Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe scored as Australia spoiled Turkiye’s return to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years with a 2-0 victory.

Goalkeeper Patrick Beach made eight saves for the Socceroos in their group opener on Saturday night as FIFA President Gianni Infantino looked on.

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Australia coach Popovic had pulled off a massive shock in his starting lineup, dropping experienced captain and goalkeeper Maty Ryan in favour of Beach, winning only his third cap.

Vice-captain Jackson Irvine was also dropped in favour of 21-year-old midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler in a starting XI that featured 10 World Cup debutants.

Both of those selections proved to be inspired, with Beach pulling off a string of fine saves to deny Turkiye, who dominated possession and territory but could not find a way past the Australian goalkeeper.

Okon-Engstler meanwhile was instrumental in setting up the opening goal in the first half, unleashing a long ball that split the Turkish defence and sent Irankunda racing in on goal to score.

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Turkiye – playing in the World Cup for the first time since finishing third at the 2002 tournament – arrived in North America dreaming of making a serious run in the knockout rounds.

But their talented team made up largely of players who regularly compete in the European Champions League were unable to get to grips with a well-organised Socceroos lineup.

One of Turkiye’s best chances came in the 27th minute when Real Madrid’s Arda Guler forced a smart save from Beach with a rasping shot.

Just seconds after that chance though Australia took the lead.

Beach picked out Okon-Engstler deep in the Australia half, and the 21-year-old midfielder pumped the ball upfield for Irankunda.

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The Australia winger still had plenty to do but a clever first touch took him clear of the covering defence before he tucked away a low finish.

Irankunda celebrated by sprinting to the edge of the pitch and pretending to box the corner flag, mimicking former Australia skipper Tim Cahill’s signature goal celebration.

Turkiye thought they had equalised three minutes later after Abdulkerim Bardakci’s piledriver from outside of the area hurtled towards goal.

But Beach got the slightest of fingertips to divert the ball onto the post and Australia survived again.

Beach kept up his commanding form in the second half, turning a Guler free-kick wide for a corner on 57 minutes.

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With Beach continuing to make save after save, Australia made the game safe in the 75th minute when Metcalfe picked the ball up in midfield, advanced on goal and shot home from 25 yards.

“Unreal, it is a dream come true. We have got the win now,” said Irankunda, the youngest men’s World Cup scorer for Australia and not a definite starter before kick-off.

“It feels amazing, you have got to thank the staff, thank the nation, they have got the belief in me.”

Australia are playing in their sixth straight World Cup and seventh overall.

The Socceroos fell to France in the opener in Qatar but then beat Tunisia and Denmark in their group before getting knocked out by eventual champions Argentina in the round of 16.

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It is the third World Cup appearance for Turkiye, who reached the tournament for the first time in 1954.

The teams are in Group D with the United States and Paraguay. The Americans thrashed Paraguay 4-1 in their group opener on Friday in Los Angeles.

Boualem Khoukhi scored an equalising goal on a header in the fourth minute of stoppage time, and Qatar spoiled a dominant day by Switzerland in a 1-1 draw Saturday in Group B of the World Cup.

Several of the Qatari players fell to the ground in celebration of the late goal as others ran to each other to embrace.

Breel Embolo scored for Switzerland from the penalty spot in the first half just over a week after being cleared to enter the US following a visa delay, but the Swiss failed to capitalize on multiple other scoring chances.

In the 13th minute, Embolo was fouled by Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada, who received a yellow card on the play. Abunada lay face down and appeared motionless for a couple of minutes before he began to move his legs and was able to stand up again.

When Embolo calmly sent his penalty into the upper left corner in the 17th minute, it sent the red-clad Swiss fans into a dancing frenzy in the stands of Levi’s Stadium.

The 29-year-old forward applied for an urgent visa at the United States embassy in Bern on June 3, one day after he was denied boarding the team’s flight to travel for his third World Cup because of a 2018 criminal conviction that was only finalized in April.

Switzerland dominated the possession game on an unseasonably warm June afternoon – with sprinklers running during a first-half break.

There were thousands of empty seats scattered throughout Levi’s Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Brazil and Colombia drew 70,971 two years ago in a group match at Copa America. The stadium in Santa Clara staged the Super Bowl only four months ago. 

Switzerland goalkeeper Gregor Kobel made a save in the second minute after Edmilson Junior got through the defense for a one-on-one. Kobel corralled the ball again in the 90th on a close-range attempt by Ahmed Alaaeldin.

Switzerland is hoping to advance further than its round-of-16 showing four years ago before losing 6-1 to Portugal – when Goncalo Ramos delivered an improbable hat trick playing in place of benched star Cristiano Ronaldo. The loss prompted Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri to apologize the the fans.

The Swiss used consistency and experience to go unbeaten through qualifying against Sweden, Kosovo and Slovenia. Coach Murat Yakin’s team produced four wins and two draws to secure its sixth straight World Cup appearance and hasn’t missed one since 2002, but the team has never gotten beyond the quarterfinals.

Qatar, led by Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui, had to qualify through a playoff in November – beating the United Arab Emirates and Oman – after missing an opportunity from its group stage in Asian qualifying.

The Gulf State country became the first host nation to lose all of its group matches four years ago. It lost to Senegal, Ecuador and the Netherlands in the 2022 tournament, scoring its lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Senegal.

SAN ANTONIO – The New York Knicks completed one of the most memorable seasons in franchise history Saturday night inside Frost Bank Center, beating the San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to capture their first championship since 1973.

The only downside was that they didn’t win the clincher in front of the home fans at Madison Square Garden, but there were enough Knicks fans in San Antonio to make it feel like a New York City crowd at times.

New York entered the night with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to end 53 years of frustration. The Knicks completed a historic comeback in Game 4 to put themselves on the precipice of basketball greatness, and they finished the job on Saturday night. While they would have loved to do it at home, the Knicks clearly weren’t going to give away an opportunity to clinch an NBA championship.

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The New York Knicks celebrate with the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

Game 5 started out like every other game in the series, with San Antonio quickly jumping out to a lead. The Spurs won the first quarter for the fifth straight time, and once again, the Knicks found themselves staring at a double-digit deficit.

New York scored just 13 points on 4-for-22 shooting in the opening quarter, tied for the second-fewest in an NBA Finals opening quarter in the shot-clock era, according to ESPN. Only the 2016 Golden State Warriors, who scored 11 points in the first quarter of Game 6 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, had fewer.

But the Knicks did what they’ve done all series.

After trailing by as many as 16 points in the first half, New York cut the deficit to five points at halftime. A late flagrant foul call against Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox helped New York turn one possession into five points with just over a minute left in the second quarter. The Knicks cut the lead to three, but Devin Vassell beat the first-half buzzer with a midrange jumper.

Jalen Brunson scored 16 of New York’s 37 first-half points, while Victor Wembanyama nearly posted a double-double in the first 24 minutes with nine points and nine rebounds. However, the Knicks had a major problem almost immediately after halftime. Karl-Anthony Towns, the team’s most impactful big man, picked up his fourth foul just 15 seconds into the third quarter.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama sits on the floor after a foul during the second half of Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

The impact was felt almost immediately as his replacement, Mitchell Robinson, committed a flagrant foul that allowed San Antonio to return the favor with a six-point sequence, stretching the lead back to double digits.

Then came another turning point: Brunson appeared to roll his ankle with 5:18 left in the third quarter. After making a three-pointer, Brunson landed on Wembanyama’s foot. Both Brunson and Knicks coach Mike Brown screamed at the referees for not calling a foul on Wembanyama, which could have been ruled a flagrant closeout. Had officials assessed a flagrant, it would have triggered an automatic suspension for a potential Game 6, since it would have been his fourth flagrant point of the playoffs.

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Instead, play continued, and Vassell answered with a 3-pointer on the other end. Brunson immediately returned to the game after a New York timeout, but momentum appeared to shift back toward San Antonio as the Spurs later stretched the lead to 15 points. Dylan Harper scored 10 of his 25 points in the third quarter.

But Brunson didn’t let that moment affect his play. Once again, the star guard put the team on his back with Towns stuck on the bench in foul trouble, scoring 14 points in the third quarter to cut the lead to seven heading into the fourth.

And Brunson wasn’t even close to done.

He hit a layup with 4:48 to go that tied the game at 83 and gave him 40 points. After the Spurs answered, Brunson drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with 3:40 left and hit all three free throws, giving the Knicks their first lead since early in the first quarter. They pushed it to three, their largest lead of the game, with 2:07 left on a goaltending violation.

The final minutes turned chaotic from there. Towns fouled out, Wembanyama split two free throws, Harper tied the game, and Brunson answered with another basket to put the Knicks back in front.

Jalen Brunson (11) of the New York Knicks shoots the ball during Game Five against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 13, 2026. (Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

New York survived the scramble by controlling the glass and doing just enough at the free-throw line. Castle’s putback dunk cut the deficit to two with 16 seconds left, but Mikal Bridges split a pair on the other end to give the Spurs the ball with eight seconds left, trailing by three.

The Knicks elected to foul rather than allow San Antonio to attempt a tying three and the strategy worked exactly as intended. Harper missed both free throws, the Knicks grabbed the rebound and that was all she wrote.

Brunson scored 45 points, tied for the third-most points ever in a clinching NBA Finals game.

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There will be time to figure out what this means for San Antonio and Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs aren’t going anywhere with a roster built around young stars Wembanyama, Harper and Castle. But Saturday night belonged to the Knicks.

For more than five decades, Knicks fans waited for a team to deliver another championship. They waited through bad teams, failed rebuilds, 22 different head coaches, missed opportunities and endless jokes. 

The waiting is over.

The Knicks won a historic championship after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday night, sparking wild scenes in New York.

The Knicks secured their first title in 53 years with a 94-90 win. Jubilant fans spilled into the streets across the five boroughs following the win, some climbing on top of buses and setting off fireworks and flares in celebration.

Star guard Jalen Brunson delivered the win with a 45-point outburst in Texas as “Let’s go Knicks” chants cascaded from the stands in San Antonio.

Brunson fought back tears after the game as he tried to explain what the win meant to the city.

“I have no words,” he told ABC. “I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’m in awe, I don’t know.

“Whenever someone counted us out, we found a way to come back and do something about it.”

Game 5 came on the heels of the Knicks staging the biggest ever comeback in NBA Finals history with their win in Game 4, and Donald Trump’s visit to MSG for their loss in Game 3.

The Knicks became the eighth different champion in the NBA over the last eight years.

Thousands of Knicks fans were on hand in San Antonio as the Knicks and owner Jim Dolan were presented with the championship trophy.

“Hey, New York, I’m sorry it took so long, but here we are and hopefully it won’t take that long again,” said Dolan.

Brunson was also named the Finals MVP to a massive ovation from the remaining crowd and his teammates and received a hug from his dad, Knicks assistant coach Rick Brunson.

“This is everything I dreamed of, this is why I came to New York,” Jalen Brunson said.

Head Coach Mike Brown then led the team in a chorus of “Who Let the Dogs Out” as he thanked the “unbelievable” Knicks fans at home in New York.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani quickly announced on X that the city would be celebrating the victory with a ticker-tape parade next week.

“Parade. Thursday. Manhattan,” he wrote after labelling it “History.”

“For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment,” Mamdani added in a statement.

“Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience and heart — just like the five boroughs itself.

“New Yorkers have cheered for our team from packed living rooms in the Bronx to watch parties in Brooklyn, from bars in Queens to Staten Island to Manhattan, and Madison Square Garden itself. Now it’s time for our city to celebrate together. Bing bong.”

Parade logistics will be released on Sunday. City Hall and municipal buildings across New York will be illuminated in blue and orange on Thursday.

Meanwhile, New York lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also celebrated the win on X, writing: “DREAMS COME TRUE.”

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Dave Allen has predicted how countryman Conor Benn will fare if he ends up facing Ryan Garcia later this year.

The pair are set to lock horns before 2026 comes to a close, yet there has been no date or venue officially announced for their world title showdown.

It was also reported earlier this week that Garcia’s promoter, Golden Boy, has sent a cease and desist letter to Zuffa Boxing and TKO Group, who represent Benn.

It is alleged that Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing never obtained consent from Golden Boy to pursue a clash between Benn and Garcia, who is reportedly still under contract with Oscar De La Hoya’s promotional outfit.

At the same time, though, White declared at the post-fight press conference for Zuffa Boxing 07 that they are closing in on an announcement for Garcia-Benn, which is expected to take place in Las Vegas.

This would see ‘King Ry’ make a first defence of his WBC welterweight title, which he claimed via a unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios in February.

Benn, meanwhile, is the WBC mandatory challenger at 147lbs, despite having not made the weight since his second-round finish over Chris van Heerden in 2022.

Irrespective of the weight, though, British heavyweight Allen has predicted on social media that Garcia will be a level or two above his potential opponent.

“On first thoughts, I can’t imagine Conor being good enough to beat Garcia. Conor is a good fighter, don’t get me wrong.

“I think he’s good, he’s really athletic. But [I] just put Garcia in that top bracket. My prediction would be a Garcia stoppage. I think he’s probably a level or two above where we’ve seen Conor. Interesting fight, though.”

Indeed, Benn is yet to establish himself as a world-class operator, even after back-to-back points victories over faded versions of Chris Eubank Jr and Regis Prograis.

The New York Knicks have won their first championship since 1973 and just the third in franchise history with a 94-90 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. It caps one of the most impressive postseason runs in history and puts to bed the notion that small point guards — at least ones not named Stephen Curry — can’t lead teams to a title in the modern NBA. 

Jalen Brunson has done just that, finishing off the Spurs with a 45-point masterpiece en route to being named Finals MVP. Brunson, who averaged 32.6 points per game for the series, becomes just the fourth player listed at 6-foot-2 or shorter to win Finals MVP, joining Curry, Isiah Thomas and Tony Parker. 

Brunson, who was selected in the second round at No. 33 in 2018, is also the second-lowest drafted player to win Finals MVP, trailing only Nikola Jokic, who was taken No. 41 overall. 

The word underdog gets thrown around a lot in sports, but Brunson truly epitomizes the word. He was not supposed to be anywhere near this kind of player, let alone on this kind of stage. He was considered too short. Not athletic enough. A defensive liability. When the Knicks signed him to a four-year, $104 million contract in the summer of 2022, he was regarded as a consolation prize, if not an outright disappointment, after the franchise had been striking out on true big-name stars for years. 

No LeBron James in 2010. The Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire connection never really materialized. No Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving in 2019. Looking back, getting Brunson, let alone on that kind of contract, was indisputably one of the greatest signings in NBA history. 

Brunson will be a New York hero for the rest of time, and he earned every bit of the status. What a player. What a team. What a playoff run and what a Finals. It’s storybook stuff, and no player embodies the grit and heart of the city and fanbase he represents more than Brunson.