It didn't take long for the first significant VAR review of the 2026 World Cup. And it definitely won't be the last.USMNT defender Tim Ream was given a yellow card early in the second half of the team’s game against Paraguay on Friday night. Ream was carded for a tackle on Paraguay’s Miguel Almirón.However, Ream never touched Almirón with his feet.After a slight delay for a video check, referee Danny Makkelie was alerted by video referee Carlos Del Cerro Grande to a potential dive by Almirón. He brought the two players together and went to a pitchside monitor to confirm that Almirón had dived to the ground after Ream’s attempted tackle in the hope of drawing a foul. The replay review process has been expanded for the 48-team tournament this year. While hardcore soccer fans are very familiar — and sometimes infuriated — by the use of VAR during matches, many casual fans are unfamiliar with soccer's still relatively new replay process. If you're one of those fans, here's what you need to know about the game's attempt to get more big calls right.What is the Video Assistant Referee?First trialed in professional soccer in the Dutch Eredivisie in 2012, the video review process has expanded over the past 14 seasons after its official implementation in FIFA competition at the 2016 Club World Cup. The 2026 World Cup is the third World Cup with VAR.In simple terms, a replay official is assigned before each match and monitors all all "reviewable" decisions made by the referee on the field. If a potential "clear and obvious" error has been made, the on-field referee is alerted and may be asked to review the incident on a pitch-side monitor.[World Cup hub | Viewer's guide | Power rankings | Predictions | Players to watch]If the on-field referee determines that the call was incorrect, he or she has the ability to change the call on the field. In certain instances that are deemed to be black and white — like if a foul occurred inside the penalty area or outside of it — the replay official can make the sole determination.What can be reviewed?As mentioned above, VAR can assess the location of a foul called by the referee on the field, review all fouls for potential "violent acts" worthy of a straight red card, if a handball has been committed, or if the referee has called a foul on the wrong player in a situation similar to what unfolded on Friday night. In 2026, replay can award a goal kick if the on-field decision for a corner kick was made incorrectly and it can also now be used to determine if a second yellow card (and subsequent red card) was correctly awarded.All offside calls — both called and uncalled — are also subject to an automatic review system that is slightly different from the VAR process. The "semi-automatic offside technology" uses cameras all across the stadium to determine if a player was offside. If a goal is scored and there is even the slightest possibility that a player was offside in the buildup to the goal, the goal is reviewed before the ensuing kickoff to make sure it should be allowed.The 'clear and obvious' conundrumYou'll also notice that we used the phrase "clear and obvious error" above. That is the standard that all reviewed calls are held to.However, that can be highly subjective. And a major source of soccer fans. What's clear and obvious to one replay official may not be clear and obvious to another. The same goes for officials on the field.A major source of consternation is the interpretation of the handball rule. According to the official rules of soccer, a handball happens when a player either deliberately touches the ball with their hand or arm, touches the ball with their hand or arm when it's in an "unnatural" position "and that position is not the result of their body moving fairly as part of play or when a ball has gone off a player's hand or arm either directly for a goal or immediately off another body part for a goal.Determining what is and isn't an "unnatural" position is also subjective — and gets even more complicated with slow-motion replay. There will assuredly be multiple instances throughout this World Cup of drawn-out replay reviews over a handball in the penalty box. And a game or two may even be decided by a much-debated penalty kick from a handball awarded after a video review.

Troy University players hoist their Super Regional Championship trophy and their “ticket” to the College World Series after defeating Arkansas Little Rock during game two of their NCAA Baseball Super Regional on the Troy University campus in Troy, Ala., on Saturday June 6, 2026. | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Eight teams have arrived in Omaha chasing one dream.An NCAA baseball championship.The Men’s College World Series begins today in Omaha, with a completely new set of teams from last year’s edition. Among the eight teams in the field are five SEC titans (Georgia, Ole Miss, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas), ACC mainstay North Carolina, West Virginia, and this year’s Cinderella, Troy. Here is the full schedule. For key players, MLB Draft prospects, and how each team got here, we have you covered. Men’s College World Series schedule and scoresFriday, June 12Game 1: West Virginia 7, Troy 5Game 2: North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2Saturday, June 13Game 3: Alabama vs. Oklahoma, 2:00 p.m., ESPNGame 4: Georgia vs. Texas, 7:00 p.m., ESPNSunday, Jun 14Game 5: Troy vs. Ole Miss, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Game 6: West Virginia vs. North Carolina, 6:00 p.m., ESPNMonday, June 15Game 7: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6:00 p.m., ESPNTuesday, June 16Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 7:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Wednesday, June 11Game 11: Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1:00 p.m., ESPN*Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 6:00 p.m., ESPN*** – Winner wins Bracket 1 if unbeaten** – Winner wins Bracket 2 if unbeatenThursday, June 12Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 11 loser, TBD – If Game 11 loser has one loss***Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, TBD – If Game 12 loser has one loss******* – If necessary; winner wins Bracket 1**** – If necessary; winner wins Bracket 2MCWS scores and schedule by bracketBracket 1Friday, June 12Game 1: West Virginia 7, Troy 5Game 2: North Carolina 6, Ole Miss 2Sunday, Jun 14Game 5: Troy vs. Ole Miss, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Game 6: West Virginia vs. North Carolina, 6:00 p.m., ESPNTuesday, June 16Game 9: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Wednesday, June 11Game 11: Game 6 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 1:00 p.m., ESPN** – Winner wins Bracket 1 if unbeatenThursday, June 12Game 13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 11 loser, TBD – If Game 11 loser has one loss**** – If necessary; Winner wins Bracket 1Bracket 2Saturday, June 13Game 3: Alabama vs. Oklahoma, 2:00 p.m., ESPNGame 4: Georgia vs. Texas, 7:00 p.m., ESPNMonday, June 15Game 7: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 1:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Game 8: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 6:00 p.m., ESPNTuesday, June 16Game 10: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser, 7:00 p.m., ESPN (Loser eliminated)Wednesday, June 17Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 6:00 p.m., ESPN** – Winner wins Bracket 2 if unbeatenThursday, June 18Game 14: Game 12 winner vs. Game 12 loser, TBD – If Game 12 loser has one loss**** – If necessary; Winner wins Bracket 2

USA lead Paraguay in Group D at World Cup - watch coverage at the top of pageBBC Radio 5 Live commentary also available via 'watch & listen' tabBobadilla puts through his own net for USA opener before Balogun doubleParaguay pull goal back through MauricioMatch being played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CaliforniaAustralia & Turkey also in Group DHow to watch World Cup on BBC;Team by team guide; Pundit predictions Watch as Paraguay pull a goal back against impressive USA

TORONTO (AP) — Kazuma Okamoto and George Springer homered, Alejandro Kirk had three hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 8-5 on Friday night.Kirk went 3 for 3 with a walk after missing 62 games because of a fractured left thumb. He scored and drove in two runs.Cody Bellinger homered for the Yankees, his 10th, but New York’s four game winning streak was snapped.Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham left in the sixth inning because of right hamstring tightness. Grisham walked off after sliding into second base on his two-RBI hit against Mason Fluharty. Max Schuemann ran for Grisham.Trey Yesavage (3-3) allowed four hits and five runs in five-plus innings to win for the first time in four starts. He walked six and struck out three.Louis Varland pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 12th save in 12 chances.Okamoto hit a 423-foot drive into the upper deck in the first, his team-leading 14th. Springer homered for the first time since May 23 with a two-out drive in the second, his sixth.Both homers came off left-hander Ryan Weathers (2-5), who allowed a season-high six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Weathers has given up seven home runs in his past three starts, all losses.Okamoto became the 10th player in Blue Jays history to homer into the upper deck at Rogers Centre, which opened in 1989. No Toronto player had done it since Josh Donaldson in May 2017.Toronto is 12-6 when hitting two or more home runs.New York loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, with Braydon Fisher escaping by getting Ryan McMahon to fly out.Up nextYankees RHP Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.87 ERA) was scheduled to start Saturday RHP Kevin Gausman (4-4, 3.60).__AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Why did Mauricio Pochettino sub Christian Pulisic off at half? USMNT star only plays 45 minutes vs, Paraguay originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.While the USMNT headed into halftime cruising with a 3-0 lead over Paraguay, star Christian Pulisic followed that break by being subbed off for Sebastian Berhalter.This move confused fans, and many began to worry. Pulisic did not appear to play in the first half with an injury, but nothing is known for sure just yet. Here's a look at why the USMNT star was forced out early in their opening match of the World Cup, and what Pulisic told his family after exiting the pitch.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsWhy did Mauricio Pochettino sub Christian Pulisic off at halftime?It remains unclear why Pulisic was subbed off at the moment. While he appeared to be playing injury-free before heading into halftime up 3-0, nothing is known for certain at the moment. Sebastian Berhalter, the son of former USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter, took his place at the start of the second half.SUB: Seb for Christian to start the second half. pic.twitter.com/1ieUDtMokF— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 13, 2026USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino will address the media about Pulisic's status after the game, according to Tom Bogert. No further explanation will be given until then.Mauricio Pochettino will address the Christian Pulisic sub in the postgame press conference, per a team spokesperson. No further explanation/update until then. https://t.co/NqHyZxdPU9— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 13, 2026Further updates will follow regarding Pulisic's status, but he did reportedly motion to his family that he was okay, according to Fox's Jenny Taft. Pulisic's early exit could also be rest-related, and a form of preserving his condition for the team's next game against Australia next week.MORE USMNT NEWS:Why isn't USA better at soccer by now?Meet USA's 2026 World Cup soccer teamHow far will the USMNT go in World Cup?How USA could play Iran in World CupMauricio Pochettino's flirtation with AC Milan is not his biggest issueIs Christian Pulisic injured?It does not appear that Pulisic left the game injured when he headed into the halftime break. According to Fox sideline reporter Jenny Taft, Pulisic motioned to his family that he was okay following his early exit from the game against Paraguay.Jenny Taft just said on Fox that he walked by the bench and told his family in the stands that he’s ok…— Isaac David Saenz (@isaacdsaenz) June 13, 2026Updates will follow on Pulisic's status

Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP via Getty ImagesFolarin Balogun thought he had doubled the United States’ lead against Paraguay, but the goal was ruled out after an offside call in the buildup.The incident came in the USMNT’s World Cup Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where Mauricio Pochettino’s side were trying to make a statement on home soil.USA were already 1-0 up through an early Paraguay own goal when Balogun found the net, only for the flag to cut the celebration short.Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP via Getty ImagesFolarin Balogun offside goal ruled out in USA vs ParaguayAs World Cup Arena posted, Balogun had a goal ruled out for offside while the United States led Paraguay 1-0.The important detail is that Balogun was not necessarily the player punished by the decision. Reports indicated the offside came earlier in the move, when Christian Pulisic had strayed beyond the defensive line before receiving the ball.Pulisic then picked out Balogun, who finished calmly past the goalkeeper, but once the earlier offside was identified, the goal could not stand.That is how offside can wipe out a goal even when the final scorer looks onside. Referees and VAR look at the full attacking phase, not only the last touch before the shot.The call stopped USA from moving 2-0 ahead at that moment, but it also showed how thin the margins are in a World Cup game, especially with offside technology helping officials review attacking moves.Offside rule explained after USA World Cup controversyA player is in an offside position if any part of the head, body, or feet is in the opponent’s half and closer to the goal line than both the ball and the second-last defender.Being in that position is not automatically an offense. It only becomes offside if the player becomes involved in active play, such as receiving a pass, interfering with an opponent, or gaining an advantage from that position.Hands and arms do not count for offside, but shoulders, feet, head, and body position do. Level with the second-last defender is onside.In this case, the decision centered on the pass to Pulisic before Balogun’s finish, meaning the attacking sequence was already illegal before the ball reached the striker.The match itself still began well for the United States, with Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla turning the ball into his own net early.USA face Australia next on June 17 in Seattle, while Paraguay meet Turkey the same day, giving both teams little time to dwell on the call.Read more:Hollywood royalty floods USA vs Paraguay as Tom Cruise, David Beckham join to overpower Knicks’ red carpet powerWho is Tius Luka, the 10-year-old who performed with Katy Perry at USA vs ParaguayHow the WC crowd reacted to Iran flag during USA vs. Paraguay opening ceremony

Photo by Jared C. Tilton - FIFA/FIFA via Getty ImagesKaty Perry’s FIFA World Cup opening ceremony performance in Los Angeles quickly became a talking point after fans turned their attention to her silver outfit.The United States opener against Paraguay gave FIFA a huge stage at SoFi Stadium, with music, choreography and celebrity power wrapped around the start of the host nation’s tournament.Perry was meant to bring star presence to the ceremony, but her look ended up competing with the performance for attention online.Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesKaty Perry brings silver spectacle to FIFA World Cup opener before USA vs ParaguayPerry performed “Wonder” before the United States faced Paraguay, sharing the stage with 10-year-old Norwegian singer Tius Luka during the ceremony in Los Angeles.The performance came shortly before the teams walked out at SoFi Stadium, adding a pop centerpiece to the first major World Cup night on American soil in 2026.Perry’s dress matched the scale of the occasion. The silver Stella McCartney look featured an exaggerated shape and long strands of tinsel, creating a dramatic silhouette under the stadium lights.The ceremony also included other major performers connected to the tournament’s North American launch, but Perry’s segment had the clearest visual talking point.Her outfit was bold enough for a global broadcast, yet distinctive enough to invite the kind of instant reaction that follows every major sporting spectacle.Katy Perry’s lampshade outfit leaves soccer fans roasting World Cup ceremony lookThe reaction to Perry’s outfit moved quickly from curiosity to mockery, with soccer fans comparing the silver shape to household furniture and trophy metal.One viewer wrote, “She looks like she’s wearing a lampshade covered in cheap tinsel.” Another was harsher about the full segment, saying, “What a train wreck of a performance.”The lampshade comparison kept spreading because the dress had a wide, structured shape and shimmering strands that stood out even on a busy World Cup stage. One fan asked, “What is she wearing? My wife says that she had a lamp like that when she was a kid.”Others took the joke in a different direction, with one comment reading, “Dressed as the Stanley Cup.” Another simply asked, “Why is she dressed like a lampshade?”The outfit may have been designed for spectacle, but the online response showed how quickly a World Cup ceremony can be judged on one visual.Perry delivered the headline performance, while fans made sure the dress became the story that traveled fastest.Read more:Hollywood royalty floods USA vs Paraguay as Tom Cruise, David Beckham join to overpower Knicks’ red carpet powerWho is Tius Luka, the 10-year-old who performed with Katy Perry at USA vs ParaguayHow the WC crowd reacted to Iran flag during USA vs. Paraguay opening ceremony

The San Francisco company said on Friday night that the federal government ordered the suspension of the two A.I. systems, citing national security concerns.

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MAY 11: Starting pitcher Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees reacts before being relieved during the seventh inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 11, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images It was always going to be a tall task facing burgeoning Yankee killer Trey Yesavage, so it certainly does not help when your own starter coughs up three runs in the first inning and two more in the second. Ryan Weathers simply did not have it today, and the Blue Jays rained the extra-base hits off his two-strike pitches. Particularly alarming has been the rate at which balls are flying out of the yard, the two he served up today giving him 15 on the year — fifth-most in the majors. All in all, not an auspicious start to an important series in Toronto, the Yankees eventually falling, 8-5.The moment Ernie Clement reached on an infield dribbler with one out in the first, you wondered if it would be one of those days in Toronto. Indeed, two batters later, Alejandro Kirk lined an RBI double into the left-center gap. He’s one of many of the Blue Jays’ Yankee killers to make his presence felt on the day, playing in his first game since April 3rd after suffering a broken thumb. Weathers got to 0-2 on the next batter Kazuma Okamoto, but a 2-2 slider that caught a little too much plate was deposited into the fifth deck in left for a two-run tank. It must have been frustrating for two pitches on the corner down and in to get slugged like that, but that’s baseball.Weathers’ fortunes only worsened from there. He got two quick ground outs to open the second, but barely grazed Andrés Giménez’s arm guard with a first pitch sinker, and again you had this ominous feeling of inevitability. Weathers got to 2-2 against George Springer, but grooved a changeup right down the middle that Springer gleefully hit over the bullpen in left to make it 5-0. Springer entered the game batting .204 with an 80 wRC+ and -0.3 fWAR, but true to form he never misses an opportunity to kill the Yankees. I suppose it stings even more to suffer a clunker from your starter on a day that Yesavage actually looked mortal against the Yankees. He has suffered with command after the start of his season was delayed a month by a shoulder impingement, and he issued six free passes on the night. However, the Yankees could not immediately take advantage, their only hit through the first four innings a Jazz Chisholm Jr. single to lead off the second. In fact, that second inning would prove a golden opportunity to score early. Yesavage walked José Caballero and Ryan McMahon to load the bases with one out. However, J.C. Escarra had a miserable AB striking out on three pitches and Trent Grisham popped out to leave all three ducks on the pond. In the fifth, Escarra led off with a double to the wall in left-center, which if you can believe it was the first hit by a Yankees catcher since May 30th, snapping an 0-for-29 skid. A Grisham grounder moved Escarra to third and Ben Rice walked to put runners on the corners with one out for Paul Goldschmidt. He drove in his 29th run of the year with a sac fly to the opposite field on an 0-2 fastball. Cody Bellinger kept up the momentum, jumping on an elevated first pitch splitter and lining it just over the wall in right for a two-run homer, his tenth of the year, to cut the deficit to 5-3.View LinkThough Weathers looked like he might settle down with a scoreless third and fourth and maybe give the Yankees some length, a walk of Springer in the fifth convinced Boone to pull his starter from the game for Jake Bird. Unfortunately, he continues to allow hits at an alarming rate, giving up an RBI double to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed by an RBI single to Kirk, both on sinkers in the zone, as the Blue Jays reestablished a four-run cushion. That wrapped up Weathers’ final line at six runs on five hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. He is now the only Yankees starter with an ERA north of four at 4.36. This is the fourth time in the last five starts that he has given up at least five runs, his home run per nine rate creeping up toward two. It’s notable that he was seen warming on Wednesday with Aaron Boone confirming after the game that he was in play as a reliever with the bullpen overworked, perhaps foreshadowing a future move to the ‘pen once Max Fried returns from his elbow injury.The Yankees hitters certainly cannot be faulted for their effort, and they continued to chip away in the middle innings. Spencer Jones drew his second walk of the contest to lead off the sixth and Caballero doubled him to third on a 1-0 hanging slider. That spelled the end of Yesavage’s night, John Schneider calling on the lefty Mason Fluharty out of the ‘pen. A soft grounder by pinch-hitter Amed Rosario allowed Caballero to advance to second but put two outs on the board.That gave Grisham the opportunity to come through in the clutch as he lined a 2-2 sweeper up the middle for a two-run single to again reduce the deficit to two runs, 7-5. The bad news is that Grisham appeared to stumble and pull up a little lame rounding first and advancing to second on the throw home, and he immediately left the game with what was later described as right hamstring tightness, Max Schuemann replacing him in the outfield.View LinkThey kept giving themselves chances to complete the comeback, again loading the bases in the seventh on a leadoff single from Goldschmidt, a one out walk from Jazz, and a two out infield single by Caballero. Ryan McMahon put a charge into a hanging 0-1 curveball from Braydon Fisher, but Myles Straw caught it just shy of the warning track in dead center as the Yankees again stranded three. Clement tacked on an insurance run for Toronto in the eighth, slapping an RBI double down the line in right against Fernando Cruz. Schuemann did a hell of a job to corral the ball quickly and hit the cutoff man, but Springer beat out Goldschmidt’s throw home by a finger. New York would go down in order in the ninth to seal the series opening loss, 8-5, as they went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.The Rogers Centre remains their personal house of horrors as they have now lost nine of their last ten games there. They will nervously await further news on Grisham’s hamstring as he’s been such a valuable contributor leading off since the start of May. They look to even the series tomorrow with Cam Schlittler on the mound to face Kevin Gausman. First pitch is scheduled for 3:07 pm EDT with the broadcast remaining on YES.Box Score

The White Sox took care of business to earn their eighth straight home win. Just like dealing with a moody teenager, you never know what you’re going to get with Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki. It seems that half the time he pitches gems, and the other half are absolute duds. Worse for the Dodgers, with Shohei Ohtani out due to knee inflammation the White Sox had a perfect opportunity to steal a win against the defending champions regardless of Roki’s performance.Out the gate, it appeared that Sasaki would have another meltdown, as he gave up a solo home run to Andrew Benintendi in the very first inning. Rate Field was jumping and the vibes were immaculate. Unfortunately, much like a moody teenager, Sasaki immediately settled down. After the Dodgers scored two runs with nobody out in the top of the second, there were certainly some fans wary of a hard reality check in the midst of one of Chicago’s most successful stretches in years.After Santiago Espinal singled in his two tallies, a sacrifice bunt and a hit batsman loaded the bases with one out for Andy Pages. With nowhere to put him and Freddie Freeman on deck, White Sox starter Anthony Kay attacked and struck him out, before getting Freeman to fly out to end the threat. For an inning that saw the Dodgers load the bases and bring in runs before registering a single out, limiting Los Angeles to just two was a huge win that helped keep Chicago in this game. The Dodgers remained in control for the next few innings as Sasaki settled down, but the game was still very much within reach heading into the bottom of the fifth.Much like the skies in the Chicago area over the past two days, the floodgates opened up in the fifth and the runs came pouring in. The White Sox did it in the way they knew best, playing small ball and dooming the Dodgers to death by a thousand cuts. Four men reached base before Sasaki could record an out, and two more walks chased him from of the game. The pitching change couldn’t stop the deluge of runs, as a Chase Meidroth single and Tristan Peters triple saw the South Siders run the inning up to a seven-spot.That number seven had a special meaning, too, as Chicago came into the game winless in their last seven against the Dodgers. They also came into the game on a seven-game home winning streak. This was far from the same team that has matched up against Los Angeles in the past, as the Sox now believe that they can win any game, a belief that has been lacking for quite some time. Sitting with a massive 8-2 lead, the White Sox did not let up.While they didn’t add any runs, they kept the pressure on a Dodgers team that clearly just wanted the game to be over once the White Sox took their six-run lead. The White Sox kept applying pressure and worked late into counts. It was refreshing to see from a team that seemed to sleepwalk through long parts of last year, and even an offense that went to sleep at times early this year.It’s easy for teams to dig deep and keep plugging away in a close contest, especially when trailing. It’s rare to see a team with a big lead refuse to let up. Their unwillingness to simply coast to a win that’s already well in hand speaks to the team’s mentality, which at the moment looks very similar to other overachieving teams, like the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, who have been synonymous with success over the past few years. If they can keep this up, there is no doubt that the White Sox are the new favorites to win the AL Central.In these types of games with sizable leads, it can get hairy quick, as seen by the San Francisco Giants recently scoring 10 runs in the last two innings to complete an improbable comeback. The Dodgers have the ability to bring themselves back into games quickly, but they were shut down by Chicago’s bullpen. Bryan Hudson, Trevor Richards and Chris Murphy went a combined four innings without allowing a single baserunner. They slammed the door in style, securing the 8-2 win.It was another dominant performance all around from a White Sox team that has injected life into this city. They know have a chance to take the series with a win in either of the last two games before another much deserved off-day on Monday.Who was the White Sox MVP?Anthony Kay: 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 K’sMiguel Vargas: 3-for-4, RBI, RChase Meidroth: 3-for-3, 2 RBI’s, RBullpen: 4 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K’s pollcode.com free pollsWho was the White Sox Cold Cat?Jacob Gonzalez: 0-for-4, KDrew Romo: 1-for-4, RJohn Schriffen pollcode.com free polls

BINGHAMTON – Susquehanna Valley (20-4) and Maine-Endwell (18-6) remained this year’s state semifinalists in the 2026 New York Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) softball tournament after securing 21-11 and 13-5 victories over Section 6’s Alden and Depew, respectively, before exiting the state tournament in a heartbreaking 8-7 and 5-2 loss against Section 2’s Chatham (23-2) and Averill Park (21-4).The Spartans ended their season in the Class A state semifinal after succumbing to an early 5-2 scoring gap and a scoreless last four innings, despite outhitting Averill Park six hits to four.Junior pitcher and Metro all-division selection Tessa L’Amoreaux and freshman Harper Eagan had two hits each, and sophomore Emma Rondeau and freshman Metro all-division selection Isadora Moreira added a hit each.Susquehanna Valley came closer in its state semifinal matchup against last year’s state champion, Chatham (Section 2), after leading the Panthers 7-2 by the middle of the fifth inning, but ultimately lost out on the Class B state final appearance after Chatham’s five-run comeback and game-winning single by Rylie Barden in the bottom of the ninth inning. “Our motto is: ‘pick me up’; make a mistake, but we can’t carry it to the next thing,” Susquehanna Valley head coach Karen Bidwell said regarding the team’s overall outlook.The Sabers suffered a similar fate as Maine-Endwell, having fallen out of the tournament in a close loss despite outhitting Chatham twelve hits to eleven.Central/East all-conference selections Lili Onna D’Introno, Danica LaBarre and Kylee Richardson, who shared their last game as seniors, and sophomore selection Kiana Cipolla combined for eight out of the team’s 12 hits and four out of the seven runs in the Sabers’ 8-7 loss. Deposit-Hancock and Windham-Ashland-Jewett will be the Section 4 teams continuing their state tournament streak after defeating St. Lawrence (Section 10) and Fort Ann (Section 2), respectively, and compete in the Class C and Class D state finals on Saturday, June 13.Averill Park shuts Maine-Endwell downBottom line: Averill Park took its chances on more than one occasion and ended up with the 5-2 victory despite being out-batted six to four.Key SequencesTop of 1st inning: Maine-Endwell’s Kaylee Hurba puts the Spartans on the board with a sacrifice fly out to center field to drive Tessa L’Amoreaux home and get the 1-0 lead over Averill Park.Bottom of 1st inning: Averill Park’s Mady Charron and Abigail Colwill each get a run after taking their chances on pitching errors. Averill Park takes a 2-1 lead with the bases loaded, forcing the Spartans to huddle at the mound.Top of 2nd inning: L’Amoreaux singles on a ground ball to third base to drive home Liliana Moreira, tying the score at 2-2.Bottom of 2nd inning: Audrey Coon doubles on a fly ball to center field to drive Colwill home. Charron drives home Coon and advances to 2nd on M-E’s missed catch, putting the score at 4-2 in favor of Averill Park.Bottom of 3rd inning: Victoria Sanchez doubles on a fly ball to left field, then advances to 3rd on a throw, driving home Lily Biette, who put Averill Park up at 5-2.Key StatsAudrey Coon, AP (SS): 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI; Abigail Colwill, AP: 2 runs, 1 hit; Victoria Sanchez, AP (RF): 1 hit, 1 RBI; Natalia Mancino, AP (C): 1 hit | Team Stats – four team hits, two RBIs, and eight walksTessa L’Amoreaux, M-E (P): at bat – 1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI; Harper Eagan, M-E (1B): 2 hits; Isadora Moreira, M-E (RF): 1 hit; Emma Rondeau, M-E (2B): 1 hit | Team Stats – six team hits, two RBIs, and one walkChatham claws its way to another state final Bottom line: Chatham saw an opening, ran with it, and refused to let the game slip away, coming back from a five-run deficit to win the game 8-7.Key sequencesTop of 1st inning: Danica LaBarre doubles on a fly ball to center field to drive in Kiana Cipolla, giving the Sabers the first run of the night. 1-0Bottom of 1st inning: Chatham’s Laney Steltz doubles on a fly ball to drive home Aubrey Rowe while Samantha Silver scores on a passed ball to put Chatham ahead 2-1.Top of 2nd inning: Amelia Frisbie scores on a wild pitch by Chatham, and the Sabers load the bases and tie the game at 2-2.Cipolla’s single on a line drive to center field brings Ella Kariam and Liv Hughes to score. The Sabers take a 4-2 lead.Top of 5th inning: Kylee Richardson singles on a line drive to center field to drive Cipolla home from second base. LaBarre hits a hard single to left field on the next play to put Richardson at second base. LilliOnna D’Introno’s ground ball and a reach on Chatham’s error bring Richardson to score and put the score at 6-2.Frisbie’s pop fly out to right field drives LaBarre home, stretching the Sabers’ lead to 7-2.Bottom of 5th inning: Rowe singles with the bases loaded to bring home Skylar Groom. Meta Mountain scores on the Sabers’ passed ball on the next play to close the gap at 7-4.Silver scores on Susquehanna Valley’s reaching error. Rylie Barden singles on a ground ball to center field on the next play to bring home Lylah Rowe. D’Introno lets Groom walk with the bases loaded, and Riley Pulver jogs home to tie the game at 7-7.Bottom of 9th inning: Steltz steals second base then advances to third on Pulver’s bunt. D’Introno lets Alexis Nehmens walk on the next, bringing the Panthers to load all three bases.Barden hits a game-winning single to left field to drive home Steltz and cap the game at 8-7.Key StatsSkylar Groom (P), Chatham: 9 IP, 18 strikeouts, 12 hits allowed, at bat – 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI; Rylie Barden (2B), Chatham: 2 hits, 2 RBIs; Laney Steltz (LF), Chatham: 1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI; Aubrey Rowe (C), Chatham: 1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI; Samantha Silver (RF), Chatham: 2 runs, 2 hits; Riley Pulver (3B), Chatham: 1 run, 1 hit; Meta Mountain (SS), Chatham: 1 run, 1 hit; Chatham – 11 team hits, five RBIs, and seven walksKiana Cipolla (2B), SV: 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 RBIs; Danica LaBarre (C), SV: 1 run, 3 hits, 1 RBI; Kylee Richardson (SS), SV: 1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI; Amelia Frisbie (3B) SV: 1 run, 2 hits, 1 RBI; Ava Kariam (RF), SV: 1 hit; Liv Hughes (LF), SV: 1 run, 1 hit; Susquehanna Valley – 12 team hits and five RBIsThis article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Maine-Endwell and Susquehanna Valley end the 2026 season at state

Who is Folarin Balogun? Meet Brooklyn-born striker that scored USMNT's first goal at 2026 World Cup originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.After years of waiting, the United States men's national team has finally found a renowned No. 9. Now, he's slated to make a splash on the world's stage.As far as USMNT players go, few are as important as Folarin Balogun. The lanky striker has found success in Europe, emerging as one of the continent's better young strikers. His goal-scoring prowess drew the attention of Mauricio Pochettino's side, which has built its attack around him. His showing at the 2026 World Cup suggest that was an inspired move.With that, here's what you need to know about Balogun, one of the U.S.'s finest attacking exports.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsWho is Folarin Balogun?Balogun is the USMNT's striker. The lithe goal-scorer is one of the side's most decorated talents, hitting the 20-goal mark in a top-five league — a impressive feat for a United States international.Balogun came to life in the Americans' matchup with Paraguay, tallying two goals in the first half. With his brace, he became the first USMNT player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match since 1930.MORE USMNT NEWS:Why isn't USA better at soccer by now?Meet USA's 2026 World Cup soccer teamHow far will the USMNT go in World Cup?How USA could play Iran in World CupMauricio Pochettino's flirtation with AC Milan is not his biggest issueWhere is Folarin Balogun from?Balogun hails from Brooklyn. Born to Nigerian parents, Balogun moved to London at less than one year old. He emerged as one of England's better striking talents across his youth career. He turned out for the Three Lions' at the U-17, U-8, U-20 and U-21 levels, tallying 10 goals in 27 appearances.Despite his Nigerian heritage and England roots, Balogun opted to take his place in the U.S.'s ranks. Fans from the United States thank him everyday for his decision.Why did Folarin Balogun choose to play for the United States?In May 2023, Balogun announced his intention to play for the USMNT, spurning England and Nigeria to don the Stars and Stripes. He explained that the decision came from "his heart."Balogun, then an Arsenal loanee who shined at Ligue 1 side Reims, immediately surged to the top of the U.S.'s striker ranks, surpassing the likes of Haji Wright and Josh Sargent. Then-England manager Gareth Southgate was unable to guarantee minutes for the then-21-year-old, with Harry Kane, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins proving difficult to displace.All told, Balogun's route to a starting spot on a national team — and a slot on a World Cup roster — proved an easier proposition in U.S. colors than for the Three Lions. Based on his showing in the U.S.'s World Cup opener against Paraguay, he made the right choice.MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:Who will win the World Cup in 2026?Updated FIFA World RankingsHow World Cup qualifying worksExplaining the expanded World Cup bracketFull list of teams to qualify for 2026 World CupWho does Folarin Balogun play club soccer for?Balogun plays for AS Monaco in Ligue 1. An Arsenal academy product, Monaco snapped him up after his breakthrough 2023 season with Reims. Balogun, then on loan from Arsenal, tallied 21 goals in 37 appearances during his maiden season in France, the fourth-highest mark in the league. Monaco struck a deal with Arsenal in the summer, shelling out a reported €30 million to secure his services. He has 31 goals to date in Monaco colors.

The United States Men's National Team opened their World Cup journey Friday night on a grass field at SoFi Stadium. Amid their 3-0 first-half romp over Paraguay, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle took to Twitter to comment on the playing surface at the home stadium of the Los Angeles Rams. "Also this grass looks great on Sofi's field..." Kittle wrote. "Wonder if we could get that all season."Playing surfaces have been a topic of conversation around the NFL as injuries on artificial surfaces have come under increasing scrutiny. With the NFL's collective bargaining agreement set to expire at the end of the 2030 season and a potential 18-game season on the table, there's a strong chance we see players push for the league to outlaw artificial surfaces in favor of natural grass. FIFA required World Cup venues to install natural grass, so the tournament is proof-positive that NFL stadiums are capable of putting down a professional-quality natural grass surface. Kittle was quick to point that out early in the USMNT's World Cup opener, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the grass at NFL stadiums become a more frequent observation from players throughout the international soccer contest. More 49ers: 49ers ranked 4th in NFL in quick-passing efficiency in 2025This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: USMNT match on grass at SoFi Stadium sparks 49ers' George Kittle post

United States 4-1 Paraguay: record-breaking start for ruthless World Cup co-hostsThe United States scored four goals in a World Cup game for the first time in their history, putting Paraguay to the sword in a highly impressive opening performance at a jubilant SoFi Stadium.Damián Bobadilla’s own goal steered in Weston McKennie’s low cross to give the co-hosts lift off after just seven minutes, before a 19-minute brace from Folarin Balogun put the outstanding co-hosts in dreamland at half time.Palmeiras midfielder Maurício would come off the bench to score his first ever international goal and put a small blemish on an otherwise perfect night for the co-hosts in Los Angeles, rounded off by Gio Reyna’s record-breaking 97th minute strike.Pochettino’s side also equaled their greatest ever winning margin set way back in 1930, when the countries last met in the tournament, and kept their 19-year unbeaten run against La Albirroja intact in one of the national team’s finest ever performances.As it happenedThe United States began brightly save for a scare as Gomez’s cross just to the left sailed past the face of Matt Freese’s goal, and were ahead in no time at all when McKennie got away from his man with some quick feet and burst through the middle.Pulisic then managed to wriggle around right-back Juan Cáceres and into the penalty area before shifting it back to McKennie and seeing his low cross turned into the net by Bobadilla, handing Mauricio Pochettino’s men the early advantage.Former Brighton winger Julio Enciso was dropping slightly deeper than his strike partner Antonio Sanabria when out of possession to provide extra cover centrally, but the US had already seen plenty of penetration through that area.Proving incredibly hard to contain, Pulisic made a darting run in behind on the left wing and raced into the penalty area before making it harder for Balogun to miss, and the striker slotted it home with his first touch to put the US in cruise control.The Monaco forward had been denied by quite the late offside call moments ago, but Paraguay simply afforded him far too much space inside the penalty area and Balogun punished them severely just after the half hour mark.His second came in the fifth minute of first half stoppage time, setting off early and in behind Alderete to meet Tillman’s through ball and curling a superb left-footed strike into the top corner, giving Orlando Hill no chance.Paraguay were building towards a resurgence inside the opening five minutes of the second half, only for VAR to halt proceedings and recommend that referee Danny Makkelie booked Miguel Almirón for what proved to be on replay a clear dive, revoking the visitors’ free kick to the right of the box in addition to Tim Ream’s yellow card.Gustavo Alfaro’s side pulled one back with just under 20 minutes to go when the United States refused to deal with goalkeeper Gil’s smash up the pitch and Enciso had the composure to control the ball amid a crowd of markers and stab it through to Maurício.He too kept a cool head to the left of goal and caressed the shot into the bottom right corner to grab his first goal for Paraguay.But Reyna ultimately had the last laugh as he refused to let a record escape the co-hosts at full-time, smashing home from the edge of the penalty area to cap off a truly memorable night for USMNT.The United States closed out the game in relative control to go top of Group D, and take on Australia in their next match in six days’ time while Paraguay must regroup before facing Turkiye on the 20th of June.Analysis: Pochettino has United States firing again with records almost fallingThe United States couldn’t have dreamt of a much better start to their 2026 World Cup campaign, the first on home soil since 1994 when they reached the quarter-finals.This was no surprise with the numerous harkenings back to the national team’s best ever performance on the world stage that came 96 years ago in Uruguay.USMNT hadn’t won a World Cup game by three goals since that memorable campaign in 1930, nor had one of their players scored a hat-trick since then.Folarin Balogun likely had that echoing in his head before being substituted in the 71st minute. Likely to protect him from injury, it shows just how important of a role he will play in his country’s World Cup campaign.Mauricio Pochettino’s side were ruthless and unforgiving, forcing high turnover after high turnover and playing with an energy unbeknownst to the home faithful for some time.Organising into a back three of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and inverted full-back Alex Freeman while in possession, this provided a solid base for their midfield and forward units to attack with such freedom and ultimately dismantle Paraguay’s defence.No one took advantage of Pochettino’s modernized approach more than Christian Pulisic. The AC Milan winger put in an electric display, completing three of his five dribbles and creating two big chances – the South Americans simply had no answer.Pulisic’s off the ball movement, combined with Weston McKennie and Balogun’s confidence carrying it forward, was harnessed to great effect as the US were 3-0 up at half time.To put tonight’s victory into context, the United States have already scored as many goals in one half of their opening game as they did in their whole 2022 campaign in Qatar.Pochettino has got the side whose country was once criticized for being chosen to host the tournament at a time when it lacked a professional outdoor league playing at a level that could see them into the round of 32.Analysis: Paraguay handed reality check on World Cup returnTonight’s match marked a proud moment for Paraguay as they returned to football’s greatest competition for the first time since South Africa hosted the tournament in 2010, but it was a game they must now swiftly move on from.They were outclassed for almost the entire game and offered very little on the attacking front in the first half, with their star boy Julio Enciso often finding himself crowded out and frequently robbed of the ball before he could spark an attack.It is a squad that profits from several talents in addition to the former Brighton man. Diego Gómez has enjoyed a breakout season at Enciso’s former employers, registering five goals and one assist from 32 Premier League appearances.Miguel Almirón is no stranger to elite level football either, having amassed 223 appearances in the English top flight with Newcastle United. Both were substituted with 10 minutes remaining.Enciso did end a torrid 90 minutes with a goal involvement, setting up Maurício for a smart finish into the bottom corner of the net to rid Matt Freese of his clean sheet.Yet it was a moment that, while significant for the 24-year-old on a personal level and one he will remember for the rest of his life, meant very little in the context of the wider match.For more detailed reports, reaction, and analysis of the World Cup as it happens, head to our website and favourite our page on OneFootball.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Folarin Balogun could have played for any one of three countries. He chose the United States, and it paid off with a splashy World Cup debut on home soil.The 24-year-old striker scored two goals as the Americans opened with a 4-1 victory Paraguay on Friday night in front of a rabid and star-studded red, white and blue-clad sold-out crowd of 70,492 at SoFi Stadium.With retired England captain David Beckham looking on, Balogun became the first U.S. player to score multiple goals in a World Cup game since 1930. Back then, Bert Patenaude scored all three goals in a 3-0 U.S. win over Paraguay, the first hat trick in World Cup history. Balogun was born in the New York borough of Brooklyn to Nigerian parents. A month later, he moved to England, where he grew up in London. He joined Arsenal's academy at age 8. He represented England at the youth level and also played for the U.S. under-18 team.England's roster is traditionally filled with stars. Nigeria failed to qualify for this World Cup. So Balogun is making himself an American household name during this summer of soccer.The U.S. took a 1-0 lead on an own goal by Damian Bobadilla.Balogun extended the lead to 2-0 when Christian Pulisic played the ball into the box to set up Balogun with his 21st career assist. That tied Pulisic for fourth most in U.S. history.Minutes earlier, Balogun nearly had another goal, but it was called back when the U.S. was offside.Undeterred, Balogun scored again just before halftime, putting the ball in the upper left corner for a 3-0 lead.___AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup

June 12, 2026; Inglewood, California, U.S.; Folarin Balogun of the U.S. celebrates scoring their second goal with Tim Ream. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images On a warm June night in Los Angeles, the USMNT took the field for the opening match of the World Cup. As the crowd started a deafening U-S-A chant the team delivered a dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay. The attack was the star of the show with an early own-goal leading to a Folarin Balogun brace with Gio Reyna scoring a beauty to finish the match off. When it was all said and done, the USA was half way to equaling the most ever wins in a World Cup in the post 1990 era.Hey look, Chris Richards is healthy. Someone’s starting in goal, Tim Ream is playing in his 68th World Cup. Poch lined the team up in a 4-2-3-1 with Sergino Dest at right wing and Weston McKennie everywhere. IT WASN’T 1776-0 BUT THESE ARE GIFS OF A LOT OF USMNT GOALSThe Americans had a shaky start as Paraguay almost found a goal in the second minute but responded with a chance of their own shortly after. In the 7th minute the USA found a goal when Christian Pulisic tried to run past everyone in the Paraguay 18 yard box, passing to McKennie who tipped into the path of Damian Bobadilla who had the misfortune of directing the ball into his own goal. Make no mistake, this was the result of the USA winning possession in the Paraguay half and capitalizing on the following chaos. The hydration break came amidst the USA continuing to press for a second goal. In the 28th minute it looked like they found the net but Folarin Balogun was called offside – but scored two minutes later. And a third goal in the last second before the half. The USA couldn’t have asked for a better start but did go to the bench and bring in Sebastian Berhalter for Christian Pulisic for an apparent injury. Paraguay wasn’t done though and pushed to get back into the game. In the 52nd minute Tim Ream fouled Miguel Almiron and after a VAR review the center back was given a yellow. As the half wore on, the USA kept most of the possession but it would be Paraguay who would strike next. Midfielder Maurício who came in at the half for Bobadilla and clawed one back for his teammate in the 73rd minute. Chris Richards would want that one back, but Paraguay still had a lot to do in order to get back into the game.Paraguay chip away at the @USMNT's lead thanks to Mauricio 🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/WKgovjNcrd— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026Paraguay and the USA traded chances until GIO REYNA scored to make it 4-1 on a beautiful sidefooted goal. In a single moment, Reyna began writing a new story for himself with the national team. GIO REYNA WITH CHERRY ON TOP! 🇺🇸@USMNT WINS 4-1! pic.twitter.com/sYnNXYdIWe— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026That goal would make history as the team became the first in USMNT history to score four goals in a World Cup match. It also surpassed the number of goals the team scored in four games in the 2022 tournament. All together, it was a fantastic result for the USA. The 3-1 scoreline was well deserved with the attack firing throughout the game. Of course, the Pulisic substitution hung over the second half, but Fox Sports provided an update that sounded like positive news. Mauricio Pochettino will address the status of Christian Pulisic following tonight's match.@JennyTaft with the latest on the @USMNT star pic.twitter.com/nFgHwU3G4f— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026

One of the greatest years for any athlete in New Mexico’s history came to a fitting close Friday night.After unleashing a dramatic final kick, UNM’s Habtom Samuel finished the NCAA men’s 5,000-meter final in 13 minutes and 38.93 seconds to claim his second national title of the week Friday at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field and Championships.Racing at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the junior from Keren, Eritrea has now won an NCAA individual cross country national championship, an indoor 5K title, the outdoor 5K and the 10K title, completing a rare distance-double to close the most successful year of any athlete in program history.Samuel was largely considered the favorite for Friday’s 5K final after setting a new NCAA record (13:03.47) in the event earlier this year. He also ran the world-leading time (12:57.27) in the 5K at the Sound Running L.A. Track Festival in May, setting a new Eritrean record in the process.Unlike Wednesday’s 10K final, Samuel didn’t lead for the majority of the 5K final. He started at the rear before surging towards the front four minutes into the race. He later fell back after he was bumped by another runner.Eventually, he made his move to the front — one Villanova’s Marco Langan matched, moving up to lead the pack with nearly a lap to go. Samuel made an early move and took the lead with 250 meters left, withstanding a late run from Wake Forest’s Rocky Hansen to win the title.Sean Reider covers college football and other sports for the Journal. You can reach him at sreider@abqjournal.com or via X at @lenaweereider.NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field ChampionshipsSaturdayWomen’s 5K final (7:55 p.m.): Pamela Kosgei, Marion Jepngetich

At some point, most of the custom kits — the ones with their individual last names — will get framed. Others will make their way onto hangers in select closets. One or two might be put in a drawer.Those plans, however, can wait. The New Mexico United jerseys have to get at least some use.“I’m wearing mine to the next United game,” Charlie Groves said Friday.United hosts Orange County SC on Saturday.There weren’t any disagreements. After all, each of the seven kits given out were earned — one for each of United’s developmental academy players for graduating high school. Each one was presented during a ceremony Friday at the club’s facility by one of the first-team players.Groves received his from midfielder Marlon Vargas.Winston Starr was gifted his from midfielder Gedion Zalelem.Ivan Moore was awarded his from forward — and former academy teammate — Cristian Nava, “an OG.”Connor Hanks got his from midfielder Cam Wilkerson.Cristiano Flores was partnered with goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena.Dani Guerrero was presented his by midfielder Zico Bailey.Taren Wente’s moment came with goalkeeper Kris Shakes.The pairs shared a hug or dap up and posed for photos in front of family as well as the first-teamers.New Mexico United’s academy graduates receive their honorary first-team kits.Each academy member was given theirs by a first-teamer. pic.twitter.com/gf10uumQmM— David Glovach (@DavidGlovach) June 12, 2026“I think it’s special to get that jersey,” Moore said.That’s something United has always strived to do since starting its developmental academy in 2021. The academy players don’t sit idle. There’s quite a bit of on-the-job training. Oftentimes, that means plenty of learning experiences.Wente, defender Kyle Hofmann and forward Grady Gilchrist attend and participate in every first-team practice session. The others will usually make an appearance on Thursdays to showcase different defensive looks for match-day prep. It’s a job first-team manager Dennis Sanchez said is “not super sexy or fun,” but an important one nonetheless.“I think we all feel pretty comfortable around these guys,” Starr said. “They’re all good friends. It feels like a family, and every time we come into first-team training it’s very welcoming. We’ve all got really good relationships with the first-team staff and the players.”“... These are guys you look up to and train with.”There will still be a few more of those sessions before most go off to their new college programs. And that’s something the academy players appreciate and have appreciated, just like those custom kits, the ones with their own names on the back.“Getting to be around first-team players, it’s just an honor,” Groves said. “… You get to see what type of level is the highest level.”David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X @DavidGlovach.More New Mexico United reading*NMU's Keller debuts new cornrows and his teammates, coaches weigh inDespite mostly strong reviews, the United defender is still undecided if new look will be long-term hairdo*Match day: Orange County SC at New Mexico UnitedNMU looks to keep unbeaten streak against California club intact*Taren Wente opted to bet on himself and it paid off with an ACC programNMU developmental academy goalkeeper set to play his college soccer at Pitt*'You want a hot take?' NM United has plenty of thoughts on soccer's biggest eventPlayers and coaches pick favorites, underdogs, best moments and tournaments heading into World Cup opener*Noël finds himself the popular player to seek out after NM United routMidfielder scores 1st goal of season in USL Cup win over Phoenix Rising FC*Match day: Phoenix Rising FC at New Mexico UnitedUNM gets rivalry matchup as USL Cup play resumes*Hurst believed a 'pretty real talk' was needed after NM United's last match against PhoenixClub sees plenty of benefits from honest conversation entering rematch*NM United sees road draw as 'valuable point'Coming off longest trip of season, NMU leaves Hartford with some positives*Match day: New Mexico United at Hartford AthleticNMU is capping off three games against top Eastern Conference opponents*NM United's road warriors find ways to stay sharpAhead of a 2,100-mile trip, players rely on video games and a relaxed routine to unwind and prepare for the match

A USA fan holds a sign as she arrives at Los Angeles Stadium (SoFi Stadium) to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup match between USA and Paraguay in Inglewood, California, on June 12, 2026. (ETIENNE LAURENT)The World Cup is officially underway in the United States and the biggest breakout star is...Freddy.The young German fan, roadtripping with two pals from Atlanta to Houston to watch his team play, has captured the adoration of many Americans -- and even the White House -- with his posts on X gushing over mainstays of the US heartland."This is the most 'The European mind can't comprehend this' moment of my life. One of my friends said, 'Punch me five times tomorrow and I'll still think this isn't real," he said of taking in an Argentina-Iceland friendly at the 88,000-seat stadium on the campus of Alabama's Auburn University.His videos showed fireworks exploding above the scoreboards, and the school's live "War Eagle" mascot swooping over the field.Other updates from @FreddyLA7 showcased his newfound love of 24-hour diner Waffle House, country star Ella Langley, Alabama sunsets and gas station Buc-ees with its 100 pumps and extensive gift shop.A White House account shared Freddy's post about a "surreal" outdoor goods store with a shooting range, declaring: "WELCOME TO AMERICA!"Americans have responded to the unfolding travelogue with enthusiasm, sharing words of welcome, offers to help fund the trio's journey, and plenty of suggestions of places to eat along the way."This is the real America right here. Have fun boys," one user wrote. "I think Freddy has earned a green card by now," said another, tagging Secretary of State Marco Rubio."I got you covered in Houston big dog," offered JJ Watt, retired star of the NFL's Texans.- Chicken fried steak -The lovefest comes as the United States navigates stark political divisions under President Donald Trump, with ordinary Americans stinging from inflation, high gas prices and a deeply unpopular war in Iran."We want to show visitors that we are more than the scary headlines they read in their newspapers. We want to introduce them to the uniquely American things we enjoy because we hope they'll enjoy them, too," Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken wrote on Thursday."That's just how we are, and this World Cup can be a turning point not only in how others view us, but how we view ourselves."Other social media posts from World Cup visitors include a Scotsman praising chicken fried steak ("You'll realise we and the Americans are kindred spirits"), a Japanese fan delighting in bottomless chips and salsa, and a English tourist happy in a Florida summer rainstorm."It's raining! But it's hot! And I love it!" he said.Even Spanish phenom Lamine Yamal got a taste of America's particular charms, posting a photo of himself pushing a full shopping cart outside a Walmart.An online video showed the 18-year-old walking in the store, apparently with no one there knowing who he was.On Friday, the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans answered a question that had been on many minds: was Freddy actually real and not an AI creation?"We can confirm Freddy is real, is German and loves New Orleans," the team said on X, after treating the popular visitor and his friends to a tour of their facilities.acb/sla

Jacob Misiorowski threw only 95 pitches in dismissing the Philadelphia Phillies on June 12 during the Milwaukee Brewers' 6-0 win, recording 15 strikeouts along the way for the most punchouts ever in a game where a starter threw a complete game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches.One term you'll hear associated with the performance: A Maddux. So what is that exactly?Named for Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, it's a term for a complete-game shutout performance in fewer than 100 pitches. It's a term Major League Baseball officially embraces in its glossary of terms, noting that Maddux threw 13 such games in his career. Maddux also threw a 14th game in which he worked nine shutout innings in 89 pitches, a game his team went on to win in the 10th after he'd been relieved. Nobody else has thrown more than seven career Madduxes in the era where all pitches were tracked, beginning in 1988.The feat itself isn't completely rare; the Brewers had 12 previous instances in club history. Minnesota's Bailey Ober just threw one in May, and Sandy Alcántara of the Marlins threw one in April. Who was the last Brewers pitcher to throw a Maddux?Kyle Lohse threw a 93-pitch complete-game shutout against the Cubs (a 9-0 win) on June 1, 2014. Lohse also had an 89-pitch Maddux against Atlanta in a 4-0 win Sept. 25, 2013.Which Brewers pitcher had the most strikeouts in a Maddux before Misiorowski?Chris Bosio recorded nine strikeouts in a 4-0 win over the California Angels on Sept. 24, 1992. He threw 86 pitches. Misiorowski had six more strikeouts than the previous best in Brewers history.Who are the other pitchers to throw a Maddux in Brewers history?Before Lohse threw a pair in back-to-back years, the Brewers had 10 other instances of a Maddux, but only five other pitchers. Thus, Misiorowski is the seventh individual pitcher in Brewers history to throw one.Chris Capuano, 2-0 win over Cubs on July 6, 2006 (97 pitches)Chris Capuano, 9-0 win over Cubs on April 30, 2006 (91 pitches)Tomo Ohka, 4-0 win over Rays on June 14, 2005 (98 pitches)Chris Bosio, 4-0 win over Angels on Sept. 24, 1992 (86 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 1-0 win over Red Sox on Aug. 16, 1992 (99 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 4-0 win over Cleveland on July 27, 1992 (85 pitches)Chris Bosio, 2-0 win over Yankees on Sept. 17, 1991 (82 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 1-0 win over Cleveland on May 24, 1991 (96 pitches)Chris Bosio, 3-0 win over Cleveland on April 6, 1989 (87 pitches)Teddy Higuera, 1-0 win over Angels on June 4, 1988 (83 pitches)Who has the second-most Madduxes in baseball history besides Maddux? It's a Wisconsin nativeZane Smith, a Madison-born pitcher drafted by the Braves in 1982, played 13 MLB seasons with the Braves and Pirates among other teams. He has seven career Madduxes.Who has the previous record for strikeouts in a Maddux?Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Tarik Skubal of the Tigers had 13 strikeouts in a Maddux in 2017 and 2025, respectively. Nobody has had 14 strikeouts in a Maddux, and Misiorowski had 15.Who was the last Brewers pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout of any kind?Brandon Woodruff shut down the Marlins on Sept. 11, 2023, a 12-0 win in which he struck out seven and allowed six hits with one walk. He threw 106 pitches.Who has the most strikeouts in a game in Brewers history?Ben Sheets famously struck out 18 Atlanta Braves on May 16, 2004, at Miller Park. Corbin Burnes is the only other Brewers pitcher to strike out 15 in a game, doing so Aug. 11, 2021 at Wrigley Field in his Cy Young Award season.Sheets' 2004 season and Burnes' 2021 season are perhaps the two best individual pitching seasons in Brewers history. Misiorowski's 2026 is building a case.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What's a 'Maddux?' Jacob Misiorowski just threw one

Jacob Misiorowski threw only 95 pitches in dismissing the Philadelphia Phillies on June 12 during the Milwaukee Brewers' 6-0 win, recording 15 strikeouts along the way for the most punchouts ever in a game where a starter threw a complete game shutout in fewer than 100 pitches.One term you'll hear associated with the performance: A Maddux. So what is that exactly?Named for Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, it's a term for a complete-game shutout performance in fewer than 100 pitches. It's a term Major League Baseball officially embraces in its glossary of terms, noting that Maddux threw 13 such games in his career. Maddux also threw a 14th game in which he worked nine shutout innings in 89 pitches, a game his team went on to win in the 10th after he'd been relieved. Nobody else has thrown more than seven career Madduxes in the era where all pitches were tracked, beginning in 1988.The feat itself isn't completely rare; the Brewers had 12 previous instances in club history. Minnesota's Bailey Ober just threw one in May, and Sandy Alcántara of the Marlins threw one in April. Who was the last Brewers pitcher to throw a Maddux?Kyle Lohse threw a 93-pitch complete-game shutout against the Cubs (a 9-0 win) on June 1, 2014. Lohse also had an 89-pitch Maddux against Atlanta in a 4-0 win Sept. 25, 2013.Which Brewers pitcher had the most strikeouts in a Maddux before Misiorowski?Chris Bosio recorded nine strikeouts in a 4-0 win over the California Angels on Sept. 24, 1992. He threw 86 pitches. Misiorowski had six more strikeouts than the previous best in Brewers history.Who are the other pitchers to throw a Maddux in Brewers history?Before Lohse threw a pair in back-to-back years, the Brewers had 10 other instances of a Maddux, but only five other pitchers. Thus, Misiorowski is the seventh individual pitcher in Brewers history to throw one.Chris Capuano, 2-0 win over Cubs on July 6, 2006 (97 pitches)Chris Capuano, 9-0 win over Cubs on April 30, 2006 (91 pitches)Tomo Ohka, 4-0 win over Rays on June 14, 2005 (98 pitches)Chris Bosio, 4-0 win over Angels on Sept. 24, 1992 (86 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 1-0 win over Red Sox on Aug. 16, 1992 (99 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 4-0 win over Cleveland on July 27, 1992 (85 pitches)Chris Bosio, 2-0 win over Yankees on Sept. 17, 1991 (82 pitches)Jaime Navarro, 1-0 win over Cleveland on May 24, 1991 (96 pitches)Chris Bosio, 3-0 win over Cleveland on April 6, 1989 (87 pitches)Teddy Higuera, 1-0 win over Angels on June 4, 1988 (83 pitches)Who has the second-most Madduxes in baseball history besides Maddux? It's a Wisconsin nativeZane Smith, a Madison-born pitcher drafted by the Braves in 1982, played 13 MLB seasons with the Braves and Pirates among other teams. He has seven career Madduxes.Who has the previous record for strikeouts in a Maddux?Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers had 13 strikeouts in a Maddux in 2017 and 2025, respectively. Nobody has had 14 strikeouts in a Maddux, and Misiorowski had 15.Who was the last Brewers pitcher to throw a complete-game shutout of any kind?Brandon Woodruff shut down the Marlins on Sept. 11, 2023, a 12-0 win in which he struck out seven and allowed six hits with one walk. He threw 106 pitches.Who has the most strikeouts in a game in Brewers history?Ben Sheets famously struck out 18 Atlanta Braves on May 16, 2004, at Miller Park. Corbin Burnes is the only other Brewers pitcher to strike out 15 in a game, doing so Aug. 11, 2021 at Wrigley Field in his Cy Young Award season.Sheets' 2004 season and Burnes' 2021 season are perhaps the two best individual pitching seasons in Brewers history. Misiorowski's 2026 is building a case.This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What's a 'Maddux?' Jacob Misiorowski just threw one

Tickets to the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup may be scarce and very expensive, but there are several ways soccer fans can watch all 104 matches scheduled across the United States, Mexico and Canada in the tournament that started Thursday, June 11. "Imagine, with this World Cup, a Super Bowl every single day for five weeks," U.S. team captain Tim Ream told CBS News, adding, "It's not an accident that 5 billion people will be watching."FOX and NBCUniversal have the broadcasting rights for the 78 games being played in the U.S., as well as the 13 apiece in Canada and Mexico. A record of 40 matches, or more than a third of the World Cup, will air during primetime on FOX, according to the broadcaster.For Spanish-language broadcasts, every single match will air on NBC-owned Telemundo and Universo.All matches will also be available for on-demand streaming on several platforms. Here's what to know.How to watch the 2026 FIFA Men's World CupViewers with a TV antenna, or access to the FOX network channel through a smart TV, can watch 70 of the matches for free. The rest will air on Fox Sports 1, a cable channel.Ninety-two of the 104 matches can be watched for free in Spanish on Telemundo. The rest of the matches in Spanish will air on Universo, a cable network. For cord-cutters, the World Cup opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa, as well as the United States' opening match against Paraguay on June 12, were available to stream for free on Tubi, an ad-supported streaming service owned by Fox. All matches are available to stream through FOX One, the FOX Sports app, while Peacock has exclusive Spanish-language streaming rights. All matches will also be available on other streaming providers like YouTube TV, Fubo or Hulu + Live TV, for a subscription fee.You can follow World Cup news and highlights throughout the tournament at CBSSports.com.U.S. Men's 2026 World Cup scheduleThe U.S. World Cup team are playing three matches in the group stage. Their Group D opponents are Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, in that order. In their first match on Friday, June 12, the U.S. defeated Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.The U.S. has a 3 p.m. ET kickoff against Australia at Lumen Seattle on Friday, June 19, and then a 10 p.m. ET start on Thursday, June 25, back at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood against Turkey. 2026 World Cup broadcast scheduleThe tournament began on June 11, with co-host Mexico playing the opener in Mexico City against South Africa. The U.S. and Canada played their first games a day later in Los Angeles and Toronto, respectively. The group stage runs until June 27. Here is the broadcast schedule: June 11Mexico vs. South Africa (Group A) — Mexico City South Korea vs. Czechia (Group A) — GuadalajaraJune 12Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B): 1-1 drawUSA vs. Paraguay (Group D) June 133 p.m. ET — Qatar vs. Switzerland (Group B) — San Francisco Bay Area [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Brazil vs. Morocco (Group C) — New York/New Jersey [FS1, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Haiti vs. Scotland (Group C) — Boston [FS1, Telemundo]June 1412:00 a.m. ET — Australia vs. Turkey (Group D) — Vancouver [FS1, Telemundo]1:00 p.m. ET — Germany vs. Curaçao (Group E) — Houston [FOX, Telemundo]4:00 p.m. ET — Netherlands vs. Japan (Group F) — Dallas [FOX, Telemundo]7:00 p.m. ET — Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador (Group E) — Philadelphia [FS1, Telemundo]10:00 p.m. ET — Sweden vs. Tunisia (Group F) — Monterrey [FS1, Telemundo]June 1512 p.m. ET — Spain vs. Cape Verde (Group H) — Atlanta [FOX, Telemundo]3 p.m. ET — Belgium vs. Egypt (Group G) — Seattle [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay (Group H) — Miami [FS1, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Iran vs. New Zealand (Group G) — Inglewood [FS1, Telemundo]June 163 p.m. ET — France vs. Senegal (Group I) — New York/New Jersey [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Iraq vs. Norway (Group I) — Boston [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Argentina vs. Algeria (Group J) — Kansas City [FOX, Telemundo]June 1712 a.m. ET — Austria vs. Jordan (Group J) — San Francisco Bay Area [FS1, Telemundo]1 p.m. ET — Portugal vs. DR Congo (Group K) — Houston or Mexico City [FOX, Telemundo]4 p.m. ET — England vs. Croatia (Group L) — Toronto or Dallas [FOX, Telemundo]7 p.m. ET — Ghana vs. Panama (Group L) — Toronto or Dallas [FS1, Telemundo]10 p.m. ET — Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Group K) — Houston or Mexico City [FS1, Telemundo]June 1812 p.m. ET — Czechia vs. South Africa (Group A) — Atlanta [FOX, Telemundo]3 p.m. ET — Switzerland vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group A) — Los Angeles [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Canada vs. Qatar (Group B) — Vancouver [FS1, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Mexico vs. South Korea (Group A) — Guadalajara [FOX, Telemundo]June 193 p.m. ET — USA vs. Australia (Group D) — Seattle [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Scotland vs. Morocco (Group C) — Boston [FOX, Telemundo]8:30 p.m. ET — Brazil vs. Haiti (Group C) — Philadelphia [FOX, Telemundo]11 p.m. ET — Turkey vs. Paraguay (Group D) — San Francisco Bay Area [FS1, Telemundo]June 201 p.m. ET — Netherlands vs. Sweden (Group F) — Houston [FOX, Telemundo]4 p.m. ET — Germany vs. Ivory Coast (Group E) — Toronto [FOX, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET — Ecuador vs. Curaçao (Group E) — Kansas City [FS1, Telemundo]June 2112 a.m. ET — Tunisia vs. Japan (Group F) — Monterrey [FS1, Telemundo]12 p.m. ET — Spain vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H) — Atlanta [FOX, Telemundo]3 p.m. ET — Belgium vs. Iran (Group G) — Inglewood [FS1, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Uruguay vs. Cape Verde (Group H) — Miami [FS1, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — New Zealand vs. Egypt (Group G) — Vancouver [FS1, Telemundo]June 221 p.m. ET — Argentina vs. Austria (Group J) — Dallas [FOX, Telemundo]5 p.m. ET — France vs. Iraq - (Group I) — Philadelphia [FOX, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET — Norway vs. Senegal (Group I) — New York/New Jersey [FOX, Telemundo]11 p.m. ET — Jordan vs. Algeria (Group J) — San Francisco Bay Area [FS1, Telemundo]June 231 p.m. ET — Portugal vs. Uzbekistan (Group K) — Houston [FOX, Telemundo]4 p.m. ET — England vs. Ghana (Group L) — Boston [FOX, Telemundo]7 p.m. ET — Panama vs. Croatia (Group L) — Toronto [FOX, Telemundo]10 p.m. ET — Colombia vs. DR Congo (Group K) — Guadalajara [FS1, Telemundo]June 243 p.m. ET — Canada vs. Switzerland (Group B) — Vancouver [FOX, Telemundo]3 p.m. ET — Bosnia and Herzegovina A vs. Qatar (Group B) — Seattle [FS1, Universo]6 p.m. ET — Morocco vs. Haiti (Group C) — Atlanta [FS1, Universo]6 p.m. ET — Scotland vs. Brazil (Group C) — Miami [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Mexico vs. Czechia (Group A) — Mexico City [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — South Korea vs. South Africa (Group A) — Monterrey [FS1, Universo]June 254 p.m. ET — Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast (Group E) — Philadelphia [FS1, Universo]4 p.m. ET — Ecuador vs. Germany (Group E) — New York/New Jersey [FOX, Telemundo]7 p.m. ET — Tunisia vs. Netherlands (Group F) — Kansas City [FOX, Telemundo]7 p.m. ET — Japan vs. Sweden (Group F) — Dallas [FS1, Universo]10 p.m. ET — USA vs. Turkey (Group D) — Inglewood [FOX, Telemundo]10 p.m. ET — Paraguay vs. Australia (Group D) — San Francisco Bay Area [FS1, Universo]June 263 p.m. ET — Norway vs. France (Group I) — Boston [FOX, Telemundo]3 p.m. ET — Senegal vs. Iraq (Group I) — Toronto [FS1, Universo]8 p.m. ET— Uruguay vs. Spain (Group H) — Guadalajara [FOX, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET— Cape Verde vs. Saudi Arabia (Group H) — Houston [FS1, Universo]11 p.m. ET— New Zealand vs. Belgium (Group G) — Vancouver [FOX, Telemundo]11 p.m. ET— Egypt vs. Iran (Group G) — Seattle [FS1, Universo]June 275 p.m. ET — Panama vs. England (Group L) — New York/New Jersey [FOX, Telemundo5 p.m. ET — Croatia vs. Ghana (Group L) — Philadelphia [FS1, Universo]7:30 p.m. ET — Colombia vs. Portugal (Group K) — Miami [FOX, Telemundo]7:30 p.m. ET — DR Congo 1 vs. Uzbekistan (Group K) — Atlanta [FS1, Universo]10 p.m. ET — Algeria vs. Austria (Group J) — Kansas City [FS1, Universo]10 p.m. ET — Jordan vs. Argentina (Group J) — Dallas [FOX, Telemundo]2026 World Cup knockout stage scheduleRound of 32:June 283 p.m. ET — Runner-up Group A vs. Runner-up Group B — Inglewood (Match 73) [FOX, Telemundo]June 291 p.m. ET — Winner Group C vs. Runner-up Group F — Houston (Match 76) [FOX, Telemundo]4:30 p.m. ET — Winner Group E vs. Best 3rd place Group A/B/C/D/F — Boston (Match 74) [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Winner Group F vs. Runner-up Group C — Guadalupe, Mexico (Match 75) [FOX, Telemundo]June 301 p.m. ET — Runner-up Group E vs. Runner-up Group I — Dallas (Match 78) [FOX, Telemundo]5 p.m. ET — Winner Group I vs. Best 3rd place Group C/D/F/G/H — New Jersey (Match 77) [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Winner Group A vs. Best 3rd place Group C/E/F/H/I — Mexico City (Match 79) [FOX, Telemundo]July 112 p.m. ET — Winner Group L vs Best 3rd place Group E/H/I/J/K — Atlanta (Match 80) [FOX, Telemundo]4 p.m. ET — Winner Group G vs Best 3rd place Group A/E/H/I/J — Seattle (Match 82) [FS1, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET — Winner Group D vs Best 3rd place Group B/E/F/I/J — San Francisco-Bay Area (Match 81) [FOX, Telemundo]July 23 p.m. ET — Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J — Los Angeles (Match 84) [FOX, Telemundo]7 p.m. ET — Runner-up Group K vs Runner-up Group L — Toronto (Match 83) [FOX, Telemundo]11 p.m. ET — Winner Group B vs Best 3rd place Group E/F/G/I/J — Vancouver (Match 85) [FS1, Telemundo]July 32 p.m. ET — Runner-up Group D vs. Runner-up Group G — Dallas (Match 88) [FOX, Telemundo]6 p.m. ET — Winner Group J vs. Runner-up Group H — Miami (Match 86) [FOX, Telemundo]9:30 p.m. ET — Winner Group K vs. Best 3rd place Group D/E/I/J/L — Kansas City (Match 87), Telemundo]Round of 16:July 41 p.m. ET — Match 73 winner vs. Match 75 winner — Houston (Match 90) [FOX, Telemundo]5 p.m. ET — Match 74 winner vs. Match 77 winner — Philadelphia (Match 89) [FOX, Telemundo]July 54 p.m. ET — Match 76 winner vs. Match 78 winner — New Jersey (Match 91) [FOX, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET — Match 79 winner vs. Match 80 winner — Mexico City (Match 92) [FOX, Telemundo]July 63 p.m. ET — March 83 winner vs. Match 84 winner — Dallas (Match 93) [FOX, Telemundo]8 p.m. ET — Match 81 winner vs. Match 82 winner — Seattle (Match 94) [FOX, Telemundo]July 712:00 p.m. ET — Match 86 winner vs. Match 88 winner — Atlanta (Match 95) [FOX, Telemundo]4:00 p.m. ET — Match 85 winner vs. Match 87 winner — Vancouver (Match 96) [FOX, Telemundo]Quarterfinals:July 94 p.m. ET — Match 89 winner vs. Match 90 winner — Boston (Match 97) [FOX, Telemundo]July 103 p.m. ET — Match 93 winner vs. Match 94 winner — Los Angeles (Match 98) [FOX, Telemundo]July 115 p.m. ET — Match 91 winner vs March 92 winner — Miami (Match 99) [FOX, Telemundo]9 p.m. ET — Match 95 winner vs. Match 96 winner — Kansas City (Match 100) [FOX, Telemundo]Semifinals:July 143:00 p.m. ET — Winner 97 vs. Winner 98 — Dallas (Match 101) [FOX, Telemundo]July 153 p.m. ET — Winner 99 vs. Winner 100 — Atlanta (Match 102) [FOX, Telemundo]Third-place match, July 18:5 p.m. ET — Miami [FOX, Telemundo]World Cup Final, July 19:3 p.m. ET — Metlife Stadium in New Jersey [FOX, Telemundo]

Moorestown returned to the top of the girls lacrosse mountain, while the Shawnee boys and Haddonfield girls came up just short in their quest to win state championships in a hot, muggy day at the College of New Jersey. NJSIAA Group 3 girls championshipMoorestown 7, Summit 5: Meghan Hock and Ella Brittain scored two goals each as the Quakers won their first state title since 2021 and 26th overall. Mazey Hinshillwood, Brynn Richards and Charlotte Lynch scored single goals in the win. Samantha Caldiero and Gabby Rockwell stopped two shots each in the win. Check back later for complete coverage of the Quakers' win. NJSIAA Group 3 boys championshipSummit 9, Shawnee 3: Tyler Rotkowitz, Brett Lundberg and Tommy McAneney scored a goal each as their stellar four-year careers ended with the Renegades' third trip to a state final. Shawnee kept the game to within 4-2 through three quarters but the Hilltoppers pulled away in the fourth. The senior offensive trio of Rotkowitz, Lundberg and McAneney combined for 913 career points, won three South Jersey Group 3 titles and the 2023 NJSIAA Group 3 championship. They were a part of an eight-member senior class that took the long-slow traditional final lap around the field together after the game."I don't even have words to describe it," McAneney said. "I still can't believe it. It seemed just like yesterday, we won the state championship. Obviously, records are cool and stuff. It would have been nice to go out with the state championship together."McAneney is the Shawnee career leader with 249 goals, 170 assists and 419 points. Rotkowitz finished with 220 goals, 121 assist and 341 points. Lundberg had 92 goals, 61 assists and 153 points. The impact the entire senior class made was far greater than mere numbers."This means so much," McAneney said. "I love these guys. I can't believe I'm not going to play lacrosse with most of them again. It's a blessing just to have been able to play these past four years, and honestly, my entire life with these guys. I'm just thankful for that."NJSIAA Group 1 girls championshipGlen Ridge 10, Haddonfield 9: A shot in the final seconds of regulation rang off the pipe just minutes before the Haddons fell with 52 second left in overtime. Lauren Hamblin, Riley Austin and Avery Sinnes scored two goals each as the Bulldogs rallied from two-goal deficits at halftime and through three quarters to force overtime. Livia DeLorenzo scored with a second left in the first half. Maeve Norton and Libby Bayer added the only goals of the fourth quarter to knot the game at nine.The game was very much in the Dawgs' grasp."It's been awesome," Austin said. "Obviously, it does sting a little bit right now, but looking back on the whole season, I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else. We were such a tight-knit family throughout these past couple of months. This season, although we had some really unexpected and unfortunate losses to injury, we really bonded together and motivated each other."Haddonfield ended the season with a 18-3 record and had won 15 of its last 16 games with its only loss in the span coming to Group 3 state champion Moorestown."We've grown a lot," Austin said. "We really try to emphasize like doing it for each other. We really did do that throughout this playoff run and this season."Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes. Follow him on twitter @Rimbacksports. Email him with story ideas at tomrimback@gmail.com and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription to the Courier-Post.This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Moorestown girls win, Shawnee boys, Haddonfield girls come up short

One resale site said that more than 48 percent of its tickets to the game in San Antonio had been sold to people from New York and New Jersey.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Halfway through a triumphant World Cup opener on home soil, the U.S. men's national team's near-perfect night took an alarming twist.Christian Pulisic was not among the 11 players who jogged onto the SoFi Stadium pitch for the start of Friday night's second half.Why would U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino pull the face of American soccer after a dazzling first half in which Pulisic set up two of his team's three goals and appeared capable of handling the pressure to deliver on a global stage? Was Pulisic hurt? Was it load management? Was it just precautionary? "I just got a bit of a kick in the first half. I'm really hoping that it's nothing,” Pulisic said after the U.S. team’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay. “Taking a little bit of precaution tonight but I'm hoping I'll be fine in the next few days.""I've had similar things before. I'm staying positive. I don't think it's anything. "Before exiting the USMNT’s first match of group play, Pulisic was the most dangerous component of a multi-faceted American attack. He repeatedly took on players and ran in behind the Paraguay defense, creating goal scoring opportunities aplenty.The opening goal of the match came in the seventh minute thanks to Pulisic's creative brilliance on the ball. Marked by a pair of Paraguayan defenders, Captain America knifed in between them, burst into the box and slipped it to Weston McKennie in space. Damian Bobadilla then unwittingly poked McKennie's cross past his own keeper for an own goal, exactly the sort of start the U.S. needed to ease the pressure to perform in a home World Cup. Pulisic also set up the U.S.'s second goal in the 31st minute, driving deep into the Paraguay box and cutting it back to Flo Balogun. Balogun, completely unmarked, then side-footed the low cross past the goalkeeper and into the far side of the net.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 12: Starting pitcher Luinder Avila #58 of the Kansas City Royals hands the ball over to manager Matt Quatraro #33 as he leaves the game against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on June 12, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images Before the Royals took an at-bat in the first inning, they were down 9-0. Before the Astros took their second at-bat, the Royals had made it 9-5. Neither starter made it through the first inning, but the bullpens held it there until the eighth, when the Royals added 3 more to make 9-8. The Astros added a home run in the ninth off of Matt Strahm (naturally) to give us the final score of 10-8.The big damage in the first inning was done by Yordan Alvarez, who has had a great career but is having perhaps his best season yet at age 28. He belted two home runs in that first inning, a two-run shot followed by a grand slam on his second trip. Christian Walker, having a rebound year, also hit a solo shot in the inning.The Royals kept the line moving in their half of the first. Carter Jensen led off with a single, Bobby Witt Jr. walked, and Vinnie Pasquantino singled to drive home Carter. Maikel Garcia grounded into a fielder’s choice, Vinnie out at second, but drove in a second run. Jac Caglianone struck out, one of three on the evening, and Salvador Perez swung at a 3-2 pitch below the zone to put runners at second and third. Michael Massey doubled down the right field line to drive in one, then Kameron Misner blooped a single to center to drive in two more. Isaac Collins ripped a single into left, and Kameron Misner made the inexplicable decision to go to third on the plate and was thrown out to end the inning.And that was it for the scoring until the eighth inning.Garcia singled to lead off, then Jac struck out again, Salvy singled to center, then Massey went opposite field for an RBI single. The Astros called on lefty reliever Bryan King, and Lane Thomas was tasked with pinch-hitting for Misner, but he struck out. Isaac Collins got hit by an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. Carter Jensen took an RBI walk, and Bobby smashed one toward the hole, but Isaac Parades managed to knock it down, keeping the Royals to only an RBI infield single. With the lefty still on the mound, Matt Quatraro went back to his bench to get Starling Marte to pinch-hit for Vinnie Pasquantino. Marte hit a weak grounder to short. Last year, he would have been fast enough to beat that out, and the Royals would have tied the game. Alas, it is 2026, and he was thrown out by a hair.As previously noted, the Astros got one of those runs back, and Josh Hader came in to close it out, inducing three poorly hit balls from the Royals to end things.Given how the game started, it’s amazing that KC managed to get all the way back in the game. But, as has been their modus operandi for the past two years, it was just too little, too late.They’ll try again tomorrow evening. Mike Burrows (5.77 ERA, 9.8% K-BB%) will go against the suddenly sensational Noah Cameron (3.84 ERA, 16.7% K-BB%). The game is scheduled to start at 6:10 p.m. Central time. The USMNT isn’t playing this time, so I have no idea how you might otherwise distract yourself from whatever nonsense the Royals get up to this time.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Colt Emerson homered in a five-run second inning and the Seattle Mariners routed the Washington Nationals 10-2 after a long rain delay Friday night to open a three-game series.Bryce Miller allowed two runs in a career-high eight innings for AL West-leading Seattle, which lost outfielder Randy Arozarena in the third inning to an apparent leg injury while running through first base on a groundout.James Wood hit his 19th homer for Washington (35-35), which slipped back to .500 and fell to an NL-worst 12-21 at home.The game was delayed 2 hours, 11 minutes at the start because of rain.Dominic Canzone opened the scoring with a two-run triple to center in the second, then came around on Miles Mastrobuoni’s sacrifice fly. Jhonny Pereda singled before Emerson ripped Zack Littell’s fastball to deep center.Emerson is the fourth Mariner to hit five home runs before his 21st birthday, joining Ken Griffey Jr. (38), Alex Rodriguez (26) and José López (five).Miller (3-0) allowed Wood’s homer to lead off the fourth and Dylan Crews’ blast to open the eighth, but didn’t permit another runner past first base. He struck out seven while yielding four hits and no walks.Cole Young scored on a wild pitch and Luke Raley hit a two-run single in the fifth for Seattle. Canzone led off the eighth with a homer, and Josh Naylor added a solo shot in the ninth.Littell (6-5) allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings without recording a strikeout. He threw 43 of his 56 pitches in the second inning.Up nextSeattle RHP Luis Castillo (2-5, 5.16 ERA) was set to face RHP Cade Cavalli (3-4, 3.88) on Saturday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 12: Blaze Jordan #33 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits an RBI single against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning of his MLB debut at Target Field on June 12, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images Friday night’s game in Minnesota was a turning point of sorts for the St. Louis Cardinals after several roster moves one of which was the debut of Blaze Jordan. He contributed along with a bomb from Alec Burleson, but the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen would blow a lead late as the Minnesota Twins beat the birds Friday night in Minneapolis in a heartbreaker. It has been a happy habit lately for the St. Louis Cardinals to score early and Friday was no exception. With two outs in the top of the 1st inning, Alec Burleson launched a 95 mph four-seam fastball from Joe Ryan 419 feet way up into the right-center field seats giving St. Louis an early 1-0 lead. That one-run lead wouldn’t last long as Byron Buxton sent a Kyle Leahy 91 mph slider 425 feet to dead centerfield tying the game 1-1. There would be two storylines in the top of the 2nd inning and they’re both related. The first was the Major League debut of Blaze Jordan who was called up as Nolan Gorman was sent down. After Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn singled, Jimmy Crooks lined out to center which brought up Blaze Jordan which would lead to several firsts. It was his first Major League at-bat, hit and RBI driving in Masyn Winn and giving the Cardinals their lead back at 2-1. Welcome to the show!After Blaze Jordan’s hit and RBI, Nathan Church struck out, but JJ Wetherholt picked him up lofting a single over the second baseman’s head upping the Cardinals lead to 3-1. One interesting side note on that play was Blaze Jordan who would have been thrown out at third base, but he smartly ran past second base and didn’t slow down making contact with the shortstop which resulted in interference being called by the umpires, so Blaze was granted third base. He didn’t score when Ivan Herrera grounded out to end the inning, but that was smart baserunning and situational awareness by Jordan. There was a 29 minute rain delay that interrupted play, but Kyle Leahy returned to the mound anyway. He would give up one run in the bottom of the 5th inning after he surrendered a single to Lewis and a double to Caratini. Two batters later, Lewis would score on an infield single by Gray cutting the St. Louis lead to just one at 3-2. Kyle would continue into the bottom of the 6th, but would run into trouble again. He gave up a leadoff double to Buxton then walked Clemens. Josh Bell then hammered a Kyle Leahy changeup to center for a double tying the game 3-3. Manager Oli Marmol took Kyle out of the game and brought in George Soriano in relief. He would give up a sacrifice fly to center which would score Clemens giving the Twins their first lead of the game at 4-3. Kyle Leahy’s line for the night would be 5 innings giving up 8 hits and 4 earned runs while striking out 5 and walking just 1. The Cardinals would strike back in the top of the 7th inning. Jimmy Crooks walked to leadoff the inning, but Blaze Jordan was called out looking on a pitch that likely would have been overturned if he had made an ABS appeal. Nelson Velasquez pinch-hit for Nathan Church, but also struck out. JJ Wetherholt then drew a two-out walk on a no-doubt ABS challenge where he was already taking off his gear before the result was even revealed. Ivan Herrera then reached on an infield single which was actually a great grab by the shortstop to keep it from reaching the outfield resulting in a bases-loaded opportunity for the Cardinals with Alec Burleson coming to the plate. He promptly walked on 4 pitches when Twins reliever Eric Orze couldn’t find the strike zone walking in a run and tying the game 4-4. That brought up Jordan Walker who did what the 2026 version of Jordan Walker does. He punished an 85 mph splitter and ripped it into the left field corner which cleared the bases as even Alec Burleson scored all the way from first giving St. Louis a 7-4 lead. Gordon Graceffo was the Cardinals answer for the start of the 7th inning, but he unfortunately wouldn’t finish it. After Gray grounded out to start the inning, Graceffo walked Keaschall. After Larnach flied out to center, Gordon then walked Buxton which brought up the tying run to the plate. The Cardinals brought in Ryne Stanek who was rudely greeted by Kody Clemens who crushed a 3-run homer into the right field stands tying the game (again) 7-7 in the 7th inning. Bummer.Never fear. The St. Louis Cardinals relentless approach would star once again in Minnesota in the top of the 8th inning. After Masyn Winn popped out to lead off the Cardinals 8th, Jimmy Crooks singled to center and then advanced to second base on a wild pitch by Twins reliever Gomez. Blaze Jordan would then punch his second hit of the night into right field, but the Twins outfield was playing in and Bryan Torres who pinch-ran for Crooks was stopped at third base. Jose Fermin then whistled a sharp grounder to shortstop Gray for what looked like would be an inning-ending double play, but instead he was unable to get the ball out of his glove resulting in everyone being safe and Torres scoring to give the Cardinals an 8-7 lead. It was then JJ Wetherholt’s turn as he lanced a single into short left field to load the bases again. Unfortunately, the Cardinals would not get another run on the board after Herrera popped out to second base and Burleson flied out to center. Those missed opportunities would come back to haunt St. Louis big time one half inning later. In the bottom of the 8th inning, Ryne Stanek delivered a 95 mph four-seam fastball in exactly the place that Royce Lewis was looking for it and he destroyed it 394 feet high up into the left field seats tying the game (again) at 8-8 in the 8th inning. But wait, there’s more. After JJ Wetherholt made a Gold Glove-level play on a hot grounder from Caratini to get him out, Stanek grooved an 87 mph slider to Lee who gave someone 382 feet away in right field a souvenir making it 9-8 Twins. BUMMER.The Cardinals sent up big bats in the top of the 9th inning as it was Jordan Walker, Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn representing St. Louis’ last hope. They unfortunately grounded out consecutively 1-2-3 to end a very disappointing night in Minnesota. They’ll try again Saturday afternoon when Matthew Liberatore gets the start for the Cardinals against LHP Connor Prielipp for the Twins. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10pm central time and the broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 12: Cole Young #2 and Josh Naylor #12 of the Seattle Mariners walk to the dugout before a game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 12, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images Mariners 10, Nationals 2Doing shots during a rain delay: Dominic Canzone, .17 WPAShotgun weddings during a rain delay: with apologies to Zack Littell for the rare non-Mariner goat WPA, Zack Littell: -.33 WPAGame thread comment of the day:

De'Aaron Fox reveals he's remaining level-headed amid the vitriol he faced after Game 4 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.De'Aaron Fox became the NBA world's punching bag after Game 4 of the NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs guard had a horrific second half, headlined by taking an early layup attempt in the clutch when he could have just wasted time.He has received a lot of passionate reactions on social media because he was the primary reason behind the New York Knicks taking a commanding 3-1 lead. Despite that, Fox seems to be unbothered by the vitriol.De'Aaron Fox does not mind the passionate reaction to his Game 4 blunderBefore the 2025-26 season started, most NBA fans thought the Spurs would do better than before. However, they did not expect them to suddenly rise to the top of the Western Conference and reach the NBA Finals.Fox has been instrumental in that, as he is the secondary star to Victor Wembanyama. He has done well as the veteran guard who can also have standout games quite often. Unfortunately for Fox, the goodwill he had built was destroyed when he made that Game 4 blunder.MORE: Mavericks fans can relate to what is happening between the Spurs and De'Aaron FoxAs a veteran professional, Fox has learned how to deal with the vitriol from the fans. Game 4 was another level of reactions, but it seems he is taking it in stride despite the harsh criticism he has received."It's not like people have my phone number and can call me. I don't watch those shows. It doesn't matter. It is what it is. You can't change it now. We're trying to move on from that," Fox said about the reactions to his mistake in Game 4.As the series progresses, the Spurs are ready to keep fighting for a chance to come back. Fox needs to do himself a favor by having good performances, so he can redeem himself after the blunder in Game 4 that turned a possible 2-2 series to a 3-1 deficit.More NBA news:The Knicks are urged to replace the struggling Mitchell RobinsonGame 4 of the NBA Finals had a monumental call that could have changed the entire seriesKarl-Anthony Towns and the fans combine to make the final play in Game 4Dylan Harper and the Spurs are ready to bounce back at home in Game 5Could Celtics star Jayson Tatum be rooting for the Spurs in the NBA Finals?

The UFC has spent months making plans for one of the most unique events in MMA history, UFC Freedom 250 at the White House this Sunday in Washington, D.C.The seven-fight show features fan-favorites Diego Lopes, Michael Chandler and Sean O'Malley in separate fights, a heavyweight interim title clash between Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, and a lightweight championship bout between Ilia Topuria and the challenger, Justin Gaethje. The card is stacked with big names and fights that promise finishes.But there is one possible issue: Inclement weather.At the time of publication on Friday, The Weather Channel forecasts a 50% chance of rain for Sunday, with the "potential for severe thunderstorms." There is a strong probability of rain showers in the evening, and high humidity too. Even during the pre-show for Friday’s final press conference, former two-division champion Daniel Cormier was sweating so much that UFC commentator Jon Anik had to wipe his forehead down. The media event, which took place in front of the Lincoln Memorial steps, was delayed because of the weather, and it rained Thursday night too.White, though, remains defiant. "Listen," he told reporters. "The show goes on, on Sunday, no matter what happens. We're going. I don't care if it rains, snows, whatever happens, we have a fight.“I'm sick and tired of hearing about the weather now, and all the other bulls*** surrounding this event,” White added, perhaps in reference to an unsuccessful lawsuit that the anti-corruption watchdog group, Public Integrity Project, filed on behalf of two plaintiffs on June 6.The suit aimed to block the “deeply corrupt” spectacle from taking place, alleging it violated regulations, wasn’t properly permitted, and lacked necessary environmental review, among other claims.Earlier on Friday, judge Amit Mehta declined to block the show because, he said, plaintiffs failed to prove irreparable harm and cited “unreasonable delay” in bringing the lawsuit because the event had been known for months. The 92-foot “Claw” structure above the Octagon was temporary, Mehta added, and so environmental damage, therefore, was doubtful.Speaking at the press event, White continued: “We are fighting this Sunday on The White House lawn. No matter what.”Dana White speaks alongside the UFC Freedom 250 fighters in front of the Lincoln Memorial.Ed Mulholland via Getty ImagesConsidering recent one-of-a-kind UFC events, from the promotion’s Fight Island shows during COVID-19 pandemic, to the Sphere of Las Vegas, and now Freedom 250, White later commented on the likelihood of hosting events in other unique places.But after this experience, he’s seemingly unenthused."The Sphere happened because I watched a show there, and then you all know how this [the White House event] ended up happening,” he said.“I like arenas where fans can get a great experience. I like arenas where we don't have to worry about the elements. “Look on the screens — the setup here, this is one of one. I love it. But I'm not looking to go outside anymore and do anything crazy.”“We'll just do some arenas for the rest of the year," White finished.

OMAHA, NE — The Ole Miss baseball offense threw the first punch in the College World Series against North Carolina but could not deliver the knockout blow.It was uncharacteristic for the Rebels, who were 5-0 in the NCAA Tournament before getting to Omaha."It's disappointing we weren't able to finish," Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco said. "That doesn't happen much to us."No. 5 North Carolina beat the Rebels 6-2 on June 12 in the first day of action in the CWS. Ole Miss will face Troy in an elimination game on June 14 (1 p.m., ESPN).Ole Miss built a 1-0 lead, and was up 2-1 entering the bottom of the seventh, but the Rebels stranded eight runners failed to add insurance runs when the game was close. It proved costly when UNC delivered a three-run home run in the eighth as a knockout blow.The two runs were the fewest Ole Miss (41-22) has scored in the NCAA Tournament. The Rebels had scored at least five in every game.Bianco attributed the quiet day to taking North Carolina's best pitch.UNC starter Jason DeCaro entered the game with the No. 10 ERA in the nation (2.28). He went 6⅔ innings and allowed two runs."DeCaro, obviously his numbers are really good, but he locates it very well," Ole Miss third baseman Judd Utermark said. "His stuff is great. But that's not what gets guys in trouble. It's not the strikeouts, necessarily, even though we had quite a few tonight. It was more of the weak contact that he produces."Ole Miss got eight hits but was held without a home run. The Rebels hit seven home runs in their first five NCAA Tournament games.The Rebels also stuck out 11 times and worked just three walks.The Tar Heels (51-12-1) relieved DeCaro with one of the nine players in the nation with a better ERA. Caden Glauber, who entered with a 2.20 ERA good for No. 7 nationally, pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings."We knew that going in," Bianco said. "We knew that obviously DeCaro was a true ace and (Glauber is) an All-American closer."Sam Hutchens covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at Shutchens@gannett.com or reach him on X at @Sam_Hutchens_This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Why Ole Miss' offense struggled vs UNC in College World Series

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordan Alvarez became the third player in Houston history to hit two homers in an inning, with a two-run shot and a grand slam during a nine-run first, and the Astros beat the Kansas City Royals 10-8 on Friday night.Alvarez is the 63rd player in major league history to hit two homers in one inning, and the first Houston player since Jeff Bagwell did it on June 24, 1994. He is the first since Boston's David Ortiz on Aug. 12, 2008 to do it in the first.He is also just the eighth player to hit a grand slam and a multirun homer in a single inning, and the first to do it in the first inning, per Sportradar.Alvarez finished 3 for 5 with six RBIs and moved into a tie with Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber for the MLB lead in homers with 24.Christian Walker added a solo shot in the first inning, and Taylor Trammell had an RBI single. Cam Smith scored on a passed ball to complete the scoring.The Royals answered with five runs in the first. Kameron Misner had two RBIs, and Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey and Maikel Garcia each had one in the inning.Kansas City scored three runs in the eighth inning to make it a one-run game, but Brice Matthews hit pinch-hit homer for the Astros in the ninth and Josh Hader — the last of seven Houston pitchers — pitched the ninth for his second save.Nate Pearson (1-0) earned the win with two scoreless innings. Starter Tatsuya Imai went 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and five runs.Luinder Avila (1-3) surrendered five hits, eight runs, and three walks.Up nextRoyals LHP Noah Cameron (3-4, 3.84 ERA) takes the hill opposite Astros RHP Mike Burrows (3-8, 5.77) in the second game of the series.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The World Cup 2026 is beginning to find its rhythm with the remaining co-hosts getting their campaigns underway on day two - 2,210 miles apart.Canada battled back to draw 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto thanks to substitute Cyle Larin after a tepid opening ceremony and an angry reaction to the sight of their American head coach Jesse Marsch heartily singing the anthem.After then it was the turn of the USA, the primary hosts of this tournament, who got their campaign underway with an emphatic 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay in Los Angeles.Here is everything you need to know from day two of the super-sized tournamentMore empty seats as Fifa reckon fans too keen on concoursesHaving blamed vacant seats during the opening night encounter between South Korea and Czechia on fans choosing to stay on the concourse in Guardalajara, Fifa big wigs will have spotted hundreds of empty spots in Toronto, the tournament’s smallest venue with a capacity of just over 45,000. The official attendance was given as 43,008, with swathes of empty rows in the most expensive areas during the start of the first half as those who had paid top dollar chose to, it would seem, enjoy some refreshments rather than the action. Toronto saw more empty seats despite excitement surrounding Canada, while SoFi Stadium even had a sprinkle of empty seats before the USA hammered Paraguay.Partey barred from entering Canada for Ghana’s openerThomas Partey will not play for Ghana in their Group L opener against Panama in Toronto in the early hours of Thursday having been denied entry into Canada owing to the former Arsenal midfielder awaiting trial for a number of sex offences, all of which he denies.The now Villarreal player has been granted entry to the US, meaning he will be able to feature against England in their second game, in Boston, on Tuesday, June 23, and the group concluder versus Croatia in Philadelphia on Saturday, June 27.Fifa said in a statement that “Partey will be unable to travel from Ghana’s team base camp ... to Canada for their first match against Panama ... as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government. Fifa is not involved in the immigration processes of host countries, including the adjudication of visas.”Marsch’s singing riles former USA starThere was a bemusing moment on US broadcaster Fox when former striker turned pundit Clint Dempsey was left fuming by the sight of his compatriot Marsch singing the Canadian anthem prior to the Bosnia match kicking off. Marsch had previously said he would need to “beg” American players to sing their anthem, which prompted Dempsey to react strongly.“He really said that? Man, I can’t take this guy too seriously,” Dempsey complained. “I’m not going to take advice from someone who’s switched to the other side and is singing another country’s national anthem.” Also on the same channel, Alexi Lalas insulted James Corden.Balogun makes Golden Boot case (Reuters)It’s early, sure, but the only man in the tournament so far with two goals is Folarin Balogun, who now has a great shot at winning the Golden Boot by leading the line for the USA. His form, too, suggests potential for more joy against Australia and Turkey.The connection with Christian Pulisic, who endured an injury scare with his half-time withdrawal, is magnificent, while the USA’s energy and commitment to get runners in and around the Monaco man ensures he has enough space to thrive.Pulisic doubt hangs over rampant USAThe performance was magnificent, confidence is growing, if not overspilling, with the raucous scenes outside SoFi Stadium showing a host nation already dreaming of a remarkable challenge to win it all.But no matter the encouraging displays all over the pitch in Los Angeles, Pulisic remains the heartbeat to this side, representing the X-factor, and his withdrawal at the break provides a telling reminder about the fragility of his importance to the USMNT. His availability moving forward is in doubt and provides a challenge for Pochettino to carefully manage his workload and keep the USA on course for a deep run. "He received a kick in his calf and he felt tight at the end of the first half,” said Pochettino. “We didn't want to take any risks. It was difficult for him to walk but hope that it is not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one.”

Bu Ri lost a leg to a mine in Myanmar decades ago. More recently, six other members of his family have suffered a similar fate or worse, in a sign of the devastation wreaked by civil war.

Lead Stories says: Trolls US FansDoes a real Fox Sports graphic from the Mexico-South Africa game during the 2026 FIFA World Cup include a long explanation of what it means to be "down to 9 players"? No, that's not true: Video from the match does not include such a graphic. At that point in the game, the yellow on-screen graphic simply read "Down to 9 players" and did not include a 50-plus-word explanation.The claim appeared in a post and image (archived here) by Troll Football Media (@TrollFootball2) on X on June 11, 2026. It read:American broadcastingThis is what the image in the post looked like on X at the time of writing:Image source: post by @TrollFootball2 on X.The image from the social media post is supposed to show the game at the 83:48 mark, but it does not match what aired on television. Lead Stories watched a replay of the Mexico-South Africa match on the Fox Sports website (archived here) and also viewed the game's highlights published to YouTube (archived here) by Fox Sports on June 11, 2026. In neither case did the lengthy explanation of what was taking place show up on the screen.This is what a screenshot of the broadcast replay looked like on the Fox Sports website at the time of writing:Image source: Fox Sports.The highlights are embedded below and are queued up to that point in the match:Troll Football MediaTroll Football has multiple accounts across social media platforms, including X, Instagram and Facebook. On its Facebook account (archived here), Troll Football states its intent plainly:WARNING: Don't follow us if you can't take a troll on your fav club/player.This is what the Facebook page looked like at the time of writing:Image source: Troll Football on Facebook.In this particular case, Troll Football appears to be targeting American soccer/football fans, who are often stereotyped as not being as familiar with the game as fans in countries where soccer is more deeply embedded in the culture.Lead Stories reached out to Fox Sports for comment on the claim about their graphics but did not get an immediate response.

The Los Angeles Lakers will need to make decisions on a number of their key players who can or will become free agents this summer. Obviously, LeBron James and Austin Reaves top that list, but there will be other starters and rotation players who could hit the open market.Sharpshooter Luke Kennard, forward Rui Hachimura and backup center Jaxson Hayes will be free agents in a few weeks. In addition, starting center Deandre Ayton and veteran Marcus Smart can opt out of their player options for next season.John Hollinger, the former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies who is now a senior NBA columnist for The Athletic, predicted in a recent article that both Ayton and Smart will opt to enter free agency this summer."Ayton signed a bargain deal with the Lakers that he massively outplayed (BORD$ value $19.3 million) and should be up for a reward in the free-agent market as a result," Hollinger wrote. "He’ll be among the most gettable starting centers on the market."The term "BORD$" refers to what Hollinger calls "Big Ol’ Rating Dollars," a formula he said answers the question "How much value can we expect a given player to deliver for next season?"Ayton was widely seen as a disappointment for the Lakers this season due to an inconsistent motor. But he is a legitimate offensive threat who can dominate the boards and play physical positional defense when he wants to. He put up 12.5 points and eight rebounds a game during the regular season, but both those figures were career lows for him.Meanwhile, Smart proved to be an important X-factor for Los Angeles. At age 32, this offseason could be his last chance to receive a sizable contract."Smart signed his deal with a player option with the idea that he could get a payday this summer if he played well. He did. BORD$ now values him at $11.6 million, so he can confidently test the market."The former Defensive Player of the Year averaged 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, three assists and 1.4 steals a game during the regular season, even though many people felt his best days were firmly behind him when he came to the Lakers last summer. He increased his scoring output in the playoffs, especially in the first round versus the Houston Rockets when both Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic were out with an oblique strain and a hamstring strain, respectively.This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: John Hollinger expects Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart to opt out

Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are confident in a comeback despite the pressure originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.After blowing a 29-point lead in Game 4, it is normal for people to assume that the San Antonio Spurs' confidence is shot. It is one of the most discouraging results in recent history, but it seems the Spurs are remaining level-headed.Victor Wembanyama has faced the media head-on, cementing that he is confident in his team. However, he does want to reiterate that they are not being overconfident because they know the New York Knicks are a formidable opponent.Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs are ready for the pressure in Game 5For a young team like the Spurs, which has a young roster mostly playing in their first postseason run, they are more mature than most. Wembanyama is the perfect example of this because it feels like his maturity is at a high level.He has been under pressure to deliver on expectations. Since he is being called a generational player, those are some lofty heights he has to live up to. For the most part, he has done well, but the results should back that up.MORE: De'Aaron Fox is remaining steady after the vitriol he received after Game 4Unfortunately, the results have not been friendly to the Spurs in the NBA Finals. They are down 3-1 to the Knicks and are on the brink of losing. Despite that pressure, it seems Wembanyama and his teammates are staying confident."Everybody knows we're gonna do it. We need to isolate that one game and take it one game at a time. I think it'd be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games. It's one game at a time," Wembanyama said ahead of Game 5 of the Finals.Unfortunately for Wemby, this quote has been misconstrued, as most people are only seeing the first sentence. Some people are bringing up Jalen Brunson's mindset of taking it one game at a time, but Wemby was essentially saying the same thing.Wembanyama has no choice but to prove his statements on the court. He must live up to expectations because that comes with the superstar territory. It will be disappointing if he does lose in the Finals, especially with how people have been hyping him up.More NBA news:The Spurs are being urged to rewrite the entire offense vs the Knicks ahead of Game 5New camera angles show that Victor Wembanyama did not look to hurt OG AnunobyDylan Harper and the Spurs are motivated to bounce back in a do-or-die Game 5Iman Shumpert calls out De'Aaron Fox for a bad decision in Game 4Why Draymond Green has chosen to apologize to Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson

Most goals by USMNT in a World Cup game: Americans make history with electric win over Paraguay originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The United States turned SoFi Stadium into its personal playground in their win over Paraguay on Friday night. The concourses leapt in joy as a result of showcase, relishing the strikes under the California moon.Mauricio Pochettino's side looked every bit like the swashbuckling group he tipped it to be in the contest, producing goals in bunches. The ball zipped around the pitch as the likes of Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams danced and pranced across the pitch.The outing proved a memorable one for those who followed the action from the stands — and the millions more who watched on from television screens across the country.With that, here's a look at the greatest scoring displays in USMNT history — a record book that was reshuffled on Friday night.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Buy World Cup ticketsMost goals by USMNT in a World Cup gameThe USMNT's outburst against Paraguay proved historic in more ways than one. Not only did it put Mauricio Pochettino's side in strong position to claim a spot in the knockout stage. But it also represents the most explosive showcase in USMNT history, besting the side's previous record of three — tallied three times.Here's a look at the USMNT's highest-scoring World Cup games:RankOpponentGoals scored by U.SFinal scoreYear1Paraguay4United States 4, Paraguay 120262Belgium3United States 3, Belgium 01930Paraguay3United States 3, Paraguay 01930Portugal3United States 3, Portugal 22002Who scored goals for the United States vs Paraguay?Paraguay opened up the goal-scoring for the Americans, sending the ball into its own net courtesy of a Damian Bobadilla own goal.OWN GOAL. 1-0 USA! 🇺🇸THE @USMNT SCORES FIRST AND LOS ANGELES IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC! pic.twitter.com/tEbJU8E9PX— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026Folarin Balogun tripled the advantage by the halftime break, bulging the cage with a pair of lively strikes.PULISIC TO BALOGUN TO DOUBLE THE LEAD! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/IUvPu81kzl— U.S. Soccer Men's National Team (@USMNT) June 13, 2026FOLARIN BALOGUN BRACE TO MAKE IT 3-0 @USMNT! 🇺🇸A truly stellar FIFA World Cup debut for Flo. pic.twitter.com/yfjrSEtKcz— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026Pochettino's side capped off its impressive outing with a flourish. In the game's waning moments, Giovani Reyna — the much-maligned midfielder who failed to make a dent during the 2022 World Cup — found his mark with an outside-the-foot finish.Gio Reyna's first-ever FIFA World Cup goal was a trivela to seal it for the @USMNT 🤯It's the first four-goal outing for the US men's squad in a FIFA World Cup pic.twitter.com/5DSMGj9wNq— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026USMNT World Cup scheduleHere's a look at the USMNT's remaining schedule in the group stage.DateTime (ET)MatchLocationFri, Jun. 129 p.m.United States 4, Paraguay 1SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)Fri, Jun. 193 p.m.United States vs. AustraliaLumen Field (Seattle, WA)Thu, Jun. 2510 p.m.Turkey vs. United StatesSoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)MORE USMNT NEWS:Why isn't USA better at soccer by now?Meet USA's 2026 World Cup soccer teamHow far will the USMNT go in World Cup?How USA could play Iran in World CupMauricio Pochettino's flirtation with AC Milan is not his biggest issue

England manager Thomas Tuchel (Richard Pelham)England's World Cup preparations have been hit by the theft of equipment ahead of the squad's arrival at their Kansas City training base on Saturday.Balls and boots are reportedly among items stolen after vehicles transferring equipment to the team's Swope Soccer Village base were broken into, according to the BBC.The Football Association confirmed to Britain's Press Association that an incident had occurred but was unable to provide further information given it was now a police matter.The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department told the Daily Mail: "We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City with items missing this evening. The investigation is ongoing."The BBC said it was understood that two arrests have been made in connection with the episode.Thomas Tuchel's England are due to train at Swope Soccer Village for the first time at 5:00 pm (2200 GMT) on Saturday after transferring from their pre-tournament base in Florida.They open their World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, before further games in Group L against Ghana and Panama.jw/gj

The San Francisco 49ers made several moves this offseason, but while many believed they needed help in the safety room, general manager John Lynch didn't make a significant addition to the room for a while.That changed last week, when the 49ers added Ashtyn Davis on a one-year deal. The 29-year-old is entering his seventh season in the league after spending five with the New York Jets and one with the Miami Dolphins.While Davis' signing went under the radar, former 49ers defensive back Donte Whitner believes that the veteran may have been brought in to start the game. “I don’t think this move was made for him to be a backup," Whitner said on "The Grit Code" podcast. "He’s coming to this team to compete for a starting job… I think this was a move to Ji'Ayir Brown and said 'we gave you two years as a starter. In this third year, we cannot allow you to be a detriment to our success and if you start the season the way that you ended last season, we have a bunch of other guys in this locker room that we will replace you with'.”Brown, 26, played 74% of the team's defensive snaps in 17 games last season. He finished the year with 76 tackles, six passes defensed, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Pro Football Focus gave him a 61.7 overall grade, which put him 62nd out of 98 qualified safeties.San Francisco should be trying to bring out competition in that safety room between Brown, Davis and Marques Sigle for opportunities to play alongside Malik Mustapha. Whoever has the best showing through training camp and into the preseason should win the job, even if Brown was a third-round pick just a few years ago.More 49ers: Insider thinks 49ers should wait before making blockbuster tradeThis article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Donte Whitner believes Ashtyn Davis will compete to start for 49ers

The UFC Freedom 250 Pre-Fight Press Conference took place on Friday at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Following the questions, the fighters faced off with their opponents. UFC Freedom 250 takes place on Sunday, June 14, on the South Lawn of the White House. The event is headlined by a lightweight title unification bout between champion Ilia Topuria and interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. During their face-off, Topuria gave Gaethje a little shove.It's gettin' spicy 👀@TopuriaIlia vs @Justin_Gaethje#UFCWhiteHouse LIVE Sunday June 14 at 8pmET on @ParamountPlus![ Title fights presented by @Cryptocom ] pic.twitter.com/GHI74JEeeX— UFC (@ufc) June 13, 2026UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference Face-Offs

What happened to Christian Pulisic? Inside USMNT star's injury scare and World Cup future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.With the U.S. downing Paraguay 4-1 in their first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, nothing could dampen the spirits of the USMNT fans as excitement for the rest of the tournament soared to new heights.Well, almost nothing.The mysterious withdrawal of superstar Christian Pulisic left many fans knowing that the remainder of the tournament could be in jeopardy if Pulisic were to miss time due to injury, and his fitness must be protected at all costs.With fears of an injury absence running rampant as U.S. Soccer refused to clarify things immediately, fans were left to wonder and worry about his health.The Sporting News explains what happened to Pulisic and why he was substituted off, plus what his status could be for the upcoming match against Australia as Group D play continues.2026 WORLD CUP HQ:Latest World Cup news | Full World Cup schedule | Updated World Cup standingsWhat happened to Christian Pulisic?With USMNT fans flying high as the co-hosts led their World Cup opener 3-0 at the halftime break, it was a splash of cold water to the face when superstar Christian Pulisic did not emerge along with the rest of the team for the second half.Instead, Pulisic was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter to begin the final 45 minutes, leaving fans and media alike wondering what was going on.After the match, Pulisic finally shed light on his mysterious substitution."I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I'm really hoping that it's nothing," Pulisic said after the game. "I'm taking a little bit of precautions today, but I'm hoping I'll be fine in the next few days."He then specified where he was feeling the pain. "My calf area. But I've had similar things before, and yeah, I’m staying positive."MORE:USMNT player grades for the victory over Paraguay to begin the 2026 World CupWhat did Mauricio Pochettino say about Christian Pulisic injury?Mauricio Pochettino refused to speak on Pulisic's injury during the game, leaving Fox sideline reporter Jenny Taft to speculate along with the rest of the fanbase.After the match, the USMNT head coach echoed Pulisic's story almost exactly."We didn't want to take any risks," Pochettino told the media, saying that Pulisic took a kick in the calf and started to tighten up. Pochettino also used the word "precaution" in referring to the substitution.🇺🇸 Mauricio Pochettino tells FOX that Christian Pulisic got a kick in the calf and started to feel tight:“We didn't want to take any risks.”Pulisic adds he was "subbed off as a precaution." pic.twitter.com/JgD7gQv1Ee— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 13, 2026Will Christian Pulisic play against Australia?At this point, it's hard to say whether Christian Pulisic will play against Australia in the second Group D match for the United States at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Pulisic seemed to downplay the injury, but it's possible that Mauricio Pochettino plays it safe with his star winger, and keeps him on the bench to begin the second group match, knowing the most difficult and important game comes after in the group finale against Turkey.All eyes will be on Pulisic's status over the next few days as the U.S. team trains at their base in California before heading to Seattle for the match against Australia on Friday, June 19. Accordinbg to Pochettino, Pulisic will "hopefully be ready."USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino talks about the big win and gives an update on Christian Pulisic 🗣️#FIFAWorldCup#WorldCuppic.twitter.com/uDD6A7L4bh— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 13, 2026MORE USMNT NEWS:Why isn't USA better at soccer by now?Meet USA's 2026 World Cup soccer teamHow far will the USMNT go in World Cup?How USA could play Iran in World CupMauricio Pochettino's flirtation with AC Milan is not his biggest issueUSMNT World Cup scheduleWith three points in the bag for the United States in their Group D opener, they will move on to play Australia next in one week.After that, they will wrap up group stage play against Turkey, arguably the toughest of their three group matches.DateTime (ET)MatchLocationFri, Jun. 129 p.m.United States 4-1 ParaguaySoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)Fri, Jun. 193 p.m.United States vs. AustraliaLumen Field (Seattle, WA)Thu, Jun. 2510 p.m.Turkey vs. United StatesSoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)

Cricket runs in the family! Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 10-year-old brother Ashirvad smashes century originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS: Ashirvad Sooryavanshi, aged 10, scores 103 off 87 balls in a local practice game.Vaibhav, currently in Sri Lanka, celebrated his brother's feat on Instagram.The Sooryavanshi family is fast becoming Indian cricket's most exciting dynasty.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's 10-year-old brother, Aashirwad, hits a century in local matchWhile Vaibhav Sooryavanshi continues to take the international cricket world by storm in Sri Lanka, his 10-year-old brother Ashirvad has now stepped into the spotlight with a sparkling century of his own.Playing for Cricket Academy Tajpur in a local practice match in Samastipur, Ashirvad put together an innings of 103 runs off just 87 deliveries. He struck 20 fours and one six in a knock with a strike rate of 118.39.His contribution powered Cricket Academy Tajpur to a total of 234 for 4 in 29.5 overs, with Shivam Raj chipping in with 52. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi celebrates century from Sri LankaVaibhav, who is currently touring Sri Lanka with India A in a Tri-Nation A Series against Sri Lanka A and Afghanistan A, shared the match scorecard on his Instagram story and wrote: "Congratulations, Ashirvad".🚨 VAIBHAV SOORYAVANSHI CELEBRATES YOUNGER BROTHER’S CENTURY ON INSTAGRAM 👀Ashirwad Sooryavanshi smashed 103 off 87 balls for Cricket Academy Tajpur, hitting 20 fours and one six.His knock helped the team post 234/4 in 29.5 overs.Vaibhav proudly shared the achievement on… pic.twitter.com/xkHkrzF41p— TheWicketReport (@WicketReport) June 13, 2026In IPL 2026, Vaibhav claimed the Orange Cap with 776 runs, was named Most Valuable Player, Emerging Player of the Year and Super Striker, hit the most sixes (76) in the tournament and broke Chris Gayle's long-standing record. He has since earned a place in India's T20I squad for the tours of Ireland and England, as well as the Asian Games squad, becoming the youngest player ever to receive that honour at just 15 years and 71 days. [BCCI/Creimas] The Bigger Picture: The Sooryavanshis are not a one-offIt would be foolish to dismiss Aashirwad's century as a feel-good footnote to his brother's story. A 10-year-old scoring a century in any format of the game, at any level, with the composure and strike rate Ashirvad showed, is praiseworthy.The Sooryavanshi family is not producing cricketers by accident, but there is clearly a culture, a work ethic and an environment around these children that is building something real.If Ashirvad receives the right coaching and is allowed to develop without the weight of expectation crushing him early, Indian cricket may be looking at a second Sooryavanshi in the national setup within a decade.To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics, visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

NEW YORK — Facing the Braves for the first time this season, Bo Bichette had a huge night, driving in six runs and homering twice in the Mets' 7-5 victory. The third baseman/shortstop has been inconsistent at the plate this season, but he looked like the hitter baseball has come to know. Bichette and Juan Soto hit back-to-back homers in the first inning off right-hander Spencer Strider, then Bichette hit a grand slam with two outs in the second inning.The Mets (31-38) handed Strider (4-2) only his second loss of the season, knocking him out after three innings. Strider gave up seven earned runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three.Right-hander Nolan McLean made it through only four innings. He gave up two earned runs and three hits to Atlanta (45-24), but he walked four and struck out six. The bullpen, one of few bright spots for the Mets this season, was crucial in the win.Four relievers combined to go five more innings, with the Braves attempting to chip away at the lead. They nearly came back in the eighth when they took two runs off left-hander Brooks Raley to cut the lead to two, but closer Devin Williams converted a four-out save (10).

Fernando Mendoza gets limited bobblehead creation made for diehard Raiders, Indiana fans originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.The NFL season may be under three months away, but new Las Vegas quarterback Fernando Mendoza has already become a fan favorite without even taking his first NFL snap.On Friday, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum (based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) unveiled a special Mendoza bobblehead to officially kick off the Las Vegas fanfare while helping to continue elevating Mendoza’s status as a professional athlete and public figure.Co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar spoke highly of the project and of what it was like working with Mendoza as the Indiana Hoosiers propelled themselves to a national title win against the Miami Hurricanes in January, completing their undefeated season.Mendoza was selected by the Raiders with the No. 1 overall pick in April in Pittsburgh, Pa., at the 2026 NFL Draft. With the Raiders’ draft choice, Mendoza became the first Hoosiers quarterback taken No. 1 overall, to go along with being the school’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner.MORE: College football rankings post-spring Top 25 “We’re excited to unveil this unique bobblehead featuring Fernando Mendoza standing next to the iconic bobbling Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, welcoming the quarterback to Vegas,” Sklar said in a statement. “Fernando is sure to be a fan favorite in Las Vegas, and this will be a must-have for his fans, including those in Vegas, his hometown of Miami, and of course, Indiana fans who cheered him and the Hoosiers on to the National Championship!”Mendoza had a superb final collegiate season but didn’t want the credit to be placed solely on him following the historic milestone.“That’s one thing about our team,” Mendoza told ESPN after the win. “We’re always going to put it all on the line. I had to go airborne. I’d die for my team. Whatever they needed me to do.”MORE: Why the College Football Playoff field should expand to 16Interested Hoosiers fans can pre-order the limited-edition Mendoza x Las Vegas bobblehead here ($45), with shipping expected in November.More Big Ten newsIllinois 2026 football scheduleMichigan 2026 football scheduleOhio State 2026 football scheduleIndiana 2026 football schedule

Meru County, Kenya – Every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, Wanjiru Kamau heads out from her home in Mikumbune village in South Imenti Constituency to run five kilometres (3.2 miles).She is 82 years old.The red-earthed roads of Meru County, in Kenya’s central highlands, roughly 314 kilometres from Nairobi, have become something close to a second home since a friend connected her to a local athletics group in 2017.“At first, people laughed at me, saying what I was doing was foolish,” Wanjiru says. “Since I began exercising and drinking water, my blood pressure is now normal, and I no longer get muscle spasms.”The group’s chairman, Stephen Michubu Linguya, welcomed her personally. She has not looked back since, though she has had to contend with the laughter that followed her out the door.Wanjiru is not alone.She is one of 80 members of the Meru chapter of Masters Athletics Kenya, a national network gathering athletes aged between 60 and 100. She trains alongside people younger than herself, without complaint and without fanfare, in a county increasingly associated with world-class athletic achievement.Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge and Faith Kipyegon, two of the greatest distance runners in history, represent the pinnacle of the country’s athletics and have made Kenya synonymous with running excellence. In Meru, a group of older men and women, none of them employed and none of them subsidised for transport, are making a case that running does not belong only to the young.Building a movement in MeruThe Meru chapter was founded in 2015 by Stephen Michubu Linguya, a married father of two from Muriri in Tigania East Constituency. He had been watching his neighbours age badly, chronic illness settling into bodies that had stopped moving, and alcohol becoming a consolation for too many.The diseases he saw were, in many cases, the predictable consequence of sedentary later life: high blood pressure, diabetes and the slow accumulation of conditions that medicine names but often cannot treat cheaply or easily.He began looking for older people who had once loved to run.“When we formed this group, we looked for older adults who used to love running before age became a challenge, so that even their children and younger generations could follow in their footsteps and transform their lives,” Michubu says.Masters athletes in Meru stretch together before a morning session, turning a dusty village field into an informal training ground for seniors [Benjamin Muriuki/Al Jazeera]The group trains three days a week. Members make their own way to the training ground, which sits anywhere between 10 and 50 kilometres (6.2 and 9.3 miles) from home, with fare paid from their own pockets. The team uses central fields where they can and walks to training when walking is the only affordable option.There is no sponsorship, no institutional support and no salary.What there is, members say, is each other.Running against age and distanceJames Mworia, 73, is from Uruku in South Imenti Constituency. He is married with four children. In 2019, he travelled to Tunisia to compete in the African Masters Athletics competition and came home with two silver medals.For a man who pays his own way to training from a Meru village, the journey itself was an achievement.“During our training days, which are three times a week, we use our means to get to the training ground, which can vary between 10 kilometres and 50 kilometres, whereby we pay the fare by ourselves. In 2019, I went to Tunisia, and I brought medals,” Mworia says. “I’m encouraging older people to come and join this group for their health and fitness.”His health, he notes, has changed in tangible ways since joining. He does not visit hospital nearly as often as before, only occasionally now, rather than with the regularity that once marked his life.Not all barriers in the group are about age.Protasio Mutuma Lichoro, 52, is visually impaired. He comes from Kiguchwa in Tigania East Constituency and trains with the assistance of his son, who acts as his guide on the track.Before finding the Meru chapter, Protasio struggled to run at all, not because of his disability, but because of the absence of infrastructure around it. Finding a guide had been an unending, demoralising problem.“Since I joined this group, I have gained so much. Before, I could never find a guide when I needed one. Now, training with such a crowd, I even help train others to be guides,” Protasio says.“I cannot run alone; I always need the assistance of a sighted guide.”The Runners who kept goingMeru County’s executive committee member for youth, sports, gender and social development, Elias Murega, sees in the group something beyond individual health stories. He frames their effort as generational, a visible argument that older bodies can still compete, still model discipline and still demonstrate what sustained physical life looks like.In a county that has produced international-level runners, that argument lands with particular force.“In Meru County, we have seen many successful athletes who have gone all the way up to international level,” Murega says. “Sports is the way to go. We have seen many of these diseases, which we call lifestyle diseases, as well as other conditions, are linked to a lack of exercise.”He adds that the county government is prepared to support the group by creating platforms for them to demonstrate their work publicly. For athletes who have been largely invisible to official sport structures, even that modest commitment registers as recognition.An 82-year-old runner warms up on a red-earthed road in Meru County, where older athletes train three times a week to stay fit and independent [Benjamin Muriuki/Al Jazeera]Back in Mikumbune, Wanjiru Kamau’s mornings now have a shape they did not have before 2017. The laughter from neighbours has not entirely stopped, but she has long since stopped measuring her routine against their approval.No matter what anyone thinks, her blood pressure is under control, her muscle spasms have gone, and she drinks more water; she runs five kilometres, three times a week, in a county of champions, one of 80 people who decided to keep running long after most athletes are expected to stop.“I’m encouraging all older adults to take up regular exercise to stay fit and healthy,” she says.

It wasn't necessarily pretty, but the Mets held on for a huge 7-5 win over the NL East-leading Braves on Friday night and Devin Williams was a big part of it.Bo Bichette smashed two home runs and drove in six runs for the Mets, but Nolan McLean wasn't efficient enough to go deep and the bullpen faltered a bit as Atlanta's dangerous lineup chipped away at New York's lead. And with two outs in the eighth and runners on second and third, manager Carlos Mendoza called on his closer to get a four-out save.Williams has yet to get more than three outs in a single outing as a Met. He didn't even do it with the Yankees a season ago until the playoffs, so this is uncharted territory for the Mets skipper. But after Eli White hit a sharp single off of third baseman Brett Baty that scored a run, Williams got Rowdy Tellez -- who represented the go-ahead run -- to fly out and send the game into the ninth."We got to a point now where they’re built up, equipped for it," Mendoza said of his rationale to use Williams for a four-out save. "Once you get in that situation, you’re trying to avoid another high-leverage guy, which was [Luke Weaver]. We get to a point where a four-out save was in play. I thought today, where we were in the game, where we were in the lineup, matchup-wise, that was the decision there."After getting Austin Wynns to line out on the first pitch of the ninth, the at-bat of the night occurred. Mauricio Dubon and Williams battled for 14 pitches before the Braves outfielder singled, allowing the tying run to come to the plate.But Williams didn't back down. He struck out Michael Harris II on four pitches and got Matt Olson -- who homered earlier in the game -- to strike out on a foul tip on four pitches to end the game."Pretty impressive at-bat by Dubon there, but that’s what makes Devin who he is," Mendoza said of the ninth. "He knows that even after that long one, he’s got two pretty good hitters coming up. He’s gotta execute, stay on the attack, not get behind in the count. That’s what he did. He went right after them. Huge save for us."Friday was Williams' sixth career save of four or more outs and his first since May 28, 2023. It's also a continuation of some recent domination from the Mets closer.He's now allowed just one run over his last six outings (6.1 IP). He's also unscored upon in 15 of his last 17 appearances dating back to April 26. His 37 strikeouts this season are the seventh-most among NL relievers. While Williams will more than likely not be available on Saturday, he delivered a big win to start the weekend series as the Mets continue to climb out of their early-season hole.

This high school sports postseason brought out some big emotions. And why not?From regional titles to state championships, as well as just some great performances, Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky preps athletes are making their schools proud.We compiled some of our favorite celebration photos from the last few weeks in the gallery above. Enjoy the screams, hugs, fist pumps and high fives of a season we're sure these athletes will remember for a long time.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Our best photos of Cincinnati high school athletes celebrating wins

This high school sports postseason brought out some big emotions. And why not?From regional titles to state championships, as well as just some great performances, Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky preps athletes are making their schools proud.We compiled some of our favorite celebration photos from the last few weeks in the gallery above. Enjoy the screams, hugs, fist pumps and high fives of a season we're sure these athletes will remember for a long time.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Our best photos of Cincinnati high school athletes celebrating wins