Italy’s Sarah Luisa Fahr and Ekaterina Antropova react during a win over Japan in the Women’s VNL Week 2 at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Defending champion Italy dominated crowd favorite Japan, 25-21, 25-23, 25-18, in the Women’s Volleyball Nations League (VNL) Week 2 on Sunday night at Philsports Arena.

Despite most of the Filipino crowd rooting for the Japanese, the Italians flexed their muscles and showed the heart of a champion to end their Philippine leg with a bang.

READ: VNL Week 2: USA sweeps Italy in clash of champions

Carlotta Cambi on Italy’s experience in VNL Philippine leg. #BePartoftheGame @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/m7Pg6VYCKN

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 21, 2026

The 6-foot-8 Kate Antropova was nearly unstoppable with 17 points off 15 kills, one block, and an ace to improve to a 6-2 record, bouncing back from their straight-set loss to USA on Saturday.

Stella Nervini and Oghosasere Loveth Omoruyi chipped in 10 points each, while Sarah Fahr added nine, with Carlotta Cambi pacing the squad 

“Very great match, we are so aggressive and we prepared the match very well so I’m very proud of my team, of all my team,” said Cambi.

“We are pushing with more energy now, so we are proud of the Italians. [The fans cheering for Japan] is not a problem. I prefer that the crowd is full of people, even if the crowd is for Japanese people.”

READ: VNL Week 2: Italy survives Serbia scare, stays unbeaten in Manila

Kate Antropova after leading Italy’s sweep of Japan. #BePartoftheGame @inquirersports pic.twitter.com/MHdzVDp1dP

— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) June 21, 2026

Italy squandered a 23-20 lead in the second with consecutive attack errors that allowed the Japanese to tie the frame. Fahr came to the rescue to stop the bleeding before Antropova delivered a booming ace that gave the reigning titlist a two-set lead.

Mayu Ishikawa powered the Japanese with 12 points, all from attacks. Nichika Yamada had 11 points, while Yukiko Wada and Yoshino Sato added nine each.

Japan ended its Pasig stint losing its last two games, including a tough loss to the Dominican Republic as it slid to 6-2.

Trainer Matt Smith has been responsible for a number of significant-priced placegetters recently, but he states he cannot recall training a Saturday metropolitan winner at odds longer than the $101 offered for Alice Mae.

Given minimal chance by the punters, the mare pushed her way clear from her midfield position and made a determined run down the outside to win the B&J Guttering & Metal Roofing Handicap (1800m) by three-quarters of a length from Shangri La Impact ($3.50).

Smith noted that while he has had horses like Dezignation finish second at $151 in the ATC Australian Derby behind Green Spaces, he cannot remember a runner of his winning at triple-figure odds.

“That might be the first. But I’ve had a run of 100-1 shots running second and third in the last twelve months, so it’s good to get one up,” Smith said.

“It was a bit of a shock, but we’ll take it.”

This was Alice Mae’s seventh start of the preparation at Randwick, during her first campaign under Smith’s tutelage.

While the victory was not anticipated, Smith mentioned that he did expect a competitive showing, as the five-year-old mare had been improving and required time to build her fitness.

“It was just a matter of getting the miles into her,” Smith explained.

“She’s an older mare, and she has taken a while to get fit.

“She has never had a staying preparation before. We’re training her differently to what she would have been trained previously, and we’re giving her a chance to get over a bit of ground.”

Smith was also pleased with the run of stablemate Hammoon Heroine, who finished sixth, and commented that she would be a horse to follow when she is stepped up to longer distances.

Betting on the next big race? Find the best racing odds right here.

Trainer Craig Conron, who had doubts about his return to Flemington as a trainer not long ago, was welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure on Saturday.

The Geelong horseman made a successful comeback as Vegas Jack continued its impressive winning streak in the $150,000 Country Racing It’s Got It All Trophy, contested over 2540 metres.

This victory was Conron’s first at Flemington since Distant Melody’s Black Type success during the 2007 Melbourne Cup Carnival. The 62-year-old expressed his profound pleasure at being back.

“It’s great to be back here and it’s great to be having a winner here,” he said. “I get a kick anytime they win, but when it’s a Saturday at Flemington it’s a much bigger kick.”

Vegas Jack, a $9.50 selection under jockey Dean Yendall, won by 1-1/4 lengths from The Western Front ($5.50), with Bold Soul ($7) a further half-length adrift in third.

Conron has had limited opportunities to compete at Flemington in recent seasons, having taken a six-year hiatus from training, which included brief periods in Tasmania and the Northern Territory.

During this break, he assisted his daughter in managing her mobile coffee van enterprise.

Conron acquired Vegas Jack for a modest $13,000 through an online purchase in January of the previous year. The gelding had previously been unplaced in two starts for trainers Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.

The So You Think gelding proved victorious on its debut for Conron and has since accumulated five additional wins, including its last four races consecutively.

This Flemington success followed a benchmark 66 victory at the Swan Hill carnival. Conron is effusive about the four-year-old’s potential.

“I still think he’s six or 12 months off doing what he’s going to do, so what we’re getting now, I know it sounds silly, is a bonus,” Conron said.

Conron was not the only trainer to end a significant Flemington drought on Saturday, as Alex Rae also achieved his second win at the venue.

The emerging Cranbourne trainer saddled Imperatriz’s half-brother, I’mateez, to win the $150,000 Rod Johnson 3YO Handicap over 1100 metres.

This marked Rae’s first Flemington triumph since his noteworthy debut on Oaks Day in 2018 when Cochada claimed the Country Final.

“I trained my first winner here with my first runner in 2018 and it’s been eight years between drinks,” Rae remarked. “Everywhere else been pretty fruitful, so this is a great result.”

I’mateez, a gelding by Capitalist that started at $9, finished 1-3/4 lengths ahead of La Astro Chat ($16), with Prestar ($4.20) a neck behind in third.

For those interested in the racing action, checking out the online bookmakers can provide valuable insights into betting markets for the race.

Ben Stokes will return as England captain for next week’s third Test against New Zealand, head coach Brendon McCullum has announced.

Stokes was stood down from the second Rothesay Test against New Zealand pending the results of an disciplinary investigation into a breach of team protocols in the early hours of June 8.

He instead turned out for Durham, scoring a rapid 95 on day two of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Northamptonshire on Saturday.

But on Sunday morning both Stokes and Gus Atkinson, also left out following his part in the breach of curfew, were removed from their respective county matches by England pending a recall.

And after England suffered a comprehensive 253-run loss to New Zealand at The Oval, McCullum confirmed Stokes would return for the third Test in Nottingham.

“Ben will be back. He’ll be back and he’ll be captain,” McCullum said.

“I think everyone is excited about that, especially after seeing him hit some form for Durham.

“I’ve been speaking to Ben every single day since we had the incident and my assessment was that I was worried about him. To see him go out there and play some cricket and look like he was enjoying himself is really positive.

“I’m not going to divulge our conversations because they are confidential but it’s great to see him back playing and I look forward to seeing him in a couple of days.”

McCullum and Stokes have both deflected previous suggestions that their working relationship had become strained over the course of the 4-1 Ashes defeat in the winter, but those suspicions have only increased given recent events.

McCullum and other members of the senior management were angry that attempts to introduce new standards of behaviour had faltered at the first hurdle this summer. Stokes, meanwhile, is thought to harbour his own frustrations and reportedly contemplated retiring with immediate effect at the height of tensions.

Asked if the pair could operate successfully again after a turbulent couple of weeks, the New Zealander said: “We’ve worked together intimately for four years, we’ve achieved some cool things and we’ve let ourselves down in other things.

“We have robust conversations all the way through and that’s to be expected when you’re in positions of leadership. There’s mutual respect there.

“I’ve been very clear and very supportive of Ben throughout and particularly this week as well. I anticipate we’ll be able to work together really well with the week coming and I’m sure both of us still have that same vision for this cricket team.”

There was, though, no question of brushing any indiscretions under the carpet.

McCullum said: “It’s really important to separate the actions from the man. I think as leaders we help set standards and we try to abide by them and live to them constantly. Occasionally there are going to be mistakes made and during those times you can’t walk past when standards have slipped or mistakes have been made.

“You address it and you try to move on.”

The ongoing World Cup frenzy throughout the United States should both fascinate and depress the NFL.

On one hand, it shows what happens when a sport becomes a truly global phenomenon. On the other hand, it shows how far the NFL has to go in its effort to globalize.

Advertisement

The notion that an international American football tournament could bring tens of thousands of fans from other countries to the host nation for a 104-match free-for-all lasting more than a month (with hundreds of millions watching worldwide on TV) should inspire the NFL to keep pushing. The fact that American football is a very long way from ever getting to that point could make some wonder why the NFL is even bothering.

Still, the NFL has decided it’s worth the money and the effort to keep pushing the sport to an international audience. The emergence of flag football could be the first step toward eventually having a World Cup-style gathering, especially since it’s much easier to export a game that requires far less equipment. And if flag football assists in the generation of greater interest in tackle football, perhaps more and more countries will embrace that version of the sport, in time.

Time is the key word. When the NFL first started playing regular-season games in London nearly two decades ago, it was seen by some as part of a 100-year plan to take the existing NFL inventory and expand the interest in (and viewership of) those games.

When I first caught the incurable NFL virus in the early ’70s, thanks to the Immaculate Reception, NFL Films, and Howard Cosell’s halftime highlights, baseball was by far the dominant sport in America. Now, baseball has fallen behind football, basketball, and soccer — with football clearly taking over as the new American pastime.

Advertisement

Football won’t catch soccer, from a global perspective, any time soon. Possibly, the sun will burn out before that ever happens.

Regardless, the NFL is laying the foundation for seeing how far the sport can go. Even if it will take decades (if not centuries) to close the global gap with soccer, the NFL is committed to trying.

The images we’ve seen since the World Cup started nine days ago underscore the simple fact that the potential upside (whatever it may be) is well worth the effort.

Germany’s bench emptied after Deniz Undav scored the winner in the 94th minute. Julian Nagelsmann roared with delight. The Germany fans behind the goal threw themselves in all directions, lost in the joy of an injury-time winner. For the first time since they won the World Cup in 2014, Germany are headed to the knockouts. Moments like this make it easy to believe that something special is happening with this team.

This was a victory for head coach Julian Nagelsmann, who got his substitutes spot on. But more than that, it was a win for the new guard. Unaffected by the scars of the last two tournaments, the newer faces in this squad drove the team to victory from a losing position.

The youngsters of this group stepped up. Felix Nmecha continued his strong form and is emerging as the heartbeat of this team. Jamie Leweling made a difference off the bench. Nadiem Amiri provided the cross to set up the equalizer. And there was Undav.

The Stuttgart striker, who is playing at his first World Cup just six years after playing in the third division, took control of the game once again. In two appearances off the bench at this tournament, Undav has now scored three goals and two assists. Only Cameroon’s Roger Milla in 1990 scored more (four) as a substitute. He is now the story of this Germany team, and the pressure on Nagelsmann to start him will grow.

“He’s a full-blooded striker,” Nagelsmann said to public broadcaster ZDF after the match. “He scored two super goals. The whole group earned the victory today.”

Tough loss for the Elephants

Ivory Coast deserved more from this game. Emerse Fae’s side had more than one spell of control, and their opening goal did not come against the run of play. The team in orange won more battles in midfield, unsettling Germany, but they were also smart about how they went about it. Almost all of their attacks came down the left-hand side, where rising star Yan Diomande continually got the better of Germany captain Joshua Kimmich. 

The Elephants got under Germany’s skin and made it difficult for Nagelsmann’s charges to gain momentum. Eventually, one of Diomande’s many surges ended with Franck Kessie converting the cross at the back post.

Animated by referring decisions that included two disallowed goals for Germany, Nagelsmann was lucky to escape a booking for his antics on the sidelines. This was exactly the kind of contest Germany did not want.

Advertisement

By the hour mark, it looked like an all-too-familiar World Cup story for Germany. Ivory Coast were closer to scoring a second. Germany looked asleep, adrift. In the face of this uncertainty, the Germany fans did the only thing they could do — they called for Deniz Undav.

Fairytale being written

Nagelsmann responded, and on came his heroes. Eight minutes later, Amiri found Undav and Germany were level. An incredible finale followed as both sides went for the win. Ivory Coast inexplicably missed a glorious chance, with Leon Goretzka saving the day for Germany. Then Nathaniel Brown and Amiri both looked to have missed Germany’s game-winner. But then came Undav, sneaking into the space near the last defender, taking a touch, turning, and scoring like it was the simplest thing in the world.

“Deniz deserves special mention today. The way he got into the game was outstanding,” Jonathan Tah said.

“Deniz is lethal in front of goal. He doesn’t need a lot of chances,” Amiri told Magenta.

Nico Schlotterbeck’s injury dampened the mood, as the Borussia Dortmund defender’s tournament looks over.

Advertisement

But injuries or the defensive weakness out wide or the poor first half performance won’t worry any Germany fans today. They are dreaming of winning it all again. And thanks to Curacao’s historic draw against Ecuador later in the day, top spot in Group E is also officially Germany’s.

After the 7-1 win against Curacao, the comparisons with that semifinal win against Brazil were inevitable, even if a little bit of a stretch. Undav’s last-minute winner has echoes of Oliver Neuville’s at Germany’s home World Cup in 2006. Granted, this tournament isn’t in Germany, but it would be fair to say the first few lines of a summer fairytale are being written at the 2026 World Cup.

Edited by: Sean Sinico

Emerging sprinter Ice Kool continues to impress, securing another victory at Randwick despite still refining his racecraft.

The three-year-old colt makes his task harder by not reacting promptly to the start and tending to race keenly, yet he consistently moves up through the grades.

His win in Saturday’s Ensure Workplace Risk Solutions Handicap (1000m) marked his fourth success from five starts. Trainer David Pfieffer conceded the horse has some quirks but expressed hope that time and maturity will resolve them.

“He makes it hard for himself. He’s slow out of the gates, and then he had to use himself to muster a bit of speed,” Pfieffer explained. “He’s still ironing out his race craft, and he’s just got to get those one percenters right. When he does that, he’s going to keep improving.

“If he learns to settle and adapt to races when things don’t go to plan, we’ll see a nice horse.”

Ridden by Jay Ford, the $1.50 favourite Ice Kool settled three-wide on the speed and had to be strongly urged by his jockey to overcome his 60kg impost, winning by a half-length from Petticoat ($14). Teylu ($41) finished a long head further back in third.

While this form is considered off-season, Pfieffer believes Ice Kool has the potential to become a carnival contender and plans a short spell for the colt before the spring.

“We might look to give him a let-up and then poke around at carnival time,” he said. “I’m contemplating going to Melbourne because I’m thinking he won’t be in the Concorde (Stakes), The Shorts, the Premiere (Stakes). He’s not at that level yet.

“Testing him down the straight or around Caulfield or Sandown, a few of those races that are second tier stakes races will be nice little targets. Hopefully we’re talking those Sydney lead-up races this time next year.”

Get the best racing odds from leading online bookmakers.

Trainer Chris Munce has added another significant chapter to the Ipswich Cup’s storied history, this time sharing the victory with his son, Corey.

Munce’s own jockeying career saw him win the Listed staying feature aboard Oompala in 1994, a horse that later finished third in the Melbourne Cup.

His training prowess was first showcased in the Ipswich Cup with Smart Meteor in 2022, and Kaluakoi continued this winning legacy on Saturday.

Reflecting on his achievements, Munce said, “Oompala was a very good galloper. He won the Caloundra Cup, got beaten in the Grafton Cup, then went and ran third in the Melbourne Cup. To be able to ride a winner and now train two, one with Corey, it’s a great thrill.”

Munce admitted that Kaluakoi’s lack of a recent middle-distance run this preparation was a point of concern leading up to Saturday’s event.

However, any such worries were quickly allayed once the race commenced.

Munce shared his immediate thoughts with Corey after the first lap: “I said to Corey when he got past the winning post that he was going to be hard to beat because he pricked his ears down the hill and relaxed lovely. He’s got no real turn of foot, but he’s a tough galloper.”

The $4.60 favourite, Kaluakoi, set the pace throughout and responded gamely for apprentice Emily Lang to secure a three-quarters of a length win over Encoder ($4.80). Sun Worshipper ($21) took third place.

Lang, notching her fifth stakes victory, confirmed she followed Chris Munce’s directive to be proactive from the start.

She explained the trainer’s instructions: “He did say to me on Thursday at the trials that he didn’t want (the horse) to be ridden pretty. The last four or so weeks have been really tough. I obviously don’t have a claim anymore, and with all the Sydney and Melbourne jockeys coming up, my manager has had to do a really tough job of getting me rides. When I get the opportunity from a stable like Chris and Corey Munce, it makes all the difference and it’s good to get the job done.”

In the Listed Eye Liner Stakes (1350m), Michael Freedman’s Soothsayer, piloted by Daniel Moor, triumphed despite a challenging draw.

Lee Freedman, who manages his brother’s Gold Coast stable, expressed his surprise at the six-year-old’s rapid improvement this season, suggesting he might develop into a capable miler next year.

“I’m a bit flabbergaster to be honest because he’s gone from a benchmark 85 to a Group Three. He may have come back this ‘prep’ better than ever. I always thought he’d be a good horse for a race like the Epsom (Handicap), so that may be the race you see him in,” Lee Freedman stated.

Explore the latest racing betting markets for upcoming feature races.

The latest in our NFC North positional rankings sees us take a look at the tight end position. This is another position group in the division that is loaded with talent, making it difficult to separate the four teams.

NFC North TE Rankings for 2026

For the TE group, the main focus is on the top two players on each team’s depth chart, with other options taken into consideration. I had the Vikings in first place in last season’s ranking, but they don’t fare so well this time around. Here are my NFC North TE rankings for 2026.

1. Chicago Bears – Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet

Chicago has invested heavily in the draft at the TE position in recent years, spending a first-round pick on Colston Loveland, a second-round pick on Cole Kmet, and going again this year, spending a third-round pick on Sam Roush. It has given the Bears not just the top-end quality but also strong depth.

Loveland immediately became the team’s TE1, going over 700 receiving yards and scoring six touchdowns in his rookie season. With a head coach who has proven he likes to give his TEs a heavy workload, Loveland should be looking to go even bigger in Year 2.

2. Detroit Lions – Sam LaPorta and Tyler Conklin

Sam LaPorta’s 2025 season ended after Week 10 due to a herniated disc in his back. It led to career lows in his numbers across the board, but 489 receiving yards and three touchdowns from nine games showed his production didn’t suffer from the exit of Ben Johnson as the Lions’ playcaller. Tyler Conklin was signed on free agency, perhaps as insurance if LaPorta takes time to get back up to speed, or as a replacement for Brock Wright, whose name has been mentioned with a potential exit. 

Conklin is well known to Vikings fans, a fifth-round pick by Minnesota back in 2018. Conklin has gone on to have a solid career. How good the Lions are at this position and as a team could hinge on if/when LaPorta gets back to his best. Detroit’s form nose dived after LaPorta got injured last season, winning only three of the last eight games and finishing last in the division.

3. Green Bay Packers – Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave

Tucker Kraft was building on his good season in 2024 and looking to go even better in 2025 when an ACL tear cut his season short. Kraft had racked up 489 receiving yards and six touchdowns from just eight games. The Packers will be hoping he can return to that form in 2026.

Luke Musgrave was taken a round earlier (second round) than Kraft in the 2023 draft, but hasn’t managed to have the same impact. Musgrave couldn’t take advantage of Kraft’s injury either and isn’t certain to stay above Josh Whyle on the depth chart. What should be an area of strength on the Packers’ teams has question marks hanging over it coming into the new season.

4. Minnesota Vikings – T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver

It looked for a moment that T.J. Hockenson was heading out of Minnesota, but a reworked deal that makes him a free agent at the end of the season saw him stay. Hockenson was set for a 1,000 receiving yards season in 2023 before a knee injury ended his season a couple of games earlier. He hasn’t been able to find that form since, although that would have been difficult for anybody in the Vikings stuttering offense of 2025. 

Hockenson turns 29 in July and should have some good years left in him. With a contract to play for, he will be eager to show he can still be one of the top receiving TEs in the league.

Josh Oliver is one of the best blocking TEs in the league and has shown he is well capable of making a play when called upon. However, he’s not the most dynamic, and not a guy you’d want to step into a role as a focal point receiver of Hockenson can’t play. I thought the Vikings would look to draft a potential Hockenson replacement in the draft, but that never materialized.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

Advertisement