The United States men’s national team have advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup after securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara.
Folarin Balogun opened the scoring before his second-half red card forced Mauricio Pochettino’s side to defend a fragile lead.
Malik Tillman then sealed the victory late on with a spectacular curling free-kick.
The win at Levi’s Stadium sets up a challenging knockout clash against Belgium on Tuesday.
Balogun strikes before seeing red
Tim Ream initiated the opening goal by brilliantly intercepting a poor clearance from the opposition goalkeeper.
The veteran defender’s quick thinking allowed Balogun to confidently finish and put the hosts ahead.
However, the goalscorer was dismissed with over half an hour remaining in regulation time.
The sending-off dramatically shifted the momentum of the tie.
Pochettino’s men were forced to abandon their attacking rhythm and desperately protect their slender advantage.
Defensive resilience pays off
Goalkeeper Matt Freese was repeatedly called into action as the European side mounted consistent pressure against the 10 men.
Chris Richards and Ream marshalled the backline superbly to deny any clear equalising opportunities.
The American squad held their shape to absorb wave after wave of opposition attacks.
Their disciplined approach eventually yielded a decisive counter-attacking opportunity.
Tillman stepped up and beautifully curled his set-piece past the wall to confirm their progression.
Belgium await in Seattle
The tournament hosts will now travel to Lumen Field to face a formidable Belgian team.
This upcoming fixture offers an immediate chance for redemption following a heavy defeat earlier this year.
The European heavyweights outclassed the Americans during a 5-2 friendly loss in Atlanta back in March.
Pochettino will now need to find a tactical solution to cope without his suspended star striker.
Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick has confirmed the franchise retains enough salary cap and roster space to re-sign captain Alex Ovechkin for a 22nd NHL season.
The NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, who turns 41 in September, is currently an unrestricted free agent and has yet to decide on his playing future.
His primary concerns reportedly centre around his physical health and whether the franchise has upgraded its roster enough to contend for a Stanley Cup after missing the playoffs last term.
“He hasn’t made a decision yet,” Patrick told ESPN.
“I think part of it was seeing where we are after today and that we’re trying to do as much as we can to improve the team.”
Aggressive offseason rebuild
The Eastern Conference side have been one of the league’s most active teams during the offseason trading period.
They acquired star winger Jordan Kyrou from the St Louis Blues, before executing a sign-and-trade deal with the Buffalo Sabres for highly-rated forward Alex Tuch.
Further depth was added as free agency opened, bringing in forwards Boone Jenner and Jonny Brodzinski alongside defensemen Justin Holl and Vincent Desharnais.
Those acquisitions leave the organisation with 14 forwards under contract and approximately $4.37m (£3.45m) in available salary space.
Structuring a potential deal
Despite the signing spree prompting speculation that their long-time captain would not return, Patrick insists the necessary financial mechanisms remain in place.
“I think we can do something that would work for Alex based on conversations we had with him prior to him leaving,” Patrick explained.
“There are ways to get him the money that he needs because of his age and the kind of contracts you can do.”
Under collective bargaining rules, the veteran is eligible for a heavily incentivised one-year contract permitted for players aged 35 or older.
Patrick cited Evgeni Malkin’s recent extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a viable blueprint to manage the salary cap implications.
Malkin’s deal features a low base salary heavily supplemented by signing and performance bonuses, yielding a smaller official cap hit next season.
Life left in the tank
The Russian forward proved he remains a potent offensive threat last season, leading the team with 32 goals and 64 points.
He sits on 929 career regular-season goals, further extending his own NHL record.
While Patrick has not spoken directly to the legendary forward during the recent flurry of roster moves, head coach Spencer Carbery has remained in contact.
The player himself previously suggested that he was “pretty sure” last season’s finale was not the end of his illustrious career.
Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic could finally join Arsenal on a free transfer following the expiration of his Juventus contract this week.
The 26-year-old forward is available for nothing after spending four years in Turin.
Mikel Arteta’s side previously attempted to secure his services in 2022 with a reported £60m bid.
However, the highly coveted goalscorer opted to leave Fiorentina for the Bianconeri in a £66m deal instead.
A sensational mistake?
At the time of his initial move, former Italy international Antonio Cassano heavily criticised the transfer.
“In my opinion, [his decision] is sensationally wrong,” Cassano stated on Christian Vieri’s Twitch channel.
“For the type of player I think he is, he needed to make an intermediate step to a team like Arsenal, Tottenham, or Sevilla.”
Despite Cassano’s assessment of the north London club as merely an intermediate step, the Gunners have since ended their 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
Attacking depth for the champions
Arsenal’s recent domestic success was spearheaded by Viktor Gyokeres and a fully fit Kai Havertz.
Arteta may now look to add another physical frontman to his squad to build upon their top-flight triumph.
The Serbian international previously dismissed the notion that he had directly rejected the English champions.
“Maybe my agent knows [about Arsenal’s offer], but I never talked to anyone about it,” he previously explained to The Telegraph.
“I just had one club in my mind because Juventus is Juventus, and there is nothing else to say.”
Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Frederik Andersen has joined the Edmonton Oilers on a one-year contract following a highly successful five-season spell with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 36-year-old moves to Alberta on an incentive-laden deal worth $2.75m.
His contract carries a base salary cap hit of just $1m, with the remaining $1.8m tied to performance bonuses based on regular-season appearances and playoff success.
Oilers seek stability between the pipes
The Danish international arrives as the latest solution to Edmonton’s ongoing goaltending dilemmas.
He joins a crowded crease alongside Tristan Jarry and newly acquired 24-year-old Devon Levi.
Jarry struggled heavily after arriving from the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, posting a disappointing .857 save percentage across 19 regular-season appearances.
Moving to the Oilers offers the veteran shot-stopper a chance to reunite with familiar faces from his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He will play alongside former team-mate Zach Hyman, while head coach Mike Babcock and assistant D.J. Smith previously managed him during their tenure in Ontario.
Triumph and tragedy in Carolina
The former Anaheim Ducks draftee departs Carolina fresh off a historic playoff run that culminated in the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 2006.
He anchored the Hurricanes’ progression to the final by going 12-1 across three Eastern Conference series, recording eight consecutive victories.
However, a knee injury forced him to hand the starting net to Brandon Bussi for the championship series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The post-season triumph was emotionally charged for the Herning native following the tragic death of his long-time agent, four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux.
“He would be so proud,” the goaltender told Sportsnet after securing the championship.
“It’s tough to really describe how much he has meant to me, and how cool it is to have my name on that trophy with him.”
Regular-season adjustments
Prior to his stellar playoff performances, the Olympic athlete experienced an inconsistent regular campaign.
Operating within a shared rotation system under head coach Rod Brind’Amour, he finished with a 16-14-5 record and a 3.05 goals-against average.
The experienced netminder will now look to establish himself as the undisputed first choice in Edmonton as they pursue their own championship ambitions.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero has become the youngest player since at least 1900 to hit a home run in six consecutive games after going deep against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old launched a 425-foot drive off right-hander Seth Lugo in the first inning to record his 24th blast of the season.
He surpasses Seattle Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr, who previously held the age milestone when he achieved the feat as a 23-year-old in 1993.
The infielder will celebrate his 23rd birthday this Sunday.
Historic streak for rising star
Only three other players in the modern era have managed a five-game streak before turning 23.
San Francisco’s Jack Clark, along with Atlanta duo Brian McCann and Ronald Acuña Jr, previously reached the five-game mark at such a young age.
The standout prospect is the first Major League Baseball player of any age to achieve a six-game run since Rafael Devers managed it for the Boston Red Sox in May 2024.
Power surge continues against Royals
The dynamic hitter now has eight home runs over his past six appearances.
This blistering stretch began with a spectacular three-homer performance during a commanding 13-2 victory over Kansas City last Thursday.
He joins Carlos Pena as the only player in franchise history to homer in six successive outings, matching a club record set back in June 2010.
Belgium fought back from a two-goal deficit to force extra-time against Senegal in their World Cup clash after Premier League duo Leandro Trossard and Youri Tielemans were involved in a heated on-pitch altercation.
Rudi Garcia’s side were trailing 2-0 midway through the second half in Washington following goals from Habib Diarra and Ismaila Sarr.
Frustrations boiled over just before a hydration break when a dangerous delivery into the penalty area failed to attract any attackers.
The Arsenal winger and the Aston Villa midfielder exchanged angry words before being physically separated by substitute Nicolas Raskin and veteran striker Romelu Lukaku.
Dramatic turnaround spares Belgian blushes
The European nation had flattered to deceive for much of the contest, staring at an early tournament exit against an African side positioned below them in the FIFA world rankings.
However, the internal confrontation appeared to galvanise the 2018 semi-finalists completely against the run of play.
The Napoli forward sparked the revival in the 86th minute, converting a loose ball from Thomas Meunier at the near post with a clinical first-time finish.
Premier League duo combine for late equaliser
With just four minutes remaining on the clock, the previously arguing team-mates combined perfectly to rescue their nation.
The former Brighton attacker delivered a looping cross towards the far post, allowing his midfield compatriot to rise highest and power a header past Senegalese goalkeeper Mory Diaw.
The pair immediately buried the hatchet, sharing an embrace as they returned to the halfway line having successfully dragged the match into extra-time.
England were wrongly denied a crucial World Cup penalty against Congo DR after Harry Kane was brought down by goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The controversial incident occurred in the 43rd minute of the pivotal group-stage clash.
The Three Lions captain burst through on goal and rounded the advancing keeper before being aggressively tripped.
Referee Adham Mohammad Tumah Makhadmeh immediately waved away strong appeals from the European side.
VAR protocol comes under scrutiny
Video assistant referee Khamis Al Marri subsequently checked the on-field decision from the booth.
The Qatari official ultimately cleared the ruling without requesting a pitch-side monitor review.
Officials determined that contact by the goalkeeper was not the primary reason for the striker going to ground.
Slow-motion replay blamed for error
Former Premier League referee Andy Davies believes the non-intervention cost the national side a guaranteed spot-kick.
“I have no doubt this should have been a penalty, and England should feel unfortunate,” said Davies.
“When an attacker shifts the ball wide of a keeper while moving at pace, the responsibility is on the keeper to either win the ball or avoid contact.”
The former Select Group official noted that the African side’s stopper failed on both fronts by making zero contact with the ball.
Review speed questioned
Davies also highlighted a major procedural error in the technical review process.
“The VAR amazingly checked this challenge in slow motion, which was odd,” he added.
Reviewing high-speed collisions at reduced speed often creates unwarranted doubt regarding an attacker’s genuine intentions.
Elite officiating guidelines dictate that such dynamic situations must be evaluated in real time to determine true culpability.
The expanded 104-game format of the 2026 tournament is placing unprecedented scrutiny on match officials across the board.
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier has signed a five-year contract extension worth $58.5m to remain with the NHL franchise through the 2031-32 season.
The 27-year-old currently has one year remaining on a deal that carries a $7.25m cap hit.
His lucrative new agreement will take effect ahead of the 2027-28 campaign, raising his cap hit to $11.7m.
Ending trade rumours
The massive extension firmly ends mounting speculation regarding the centre’s future following the arrival of new general manager Sunny Mehta.
Rumours had circulated across the league that the former number one overall draft pick might seek a fresh start away from Newark.
The organisation has endured periods of locker room dysfunction in recent seasons, leading to suggestions that an underachieving roster could be broken up for significant draft capital.
Instead, the franchise cornerstone has chosen to commit his prime years to the team that drafted him in 2017.
Leading by example
“When I took this job, I knew that Nico was one of the core pieces that I definitely wanted as part of our future,” said Mehta.
“The way he plays the game, his leadership, and selflessness are qualities we value for this team.”
Now entering his 10th NHL season, the veteran forward registered 28 goals and 38 assists across 82 appearances last year.
Those impressive two-way performances earned him a ninth-place finish in voting for the Selke Trophy, awarded annually to the league’s top defensive forward.
Securing the core
The captain currently sits sixth on the all-time scoring list for the Devils, having amassed 488 points in 609 games.
His new deal keeps him in New Jersey two seasons beyond the expiration of fellow star centre Jack Hughes’s current contract.
“He puts the team before himself and wants nothing more than to win here in New Jersey,” managing partner David Blitzer added.
The structured extension will see the standout forward earn $14.5m in each of his first two seasons under the new terms.