Minnesota Vikings defenders (Domonique Orange) participate in drills during the opening day of mandatory minicamp at the TCO Performance Center. The session offered an early look at Brian Flores’ defense as veterans and newcomers worked through assignments and technique development. Captured on June 9, 2026, the practice highlighted Minnesota’s preparation for the upcoming season. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
The moment the Minnesota Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for two 3rd-Round picks, they created a semi-urgent need at the outside linebacker position — if they don’t trust their in-house commodities.
The club has just over $13 million to spend in summer free agency, and all signs point to another EDGE defender if Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, or Chaz Chambliss don’t win the OLB3 job.
Vikings’ Pass Rush Depth Makes EDGE the Obvious Target
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches from the sideline during NFC Wild Card playoff action at State Farm Stadium. On Jan. 13, 2025, Flores managed defensive adjustments, personnel groupings, and situational strategy as Minnesota competed in a high-stakes postseason environment against one of the league’s top offensive teams. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.
Vikings Could Use FA Cash at OLB
Minnesota may not sign an OLB this week, but it should be on the mind of new general manager Nolan Teasley, according to The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis.
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He wrote Tuesday, “Trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles places major responsibility on third-year edge rusher Dallas Turner. It also emphasizes the depth behind Turner and Van Ginkel. The scheme can only go so far.”
“When one-on-one pass-rush opportunities present themselves, the Vikings need edge rushers who can win. Minnesota’s staff thinks highly of former undrafted edge rushers Chaz Chambliss, Bo Richter and Tyler Batty, though none of them have produced at the NFL level.”
Based on last year’s snap counts, Richter or Batty would likely get the OLB3 nod on the depth chart if Tealsey signs no newcomers.
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Lewis continued, “The Vikings have around $13 million in cap space, according to Over The Cap, and some enticing free-agent edge rushers remain. The Vikings could wait until training camp to make a move.”
“But from a competitiveness standpoint, supplementing this position group seems paramount.”
The Options
If one assumes the Vikings don’t fire up a fancy trade for an EDGE defender — they probably won’t because they would’ve kept Greenard otherwise — free agency actually has a barrage of promising options. Assuming Minnesota doesn’t wait until the last minute, here’s the EDGE market right now:
The list is thick, and outside of Davenport — a former Viking who disappeared after a high ankle sprain in 2023 — fans would not be disappointedwith any man from this list.
Carolina Panthers linebacker Jadeveon Clowney participates in pregame warm-ups before an exhibition matchup against the New York Jets. On Aug. 17, 2024, the veteran pass rusher prepared for preseason action at Bank of America Stadium, continuing his role as one of the Panthers’ most experienced defensive contributors. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports.
SKOR North‘s Judd Zulgad noted on Clowney in particular this week, “Clowney, who is 33, has 66.5 sacks in 153 games over 12 seasons with seven teams. Last season, he had 8.5 sacks in 13 games with Dallas. Teasley is familiar with Clowney, who spent the 2019 season in Seattle when Teasley was the Seahawks’ director of pro personnel.”
Rolling the Dice with a UDFA?
If it’s not a household name like Jordan, Clowney, Bosa, Floyd, or Miller, Minnesota would promote from within. Four in-house options are available after Van Ginkel and Turner, all the aforementioned undrafted free agents: Richter, Batty, Chambliss, and Cam’Ron Stewart.
As Lewis noted, there’s no way to know in June if those men have the juice for a full-time OLB3 role, but behind the scenes, defensive coordinator Brian Flores should know if any of the four is ready.
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Meanwhile, the longer the Vikings wait without signing a free-agent EDGE, the closer they get to riding with Richter, Batty, Chambliss, and Stewart. There’s also a chance that Minnesota waits until the post-cutdown market, when approximately 1,200 NFLers hit free agency or bide their time for a practice squad assignment.
Other Positions of Need?
Finally, the other spots on the roster that could use some love from Teasley. This list is not that long, believe it or not.
Minnesota has plenty of safeties, and if Harrison Smith returns, no more are needed. If Smith doesn’t return for Year No. 15, a free-agent safety cannot be ruled out if rookie Jakobe Thomas isn’t ready for the regular season.
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Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf joins newly hired general manager Nolan Teasley during an introductory press conference at team headquarters. On June 3, 2026, Teasley outlined his vision for the franchise, discussing roster construction, organizational goals, and collaboration with ownership as he formally began his tenure in Minnesota. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
With the safety caveat, the positions of need are down two spots in June, July, and August: cornerback and guard. Flores has Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, rookie Charles Demmings, and Dwight McGlothern locked and loaded at CB. If the Vikings wanted to be ultra-deep, free agents like Trevon Diggs and Mike Hilton are looking for work.
At guard, the situation is similar to OLB. Should Joe Huber and Henry Byrd do the trick as depth, no more guards are required. The saving grace is that about 10 decent depth guards are on the free-agent wire.
Vikings training camp is about seven weeks away. A quality, big-name EDGE like Clowney or Bosa would likely cost around $10 million.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Indian sports lost one of its most decorated servants on Thursday night as shooting coach and multiple Asian Games gold medal winner Jaspal Rana died due to a heart problem. Rana, who was also the coach of double Olympic medal-winner Manu Bhaker, died at a mere 49 years of age after battling cardiac complications. As the news of Rana’s death emerged, his Instagram bio came to the fore, leaving fans stunned by how much Rana was in sync with the reality of life. His Instagram bio became a major talking point on social media as fans and the sporting fraternity mourned his passing.
Rana’s Instagram bio read: “Jab mrityu nishchit ho, swayam ko achhe kaaran ke liye samarpit karna sarvottam hai (When death is certain, it is best to dedicate oneself to a good cause).”
In his own way, Rana highlighted that since death is an absolute certainty, wasting our limited time on trivial pursuits is meaningless. The most honourable way to live is to dedicate our lives to a noble cause that helps others and creates a lasting legacy.
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The shooting coach is survived by his wife, Reena Rana, daughter Devanshi, son Yuvraj, father Narayan Singh Rana, and his two siblings, Sushma Singh and Subhash Rana. According to National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) president Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo, Rana breathed his last at a Delhi hospital on Thursday night. Sources said he died of complications related to the heart.
He recently underwent a medical procedure after falling ill during the Indian contingent’s return flight from the ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany. Upon landing in New Delhi, he was immediately hospitalised and had a stent installed to clear a cardiac blockage. According to sources, despite initial reports of him being stable, his condition deteriorated.
Rana was serving as the high-performance coach for Indian pistol shooters. The former shooter, who was considered a maverick in Indian shooting circles for his outspoken demeanour and passion for the sport, was a prodigal talent and won his first national-level gold at just 12 years of age.
His international breakthroughs were the 25m gold medals at the 1994 Commonwealth and Asian Games.
In fact, the Asiad gold was India’s first in 16 years after Raja Randhir Singh opened the account in 1978. Randhir had passed away recently after battling age-related ailments.
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Rana’s biggest moment as a shooter came in the 2006 Asian Games when he snared three gold medals and a silver in a sensational performance that included equalling the world record at the time.
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It would be fitting if Ireland’s first win in the T20 World Cup came against the Scots given they denied the Irish a place in the tournament two years ago as they pulled off a shock victory to reach the tournament for the first time.
Lewis said there was “major heartbreak” in the Ireland camp after that sore defeat that forced the squad to have to watch the World Cup from home.
Ireland are in a better place now and come into the tournament off the back of a productive Tri-Nations series in Clontarf where they beat both Pakistan and the West Indies.
“The series was a great success, we’ve got the results behind us. Confidence is high and that’s exactly what you want going into a World Cup,” Lewis added.
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Lloyd Tennant’s side are ranked ninth in the world but are in a tough Group B which also has hosts England, holders New Zealand, Sri Lanka and West Indies alongside the Scots.
They will face all five sides with the top two in the group moving through to the semi-finals where they will face the top two from Group A.
Scotland won by 39 runs the last time the two sides met in Nepal in January and Lewis believes getting off to a good start in their first game is “massive” for Ireland in terms of momentum.
“There’s a big rivalry between us and them. They’ve probably got one up on us at the moment after beating us in Nepal. I think we’re looking good and we’re really excited for it.
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“They’ve got a new addition in Kirsty Gordon [a former England spinner] which is a boost for them.
“If we get the win, then you never know against England.”
NHL fans on social media reacted to John Tortorella’s fiery response when asked if he considered pulling Carter Hart for Adin Hill in the third period of Game 5.
The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday. The Canes now lead the series 3-2.
Carter Hart had another rough outing, allowing 4 goals on just 24 shots for a brutal .833 save percentage. He’s now allowed at least 4 goals in each of the first 5 games of the final, a tough stretch for the veteran.
When asked post-game if he considered switching to Adin Hill, Tortorella responded bluntly:
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“Oh Christ, that might be the stupidest question I’ve ever heard,” Tortorella said.
Here’s how fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted to John Tortorella’s response. One tweeted:
“If Torts wanted to make a goalie switch, this was probably the game to do it. I just don’t think that you can start a guy cold in a do-or-die game.”
Here are some of the other top reactions on X:
“Stupid for going to the goalie that got us our first cup? What?” a third fan wrote.”
“Torts It doesn’t matter anymore. Hart Needs a break. He has played way too many consecutive games and he is exhausted and tired. Hill has to come in. It doesn’t matter what you want. It’s what needs to happen. Hart isn’t in the zone ATM,” one X user opined.
“I do not have confidence Hill would be any better. However, to say that’s a stupid question seems like a really odd thing to say,” another chimed in.
“Well, he’s not signed past the playoffs!” added another.
Hurricanes move one step closer to Stanley Cup after Game 5 win over Golden Knights
Golden Knights vs Hurricanes Game 5 – Source: Imagn
On Thursday, the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 in Game 5 at Lenovo Center. The Hurricanes lead the series 3-2 and are only a win away from clinching their second title.
Pavel Dorofeyev opened the scoring for the Golden Knights on the power play at 8:52 of the first period. Jordan Staal tied it 1-1 for the Hurricanes before heading into the second period.
Andrei Svechnikov increased the Hurricanes’ lead to 2-1 on the power play at 11:58 of the second period. Sebastian Aho increased the lead to 3-1 before heading into the third period.
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Svechnikov scored his second on the power play to make it 4-1 for the Hurricanes at 11:08 of the third frame. Dorofeyev scored his second for the final scoreline of 4-2. Game 6 returns to Vegas on Sunday.
Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby goes through warmups before the spring football game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
With the Big 12 weighing how to handle the court-mandated eligibility of Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the office of Texas attorney general Ken Paxton warned the conference against sanctioning the Red Raiders.
The 15 Big 12 athletic directors excluding Texas Tech met Tuesday and unanimously expressed their opposition to Sorsby playing for the Red Raiders. The conference presidents met Thursday and a full board meeting is scheduled for Monday, with the Big 12 pondering how to proceed.
Earlier this week, a district court judge in Texas granted Sorsby a temporary injunction, stopping the NCAA from ruling him ineligible. The NCAA had reached that decision after court documents filed by Sorsby’s legal team showed the quarterback placed at least 40 bets on the Indiana football team while a member of the program in 2022 and 2023. In all, he wagered about $90,000 over a four-year period. He entered an addiction treatment program on April 27.
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark wrote in a statement on Thursday, “Shortly before the start of today’s Big 12 Executive Board meeting, the Conference received a letter from the Texas Attorney General’s office notifying the Conference of potential legal action from Texas Tech if the Conference pursues certain actions under its Bylaws. We are taking time with our legal counsel to understand the concerns of the state and will meet again with the full Board next week.
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“We moved forward with our Executive Board today in preparation for our full Board meeting on Monday. We had a good and informative discussion. Sentiment among the Executive Board was no different from what we heard from the ADs earlier this week.”
The NCAA went to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh District of Texas in Amarillo, Texas, earlier this week and asked for an “accelerated appeal” of the temporary injunction that restored Sorsby’s eligibility.
Raúl Jiménez could no longer hold back his emotions on the field and with tears in his eye, the Mexican player celebrated a goal that crowned his football comeback from five years ago.
Now 35 years old, the Fulham striker has played in his home country, Portugal, Spain and England, and is currently on his way to becoming his country’s all-time leading scorer.
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His goal in Thursday’s 2-0 win over South Africa was the 46th for his country in his 125th appearance, moving him joint second in Mexico’s list of goalscorers, behind only Javier Hernandez on 52.
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Above all, however, Jiménez is a man who has already fought for his life. In November 2020, he was knocked unconscious after a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz.
Jiménez, back then a Wolves player, had to be stretchered off and immediately taken to a hospital for severe head trauma. It was confirmed later that he had fractured his skull and he needed surgery soon after hospitalization, effectively ending his season.
In August 2021, he made his comeback and since then, he has been playing with a headband that protects his scar.
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Like in 2014 and 2018, he competed with Mexico at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. A World Cup goal, however, only came in June 2026 – and on home soil.
“I’m very happy and thrilled to be living this dream and to be standing here,” he said after the match. According to Mexican media reports, Jiménez dedicated his goal to his father, who had died in March at the age of 62.
Team-mate Julian Quinones, who scored Mexico’s opening goal, said: “We really congratulated him because he gives a lot to the team. Being part of a team is our pride and it’s wonderful he continues to add goals to his career as a player in our national team.”
England midfielder Jude Bellingham has stressed the importance of needing to “feel loved” as he looks to help them enjoy World Cup success this summer.
The tournament in North America got under way on Thursday as Mexico – hosts alongside USA and Canada – beat South Africa 2-0.
England’s tournament does not get under way until next Wednesday, when they take on Croatia in Arlington, Texas.
Bellingham was part of the England squad that reached the final of Euro 2024, where they were beaten by Spain.
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However, the national team – then managed by Gareth Southgate – were often accused of playing poorly in that tournament, with Bellingham saying previously he felt like a bit of a scapegoat for England’s failure to win that tournament.
Bellingham admitted something felt that the group were “not quite connected” during the Euros but has stressed there is a different feel around the camp now.
“At the Euros we got some things a little bit wrong off the pitch,” he said on England’s Lions’ Den show.
“I don’t feel like the group connected as well as it could have for a number of reasons. Expectation was part of it – we had done well in 2018 and done well in Qatar [for the 2022 World Cup] and when it came to that tournament we were seen as one of two or three teams that should win it.
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“We were not playing particularly well so even when we were winning you didn’t get the feeling you were as happy as you should be.
“There has to be that element of relentless and wanting to win but it is the nature of football that wins go out of the system quickly and we should hold on to that moment a little more.
“I think this time round having those experiences… and knowing, for example, that the guy who scores the winning goal in the World Cup final isn’t always the one you’d bet your house on so you’ve always got to be ready, everyone’s got to feel loved and feel a huge part of the team. The other thing is just to enjoy it.”
If I told you that South Korea scored a go-ahead goal to secure all three points in a 2-1 victory over Czechia, you’d assume that it was their captain and one of the greatest ever goal scorers in Asian soccer history, Son Heung-Min, who made the difference. But instead, it was actually the player who replaced him, Oh Hyeon-Gyu, a winger with Besiktas in Turkiye, who latched onto Hwang In-Beom’s pass to put South Korea ahead for good, cancelling out a set-piece goal from defender Ladislav Krejci.
On paper, in an expanded tournament with 48 teams, this is a great result, especially with a tough match against tournament co-hosts Mexico up next. Three points and an okay goal difference could be enough to see South Korea make it through to the round of 32 of the tournament. But this is a team with higher ambitions than that. They’ve been in every World Cup since 1986 and were able to make it to the round of 16 in Qatar in 2022.
Their captain, Son, is now 33, and it would be a shame for him to retire from international soccer without the Taegeuk Warriors going on a serious run. But Son hasn’t scored in the World Cup since 2018, and he also hasn’t scored for his club, Los Angeles FC, in MLS play this season. He does have eight assists, so this isn’t to say that he’s a liability by any means, but for someone who has been outrunning his expected goals for his career due to being such an excellent two-footed finisher, seeing him miss shots against Czechia is a bit of a concern. Son took six shots during the match, only putting one on target, and when he left the pitch, the team seemed more cohesive due to not looking for their talisman and playing an excellent game of out-pass the big lads on Czechia.
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The highs of South Korea’s attack weren’t as high, but they were able to keep Czechia from creating anything in the second half of play. Having a training camp in Utah at altitude helped with fitness, but to go on a run during this tournament, the time when Son needed to put the team on his back by shooting could be in the past. He’s still an excellent soccer player, but in Hwang Hee-Chan and Lee Kang-In, there are other excellent players who can put the ball in the back of the net as well.
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If this is going to be the year that the Taegeuk Warriors finally go on a run as dark horses at the World Cup, they’ll need to figure out that balance on the fly. Taking Son off before the 70th minute shows that manager Hong Myung-Bo is willing to make the changes that are needed to win, and that’s a great start because this is a talented, organized side that can make some noise if they keep it up. And if Son can deliver, even more so.
“Son is a very stable player and I have no worries about him,” the coach said.
Jun 11, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) drives to the basket around Phoenix Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani (8) during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images
Paige Bueckers poured in a season-high 31 points, 24 of those in the first half, to carry the Dallas Wings to a definitive 85-70 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday in a Commissioner’s Cup game in Arlington, Texas.
Dallas (8-4, 3-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play) built a nine-point lead at halftime behind Bueckers’ hot shooting and never looked back, expanding its advantage to as many as 22 points late in the third quarter.
The Mercury culled the deficit to 75-59 with seven minutes to play and then to 80-70 after a layup by DeWanna Bonner with 1:28 remaining but would get no closer.
The Wings won for the fifth time in their past six games while Phoenix dropped its second straight game and concluded a four-game road trip 2-2.
Azzi Fudd added 17 points for Dallas and Jessica Shepard racked up a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Wings shot 52.1 percent from the floor but made just four of their 18 3-point attempts.
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Reserve Lexi Held led the Mercury (4-10, 2-3) with 17 points while Kahleah Copper added 13 points.
The Wings jumped on Phoenix in the early minutes, building an 11-4 advantage when Fudd scored on a layup at the 5:24 mark of the first quarter. The Mercury responded, drawing to within 21-20 after a pair of free throws by Natasha Mack with 48 seconds left in the opening period before Bueckers’ 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining allowed Dallas to forge a 24-20 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Dallas led 30-28 three and a half minutes into the second period before reeling off six straight points, the final two coming on a driving layup by Bueckers. The Wings pushed the margin to a dozen points on a Bueckers 3-pointer with 54 seconds remaining in the first half but Held answered with a basket from beyond the arc to bring Phoenix to within 45-36 at the break.
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Bueckers racked up 24 points before halftime on 11 of 14 shooting and led all scorers. Dallas outshot the Mercury 55.6 percent to 37.5 percent in the first half. Held’s 11 points off the bench paced the Mercury.
Dallas pulled away in the first few minutes of the third quarter, going up 60-42 after Bueckers canned another 3-pointer at the 5:15 mark. The Wings pushed the margin to 22 points on a layup by Shepard with 1:37 to play in the third and waltzed home from there.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani advances to third base on a hit and run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the fourth inning at PNC Park.
Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani is day-to-day after exiting Los Angeles’ Thursday game at Pittsburgh in the top of the seventh inning because of left knee inflammation.
Ohtani went 2-for-2 with his second home run in as many games and had reached base four times before his departure. Santiago Espinal replaced him as the Dodgers’ designated hitter.
After Los Angeles’ 8-6 win over the Pirates, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his level of concern regarding Ohtani is “not high.” It was unclear when the ailment started, as Ohtani hadn’t told Roberts of any issues with the knee until the sixth inning.
“I think we tried to be smart about it,” Roberts said. “Talked to the trainer who said he had a little (soreness) behind the knee. … Just wanted to be smart and not push it.”
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As to whether Ohtani will play the series opener against the White Sox in Chicago on Friday, Roberts said, “I feel good about him being in there tomorrow, but obviously with the travel tonight, we’ll just kind of see how he comes in.”
Earlier in the Thursday game, the Dodgers also lost starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski, who took a 96.2 mph comebacker off his upper leg and then collided with Bryan Reynolds on the latter’s infield single in the fifth inning.
The left-hander came out due to a right hamstring contusion. He allowed four runs on six hits (two home runs) in 4 2/3 innings.
Roberts said of Wrobleski postgame, “He’s fine. … He’s just more frustrated with his performance tonight and wanted to go deeper in the game.”
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Ohtani opened the scoring in the third inning by depositing a 3-2 sweeper from Mitch Keller over the wall in right-center field for a solo shot. The long ball was the 13th of the season for Ohtani, who launched a two-run blast in the Dodgers’ 9-8 loss to the Pirates on Wednesday.
Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts’ bid for qualification from Group A got off to smooth start.
South Africa meanwhile never looked like spoiling the opening day fiesta, and finished with only nine men after Sphephelo Sithole and Themba Zwane were sent off.
The Mexican-colored red, green and white smoke from pre-game fireworks had barely dissipated before Quinones fired the hosts into the lead on nine minutes, drilling a low shot through the legs of South Africa’s goalkeeper and captain Ronwen Williams.
A deafening roar cascaded down from the stands of the Azteca, the footballing cathedral that became the only stadium to host games at three different World Cups.
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South Africa coach Hugo Broos had warned his players to be ready for the intimidating atmosphere created by a capacity 80,824 crowd at the imposing concrete arena.
Two red cards
But South Africa’s players looked to have a bad case of stage fright as Mexico’s fans greeted each completed pass with a raucous chorus of “Ole!” in the opening minutes.
Sithole seemed particularly affected, being caught in possession trying to play out of the back for Quinones’ opening goal.
Sithole’s miserable afternoon ended with a 49th minute dismissal after bundling over Mexico’s Brian Gutierrez when clean through on goal.
Mexico rammed home their advantage in the 67th minute, with a fine counter attack culminating in Roberto Alvarado crossing for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Jimenez to nod home at the far post.
It got worse for South Africa in the 84th minute when Zwane was dismissed after a VAR review for flinging an arm into the face of Alvarado.
There was still time for late drama when Mexican defender Cesar Montes was shown a red card for a clumsy challenge on Khulisa Mudau on the edge of the penalty area.
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