ivory Coast’s highest ranking

This country has been known for producing many talented players this century. Even if this is not Ivory Coast’s best period, they were much higher in the ranking in the past. Their highest position came in 2013, when they were 12th, while their lowest came in 2004, when they were 75th in the ranking.

trainer Calvin Ford has offered his thoughts on a potential clash between and , which could be fought at a catchweight of 144lbs. While there is seemingly no agreement in place, Haney has claimed via social media that he would be willing to sacrifice 3lbs for the sake of a deal. This would mean forgoing […]

The post Gervonta Davis trainer Calvin Ford gives verdict on Shakur Stevenson vs Haney: “He’ll see no threat” appeared first on Boxing News.

Dünya Kupası'na veda ettiğimiz Paraguay maçı öncesi A Milli Takım'da kaleci krizi yaşandı... Avustralya faciasının ardından ailevi sorunlar yaşayan Uğurcan Çakır'ı kulübeye çekmek isteyen teknik direktör Vincenzo Montella, Altay Bayındır ve Mert Günok'un formsuzluğu, Berke Özer'in ise kadroda olmaması nedeniyle köşeye sıkıştı. İtalyan hoca, tüm soru işaretlerine rağmen kaleyi yine Uğurcan'a emanet etmek zorunda kaldı.

A Milli Takım Teknik Direktörü Vincenzo Montella, Avustralya faciasından ardından Dünya Kupası'ndaki hayati Paraguay maçına Uğurcan Çakır'la çıkmak istemedi.

İtalyan teknik adam, kafasını meşgul eden önemli ailevi sorunlar yaşayan Uğurcan Çakır'ı bu maçta kulübeye çekmek istese de elindeki alternatiflerin formsuzluğu nedeniyle adeta köşeye sıkıştı.

Montella’nın Uğurcan’ı dinlendirme planının önündeki en büyük engel, aday kadroya davet etmediği Berke Özer oldu. Genç kalecinin yokluğunda elindeki diğer isimlere yönelen tecrübeli çalıştırıcı, Mert Günok ve Altay Bayındır’ın sezon boyunca sergilediği istatistikler nedeniyle iki kaleciye de güvenemedi.

Kritik mücadele öncesi diğer file bekçilerinin form grafiği Montella'yı Uğurcan'a mahkum etti. Sezon boyunca istikrarsız bir görüntü çizen Mert Günok, görev yaptığı 13 lig maçında kalesinde 19 gol gördü.

Bir diğer alternatif Altay Bayındır ise şans bulduğu 6 karşılaşmada filelerinden 11 top çıkararak Montella'ya güven vermekten uzak kaldı.

Yaşanan bu kaleci krizi ve alternatif isimlerin zayıf istatistikleri, Montella’nın planlarını tamamen bozdu. İtalyan hoca, tüm soru işaretlerine ve oyuncunun yaşadığı odaklanma sorunlarına rağmen eli mahkum bir şekilde kaleyi yeniden Uğurcan Çakır’a emanet etmek zorunda kaldı.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası E Grubu ikinci maçında Almanya ile Fildişi Sahili karşı karşıya geliyor. Karşılaşma saat 23.00'te başladı.

2026 FIFA Dünya Kupası heyecanı Grup aşamalarıyla tüm hızıyla devam ediyor.2026 Dünya Kupası E Grubu'nda Almanya ve Fildişi Sahili karşı karşıya geliyor.

ALMANYA - FİLDİŞİ SAHİLİ MAÇI SAAT KAÇTA, HANGİ KANALDA?

Toronto Stadyumu'nda oynanan bu kritik mücadele Türkiye saati ile 23:00'te başladı. Maç TRT 1'den yayınlanıyor.

ALMANYA - FİLDİŞİ SAHİLİ MAÇI İLK 11'LER

Almanya: Neuer, Kimmich,Tah, Schlotterbeck, Brown, Pavlovic, Nmecha, Musiala, Sane, Wirtz, Havertz

Fildişi Sahili: Fofana, Singo, Koussounou, Agbadou, Konan, Kessie, Sangare, Oulai, Diallo, Bonny, Diomande

DÜNYA KUPASI E GRUBU PUAN DURUMU

Almanya: 3 puan

Fildişi Sahili: 3 puan

Ekvador: 0

Kurasao: 0

A Milli Takım'da Dünya Kupası sonrası "yeni dönem" operasyonu başladı! Radikal kararla 4 tecrübeli isme milli forma kapatılırken, tepki çeken Hakan Çalhanoğlu ve Merih Demiral'ın kaderi belli oldu. Mert Günok, Samet Akaydın, Kaan Ayhan ve Çağlar Söyüncü'ye milli takım kapıları tamamen kapanırken; eleştirilen Hakan Çalhanoğlu ve Merih Demiral'la devam edilme kararı alındı.

Avustralya ve Paraguay karşısında gol atamadan Dünya Kupası’na veda eden A Milli Futbol Takımı’nda radikal adımlar atılıyor. Turnuva sonrasında beklentilerin uzağında kalınması, teknik heyet ve yönetimi yeni bir yapılanma için harekete geçirdi. Ay-yıldızlılarda "yeni dönem" resmen başlıyor.

Yeni yapılanma planı kapsamında, kadroda düşünülmeyen ilk isimler netleşti. Tecrübeli eldiven Mert Günok’un yanı sıra savunma hattından Samet Akaydın, Kaan Ayhan ve Çağlar Söyüncü bundan sonra kesin olarak milli takım kadrosuna dahil edilmeyecek. Defans hattındaki bu operasyon, takımın tamamen gençleşeceğinin ilk sinyali oldu.

Dünya Kupası performansları nedeniyle eleştiri oklarının hedefi olan iki kritik isim içinse karar verildi. Yoğun tepki alan kaptan Hakan Çalhanoğlu ve savunmacı Merih Demiral, milli takımı bırakmayı düşünmüyor. İki oyuncu da yeni dönemde kadroda kalmaya ve ay-yıldızlı formayı terletmeye devam edecek.

Milli takımın yeni jenerasyonunda ise geleceğe yatırım yapılacak. Teknik kadronun yeni dönem planlarında yer alan genç yetenekler belirlendi. Yusuf Akçiçek, Isak Vural, Demir Ege Tıknaz ve Aral Şimşir, yeni yapılanmanın merkezinde yer alacak ve önümüzdeki süreçte milli takımın yeni yüzleri olacak.

Dünya Kupası'ndaki erken vedanın ardından TFF yönetiminin devlet kademesindeki kredisi tükendi. Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı'nın, 3289 sayılı kanundan aldığı yetkiyle idari ve mali işlemler için 'detaylı rapor' talep ederek düğmeye bastığı iddia edildi. FIFA yaptırımları sebebiyle doğrudan görevden alma formülü olmayacak... ancak hazırlanacak denetim raporlarıyla çemberin daralacağı TFF için kaçınılmaz seçim süreci başlayacak.

Dünya Kupası'na beklenenden erken veda eden A Milli Futbol Takımı'nda fatura idari ve teknik yönetime kesilirken, gözler Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı ile TFF arasındaki bürokratik trafiğe çevrildi.

Spor kamuoyunda "Bakanlık özerk bir yapıya sahip olan TFF'den hesap sorabilir mi?" sorusu tartışılırken, hukuki mevzuat Bakanlığın bu süreçte çok net bir ağırlığı olduğunu gösteriyor.

BAKANLIĞIN YETKİSİ VAR

TFF idari olarak özerk olsa da devletin genel denetim mekanizmalarının tamamen dışında yer almıyor. 3289 sayılı Gençlik ve Spor Hizmetleri Kanunu uyarınca, Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı'nın federasyonların her türlü idari, mali ve teknik işlemlerini denetleme yetkisi saklı.

DETAYLI RAPOR TALEP EDİLDİ

Bu doğrultuda Bakanlığın, Dünya Kupası'na hazırlık süreci, harcanan bütçenin verimliliği ve teknik heyet performansına dair TFF’den "detaylı rapor" talep etmesinde engel yok.

Bu talep, taktiksel bir sorgulamadan ziyade, kamusal kaynakların kullanımı ve organizasyonel başarı kriterlerinin denetlenmesi amacını taşımakta olduğu bildirildi.

TFF KREDİSİNİ KAYBETTİ

Medya koridorlarında "Bakanlık TFF'den rapor istedi" iddialarının arkasından bu hamlenin bürokratik bir prosedür olmanın ötesinde aynı zamanda güçlü bir idari mesaj olduğu konuşuluyor.

Erken vedanın ardından gelen bu tür resmi hamleler, mevcut federasyon yönetiminin devlet kademesinde kredisini kaybettiğine ve başarısızlığın kurumsal bir faturasının çıkacağı şeklinde yorumlandı.

GÖREVDEN ALMA OLMAYACAK

Bu hesap sorma sürecinin hassas bir sınırı var. FIFA, üye ülke federasyonlarının iç işlerine yönelik doğrudan hükümet müdahalelerine (görevden alma, kayyum atama vb.) küresel turnuvalardan men etmeye varan ağır yaptırımlar uygulamakta. Bu nedenle Bakanlık bahsedilen raporun sunulmasının ardından duruma el koyamayacak. Ancak hazırlanan rapor, denetim sonuçları ve mali bilançolar TFF delegelerinin eline de ulaşacak.

OLAĞANÜSTÜ GENEL KURUL

Sonuç olarak özerk federasyonlarda hesap verme yeri ve yönetimi değiştirme yetkisi genel kurula ait. Bakanlığın iddia edilen rapor ile başlatacağı idari ve mali süreç, delegelerin imza toplayarak TFF'yi "olağanüstü genel kurul" veya seçim sürecine götürmesinin en önemli zemin hazırlayıcısı konumuna gelebilir.

Avustralya ve Paraguay hezimetlerinin ardından A Milli Takım'da ipler gerildi! Vincenzo Montella'nın kararlarına tepki gösteren futbolcular TFF'ye rest çekti. Başını Berke Özer'in çektiği; Yusuf Akçiçek, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, Aral, Orkun, Ozan ve Atakan'ın da yer aldığı genç ve tecrübeli isimler, "Montella varsa biz yokuz" noktasına getirerek kazan kaldırdı.

Avustralya ve Paraguay karşısında yaşanan hezimetler, A Milli Futbol Takımı’nda bardağı taşıran son damla oldu. Saha içindeki dağınık görüntü ve alınan şoke edici sonuçların ardından ay-yıldızlı ekibin soyunma odasında kelimenin tam anlamıyla bir isyan ateşi yandı.

Takım içindeki huzursuzluk, radikal bir boyuta ulaşarak teknik direktör Vincenzo Montella’ya karşı açık bir başkaldırıya dönüştü.

Edinilen bilgilere göre, kamptaki huzursuzluk ve taktiksel memnuniyetsizlikler bir grup oyuncunun adeta kazan kaldırmasıyla sonuçlandı. İtalyan teknik adamın yönetim tarzından ve kararlarından rahatsız olan futbolcular, federasyon kanadına net bir mesaj ileterek, "Montella varsa biz yokuz" restini çekti.

Kazan kaldıran bu muhalif grubun başını ise kaleci Berke Özer çekiyor. Montella ile bağları tamamen koparan Berke'nin, tepkinin sözcülüğünü üstlendiği belirtiliyor.

Kriz sadece Berke Özer ile sınırlı değil... isyan dalgası genç ve potansiyelli oyuncular arasında da hızla zemin buldu. Yusuf Akçiçek, Can Uzun, Deniz Gül, Aral, Orkun, Ozan ve Atakan gibi isimlerin de Berke Özer'in liderlik ettiği bu gruba tam destek verdiği öğrenildi.

Genç yıldızların da dahil olduğu bu geniş cephe, Montella’nın milli takımdaki geleceğini tamamen çıkmaza soktu. Arka arkaya gelen hezimetlerin üzerine binen bu oyuncu isyanı, TFF'yi acil durum planı yapmaya zorladı. Takım içindeki iplerin tamamen koptuğu bu süreçte, yönetimin Montella ile yolları ayırıp ayırmayacağı veya isyancı oyunculara karşı nasıl bir yaptırım uygulayacağı futbol kamuoyunda merakla bekleniyor.

A Milli Kadın Voleybol Takımı, 2026 Milletler Ligi'nde Almanya'yı 3-2 mağlup etti.

A Milli Kadın Voleybol Takımı, 2026 FIVB Milletler Ligi'nin (VNL) ikinci haftasındaki üçüncü maçında Almanya'yı 3-2 yendi.

Müsabakaya iyi başlayan Almanya, ay-yıldızlı takımın özellikle servislerdeki hatası sonucu 12-8 öne geçti. Almanya, kontrolü elinde bulunduğu seti 25-18 kazanarak 1-0 öne geçti.

Karşılıklı sayılarla başlayan ikinci sette Vargas'ın etkili servisleriyle 6-3 öne geçen ay-yıldızlı ekip, rakibine mola aldırdı. Milli takım, bloktaki sayıları ve orta alanda yaptığı hücumlarla farkı 6'ya çıkardı: 14-8. Weske, Alsmeier ve Cekulaev'in etkili mücadelesiyle toparlanan Almanya, skoru 19-19 olarak eşitledi. Çekişmeli şekilde devam eden seti 26-24 kazanan Almanya 2-0 öne geçmeyi başardı.

Müsabakada üçüncü setin ilk bölümü de karşılıklı sayılara sahne olurken son bölümde İlkin Aydın'ın sayılarıyla farkı açan ay-yıldızlı ekip, üçüncü seti 25-19 alarak skoru 2-1'e getirdi.

Maçta dördüncü sette de takımlar karşılıklı sayılar üretirken Almanya, Cekulaev ile 15-14 öne geçti. Daha sonra rakibinin yaptığı hataları Vargas ve İlkin Aydın'ın performansıyla iyi değerlendiren ay-yıldızlı ekip, seti 25-22 kazanarak durumu 2-2 yaptı.

A Milli Kadın Voleybol Takımı, daha iyi bir mücadele sergilediği son seti 15-13 alarak müsabakadan 3-2 galip ayrıldı.

Bu sonuçla Türkiye, ligde 5. galibiyetini elde etti. Almanya ise 5. kez mağlup oldu.

SIRADAKİ RAKİP ÇİN

A Milli Kadın Voleybol Takımı, 2026 FIVB Milletler Ligi'nin ikinci haftasındaki dördüncü ve son maçında ise Çin ile mücadele edecek.

Ankara Spor Salonu'nda oynanacak karşılaşma, 21 Haziran Pazar günü saat 19.30'da başlayacak.

Salon: Ankara

Hakemler: Bernard Valentar (Slovenya), Stefano Cesare (İtalya)

Türkiye: Melissa Vargas, Hande Baladın, Sinead Jack-Kısal, Cansu Özbay, Yaprak Erkek, Berka Buse Özden (Gizem Örge, Saliha Şahin, Elif Şahin, Deniz Uyanık, Defne Başyolcu, Eylül Akarçeşme Yatgın, İlkin Aydın)

Almanya: Straube, Alsmeier, Weitzel, Weske, Timmer, Cekulaev (Cesar, Nestler, Kohn, Kindermann, Strubbe, Pfeffer)

Setler: 18-25, 24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 15-13

Süre: 145 dakika

Ampute Futbol Türkiye Kupası finalinde Başkent Ampute Futbol Gücü'nü uzatmalarda 4-1 yenen Şahinbey Belediyespor, şampiyonluğa ulaştı.

Ayazağa Yusuf Tunaoğlu Stadı Ampute Futbol Sahası'nda oynanan final maçında Şahinbey Belediyespor ile Başkent Ampute Futbol Gücü karşı karşıya geldi.

İlk yarısı 0-0 berabere biten karşılaşmanın normal süresi, 42. dakikada penaltıdan Kemal Güleş, 50+4. dakikada Barış Telli'nin attığı karşılıklı gollerle 1-1 sona erdi.

Şahinbey Belediyespor, Barış Telli'nin performansıyla ön plana çıktığı uzatma dakikalarında 54. dakikada Yussıf Yahaya, 69 ve 70. dakikalarda Mohammed Mubarık'ın golleriyle rakibini 4-1 yenerek kupanın sahibi oldu.

Başkent Ampute Futbol Gücü ise organizasyonu ikinci sırada noktaladı.

- Malatya Büyükşehir Belediyespor üçüncü oldu

Organizasyonun üçüncülük maçında Malatya Büyükşehir Belediyespor ile Trabzon Büyükşehir Belediyesi Ampute Futbol Kulübü karşılaştı.

Malatya ekibi, 50+3. dakikada Jean Paul Ntambara'nın golüyle rakibini 1-0 mağlup ederek Türkiye Kupası'nı üçüncü sırada tamamladı.

- Kupa töreni

Ampute Futbol Türkiye Kupası'nda üçüncülük ve final maçlarının ardından ödül törenleri düzenlendi.

Ödül törenlerinde ampute futbolculara madalyalarını ve kupalarını Türkiye Bedensel Engelliler Spor Federasyonu Başkanı Alpaslan Erkoç verdi.

Organizasyonda zafere ulaşan Şahinbey Belediyesporlu oyuncular, şampiyonluk kupasının kendilerine verilmesiyle büyük sevinç yaşadı.

Amerika Birləşmiş Ştatları (ABŞ), Kanada və Meksikada təşkil edilmiş futbol üzrə sayca 23-cü dünya çempionatı (DÇ-2026) davam edir.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, bu gün daha bir oyun baş tutub.

Qrup mərhələsinin 2-ci turu çərçivəsində Niderland və İsveç yığmaları üz-üzə gəliblər. Hyustonda (Texas, ABŞ) keçirilmiş F qrupunun matçında Niderland yığması darmadağına sevinib.

Niderland millisinin heyətində Brayan Brobbi və Kodi Qakpo dubla imza atıblar. Daha bir qolu isə Krisensio Sammervill 89-cu dəqiqədə rəqib qapısından keçirib. İsveç yığmasının yeganə qolunu 59-cu dəqiqədə Antoni Elanqa vurub.

Beləliklə Niderland 4 xalla ilk pilləyə yüksəlib. İsveç yığması 3 xalla ikincidir.

Xatırladaq ki, bu qrupun digər qarşılaşmasında düz bir saat sonra Almaniya millisi Kot-d’İvuar yığmasını sınağa çəkəcək.

DÇ-2026
F qrupu
20 iyun

Niderland – İsveç 5:1
Qollar: Brayan Brobbi, 5; 17. Kodi Qakpo, 47; 54. Krisensio Sammervill, 89 – Antoni Elanqa, 59.

• Leader: -7 Clark (20:45 BST)
• Selected: -3 M Fitzpatrick (20:45), Schauffele (20:34), Stevens (20:34), Kim (20:23); -2 Morikawa (20:23)
• Level Fleetwood (10), Grillo (67); +1 A Fitzpatrick (5), McIlroy (4); +2 Scheffler (4)
• "Some pin positions are ridiculous," says MacIntyre who is at +7
• BBC Radio 5 Live commentary available via 'watch & listen' tab from 20:00 BST

US Open round three - Fitzpatrick, McIlroy and Scheffler among those chasing Clark

Northampton Saints are proving themselves to be the formidable force in English club rugby union.

For the second time in three seasons, they have been crowned champions.

But they did it the hard way, pushed all the way by Exeter Chiefs in the Prem final before eventually running out 26-17 winners at Allianz Stadium.

Were it not for George Hendy's quickfire second-half double when the Chiefs were down to 14 men following the sin-binning of Dafydd Jenkins, the story may have been different.

But nobody in Northampton will care. This is their third crown in all, and it would be hard to bet against more in the very near future.

BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones certainly thinks so.

"Northampton are building a dynasty," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"With 14 academy graduates in their 23, it's based on developing their own, and you can see the connection here between the players and their supporters who are in raptures in the Twickenham sunshine.

"With time on their side, they will feel they can add to their legacy and be talked about in the future as one of the great English club sides in history."

England World Cup winner and former Saints scrum-half Matt Dawson concurred: "This crop are the best Northampton team there has ever been. Period.

"The trophies, their style, what they've done for the town, for the fans is unrivalled. It has been a pleasure to watch them."

Furbank's perfect farewell

That youth production line has been the cornerstone of their success, and ex-Northampton and England winger Chris Ashton says it has allowed them to make bold decisions.

Captain George Furbank bowed out in style as he prepares to leave his boyhood club to join Harlequins.

"They are what every club in England is aspiring to be," Ashton said. "They've got it right.

"They have a group of players who inspire kids in their tone that makes them want to play for Saints, which then produces an amazing academy with all these players coming through.

"The club is run properly. They've made a business decision to let George Furbank go because it is right for the club. They can do that because they back the talent that is coming through.

"They are leading the way and are deserved winners."

Furbank admitted he was feeling a wave of different emotions as his Saints career comes to an end.

"I said to the boys I don't really know how to feel after the final whistle," he told BBC Sport.

"It was a mix of relief, happiness, sadness, all merged into one.

"It was a different feeling to the last time we won it - I think we're going to have a good few days to celebrate and it'll all sink in."

• Northampton beat Exeter to win Prem Rugby title
• Relive Northampton's Prem final win over Exeter
• How Saints are working to unearth the next Pollock

'You dream of this as a boy' - Pollock stars on big stage

It has been an incredible rise for Henry Pollock, the 21-year-old flanker who won player of the match.

Like Furbank, he represents that conveyor belt of Northampton talent, crowning a superb 18 months which has seen him debut for England and the British and Irish Lions.

"It is surreal," he told BBC Sport after the game. "This is something you dream of as a little kid. This is why you play the game, for these moments, eyes on you, pressure on you.

"This is right up there [as a career highlight]. You dream of being a boy playing in a Premiership final in front of a packed out Twickenham. I'm just delighted.

"We spoke all year about giving the boys who are leaving us a good send off, especially Furbank. He has been with us from day one through the academy and I'm so proud of the way we showed up for him."

Could Dowson take charge of England one day?

Ashton also believes Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson deserves a huge amount of credit for how he has set up the team, not just tactically, but in terms of allowing it to flourish.

Northampton topped the league table this season and in 2024, going on to be crowned champions on both occasions.

But although their league form dipped last season, when they finished eighth, Dowson did lead the club to the Champions Cup final, where they were beaten by Bordeaux.

"He has got his environment right," said Ashton. "It seems really enjoyable. Academy coaches have all got their eyes on the next person coming through and nurturing them coming through."

The 44-year-old has now lifted two Prem titles and more seem possible. But perhaps a call from the national side could be in his future, according to Ashton.

"Without question, [the England job] should be in the making right now," he said. "He should already be being suggested.

"This is what we should be doing as a rugby country, getting coaches ready for international rugby and Phil Dowson has got to be top of that list."

Northampton Saints are not stopping here, and perhaps their success could lead to much more beyond even their own future.

RailRiders 8, Clippers 6

Clippers 9, RailRiders 8

CJ Kayfus hit a three-run homer in the first game but Steven Perez got lit up in relief.

Bo Naylor went 2 for 4 with two homers including an inside-the-parker to walk it off, where the Railriders’ outfielder seemed to forget what the score was. Oops. Franco Aleman had another scoreless outing.

Ralphy Velazquez has raised his Triple-A OPS to .700… now to see if he can take the next step.

Curve 3, Rubber Ducks 2

Jaison Chourio went 2 for 4 and Justin Campbell pitched better than his line shows, going five innings giving up 2 runs and striking out 5.

Captains 11, Loons 4

Welbyn Francisca hit two homers with five RBI. Michael Kennedy had a nice outing giving up 2 in 5 innings with 5 K’s.

Green Jackets 16, Howlers 3

Juneiker Caceres went 2 for 4, but Howlers pitching was crushed all day.

If a recent update from The Times (as cited by Liverpool Echo) is believed to be true, Everton are desperately looking for a new right-back and have identified a host of names, with Strasbourg sensation Guela Doue being one of the prime targets.

However, his £40m price tag has been labelled as a stumbling block, and the Toffees could explore other options amid rumoured interest in Djed Spence, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raoul Bellanova, Ben White, Emil Holm and Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

Everton moved home from Goodison Park to Hill Dickinson Stadium, but only managed six wins in their own backyard. David Moyes must strengthen multiple areas to improve upon last season’s 13th-placed Premier League finish, particularly down the right, having deployed centre-half Jake O’Brien as a makeshift for the majority of the campaign. 37-year-old Seamus Coleman has parted ways after more than 16 years in Merseyside. Nathan Patterson could also be on the move, after featuring only 19 times over the past two years.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 14: Guela Doue #17 of Cote d’Ivoire controls the ball against Alan Minda #14 of Ecuador during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E match between Cote D’Ivoire and Ecuador at Philadelphia Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

The Blues were close to snapping up Kenny Tete last summer. But the Dutchman made a U-turn by penning a new contract at Fulham. Although O’Brien played as an unconventional, defensively solid right fullback, adding immense height and a physical profile to the flank, Moyes must bring someone who offers width and creative spark, with flair and marauding runs.

Why Doue Fits Better Than The Other Targets At Everton

Doue, currently representing the Ivory Coast in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, progressed through Rennes’ academy ranks before breaking into their senior squad. He joined Strasbourg for a fee of around €6m in the summer of 2024 and has since featured regularly for the Ligue 1 side.

Predominantly a right-back, Doue is flexible across the backline, having demonstrated his physical intensity, strong tackling, aerial ability and ball-playing traits. His progressive ball-carrying and accurate long-range passing make him a perfect fit as a fullback, but he is also comfortable as a wide centre-back or right wing-back. Everton must attempt to lower the asking price, as he would be a better fit than Spence and Wan-Bissaka for Moyes’ defensive solidity, tactical discipline and direct, counter-attacking football.

Meanwhile, White’s profile suits his style, but the Englishman’s persistent fitness woes remain a concern. Holm joined Juventus on loan from Bologna earlier this year, but the Swedish international has not done enough to justify his potential. Atalanta ace Bellanova is more suited as a wing-back, and Norton-Cuffy, despite impressing at Genoa, might need another full season before returning to England. The Merseysiders must push for Doue, but a strong World Cup run would only solidify Strasbourg’s stance for their prized asset.

Tottenham Hotspur might just have disrupted Manchester United’s transfer plans.

Desperate to avoid another relegation battle, Spurs are going all-out in the market to hand high-profile players to Roberto De Zerbi.

In recent days, they have seemingly stepped up their efforts to convince Mateus Fernandes to move to North London despite interest from United. 

Tottenham Hotspur trying to sign Mateus Fernandes

On Saturday, The Peoples Person relayed a report claiming Tottenham Hotspur are nearing an agreement over personal terms with Mateus Fernandes.

United remain the Portuguese midfielder’s preferred destination, and there is confidence internally at Old Trafford that they remain in the driving seat to strike an agreement with West Ham United.

Still, Spurs’ entry into the race should complicate United’s pursuit as the Hammers now have one more reason to not budge from their £85 million valuation. 

A report in Italy suggests this development might force United to make a U-turn on another Premier League midfielder.

Manchester United make contact for Sandro Tonali

Having made Fernandes their priority target, United reportedly informed Newcastle United last week that they will not enter the race to sign Sandro Tonali.

However, SportMediaset journalist Orazio Accomando claims United have asked for information about Tonali.

The 26-year-old Italian midfielder, known for his relentless work rate and athleticism, is now reportedly being chased by the Red Devils, Arsenal, and Tottenham.

Spurs are supposedly pushing the hardest for £100m-rated Tonali’s services.

However, both United and Arsenal can offer him Champions League football, which is considered one of the main reasons behind his desire to part ways with the Magpies.

Featured image Mike Hewitt via Getty Images

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Four years ago, while the U.S. Men’s National Team was in Qatar at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a 17-year-old Alex Freeman was cutting his teeth in third-division MLS NEXT Pro with Orlando City B and just starting to break into the U.S. Under-19 Men’s National Team.

Just a few years later, Freeman is not only playing at the highest levels in La Liga with Villarreal CF, but he’s starting—and scoring—for the USMNT in the FIFA World Cup just a year removed from his USMNT debut.

“It's hard for me to take it all in, but it's good also to go through these challenges at such a fast pace at a young age,” Freeman said after scoring against Australia on Friday. “I feel like it's going to make me an even better player to be able to adjust to different atmospheres and adjust to different circumstances. Now that I'm here, it's just [about] how can I give 100% and do it for my country, and how can I make everyone proud?”

After three productive seasons in MLS NEXT Pro with Orlando’s reserve team, Freeman took full advantage of his opportunity with the first team in 2025. The defender made 38 appearances for Orlando City SC across all competitions—Major League Soccer (MLS), Leagues Cup, the U.S. Open Cup and the MLS Cup Playoffs—netting six goals and providing a trio of assists. The rising talent was subsequently voted to represent MLS at the 2025 MLS All-Star Game in Austin, Texas, and by the end of the season was named the 2025 MLS Young Player of the Year and earned a 2025 MLS Best XI nod.

Freeman carried the momentum he built in Orlando to the USMNT, catching the eye of head coach Mauricio Pochettino and earning his first call-up ahead of the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup. A member of thatheavily rotated Gold Cup roster, Freeman played all but two minutes of the United States’ run to the Final. Since then, the defender’s meteoric rise with Pochettino’s National Team has continued, as the youngster earned playing time in all 10 pre-World Cup tune-ups before being named to the final 26-player FIFA World Cup 2026 squad.

"Well, it's difficult to explain the evolution of him,” Pochettino gushed. In addition to crediting former Orlando City SC head coach Oscar Pareja and his staff for developing Freeman into the player he is today, Pochettino continued to praise the goalscorer.

“Of course, the player, because the player is doing a fantastic job. The evolution is massive. He's such a humble guy, he has an amazing profile, he wants to learn, he always listens. He's a player that you really enjoy being with, not only coaching. He's a lovely guy, and he's an amazing player. For me, he has the potential to be one of the best players in his position in the world."

Freeman, born in Baltimore, Md. and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is the son of Super Bowl XXXI champion and former All-Pro and Pro Bowl wide receiver Antonio Freeman. Thirty years since the Green Bay Packers Hall of Famer caught a pair of touchdowns at the old Kingdome, his son scored a goal at the cavernous Seattle Stadium, built on the site of the former stadium.

“For me, it’s a full-circle family moment,” Freeman, who turned down football and basketball in favor of soccer, said. “It shows how great the family tree is, and that just shows how [Antonio Freeman] can be great, but I can be great in my own way as well. That just shows how amazing it is to have a dad who's successful and can mentor me to be able to be ready for moments like these.”

Freeman’s goal in the USMNT’s 2-0 knockout stage-clinching victory against Australia was just the third of his nascent National Team career. In his second World Cup appearance, the 21-year-old became the sixth-youngest American goalscorer at a World Cup. While initially disallowed for offside, a subsequent VAR review determined Freeman’s headed finish was onside, sending the sold-out Seattle Stadium into sheer, seismic pandemonium.

“I thought it was offside, and then VAR took a really long time, I was very anxious to see whether it was a goal or not,” Freeman explained. “Then when it was a goal, I looked back and I saw my teammates running at me, I was like, ‘Oh, Lord,’ and I had to run, and then I ended up running and started with them. It made me very emotional in the moment.”

The celebrations echoed throughout the stadium, the city and the country, as Freeman’s goal helped confirm the United States’ spot in the knockout stage, and later sealed the Stars and Stripes’ spot atop the Group D table. After the match, several key USMNT veterans lauded Freeman’s performance.

"We’re a family, we’re brothers and everyone's so happy when we score for each other, and I think you saw that today,” forward Folarin Balogun said. “I think Freeman had to wait a little bit just for the VAR, but once we got the green light, everybody was so happy for him.

"I think he's got a fantastic future. He's a very humble kid, very down to earth, and I think as long as he continues to develop, and he's able to show he's doing it on the biggest stage, he's going to have a bright future."

Longtime USMNT defender Antonee Robinson echoed that sentiment, adding, “We’re still buzzing, obviously, for him, a young lad coming into the team and playing his first World Cup and getting a goal today. It's an amazing feeling, you can see how happy we all are for him. That's going to give him even more confidence, because he's been playing so well recently, and it's not easy, so hopefully that keeps him going, and he'll be looking to get another one as well."

A monumental moment for the young defender, the often soft-spoken Freeman has done his best to remain level-headed after his career day at Seattle Stadium, enjoying the moment while remainingfocused on the USMNT’s upcoming matches.

“I think that just showed how I've made it in my way,” Freeman said of his performance. “I've worked my whole life to get to that moment and to be able to hear a national anthem in front of a home crowd and support my nation, I'm very grateful to do that in that situation.

“We felt something before the World Cup even started, we knew our bond, this bond is like a family here in the [USMNT], and now that we've won two games and been consistently winning and playing well, our confidence is through the roof. Now it's about how can we give more and more and more. The game's done so now we work until the next game, be ready, be 100%, and give it all again.”

Troy Melton gave the Tigers six innings of one-hit ball on Saturday, leading them to a 4-1 victory and a series win over the Chicago White Sox. Dillon Dingler and Jake Rogers both had great games by their respective standards, and contributions from Kevin McGonigle, Spencer Torkelson, James Outman, and Tyler Holton were key in this one. Kenley Jansen locked up his 485th save to finish this one off.

Things did not begin well for Troy Melton, but they would get much, much better after the first batter. The second pitch of the game was a fastball on the inner half of the strikezone and Sam Antonacci lifted it to right field for a solo shot. Melton retired Miguel Vargas, Andrew Benintendi, and Colson Montgomery without difficulty from there, though the only thing he was commanding decently was the fourseamer early on.

Antonacci robbed Dillon Dingler of a flare single with a leaping grab at second base in the bottom half. That helped lefty Sean Newcomb to a 1-2-3 bottom of the first.

The White Sox continued to take their hacks at first pitches from Melton in the second, but it only led to two quick outs. Melton started to find the handle on his cutter and slider, but still had zero feel for the splitter. Braden Montgomery waited out a few errant splitters and drew a two-out walk. Jake Rogers tried to backpick him and Torkelson couldn’t handle the throw. Montgomery took second while Melton challenged the pitch correctly as Rogers was otherwise occupied. Rogers got the error despite the ball being right to Torkelson. It ultimately didn’t matter as Melton carved up Tristan Peters with a good curveball for a swinging strike three and his first strikeout of the game.

Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter, getting a rare start against a lefty, grounded out weakly in the bottom of the second, while in between them, Spencer Torkelson whiffed on a Newcomb fastball to strike out. The lefty wasn’t showing much beyond a good, well located fastball, but early on that was plenty.

Drew Romo flew out to start the third. Melton, trying to get inside on Antonacci, hit him, but Miguel Vargas flew out to center field, and Benintendi grounded out to first in another quick inning for Melton. The right-hander finished the third at 39 pitches.

Hao-Yu Lee flew out to right to open the bottom of the third and Jake Rogers took a called striked three. The White Sox had their bullpen warm as Newcomb was only scheduled to throw around 45 pitches, but things were going well, and Will Venable stuck with Newcomb against Zach McKinstry, who whiffed on 96 mph up to complete three perfect frames.

Melton got a weak fly out from Colson Montgomery to open the fourth, mixing in some good curveballs now. Grichuk bounced a cutter to McGonigle at third for the second out. Jacob Gonzalez bounced out to Lee at second just as Melton’s pitch count topped 50.

Will Venable did turn to RHP Tyler Davis in the bottom of the fourth. He walked Kevin McGonigle on four straight pitches, and the Tigers had the leadoff man on. Dillon Dingler got tied up with a good fourseamer and popped out on the first base side in foul territory. Vierling pulled a pair of two strike pitches just foul of third base, and battled his way back to 3-2 and through a 10 pitch AB before Davis yanked a fastball wide to issue a walk. Davis then fired three straight balls to Riley Greene. Greene swung at a fastball on the inner edge, pulling it foul, and then got jammed, blooping one to Montgomery at shortstop for the second out. That left it up to Torkelson, and Davis continued to be pretty wild, walking him on five pitches.

And so, Kerry Carpenter stepped into a perfect matchup for him, and Venable wanted none of it, turning to lefty Joe Rock instead. And after starting Carpenter with Newcomb facing him the first time, AJ Hinch now turned to fan favorite, Jahmai Jones. He fouled a ball off his shin and was in obvious pain, and then struck out on a slider that backed up and never broke into the zone as boos rained down from the crowd.

Good times.

James Outman took over for Jones, playing center field as Vierling moved over to right field. Melton got Braden Montgomery to open the fifth, but then walked Peters on four straight. That brought Chris Fetter out for a quick factory reset. It worked, as the right-hander carved up Romo with a nasty curveball for a swinging strike three and his second punchout. Melton fell behind against Antonacci, worked it back to 3-2, and then missed the lower outside corner to walk him. It was initially called a strike three, but Antonacci correctly challenged it. So it was Melton versus Vargas, and the Tigers’ starter came after him, blowing him away with 98 mph to strand both runners in the first stress of the outing.

Rock got a weak flyout to right from Lee in the bottom half, then a grounder from Rogers. McKinstry hung in there to draw a walk and turn the lineup over. Rock slung a pair of sliders in for strikes to get ahead of McGonigle, but the rookie eventually got a fastball and lined it up the middle for a single and the Tigers first hit of the game. Dingler followed suit, inside outing a fastball in and lining it for an RBI single to right field. McKinstry scored and McGonigle went first to third with ease. Tie ballgame. Vierling popped up a slider to shallow center field, and we were onto the sixth in a 1-1 game.

Melton was at 71 pitches to start the inning, so this was probably his final frame. Hao-Yu Lee made a nice diving stop to get Benintendi on a hard grounder to start things off. Melton dusted Colson Montgomery with a good slider for the second out, and then did the same thing to the right-handed Grichuk for his fifth strikeout of the game on his 84th pitch.

The breaking stuff really came around as the game progressed and they ditched the splitter. As usual, Melton’s strength is the mix of stuff he can throw, and the fact that he rarely makes a mistake over the middle. He issued three walks as a result, but only allowed one hit, Antonacci’s solo shot which started the game. He racked up 11 whiffs, getting one or more with six different pitches.

6.0 IP, ER, H, 3 BB, 5 K.

Riley Greene made an opposite field bid on a Rock slider as the lefty continued to pour them in, but it fell shy on the warning track for the first out of the bottom of the sixth. Torkelson got a sinker and smoked it to the wall in right center field for a one-out double. Outman got a breaking ball first pitch and torched a hard grounder through the right side of the infield for an RBI single. Nice job there, and the ball was thrown away by right fielder Braden Montgomery so Outman beat feet to second base. Lee lifted a deep sac fly to right field, allowing Outman to tag and take third, but that left it up to Jake Rogers. If I don’t sound confident there, it’s because I was not at all confident. Instead, Rock fired an 0-1 fastball in there and the Tigers backup catcher ripped an RBI single to left center field. 3-1 Tigers. That move to take second from Outman paid dividends.

Rock was clearly shook, and then Tigers fans decided to serenade the airwaves with Take Me Home, Country Roads, perhaps learning from the absolutely epic World Cup invasion of fans who know how to produce chants, sing songs together, and generally live it up. Of course, the John Denver staple has recently spread well beyond West Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a result, Rock walked Zach McKinstry. Unfortunately, McGonigle smoked a line drive right to Gonzalez at first, ending the inning.

Tyler Holton took over in the seventh, and Venable pinch-hit Chase Meidroth in for Gonzalez. He bounced out, but Braden Montgomery bounced one down the first base line for a double. Junior Perez then hit for Tristan Peters. Holton carved him up with a backfoot cutter for the second out of the inning. Drew Romo grounded out to McGonigle, and that was that. Still 3-1 Tigers.

It was quickly 4-1 Tigers, because Dillon Dingler was up first against RHP Trevor Richards. A 1-1 fastball got vaporized 430 feet to straightaway center for the best catcher in baseball’s 17th home run of the season. DING DING.

Vierling, Greene, and Torkelson went in order from there, and we were onto the eighth with a 4-1 lead.

Hinch stuck with Holton against Antonacci, and the left-handed hitter ripped a leadoff single to right to open the inning. Vargas lifted a shallow fly ball to right field to Greene. The wind was blowing the ball toward the foul line, but Greene caught it and then dropped it on the transfer. Third base umpire Rob Drake thought otherwise and ruled a no catch, but Greene immediately fired to second to get Antonacci, who had no chance. Edgar Quero hit for Benintendi, and Holton popped him out to Lee at second. That left it to the dangerous Colton Montgomery, but Holton absolutely carved him up despite Rogers missing a call that should have been challenged. A sweeper that started at the shortstop’s head dropped in for strike three to end the top of the eighth.

Outman pulled another sharp grounder ball to the right side to open the bottom half against lefty Chris Murphy. Antonacci slid for it but couldn’t hang on, and it bounced away for a leadoff single. Lee flew out to center field, but Outman got a big jump and swiped second base easily. Rogers struck out, and McKinstry lifted a fly ball to center to end the inning.

So, it was Kenley Jansen time again. The big right-hander notched his 484th save on Friday night, but the three hitters he faced wouldn’t be seeing him again in this one.

Grichuk grounded out to McKinstry at shortstop to start the inning. Chase Meidroth dropped down a perfect bunt down the third base line on the first pitch he saw for a single. Jansen got right in Braden Montgomery’s kitchen, and he popped out to McGonigle. That left it to Perez, as the Tigers led Meidroth take second base. Jansen got a little wild and walked Perez, and no one liked that as Drew Romo came to the plate as the potential game-tying run, but he lifted a fly ball out to Outman to end the game.

Nice to get a series win. Melton and Dingler were great. Outman and Rogers had good games. Tyler Holton did a great job. And Jansen gets save number 485. The Tigers will hunt the sweep of their AL Central foes on Sunday.

RHP Keider Montero will take on a tough right-hander in Davis Martin at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Betfred Super League

Catalans (22) 34

Tries: Lipowicz, Allen, Bousquet, Faataape, Leeming, Staines Goals: Aispuro-Bichet (5)

Bradford (10) 24

Tries: Sutton, Ryan, Wynne 2, Aekins Goals: Atkin, Dean

Catalans Dragons picked up a third win in four Super League games with a victory over Bradford Bulls.

The home side led 22-10 at the break thanks to tries from Zac Lipowicz, Josh Allen, Julian Bousquet and Solomona Faataape.

Ryan Sutton and Ethan Ryan had crossed for the visitors in the first 40 minutes and Connor Wynne's try in the opening moments of the second half gave them renewed hope.

However, further tries from Kruise Leeming and Charlie Staines took the game away from the battling Bulls despite Caleb Aetkins' effort and a second for Wynne.

The French side remain eighth but moved on to 16 points from 15 games, the same as seventh-placed Leigh.

Bradford, who have now won just two of their past 10 games, are 10th.

Dragons on the rise

The victory was also a third in four games in charge for John Cartwright.

The former Hull FC head coach was appointed until the end of the season last month, but reports earlier in the week suggest he could extend that to the end of 2027.

His charges made a great start when Lipowicz crossed after six minutes, but Sutton quickly levelled things up.

Allen crashed over for the hosts after a Bradford error gave them good field position, but once again the Bulls quickly got a try of their own as Ryan dived over for his 10th of the year.

Scores from Bousquet and Faataape gave Catalans a 12-point lead at the break, but Wynne snaffled a loose ball and finished well in the opening minutes of the second half to get the Bulls back within eight.

The visitors then fumbled the ball on the restart, though, and Leeming punished them.

Guy Armitage and Ryan had tries ruled out as Bradford fought gamely before Aekins gathered Wynne's kick to once more get them within eight points.

Once again, though, the Bulls could not build on their try, and Staines punished more lax defending to put the game beyond them and leave Wynne's late score just a consolation.

The Dragons' improved form will be tested with a trip to second-placed Warrington on Thursday, while Bradford will look to return to winning ways at home to St Helens next Saturday.

Catalans: Staines, Makinson, Aispuro-Bichet, Faataape, Cotric, Sexton, Dodd, Allen, Leeming, Navarette, Maria, Lipowicz, Bousquet.

Interchanges: Satae, Condon, Wilson, Laguerre.

Bradford: Aekins, Wynne, Armitage, Ryan, Nikorima, Atkin, Sutton, Ackers, Doro, Russell, Blake, Steinwede, Mellor.

Interchanges: Scurr, Gardiner, Peposhi, Dean.

Referee: Matty Lynn.

Shinnecock Hills has welcomed the world’s top golfers back for the US Open this year, with many struggling to shine at the iconic course.

The third round of the major championship is now underway in Long Island, which Wyndham Clark entered at the top of the leaderboard on seven-under.

The American was one of just 10 players under par after two rounds, with the weekend now set to play even harder.

It will, however, very likely fall short of the brutal conditions at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, when Brooks Koepka won the US Open there on one-over.

He has missed the cut this time around in New York, where several players have now shared their honest verdicts on the tricky course.

Xander Schauffele predicts the score an 18-handicap golfer shoots at Shinnecock Hills

Among those asked by the DP World Tour what an 18-handicap would shoot at Shinnecock, Xander Schauffele pondered: “Ha! Oh man.

“Ammm, with this wind, maybe triple digit, maybe a little 100, a couple… I wouldn’t say anything worse than 105 hopefully.”

Alex Fitzpatrick responded: “An 18-handicap? They don’t break 200, sorry to say,” while PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai said: “Off the back tees? 30 to 35-over.

Alex Noren commented: “Scratch handicap would shoot around 95, so add another 30… 125,” with Neal Shipley saying: “Oh gosh, 1000. I mean definitely not breaking 100 out there today from the back tees.”

Meanwhile, Justin Rose replied: “You know it’s not as drastic… this setup is not as drastic as normal. I think the fescue is relatively… I mean, you can get out the fescue.

“Like I’m not saying you’re going to hit good shots out of it, and the fairways are relatively wide. But an 18-handicapper in that wind, I think they’ve got no clue on the wind, to be honest with you. 114.”

And also sharing a detailed response, Padraig Harrington said: “I don’t think he gets home. Stroke play… depends if he’s trying to play golf. I don’t know if he can finish.

“It’s random too, like if you’re a good 18-handicapper, if you’ve got a good short game, if you hit the ball well. I don’t know. Would I give him 200?”

Can Xander Schauffele win the US Open at Shinnecock?

It’s intriguing to hear the different responses from various professionals, who have clearly worked very hard to be able to make it to Shinnecock Hills this week.

But the wind has returned to Long Island to make their lives very difficult, with several players finding the conditions extremely challenging in round three.

Notably for Schauffele, he has not only made the weekend, but is right in contention to secure the third major win of his career at Shinnecock.

Starting Saturday four shots behind Clark in a tie for second, he boasts a stunning seven top 10 finishes at the US Open, with another now on the cards.

He is, however, seeking his maiden success at the tournament, which would represent his first major title since 2024, when he claimed both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship.

Read more:

Xander Schauffele makes big comment about Scottie Scheffler after day two at the US Open

Justin Thomas predicts big change is coming at the US Open this weekend

Rory McIlroy gives his honest thoughts on how the USGA have set Shinnecock up for the US Open

Shohei Ohtani announces the birth of his child in grand style.

The Japanese professional baseball player, who rarely misses games, popped up online with an explanation as to why he was missing in action at the Dodgers game versus the Baltimore Orioles, and this adorable tiny human should take the blame.

Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who is a former professional basketball player, tied the knot in 2024 in a private, family-only wedding.

Shohei Ohtani And Mamiko Tanaka Are Now Parents Of Two Kids

The baseball player shared the news on Saturday, June 20, that he and Tanaka have welcomed their second baby together. Ohtani disclosed the good news in an Instagram post of a baby swaddled in a blue blanket, although they kept the name and gender a top secret.

He described his excitement at the new development in his family, while thanking everyone who has been a part of their parenthood journey. Fans had rightfully noticed his absence in the squad for the Los Angeles Dodgers game against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday, June 19.

However, the team officially announced that he was away from the team on paternity leave but is expected to be back with the squad during the weekend. 

The Baseball Star’s Celebratory Post Earned Thousands Of Congratulatory Responses

The 31-year-old’s heartwarming post received equally heartwarming reactions in the comments from their friends and loved ones. “Both babies born on the 19th? Baby girl on April 19, 2025, and baby boy on June 19, 2026. Soooo cute,” one person wrote.

Another set of commenters wished the couple a lifetime of happiness as they continue their voyage together with their new bundle of joy. It was all love in the comment section with over 15,000 fans and followers expressing their sincere good wishes for the latest parents.

Ohtani and Tanaka met for the first time at a training facility in Japan between 2020 and 2021. The duo got engaged in 2023 and tied the knot in 2024. Throughout the duration of their relationship, Ohtani and Tanaka kept things under wraps, with the baseball star hiding the former basketballer’s identity for a while.

Shohei Ohtani’s History Of Injuries And Career Pauses

Aside from the birth of his child causing him to miss the game, Ohtani was also absent in a few appearances due to personal matters and precautionary rest. Earlier in the month, the player’s inflamed knee caused him to be dropped from the lineup against the Chicago White Sox.

He also missed games against the San Francisco Giants during a slump in the middle of May. Ohtani also suffered an injury in 2019, prompting left knee surgery to correct a congenital bipartite patella condition.

In 2020, the athlete was forced to shut down his pitching duties after just 2 starts in 2020, although that season was shortened due to the pandemic. Ohtani ended his pitching season in August 2023 after suffering from a second UCL tear and an oblique strain. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers Star Made A Big Property Purchase In 2024

More than two years ago, the MLB star moved into a high-class Los Angeles area where he purchased a modern mansion in La Cañada Flintridge for nearly $8 million. As stated by The Blast, Ohtani’s big buy comes after he signed a major ten-year $700 million contract with the L.A. Dodgers five months ago. 

It can be argued that the baseball player purchased the home for comfort’s sake, as it is located about 13 miles from Dodger Stadium, giving him about 20 minutes to get to the location.

The seller, comedian Adam Carolla, initially listed the property last summer for $8.99 million, but an October price reduction lowered it to $8.35 million. 

The comedian reportedly bought the property for $7.327 million in 2018, and he opted to dispose of the home after his divorce from Lynette Paradise. The three-story home, built in 2023, boasts five bedrooms and nearly 7 bathrooms with a primary suite completed with a balcony and spa tub.

Shohei Ohtani Pulled A Triple On His Baseball MVP Honors  

The father-of-two proved in 2024 that his designated position as hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers is no fluke when he became the first full-time designated hitter to be unanimously voted as the National League’s Most Valuable Player.

As reported by The Blast, he received the coveted award in November 2024, adding to the previous two he won while playing for the Los Angeles Angels as a pitcher and a hitter.

The baseball player joined Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only player to earn MVP in both the AL and NL. Ohtani also becomes the first player to win the award unanimously three times.

During the athlete’s first season with the Dodgers, he became the first big leaguer to clinch 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

Congratulations to Shohei Ohtani on the birth of his second child!

The Shohei Ohtani Makes Rare Move Of Missing A Dodgers’ Game As His Family Grows first appeared on The Blast

Germany face Ivory Coast at the Toronto Stadium looking for consecutive group stage victories in Group E and vanquish any chance of another exit at this stage of the World Cup finals.

The Germans head into the match on the back of a dominant 7-1 win over World Cup debutants Curaçao at the Houston Stadium last Sunday, which was the biggest victory recorded in match day one.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side are unbeaten in their last ten matches across all competitions, a run that stretches back to September 2025, and have also scored two or more goals in nine of those matches.

Germany have looked vulnerable in defence despite their strong form, conceding in four of their last five matches, but this was of no concern last time out as they look to repeat their dominance against the Ivory Coast.

Since beating Argentina 1-0 in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil, however, the Germans have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven World Cup matches.

Germany last faced Ivory Coast in November 2009, with Lukas Podolski scoring twice, including a dramatic 90th-minute equalizer in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

The four-time world champions have lost just once against African opposition at the World Cup, suffering a shock 2-1 defeat to Algeria in their opening group-stage match at the 1982 tournament in Spain.

The past two tournaments were ones to forget for Germany as they crashed out in both Russia in 2018 and Qatar’s tournament four years ago without reaching the knockout stages.

But they will put themselves in pole position to qualify for the round of 32 with a victory, and depending on the result of Ecuador’s meeting with Curaçao could make it out of the group for the first time in three tournaments as group winners.

The Ivory Coast head into the clash on the back of a narrow 1-0 victory over Ecuador last Monday, secured by a late winner in their opening Group E match.

The African side are one of only two nations from the continent alongside Ghana to win their opening group-stage match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Emerse Faé’s side are aiming to secure a fifth consecutive victory across all competitions when they face Germany, a run that includes an impressive 2-1 win over France in a pre-World Cup friendly earlier this month.

Ivory Coast are in a strong position to reach the knockout stages for the first time in their history, with at least one point from their remaining two matches likely enough to secure a top three finish in Group E.

Sitting 30th in the FIFA World Rankings and having won just one of their previous World Cup matches against European opposition, alongside one draw, Ivory Coast are underdogs heading into the clash but have winning momentum with them.

The match will kick off at 21:00 (BST) and will be broadcast on ITV 1 and streamed on ITVX, featuring guest pundit Gary Lineker who participates in his first live sport broadcast since leaving Match of the Day 13 months ago.

For more detailed reports, reaction, and analysis of the World Cup as it happens, head to our website and favourite our page on OneFootball.

Crystal Palace Eye Maitland-Niles as Premier League Return Gathers Pace

Maitland-Niles Emerges as Palace Target

Crystal Palace could be preparing one of the more intriguing moves of the summer, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles linked with a return to the Premier League.

According to Foot Mercato, the 28-year-old Lyon midfielder and full-back has attracted interest from Palace, now managed by Pierre Sage. That connection matters. Sage knows Maitland-Niles from their time together at Olympique Lyonnais, and that familiarity could shape Palace’s thinking as they look to add experience, versatility and technical security to their squad.

For Palace, this feels like the kind of deal that requires context. Maitland-Niles left England with his career drifting. His Arsenal pathway had narrowed, his loan spells had not fully revived his momentum, and his time at Southampton came during a difficult period for both player and club.

France changed that.

Lyon Spell Has Rebuilt His Reputation

Since joining Lyon on a free transfer in 2023, Maitland-Niles has quietly rebuilt himself. He has made 115 appearances for the French club and featured 42 times last season, contributing six goals and assists across all competitions.

Those numbers do not scream glamour, but they do speak of trust. Coaches pick players like Maitland-Niles because they solve problems. He can operate in midfield, at full-back, and in roles that require discipline rather than decoration.

That is important. Palace are not looking at the uncertain Arsenal version of Maitland-Niles. They would be looking at a player who has played regularly, matured abroad and re-established himself in a demanding environment.

Sage Connection Could Be Crucial

Pierre Sage’s presence at Palace gives this link extra weight. Managers often return to players they trust, especially in the early stages of a new project.

Photo IMAGO

That familiarity could reduce the risk. Sage knows Maitland-Niles’ habits, strengths and limitations. He knows where he fits, how he trains and what he brings to a dressing room.

For Palace, that could be attractive. This is a club that often thrives when recruitment is clever rather than loud. Maitland-Niles would not arrive as a headline-grabbing signing, but he could arrive as a useful one.

Palace Move Makes Sense

With his Lyon contract expiring at the end of next season, this summer may be the right time for all parties. Lyon may need to consider a sale, Palace may see value, and Maitland-Niles may feel the Premier League still has unfinished business for him.

A move to Selhurst Park would not be about nostalgia. It would be about timing. Palace need players who can adapt, compete and understand tactical nuance.

Maitland-Niles, after three years of growth in France, may now fit that brief better than ever.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Crystal Palace supporter’s perspective, this is exactly the kind of link that makes you pause before judging it too quickly.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles is not a name that will send social media into meltdown, but Palace fans have seen enough football to know that smart squads are built with players like this. The obvious question is whether he would improve the starting XI, and that is fair. Yet the better question might be whether he improves the squad’s flexibility, depth and balance.

If Pierre Sage wants him, that carries weight. This would not be a blind punt based on an old Premier League reputation. It would be a manager going back to a player he knows can follow instructions, handle different roles and offer reliability over a long season.

Palace have exciting pieces. They have energy, pace and talent. What they also need is control, especially in games where chaos does not help them. Maitland-Niles could offer that. He can cover multiple positions, help manage injuries and give Sage tactical options without forcing a major reshuffle.

The concern, naturally, is whether he is dynamic enough to move Palace forward. Supporters will not want another safe signing if the squad needs genuine elevation. But at the right price, with a year left on his Lyon deal, this could be a sensible, grown-up piece of recruitment.

Not spectacular, perhaps. Potentially very useful.

Over the next few months, we’ll be breaking down all undrafted free agents signed by the Jets. We continue today with a look at tight end Chase Curtis.

The 26-year old Curtis is listed at 6’5” and 235 pounds and was undrafted out of TCU. He caught just 36 passes in his college career but had career highs for both receiving yards (167) and touchdowns (two) in 2025.

Background

As noted above, Curtis is 26, so he was one of the oldest draft-eligible players with a realistic shot of getting an NFL contract this offseason.

He was a quarterback in high school and wasn’t ranked as a high school prospect so he went to play baseball at the JUCO level in 2018. Two years later, he walked onto TCU’s football team but played just three games in his first two seasons.

However, he earned a scholarship ahead of the 2022 season, in which he recorded his first career catch for 37 yards.

Curtis saw his role increase in 2023, as he had 15 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in eight games, but missed the end of the season due to injury. Then, in 2024, he had seven catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in four games before again suffering a season-ending injury.

In 2025, he remained healthy and caught 13 passes in 13 games, for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Curtis was not expected to be drafted and the Jets signed him to an undrafted free agent contract that included low guarantees.

Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Curtis brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.

Measurables/Athleticism

Curtis lacks ideal size, although he is over 80 pounds heavier than he was as a high school junior and his pro day weigh-in was 241, which is six pounds heavier than the Jets have him listed at. He also lacks ideal length.

His pro day workout was excellent, headlined by a 6.97 in the three cone drill. That would have been tied for sixth best at the past five scouting combines for tight ends. He also ran a 4.70, posted average explosiveness numbers and managed 17 bench press reps.

Usage

Curtis was a quarterback in high school but he began his career as a wide receiver at TCU. He eventually transferred at the end of his third year in the program, at which time he had just one catch.

Since moving to tight end, Curtis has lined up outside less than 10 percent of the time but he spends about a third of his snaps in the slot.

He carried the ball three times, in his career, including once on a quarterback sneak for a first down.

Deep threat

Curtis has done most of his damage underneath or on short passes, but he has demonstrated an ability to stretch the field by getting down the seam or running wheel routes.

Hands

Curtis has an impressive 80 percent catch rate for his career, with zero drops, although he doesn’t have many highlight plays in his film. He did well to hold onto this catch in traffic, though.

Routes

You would think that, having spent some time as a wide receiver, Curtis might have some good route running skills that could benefit him in matchups with linebackers. However, he didn’t get many chances to show that at TCU, as most of his pass catching came on plays where he leaked to an open area or was left alone because he was expected to block.

From what he has shown, he releases cleanly off the line and can accelerate and set up his man with deception.

Red zone

Curtis only had four touchdowns in his career, mostly on longer plays, but did score this red zone touchdown.

After the catch

Curtis hasn’t had many chances to generate yardage after the catch, and hasn’t had a lot of broken tackles, but he showed good strength and balance on this run.

He hasn’t done much on the few tight end screens TCU ran with him during his career. They ran four of these and they netted a total of six yards.

He had one fumble during his college career.

Run Blocking

Curtis made good contributions as a blocker during his TCU career but was not always consistent. He showed his ability to be a lead blocker on the move here.

He’s capable of blocking on the outside, especially when lined up in the slot, but when called upon to block inline, he can still do a good job.

As noted, his consistency can let him down though. He oversets to the inside here and his man blows by him with quickness.

Pass Blocking

Curtis was occasionally called upon to stay in and pass protect and didn’t give up a sack in his career. However, he was completely outmuscled on this play, so he may be limited in terms of how long you can rely on him to stay in front of a powerful lineman.

Physicality

Curtis gives a good effort in the trenches but gets overwhelmed by bigger linemen at times. On this play, he got lit up and his man helped stuff a short yardage run.

He has made a few contested catches but will need to work at being able to box out smaller defensive players when aligned in the slot.

Special Teams

Curtis has had some good experience on special teams during his career, as he has blocked on the field goal unit, kickoff returns and in punt protection. He also rushed punts for his first two seasons.

He’s covered kicks and punts throughout his career, with a total of nine tackles and only a couple of missed tackles.

He did have four special teams penalties in his career, though.

Instincts and Intelligence

Curtis seems to have a good sense of when to leak to open areas in the passing game but can be a beat slow to pick up a blocking assignment.

Curtis also had two pre-snap penalties in 2025.

He was previously named as an all-Big 12 first team selection in 2022.

Attitude

As noted, Curtis is one of the oldest draft prospects you’re likely to see with his baseball career and multiple injuries meaning he had eight years in collegiate sports. He has displayed a good work ethic and commitment to get to the NFL and is regarded as a team-first player.

He was a team captain for TCU in 2025.

Injuries

Curtis missed the entire 2021 season and saw his 2023 and 2024 seasons cut short due to season-ending injuries but did play in all 13 games in 2025.

We don’t know much about these injuries as they were all undisclosed, but the 2024 one was obviously an arm injury because he was on the sideline in a sling for the rest of the year. He reportedly had surgery on that injury.

Scheme Fit

Curtis has the versatility to play a variety of roles at the tight end position but he is more of an H-back or move tight end than someone who is going to have his hand on the line of scrimmage, blocking defensive linemen and being a red zone threat.

Conclusions

The Jets’ tight end position is pretty much locked-in based on who is currently on the roster, but there isn’t much depth beyond that so a spot on the practice squad or an opportunity in the event of an injury might not be too far away for Curtis.

In fact, with Kenyon Sadiq currently sidelined, he got some first team reps during mandatory minicamp.

He should definitely be considered as a project, though, having not had much production in college. The Jets will hope his athletic numbers give him a shot that they can develop him into something.

Angel Reese scored 18 points with 8 rebounds, while Rhyne Howard tallied 24 points to lead the Atlanta Dream to their second win over the Indiana Fever in three days, earning a 113-96 victory at State Farm Arena on Saturday.

Indiana and Atlanta played the second end of a home-and-home series, with the Dream winning the first matchup on Thursday, 108-101.

When Reese grabbed her sixth board of the game, she became the fastest player with 1,000 career rebounds in WNBA history. Reese achieved the milestone in 76 games, surpassing the previous record by Tina Charles, who reached 1,000 boards in 89 games.

The Dream took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Indiana 28-15 to take a 10-point lead. The Fever couldn’t cut the deficit below double-digits through the final 10 minutes with a defense that had no answer for Atlanta.

Indiana only held a 59-56 lead at halftime despite shooting 61% from the floor and 60% on 3-pointers. Two of those 3s came from Mitchell, who had 16 points at the half, with three more coming from Clark as she scored 15 points in the game’s first 20 minutes.

Atlanta trailed by 11 points midway through the second quarter, but cut the deficit to three at the break despite shooting 45% (but 50% on 3s). Howard was 3-for-10 from the floor, while Reese shot 3-for-8. Hillmon was the Dream’s leading first-half scorer with 15 points.

Coming out of the half, Indiana extended its lead to five points before Atlanta went on a 6-0 run to take its first lead since the first quarter. The Dream extended that run to 13-0, with 6 points scored by Reese, to take a 73-65 lead on a 3-pointer from Howard.

Indiana briefly stalled Atlanta’s onslaught with two Boston free throws and a layup from Clark, but the Dream scored another six points to take an 84-74 lead into the fourth quarter. That margin increased to 13 points on another 3 from Howard.

This story will be updated with more information.

Belgium is searching for its first win at the 2026 World Cup after playing to a 1-1 draw against Egypt in its tournament opener.

The Red Devils will have to achieve that goal without one of their top attacking players, Jérémy Doku.

Belgium announced Doku will miss its upcoming match with Iran due to an illness.

Belgium did not clarify if Doku would be available for the team's third and final group stage match against New Zealand, which will take place on Friday, June 26.

Pace bowler Josh Tongue admitted England have missed absent captain Ben Stokes as they head for a heavy defeat in the second Test against New Zealand.

Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson have been made unavailable for the Test at The Oval pending an investigation into an incident in a London nightclub.

But both have been permitted to play county cricket and Stokes struck 95 for Durham against Northamptonshire on Saturday.

It is his highest score in any cricket since the century he made for England in the fourth Test against India last July.

Before the nightclub episode, England head coach Brendon McCullum had backed 35-year-old Stokes to return to form with the bat.

Speaking at the end of the fourth day of the second Test, Tongue said he was unaware of the score Stokes made for Durham.

But when asked about Stokes' return to form, Tongue replied: "Stokesy is an unbelievable player.

"I made my England debut when he was captain. I've got huge respect for Stokesy and it's always nice seeing him get some runs."

• Root drags England fight into final day against NZ
• Stokes hits 95 for Durham while England struggle

Stokes' absence as a leader and all-rounder have been noticeable as England head for their third successive defeat in Tests at The Oval.

Chasing a fanciful and world record target of 463, the home side closed Saturday on 182-5 and probably would have been beaten inside four days had it not been for stand-in captain Joe Root's unbeaten 75.

Without Stokes to balance the team, England have been forced to pick Jordan Cox as a specialist batter at number seven and omitted spinner Shoaib Bashir.

After Ollie Robinson missed the match with an injury and Jamie Smith also sat out on paternity leave, Root was left to lead an England team including three debutants and its fewest combined caps in 17 years.

"Yeah, we've missed him," said Tongue of Stokes. "Obviously we've got a lot of leaders in our team as well.

"Rooty stepping in as captain is an unbelievable player and an unbelievable leader as well. It's been good."

Stokes and Atkinson broke England's midnight curfew celebrating the win over New Zealand in the first Test at Lord's.

The pair were present when a member of security staff was struck by a Saracens rugby player.

Both Stokes and Atkinson have been spoken to as part of the investigations and could be available for the third Test at Trent Bridge, starting on Thursday, with Stokes in line to return as captain.

• Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

Caitlin Clark paid no heed to Angel Reese’s attempts at exchanging words as the Indiana Fever and the Atlanta Dream battled it out in the WNBA on Saturday.

The WNBA world reacted as the two arch-rivals locked horns in one of the league’s biggest head-to-head matchups.

WNBA World Reacts as Caitlin Clark Waves Off Angel Reese’s Attempts at Trash-Talking

After Reese and the Dream defeated the Fever on the road on Thursday, the two sides faced off again in Atlanta on Saturday. A notable moment occurred during the first quarter of Saturday’s game as Clark was fouled.

Reese attempted to exchange words with Clark, but the Fever guard waved her off and turned to the sideline to prepare for the inbound pass. As things got chippy, the WNBA world shared its thoughts.

A user shared the video of the incident on X and called the Clark-Reese rivalry “one-sided.”

“She means nothing to her. She gets fouled, and Angel Reese trash-talks her – So Caitlin Clark waves her off. The most one-sided rivalry of all time,” they wrote.

They further claimed that Reese was “obsessed” with getting the better of Clark.

“Angel Reese is obsessed with Caitlin Clark,” they added.

Another user had similar thoughts as they called the rivalry one-sided and criticized Reese for attempting to have a go at Clark at every opportunity.

“Reese’s obsession with Clark is so strange, it’s completely one-sided, one girl just wants to hoop and the other can’t stand a cocky white girl cooking her team,” they wrote.

One WNBA fan pointed out Clark’s hilarious reaction to Reese attempting to exchange words with her.

“Caitlin just waving her off,” they wrote.

Another called out Reese for continuing to stir the pot by provoking Clark.

“She’s like an annoying gnat that won’t go [expletive] away,” they wrote.

The rivalry between Reese and Clark exploded during their college days when they met in the 2023 March Madness national championship game. Reese and the LSU Tigers came out on top in that game, before Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes got their revenge a year later.

MORE: Why Are Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese Rivals? Revisiting the Intense Rivalry’s Origin Ahead of Fever-Dream Clash

Clark, who had 26 points and 7 assists in the Fever’s loss to the Dream on Thursday, also made a strong start to Saturday’s game. Reese starred with a double-double to lead the Dream past the Fever on Thursday, scoring 21 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.

Manuel Neuer will set a new record when he steps onto the pitch for Germany’s World Cup clash with Côte d’Ivoire on Saturday night.

Named in Germany’s starting XI, Manuel Neuer will make his 21st World Cup appearance.

In doing so, he surpasses France’s Hugo Lloris to become the goalkeeper with the most appearances in World Cup history.

It will be the 40-year-old’s 126th cap for Germany in total, placing him fifth on the nation’s all-time appearance list, behind Lukas Podolski (130), Thomas Müller (131), Miroslav Klose (137), and Lothar Matthäus (150).

Armagh will face Kildare in the Ladies' All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals after beating Waterford by 2-15 to 1-15 at the Athletic Grounds.

Lara Marsden and Aoife McCoy netted for the Ulster champions as they held off a late fightback from Waterford to reach the last eight.

Armagh led by seven points with nine minutes remaining but Maeve Daly's goal set up a tense finish.

However, thanks to two points from Caroline O'Hanlon, Armagh had enough to progress to the last eight as the winners from Group One.

However, Tyrone exited the competition after narrowly losing 1-12 to 1-10 to Meath.

Meadhbh Byrne scored 1-2 for Meath at Healy Park as the Red Hands fell short despite Maeve Maxwell's penalty.

Donegal were also on the end of a 1-15 to 2-6 defeat by Mayo and both Ulster counties will drop into the relegation play-offs on 4 July after they finished at the bottom of their groups.

If Armagh can beat Kildare on the weekend of 4-5 July, they will face either Galway or Mayo in the semi-finals.

Holders Dublin will take on Cork and Kerry with face Meath in the other last-eight ties on the other side of the draw.

All-Ireland quarter-finals

Dublin v Cork

Kerry v Meath

Galway v Mayo

Armagh v Kildare

Semi-final draw

Dublin/Cork v Kerry/Meath

Galway/Mayo v Armagh/Kildare

Stuart Grehan capped off the biggest victory of his life Saturday.

The 33-year-old mid-amateur from Ireland won the 2026 British Amateur, knocking off Matt Moloney 1 up at Royal Liverpool to win one of the biggest amateur championships in golf. With the victory, Grehan earned exemptions into the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, the 2027 Masters and the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

"Absolutely over the moon," Grehan said after capping the match on the 36th hole. "So happy. So much hard work has gone into it. Yeah, it was on my mind all day, but happy."

Moloney, a rising junior at Georgia, held a 1-up lead after 18 holes, but Grehan fought back to control the match for a majority of the afternoon. An eagle on the eighth hole gave him the lead for good, and even as Moloney won the 34th and 35th holes to send it down the 18th one more time, his birdie putt missed just low, and Grehan had two putts to win and nearly knocked in the first.

Grehan was the mid-am representative on last year's GB&I Walker Cup team, and he has all but assured his spot on this year's team at Lahinch.

"That's what we're gunning towards the whole year is Walker Cup, to be honest," Grehan said. "So to have done this week and do what I've done obviously it gets me on the team. Hugely delighted with this, but it would be nice to bring home Walker Cup as well. Haven't won it in ten years. That's something that we really want to do, and I think we can do."

Grehan celebrated the victory with his wife, who's expecting twins, and son. The family is going to have a few more trips on the itinerary thanks to dad's win on Saturday.

"Hasn't really sunk in yet," Grehan said. "Going to the Masters obviously, as well. I haven't even thought of that either. I'll just relish it, take it all in."

Cameron Jourdan is a staff writer and digital producer for Golfweek, focusing on college and amateur golf. He also assists in coverage of the PGA Tour and helps manage social media platforms.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Stuart Grehan, 33, takes British Amateur 2026 title over Matt Moloney

Emma Raducanu’s coaching approach draws mixed reactions

Emma Raducanu has become one of the more divisive names in tennis, regularly finding herself at the centre of debate among fans.

A common point of contention is her approach to coaching, with some pointing to her frequent changes since winning the US Open in 2021.

While many believe that this lack of stability has hindered her progress, there are those who support her decision to move on quickly from coaches who don’t match her needs. The latter group, though, is very much in the minority.

Tim Henman has recently weighed in on Emma Raducanu’s coaching choices over time, specifically mentioning her apparent decision to stick with Andrew Richardson for now.

Tim Henman offers thoughts on Emma Raducanu’s coaching path

In an interview with The Guardian, Henman started by reflecting on the decision to part ways with Richardson after her US Open win.

“I was surprised she chose not to work with him,” Henman said. “She’s worked with a lot of coaches since then and now I really hope that her decision to get back with Andrew works for both their sakes.

“He’s one of my best friends and I’ve also been around Emma. So it would be good if results improve.”

Touching on Raducanu’s history of frequent coaching changes, he added: “Emma’s had eight or nine coaches, but it’s her prerogative. I looked for consistency, continuity and building the relationship – and that’s why I had three coaches in 16 years.”

The pair seem more settled now since Raducanu brought Richardson back into her team earlier this year. Having already reached another final together, there is optimism that this could mark the beginning of a stable and successful period for them both.

Tim Henman shares thoughts on Raducanu’s Grand Slam hopes

In the same conversation, Henman also spoke about whether Raducanu has what it takes to win another Grand Slam title.

While her breakthrough moment in 2021 captured everyone’s attention, she hasn’t managed to replicate that form since then.

Even so, the former British number one kept a positive outlook when discussing her future.

He said: “It would be very hard.

“Not many people win slams so you could say, if you’ve done it once, you can do it again. But it’s all about the process. She’s got to become physically more resilient to build up her schedule, her match count, her weight of shot, her speed of movement and durability.”

Outside of that US Open title run, Raducanu’s best showings at a major have been two fourth-round appearances at Wimbledon.

Read more:

West Ham United have confirmed that Shelina Zadorsky, Verena Hanshaw, Camila Sáez, Soraya Walsh and Emily Taylor-Brown will leave the club when their contracts expire at the end of June.

Defender Estelle Cascarino is also set to return to Juventus following the end of her loan spell, while captain Katrina Gorry’s previously announced departure brings the number of exits to seven.

The departures signal the start of a major rebuild under head coach Rita Guarino ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Saying goodbye to a West Ham fan favourite

Few exits will hit fans harder than Zadorsky’s. The Canadian international spent two-and-a-half seasons in East London and became one of the team’s leaders on and off the pitch.

West Ham first signed her on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2024 before making the move permanent six months later. The club named her vice-captain ahead of the 2024/25 season, and she went on to play a key role in one of West Ham’s strongest campaigns in the Women’s Super League.

Zadorsky made 50 appearances in all competitions and scored once against Southampton in the League Cup in December 2024. She also earned the club’s Players’ Project Award for her work with the West Ham Foundation. The Olympic gold medalist now enters the summer as one of the market’s most experienced free agents.

Rounding out the summer exits

Hanshaw also leaves after making an immediate impact in East London. The Austrian international joined from AS Roma in January 2025 and quickly became a regular starter. She registered three assists in her first 12 matches and finished her spell at the club with 33 appearances, two assists and a goal against Leicester City.

Meanwhile, Sáez departs after two seasons with the Hammers. The Chilean made 14 appearances in her first season before spending last year on loan at Bristol City. She impressed there with two goals and two assists in 18 appearances.

Embed from Getty Images

Academy products Walsh and Taylor-Brown will also move on. Walsh made one senior appearance during her four years at the club and gained valuable experience through loan spells at Billericay Town, Watford and Hashtag United.

Taylor-Brown made two senior appearances before joining AFC Wimbledon on loan for the second half of last season. She helped the Dons avoid relegation and reach the Capital Women’s Cup final.

Estelle Cascarino’s stay in East London also comes to an end after a productive six-month loan spell from Juventus. The French international made 12 appearances and played an important role in a defence that recorded four clean sheets during her time at the club. One of her standout moments came in April when she delivered a POTM performance in a 1-0 victory away at Liverpool.

Guarino begins the rebuild

With Gorry, Zadorsky and Hanshaw all departing, West Ham lose a significant amount of experience and leadership this summer. Guarino now faces a crucial transfer window as she begins to reshape her squad.

For now, though, the club’s focus is on saying goodbye to a group of players who helped carry West Ham through a transformative period. As one chapter closes in East London, another is only just beginning.

Related articles from Her Football Hub:

• Mary Earps returns to Women’s Super League with London City Lionesses move
• Real Madrid top goalscorer Caroline Weir signs for OL Lyonnes
• Chicago Stars sign Leila Ouahabi following Man City departure

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali over the week and they are edging closer to a possible move.

Get Italian Football News have looked at how the London club are willing to meet the Magpies’ asking price for the midfielder.

Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Tottenham have now initiated contact with Newcastle United over a deal and have made some progress in a deal as well.

Eddie Howe’s side demand £85 million to sell Tonali, with Tottenham currently offering £75 million. The report is confident that a middle ground can be reached and Spurs can strike an agreement for £80 million in the next few days. Clearly, things are going in the right direction and Roberto De Zerbi’s side are making key progress.

Huge coup for De Zerbi

This is the sort of signing which indicates Tottenham’s trust in De Zerbi and his ideas. Usually, despite being a traditional top six club, they don’t go overboard with signings but this is the first time they are truly flexing their muscles and backing a manager to the hilt.

That is a sign of promise and it could yet get better.

Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

The Netherlands secured a statement win against Sweden at the World Cup as Bryan Brobbey and Cody Gakpo scored two goals each. After their 5-1 victory over Tunisia, who sacked their coach Sabri Lamouchi following the game, Graham Potter's side are now defeated by the same scoreline.

There were several strikers with past Bundesliga experiences on both sides. Former RB Leipzig man Bryan Brobbey was the most effective on the night as he scored the first two goals in his first start. Sweden's front two Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, who had spells at Borussia Dortmund and St. Pauli, respectively, had a quiet night after they combined for two goals against Tunisia.

Liverpool's Cody Gakpo also netted a brace before Antony Elanga, who had a scoreless league season at Newcastle United, got one back for Sweden. Crysencio Summerville grabbed his second of the tournament in the 89th minute as Premier League players got all the six goals.

St. Pauli’s Alexander Bernhardsson started for Sweden once again, while more ex-Bundesliga players featured for Netherlands – Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg), Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern), Donyell Malen (Dortmund) and Guus Tel (Freiburg). Japan will face Tunisia from Group F in the final game of the day at the 2026 World Cup.

LOS ANGELES _ Expanding the World Cup doesn't only mean more games.

It means more rest, too.

After having a full week between the opener against Paraguay and the second game against Australia, the U.S. men's national team has another six days before the group-stage finale against Turkey. Compare that with previous World Cups, when there were typically four days between group-stage games, and there's anywhere from three to six days between games in the knockout rounds.

At the 2022 World Cup, for example, the U.S. men's national team played every four days.

"I absolutely love it," Tyler Adams said. "Your body feels it, obviously, a little bit more coming in from the end of a season and into a World Cup where there's so much emotion, so much adrenaline, all these things. So yeah, it's nice having (more time off)."

When there are only four days between games, the days go quick. The first is typically an off or recovery day. There's traveling to the site of the next match, which usually occurs two days before the game. (Though in Qatar, with all of the games in and around Doha, travel could be done day of game.) And oh, yeah, training, meetings and film review have to be fit in somewhere in between.

That doesn't leave much time to catch your breath, let alone do anything else.

At this World Cup, nothing has to be rushed.

The first day after the USMNT plays is usually focused on recovery. Massages, stretching, ice baths, things like that. The next is a complete off day, giving the players time to spend with their families, sightsee or relax. Then it's back to training, and there are still three or four full days to get work done.

It's similar to the club schedule where, outside of cup competitions, there is typically one game a week.

"You're able to actually game plan games whereas in Qatar, you weren't really able to do that. You're able to game-plan training, you don't have to go really full into it," said Brenden Aaronson, who is playing in his second World Cup. "I think that's the biggest part of it. And I think that's going to help us throughout this time."

The USMNT doesn't have to log a lot of miles in the group stage, playing two of its games at SoFi Stadium, about an hour's drive from its base camp in Irvine, California, and the third in Seattle. Compare that with, say, England, which has its base camp in Kansas City and group-stage games in Dallas, Boston and New York.

"For teams that have to travel a lot and play in three different places, I think it's a good thing that they have enough time to be able to recover and take care of their body and take care of their injured," Weston McKennie said.

Giving injured players that extra time to recover might be the biggest benefit of this expanded tournament. At least, it's going to be for the USMNT.

Christian Pulisic didn't play in the game against Australia after injuring his left calf in the first half against Paraguay. But coach Mauricio Pochettino said he expects Pulisic will be ready for the group-stage finale against Turkey.

The Turkey game is 13 days after the USMNT played Paraguay. In that same time frame in Qatar, the USMNT had finished the group stage and played its round-of-16 game against the Netherlands.

"I've enjoyed the fact that we've had time to de-stress from the game. We've got more time in between games for people who might pick up niggles and stuff to actually get ready for the next game. So I do think there's benefits to that," Antonee Robinson said.

So what are players doing with all this newfound free time? Teams from other countries are taking advantage of the chance to sightsee. Harry Kane and England teammates Djed Spence and Dan Burn went to a Kansas City Royals game with manager Thomas Tuchel. Norway's Erling Haaland checked out Katz's Deli in New York.

The USMNT is staying at a beachside resort, so sun and sand is always an option. Similar to in Qatar, U.S. Soccer has set up a lounge at the team hotel where players can watch games, play video games or hang out.

But for many of the USMNT players, the days off are a chance to spend time with their families. For players who are in Europe for the majority of the year, that's no small thing.

"Off day, I don't want to spend time with any of (my teammates)," Adams cracked.

"I don't get to see my brothers, my mom or my dad often," Adams continued. "So that was super important to just be able to hang out with them and put the game to the side for a day."

No team likes to press pause when it's winning at the World Cup. But the tradeoffs of these extra days off make it worth it.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Expanded World Cup means more games. It also means more rest

AO Manchester Thunder won their fifth Netball Super League title with a thrilling 54-51 win over London Pulse in front of a home crowd of over 8,000 fans at the Co-op Live.

The Grand Final in Manchester was tied at 51-51 with less than a minute remaining before Thunder's Eleanor Cardwell edged them ahead with a two-point super shot. Player of the match Sophie Fawns sealed victory, marking the perfect end to the Australian's first season in England and sparking ecstatic scenes among the players in yellow.

It was the Thunder's first title since 2022, coming after they finished top of the regular season table.

Victory also secured a third title for Thunder director and head coach Karen Greig since she took charge of the team in 2016.

"I think first and foremost it was important to have a final in Manchester and away from London - to show the netball community that there is a hunger for netball in the north," Greig told BBC Sport.

"[There are] a lot of young fans who will go home inspired by their heroes on the court. Excited to be part of history.

"[The title in] 2019 was a rollercoaster, 2022 was special for different reasons, but playing in Manchester, 10 minutes down the road from where I live - I could probably throw a netball and it would land in my back garden - so definitely proud to do the job we could do and it definitely ranks up there."

Thunder got the better of a Pulse team who were first-time NSL champions last season, with Saturday's outcome following on just two weeks after the result went the same way when the sides met at the beginning of the play-offs.

England international Cardwell returned home for this season after three years playing at the highest level in Australia, a notable signing as she returned to her former team and continued to work her way back from a serious knee injury.

The 31-year-old scored a team-high 20 goals in the Grand Final, with only Pulse's Liv Tchine, who managed 35, getting more.

Thunder's success with the valuable super shots proved crucial, as they managed 11 to Pulse's four.

Goal shooter Cardwell reflected on how far netball has come in England since her early days, with the sport having embarked last season on a push towards full professionalism.

That is expected to take several years before full fruition, but large-scale events in major arenas mark a step towards that goal.

"I'm thinking back to the 2012 Grand Final," Cardwell said, remembering a match played in Dagenham. "It was in a sports hall leisure centre and it was so easy to spot my mum and dad.

"Today? I couldn't find them.

"It's incredible, we need to keep that standard up and the momentum. Plus, Manchester was busy today as a city so it was amazing to see so many fans come out for us."

• Sophie Fawns' mum died of ovarian cancer - don't tell her it's taboo
• 'I thought my career was over - I felt like punching a wall'

It was a nightmare day for Sweden on the pitch following a 5-1 hammering at the hands of the Netherlands.

Swedish fans had to endure a one-sided showing inside the Houston Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Cody Gakpo, Brian Brobbey and Crysencio Summerville ran riot.

Any fans thinking of making a swift exit before the full-time whistle were also halted to add insult to injury.

As the whistle went to signal the end of the match, fans were instructed to stay put as electrical storms arrived near the stadium.

A tough one to take for the travelling Blue and Yellow fans.

Follow Game 1 of the national championship series between Oklahoma and North Carolina here.

Oklahoma baseball is turning to left-hander Cord Rager in Game 1 of the national championship series against No. 5 North Carolina on Saturday, June 20. He has been nothing but dominant since becoming the Sooners' No. 1 arm.

It won't be an easy task for Rager, either. He'll face off against a tough North Carolina lineup that's also sending out ace pitcher Jason DeCaro, who has a 2.31 ERA on the year.

REQUIRED READING: Inside the making of Cord Rager as OU baseball's fearless ace on run to CWS finals

And while the 6-foot-6 starting pitcher has an unimpressive 4.69 ERA this season, he has turned it on when it has mattered most, with 15 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings dating back to his Game 1 start against No. 15 Kansas in the Lawrence Super Regional.

Oklahoma finished 11th out of 16 teams in the SEC standings this season, but has rolled its way through the 2026 NCAA Baseball Tournament with two wins over No. 2 Georgia Tech, a sweep of No. 15 Kansas, a 9-0 rout over No. 7 Alabama and a pair of wins over No. 3 Georgia, who won the conference.

And much of that success is due to Rager, who leads a starting rotation of all true freshmen. Here's what to know of the left-hander before he makes the biggest start of his life against the Tar Heels:

Who is Cord Rager?

Rager hails from Maypearl, Texas, a town with a population less than 1,000. He shocked many when he opened the season as Oklahoma's No. 3 starter, and has since emerged as its top arm amid a magical run to the national championship series.

He wasn't an instant stud by any means, though. He came to Oklahoma sitting around 89-91 mph on his fastball. After a minor tweak from Sooners coach Skip Johnson, a pitching guru, he saw his fastball reach as fast as 97 mph on the radar gun.

His development, along with his strike-throwing acumen, is why he's had so much success despite his young age.

“He's made me a lot better,” Rager told The Oklahoman. “In the fall, I kind of just threw the ball with no real thought behind it. But I've cleaned up some things and I'm more efficient in my delivery. Skip has been great over time, he's always got funny jokes, he's a caring guy and he always supports you in whatever you do.”

Rager is throwing the ball with more intent than he has all season in recent games. He's coming off a seven-inning shutout against Alabama, allowing only three hits with eight strikeouts. Before that, it was a six-inning shutout of Kansas, where he allowed one hit with six strikeouts.

His six-inning start was a career high. He then set it again with his seven-inning showing against the Crimson Tide, also setting a career-high in strikeouts in the same start.

Rager has been a huge reason for Oklahoma's red-hot run through the NCAA Tournament, and he's emerging as a future star for the Sooners.

Cord Rager stats

Here's a look at Rager's season stats, including each of his NCAA Tournament starts so far:

• 2026: 6-3 record with a 4.69 ERA and 89 strikeouts to 19 walks across 71 innings (15 starts).
• vs. The Citadel (Atlanta Regional): Three runs on seven hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings
• vs. Kansas (Lawrence Super Regional): No runs on one hit and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings
• vs. Alabama (College World Series): No runs on three hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Cord Rager? What to know of Oklahoma starter vs North Carolina

Cruzeiro have already played 37 matches throughout 2026 across four different competitions.

The fixtures in the state championship, the Copa do Brasil, the Libertadores, and the Brasileirão have been demanding the most from the squad, which has six players with at least 30 appearances this year.

ge put together a survey to show which players have taken the field the most for Cruzeiro this season, and three players share the top spot on the list.

Fabrício Bruno, Matheus Pereira, and Christian have already totaled 33 matches in 2026. Kaiki, Gerson, and Arroyo are right behind them.

See below for the full ranking compiled by ge.

Fabrício Bruno - 33

Matheus Pereira - 33

Christian - 33

Kaiki - 32

Gerson - 31

Arroyo - 30

Matheus Henrique - 28

Kaio Jorge - 26

Lucas Romero - 26

Lucas Silva - 24

Wanderson - 24

Jonathan Jesus - 23

Fagner - 20

Neyser - 20

Bruno Rodrigues - 18

Kauã Moraes - 17

Lucas Villalba - 16

William - 16

Kenji - 14

Cássio - 14

Otávio - 14

João Marcelo - 14

Chico da Costa - 14

Matheus Cunha - 12

Sinisterra - 11

Japa - 10

Kauã Prates - 06

Murilo - 03

Rayan Lelis - 02

Marquinhos - 01

Walace - 01

Rhuan - 01

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

The pre-match discourse focused almost exclusively on Sweden’s luxury strikers. Graham Potter was asked three times about Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, about how he could squeeze the best from his uber-talents. Ronald Koeman was asked whether he was scared by them. “We’re not scared,” he said, and so it proved. Instead this was an afternoon in Houston when Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey out-did them both.

Brobbey scored two first-half goals which took the game away from Sweden, before the excellent Cody Gakpo added another two and Crysencio Summerville topped this 5-1 win. Perhaps most importantly, Brobbey showed the striker’s instincts that have been marked out as the great weakness of this Dutch team, a side full of defensive steel and midfield class but who supposedly lack a killer in the box.

Which was a fair assumption. Brobbey had only one goal in 13 international caps before this game. Gakpo doesn’t play like this for Liverpool. Summerville has just been relegated with West Ham. But after starting Brobbey on the bench in Netherlands’ 2-2 draw with Japan, Ronald Koeman may now have a formula for Dutch success at this World Cup.

Sweden remain the great enigma of this tournament, a team of technical midfielders and a luxury front line, hoarding two elite strikers when most countries would spill blood for one. Spain would trade a playmaker for Isak. Brazil and Germany would be scary with a ruthless goalscorer. Imagine Portugal playing to Gyokeres instead of a famous relic.

On paper, Sweden should be the side that tore apart Tunisia in their opening game, and there were flashes of that quality here in Houston after Potter switched from 5-3-2 to 4-3-3 during the first hydration break – a pointless exercise in an air-conditioned stadium which was loudly booed. From there on Gyokeres was excellent, linking play with one-touch flicks that found rushing teammates and the chances flowed.

But defensively, this performance was more like the Sweden who lost to Kosovo in qualifying, and who can be found plying their trade in Nations League C along with Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands. Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien was bullied by Brobbey, and Hien wasn’t helped by the way the Dutch prised open the Swedish flanks and fired in the low crosses which brought about their first three goals.

Instead it was the Netherlands who looked like a serious World Cup force. It helped that this was almost a home game, with orange shirts outnumbering yellow by perhaps 10 to 1. There are around 9,000 Dutch-born residents in Houston and most of them seemed to be here alongside thousands more who travelled across the Atlantic.

The NRG Stadium emerges from the concrete like some great alien office building, all square corners and steel girders hanging over the sides. It is very Houston, a city that doesn’t buy into aesthetics or pretence. Big is good. Metal is strong. Inside there are photos on the walls celebrating the occasional glories of the Houston Texans, interspersed with pictures of other stars to have graced this venue: mainly country musicians, monster trucks and cattle.

Koeman’s decision to start Brobbey paid off within six minutes. Netherlands made football seem like a simple game in those opening forays. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen played a long pass to Brobbey, who bumped off Hien before racing past him to knock in Gakpo’s low cross. Brobbey’s second was another piece of classic centre-forward play, again bursting past Hien to toe in Denzel Dumfries’ cross.

Sweden looked panicky in midfield, where Jesper Karlstrom and Yasin Ayari kept lobbing aimless balls forwards rather than bringing it down to play as they did so well against Tunisia. The hydration break came at a good time for Potter, who chatted to an assistant for the first minute before gathering his players in a huddle.

His switch to a back four put Sweden on the front foot. They began creating chances, first for Ayari who chose to chest the ball rather than head it, wrongly as it turned out, when his torso trampolined the ball behind. Gyokores tried a curling shot and Verbruggen saved at full stretch. A Gustaf Lagerbielke header was ruled out for offside, and Verbruggen saved well from Ayari before half-time.

The game felt alive despite the 2-0 scoreline, but it was effectively killed off two minutes into the second half when Dumfries again scurried free down the right and sent a low cross into the six-yard box. Gakpo did his best to miss the open goal, skewing the ball in with his ankle from two yards. Gakpo cut inside to drill in Netherlands’ fourth, proving World Cup Gakpo is a different beast to Liverpool Gakpo.

The introduction of Anthony Elanga gave Sweden new energy and he scored on the break, Verbruggen’s floodwalls finally breached. Elanga evoked a little history too, pulling off a Cruyff-turn-nutmeg which brought ooooos from the crowd, 52 years after Johan Cruyff first produced his famous turn against Sweden at the 1974 World Cup.

But Summerville added a fifth and ultimately the Netherlands were too good. Perhaps Sweden’s passive start was a tacit admission of that fact before the game had even begun. It was a match partly shaped by the two managers, by Koeman’s decision to start Brobbey, by Potter’s decision to switch to a back four. It just happened that Koeman’s decisive move came before kick-off, and Potter’s was made during a hydration break that shouldn’t exist.

Oklahoma vs. North Carolina baseball box score: Live stats from College World Series Game 1 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The first game of the 2026 College World Series Final between North Carolina Tar Heels and Oklahoma Sooners was pushed up from tonight to avoid the rain forecasted in the area.

Both teams swept their way to the CWS finals. North Carolina took down Ole Miss before winning two straight against West Virginia. As for Oklahoma, the Sooners defeated Alabama before sending Georgia packing with back-to-back wins.

First pitch at Charles Schwab Field will be at 3 p.m. ET. 

Oklahoma vs. North Carolina baseball box score: Live stats from College World Series NCAA Championship

Oklahoma Sooners

H: 

• LaChance 1 (17)

RBI: 

• LaChance 2 (67)

North Carolina Tar Heels

• DeCaro 25 (16 strikes)

How to watch: Oklahoma vs. North Carolina 2026 NCAA Baseball Championship Game 

Date: Saturday, June 20

Time: 3 p.m. ET 

TV: ESPN

Full schedule for this weekend:

Saturday, June 20
Game 1: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma  3 p.m. ET on ESPN

Sunday, June 21
Game 2: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Monday, June 22
Game 3: North Carolina vs. Oklahoma TBD on ESPN (if necessary)

More College World Series News

• North Carolina vs. West Virginia baseball box score: Final stats from CWS
• Georgia vs. Texas baseball box score: Final stats from College World Series
• Ole Miss vs. UNC box score: Final stats from CWS 
• West Virginia vs. Troy baseball box score: Final stats from College World Series
• Texas vs. Texas Tech softball box score: Final Women's College World Series

The scandal involving Mike Vrabel and Dianna Russini dominated the NFL offseason, unlike anything in recent memory. A steady stream of details dating back to 2020 led Russini to resign from The Athletic on April 14, before its internal investigation concluded, and prompted Vrabel to miss the third day of the draft to begin counseling.

The noise around Vrabel and Russini has faded as training camps approach, but the story isn’t closed. The Athletic’s investigation remains ongoing, and Tony Farmer, who has covered the scandal extensively, raised a new question this week about what the league may have missed.

Tony Farmer Hints at Mike Vrabel’s Patriots Tampering Through Dianna Russini

Farmer hinted at how Vrabel’s alleged relationship with Russini may have revealed how the New England Patriots conducted business. On March 9, 2025, one day before the legal tampering period opened, Russini reported that New York Jets offensive tackle Morgan Moses was “expected to hit free agency.”

The now-deleted post included a graphic featuring the Patriots’ logo. She deleted and reposted it, but Moses signed with New England less than 24 hours later on a three-year, $24 million deal.

“People completely misunderstand the implications of Dianna Russini’s deleted Morgan Moses tweet [2025],” Farmer wrote. “It’s not potential evidence of wrongdoing between Russini and Vrabel. It’s potential evidence of alleged wrongdoing by the Patriots (tampering) and evidence Russini and Vrabel talked about that alleged wrongdoing by New England.”

“People on X called for an investigation at the time,” he added. “Most journalists and the NFL completely ignored it. If the NFL had investigated, it might have learned that Vrabel and Russini are close.”

BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM:PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator

Farmer’s distinction shifts the framing from an off-field scandal to a potential violation of league rules. If Vrabel shared recruitment information with Russini before the tampering window opened, that would constitute a violation regardless of their personal relationship.

The post about Moses isn’t the only reporting thread under scrutiny. Russini was among the first to report a rift between A.J. Brown and the Eagles as early as September 2025, consistently identifying the Patriots as a likely destination.

PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:PFN’s FREE NFL Playoff Predictor

Brown was eventually traded to New England on June 1, and many have projected Russini as the driving force behind the wide receiver’s reunion with Vrabel.

As of now, the NFL has shown no appetite for investigating the tampering angle, but that could change if additional evidence surfaces. For now, the league appears content to let The Athletic’s internal investigation serve as the only response to a story that could raise many big questions about Vrabel, the Patriots, and other teams around the league.

World Cup group scenarios 2026: How teams can qualify and advance to Round of 32 knockout bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

As the World Cup group stage enters its second round of matches, some nations will be booking their places in the knockout stages, while others will be heading home.

The new tournament format means most routes to the latter stages will remain open heading into the third round of games.

2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup tickets

At the previous seven World Cups, a 32-team slate was reduced to 16 for the knockout rounds, with the simple equation of the top two from each of the eight four-team groups going through.

Now a 48-team tournament, the top two from each of the 12 groups will be joined by the eight best third-place teams.

It means that we will lose 16 teams at the end of the round-robin phase, with plenty of moving parts to keep track of, especially when it comes to the ranking of the best third-place finishers.

Below is a breakdown of every World Cup group as they stand and what each team needs to progress to the knockout rounds or avoid early elimination.

JUMP TO GROUP:A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L

World Cup bracket 2026

SN

World Cup Group A standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Mexico

Has qualified as group winner with a win over South Korea 

South Korea

Will qualify as second-place team with win or tie vs South Africa

South Africa

Is still alive to qualify as second-placel with win over Mexico and and South Korea loss to Czechia.

Czechia

Is still alive to qualify as second-place with win over South Korea and and South Africa loss or draw to Mexico. 

Group A schedule, results

World Cup Group B standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Canada and Switzerland 

Canada and Switzerland are tied atop the group with four points apiece. The two teams are set to face each other next with first place on the line. Switzerland must win to finish atop the group because Canada holds the goal-differential advantage. Canada will secure first place with either a win or a draw.

Bosnia and Qatar 

It's not mathematically impossible for either team to finish second in the group, but that would require significant help in the goal-differential tiebreaker. That said, the two countries are set to face each other in the final group-stage match, and the loser still stands a solid chance of advancing as a third-place finisher.

Group B schedule, results

World Cup Group C standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Morocco

Will be through with a win or draw in their final group stage match against Haiti.

Scotland

Will be through to the knockout rounds with a victory in final group stage match against Brazil

Haiti

Eliminated with 3-0 loss to Brazil

Brazil

Will get through with draw or win vs. Scotland

Group C schedule, results

World Cup Group D standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

United States

Australia

Clinched a spot in the knockout round with Turkey's loss to Paraguay. Can finish second in Group D with a win against Paraguay.

Paraguay

Clinched a spot in the knockout round with win against Turkey. Can finish second in Group D with a win against Australia.

Turkey

Eliminated after 1-0 loss to Paraguay

Group D schedule, results

World Cup Group E standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Germany

Will qualify as group winners if they beat the Ivory Coast and Ecuador does not beat Curacao.

Ivory Coast

Will qualify as group winners if they beat Germany and Curacao does not beat Ecuador.

Ecuador

Will be eliminated if they lose to Curacao and Germany avoids defeat against the Ivory Coast

Curacao 

Will be eliminated if they lose to Ecuador and the Ivory Coast avoids defeat against Germany.

Group E schedule, results

World Cup Group F standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Sweden

Will qualify to knockout stage if Japan loses to Tunisia or if they beat Japan in their final match.

Tunisia

Will be eliminated if they lose to Japan and the Netherlands beat Sweden.

Netherlands

Will clinch a knockout stage position if Tunisia beats Japan, or if the Netherlands wins against Tunisia in their final group-stage match.

Japan

Must beat either Tunisia and/or Sweden in their final two group-stage matches.

Group F schedule, results

World Cup Group G standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Iran, New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt

After each game in the first round of matches finished all square, no team can qualify or be eliminated in their second match. Any team that takes at least four points from their next two matches (a win and a draw) will be guaranteed a top-two spot.

Group G schedule, results

World Cup Group H standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Cape Verde

After each game in the first round of matches finished all square, no team can qualify or be eliminated in their second match. Any team that takes at least four points from their next two matches (a win and a draw) will be guaranteed a top-two spot.

Group H schedule, results

World Cup Group I standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Norway, France, Senegal and Iraq

Norway and France, as the two winners from the first matches, playing the two defeated teams next means that no qualification or elimination matters can be decisively settled in the forthcoming round of fixtures.

Group I schedule, results

World Cup Group J standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Argentina

Will qualify as group winners if they beat Austria and Jordan does not beat Algeria.

Austria

Will qualify as group winners if they beat Argentina and Algeria does not beat Jordan.

Jordan

Will be eliminated if they lose to Algeria and Argentina avoids defeat against Austria.

Algeria

Will be eliminated if they lose to Jordan and the Austria avoids defeat against Argentina.

Group J schedule, results

World Cup Group K standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

Colombia

Will qualify as group winners if they beat DR Congo.

DR Congo and Portugal

Neither can be eliminated nor guaranteed qualification after their opening match finished 1-1.

Uzbekistan

Will be eliminated if they lose to Portugal and DR Congo defeats Colombia.

Group K schedule, results

World Cup Group L standings and scenarios

• Q = Qualified to Knockout Stage
• E = Eliminated

England

Will qualify as group winners if they beat Ghana and Croatia defeats Panama.

Ghana

Will qualify as group winners if they beat England and Panama defeats Croatia.

Panama

Will be eliminated if they lose to Croatia and England defeats Ghana.

Croatia

Will be eliminated if they lose to Panama and Ghana defeats England.

Group L schedule, results

World Cup 2026 group stage tiebreakers

When wins, losses and draws alone aren't enough to determine a group's standings, the following tiebreaking procedure will be used. Expect these to come into play as the permutations noted above play out.

Overall goal difference: whichever team has the higher margin between how many goals they score and allow.

1. Total goals scored: whichever team scores the most goals in the group stage.
2. Head-to-head points: most points in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
3. Head-to-head goal difference: the highest margin of goals scored/against in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
4. Head-to-head goals scored: most goals in group matches when the teams tied in the standings went against each other.
5. Highest team conduct score: a score that is diminished as team players/personnel get carded.
6. Higher FIFA/Coca‑Cola Men’s World Ranking: the team with the higher international team rank will move on. If the teams somehow have the same ranking, the most recent past edition of the rankings will be examined.

In one of his recent reports, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has shared a key update on the future of Lille attacking ace Mathias Fernandez-Pardo. Aston Villa have not only made initial contact with the player’s representatives but also sent scouts to the United States to monitor the Belgian’s performance in the ongoing FIFA World Cup.

The 21-year-old Red Devils international left for Lille’s academy after brief spells with Anderlecht and Mechelen back in his homeland. However, he returned to Belgium in 2020 and joined Gent’s youth ranks. There, he flourished with the reserves and was eventually promoted as a first-team regular.

A blister spell at the backend of the 2023-24 season caught the eyes of Lille, who brought him back to Stade Pierre-Mauroy in the summer of 2024. Fernandez-Pardo has since cemented a key status high up the pitch, scoring 12 and assisting 11 times in 71 appearances over the past two campaigns. His versatility, movement, physicality, runs behind the defence, pace, acceleration and finishing tick the boxes of a Premier League forward of the modern era.

MADRID, SPAIN – OCTOBER 23: Matias Fernandez-Pardo of LOSC Lille passes the ball whilst under pressure from Nahuel Molina of Atletico de Madrid during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD3 match between Atletico de Madrid and LOSC Lille at Estadio Civitas Metropolitano on October 23, 2024, in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Villa’s resurgence under Unai Emery is astounding. From battling for survival, the Spaniard led them to win the coveted Europa League last season, defeating Freiburg in Istanbul. They are going on par with the league’s ‘big six’, and his structural discipline, tactical adaptability, and controlled transitions have maximised the potential of Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emiliano Buendia and John McGinn. They have been Emery’s ‘front four’ for most of the season, and the gaffer is now aiming for further attacking reinforcements to emerge as an indispensable European force.

Why Emery Could Play Him From The Flank

Meanwhile, Aston Villa still lack depth down the flank, with Jadon Sancho and Leon Bailey struggling for minutes all season. The pair seem surplus to requirements in Birmingham, and so is Harvey Elliott, who is set to return to Liverpool after Emery opted against playing him enough to avoid triggering the obligation-to-buy clause. Donyell Malen has been offloaded to Roma, and the manager replaced the Dutchman with Tammy Abraham as Watkins’ understudy for the ‘number 9’ spot.

Predominantly a centre-forward, Fernandez-Pardo is also comfortable from the left-hand flank as an inverted winger. With Watkins and Abraham challenging each other, the Lille sensation is likely to be deployed from the flank ahead of Buendia. The French side value him at around €70m, as they look to make a hefty profit from his sale, having snapped him up for a base fee of €10m (+€2m add-ons).

Tottenham Hotspur have intensified their pursuit of Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali, opening club-to-club talks over a potential deal, according to journalist David Ornstein.

Spurs have already held positive discussions with the Italy international’s representatives in recent weeks, but negotiations have now progressed to direct contact with Newcastle.

The north London club is looking to steal a march on Premier League rivals Manchester City.

Tonali has emerged as one of the most sought-after midfielders on the market this summer, with both Tottenham and City continuing talks over personal terms with the 26-year-old.

Per some reports, Spurs have already agreed personal terms with Tonali.

Newcastle are under no pressure to sell the former AC Milan star, whose contract runs until 2029 and includes the option of a further year.

However, the Magpies are understood to value Tonali at around £100 million and would only consider doing business if that asking price is met.

Tottenham are hoping several factors could work in their favour.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi, a fellow Italian, is believed to be a driving force behind the club’s interest.

Meanwhile, the prospect of living in London and a lucrative financial package could also appeal to the midfielder.

Landing Tonali would represent one of the biggest statements of Spurs’ summer rebuild as they seek to strengthen the spine of their squad ahead of the new campaign.

The club also remain interested in West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes, although their pursuit of Tonali is currently a priority.

City remain firmly in the race, ensuring Tottenham face stiff competition for one of Europe’s finest box-to-box midfielders.

Tonali enjoyed an impressive campaign at St James’ Park last season, making 53 appearances across all competitions and scoring three goals.

Despite Newcastle’s desire to keep him, the club’s willingness to listen to offers that reach their valuation has opened the door for what could become one of the transfer window’s biggest deals.

Tijjani Reijnders played just short of an hour as the Netherlands defeated Sweden 5-1 in an exciting World Cup clash in Houston, Texas.

Reijnders had a hand in their early opener, playing in Cody Gapko down the left channel with the Liverpool forward playing in Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey for a poacher’s finish from close-range on five minutes.

Brobbey doubled his and the Dutch total soon after, getting a touch on a Denzel Dumfries centre.

Despite the double setback, Sweden improved as the half went on, with Viktor Gyökeres, Yasin Ayari and Aleksandar Isak leading the charge.

Gustaf Lagerbielke thought he’d pulled one back at the end of the first period as he nodded home a whipped cross from Benjamin Nygren but he was adjudged to be offside as the ball came in.

Gakpo extended the lead at the start of the second half, finishing off at the back post from another Dumfries centre.

Gakpo soon made it four for the Dutch, blasting home a low shot after being played in by West Ham winger Crysencio Summerville who had replaced former Aston Villa forward Donyell Malen at half-time.

It marked the 100th goal of this World Cup in the 33rd game of the competition which is the quickest that target has been reached since the 1958 edition, which incidentally was played in Sweden and won by Brazil.

Newcastle winger Anthony Elanga – just on as a sub - pulled one back for the Swedes just shy of the hour mark latching onto a precise ball through by Isak to race clear and finish expertly past Bart Verbruggen in the Dutch goal.

There was an individual moment of brilliance at the death, Summerville producing a wonderful finish from 20 yards out to put an extra shine on the scoreline.

Nathan Ake was an unused substitute for Ronald Koeman’s side at Houston Stadium.

The victory in their second Group F match follows the 2-2 draw with Japan in the opener and sees the Dutch go top.

Tunisia face Japan at 05:00 (UK) in the early hours of Sunday in Mexico’s Estadio BBVA.

The final game for Netherlands sees them face Tunisia next Friday with a Midnight (UK) at Kansas City Stadium.

The Kentucky Wildcats baseball team and coach Nick Mingione didn't get the ending to the 2026 season that they wanted, but they aren't wallowing in their disappointment. They are attacking the transfer portal, looking to make next year's roster their best yet.

Getting quality players from the transfer portal is key for them going forward, and on Saturday, they gained a major commitment. Former Houston catcher Riley Jackson will transfer to Kentucky, per his Instagram page, adding to a solid haul so far for Mingione.

Jackson began his college career at Florida State before transferring to Houston, where he developed into a very good player. Last season, he hit .271 with 9 homeruns and 29 RBIs with a .899 OPS.

The second catcher added this offseason, Jackson is the 11th overall transfer portal addition by Kentucky. He's ranked as a top 15 available player by 64Analytics, and is another good player added this offseason.

This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky baseball adds catcher Riley Jackson from transfer portal

A French town on Saturday hosted a special event inside a hexagonal cage normally used for mixed martial arts: duels between fully armoured warriors wielding medieval weapons.

Fighters used swords and axes to battle it out in 20 combats at Onet-le-Chateau in the Aveyron region of southern France.

The local council described the fights as the modern-day equivalent of "what was effectively the mixed martial arts of the Middle Ages".

While most of the action involved men from France, Poland and Britain, some women fighters were also on the bill.

The fights were held in a local club that organises this kind of armoured combat, known as behourd.

Organisers say it includes not just weapons combat but wrestling, ground work and strikes with the fists, feet, elbows, knees, the head and the shield.

"The word 'behourd' comes from Old French," said Clement Carsac, president of the local club.

"It was a recreational activity practised by men in the Middle Ages, It’s where history and combat sports meet." 

The fights were preceded by weighing-in sessions, because behourd is divided into weight classes, like boxing or judo.

The combatants then put on their armour and helmet, which can weigh up to six kilos (13 pounds).

It is a rather expensive activity: "A full kit costs between 3,000 and 4,000 euros," said to Carsac -- $3,450 to $4,600.  

vch-dmc/gv/jj

Despite the statements of LOSC Lille president Olivier Letang, Ayyoub Bouaddi has a good chance of leaving his current club this summer. The Moroccan international appeals to PSG, Arsenal, and also to Real Madrid, which has sent intermediaries to observe him during the 2026 World Cup.

Bouaddi will have to get used to it. Since his great performance against Brazil (1-1) last Sunday, the Morocco midfielder has changed dimension. He is now spoken of as one of the most promising young talents in the world.

This status inevitably makes him a highly sought-after target on the transfer market. For several months, PSG has been circling the Lille player, who is sensitive to Parisian interest. And the foreign powerhouses are also starting to move closer.

Arsenal are presented as serious competitors for the two-time European champion, who will also have to be wary of Real Madrid. After the signings of Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, and Marc Cucurella, the White House would see itself continuing its shopping with Bouaddi.

PSG, Arsenal Face Real Madrid Threat for Ayyoub Bouaddi: ReportReal Madrid have joined the race for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who is also wanted by PSG and Arsenal. Lille president reportedly prefers to sell abroad rather than to a Ligue 1 rival.

But before taking action on this case, Florentino Perez's club wants to first ensure that the 18-year-old midfielder has the shoulders to shine at the highest level.

The Merengue therefore sent emissaries to Gillette Stadium in Boston to observe the Moroccan international against Scotland (1-0) last night. Nothing concrete for the moment. But information from AS journalist Ruben Martin confirms that Bouaddi's potential has piqued Real Madrid's interest.

It would not be surprising if the Spanish giant continues to follow the Atlas Lion until the end of his run in this World Cup. And who knows, if the reports on his performances are positive, the sending of a Madrid offer to Lille cannot be ruled out in this saga that is only just beginning.

Bouaddi is not the only target shared by Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

According to recent reports from Italy, both clubs are also monitoring the situation of Scotland international Scott McTominay.

That is without even mentioning that Real Madrid has been consistently linked with several Paris Saint-Germain midfielders in recent weeks. Vitinha, Joao Neves, and Fabian Ruiz have all been named as potential targets for the Spanish giants.

In fact, the Spanish media recently reported that Neves is Real Madrid’s top priority to strengthen its midfield, although the move was described as virtually impossible.

That assessment makes perfect sense given the public stance of both the player and Paris Saint-Germain.

Casemiro is closing in on a move to Inter Miami, report Sky Sports. The Brazilian is thought to want to play alongside Lionel Messi.

Inter Miami has become a hotbed for some of the best players in the history of the game in recent years. Messi, Jordi Alba, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and now potentially Casemiro.

The Brazilian midfielder left Manchester United this summer after four years at the club.

Liverpool have had a bid worth £87 million turned down for Yan Diomande by RB Leipzig, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Liverpool have held interest in the winger for a few weeks now but he is at the World Cup with the Ivory Coast and RB Leipzig want at least £100 million for the player.

In a shock move, Brazilian legend Ronaldinho has come out of retirement to join Serie C side Ravenna FC. He is 46.

He last played professionally for Fluminense in 2015 and is a shareholder in Ravenna.

Ronaldinho said: “New colours, same smile. I cannot wait to dance with the ball and write a beautiful new story with Ignazio Cipriani and the Cipriani family.

“Football has always been joyful for me, and I’m excited to bring that spirit to Ravenna. Let the magic begin!”

Real Madrid have officially denied any interest in Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise. Reports have been rife for weeks, and Madrid released a statement saying they are not currently moving for the Frenchman.

The statement said: “In light of the information published in various media outlets regarding an alleged interest of our club in Bayern Munich player Michael Olise, Real Madrid C. F. wishes to clarify that it has not had any direct or indirect contact with the aforementioned footballer, his representatives, or individuals in his circle.

“Real Madrid also wishes to highlight the excellent institutional relationship it maintains with Bayern Munich, with whom it shares a long history of mutual respect, collaboration, and admiration, and regrets the dissemination of speculations that do not correspond to reality.”

While Arsenal ultimately ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title, the 2025/26 campaign also saw Mikel Arteta’s side embark on an impressive League Cup run that ended just one game short of silverware.

From early victories over lower-league opposition to dramatic knockout ties and a long-awaited return to Wembley, Liam Harding looks back on Arsenal’s memorable League Cup journey.

Arsenal Navigated A Challenging Route To Wembley

Arsenal reached their ninth League Cup final during the 2025/26 campaign, a season driven by the ambitious pursuit of a historic quadruple and their first Premier League title in 22 years.

The run began in late September with a trip to League Two side Port Vale. New signing Eberechi Eze, following his £67.5 million move from Crystal Palace, opened his account for the club in just the eighth minute. Leandro Trossard sealed a comfortable 2-0 victory in the 86th minute with a clever strike from the edge of the box into the bottom corner.

In the fourth round, the Gunners faced a tougher test against Brighton & Hove Albion, exorcising the ghosts of a home defeat to the Seagulls three years earlier. Two second-half strikes from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka secured a commanding 2-0 win.

The quarter-final draw pitted Arsenal against Crystal Palace in a dramatic encounter. The Eagles held firm until the 80th minute, when Maxence Lacroix turned the ball into his own net. However, a stoppage-time equaliser from Marc Guéhi forced the tie to penalties.

After a tense shootout, Arsenal progressed 9-8, with Lacroix’s evening ending in further misfortune as he missed the decisive spot-kick.

The semi-finals delivered a London derby against Chelsea.

In the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Ben White and Viktor Gyökeres gave Arsenal a 2-0 lead early in the second half. Despite a spirited brace from Alejandro Garnacho, a clinical finish from Martin Zubimendi ensured Arsenal took a 3-2 advantage back to North London.

The second leg at the Emirates was a more cautious affair, settled only in added time when Kai Havertz swept home the winner against his former club to secure a 1-0 victory and send Arsenal through 4-2 on aggregate.

(Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Manchester City End Arsenal’s League Cup Dream

Reaching their first League Cup final since 2018, Arsenal faced Manchester City at Wembley with the chance to add another trophy to an already historic campaign.

Unfortunately, history repeated itself.

A lacklustre performance saw the Gunners fall to a 2-0 defeat, with Nico O’Reilly scoring twice in quick succession around the hour mark to leave Arsenal chasing a game they never truly looked capable of recovering.

After the match, a visibly gutted Arteta told Arsenal’s media team: “Very sad. A very hard one to take.”

His words perfectly summed up the disappointment of falling at the final hurdle.

While the season ultimately ended in Premier League glory, the defeat cemented Arsenal’s bittersweet record in the League Cup. With seven runners-up medals and only two triumphs, the last coming in a 2-1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday in 1993, the Gunners now hold the unwanted record for the most final defeats in the competition’s history.

Yet viewed within the context of the wider season, Arsenal’s journey to Wembley demonstrated the depth, resilience and winning mentality that would eventually propel Arteta’s side to Premier League glory.

The League Cup may have ended in heartbreak, but it formed an important chapter in one of the greatest seasons in the club’s modern history.

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Brian Brobbey and Cody Gakpo were absolutely merciless in front of goal in a 5-1 thrashing against Sweden as the Netherlands climbed to the top of Group F in style in their second World Cup group stage game.

Brobbey looked sharp from the whistle, being a livewire in the box and scoring a brace in the first half through perfect crosses from Gakpo and Dumfries, as the former grabbed two of his own inside seven second-half minutes.

Anthony Elanga was called upon straight away in the second half, managing a consolation goal after being put through on goal by Alexander Isak, but Sweden lacked the cutting edge overall as the Dutch eased towards the round of 32.

Summerville rounded off the game with a wonderful finish from outside the box who showed how effective he can be despite the fact he began the game on the bench, as Sweden suffered the same margin of defat they exacted on Tunisia last time out.

As it happened

Ronald Koeman made a bold decision to take out Crysencio Summerville amidst scoring a great goal against Japan for Sunderland striker Brian Bobbey, but it’s safe to say it paid off quickly.

It was classic centre-forward play from Brobbey after just five minutes, who used his strength to receive the ball on the halfway line from a long ball, laying it off to Tijani Reijnders, who then sends Cody Gakpo down the left flank to flash the ball across the face of the six-yard box for Brobbey to tap home.

An immediate wake-up call for Potter’s men being down so early, and they attempted to reply straight away from Victor Gyökeres down the right channel, but he was denied by Verbruggen.

The Netherlands were hungry for more as they were close to a second from a wonderful Dumfries cross which headed Gakpo’s way, if not for an intervention from wing-back Benhardson to force a corner.

Clearly the Swedes didn’t learn from the threat of Real Madrid’s new defender’s crossing because he was present down the right flank again to assist Brobbey for his second of the game 12 minutes after his first as he calmly slotted home from a similar position to the first to roll the ball past Kristoffer Nordfeldt.

After the hydration break, Sweden had to pick up the intensity, and they did as Isak found the Arsenal striker in space down the channel with a great whipped cross to Yasin Ayari, who scored two goals on his World Cup debut but this time awkwardly chests the ball in an attempt to control it out of play.

Alexander Isak began to adapt his game, playing deeper, which began to work for Sweden because the two strikers continuously linked up.

Liverpool forward floated into space and played Gyokeres through, but his shot was blocked by Van Hecke before trickling into the goalkeeper’s hand.

Again, a quick passing action leads to Isak finding Gyökeres, who attempted to curl one into the top corner, but the Brighton goalkeeper was there again to protect the Dutch clean sheet.

Even after knocking on the door, Sweden thought they got one back on a set-piece delivered by Nygren and headed by Gustaf Lagerbielke who peeled away from his marker, but the linesman had his flag up for a narrow offside.

Right before half-time, Gyökeres’ free kick and Ayari’s low-driven shot were parried out by the 23-year-old goalkeeper.

Despite the Scandanavians looking strong near the end of the first-half, their defence was exposed for the third time, substitute Summerville makes a classy dribble before playing flying full-back Denzel Dumfries down the right who gets that low cross perfect for Cody Gakpo to convert from close range.

No mercy from the Netherlands as Isak loses the ball in the middle of park, Summerville picked the ball up and impacted again, laying it off to Gakpo who works his way into the box and rattled the net, shooting near-post to get his brace.

Newcastle’s Elanga is substituted on and received a splitting pass from Isak, as the 24-year-old winger made a direct run through the heart of Netherlands defence and fired with his left foot to deny Verbruggen his clean sheet.

Summerville put the game to bed as he carries the ball towards Sweden’s box before hitting it sweetly from outside the box 89th minute to conclude a tenacious thrashing.

Analysis: Koeman’s faith repayed with Brobbey at the double as Summerville still deadly off the bench

After an impressive performance with a classy goal from West Ham’s Summerville against Japan, no one would’ve expected him to get dropped for this game.

However, the highly respected Dutch manager made the call to drop Summerville and instead go with Brobbey in the striker position, moving Donyell Malen to the wing.

Brobbey’s overall centre-forward play flourished today, as his hold up play and powerful running in-behind caused all sorts of problems for Sweden’s back-three.

Clinical in the 18-yard box, his two shots in the first half were rewarded with two goals through being at the right place at the right time.

Not only his goalscoring, but aerially he was dominant and physically he was able to bully his way through the Swedish defence to hold the ball up and get his teammates into play.

Summerville may have felt unhappy not being able to start, but substituted at half-time, he was a handful as he played a part in all three Dutch goals in the second half.

Playing Dumfries down the right who then assisted Gakpo, then assisting Gakpo for the fourth and topping it off with a lovely goal from outside the box was the perfect way to respond.

It’s been a difficult season for Summerville in club football as West Ham will be playing in the Championship next season, but at this World Cup he’s played with such poise and confidence in his final action.

Depending on how he plays, it’ll be interesting to observe whether there’ll be clubs interested in acquiring his talent, because he’s full of it.

For more detailed reports, reaction, and analysis of the World Cup as it happens, head to our website and favourite our page on OneFootball.

USA soccer fans are still buzzing about their team’s start to the 2026 World Cup, as they have now won their first two group-stage games after beating Australia 2-0 on June 19.

Because of its success, the USA has already won Group D outright and has advanced to the knockout rounds.

And because of this success, beloved former USA goalkeeper Tim Howard thinks the U.S. side might be susceptible to losing its final group-stage game against Türkiye, which he conveyed during a recent episode of his “Unfiltered Soccer” podcast.

“I still think we’re going to win the game [against Australia]. I think we’re going to win the group. I truly believe we’re gonna win three games in this group,” Howard said.

“Now, there are scenarios… where, the U.S. win this game [against Australia], they can clinch first place,” Howard added. “And if that happens, then I say [I’m] not sure [USA will win all three group-stage games], because I think we’ll down tools and rest everybody against Türkiye, if we’ve already clinched first… In that case, then maybe [the USA doesn’t] win three games.”

Now that USA beat Australia and Paraguay beat Türkiye on June 19, USA has officially won the group, despite still having its game against Türkiye to play on June 25.

Therefore, the scenario that Howard was alluding to is in play, and definitely makes it seem like the USA’s chances of winning its final group-stage game might have decreased (since it doesn’t need to win in order to win the group).

It remains to be seen whether USA coach Mauricio Pochettino will indeed rest players for the USA’s final group-stage game. And even if he does, the USA is playing so well right now that it might not even matter.

While the 2027 recruiting cycle is in full swing, Penn State’s 2028 class received a boost with a commitment from New York kicker Carter Petri on Saturday:

THE SKINNY

Height/Weight: 6’ 1”, 185 pounds
Hometown/High School: Buffalo, NY (St. Joseph School)
Ranking: No. 9 K in 2028 class

OUTLOOK

Petri received an offer from Penn State earlier this week before committing this weekend. An impressive performance at the 2026 Kohl’s Spring Showcase helped put him on the Nittany Lions’ radar. Penn State is in good hands with Ryan Barker as the kicker for (presumably) the next two seasons, but Justin Lustig appears to have found his replacement when 2028 comes around.

Penn State now has two players committed in the 2028 class. Petri joins Pennsylvania cornerback Deonte Fleming Jr. as the only other recruit in the class so far, though it is extremely early in the process.

When the Magic began their search for Orlando‘s next coach, one big question that faced team president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman was whether or not he’d hire another first-time NBA head coach.

Ultimately, that’s the route Weltman went by bringing in Sean Sweeney, the 16th head coach in franchise history.

The choice was similar to the one Weltman made when he hired Jamahl Mosley, a first-time head coach who was dismissed May 4 following a third straight first-round exit in the playoffs that capped off his five-year tenure.

While Weltman is known to have spoken with other candidates such as veteran coaches Billy Donovan and Jeff Van Gundy, he told the Orlando Sentinel that Sweeney was the only candidate the Magic interviewed who had not yet been a head coach.

“It’s a great question,” Weltman told the Sentinel on Thursday when he was asked about Sweeney having to handle the pressure that immediately comes with Orlando’s job while also learning how to be a head coach for the first time. “You have to look at him through a different lens.

“But there’s also a certain amount of experience that you accrue over the course of your career if you’re close enough to that seat and when you have guys relying on you for decisions both for game prep and also in-game.”

Weltman explained that Sweeney’s extensive experience, which most recently including serving as associate head coach for the Western Conference champion Spurs, stood out during the interview process.

“Sean’s ability to kind of access his information really quickly in real time as we were watching video and having discussions, we kind of felt that was going to be part of what allowed him to get there quickly,” Weltman said. “His other natural abilities and who he is as a person, we just thought, really projected him out to be potentially a really elite coach.”

Franz Wagner update

The last time the Magic saw Franz Wagner step off the court late in Game 4 of their first-round series against Detroit, the German forward did not return to the series because of a right calf strain. The top-seeded Pistons, trailing 3-1, then won three consecutive games to win the series over the No. 8 Magic and advance to the Eastern Conference second round.

How is Wagner doing now almost two months since suffering the calf injury? He recently served as a mentor for young prospects at the 19th annual adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, Italy, while also spending time in his home country of Germany.

“He’s working out, and I know he and Sean have had a couple really good conversations,” Weltman told the Sentinel. “This is the first summer that Franz hasn’t been really, like, playing EuroBasket or playing with the German national team. So, I think this is going to be a great summer for Franz.

“He’s going to get a lot of good work done,” Weltman added. “He’s going to allow his body to rest. And I can’t wait for him and Sean and the rest of the coaches to get together. I know they’ve had good conversations but they haven’t been face-to-face yet.”

Sweeney’s staff philosophy

So far, Sweeney has agreed to bring on three assistant coaches: DJ Bakker, Mfon Udofia and Riley Crean, all of whom were in attendance for Sweeney’s introductory press conference Thursday.

Most coaching staffs around the league feature anywhere from 6-11 assistant coaches.

Sweeney shared his detailed approach to filling a staff.

“It’s a three-prong deal,” he said. “One is, it’s work habits. I want guys who understand the workload, who can carry out and have the commitment to doing the ‘daily process’ things that are important to winning. The second thing I want is, I want guys who are trustworthy. I want to be able to communicate and I want a staff that can do the same.

“And the last piece is just the competence,” he added. “I want guys who have skill sets that are not the same as mine. I want people that are different to me. I want people that can carry a message in their own voice and can help me be a better coach. I’m a very direct communicator oftentimes, so I need people around me that can communicate in their own way and help enhance everything that we do.”

Summer league nearing

Following this week’s NBA draft, in which the Magic currently only hold the 46th pick, the Las Vegas Summer League will take place July 9-19.

Sweeney once, jokingly, said he believes he’s coached the most summer league games in NBA history during his time as an assistant. It’s not a given he’ll fill that role for Orlando as a head coach.

“We’re going to work on who’s doing that over the next few days,” he said. “(I have) coached plenty of summer league games. I remember coming to summer league back here when it was in Orlando when we were in the old practice gym.

“So, we’re going to work on summer league staff here coming up.”

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com

Samsung recently released the third One UI 9 beta for the Galaxy S26 series smartphones, which are currently the only smartphones eligible for the One UI 9 beta program. However, the Korean brand is already working on One UI 9 for the Galaxy S25 series, Galaxy A16 5G, Galaxy A17 5G, Galaxy A34, Galaxy A57, and the unannounced Galaxy S26 FE, and it has now begun testing One UI 9 for even more Galaxy smartphones. [#InlinePriceWidget,13826,1#] Samsung has started testing One UI 9 for the Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy A56, Galaxy S23, and the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 The...

Ah, the ultimate PC gaming boogeyman: “Is my CPU bottlenecking my graphics card?” It’s the first question we ask ourselves when building a new rig, slapping in a shiny GPU upgrade, or wondering why a game feels like a stuttery mess despite dropping a small fortune on PC hardware. But here is the hard truth, folks: a bottleneck isn’t a permanent stamp on your PC. It is a dynamic, fast-shifting state dictated by the specific game you're playing, the resolution you're running, your graphics presets, and your target framerate. Your system can be completely GPU-bound in a graphically heavy AAA […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/how-to/cpu-or-gpu-bottleneck-how-to-diagnose-whats-really-limiting-your-gaming-performance/

Day nine of the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivered definitive results that have officially started locking in team fates across the groups. In the latest daily update from Rabona TV, Adrian Sousa breaks down a packed schedule that brought comfortable victories, tight finishes, and the tournament’s latest heartbreak.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify to hear the complete matchday analysis.

The show highlights a commanding bounce-back performance from Brazil in Group C, where Vinicius Jr. successfully led the Seleção to a relatively comfortable 3-0 victory over Haiti. The blowout win was preceded by a tense tactical battle in the same group, which saw Morocco narrowly edge past Scotland to keep their qualification dreams alive.

Meanwhile, host nation USA continued their strong momentum by securing their second consecutive victory of the group stage. The Stars and Stripes put together a structured performance to dismiss Australia 2-0, cementing their place at the top of the group standings before the final matchday.

The drama concluded with a crucial encounter between Paraguay and a struggling Turkish squad. Paraguay successfully found a late match-winner to leave their opponents empty-handed, a result that officially mathematical eliminates Türkiye from knockout round contention.

You can stream the entire breakdown of the day’s action, highlights, and biggest storylines right now. Check out the Rabona TV World Cup Recap on Spotify to stay completely updated on the shifting group dynamics and tournament standings.

Germany and the Ivory Coast head into one of the biggest matches of the 2026 World Cup group stage knowing that the outcome could dramatically reshape the battle for qualification. While both national teams opened their campaigns with victories, the impact of the final result has become one of the tournament’s biggest talking points ahead of their showdown in Toronto.

Germany arrives full of confidence after dismantling Curacao 7-1 in one of the standout performances of the opening round, while Ivory Coast claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ecuador thanks to a dramatic late winner. Both sides sit on three points at the top of Group E, making this second-round clash a potential turning point in the race for the Round of 32.

Julian Nagelsmann’s side sent an early message to the rest of the tournament with its ruthless display against Curacao. Despite the emphatic victory, Germany was not flawless defensively after conceding once and extending its run without a World Cup clean sheet. Even so, confidence remains sky-high as Die Mannschaft carries a lengthy winning streak into arguably its toughest group-stage fixture.

Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast may not have produced the fireworks Germany managed in its opener, but Emerse Fae’s side demonstrated resilience and patience against Ecuador. Amad Diallo’s dramatic 90th-minute winner secured a priceless 1-0 victory, placing the African nation alongside Germany atop Group E.

The Elephants also entered the tournament in excellent form after impressive friendly victories over France and South Korea. Their disciplined defensive structure and dangerous counterattacking style make them one of the tournament’s most difficult teams to break down.

Why this match carries enormous significance

The meeting in Toronto is far more than a battle for first place after one round of matches. Because FIFA now prioritizes head-to-head results as the primary tiebreaker before overall goal difference, Saturday’s outcome could have a major influence on the final Group E standings.

Germany currently leads the group with a superior goal difference following its 7-1 victory, while the Ivory Coast also sits on three points after edging Ecuador. Curaçao and Ecuador remain without a point heading into the second round.

What happens if Germany wins?

A German victory would move Nagelsmann’s side to six points and automatically secure qualification for the Round of 32. The four-time world champion would also place itself in an outstanding position to finish top of Group E.

Germany would officially clinch first place if Ecuador later fails to beat Curacao. Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast would remain on three points and still require a positive result against Curaçao in its final group match to secure progression.

The result would also increase the pressure on Ecuador and Curaçao, with one of those teams facing possible elimination depending on the outcome of the group’s later fixture.

What happens if the match ends in a draw?

A draw would leave both Germany and the Ivory Coast on four points, keeping qualification within reach for each while delaying any official advancement until the final round of group matches.

Germany would still enjoy an excellent position because of its massive +6 goal difference, while the Ivory Coast would likely need another strong performance against Curaçao to challenge for the top spot. The group would remain completely open, with Ecuador and Curacao still capable of entering the qualification race.

What happens if Ivory Coast wins?

An Ivory Coast victory would completely flip the complexion of Group E. The Elephants would move to six points and automatically qualify for the Round of 32, while also putting themselves in position to secure first place if Curacao does not defeat Ecuador.

Germany, meanwhile, would remain on three points and head into its final match against Ecuador under significant pressure. Although its impressive goal difference would still provide an advantage, qualification would no longer be guaranteed, and the final group fixture would become a decisive encounter.

Fenerbahçe Kulübünün 3 yıllığına kadrosuna kattığı Kosovalı eski golcüsü Vedat Muric, yeni sezon hazırlıklarına başladı.

Sarı-lacivertlilerden yapılan açıklamada, Vedat'ın Fenerbahçe Can Bartu Tesisleri'nde bireysel çalışmalarına başladığı bildirildi.

Trabzonspor, merakla beklenen 2026-2027 sezonu yeni formalarını resmi olarak görücüye çıkardı. Sosyal medyada büyük ses getiren lansman, taraftarlardan tam not aldı.

Yeni sezon formalarının tanıtım çekimleri İtalya'nın tarihi şehri Napoli'de gerçekleştirildi. Şehrin sokak dokusu ile kulübün renklerinin harmanlandığı klip ve fotoğraflar büyük beğeni topladı.

Kulüp, lansmanı sosyal medya hesaplarından "En güzel formalar #BizdeVar" etiketiyle paylaştı. Estetik detayların ön planda tutulduğu tasarımlarda, Trabzonspor'un klasik kimliği modern çizgilerle yeniden yorumlandı.

Trabzonspor’un yeni sezon koleksiyonu, önümüzdeki günlerde TS Club mağazalarında ve online satış sitesinde taraftarlarla buluşacak.

En güzel formalar #BizdeVar ?? pic.twitter.com/RJrI0e3wDw

Real Madrid, Bayern Münih'in 24 yaşındaki Fransız yıldızı Michael Olise'yi transfer edeceği yönünde çıkan spekülasyonlara son noktayı koydu. Eflatun-beyazlılar, genç oyuncu hakkında basında yer alan iddialar üzerine resmi bir açıklama yayımladı.

Real Madrid, Michael Olise haberleriyle ilgili resmi bir açıklama yayımladı. İspanyol devi, Fransız oyuncuyla ilgili çıkan transfer iddialarını resmen yalanladı.

MICHAEL OLISE İDDİALARINA YANIT

Kulüpten yapılan açıklamada, Bayern Münih forması giyen Michael Olise için herhangi bir girişimde bulunulmadığı belirtilerek şu ifadelere yer verildi:

"Çeşitli medya kuruluşlarında kulübümüzün Bayern Münih oyuncusu Michael Olise ile ilgilendiğine dair çıkan haberler üzerine, Real Madrid C.F. olarak söz konusu futbolcu, temsilcileri veya çevresindeki kişilerle doğrudan ya da dolaylı hiçbir temas kurulmadığını kamuoyuna bildirmek isteriz.

Real Madrid ayrıca, Bayern Münih ile uzun yıllara dayanan karşılıklı saygı, iş birliği ve takdire dayalı mükemmel kurumsal ilişkilerini vurgulamak istemektedir. Gerçeklerle örtüşmeyen spekülasyonların yayılmasından ise üzüntü duyulmaktadır.

Her iki kulüp de bugüne kadar güven ve karşılıklı saygı temelinde bir ilişki sürdürmüştür. Bu anlayışın bir yansıması olarak, taraflardan birinin oyuncusuna yönelik olası bir ilginin öncelikle kulüpler arasında ele alınması gerektiği konusunda ortak bir görüş bulunmaktadır. Bu yaklaşım, Bayern Münih ile Real Madrid arasındaki ilişkileri tarih boyunca şekillendiren kurumsal sadakat ve saygı ilkelerinin de bir gereğidir."

Fransanın “Olimpik” (Lion) klubunun portuqaliyalı cinah hücumçusu Alfonso Moreyra bundan sonra “Bayer”in uğurları üçün çalışacaq.

Arena.az bu barədə Almaniya klubunun rəsmi saytına istinadən xəbər verir.

Keçid Leverkuzen təmsilçisinə 29,5 milyon avro məbləğ müqabilində başa gəlib. Moreyra 2031-ci ilin iyun ayının sonuna qədər müddət ərzində “əczaçılar”ın xidmətində olacaq.

Afonso Moreyra Portuqaliyanın “Sportinq” klubunun yetirməsidir. 21 yaşlı futbolçu ölkəsində “Jil Visente”nin də formasını geyinib. O, Lion “Olimpik”inə 2025-ci ilin iyulunda cəmi 2 milyon avro müqabilində keçmişdi. Gənc futbolçu Fransa klubunun heyətində 37 oyuna çıxıb, 8 qol vurub, 11 məhsuldar ötürmə verib.

Moreyra Portuqaliyanın U-17, U-18, U-19, U-20 və U-21 yığmalarında forma geyinsə də, əsas millidə debüt şansı qazanmayıb.

Azərbaycanı 2026/2027-ci illər mövsümündə avrokuboklarda təmsil edəcək “Qarabağ” və “Zirə” komandaları bu gün yoxlama oyunu keçiriblər.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, sözügedən komandalar bu gün “Azərsun Arena”nın məşq meydançasında üz-üzə gəliblər.

Matç Ağdam təmsilçisin 4:3 hesablı qələbəsi ilə yekunlaşıb. “Köhlən atlar”ın heyətində Kamilo Duran, Bəhruz Qurbanlı, Leandro Andrade və Mehdi Mütəllimli fərqləniblər. Bakı klubunda isə Georgi Papunaşvili, Yeqor Boqomolski və Namiq Ələsgərov qol vurublar.

Xatırladaq ki, Ağdam klubu yeni mövsümdə Azərbaycanı Avropa Liqasında, “Zirə” isə Avropa Konfrasns Liqasında təmsil edəcək.

Yoxlama oyunu
20 iyun

Qarabağ – Zirə 4:3
Qollar: Kamilo Duran, Bəhruz Qurbanlı, Leandro Andrade, Mehdi Mütəllimli – Georgi Papunaşvili, Yeqor Boqomolski, Namiq Ələsgərov.

2026/27 mövsümünə hazırlıq çərçivəsində keçirilən “Qarabağ” – “Zirə” yoxlama oyunundan (4:3) sonra “Qarabağ”ın baş məşqçisi Qurban Qurbanov jurnalistlərin suallarını cavablandırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, təcrübəli mütəxəssis qarşılaşma barədə fikirlərini bildirib:

“Bizim üçün çox faydalı hazırlıq oyunu alındı. Komandamın bu günə qədərki hazırlığından razı qaldım. Futbolçuların hamısı məsuliyyətlə çalışırdılar. Düzdür, bəzi oyunçuların bu yaxınlarda millidə çıxış etmələri, eyni zamanda zədə səbəbindən heyət tam deyildi. Yeni gələn futbolçular da cəmi 30 dəqiqə meydanda oldular. Birlikdə hələ çox məşq etməmişik. Hər biri barəsində xoş təəssüratlar oldu. Qarşıdakı müddətdə daha yaxşı hazırlıq keçəcəklərinə və komandaya fayda verəcəklərinə inanıram”.

“Turan Tovuz” iki futbolçusu ilə yollarını ayırıb.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, klub qapıçı Sergey Samok və yarımmüdafiəçi Tural Bayramlı ilə vidalaşıb. Bu barədə bölgə təmsilçisinin mətbuat xidməti məlumat yayıb.

Hər iki futbolçunun müddəti başa çatan müqaviləsi uzadılmayıb.

Yeni mövsümün hazırlığını davam etdirən “Qarabağ” ilk yoxlama oyununu keçirib.

Futbolpress.az xəbər verir ki, “atlılar” Bakı toplanışı çərçivəsində “Zirə” ilə görüşüb.

“Azersun Arena”da baş tutan oyun “Qarabağ”ın qələbəsiylə başa çatıb – 4:3.

Qeyd edək ki, “Qarabağ” hazırlığın ikinci mərhələsi üçün iyunun 22-də Avstriyaya yollanacaq və orada 3 sınaq matçı keçirəcək.

Yoxlama oyunu

Qarabağ – Zirə 4:3
Qollar: Kamilo Duran, Bəhruz Qurbanlı, Leandro Andrade, Mehdi Mütəllimli – George Papunaşvili, Yeqor Boqomolski, Namik Ələskərov

Gerry Cardinale is stepping up his involvement in AC Milan’s affairs, with the RedBird owner set to travel to Rome on Monday to represent the club at the FIGC’s electoral assembly, a deliberate signal of his intention to be more present in Italian football following a turbulent season that ended without Champions League qualification.

According to SportMediaset, via CalcioMercato, Cardinale will attend the assembly at the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel on June 22, where the two candidates for the FIGC presidency, Giancarlo Abete and Giovanni Malagò, will go head to head, with new federal councillors also elected on the same day.

Cardinale accelerates sporting director search as Milan rebuild gathers momentum

The Rome trip is part of a broader shift in approach from the American owner, who attended Milan’s final two matches of the season, the away game at Genoa and the home defeat to Cagliari, in a show of solidarity following the club’s disappointing campaign.

Having already confirmed Ruben Amorim as head coach, Cardinale is now accelerating the search for a sporting director and technical director to complete the new leadership structure at Via Aldo Rossi.

Brighton are set to sign Venezia captain Michael Svoboda after triggering his €5 million release clause, with the Czech centre-back also having agreed personal terms with the Premier League club to complete a deal that ends his time in Venice.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb, Brighton informed Venezia of their intention to activate the clause and have since reached a full agreement with the player on his contract, clearing the path for what will be one of the more straightforward transfers of the summer window.

Svoboda chose Brighton over rival interest from Hamburger SV and Borussia Monchengladbach, with the Premier League proving the decisive factor in his decision.

Svoboda departs Venezia after promotion as Brighton snap up Serie A-proven defender

The departure is a significant blow for Venezia, who have just secured promotion back to Serie A and will now begin their return to Serie A without their captain.

Brighton’s decision to move quickly and trigger the clause reflects the value they see in a defender who has proven himself in Italy’s top flight, with Svoboda’s leadership qualities and technical ability clearly catching the eye of the Premier League club.

Luciano Spalletti and new Juventus CEO Giovanni Carnevali spent an evening together at the renowned Il Fortino restaurant in Forte dei Marmi this week, sharing a table with Adriano Galliani, Massimiliano Allegri and Giovanni Rossi in what has become one of Italian football’s most well-known informal networking spots.

The dinner was social in nature, full of anecdotes, laughter and wine, though in a gathering of this calibre, transfer business is never entirely off the menu, as noted by Tuttosport.

Forte dei Marmi is a traditional summer meeting point for football’s movers and shakers, with Spalletti, Allegri and Galliani having previously shared tables there alongside figures including Gianluca Zambrotta and former Genoa president Enrico Preziosi.

Rossi’s presence at dinner hints at potential role in Juventus new structure

The most intriguing presence at the table was Giovanni Rossi, the 60-year-old sporting director who left Olympique Marseille in February and previously worked under Carnevali at Sassuolo.

According to Tuttosport, Rossi could yet play a role in Juventus’s new sporting structure, his attendance at dinner with Carnevali and Spalletti was not lost on observers.

Allegri, meanwhile, was in relaxed company ahead of his imminent confirmation as Napoli head coach: a role that will soon see him once again face his former club as a direct rival in Serie A.

Casemiro will reportedly get his wish of playing alongside Lionel Messi after Inter Miami agreed a deal to sign the midfielder on a free transfer this summer. 

The 34-year-old is a free agent after leaving Manchester United at the end of last season.

The Brazilian, who is currently at the FIFA World Cup with the national team in North America, had an option in his contract for another year, but decided to move on.

Casemiro set to join Messi at Inter Miami as transfer agreed

According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter Miami have completed the deal to sign Casemiro in the summer transfer window.

It is claimed that a “verbal agreement” has been reached and “all formal steps resolved”. All that remains is for the five-time UEFA Champions League winner to sign the contract.

The report adds that Casemiro “wants to play with Messi” in Miami and his future is in Major League Soccer.

Read – Ronaldinho comes out of retirement to make shock return at age 46

Casemiro joined Manchester United from Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £60 million, plus £10 million in add-ons, in 2022. He went on to make 160 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils and a huge threat on set pieces during his stint at Old Trafford, scoring 26 goals. He also won the League Cup and FA Cup, as well as helping the club reach the UEFA Europa League final in 2025, which they lost to Tottenham Hotspur.

Messi is now in his fourth season at Inter Miami since leaving PSG in 2023. He’s had a successful spell at the Florida outfit, which is owned by David Beckham, winning a trophy in each season he’s been at the club. he has also scored 90 goals in 104 appearances in all competitions.

Read – Premier League derby dates and fixtures for the 2026/27 season

Read More – Five of the biggest shocks in World Cup history

See Also – Ronaldo’s redemption at the 2002 World Cup

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Raphinha is injured once more. At a time when questions about his future at Barcelona are growing louder, the Brazilian winger has suffered another setback while representing his country at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

During Brazil’s second group match against Haiti, which ended in a 3-0 victory, Raphinha pulled up in the 40th minute after feeling discomfort in his right thigh.

Tournament over for Raphinha?

Now, according to Xavi Hernandez Navarro of ARA, medical examinations confirmed a hamstring tear, the same muscle group that has troubled him repeatedly over the last year.

Raphinha’s tournament, therefore, may now be effectively over, dealing a major blow to Brazil and adding another layer of uncertainty to his club future.

Raphinha’s World Cup may be over. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

While an official statement is awaited, this could come as a major concern not only for the Selecao, but also Barcelona, considering the fitness problems Raphinha has faced over the course of the past year.

Injury riddled period

This past season has been very different for Raphinha compared to the exceptional 2024/25 campaign when he emerged as a genuine contender for the Ballon d’Or.

His problems began in September with a hamstring injury suffered against Real Oviedo. Initially expected to return in time for El Clasico at the Bernabeu, he suffered a relapse just days before the match. Hansi Flick later admitted the club had rushed his recovery.

Raphinha eventually returned in late November against Chelsea after two months out, only to suffer another muscular injury at the end of January.

He came back again in February but sustained yet another setback in March while on international duty with Brazil, forcing him to miss the decisive stages of the Champions League campaign.

Saudi Arabia continue to knock on the doors. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Despite the constant interruptions, the numbers remain impressive. In 33 appearances this season, Raphinha scored 21 goals and registered seven assists.

What about Raphinha’s future?

Amidst all this, interest from Saudi Arabia is continuing to grow. Given their immense financial power, they remain determined to tempt one of Barcelona’s most influential players.

Now, with injuries mounting and Saudi Arabia’s millions continuing to knock on the door, the Barcelona winger faces perhaps the biggest decision of his career.

Whether he stays in Catalonia or accepts a life-changing offer abroad, the coming months promise to be crucial for both player and club.

Red Sox Gold Glove Infielder Surprisingly Getting MRI On Forearm originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox have been dealing with quite a few injuries to key players this season, and one of their infielders is also dealing with an injury now.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa is reportedly getting an MRI on his forearm. He has played in 47 games this season, and has manned first base, second base, third base and shortstop this year.

"Isiah Kiner-Falefa is getting an MRI on his sore left forearm today, he said. It has bothered him for more than two weeks, but got worse Friday after a long flight to Seattle. He doesn’t believe it to be a big deal," wrote the Boston Globe's Tim Healey.

Kiner-Falefa is a veteran infielder who gives the Red Sox some defensive versatility. He has been in the big leagues for nine seasons and has a Gold Glove Award. He has been swinging the bat well this season, posting a .277/.344/.361 slash line. He has two home runs, which is as many as he hit all of last season between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Toronto Blue Jays.

Losing Kiner-Falefa would be a huge blow, considering the Red Sox are already without Trevor Story. According to MassLive's Chris Cotillo, Anthony Seigler was not in the WooSox lineup on Saturday, and he could be a potential call-up if Kiner-Falefa has to go on the injured list.

More MLB: Red Sox's Lineup 'Not Repairable' This Season, Per Insider

The Netherlands' World Cup match against Sweden - which you can follow here - is now under way.

You can rate both sets of players out of 10 below and come back 30 minutes after full-time to see the final ratings.

• How does qualification for the World Cup knockout stage work?
• Curacao's trailblazer doctor on football's big stage
• World Cup fixtures and group standings
• How to watch the World Cup on the BBC

Thomas Haugh's decision to return to Florida after a breakout season last year sent a message throughout college basketball and the NBA as well, providing more ammunition that NIL is changing the sport.

Haugh, consensus All-American forward, announced his return to Gainesville in mid-April despite most projections listing the 6-foot-9-inch forward as a potential lottery pick in the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft.

The person to thank for his decision turned out to be Golden State Warriors veteran big man Draymond Green, who confirmed he suggested Haugh go back to Florida after learning what he could make in NIL. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, Haugh could exceed $10 million in NIL during the 2026-27 season, with roughly $8 million coming courtesy of the team’s NIL collective, Florida Victorious.

Haugh revealed this in his conversation with Green last week after the Gators started summer workouts. He and Green had a conversation with Warriors rookie Will Richard, who helped Haugh and the Gators win the 2025 national title.

On The Draymond Green Show, Green shared details of his conversation with Haugh, explaining that while NIL played a role, the chance to return to Gainesville and build his legacy with a potential second national championship ultimately influenced the decision.

Draymond on helping Thomas Haugh with his NBA Draft Decision

“When he (Will Richard) told me the number in millions that he'd make if he stayed at Florida, I was like "oh no question he should go back", once we got on the phone with Thomas the number was actually higher than… pic.twitter.com/aKkL5Gly30

— The Draymond Green Show (@DraymondShow) June 19, 2026

“We start talking about the number (Haugh) could possibly get if he went back, and when (Richard) told me the number in the millions that he’d make if he stayed at Florida, I was like, ‘Oh, no question he should go back,’” Green recalled this week.

“One thing I told him, ‘Alright, but you’ve got to go do the work. You have to come back (to the NBA) next year better than you are right now. So you gotta go do the work, but I think it’s the right decision to go back to school,'” he added. “I hope he has a great year, I’m praying for his health, and build that draft stock up even higher. Because I think he’s more than capable of doing that.”

Haugh’s decision to return aligned with draft decisions from teammates Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu. The front court trio has Florida among the preseason favorites to win the 2027 national championship.

This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Draymond Green & Florida basketball's Thomas Haugh's return to college

Taylor Fritz's impressive form on the grass courts continued as he fought back to beat French Open champion Alexander Zverev and reach the final in Halle.

Germany's Zverev won his first major singles title at Roland Garros earlier this month and was on an 10-match winning streak, but struggled physically in scorching hot conditions and needed medical treatment throughout the match.

Fritz remained steady to rally from a set down to beat his hampered opponent 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-5 and reach a second successive grass-court final.

The American backed up his quarter-final win over third seed Ben Shelton - who beat him in the Stuttgart final last week - with another top-five victory, while also extending his winning run against world number three Zverev to seven matches.

"I felt he was struggling with something, I'm not sure what it was - presumably how insanely hot it was," Fritz said.

"I felt better than he did, so that was what I needed to tell myself to go to work."

Fritz will face compatriot Frances Tiafoe in the Halle showpiece after the American beat home hope Daniel Altmaier 6-1 6-3.

"I knew going into this week that the field was crazy," said Fritz, who is into his fifth ATP 500 final.

"I saw the draw when it came out and I was not even a top four seed in a week where Novak [Djokovic], Carlos [Alcaraz] and [Jannik] Sinner are not even playing. It's crazy.

"Regardless, if I am playing well on grass I don't think the strength of field matters."

• Sabalenka loses deciding set 6-0 to Pegula in Berlin

Former champion Paul to face Cerundolo in Queen's final

At Queen's, Tommy Paul - the 2024 champion - reached the final again with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Frenchman Ugo Humbert.

The American, who beat Italy's Lorenzo Musetti in the showpiece two years ago, is into a fourth ATP Tour final of the year.

"I'm super pumped to be playing the level of tennis that I have been this year, but only one title, though, so I've got to get a win tomorrow," he said.

"That would make my year a lot better."

Paul will face seventh seed Francisco Cerundolo, who reached his first ATP 500 final by battling back to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 6-4 against American Brandon Nakashima.

Cerundolo has been forced into a deciding set in three of his four matches at Queen's this week.

"The whole week I am fighting from the first point until the end. None of the matches have been easy, it's intense," the Argentine added.

"But if you leave everything on court you are happy because it is the most you can do. Today it worked out."

Second Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day four of five)

New Zealand 391 (Phillips 100) & 362 (Nicholls 121, Ravindra 76, Mitchell 68)

England 291 (Gay 53, Fisher 50*; Henry 5-80) & 182-5 (Root 75*, Brook 58; Jamieson 3-37)

England require 281 more runs, New Zealand need five wickets

Scorecard

Joe Root stands between England and defeat in the second Test against New Zealand on a day when absent captain Ben Stokes made 95 for Durham.

Set a world record 463 to win at The Oval, England were reeling at 40-3 and in danger of not seeing out the fourth day.

At the same time, Stokes, unavailable for this Test pending an investigation into an incident at a London nightclub, was making his highest score in any cricket since a century in the fourth Test against India almost a year ago.

But with the exiled skipper at the crease 275 miles away, stand-in captain Root began a typically masterful unbeaten 75 to take England's rearguard into the final day.

Root received a standing ovation on only two as he became the second man after Indian great Sachin Tendulkar to reach 14,000 Test runs.

He shared a thrilling stand of 97 with Harry Brook, the vice-captain largely aggressive for his 58. Both Root and Brook overturned being given lbw to Matt Henry, who eventually had Brook held at slip.

James Rew erased any lingering fears of a four-day finish, only to be lbw on review to Kyle Jamieson in the dying moments, leaving England 182-5 and New Zealand one wicket from the tail.

England hold a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

• England close day four on 182-5 in chase of 463 - reaction
• Stokes hits 95 for Durham while England struggle

A tale of three captains

This extraordinary fortnight in English cricket, with Stokes and pace bowler Gus Atkinson stood down for the second Test after breaking a curfew, will almost certainly end in the series level at 1-1.

Two stories have played out concurrently. At The Oval, an inexperienced England team have been exposed by the efficient New Zealanders, while in Durham, Stokes plays for his county in the hope he will return to captaining his country in a decider at Trent Bridge.

On Saturday, the narratives intertwined while a trio of England captains batted simultaneously. Root is both Stokes' predecessor and stand-in. Brook is probably Stokes' successor and may have been the substitute here had it not been for his own nightclub incident in Wellington in October.

It added a layer of absurdity to a saga that cannot end quickly enough, with formal announcements expected at the conclusion of this Test.

In a time of crisis, England turned to Root. While this match may have reminded him why he gave up the captaincy four years ago, he has once again held together a batting line-up that risked imploding.

Brook's cameo was exhilarating, a reason to be distracted from Stokes' knock in Durham. Still, it is the remaining presence of Root that gives England hope of battling deep into Sunday.

Root to the rescue

Discussing Root as a stand-in captain, director of cricket Rob Key said the Yorkshireman regularly rescues England from 10-2. Key was close. In England's second innings it was 13-2.

Emilio Gay chipped Jamieson to mid-wicket and Jacob Bethell's worrying form continued when he was lbw to the same bowler for a duck. Root arrived to tick off yet another milestone in his glittering career, then Ben Duckett tamely hooked Will O'Rourke to mid-on.

Root was joined by Brook just before tea and, after the break, England launched a blistering assault. The opening five overs of the session, the first of which was a maiden, yielded 43 runs. The atmosphere was electric.

Root dabbed, cut and guided to the third man fence. He was the first to overturn an lbw decision off Henry - once again bowling with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell up to the stumps - because of an inside edge. Root was on 44 at the time.

Brook showed touches of genius. He whipped a six over square leg and slashed the ball through the off side in a 33-ball half-century. Brook also got an inside edge on a Henry lbw shout, only to jab the relentless seamer to slip.

Brook's exit was a moment of danger for England, but debutant Rew followed an improved wicketkeeping display by showing composure for his 15. He was unfortunate to be leg before on review to Jamieson, missing a pull to a ball that skidded through and hit him above his pads.

New Zealand set up chase

Brook's first act of the day was a foreboding one for England. From the opening delivery, bowled by Archer, Brook was to slow move to his right and missed an edge off Daryl Mitchell that should have been caught.

But, in the circumstances, England did well to recover and their work with the ball and in the field across the first half of the day was creditable. From New Zealand's overnight 252-3, England took the last seven wickets for 110 runs.

Jofra Archer was again impressive, first having Henry Nicholls edge to slip for 121, then being brought back into the attack to have Glenn Phillips held at gully.

Most success went to Matthew Fisher, who claimed three wickets, despite not being used until 10 minutes before lunch.

With wicketkeeper Rew up to the stumps, Daryl Mitchell tried a scoop and was bowled for 68, a swiping Jamieson lost his middle stump and Nathan Smith holed for 38.

After dropping two catches on Friday, Rew had a better day behind the stumps, including catching the rebound when Root dropped Blundell at leg slip off Josh Tongue.

• Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

The Braves are giving former Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart his debut, catching and batting seventh. Bart was once a top prospect in baseball, but has settled in as a bat first serviceable veteran behind the plate. Baldwin will DH and bat second, with Mauricio Dubon leading off and playing center. Jorge Mateo starts at shortstop and bats ninth.

I will update this post once the Brewers announce their lineup.

Game Info

Game Date/Time: Saturday, June 20, 4:10 p.m. EDT

Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA

TV: BravesVision

Streaming: MLB.tv

Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan

The Lions have added multiple WR's from the UFL (United Football League) in recent days. This is presumably in search of a playmaking returner to fill the void of Kendrick Law who suffered an ACL.

Tay Martin played with the UFL Columbus Aviators in 2026. Here is his medical report as excerpted from Lions Free Agency Medical Reports: Lucky Jackson, Tarik Black, & Tay Martin.

Medical concern level ranges from 0 (no concern) to 10 (extreme).

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information and are unverified - subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

Tay Martin, WR (28)

Medical Concern Level: 0/10

• 2025 (Commanders): 3 games played. Hamstring injury prior to the season.
• 2024 (Titans): 1 game.
• 2023 (49ers): 1 game
• 2022 (49ers): 2 games

Other than a hamstring injury last year, Martin appears to be clean. He was able to return from the hamstring to play three NFL games along with the UFL season, so there isn’t any concern here.

In his five-year college career at Oklahoma State and Washington State, Martin was generally reliable having played in 13 games in 4 of 5 seasons.

Martin has a fair amount of NFL game experience over the past few seasons, which might give him a leg up in the competition.

In 2026 with the UFL, Martin led the Columbus Aviators with 42 receptions for 483 yards.

For more Lions coverage, follow us on X, @TheLionsWire, and give our Facebook page a like. Follow Jimmy on X, @JimmyLiaoMD

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Detroit Lions Free Agency: WR Tay Martin Injury Report

Former Ballon d'Or and World Cup winner Ronaldinho is set to come out of retirement aged 46 to play for Ravenna in the Italian third tier, according to reports in Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport.

The sports daily said that Ronaldinho was scheduled to sign a deal in Miami on Tuesday and that he was already in the United States for the World Cup.

Consulted by AFP, a source close to the deal confirmed the news.

"I can't wait to get back dancing with the ball again and to write a new story with Ignazio Cipriani (the Italian-American owner of Ravenna) and his entire family," Gazzetta quoted Ronaldinho as saying.

"Football has always been a source of joy for me. I want to bring the same spirit to Ravenna," added the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star.

However, Ravenna vice-president Ariedo Braida, told Italian media that Ronaldinho's signing was more a marketing ploy than a piece of squad-building and he may never actually play.

"He's a magical player, who will have his registration, that's a huge coup for us," he said.

"Will he play at 46? That depends, but he'll be registered."

Ronaldinho has not played since a two-month stint at Fluminense in 2015.

jr/ah/dmc/bc

Oklahoma Sooners fans might only be realizing it now, but right-handed pitcher LJ Mercurius knew all along how good they were all season.

The Sooners have set a date against the North Carolina Tar Heels Baseball in the 2026 Men’s College World Series Finals after winning 11-4 against Georgia. They have won eight consecutive games since the Super Regionals and have outscored opponents by 45 runs.

Ahead of the championship game, LJ and Xander Mercurius talked about how proud they were of their program. LJ, a junior from Las Vegas, Nevada, doesn’t like it when someone tries to undermine their efforts, as he said:

“I’ve actually been finding it a little disrespectful because they’re saying we’re not good, we’re just hot. And I think that’s so far from the truth. I think we have, I don’t know, 34 of the best players in the country. We’ve been good all year, we’ve known it, we’ve shown it before, so this isn’t our first time doing this. So I think it’s a little disrespectful to say we’re hot but not good, but we’re good.”

The Sooners now face North Carolina, which reached the championship game after eliminating West Virginia and going unbeaten through its bracket.

LJ Mercurius Proving to Be Postseason Gem For Oklahoma

After transferring from UCLA, LJ Mercurius is doing really well for Oklahoma this postseason. In three appearances, he has pitched to a team-low 0.90 ERA through 10 innings. He has just surrendered one run while striking out 10 batters.

While Mercurius was largely underwhelming in the regular season, posting a 6-7 record and 4.97 ERA, his postseason performance paints an encouraging story. He led the team with 92 strikeouts in 70.2 innings, holding opponents to a .245 batting average this season.

The 2025 All-Mountain West honoree had a remarkable debut by striking out 12 batters in his Oklahoma debut against Oklahoma State.

“He has been growing up and maturing,” head coach Skip Johnson told WBN in February. “He wanted to get somewhere comfortable and needed a change. His best days are ahead of him.”

Moreover, LJ’s younger brother, Xander Mercurius, delivered a standout performance against Georgia in the College World Series. The right-hander pitched 7.1 innings for six hits, three runs, two walks and a career-high nine strikeouts.

The Mercurius brothers and Oklahoma now stand one win away from winning the College World Series.

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