KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 19: Cody Rhodes enters the ring at T-Mobile Center on June 19, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesThe card is set for WWE Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on June 27. After an especially epic episode of SmackDown from Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, we know every match that will happen in Riyadh. Let's talk wrestling.Key Facts at a GlanceEvent: WWE Night of Champions 2026 (12th edition)Date: Saturday, June 27, 2026Location: Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaStart Time: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PTU.S. Stream: ESPN streaming serviceInternational: Netflix (most markets)Main Hook: King and Queen of the Ring finals plus an Undisputed WWE Championship triple threatWhat Is The Full WWE Night Of Champions 2026 Card?We saw a Triple Threat match for the WWE championship added in the first segment of SmackDown.Undisputed WWE Championship (Triple Threat):Cody Rhodes (c) vs. GUNTHER vs. Sami ZaynKing of the Ring Final:Oba Femi vs. Jey UsoQueen of the Ring Final:IYO SKY vs. Liv MorganUnited States Championship:Trick Williams (c) vs. Ricky SaintsWomen's United States Championship:Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade CargillSteel Cage Match:Seth Rollins vs. Bron BreakkerThat makes six matches spanning both brands, with the two tournament finals carrying the heaviest long-term stakes. WWE assembled the lineup almost entirely through tournament progress and television angles over the past few weeks.What's At Stake In The King And Queen Of The Ring Finals?A trip to SummerSlam in Minnesota and a title shot is on the line for the winners. Jey Uso will automatically pick Cody Rhodes, or whomever holds the blue brand's title after NOC. Oba Femi will almost certainly choose Roman Reigns.On the women's side, Liv Morgan is already the Women's World Champion, so she'll go after WWE Women's Champion Rhea Ripley, if she's healthy. IYO will likely look to run it back against Liv for her title if she wins at NOC.Both finals reward the winner with a world title shot at SummerSlam, which makes them the most consequential matches on the card. Oba Femi's rapid main-roster ascent has positioned him as a potential first-time world champion, while Jey Uso carries heavy Bloodline storyline weight into the final.Which Championships Are On The Line In Riyadh?It's not old school NOC with every title in the company on the line, but there is a good amount of gold up for grabs.The Undisputed WWE Championship headlines after Sami Zayn's actions turned the Cody Rhodes–GUNTHER Clash in Italy rematch into a three-way for Riyadh. Trick Williams defends the United States Championship against Ricky Saints, who earned the shot by winning a No. 1 contender's match on SmackDown. Tiffany Stratton also defends the Women's United States Championship against Jade Cargill, the first time that title is defended on a premium live event.How Can You Watch WWE Night Of Champions 2026?ESPN is the way to watch in the United States. In fact, the promotion is packing the first hour with marquee matches again for this premium live event.Internationally, the show streams on Netflix in most markets, with SuperSport carrying it in Sub-Saharan Africa and Abema in Japan. It starts at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT from Kingdom Arena, an early bell that North American fans will need to plan around. For the full date, time and location details, the event is set for Saturday, June 27.This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Jun 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (23) bats against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images Atlanta Braves skipper Walt Weiss provided a cautiously optimistic update on Michael Harris II on Friday. Weiss told reporters that Harris is feeling better and continuing to receive treatment for the back injury that sidelined him earlier this week.Michael Harris II will continue to get treatment and could be available off the bench tonight. #Braves have not ruled out an IL stint if there's no improvement in the short-term.— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) June 19, 2026However, Weiss also acknowledged that an injured list stint remains a possibility if Harris does not show enough improvement over the next few days. While Harris was available off the bench Friday, the Braves did not need to call on him as they secured the win.For now, both Harris and the Braves are hoping continued treatment will allow him to avoid the injured list and return to the lineup soon.More Braves News:The Braves opened the series on a high note and defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2.Despite the rainy night across the farm, Alex Lodise logged a home run for the Augusta GreenJackets. More in the minor league recap.MLB News:The Arizona Diamondbacks placed right-hander Ryne Nelson on the 15-day injured list with a strained right elbow. The move is retroactive to June 16.Detroit Tigers righty Justin Verlander has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain after a bullpen session. He will miss several weeks. Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals was left out of the lineup Friday due to a Grade 1 MCL sprain. From the Feed:Cast your vote for Braves Player of the Game here!

May 9, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Chicago Sky forward Rickea Jackson (5) drives to the basket during warm ups before the Sky play against the Portland Fire at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images ©Jaime Valdez-Imagn ImagesDespite adding enough threats this offseason, the Chicago Sky are currently sitting on a disappointing 4-10 record. And it wouldn’t be wrong to point to Rickea Jackson’s injury as the singular moment that changed the trajectory of their entire 2026 campaign.The newly acquired forward, who was in the middle of what was shaping up to be a breakout season, suffered a season-ending ACL injury in her left knee during her fourth game this season. But while she remains ruled out for the remainder of the season, there is at least some encouraging news, as revealed by the Chicago Sky.The franchise sent a PR email to the reporters mentioning that Jackson had undergone a successful surgery on Friday. They have not revealed any other muscle tear, which reduces the complication in recovery for the third-year WNBA player.Jackson had been delivering exactly the kind of impact the Sky had hoped for when they brought her in. Across her first three full games of the 2026 season, she was averaging 22.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Even in the very game where she sustained the injury, she had already contributed six points in just 11 minutes of action.Despite being ruled out of the season, Jackson managed to be in the top-40 names as the 2026 WNBA All-Star voting phase 1 returns were revealed. She received 39,198 votes in the frontcourt, about 3000 more than her teammate, Kamilla Cardoso.Simply put, her presence was a significant factor in the Sky’s promising 3-1 start to the season. And so it is no coincidence that since her injury, Chicago has managed just a single win across their next ten games.ACL tears are quite notorious and can take over nine months to repair, effectively ending Jackson’s breakout year with the Sky. She found herself in a bigger role in her second-year with the LA Sparks last season when 2024 second overall pick, Cameron Brink, was out due to injury.The injury itself occurred on May 17th, during the Chicago Sky’s fourth game of the season against the Minnesota Lynx. With 5:24 remaining before halftime, Rickea Jackson was attacking the paint in transition, guarded closely by Lynx defender Nia Coffey. As she bumped Coffey with her shoulder to create separation for her shot, her very next step saw her plant her left leg awkwardly. That caused her left knee to buckle and collapse completely under the weight of her body.For Rickea Jackson personally, it is a breakout year tragically cut short by injury. And for the Chicago Sky, the loss is a significant blow to their roster depth. And it is even more compounded by other subsequent and existing injuries.The goal and hope now, for the franchise, is to find its footing and start stringing wins together. And for Jackson, the path forward is clear: begin rehabilitation, work diligently toward a full recovery, and aim to return next season ready to pick up exactly where she left things off. Meanwhile, her team is already standing strong with her.“We’re just surrounding her with love and comfort and letting her know we’re here for her in any way possible,” head coach Tyler Marsh said after the injury was first confirmed. “We’re not going anywhere. She’s not going anywhere. We’re here for the long haul with Rickea.”They showed that publicly in the Sky’s home opener game, where Rickea Jackson herself made an emotional appearance shortly after her diagnosis. Her teammates visibly supported her by wearing her #5 jersey during pre-game warmups. It was a great gesture. But beyond that, Rickea Jackson has not made any public comment about the injury yet. For now, all she needs to do is rest up and recover.Trending ArticlesUSGA Accused of Bias as Joaquin Niemann Receives 2-Stroke Penalty at U.S. OpenWyndham Clark & Co. Warned by Rule Official at U.S. Open as Pace of Play Becomes an IssueThe post Chicago Sky Releases Statement After Rickea Jackson Underwent Surgery for Her ACL Injury appeared first on EssentiallySports. Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Jan Paul van Hecke has spoken out for the first time since joining Tottenham from Brighton in a £52m transfer.Van Hecke will move to Tottenham after manager Roberto De Zerbi took charge and steered the club to Premier League safety on the final day of the season.De Zerbi previously worked with Van Hecke at Brighton and made the 26-year-old, who had 12 months left on his Brighton contract after a six-year stint on the south coast, a high priority. The Netherlands international is currently at the World Cup, where the Dutch take on Sweden in Houston on Saturday.Asked about the days leading up to the transfer, Van Hecke said “A lot of calls, and of course I’ve not been involved the whole time in this subject. It’s important for me, and the head coach [Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman] gave me the time on this transfer. I’m grateful for this because this is a great step forwards in my professional career. “I am proud to have played for Brighton, it boosted my confidence, but now I will play for one of the most important clubs in England. It’s important for my future. but now I’m focused on the World Cup here.”Jan Paul van Hecke in action against Japan (Reuters)Dutch club NAC Breda stand to earn around £3.5m from the transfer after agreeing a sell-on clause when selling Van Hecke to Brighton in 2020. His youth club, VV Goes, also stand to earn from the move.“It’s great for these two teams where I played. I had youth training in the province of Zeeland [with VV Goes], I played there six years. it was great. Goes will earn money thanks to this transfer. These clubs will be happy with this transfer and they deserve that.”Van Hecke’s uncle is Jan Poortvliet, who played for the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup final. “I think De Zerbi played a big role in the decision,” Poortvliet, who is now manager of second-tier FC Eindhoven, told Dutch outlet sportnieuws. “Several clubs were interested but De Zerbi was clear and absolutely wanted him. Jan Paul would have been at the top of the list. He knows De Zerbi’s playing style well and had a fantastic season under him.”Spurs have also signed Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi on free transfers.

Paraguay's Miguel Almirón has become the first ever player to be sent off at the World Cup for covering his mouth in a confrontation.Almirón got his marching orders from referee Iván Barton of El Salvador in first half stoppage time after a video review showed that he had violated new rules while exchanging words with Turkey player Mert Müldür following a foul.Paraguay were leading 1-0 at the time from Matias Galarza's second-minute goal, set up by Almirón.Urged by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the rule was introduced recently to punish racist or other discriminatory incidents on the pitch.The move came after Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt when he insulted Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match in February. Vinícius Júnior said he was racially abused while Prestianni admitted to a homophobic slur and was banned by UEFA.

Sam Biscoe says he founded the Colchester Kings as he wanted a club that was representative of the LGBTQ+ community [Colchester Kings]When Sam Biscoe started a rugby team for players from the LGBTQ+ community in 2022, he braced himself for a modest turnout.Instead, about 30 people turned up for day one of training at Colchester Rugby Club in Essex, and the Colchester Kings became the first inclusive club in the East of England.Four years later, about 120 people are now associated with the club, including players, coaches and regular supporters, and it is a member of International Gay Rugby (IGR). The Colchester Kings are now not alone in embracing inclusive rugby, with new teams forming in Essex and Norfolk, and on Saturday, the region's latest side is meeting for the first time in Cambridge.So what is inclusive rugby, and how do LGBTQ+ players feel about finding their spot on the pitch in the East?What is inclusive rugby?Ross Barr-Hoyland is a trustee of International Gay Rugby [Ross Barr-Hoyland]According to IGR, its teams "provide opportunities for members of the LGBTQ+ community to enjoy competitive rugby whilst improving respect and tolerance for people of all gender identities and sexualities worldwide".Ross Barr-Hoyland, a trustee of the organisation which was set up in 2000, says there are now about 150 inclusive clubs registered with IGR.The 37-year-old says it is important LGBTQ+ people are visible in sport, especially as there are currently no openly gay players in the top flight of English rugby union."For now, we have to serve as those role models," he says. "I think that's what's beautiful about IGR clubs in general."Barr-Hoyland says many allies of the LGBTQ+ community also choose to join IGR teams because they prefer the culture compared to traditional rugby clubs.The IGR says it has clubs across the UK and on six continents, but until 2022, there were no inclusive rugby teams in the East of England.That was until Biscoe, who previously played for the inclusive club Northampton Outlaws, moved to Colchester and found no club to join in the Essex city, so he started the journey of setting up his own."On that first day, I was just very worried that maybe it would just be four of us handing a ball around to each other," the 39-year-old says."But on our very first training session, we had 30 people that turned up and it's just grown and grown from there."He says many players travel far to join the Kings, with other teams springing up across the region. "The more there is in the region then the better it is for all the teams," says Biscoe."There will be less travelling; we won't have to go halfway across the country to get a match in."If people find their place with those teams, then we're really happy about that. And to be able to have played a part of their history really means a lot to us," he says. Stuart Kimber is the captain of the Essex-based Rochford Hundred Hawks [Rochford Hundred Hawks]Iceni RFC launched in Wymondham, Norfolk, a few months after the Kings, and similar teams have since launched elsewhere in Essex and are currently in the process of joining IGR officially.Stuart Kimber, the captain of the Rochford Hundred Hawks, has played Rugby since he was in school and has previously been a member of traditional rugby clubs without any issues, but says he understands why some players may feel intimidated by them."We're constantly getting new people asking to join or if they can just come along and watch or how they can support the team without necessarily playing," the 32-year-old says.The Hawks currently have 17 players and about 20 people have joined the nearby Southend Sea Lions.Team manager Matt Driffill, 46, says the Sea Lions have attracted players ranging from 18 years old to men in their 50s."It's like a family," he adds. "People make really good friends when they come down and they start playing rugby."Simon Law (centre) joined the Northampton Outlaws in 2012 [Northampton Outlaws]The Northampton Outlaws, Biscoe's former inclusive rugby team, launched in 2012 and now has about 90 players, according to club president Simon Law.Law says there were well-known teams in big cities such as London, Manchester, and Birmingham when the Outlaws were formed, and since then he has enjoyed seeing clubs launch in smaller towns and cities.He thinks inclusive rugby has grown in popularity "because it's very intimidating as a gay man to walk into a non-inclusive rugby club where most people already know each other"."When you look to set up an inclusive club, the whole ethos is that you're looking to get people in that may never have played rugby before," the 46-year-old says.Since joining the team, Law has qualified as a referee and coach and enjoys welcoming new players every season.In Cambridge, founding members of the region's newest team have been promoting the club at the city's Pride festival and say they expect about 30 people to turn up to the Yales' first session on Saturday at the Cambridge Rugby Club. Do you have a story suggestion? Contact us below.Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire or BBC Suffolk. More on this story City's first gay rugby team prepare for kick-offThe LGBTQ+ rugby club breaking down barriersLGBTQ+ rugby club wins 'life-changing' trophy Related internet links International Gay Rugby

Miguel Almiron spent six years with Newcastle United before leaving in 2025 [Getty Images]Paraguay's Miguel Almiron became the first player to be shown a red card for covering his mouth while speaking to an opponent during his side's World Cup group match against Turkey in San Francisco.Almiron, 32, obscured his mouth with his hand while speaking to Turkey's Mert Muldur, who immediately informed an officials standing next to him.Following a check by the video assistant referee (VAR), referee Ivan Barton from El Salvador announced to the crowd that he was sending off the former Newcastle United winger.The incident occurred just before half-time with Paraguay leading 1-0.Commentating for BBC Radio 5 Live, former Republic of Ireland striker Clinton Morrison said: "If you know the rules, you shouldn't do it. You've got to credit the referee and the VAR for making that decision."Not everyone would agree with it, but if those are the rules, you've got to stick by the rules."Players who cover mouths face red card at World CupFollow Turkey v Paraguay liveThe new rule is being implemented for the first time at the World Cup.The decision to introduce it was taken during a special meeting of the International Football Association Board (Ifab) in Vancouver in April.Fifa president Gianni Infantino had previously said he would welcome such a punishment being introduced and that referees should work from a "presumption" that players have said "something they shouldn't have".The decision remains at the absolute discretion of the referee, who will consider all circumstances before issuing a red card.The issue of players covering their mouths became high profile in February when Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni raised his shirt while speaking to Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr during a Champions League game.The Argentina international was accused of racist abuse - which he denied - and provisionally banned for one match. Following a Uefa investigation, Prestianni was instead found guilty of homophobic conduct and banned for six matches - three of which were suspended.Play BBC Sport's new World Cup predictor gameWorld Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Boston Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin (5) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images Red Sox 6, Mariners 2Piggy Back: Bryce Miller, .11 WPABroken Back: Luis Castillo, -.21 WPASaving Me From Recapping a No-Hitter Back: Josh Naylor, .88888888888888 kWPAGame thread comment of the day:This one goes in the file on my computer labeled “so true bestie”Discussion question: If you were to make a Dan Wilson soundboard like those ones dogs “talk” through, what would the buttons say?

Paraguay held on for an unlikely win against Türkiye Friday night in a result that has significant implications for Türkiye and Team USA.With Paraguay’s win, the U.S. Men’s National Team has locked up first place in Group D. And 0-2 Türkiye has been guaranteed fourth place in Group D, ensuring that it won’t advance to the knockout round, regardless of the results of the final two games of group play. USA had already secured its place in the knockout round thanks to a 2-0 win over Australia earlier Friday to improve its record in group play to 2-0. Now, with the No. 1 spot locked up, USA’s Group D finale next Thursday against Türkiye will amount to an exhibition match.With the Group D win, USA will play in the Round of 32 on July 1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Its opponent has yet to be determined.Paraguay and Australia both remain eligible for advancement and will play each other in next Thursday’s other finale in Group D. Türkiye dominated the ball Friday night and played more than half of the game 11 on 10 following a red card on Paraguay late in the first half. But it couldn’t convert its possession advantage into a goal, and an early Paraguay goal proved to be the difference in the high-stakes game. Matías Galarza converted a turnover in Türkiye territory into a goal for Paraguay 1:04 into the game, and nobody scored again.

Manchester United’s Cunha scores twice as Brazil cruise past HaitiManchester United forward Matheus Cunha scored twice as Brazil cruised past Haiti in Friday’s important World Cup match. The Selecao came under criticism after their lacklustre display in their opening game against Morocco resulted in a 1-1 draw. But they bounced back with a convincing display in Philadelphia to take a big step towards qualification to the knockouts. Carlo Ancelotti featured Cunha in the starting line-up ahead of Brentford’s Igor Thiago and the United forward repaid the faith of his manager with a top display. The 27-year-old put his side ahead in the 23rd minute when Hannes Delcroix kicked the ball off him and it went into the net. It didn’t take the United forward long to bag his second as Vinicius Junior put him through and he blasted emphatically into the top corner. Cunha also posted excellent numbers during his 64 minutes on the pitch. He had 41 touches, registered five recoveries and won 80 percent of his duels. Vinicius got in on the act just before half-time, sliding his finish under the goalkeeper after chasing on to Lucas Paqueta’s brilliant ball over the top. Haiti delivered a better display after the interval as they pushed for a goal to make a comeback. However, Brazil’s defence remained largely untroubled and went on to seal a comfortable 3-0 victory. Ancelotti’s men are now scheduled to play their final group match against Scotland, who lost 1-0 to Morocco earlier in the day but still retain hopes for the knockouts. Stats from Sofascore

SEATTLE (AP) — Ranger Suarez carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Friday night.Suarez (3-3) struck out five and walked three in 6 2/3 innings. His no-hit bid ended with Josh Naylor's one-out double in the seventh.The 30-year-old lefty earned his first win since April 27 against Toronto.Caleb Durbin put the Red Sox ahead with a second-inning solo homer, his fifth of the year. Durbin had his second three-hit game this season, with his first coming against Tampa Bay on June 10.Ceddanne Rafaela scored on a wild pitch in the seventh, and Marcelo Mayer drove in two more runs with a bases-loaded single. Carlos Narváez added a sacrifice fly before Seattle finally escaped the inning on a diving catch by Dominic Canzone in right field.Suarez issued a two-out walk that loaded the bases in the seventh on his final pitch of the night, but Justin Slaten ended the threat by striking out pinch-hitter J.P. Crawford to preserve a 5-0 lead.Mayer added one more insurance run with a ninth-inning RBI double. The Mariners got on the board thanks to Julio Rodríguez's two-run homer in the ninth.Seattle starter Bryce Miller (3-1) struck out seven in five innings. He allowed three hits and one run. Luis Castillo, who has started in all but three of his 258 career appearances, gave up five runs in four innings of relief as the Mariners revived their “piggyback” rotation.Up nextRed Sox LHP Connelly Early (5-5, 3.81 ERA) starts opposite Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (5-3, 3.28) on Saturday night.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Karl-Anthony Towns was among a handful of rotating guests on The Roommates Show with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart Friday at MSG, reflecting on the Knicks' NBA Finals championship run with a candid perspective when asked about how he won his collective matchup against the San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama throughout New York's 4-1 series victory."Everybody better than Jalen Brunson until it's time to be better than Jalen Brunson," Towns said, spotlighting the 2026 Finals MVP while referencing Wembanyama's status among the world's best basketball players. "I already know what 'Cap' is going to do, and you heard me on TV say I'm with him every step of the way. So, I had to make sure I was right there with him and getting the job done. So, I just wanted to make sure I go out there and utilize my experience. It brought up that same matchup like me and (Nikola) Jokic in the Denver series (with Minnesota during the 2024 Western Conference semifinals, which went seven games and saw the Timberwolves upset the defending-champion Nuggets), and I wanted to kind of bring that physicality and intensity to the game."Hart gave Towns his flowers while Hart explained the "sacrifices" that Towns made during the Knicks' title run."I want to highlight you because of the way you played," Hart said. "I want you to give us a glimpse into your mindset. But for me, as a teammate, obviously, you -- All-NBA, All-Star, carried Minnesota ... and your mentality and willingness to sacrifice, to sit there and be like, 'Aight, the offense is more so going to run through JB at a certain point,' but then we went to you as the hub and you really dictated everything, getting JB involved, getting OG (Anunoby) and Mikal (Bridges) involved, and you sacrificed your own points, touches, shots. So, one, I want to holler at you for that. But also, two, I want you to talk about your mindset during that time because I feel like you're a big part of the reason why that playoff run changed when we were down 2-1."Towns credited Mike Brown's openness while in his first year on the job and Brunson's selflessness as the team captain."It's easy when you can make those sacrifices when you've got such amazing teammates like I have," Towns said. "When you go into the locker room, you see everyone putting the work in -- day in, day out -- those decisions are very easy to make. After Game 3, we talked about it -- me and JB, everyone talked about it, just there's a way to make the game easier and also take us to another level offensively, which was translate our defense to be easier as well. So, you guys heard me out. You heard what I had to say. Mike (Brown) heard what I had to say. I appreciate y'all trusting me, trusting my experience, trusting my IQ. ... I trusted what I believed in. To have teammates like that who believed in me that much in a big point of our season like that to hear me out, trust in what I thought could take us to another level, I had to repay that trust, man, and I had to go show the best version of myself."All I ever asked JB, since the day I got here, and I told you that first day I got here and you welcomed me here into New York, I said, 'I want to make sure I amplify you to a whole 'nother level that you haven't even recognized for yourself. I want to be that partner in crime that you haven't had, and I want to make sure that, every step of the way, anytime you go anywhere, you're never alone, you always have someone behind you that's ready to do whatever is needed, to protect you, to protect this city.' I only asked him for one thing in return. That's all I asked in return, and JB's a man of his word because now we're sitting here with the trophy. So, I appreciate you, brother."

Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 schedule: Fixtures, score, format, squads and result for season 5 matches originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 (Season 5) runs from June 20 to July 12, 2026, across Mysuru, Hubballi, and Bengaluru.Six teams compete across 34 matches, with two rebranded franchises entering as Coastal Kings Mangaluru and Shivamogga Yodhas.Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal, Manish Pandey, and Smaran R headline a star-studded auction, with KL Rahul unavailable due to international commitments.Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026: Season 5 returns across three citiesThe Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 returns for its fifth edition in 2026, taking Karnataka's premier franchise T20 league to three cities for the first time. Mysuru, Hubballi and Bengaluru will all host matches, with the playoffs and final at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Two franchises enter under rebranded identities, and no team has retained the trophy across the first four seasons.The tournament was organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), with the Season 5 auction held in Bengaluru on June 5. Karun Nair became the most expensive buy at Rs 18 lakh, purchased by Coastal Kings Mangaluru, the rebranded reigning champions who won Season 4 as Mangaluru Dragons. Rahul Dravid unveiled the Season 5 trophy, lending the event additional prestige.When does Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 start and end?The Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 (Season 5) runs from June 20 to July 12, 2026. The Mysuru phase covers June 20–25, the Hubballi phase covers June 27–July 3, and the Bengaluru phase, including playoffs, runs from July 5-July 12.Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 start and end?The following six teams compete in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026:Coastal Kings Mangaluru (rebranded from Mangaluru Dragons)Gulbarga MysticsHubli TigersKalyani Bengaluru BlastersMysore WarriorsShivamogga Yodhas (rebranded from Shivamogga Lions)What is the format of Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026?The tournament uses a single round-robin league stage, with all six teams playing each other across 30 league matches. The top four sides advance to the playoffs, which follow the IPL-style knockout structure:Qualifier 1: 1st vs 2ndEliminator: 3rd vs 4thQualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of EliminatorFinal: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2Most matches are played as double-headers, with the first game starting at 2:30 PM IST and the second at 7:00 PM IST.Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026: Full match schedule and resultsPhase 1: Mysuru (June 20–25), SDNR Wadeyar GroundDateFixtureTime (IST)ResultJune 20Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Gulbarga Mystics2:30 PM—June 20Shivamogga Yodhas vs Mysore Warriors7:00 PM—June 21Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Hubli Tigers2:30 PM—June 21Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Shivamogga Yodhas7:00 PM—June 22Mysore Warriors vs Hubli Tigers2:30 PM—June 22Gulbarga Mystics vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru7:00 PM—June 23Gulbarga Mystics vs Shivamogga Yodhas2:30 PM—June 23Mysore Warriors vs Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters7:00 PM—June 24Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters2:30 PM—June 24Hubli Tigers vs Shivamogga Yodhas7:00 PM—June 25Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Mysore Warriors2:30 PM—June 25Hubli Tigers vs Gulbarga Mystics7:00 PM—Phase 2: Hubballi (June 27 – July 3), KSCA StadiumDateFixtureTime (IST)ResultJune 27Shivamogga Yodhas vs Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters2:30 PM—June 27Mysore Warriors vs Gulbarga Mystics7:00 PM—June 28Shivamogga Yodhas vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru7:00 PM—June 29Gulbarga Mystics vs Hubli Tigers2:30 PM—June 29Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru7:00 PM—June 30Shivamogga Yodhas vs Gulbarga Mystics2:30 PM—June 30Mysore Warriors vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru7:00 PM—July 1Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Hubli Tigers7:00 PM—July 2Hubli Tigers vs Mysore Warriors2:30 PM—July 2Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Shivamogga Yodhas7:00 PM—July 3Gulbarga Mystics vs Mysore Warriors2:30 PM—July 3Hubli Tigers vs Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters7:00 PM—Phase 3 and Playoffs: Bengaluru (July 5–12), M. Chinnaswamy StadiumDateFixtureTime (IST)ResultJuly 5Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters vs Mysore Warriors2:30 PM—July 5Shivamogga Yodhas vs Hubli Tigers7:00 PM—July 6Hubli Tigers vs Coastal Kings Mangaluru2:30 PM—July 6Gulbarga Mystics vs Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters7:00 PM—July 7Mysore Warriors vs Shivamogga Yodhas7:00 PM—July 8Coastal Kings Mangaluru vs Gulbarga Mystics7:00 PM—July 9Eliminator2:30 PM—July 9Qualifier 17:00 PM—July 10Qualifier 27:00 PM—July 12Final7:00 PM—Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 points tableRankTeamMatchesWinsLossesPointsNRR—Coastal Kings Mangaluru0—————Gulbarga Mystics0—————Hubli Tigers0—————Kalyani Bengaluru Blasters0—————Mysore Warriors0—————Shivamogga Yodhas0————Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 2026 squad players listCoastal Kings MangaluruKarun Nair (c), Shreyas Gopal, Koushik V, Suraj Ahuja, Venkatesh M, Nikin Jose SJ, Dheeraj Gowda, Santokh Singh, Kushaal M Wadhwani, Aadharsh SJ, Anvay Dravid, Karthik CA, Rajvir Wadhwa, Sidharth Akhil, Rathan BR, Prithviraj Shekhawat, Arya J Gowda, Aaron Cyril ChristieGulbarga MysticsManish Pandey (c), Macneil Noronha, Melu Kranthi Kumar, Sharath BR, Dhruv Prabhakar, Paras Gurbax Arya, Thippa Reddy, Lochan S Gowda, Prakhar Chaturvedi, Ronit More, Aaditya Nair, Gautam Mishra, Shaun Tristan Joseph, Aarav Mahesh, Nathan D'Mello, Suhas Purushotham, Aashish Mahesh, Kush MaratheHubli TigersAbhinav Manohar (c), Mayank Agarwal, Hardik Raj, Manvanth Kumar L, Shikhar Shetty, Mohammed Taha, Aneeshwar Gautam, Rakshith S, Vaibhav Sharma, Kruthik Krishna, Kumar LR, Aditya Goyal, Abhishek Ahlawat, Tanish Mahesh, Preetesh Ingale, Vikas Gowda, Ronak Yelwal, Vinayak Holla KKalyani Bengaluru BlastersShubhang Hegde, Pravin Dubey, KL Shrijith, A Rohan Patil, Vidwath Kaverappa, Wahid Faizan Khan, Shreevatsa Acharya, Shivaraj S, Rohan Naveen, Samit Dravid, Shashikumar K, Ishaan S, Nischith N Rao, Vijayaraj B, Manikanth Shivanand, Bhuvan Mohan Raju, Naman GD, Darshan MBMysore WarriorsChethan LR (c), Manoj Bhandage, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Karthikeya KP, Madhav Prakash Bajaj, Karthik S U, Lavish Kaushal, Prasidh Krishna, Devdutt Padikkal, Monish Reddy, Abhishek Prabhakar, Ritesh Bhatkal, Sanjay Ashwin C, Agastya S, Yuvraj Arora, Likhit M Bannur, Deepak Devadiga, Jasper EJShivamogga YodhasSmaran Ravichandran (c), Luvnith Sisodia, Abhilash Shetty, Yash Raj Punja, Naveen MG, Harshil Dharmani, Yashovardhan Parantap, Mohsin Khan, Aadarsh Prajwal, Tushar Singh, Aneesh KV, Shreesha S Achar, Dhanush Gowda R, Vaasav Venkatesh, Bheema Rao Navle, Shreyank Sagar, Yadugiri Yadav S, Chiranth ShivarudraMaharaja Trophy KSCA T20 past championsSeasonYearChampionsSeason 12022Gulbarga MysticsSeason 22023Hubli TigersSeason 32024Mysore WarriorsSeason 42025Mangaluru Dragons (now Coastal Kings Mangaluru)For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.

🚨 Turkey knocked out of the World Cup!It's the fiasco of the year!A thunderbolt at the World Cup: Turkey has been eliminated from the World Cup after a dismal defeat to Paraguay (0-1).Caught cold by a goal from Matias Galarza after 64 seconds of play, the Turks produced a complete non-performance throughout the first 45 minutes.And yet, the match seemed to have been revived after Miguel Almiron was sent off just before halftime with the first application of the "Prestianni" rule.But despite having the numerical advantage for the entire second half, Turkey kept making mistakes in front of goal, even wasting several huge chances.Unable to find a breakthrough, the Turks therefore become the second team to be eliminated from the World Cup after Haiti. Meanwhile, Paraguay is back in the race and will play for qualification to the round of 16 in what looks like the Group D decider against Australia.This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

Jan 24, 2026; Spokane, Washington, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4) shoots the ball against the San Francisco Dons in the second half at McCarthey Athletic Center. Gonzaga Bulldogs won 68-66. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images | James Snook-Imagn Images These types of games against mid-major conference opponents are vital for a school like the Gonzaga Bulldogs, playing a filler in between matchups with two power conference schools during the non-conference. According to scheduling guru Rocco Miller of Bracketeer, the New Mexico State Aggies of Conference USA will travel to the Inland Northwest to take on the Zags for their home opener on Nov. 7.This will be the second-ever meeting between the two programs. Gonzaga beat New Mexico State at the Kennel back in 2013 by a relatively slim margin, 80-68. Sources: Gonzaga will host New Mexico State as part of its 2026-27 non-conference schedule. The date is set for Saturday, November 7th. Second-ever meeting (last in 2013-14) between the two programs.#Pac12#CUSA— Rocco Miller (@RoccoMiller8) June 20, 2026Here are the announced games on coach Mark Few’s 2026-27 non-conference schedule:*at Arkansas Razorbacks (Oct. 2026, at Bud Walton Arena in Fayetteville, Arkansas)vs. Purdue Boilermakers (Nov. 2, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada)vs. New Mexico State Aggies (Nov. 7, 2026, at McCarthey Athletic Center in Spokane, Washington)vs. LSU Tigers (Nov. 14, 2026, at Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Washington)Kansas State Wildcats/Players Era Festival (Nov. 24-28, 2026, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada)at Creighton Bluejays (Dec. 12, 2026, at Chi Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska)vs. Michigan State Spartans (Dec. 19, 2026, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California)vs. Duke Blue Devils (Feb. 20, 2027, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan)*exhibitionAfter the opening round matchup with Kansas State at the Players Era, the Zags could end up matching up with either the Baylor Bears or Alabama Crimson Tide on Nov. 26. Then, either the reigning champion Michigan Wolverines, Creighton Bluejays, Miami Hurricanes, or TCU Horned Frogs on Nov. 27.The Players Era championship will take place on Nov. 28. All the games for Gonzaga in Sin City are set for the T-Mobile Arena on the ESPN Networks.Potential non-conference battles with the Big Ten Conference’s UCLA Bruins and Oregon Ducks are on the fence, either taking place in the 2026-27 or 2027-28 season. UCLA would be the first game of their renewed two-year neutral site series, and Oregon the second game of their two-year neutral site series.The Pac-12 Conference regular-season matchups and the Pac-12 Conference Tournament dates in Las Vegas, Nevada, have yet to be announced. With nine members in the conference, the Pac-12 is expected to have a round robin scheduling format where each team plays everyone twice. Once at home and once on the road.The location for the postseason tournament looks to be either at the MGM Grand Garden Arena or the Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay. Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho

Isaiah Stewart is on the trade block and on the radar of multiple teams across the league originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Despite being one of the mainstays of the Detroit Pistons over the past few years, it seems they are willing to part ways with Isaiah Stewart in the 2026 offseason. He has been a net positive for the team, as he is a superb defender who also has upside as an offensive player.While some people might point out his disciplinary issues, Stewart is still a valuable player. Now that he is on the trade block, other teams might be looking for ways to scoop him up in a trade.Isaiah Stewart could be a valuable player for teams in the offseasonStewart is one of the most interesting players ahead of the 2026 offseason. The Pistons were successful with him as an option in the frontcourt. He can play as a defensive anchor, but he has also grown into a reliable player on offense.In the 2025-26 season, he averaged 10 points, five rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. In only 22.7 minutes a night, that is an impressive stat line, which could make him a valuable option for any team across the league.MORE: Karl-Anthony Towns believes the NBA is lucky to have Victor Wembanyama as the face of the leagueThe teams that are interested and would benefit massively from getting him are the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and the San Antonio Spurs. Since the Pistons are interested in trading him away, those teams should jump at the chance of getting him.The Celtics and Heat need big men they can always rely on to be solid defensively. In the Spurs' case, they almost won the championship this season without having a real backup for Victor Wembanyama.If Stewart goes to the Spurs, he would be one of their most valuable players. He can play both power forward and center, which will be a cheat code when it comes to having him and Wembanyama on the same team.At the same time, the Spurs also need some enforcers on the roster. Wembanyama has received all kinds of physical contact over the past three years, and a player like Stewart could change that story.More NBA news:A new Giannis Antetokounmpo trade idea will involve plenty of players and picksShaquille O'Neal suggests something that Victor Wembanyama must improve onDe'Aaron Fox's future with the Spurs is not a surprise after the NBA FinalsIman Shumpert admits that Victor Wembanyama has become the NBA's villainDylan Harper's amazing rookie campaign has apparently made people forget about Cooper Flagg

Paraguay scored early and then held on to beat Turkey 1-0 at the World Cup on Friday with 10 men after Miguel Almirón became the first player sent off at the tournament for covering his mouth in a confrontation.Almirón got his marching orders in first half stoppage time after a video review revealed that he had violated new rules when he briefly covered his mouth while exchanging words with Turkey player Mert Müldür.Urged by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the rule was introduced recently to punish racist or other discriminatory incidents on the pitch after Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni covered his mouth with his shirt when he insulted Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior in a Champions League match in February.Almirón had earlier set up Matias Galarza to score the only goal just over a minute into the match into the bottom corner.Paraguay kept their knock-out rounds bid alive with a first victory after losing their opener against the United States and will play Australia for second place and an assured last-32 berth in the group finale next week.Turkey were eliminated with a second defeat, coupled with the US team's victory against Australia earlier in the day. Their best chance came in the 35th minute when a header from Müldür hit the crossbar and then the right post without crossing the line.Paraguay's victory also means that the US have won Group D ahead of their last game against Turkey.

Alex Freeman of the United States celebrates after heading the World Cup co-hosts into a 2-0 lead in a victory over Australia (JAMIE SQUIRE)The United States marched into the last 32 of the World Cup on Friday with a 2-0 victory over Australia as Brazil rediscovered their scoring touch to eliminate Haiti.A day after Mexico sealed their place in the knockout rounds, the USA emulated their fellow World Cup co-hosts with a clinical Group D win over Australia in Seattle.A Cameron Burgess own goal in the 11th minute and a headed effort from Alex Freeman two minutes before half-time sealed a comfortable win for Mauricio Pochettino's side, who have advanced to the second phase of the tournament with a game to spare.After an unconvincing build-up to the World Cup, the Americans have made a dream start to the tournament with Friday's victory following a stylish 4-1 demolition of Paraguay in their opening game last week.A day of celebration for the co-hosts got even better later Friday after Paraguay's 1-0 victory over Turkey confirmed that the US would clinch top spot in Group D, ensuring a theoretically easier draw in the last 32."It was a fantastic game again, very good first half," Pochettino said. "I think we dominated the game against a very tough team."When the draw happened in December I thought it was going to be a really difficult, a really tough game."Paraguay meanwhile remain alive in the tournament after their gritty 1-0 victory in Santa Clara that eliminated Turkey.Matias Galarza's strike after just 63 seconds secured all three points for Paraguay in a game that saw the South Americans' Miguel Almiron become the first player ever to be sent off for covering his mouth while confronting an opponent under new FIFA rules.Former Newcastle player Almiron was given his marching orders in first half stoppage time after covering his mouth while he appeared to direct a comment at Turkey's Mert Muldur.FIFA announced in April that players who cover their mouths in confrontations with opponents will be given a red card, part of an initiative designed to tackle racism.- Brazil romp, Scotland stumble -In other games on Friday, Brazil took control of their destiny in Group C with a 3-0 victory over Haiti that ended the Caribbean nation's chances of reaching the last 32.Two goals from Manchester United striker Matheus Cunha and a Vinicius Junior strike sealed a comfortable win for the Brazilians in a one-sided game at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field.The result ensured Haiti will finish bottom of Group C and are the first team to be eliminated from contention for a place in the knockout rounds.Brazil's victory though was marred by an apparent injury to star forward Raphinha, who left the game in the 40th minute after an innocuous-looking tussle with Haiti defender Martin Experience.Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti was unable to provide an update on Raphinha's injury afterwards, instead preferring to praise his team's "complete" performance."It was a complete match, much better in the first half," Ancelotti said. "It was what we expected from this game: better quality, fewer mistakes, more effectiveness in attack and more control at the back." Brazil are now level on four points with Morocco in Group C, but lead the North Africans on goal difference.Morocco secured their first win of the tournament on Friday with a 1-0 defeat of Scotland at Foxborough, Massachusetts.Ismael Saibari scored the games's only goal, lashing home a thunderous angled strike in the second minute to leave the Scots reeling.Morocco will face Haiti in their final Group C game on June 24, while Brazil take on the Scots in Miami."Tonight we showed we can compete with the teams in the top 10. Brazil will be a different game, they play with less structure but they have quality that can hurt you at any point," Scotland's John McGinn said."We will need to be at our best. We know what we need to do to try to get through to the next round."rcw/gj

Jun 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners outfielder Connor Joe (9) misses a pop fly by Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer (11) in the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images | Kevin Ng-Imagn Images In front of a sell-out crowd of 45,775 on fireworks night on a day the stands were packed with Red Sox and World Cup fans alike, the Mariners fizzled out, dropping the opening game against Boston in dismal fashion. By the ninth inning, a loud “let’s go Red Sox” chant had erupted, with the only joy for Mariners fans a garbage-time Julio Rodríguez two-run shot.Every piggyback game feels like two games, but the contrast tonight was especially stark. In the Bryce Miller game, the story was: one ambush home run and a lot of good pitching between; in the Luis Castillo-led part of the piggyback, the story was: one bad and BABIP-fueled bad inning, one also-not-great-inning and some decent pitching between. But the part of the story that was consistent throughout the game was the Mariners offense once again failing to do much against a left-handed starter, and failing to capitalize on opportunities when they had them.Bryce Miller had a clean first and was one out away from a clean second when Caleb Durbin ambushed a first-pitch fastball at the top of the zone and yanked it over the wall in left field just enough to clear the fence – a home run at just 13 MLB parks including T-Mobile and Fenway. Maybe that shook Miller’s confidence somewhat, because he then struggled to put away Marcelo Mayer, getting into a ten-pitch battle that ended with Mayer staring at a fastball on the plate for a called strike three.Miller didn’t have a clean inning after the first, but he was able to face the minimum in both the third and fourth thanks to a well-timed double play, getting Mickey Gaspar, who has both the name and countenance of a 1900s circus strongman, to tap into an inning-ending double play on the splitter. In the fourth, he got an assist from Cal Raleigh (welcome back Cal) throwing out Wilyer Abreu trying to steal after Abreu had jumped on a first-pitch fastball for a ground ball single. Miller’s fifth inning was a cherry on top of a strong day, with two strikeouts and a weak groundout from Meyer, who’d given him the tough at-bat earlier. Miller doubled up on the curveball to Jarren Duran after Duran flinched after the pitch for his sixth strikeout of the day, and then went split-sweeper to Durbin, who had homered off him earlier, for his seventh strikeout.“Everything felt good,” said Miller postgame, noting that he didn’t even have a chance to get to all his pitches because he was seeing so much success on the four-seamer. “I didn’t even throw a cutter today, so we still had that in the back pocket, and I think I threw one sinker…it’s never easy coming out of a one run game, especially when – I felt like I was rolling. But it was. You know. It was the plan going into it, so not really much that I can say to change anybody’s mind…when there’s a pre-set plan, there’s not really much arguing you can do.”At least Miller was able to avenge himself against Durbin and Meyer, but unfortunately, that’s where the moral victory part of the day ends, leaving just the less-fun defeat part. Left-handed pitching has been the bête noire for the Mariners this season, and Ranger Suarez is a particularly good lefty, so the Mariners were already facing an uphill climb, but four strikeouts in the first two innings – with two of those coming from righties in Cal and Julio – isn’t exactly a recipe for success. The Mariners didn’t have a baserunner until the fourth, with Cal working a walk off Suarez in his second time facing him, declining this time to chase after the curveball, but Julio wasn’t able to make a similar adjustment, getting punched out looking on the sinker, and then Josh Naylor battled heroically for eight pitches but wound up popping out softly.On as the second part of the piggyback, Luis Castillo had a strong first inning of work but a BABIP-fueled meltdown inning in the seventh. Ceddane Rafaela doubled off a fastball up in the zone to lead off the inning, giving the Red Sox a roughly 70% chance to increase their lead. What they’d wind up doing is putting the game out of reach. Some of it was Castillo’s fault: he lost the handle on a slider, allowing Rafaela to score from third to make it 2-0, but if you like Increased Velo Castillo – he was touching 97-98 on his fastball – you also have to be prepared for that increased velo on the slider, like this 90 mph one that Castillo said “surprised” him.If Castillo had been able to cap the damage there, that would have been one thing, but things quickly got worse with four straight singles – two hard-hit on pitches that caught way too much plate, and then a pair of bad-luck more weakly hit ones off the slider that found holes. A sac fly on another slider brought in the fifth run of the inning and all of a sudden the Mariners were looking at a 5-0 deficit in a game where they were being no-hit. “One of those things where sometimes things just don’t go your way,” said Castillo postgame through translator Freddy Lllanos.After the blowup in the top of the inning, the Mariners attempted to answer back, finally knocking Suarez out of the game in the seventh. Cal walked again facing Suarez, but Julio went after a cutter for an easy flyout for the first out. That left it to the lefty Naylor, who finally, finally broke up the no-hitter with a ringing double to right-center. After Josh Naylor’s no-hitter-breaking double, Dominic Canzone grounded out for the second out of the inning, but Cole Young was able to work a walk. A moment of appreciation for Cole Young: facing a tough lefty, he swung at strikes only, didn’t expand and chase the curveball or cutter, and overall did his best. If the Mariners want to leftyproof their lineup, Cole Young having at-bats like this will go a long way towards doing it. With the Mariners threatening, the Red Sox opted to bring in righty Justin Slaten, meaning Dan Wilson could free J.P. Crawford from the bench to try to come up with a clutch two-out RBI. Sadly Crawford couldn’t come up with any of his signature two-out magic, striking out and stranding the bases loaded.The Red Sox were able to get one more run off Castillo with another set of two-out back-to-back doubles in the ninth, but by that point the game was pretty well out of hand for the Mariners. Julio Rodríguez provided the lone offensive highlight, hitting a garbage-time homer (with Cal aboard with his third walk of the day, the Red Sox pitching had zero interest in pitching to Cal Raleigh in this game from either side of the plate) off Tommy Kahnle, last seen being bullied by the Mariners in the ALDS. No no-hitter and no shutout goals achieved, then, but the more elusive “win back to back games” goal remains out of reach for these frustratingly inconsistent 2026 Mariners.

FIFA World CupTurkey 0 - 1 Paraguay FTMatias Galarza's goal was the fastest so far scored at this World Cup [Getty Images]Miguel Almiron became the first player to be sent off for covering his mouth in the World Cup but 10-man Paraguay bravely clung on to boost their last-32 hopes and eliminate Turkey.Paraguay took the lead after just 64 seconds when midfielder Matias Galarza fired in from outside the area to score the fastest goal so far in this tournament and what turned out to be the match-winner.Then former Newcastle United midfielder Almiron put his hand over his mouth in a confrontation with Turkey defender Mert Muldur during first-half stoppage time which led to a video assistant referee review and a sending off from Salvadoran referee Ivan Barton as part of a new rule introduced before the World Cup.Both sides came into the game on the back of defeats with Paraguay thrashed by hosts USA 4-1 while Australia beat Turkey 2-0 - meaning there was an edge to the meeting with so much on the line, which led to a fiery contest.Turkey dominated the first half but managed just one shot on target from 12 attempts while a deflected header from Muldur hit the bar and the post - before Almiron's dismissal then ensured it would be an even more difficult night for Paraguay.Merih Demiral did test Orlando Gill after the break before substitute Deniz Gul wasted a great chance with a close-range header that was straight at the Paraguay goalkeeper.Can Uzun forced Gill into a fine save late on before Gul somehow turned wide the rebound, although it was likely it would have been ruled out for offside to somewhat spare his blushes.Turkey had 30 attempts on goal against the Socceroos in their first game and a further 32 here but could not find a way through against the 10 men in the second half and remain goalless in this tournament.They cannot progress now after two defeats while Paraguay know if they beat Australia in their final Group D game, then they will be through to the knockout stages.Turkey are out of the World Cup after failing to score in two games [Getty Images]Dominant Turkey draw blankVincenzo Montella's side have failed to score so far at this World Cup despite attempting 62 shots which, according to Opta, is the most attempts without a goal in any two-match span in the competition on record (since 1966).Not only did Turkey have a ridiculous amount of chances, they also dominated the ball in both their games.Against Australia, they had 71.6% possession and against Paraguay it was 78.5%. They were helped in the second game by the fact they were facing 10 men, but they were the dominant team even before Almiron was given his marching orders.They also had a higher xG than their opponents in both games with 1.33 in the game against Australia, who had 0.77 but scored twice. Their xG against Paraguay was 2.1 to the South Americans' 0.32. And they had more than 100 touches in their opponents' penalty area across the two games.The critical eye would point to the fact they had just 13 shots on target across the two games.Yet it is remarkable, given the share of play they have had, that they have not scored in two games - and are heading home no matter the result against USA next week.World Cup fixtures and group standingsHow to watch the World Cup on the BBCEverything you need to know about the World Cup

Germany meet Ivory Coast in Toronto knowing a win for either will secure their passage into the knockout stages and all but guarantee top spot with a round of fixtures still to play.Julian Nagelsmann’s side may have scored seven against minnows Curacao in their opener but it was not until the second half that they pulled away and the Mannschaft’s head coach remains under an intense spotlight at home from a punditry team led by Jurgen Klopp.Now they face the far sterner prospect of this meeting against an Ivorian team possessing plenty of attacking talent. Amad scored the late winner against Ecuador with plenty of eyes on young winger Yan Diomande amid interest from a host of big European clubs. Diomande was outstanding against Ecuador while several team-mates showed some early nerves in their tournament debuts.Here’s everything you need to know about this World Cup 2026 game:When is Germany v Ivory Coast?Germany face Ivory Coast at 9pm BST on Saturday 20 June (4pm ET) in Toronto. How can I watch it?Viewers in the UK can watch the match free-to-air on ITV1 with coverage starting at 8pm BST. It can also be live-streamed on ITVX.Team newsNagelsmann has no fresh injury concerns and seems likely to stick with Jamal Musiala in the No. 10 role instead of Denis Undav.Ivorian defender Evan N'Dicka continues to struggle with a hamstring injury, while forward Elye Wahi has been denied entry to Canada owing to a previous arrestPredicted line-upsGermany XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Tah, Sclotterbeck, Raum; Goretzka, Pavlovic; Sane, Musiala, Wirtz; HavertzIvory Coast XI: Fofana; Doue, Kossounou, Diomande, Konan; Kessie, Sangare; Amad, Toure, Diomande; Bonny.

India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI live score, toss winner, winning probability, result and highlights from Chennai originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY MATCH DETAILS:Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, ChennaiCaptains: Shubman Gill (IND), Hashmatullah Shahidi (AFG)Toss result: TBDLive Telecast: JioHotstar (India), Willow TV app, Sling TV (USA & Canada), Ariana Television Network(Afghanistan), Fox Cricket (Australia), CricLife, StarzPlay (UAE)Umpires & Match officials: Richard Illingworth, Virender Sharma (Umpires), Chris Gaffaney (TV Umpire), Rohan Pandit (Reserve Umpire), Ranjan Madugalle (Match referee)Match result: TBDPlayer of the Match: TBDIndia vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI live match ScorecardFollow along with the latest live scorecard here as the match unfolds, or click here for key text commentary updates from the action.India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI: Predicted playing XIIndiapredictedplaying XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Prince YadavAfghanistanpredicted playing XI: Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), Ibrahim Zadran, Sediqullah Atal, Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi(c), Darwish Rasooli, Rashid Khan, Nangeyalia Kharoti, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Saleem Safi, Bilal SamiIndia vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI UpdatesHello everyone, and welcome to the live blog for the India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODI at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.India arrive at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai with an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series against Afghanistan, having demolished their opponents in both Dharamsala and Lucknow. A clean sweep against a side they have never lost to in ODI cricket awaits if Shubman Gill's team can deliver a third consecutive performance of authority.The 2nd ODI in Lucknow set the tone for what this series has looked like in full flow. Gill scored 154 off 110 balls, Ishan Kishan continued his remarkable comeback with 125 off 79, and India posted 402 before dismissing Afghanistan for 232 in 44.3 overs. The 170-run margin was emphatic and left little doubt about the gulf in class between the two sides at this stage. Chepauk is a different proposition, though. The surface at MA Chidambaram historically assists spinners and can offer uneven bounce later in the game, which means Afghanistan's Rashid Khan will enter this fixture with greater hope of influence than he found in either of the previous venues. India, meanwhile, has a squad with enough depth and variety to adapt to whatever the surface offers.Toss: Toss to take place at 1:00 p.m.India vs Afghanistan: Win ProbabilityTeamWin percentageIND75%AFG25%Key highlights and reactions: India vs Afghanistan 3rd ODIInside Kohli’s injury rehab: How the India star is fast-tracking his returnBCCI confirms Rana's return: Will India hand KKR star a spot in Chennai dead rubber?Which Indian captains have scored 150 or more runs in an ODI innings? Shubman Gill joins exclusive clubChennai weather update: Chances of rain interrupting playThere are chances of rain in Chennai. We might have a truncated game. Let's take a look at the hourly temperatures and the probability of rainfall in Chennai on Saturday.1:00 PM: 36°C (49% chance of rain)2:00 PM: 35°C (53% chance of rain)3:00 PM: 39°C (55% chance of rain)4:00 PM: 34°C (24% chance of rain)5:00 PM: 32°C (19% chance of rain)6:00 PM: 32°C (18% chance of rain)7:00 PM: 32°C (16% chance of rain)8:00 PM: 31°C (16% chance of rain)9:00 PM: 31°C (16% chance of rain)10:00 PM: 30°C (16% chance of rain)11:00 PM: 30°C (16% chance of rain)India vs Afghanistan ODI 2026 series scheduleMatchDateVenueTime (IST)1st ODIJune 14 (Sat)HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala1:30 p.m.2nd ODIJune 17 (Tue)Ekana International Cricket Stadium, Lucknow1:30 p.m.3rd ODIJune 20 (Fri)MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai1:30 p.m.For all the latest cricket news, opinion and commentary and to share your voice head to our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 08: Julian Nagelsmann, Head Coach of Team Germany looks on during a Team Germany training session at W. Dennie Spry Soccer Stadium on June 08, 2026 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images) | Getty Images German national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann is not going to waver on his stance — Leroy Sané will keep his starting spot at right wing vs. Ivory Coast on Saturday. “He has trained well. I’m not someone that can be swayed by the public opinion. I don’t see why I should drop him,” Nagelsmann said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “They’ve been great in World Cup qualifiers and the friendlies. They’re quite unpredictable in the way they play. They are really strong on the wings, their energy on and off the ball is extraordinary. They are very disciplined in the way they press, but also in the way they react when they win the ball. We’ll try to counter their strengths tomorrow as best as possible.”As for the game, Nagelsmann just wants a win. “We want to win, that’s the goal. There’s no real reason for me to change anything about the lineup, but I’m also not going to tell you every single one of my thoughts right now. We are excited and believe it’s going to be a really good game,” the head coach stated. Germany should be favored, but Ivory Coast does present some danger. The Germans are well-equipped to handle any trouble coming their way, but it should be an interesting test for Die Mannschaft. Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:New, improved notifications system!Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community posts