The United States secured an encouraging 3-2 victory over Senegal in a World Cup warm-up friendly on Sunday, with Christian Pulisic delivering a standout performance, scoring once and assisting another, before Folarin Balogun netted the decisive second-half winner.
Sergino Dest opened the scoring for the hosts just seven minutes in, converting a cross from Pulisic.
Pulisic then extended the lead in the 20th minute, demonstrating composure to finish from a tight angle after skillfully navigating past the goalkeeper.
This marked Pulisic’s first goal across all competitions since December and his first for the national team since November 2024. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino lauded the AC Milan winger’s first-half display.
“I think now we need to try to extend until 90 minutes. Happy for him also because after the long time, or few months, he scored again and this is important for our players,” Pochettino told reporters.
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Pochettino was happy with his team’s performance against Senegal (Getty)
Senegal, however, pulled one back just before halftime when captain Sadio Mane capitalized on a swift counter-attack, finishing expertly after Habib Diarra’s through ball dissected the American defense.
Folarin Balogun saw an early second-half effort disallowed for offside, and moments later, Mane struck again, leveling the score in the 52nd minute after a defensive miscue.
Yet, the AS Monaco striker redeemed himself just past the hour mark, confidently meeting Tim Weah’s cross to restore the lead and secure the win for Pochettino’s squad.
The US, who are set to co-host the upcoming World Cup with Canada and Mexico, have one final warm-up fixture against Germany on Saturday before commencing their Group D campaign against Paraguay on June 12. Pochettino’s side will then go on to face Australia and Turkey in their group as they aim to qualify for the knockout rounds on home soil.
“It’s true that today is not an official game and doesn’t count (for) points but it’s important to get good feelings. We are still a little bit short in our preparation but I think we are going in a good direction,” Pochettino commented.
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Senegal will kick off their Group I matches against France on June 16, followed by encounters with Iraq and Norway.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises has partnered with Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to broadcast 39 global football events, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 and FIFA World Cup 2030, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027, and other key FIFA events up to 2034, along with docu-series content, in the Indian market for eight consecutive years.
Financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
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This partnership comes days before the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on June 11.
“Offering a well-curated mix of live sporting action and engaging content, the company has also secured the rights for docu-series on all the above-mentioned tournaments that uncover the grassroots communities, cultural dimensions and competitive spirit of the participating global nations,” Zee Entertainment said in a release.
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The company has also announced the launch of four dedicated sports channels — Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
“The investment will enable a multi-fold advantage to FIFA’s flagship global properties, ensuring that the matches not only reach across the length but also the breadth of the nation,” it added.
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It will also have live streaming on OTT platform Z5 and offer viewers the option to choose the language of their choice.
Romy Gai, FIFA chief business officer, stated in the release: “The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with ‘Z’ for the first time to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience.”
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He added: “We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’, coupled with their deep understanding of local viewers and multi-platform capabilities, will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football among fans across every part of India.”
Zee Entertainment also said in its release that the partnership with FIFA for the key global sporting events will enable it to derive strategic long-term benefits, including building a strong foundation for its sports business and enhancing the subscriber base across linear and digital segments. It also said it will help strengthen brand partnerships by tapping newer advertiser segments and unlock a new consumer cohort to cater to every consumer’s entertainment needs.
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Punit Goenka, chief executive officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, said in the release: “We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential.
He said Zee’s approach has been to invest in properties where it sees current relevance and future growth potential.
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“Our partnership with FIFA will enable us to unlock the true value of the sport in line with our sharp focus on growth and profitability, while amplifying the excitement of the game for every fan,” he added.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill has reported a clean bill of health among his squad as they begin their preparations for Thursday’s friendly international against Guinea in the Cadiz area of Spain (17:00 BST).
O’Neill’s side will face World Cup-bound France in another friendly encounter on the outskirts of Lille on Monday 8 June (20:10 BST).
The NI boss confirmed on Monday that all 23 members of his panel had arrived in camp ahead of the two matches.
The first game against Guinea will be staged at Estadio Ciudad de La Linea, with the meeting with the French taking place at the Decathlon Arena – Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
O’Neill must plan without a number of players however, including Dan Ballard, Paddy McNair, Terry Devlin, Eoin Toal, George Saviile and Brad Lyons.
The games will act as preparation for Northern Ireland’s Nations League campaign, which commences in September.
“We’ve had all the players arrive into camp fit and well, which is exactly what you want ahead of an important international window,” said O’Neill, who signed an extension to his contract last week keeping him at the helm until 2032.
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“The mood within the squad is already very positive, and there’s a real sense of optimism as we prepare for the games against Guinea and France.
“The players are looking forward to getting back on the pitch together and testing themselves in two different but valuable fixtures. Our focus now is on making the most of the training time we have and ensuring we’re ready to perform well in both matches.”
Northern Ireland squad:
Goalkeepers – Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Josh Clarke (Partick Thistle), Luke Southwood (Bristol Rovers).
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Defenders – Ciaron Brown and Brodie Spencer (both Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Ruairi McConville (Norwich City), Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers).
Midfielders – Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Southampton), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Jamie McDonnell (Oxford United), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Kieran Morrison (Liverpool).
Forwards – Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Callum Marshall (West Ham United), Jamie Reid (Stevenage), Jamie Donley (Tottenham Hotspur), Braiden Graham (Everton), Ceadach O’Neill (Arsenal).
Brunsons set to make NBA Finals history with the Knicks
Twenty-seven years after Rick Brunson played for the Knicks in the NBA Finals, his son will get the chance to do the same.
When Jalen Brunson takes the floor in the 2026 NBA Finals, the Brunsons will become the first father-son duo to each play in the Finals for the same franchise.
Rick Brunson was part of the Knicks team that made a surprising run to the NBA Finals in 1999, becoming the first eighth seed in league history to reach the championship series.
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More than two decades later, Jalen Brunson has helped bring New York back to the Finals.
No father-son duo has ever played in the NBA Finals for the same franchise. The Brunsons will become the first when the Knicks open the championship series against the Spurs.
Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals is scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Back then, many expected Canelo’s physical advantages to play more of a factor, only for Crawford to move up two weight classes and become a three-division undisputed champion.
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As a result of the American’s retirement, though, the WBC title at 168lbs is now held by Mbilli, who was upgraded from ‘interim’ to full champion following his 10-round draw with Lester Martinez last September.
This featured on the undercard of Canelo-Crawford, meaning that both Alvarez and Mbilli will have incurred a year of inactivity when they collide in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 12.
Speaking with Ring Magazine, Lopez suggested that, while Canelo is hardly in the thick of his prime, he should ultimately enjoy a “fun fight” against the Frenchman.
“I love this fight for Canelo. It’s a good brawl and a fun fight for Canelo. Overall, it’s a good return fight after his injuries.
“It would be good to have him get this good win, [against] a strong competitor.”
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Given Mbilli’s all-action style, Alvarez may need to overcome a demanding night’s work if he is to reclaim one of his old world titles.
1 min read Last Updated : Jun 01 2026 | 2:29 PM IST
South Africa’s national men’s team has postponed its travel to Mexico because of visa issues, just 11 days ahead of the World Cup.
Bafana Bafana was supposed to leave for Mexico on Sunday to start its preparations for the tournament. The team is set to play co-host Mexico in the opening game in Mexico City on June 12.
“The South African senior men’s national team has experienced challenges regarding visas for some players and officials, and as a result the group could not travel to North America this morning as originally planned,” the South African Football Association said in a statement Sunday.
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“SAFA is working around the clock to ensure that the team travels to Mexico City as soon as possible ahead of the opening match of the global tournament,” the statement said.
The team will continue to train in Johannesburg, South Africa, until departure. SAFA said it would provide an update on the situation after an emergency meeting on Sunday evening.
South Africa also faces the Czech Republic and South Korea in Group A.
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(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
May 27, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung (6) hits a single against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers, fresh off a sweep of the Kansas City Royals, hit the road for a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals starting Monday night, hopeful to bring their just-uncovered offense with them.
The Rangers’ three-game winning streak is their longest since a three-gamer from April 6-8. They were 7-5 after that home sweep of the Seattle Mariners but just 21-26 since.
Texas broke out the bats over the weekend, scoring 22 runs and banging out 34 hits against the Royals. Even with that, the Rangers still have scored the seventh-fewest runs in MLB, with 237 over 59 games.
“The small ball was kind of what set the tone this series, especially at the bottom part of the order, and teed up some of the big boys to knock them in,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said.
Josh Jung is enjoying a breakout season in Texas. The third baseman has hits in 10 of his last 11 contests. He has 16 hits in his last 43 at-bats (.372), and his .316 average for the season is the best of his five-year career by 50 points.
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Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.77 ERA) gets the ball for Monday’s opener. The two-time Cy Young winner, in search of his 100th win, last earned a victory on May 10 against the visiting Chicago Cubs.
While he owns a 5-2 mark in eight starts against St. Louis, the veteran pitcher has not fared well at Busch Stadium. He’s 1-2 in three starts at St. Louis, with an 8.44 ERA.
He last faced the Cardinals in Arlington, Texas, on June 1, 2025, and got the win, giving up just a run on four hits and three walks over six innings in an 8-1 victory.
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St. Louis enters the series having won just two of its last seven, but those victories came in the weekend series against the visiting Cubs. After Sunday’s 5-1 win, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol noted the team, which entered the season as the youngest in the majors, endured a grueling May.
“They continue to compete,” Marmol said. “They continue to grow. There’s going to be games that don’t look the way you would want, but at the same time, I just love the mentality going into each series.”
One of those promising young players is JJ Wetherholt. The rookie second baseman has hit safely in nine of his last 11 games. Over that span, Wetherholt has hit .318 (14-for-44) and raised his season average 17 points to .250.
The Cardinals will start Michael McGreevy (3-4, 2.98), who is coming off his worst start of the year. The right-hander gave up a season-high five runs on seven hits and three walks across four innings last Tuesday against the Brewers, the shortest stint of his 11 2026 starts.
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This will mark the first time McGreevy faces the Rangers. Should he falter, St. Louis will have a fresher bullpen available thanks to Hunter Dobbins. The right-hander was scheduled to start for Triple-A Memphis on Sunday, but the Cardinals called him up instead, with the plan to pitch him after their starter, Matthew Liberatore.
Dobbins pitched the final 3 2/3 innings to save Sunday’s game. He also saved Marmol from needing to use a relief corps that had pitched 10 2/3 innings in the previous two games.
Cristian Volpato has been vaulted into Australia’s World Cup squad just days after confirming a switch of national eligibility from Italy, and four years after he declined an invitation to join the Socceroos ahead of the 2022 tournament.
Coach Tony Popovic included the 22-year-old Volpato in the 26-man squad announced Monday, Australian time. He and striker Tete Yengi were among 17 players selected in a World Cup squad for the first time.
Skipper Mat Ryan, with 104 international caps, and veteran Mathew Leckie were picked for a fourth World Cup, equaling the Australian record held by Tim Cahill and Mark Milligan.
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“A range of factors has gone into selecting this final World Cup squad,” Popovic said in a statement. “Some difficult decisions had to be made … but it’s also a credit to all the players involved who worked extremely hard during an extended and challenging pre-camp.
“I’d like to acknowledge the players who contributed to our direct World Cup qualification but are not part of this squad.”
The Sydney-born Volpato played for Italy’s Under-21 team but was eligible to make the switch to Australia under FIFA rules because he never played a competitive game for the senior Italy team. Italy failed to qualify for the World Cup being co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Volpato only joined the Socceroos camp in Los Angeles on the weekend, too late to participate in the 1-0 World Cup warmup loss to Mexico at Pasadena.
Australia will play another warmup game on Saturday against Switzerland at San Diego to finetune for Group D games against Turkey at Vancouver on June 13, the U.S. at Seattle six days later and Paraguay at Santa Clara on June 25.
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Australia squad:
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Patrick Beach, Paul Izzo.
Defenders: Aziz Behich, Jordan Bos, Cameron Burgess, Alessandro Circati, Milos Degenek, Jason Geria, Lucas Herrington, Jacob Italiano, Harry Souttar, Kai Trewin.
Midfielders: Cameron Devlin, Jackson Irvine, Connor Metcalfe, Mathew Leckie, Paul Okon-Engstler, Aiden O’Neill.
Sir Andrew Strauss has issued a stark warning to England Test captain Ben Stokes, asserting that his batting form will be crucial to the longevity of his leadership as the team faces a “high stakes” summer.
His comments come as England prepare to resume red-ball duties against New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday, nearly five months after a tumultuous 4-1 Ashes defeat.
While Stokes’ captaincy remained secure after a winter review, his individual batting performance has been a concern.
Despite improved bowling returns over the past 18 months, the all-rounder averaged a mere 18.40 with the bat in Australia, registering just one century across his last 46 innings.
With Stokes turning 35 on day one of the first Test, head coach Brendon McCullum has indicated a tactical shift, dropping the captain to number seven, swapping places with wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
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Sir Andrew, who captained England in 50 Tests, stressed Stokes must rediscover his run-scoring prowess to solidify his captaincy.
Ben Stokes endured a lean time during last winter’s Ashes series (Robbie Stephenson/PA) (PA Wire)
“It’s high stakes, but the stakes are always high and I don’t think you’d want it any other way,” he told the Press Association.
He elaborated: “I know the feeling when you are coming towards the back end of your career and you’re increasingly involved in strategic decisions, trying to get the best out of your team. But you also need to focus on yourself and make sure you are still performing well.”
Such a failure, Strauss cautioned, could “sap his energy and then it might be something that curtails the length of time that he can carry on for.”
He stressed: “His real challenge is to make sure he performs on the field, which means keeping himself fit and finding a batting method that allows him to put in those incredible match-winning contributions that he’s managed over the course of his career. I don’t think we saw a lot of that in Australia.”
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Despite the challenges, Strauss noted: “Ben has got such great respect as a captain and his players want to play for him, so I think the question of how he can evolve things will really get his juices flowing.”
Beyond England’s Test fortunes, Sir Andrew also spoke about the enduring legacy of his late wife, Ruth, and the significant progress of the foundation established in her name.
Since the tragic death of his wife from non-smoking lung cancer in 2018, the Ruth Strauss Foundation has become a beacon of support, raising over £4 million, assisting more than 5,000 families grappling with an incurable parental diagnosis, and training over 1,750 healthcare professionals.
The Ruth Strauss Foundation has raised over £4million since the first ‘Red for Ruth’ day in 2019 (Mike Egerton/PA) (PA Wire)
In a significant development, the foundation has announced a merger of its activities and staff with Maggie’s, a charity renowned for its network of 27 dedicated cancer care centres across the UK. Strauss will continue his vital work as an honorary patron of Maggie’s, leveraging the sport that defined his career for continued support.
“The cricket community has given us this extraordinary platform to tell our story, to explain what we do and bring to life some of those individual battles that the families are going through,” he explained.
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Strauss highlighted the growing significance of the “Red For Ruth” initiative: “I think Red For Ruth has become part of the cricket calendar. It’s not just a day, it’s a moment where cricket combines with its incredible reach to provide social impact and to actually do something more than just providing entertainment for people.”
He expressed his ambition for the future: “We want to take what we’ve done now and make it bigger and better over time. I was very fortunate, as a result of my career and those amazing times I had in an England shirt, to have a public profile to launch the foundation and I’m incredibly proud of the fact that we’re now helping thousands of families that are going through this ordeal.”
The Ruth Strauss Foundation provides crucial resources and support, including one-on-one counselling, peer support groups, and online materials for families navigating an incurable cancer diagnosis.
On Friday 5th June, Lord’s, the Home of Cricket, will once again turn red for #RedforRuth to raise awareness and vital funds to help families facing incurable cancer. Further information can be found at www.ruthstraussfoundation.com.
Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek was included in the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup after he became the youngest player for the national team in a warmup game against Kosovo.
The Czechs won 2-1 and 17-year-old Sochurek came on as a substitute on Sunday. Immediately after the game, coach Miroslav Koubek cut his initial selection of 29 to the final 26.
FC Cincinnati midfielder Pavel Bucha, Mlada Boleslav forward Christophe Kabongo and Viktoria Plzen midfielder Tomas Ladra didn’t make the final cut.
“Probably the worst moment of my coaching career,” said Koubek, the 74-year-old veteran.
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In good news for the Czechs, attacking midfielder Adam Hlozek of Hoffenheim, who has recently recovered from long-term calf and foot injuries, returned to the squad to play his first game for the national team since June and scored a goal.
The 23-year-old has played 42 international games, scoring five times.
The team was scheduled to leave for the United States later Sunday to play one more warmup against Guatemala in New Jersey on June 4.
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The team mainstays included Lyon midfielder Pavel Sulc, Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick and West Ham midfield Tomas Soucek.
Koubek also included two Slavia Prague players – forward Tomas Chory and defender David Doudera – who were suspended for disciplinary reasons by the club for the rest of the season and transfer-listed.
During the World Cup, the Czechs will be based in Mansfield, Texas.
They will open the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada against South Korea on June 11 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Their other Group A opponents are South Africa (Atlanta, June 18) and Mexico (Mexico City, June 25).
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The Czechs qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 2006.
Defenders: Vladimir Coufal (Hoffenheim), David Doudera (Slavia Prague), Tomas Holes (Slavia Prague), Robin Hranac (Hoffenheim), Stepan Chaloupek (Slavia Prague), David Jurasek (Slavia Prague), Ladislav Krejci (Wolverhampton), Jaroslav Zeleny (Sparta Prague), David Zima (Slavia Prague).
Midfielders: Lukas Cerv (Viktoria Plzen), Vladimir Darida (Hradec Kralove), Lukas Provod (Slavia Prague), Michal Sadilek (Slavia Prague), Hugo Sochurek (Sparta Prague), Alexandr Sojka (Viktoria Plzen), Tomas Soucek (West Ham), Pavel Sulc (Lyon), Denis Visinsky (Viktoria Plzen).
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Forwards: Tomas Chory (Slavia Prague), Adam Hlozek (Hoffenheim), Mojmir Chytil (Slavia Prague), Jan Kuchta (Sparta Prague), Patrik Schick (Bayer Leverkusen).
A day before Germany depart for America, Julian Nagelsmann’s team comprehensively beat Finland in Mainz thanks to an outstanding performance by striker Deniz Undav. The Stuttgart forward scored twice and assisted one to help deliver the expected result.
“We can keep going like this,” Nagelsmann said afterwards. “One of our strengths is that we always look like we can score.”
There’s not a lot to make of these games. Less than two weeks out from a World Cup is not the time to experiment tactically, and most starters are rested. These games are almost always about players avoiding injury and squad players pushing to start.
A confidence-boosting win
Jamal Musiala scored, which will be a big boost to his and the team’s confidence after the Bayern Munich man’s long injury layoff.
Lennart Karl was exceptional, and were it not for the post he might have a goal to his name. The Bayern teenager is pushing to start, remarkably, and in terms of squad places has moved Leroy Sane further down the pecking order.
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Nathaniel Brown’s attacking efforts — defensively he was hardly called into action — made Nagelsmann feel vindicated about his choice as he, too, delivered enough food for thought when it comes to which left back will start.
But otherwise, how much of true value can be taken from such a victory against the 73rd best team in the world? A brief look at recent history suggests that a pinch of salt is required.
With all of that in mind, the win and performance in Mainz is great but it also doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of how Germany will fare in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Undav keeps delivering
If anything, Deniz Undav was once again the story.
For the striker who was publicly dismissed by Nagelsmann in March despite scoring the winner, a move that the head coach later apologized for, to deliver another match-winning performance certainly makes his case to start even stronger. Furthermore, his jovial manners makes him an invaluable member of the squad as he, in some ways, has replaced the jokes and smiles that Thomas Müller once brought this group.
“If you score two goals and provide an assist, you don’t play yourself out of the team,” said Nagelsmann afterwards. Kai Havertz remains the starter, and his goal in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat further underlines his big-game prowess, but having Undav as an alternative off the bench is quickly beginning to look like a real boost to Germany’s chances.
And so Germany will head to the airport, destination Chicago, as they prepare for one last friendly against hosts the USA before they settle into their base camp in North Carolina. From the end of that friendly to their World Cup opener against Curacao in Houston are just eight days. Germany’s World Cup adventure is already up and running.
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