The United States suffered a severe setback in their World Cup preparations as Belgium secured an emphatic 5-2 victory at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.
Weston McKennie initially rewarded the tournament co-hosts for an impressive start, turning in an Antonee Robinson corner at the back post to claim his first international goal in three years.
However, Zeno Debast levelled for the European side on the stroke of half-time with a stunning long-range strike.
Defensive vulnerabilities exposed
The visitors ruthlessly exploited a makeshift American defence after the interval, scoring three times during a devastating 15-minute spell.
Amadou Onana fired the Red Devils ahead before Charles De Ketelaere converted a penalty following a handball by home captain Tim Ream.
Dodi Lukebakio then delivered the standout moment of the match, curling a magnificent effort into the top corner beyond returning goalkeeper Matt Turner.
The Belgian attacker added his second and the visitors’ fifth late in the game, prompting early exits from frustrated sections of the 66,867-strong crowd.
Injuries hamper Pochettino’s plans
Substitute Patrick Agyemang managed a late consolation for Mauricio Pochettino’s side, but the heavy defeat snapped a promising five-game unbeaten streak under the Argentine manager.
The hosts were severely depleted at the back, missing key defenders Sergiño Dest, Chris Richards and Miles Robinson alongside holding midfielder Tyler Adams.
Consequently, Tim Weah was forced to start at right-back and endured a torrid afternoon attempting to contain Manchester City winger Jérémy Doku.
Final preparations approach
The defeat extends Belgium’s winning run against the Americans to six consecutive matches, a dominant streak dating back to their lone loss at the inaugural 1930 tournament.
Pochettino now faces a crucial final assessment window when his squad returns to Atlanta to host Portugal on Tuesday before naming his roster in May.
The Stars and Stripes will launch their World Cup campaign against Paraguay on 12 June in Inglewood, California.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka defeated hometown favourite Coco Gauff 6-2 4-6 6-3 in the Miami Open final on Saturday to complete the prestigious ‘Sunshine Double’.
The Belarusian arrived at the tournament having already claimed the Indian Wells crown and successfully retained her Miami title in a thrilling three-set encounter.
Victory means she joins an elite club of just five women to win both Californian and Floridian events back-to-back in the same season.
Sabalenka survives mid-match fightback
The top seed established early dominance by racing into a 2-0 lead before fending off resistance from the world number four to secure a double break.
A powerful serving display saw the defending champion win 73 per cent of her first-serve points while closing out the opening set in commanding fashion.
However, the American challenger, who hails from nearby Delray Beach, found her rhythm in a tightly contested middle set.
Gauff struck at the pivotal moment, breaking her opponent for the only time in the match to force a deciding set and delight the local crowd.
An elite club and staggering season record
The deciding set saw the tournament favourite immediately regain her composure, breaking early before holding to love in two consecutive service games.
She sealed the championship with her fourth break of the contest when her American rival sent a decisive backhand wide.
The triumph acts as revenge for the 2025 French Open final, where Gauff previously claimed a famous victory over her fierce competitor.
By capturing consecutive stateside titles, the world’s top-ranked player joins Steffi Graf, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek in achieving the elusive double.
It caps off an extraordinary start to the campaign, improving her formidable 2026 record to 23 wins and just a single defeat.
Arsenal duo Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka are among eight players to leave the England squad before Tuesday’s friendly against Japan at Wembley.
An official statement confirmed the pair are returning to the Premier League leaders for a medical assessment.
They had originally been part of a distinct group of players rested for the recent 1-1 draw with Uruguay.
Injury setbacks force withdrawals
Winger Noni Madueke departs the setup after suffering a heavy collision during the first half of Friday’s stalemate.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton and Manchester City defender John Stones have also been released after sustaining a knock and a calf issue respectively.
Fikayo Tomori, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale complete the list of departures having already featured against the South Americans.
Tuchel balances squad rotation
The German manager previously outlined a strategy to split his selection across these two pre-World Cup fixtures.
This novel approach was designed to ensure his core group of established internationals receives adequate rest.
Nine fresh faces will now integrate into the remaining 27-man group, including returning captain Harry Kane and Newcastle United forward Anthony Gordon.
Promising talents such as Morgan Rogers, Elliott Anderson and Nico O’Reilly have also arrived alongside experienced defenders Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa and Dan Burn.
Meanwhile, medical staff have cleared Phil Foden to remain with the national team despite the playmaker enduring a forceful challenge from Ronald Araujo in their previous outing.
Arsenal are awaiting a medical update on Noni Madueke after the winger sustained a worrying knee injury during England’s 1-1 friendly draw against Uruguay at Wembley on Friday.
The 24-year-old was forced off late in the first half following a heavy collision with opposition striker Rodrigo Aguirre.
Fears over the severity of the issue escalated when the dynamic forward was later seen leaving the stadium wearing a protective brace on his left leg.
Tuchel expresses concern over key attacker
National team manager Thomas Tuchel admitted his anxiety regarding the fitness of the talented attacker ahead of Tuesday’s final pre-World Cup warm-up match against Japan.
“I’m worried, of course,” Tuchel stated following the stalemate.
“Very sad and upset and hopefully it’s not a big injury. He started well, he was full of energy, he was ready to go.”
“Against a team like Uruguay, who rely on one-against-ones to isolate them, he makes the spaces open up and he could have been a key player for us.”
Arteta’s mounting fitness crisis
The latest setback deepens a growing selection crisis for Mikel Arteta’s squad as they approach crucial FA Cup and Champions League quarter-final ties against Southampton and Sporting.
The north London club are already reeling from a Carabao Cup final defeat by Manchester City last weekend, which resulted in the subsequent international withdrawals of William Saliba, Gabriel and Leandro Trossard.
Those vital first-team figures join an increasingly crowded treatment room that currently houses club captain Martin Odegaard, Jurrien Timber and long-term absentee Mikel Merino.
Furthermore, the Gunners recently lost Eberechi Eze for up to six weeks after he suffered a calf problem during their European victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is facing mounting scrutiny over his World Cup preparations following a flat 1-1 draw against Uruguay under an experimental split-squad strategy.
The Three Lions are now just 80 days away from their tournament opener against Croatia in Texas.
This current international break represents a final opportunity for fringe players to force their way into the final selection.
However, a novel approach by the German tactician has seen an expanded 35-man group divided across two separate fixtures.
Experimental approach yields mixed results
Friday’s disjointed performance against the South Americans predominantly featured rotational options and returning faces.
Experienced defender Harry Maguire and playmaker Phil Foden lined up alongside debutants James Garner and James Trafford.
A completely different 11-man entourage led by captain Harry Kane will now step in for Tuesday’s clash with Japan.
This incoming group contains the most trusted members of the squad, including Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Morgan Rogers.
Lack of top-level tests exposed
The former Bayern Munich boss has only overseen 11 matches since officially taking charge of the national side.
While qualification was secured effortlessly with eight wins and zero goals conceded, the calibre of opposition has been heavily questioned.
Those routine victories came against nations ranked entirely outside the world’s top 20, leaving a severe lack of elite preparation.
A previous 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal last year remains their toughest recent test on paper.
Pundits question collective progress
The explicit intention behind facing Uruguay and Japan was to challenge the team against non-European opponents ranked inside the global top 20.
Yet, observers remain unconvinced that the current camp has provided meaningful answers regarding the overall tactical setup.
“We expected an indifferent performance because of the changes,” former international goalkeeper Paul Robinson told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“I’m not so sure we have learned anything different about the team as a collective.”
“It wasn’t a performance to be judged as a team – it was for individuals.”
BBC senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel echoed these sentiments regarding the overall value of the Wembley exercise.
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying it was a pointless exercise – but I’m not sure Tuchel would have left Wembley having gleaned too much new information,” Mokbel added.
Pittsburgh Penguins franchise icons Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been ruled out of Saturday’s game against the Dallas Stars due to injury.
The absence of their two biggest stars comes at a pivotal moment, with Pittsburgh currently clinging to second place in the Metropolitan Division.
Head coach Dan Muse provided a fitness update on the veteran forward duo ahead of the weekend fixture.
Both players are day to day with injuries and will sit out Saturday’s game against Dallas.
Dan Muse
Olympic setback compounds Crosby woes
The 38-year-old Canadian captain sustained a lower-body problem during the first period of Thursday’s 4-3 shootout victory over the Ottawa Senators.
It marks a frustrating continuation of physical issues for the legendary centre.
He recently missed approximately a month of action after suffering a separate lower-body injury while representing Team Canada at the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Playoff push hangs in the balance
His long-time Russian team-mate will also sit out his third consecutive fixture.
The powerful forward has been sidelined with an upper-body complaint since a defeat by the Carolina Hurricanes on 22 March.
These setbacks arrive just as the Pennsylvania franchise attempts to secure their first postseason appearance since 2022.
With only 10 regular-season games remaining, Muse’s side hold a narrow one-point advantage over both the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Islanders.
The upcoming schedule offers no respite, featuring a vital trip to face the Islanders on Monday before hosting the Detroit Red Wings the following night.
Notre Dame star Hannah Hidalgo insists her team will not repeat their starstruck performance when they face rivals UConn in Sunday’s Elite Eight rematch.
The Fighting Irish suffered a bruising 38-point defeat during the previous meeting in Storrs back in January.
However, the junior guard believes the sixth seeds are now playing their best basketball of the season following a strong recent run.
“I feel like I can say that UConn hasn’t seen the best Notre Dame,” Hidalgo said.
Moving past early intimidation
The previous encounter proved a difficult learning experience for a relatively inexperienced roster.
The talented playmaker was restricted to just 16 points on five-for-15 shooting during that heavy mid-season loss.
“I think before when we played UConn, we played a little afraid,” Hidalgo admitted.
“I think we were a little probably starstruck, but now that we’ve seen it, we’ve been through it, I think it’ll help us a lot.”
Peaking at the perfect moment
The Indiana-based programme has recovered formidably since the turn of the year, winning 10 of their past 11 matches.
Their only defeat during that impressive stretch came by a narrow two-point margin against a resilient Duke side.
Head coach Niele Ivey, who previously won a national championship as a player, understands the mental fortitude required against such dominant opposition.
“They can crush you from the beginning, so you have to have confidence for 40 minutes,” Ivey explained.
The former assistant coach stressed that her squad now possesses the necessary experience to handle the high-pressure tournament environment.
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has accused the media of taking his quotes out of context following reports linking him with a future move to Real Madrid.
The Spain international recently made headlines when a radio interview appeared to show him praising the European champions and hinting at a return to La Liga.
Those remarks sparked widespread speculation regarding the future of the 29-year-old at Etihad Stadium.
However, following his national team’s 3-0 victory over Serbia, the former Atletico Madrid star fired back at his critics.
Addressing the media distortion
“If, out of a 50-minute interview, they cut out whatever they want… in the end, I don’t have much more to say,” Rodri stated.
“I’m a person who speaks directly. The interview is there if you want to listen to it in its entirety… and not just certain snippets.”
The holding midfielder is currently sidelined as he rehabilitates from a significant injury.
He insisted that his primary focus remains firmly on regaining his fitness rather than negotiating a new deal ahead of a crucial World Cup cycle.
Contract talks and recovery focus
“What worries me right now is my feeling, my level, how to get back to my previous level,” he explained.
Despite acknowledging his enduring affection for Spanish football, the four-time Premier League winner reiterated his happiness in England.
The midfield anchor’s current contract with the English champions runs until June 2027.
He noted that while discussions about his future will eventually happen, there is no immediate rush to sit down with club officials.
“Obviously, there will be a point where we’ll have to sit down and talk, have a conversation.”