Team USA made it through to the knockout rounds thanks to their 2-0 win against Australia. Morocco quickly got a first goal past Scotland, as did Paraguay against Türkiye. Paraguay’s Matias Glaraza scored 64 seconds in, a new 2026 World Cup record. Brazil finally got their first win of the tournament and powered three past Haiti in the first half. Tunisia is set to face off against Japan, in what is the 1000s World Cup game ever.
Joe Root secured his latest slice of Test cricket history at the Kia Oval but was left on a one-man mission, as New Zealand circled victory over England in the second Rothesay Test.
Root, standing in as interim captain this week following Ben Stokes’ curfew-breaking night out, followed Indian great Sachin Tendulkar as only the second player to reach 14,000 Test runs on day four in south London.
It was another remarkable achievement for the Yorkshireman, who was 75 not out at stumps, but with England needing a world record 463 it is one that seems destined to come in a losing cause.
The hosts closed on 182 for five needing another 281 on a day five pitch. With Harry Brook’s explosive 58 the next best score, it was impossible to ignore events 275 miles away in Chester-le-Street where the temporarily exiled Stokes was busy smashing 95 in Durham’s Championship match against Northamptonshire.
No team has ever scored chased more than 418, with England’s own record set at 378 four years ago. Root scored an unbeaten 142 on that occasion and even a repeat performance of those Edgbaston heroics may not be enough this time.
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Merely reaching a fifth day appeared unlikely at one stage, with a flimsy start to the innings leaving them 40 for three. Emilio Gay, Jacob Bethell and Ben Duckett all fell before the tea break, the latter to a horribly-executed hook shot, before a fourth-wicket stand of 97 between Root and Brook lifted home spirits.
Root played a studious role in the partnership while Brook launched a counter-attacking frenzy that brought him a 33-ball half-century including 10 fours and a six.
New Zealand’s talented attack found a way to apply the brakes and restricted him to seven from the next 21 deliveries, before he squeezed Matt Henry to slip. That left Root to see things through to stumps, with the absence of Brook’s fireworks allowing the tourists to restore calm to proceedings.
There was only one serious scare in his composed 137-ball stay, given lbw on 44 but instantly reviewing the decision as DRS showed an inside edge.
England’s pursuit got off to an unhappy start, Kyle Jamieson striking twice in his second over with the new ball. Rookie opener Gay looked jittery throughout his short stay before flicking the 6ft 8in seamer off his pads and into the hands of midwicket. He could hardly believe his mistake, throwing a hand to his helmet before reluctantly dragging himself off.
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Bethell followed for a duck, his first at this level, lbw by one that jagged into his front pad. Root offered a deflated crowd a welcome moment of cheer when the second run of his innings took him to his latest career milestone, but the perilous match situation meant he was initially reluctant to acknowledge the achievement.
He eventually waved his bat to the crowd but the good cheer evaporated when Duckett produced a grisly dismissal, taking on an ambitious hook shot off Will O’Rourke and plonking a simple catch off the toe end of the bat.
England’s Jordan Cox, left, and Joe Root leave the field at the close of play (Ben Whitley/PA)
Brook’s audacious show of force, showing off his wide array of strokes, left the bowlers with some questions of their own to answer but they slowed him down sufficiently before Henry drew the error and Tom Latham held on.
James Rew made a decent fist of an awkward evening assignment, almost making it through to the end as he attempted to end a tough debut on a positive note. But he fell in cruel fashion, lbw to a short ball from Jamieson that kept low and hit him in the groin as he shaped to pull. Another newcomer, Jordan Cox, represents Root’s last real hope of support.
England had earlier produced an efficient effort as New Zealand looked to embrace risk in exchange for quick runs.
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Jofra Archer removed Henry Nicholls for 121, with just two added to his overnight score, and also won his latest duel with first-innings centurion Glenn Phillips.
Matt Fisher picked up three soft wickets as Daryl Mitchell, Jamieson and Nathan Smith swung the bat with abandon and debutant Sonny Baker grabbed the last wicket to end a difficult spell.
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell surveyed the field on Oct. 5, 2025, in Tottenham, United Kingdom, before the NFL International Series matchup against the Cleveland Browns. The Vikings’ overseas appearance drew thousands of fans to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where O’Connell’s focus during warmups set the tone for a crucial midseason test abroad. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
Making room involved the Vikings saying goodbye to a pair of players in the trenches. Most notably, defensive tackle Monkell Goodwine — who was among the best-paid UDFA talents — got shown the door. But then there was somebody else: the monstrous offensive tackle Caleb Etienne.
The Vikings Said Goodbye to Caleb Etienne
No doubt, Mr. Etienne was facing an uphill battle. There is perhaps no more formidable position on the roster than offensive tackle.
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When healthy (not a certainty in recent years), the Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill twosome is close to as good as it gets in the NFL. Darrisaw, in particular, has a high ceiling whereas O’Neill’s floor is that of a high-compete, very-athletic large lad.
Next up are Ryan Van Demark and Caleb Tiernan, both of whom got added for a reasonably beefy cost.
Van Demark has the inside track to be the OT3 after getting poached from the Buffalo Bills with an RFA offer that was too pricey for Josh Allen’s team. There’s then Tiernan, who is entering his rookie season after playing well for Northwestern in college. He’s a towering guy who boasts excellent feet, giving him a shot to develop into an excellent player.
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Minnesota Vikings players huddle before a snap during a road matchup against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Christian Darrisaw stands at left as the offense organized assignments and communication before the play. On Nov. 23, 2025, Minnesota navigated another crucial NFC North battle while attempting to strengthen its postseason position. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
Part of what’s missing within those basic descriptions of the OT depth is the presence of Walter Rouse (a college OT before getting recent work at G), Blake Brandel (a college OT who does everything, including making a bid to be the C1), the presence of UDFA Tristan Leigh (a college OT who earned a beefy payday), and then other talent, as well.
So, a full house.
What made Caleb Etienne stand out was his size. The o-lineman stands at 6’7″ while weighing close to 330 pounds. Even among the Vikings’ other offensive linemen at Vikings minicamp, Etienne was a noticeable presence due to his frame.
Check out the scouting report that emerged from the NFL’s website: “From a tape standpoint, Etienne looks more like an undrafted free agent, but his traits will make him hard to pass up as a late-round lottery ticket. Though he has the size, length and athletic explosiveness teams covet, his fundamentals are a work in progress, and he doesn’t always play with the aggression that will be needed on the next level. If a team can stash him for a couple of years and fine-tune his technique, Etienne could become a much better player.”
The 2026 golf season has moved into its second stanza with the third major of the year back at Shinnecock Hills. The USGA has loaded up the U.S. Open with a massive 156-man field featuring nearly all of the best golfers in the world competing across 72 holes in Southampton, New York, though the cut has been made and the field has been halved entering the final two rounds this weekend.
While not the most visited U.S. Open site, Shinnecock Hills is seen by many as one of the toughest tests the USGA puts on its calendar. It is hosting for the sixth time, and a star-studded leaderboard has emerged with Wyndham Clark holding a somewhat substantial four-shot lead on the field. He will begin his third round at 3:45 p.m., last out of the full set of U.S. Open tee times and pairings for Saturday.
There are players looking to make a move on the leaderboard, like Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, who closed their second rounds strong on Friday morning to put a little pressure on Clark. Schauffele fired a 66 and closed with a pair of birdies in his last three holes. Morikawa, meanwhile, closed strong as well with three birdies on the back nine.
Scottie Scheffler entered as the clear favorite, but he’s fallen to 12-1, still fourth on the odds board, but a positioning that is more out of respect for his game than anything else considering he’s seven shots behind Clark. Rory McIlroy, who is aiming to conquer a course that had his number during the last outing eight years ago, is right alongside Scheffler but even lower on the odds board at 18-1. In some ways, they are lucky to even be playing the weekend, considering several stars missed the U.S. Open cut entirely.
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The USGA texted players late Friday night to expect much tougher conditions on Saturday as they are going to let the greens dry out and adjust pin locations with expected heavy winds moving in off the coast. Many expect to see a lot of over par scores by day’s end on Saturday.
Here’s how you can watch as much U.S. Open as possible. Be sure to stick with CBS Sports for live coverage throughout the third major of the year.
Jun 15, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) follows through with his pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
J.T. Ginn had both a magical and heartbreaking night when he took the mound against the Los Angeles Angels last month.
The right-hander will seek a different ending when the Athletics host the Angels on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Ginn took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in Anaheim, Calif., on May 18, and it took just two batters for the game to end badly for him.
Adam Frazier led off the frame with a single to center field to break up the no-hit bid. Zach Neto followed with a mammoth walk-off homer to center to give Los Angeles a stunning 2-1 victory.
Ginn struck out a career-best 10 that night. He walked one batter and hit one.
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The 27-year-old Ginn (5-3, 2.91 ERA) has won three straight decisions and is unbeaten in his last four starts. He defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday when he gave up one unearned run and six hits over six innings in an 11-2 victory.
Ginn is 1-2 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts against the Angels. Neto (2-for-8) is one of two Los Angeles players to homer against him. Nolan Schanuel (2-for-5) is the other.
On Friday, it was the Angels dealing with heartbreak as the Athletics used a ferocious rally to make it two straight wins to start the four-game set.
Los Angeles matched its season high of five homers and scored 11 consecutive runs at one point before the Athletics scored the final eight to register a 12-11 victory in 10 innings.
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“That’s baseball,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said afterward. “It’s the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. I think the beautiful thing about baseball is you come back, get ready to do it again tomorrow.”
The Angels fell to a woeful 7-of-23 in save opportunities, and the bullpen served up two-run homers in three consecutive innings. The most painful one occurred when A’s pinch hitter Jonah Heim hit a two-run tying homer with two outs in the ninth off Sam Bachman.
The Athletics won in the 10th when Nick Kurtz (0-for-4, four strikeouts) walked with the bases loaded against Samy Natera Jr.
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“We know we have a really good offense, and no deficit is safe for the other team,” Heim said afterward. “So we just keep battling and keep going out there and putting good at-bats together, and we know the bullpen is going to come in and shut it down for us.”
Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy also went deep for the Athletics. Zack Gelof had one hit to extend his career-best hitting streak to 23, the top active run in the majors.
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay watched the comeback from the clubhouse beyond the left-field fence. He was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the bottom of the second inning.
“Nothing like watching it from your office,” Kotsay said. “Yeah, remarkable for a team to be down 11-4 and come all the way back and win a game like that. It says a lot about the group. They easily could have shut it down, but these guys kept grinding.”
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Jose Siri and Logan O’Hoppe each slammed three-run homers for the Angels, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Denzer Guzman, Neto and Schanuel also hit blasts.
The Angels also hit five homers during a 7-1 road victory over the New York Yankees on April 14.
On Saturday, Los Angeles will turn to impressive rookie right-hander Walbert Urena (4-5, 2.60 ERA), who started against Ginn in the May 18 contest and gave up four hits over six scoreless innings.
Urena, 22, had won three straight decisions before falling to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday. He gave up four runs (three earned) and seven hits over a career-high seven innings in the 4-3 game.
Wyndham Clark is putting on a clinic through two rounds at the U.S. Open. Over 36 holes at Shinnecock Hills, the 32-year-old has raced out to a four-stroke lead over the field, thanks in large part to some sublime ball striking.
Through two rounds, Clark sat third in the field in SG: Approach, and 22nd in SG: Off the tee. Add in a hot putter, which has netted him another 2.3 strokes over the field average, and you have the perfect recipe for a run at a major title.
“I’ve really progressed as the year has gone on,” Clark said. “You start really building confidence. I was doing not only that, but then things off the course, as well. Yeah, all that together kind of just built momentum and we find ourselves here.”
A couple of years ago, fresh off his victory at Los Angeles Country Club, Clark joined GOLF’s Dylan Dethier on an episode of Warming Up (which you can watch here). During their chat, Clark shared one of his favorite swing drills — and it’s one that can help just about every golfer.
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Clark’s favorite drill
At the beginning of every range session, Clark always sets up the same way. He has one alignment stick at his feet pointing down his target line, and another bisecting his feet through the middle of his stance.
These two alignment sticks help in a couple of different ways. The alignment stick parallel to his stance helps ensure that his aim and alignment are correct on every swing, while the rod through his stance helps keep a consistent ball position on each swing.
Additionally, Clark said he likes to tee up each shot he hits during the early part of his practice.
“I tee it up every time for two reasons,” Clark said. “For ball position and setup, because I’m always trying to start at neutral. And then the other thing is the tee is huge to make sure I don’t get too steep.”
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Clark explained that when he is swinging poorly, he has a tendency to get steep with his attack angle with a swing path that is overly out-to-in. This tendency is one that many recreational players are familiar with, and one that Clark said comes out in high-pressure situations.
With the ball on a tee, however, it forces him to shallow out his attack angle and swing more in-to-out.
“What I’m trying to do here is neutralize that [miss] and be the opposite,” Clark said. “So when into competition it’s in where I want to be.”
If you’re someone who gets super steep and cuts across the ball, give Clark’s drill a try. If you can focus on the feel of picking the ball cleanly off the tee while you are practicing, once you get on the course, you will have a much shallower angle of attack that results in cleaner contact.
Will we see this many goals when Germany vs Ivory Coast gets going?
Cody Gakpo just struck for the Dutch early in the second half, as Netherlands moved into a 3-0 lead over Sweden.
What a comedown for the Swedes, after their 5-1 thrashing of Tunisia.
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Alex Pattle20 June 2026 19:12
Elsewhere: Netherlands lead Sweden at half-time
Two early strikes from Brian Bobbey have Netherlands 2-0 up against Sweden at half-time!
Just before the break in that Group F clash, Gustaf Lagerbielke thought he’d pulled one back for the Swedes, but his header was disallowed for offside.
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Alex Pattle20 June 2026 18:55
Diomande’s tribute
Yan Diomande has paid an emotional tribute to his sister Roxane, who passed away aged 15 following an incident in which she allegedly had a drink spiked, with the Ivory Coast star saying: “Everything I do on a football pitch, it’s for you.”
Diomande, 19, wrote: “I never got any answers. I don’t know if I want to know why. Maybe it was jealousy. Maybe it’s just something that happens in our country. Maybe I could have protected you. I don’t know.”
The Independent understands the former Match Of The Day host will be an ITV pundit for the Group E clash between Germany and Ivory Coast. Coverage of the game will start at 8pm BST with kick-off in Toronto an hour later.
Netflix appeared to be Lineker’s home for this summer’s World Cup, who is believed to have paid an eye-watering £14m to house The Rest Is Football podcast, produced by his company Goalhanger Podcasts, during the tournament. Lineker has been hosting daily episodes alongside Micah Richards and Alan Shearer in the heart of New York City, recording in an apartment that overlooks Times Square.
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Will Castle20 June 2026 18:20
How to watch
Viewers in the UK can watch the match free-to-air on ITV1 with coverage starting at 8pm BST. It can also be live-streamed on ITVX.
Alan Smith20 June 2026 18:09
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Welcome to coverage of a match that promises much
Hello there. This should be rather good, an effective shootout that could decide top place in a group that looked far tricker than most.
We should learn a lot more about both teams too. Germany’s eventual scoreline against Curacao was flattering and the first half performance was far from exceptional. Ivory Coast, meanwhile, were not overly impressive either before winning late against Ecuador – an exciting attack appearing to be hamstrung by nerves early on.
Now they have settled, the search for some rhythm is on and we can only hope they both look to attack from the outset.
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Kick off in Toronto is 9pm BST or 4pm local time and you can follow every major kick right here.
HIGH WYCOMBE, ENGLAND – APRIL 14: Russ Fraser, General manager of West Ham Ladies looks on prior to the Women’s FA Cup Semi Final match between Reading Women and West Ham United Ladies at Adams Park on April 14, 2019 in High Wycombe, England. (Photo by James Chance/Getty Images)
Wolves are about to enter the biggest season in the history of their women’s team.
Promotion to WSL 2 was a huge achievement, but staying there and building a successful professional team is a completely different challenge.
That helps explain why the club moved for Russ Fraser.
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Fraser is arriving with a reputation built on promises. And he has already been part of projects like this before.
He worked with Reading after their promotion to the WSL, helped West Ham reach an FA Cup final during their first professional season, and was involved in promotion-winning campaigns with both Leicester City and Liverpool.
Now Wolves are hoping he can help guide them through a similar journey.
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The club will play its first season as a fully professional outfit in 2026/27, and Fraser will help shape everything from recruitment to academy development as Wolves prepare for a new chapter.
It feels like Wolves are serious about establishing themselves in WSL 2, and bringing in someone who has already walked that path is a smart place to start.
Manchester United had been viewed as frontrunners for Mateus Fernandes, but it now appears a Premier League rival has moved ahead in the race
Manchester United may be set to miss out on Mateus Fernandes, with Tottenham reportedly close to agreeing personal terms with the midfielder. The West Ham United star impressed in his first season at the London Stadium and attracted interest from United, Arsenal, Paris Saint‑Germain and Real Madrid.
United had been considered favourites for the 21‐year‐old, with West Ham reportedly standing firm on an £80million price tag. However, Tottenham emerged as serious contenders this week and discussions are understood to have advanced positively.
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Italian journalist Matteo Moretto claims that Spurs are now ‘very close’ to striking a deal with Fernandes, who is believed to be receptive to the move. That said, official talks with West Ham have not yet commenced.
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Carrick is expected to press ahead in his search for another midfield addition to strengthen competition and allow rotation during their Champions League campaign. Elliot Anderson remains a target, but Manchester City is viewed as his most likely destination.
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Tottenham have been active in their summer rebuild, already bringing in Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, along with Jan Paul van Hecke for £52m. Landing Fernandes would represent another notable achievement for the north Londoners, with the club determined to reshape their squad following last season’s calamitous Premier League campaign.
Departures are also expected, with Rasmus Hojlund already joining Napoli on a permanent deal and Manuel Ugarte likely to follow Casemiro out of the club as another midfielder set to leave. The future of Marcus Rashford remains a major talking point, with his chances of securing a permanent move to Barcelona thinning by the day following the signing of Anthony Gordon.
Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.
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Official premium experiences at Old Trafford are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
The expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 has already delivered its fair share of surprises after the opening round of group-stage matches. While many expected the new format to produce a number of one-sided contests, several underdogs have proven they belong on football’s biggest stage by frustrating some of the tournament favourites.
Among the standout results, Spain were held to a scoreless draw in Group H, while Uruguay and Saudi Arabia also shared the points in the same section. Portugal dropped points after being held 1-1 by World Cup returnees DR Congo, and Brazil failed to impress in a draw against Morocco. These unexpected results have left several groups finely balanced heading into the second round of fixtures.
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Meanwhile, traditional heavyweights such as Argentina, France, England and Germany made winning starts, while co-hosts USA and Mexico, along with Sweden and Norway, also picked up valuable victories to move to the top of their respective groups.
Here’s a look at the latest FIFA World Cup 2026 points table after the completion of Round 1 of the group stage. Group A With Czechia and South Africa playing their 2nd game and sharing the spoils on the day, the group is still very much alive with Mexico taking the top spot for now. The hosts became the first team to qualify for the Round of 32 as well with a 1-0 win vs South Korea.
Group A
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Mexico
2
2
0
0
2
6
2
Korea Republic
2
1
0
1
1
3
3
Czechia
2
0
1
1
-1
1
4
South Africa
2
0
1
1
-2
1
Group B Canada have taken the top spot after a resounding 6-0 win against Qatar in their 2nd game with all teams still in contention for the next round.
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Group B
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Canada
2
1
1
0
6
4
2
Switzerland
2
1
1
0
3
4
3
Qatar
2
0
1
1
-6
1
4
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2
0
1
1
-3
1
Group C Morocco and Brazil sit on 4 points in Group C with respective wins and a draw against each other in the first 2 games. Scotland are still in contention with 3 points from 2 games while Haiti became the first team to be eliminated from the World Cup.
Group C
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Brazil
2
1
1
0
2
4
2
Morocco
2
1
1
0
1
4
3
Scotland
2
1
0
1
0
3
4
Haiti
2
0
0
2
-3
0
Group D USA and Australia made perfect starts with opening victories, while Türkiye and Paraguay are already under pressure after defeats. USA went on to become the 2nd team to qualify for the Round of 32 with a 2-0 win against Australia. Turkey though have become the 2nd team to be eliminated from the World Cup after their loss vs Paraguay
Group D
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
USA
2
2
0
0
5
6
2
Australia
2
1
0
1
0
3
3
Paraguay
2
1
0
1
-2
3
4
Turkey
2
0
0
1
-3
0
Group E Germany’s six-goal demolition of Curaçao gives them an early edge, with Côte d’Ivoire also collecting three points to stay in contention.
Group E
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Germany
1
1
0
0
6
3
2
Côte d’Ivoire
1
1
0
0
1
3
3
Ecuador
1
0
0
1
-1
0
4
Curaçao
1
0
0
1
-6
0
Group F Sweden lead the group following a commanding win over Tunisia, while Japan and the Netherlands cancelled each other out in a draw.
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Group F
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Sweden
1
1
0
0
4
3
2
Japan
1
0
1
0
0
1
3
Netherlands
1
0
1
0
0
1
4
Tunisia
1
0
0
1
-4
0
Group G The most evenly balanced group so far, with all four teams, New Zealand, Iran, Belgium and Egypt beginning with a point apiece.
Group G
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
New Zealand
1
0
1
0
0
1
2
IR Iran
1
0
1
0
0
1
3
Belgium
1
0
1
0
0
1
4
Egypt
1
0
1
0
0
1
Group H No side managed to gain an advantage as Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Cabo Verde all played out draws in a tightly contested section.
Group H
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Uruguay
1
0
1
0
0
1
2
Saudi Arabia
1
0
1
0
0
1
3
Spain
1
0
1
0
0
1
4
Cabo Verde
1
0
1
0
0
1
Group I Norway and France lived up to expectations with opening wins, setting up an early battle for top spot in one of the toughest groups.
Group I
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Norway
1
1
0
0
3
3
2
France
1
1
0
0
2
3
3
Senegal
1
0
0
1
-2
0
4
Iraq
1
0
0
1
-3
0
Group J Argentina and Austria made strong starts with convincing victories, while Jordan and Algeria have ground to make up after Round 1.
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Group J
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Argentina
1
1
0
0
3
3
2
Austria
1
1
0
0
2
3
3
Jordan
1
0
0
1
-2
0
4
Algeria
1
0
0
1
-3
0
Group K Colombia seized early control of the group, while DR Congo’s historic draw against Portugal kept the standings finely poised.
Group K
Rank
Teams
P
W
D
L
GD
Points
1
Colombia
1
1
0
0
2
3
2
Congo DR
1
0
1
0
0
1
3
Portugal
1
0
1
0
0
1
4
Uzbekistan
1
0
0
1
-2
0
Group L England’s impressive win over Croatia and Ghana’s victory over Panama put both sides in a strong position heading into Matchday 2.
Jessica Pegula of the US celebrates winning the women’s singles semi-final match against Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka at the WTA500 Berlin Tennis Open tournament in Berlin on June 20, 2026. Pegula wins 4-6, 7-6, 0-6. (Photo by John MACDOUGALL / AFP)
BERLIN–American Jessica Pegula rallied past world number one Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-0 to reach the final of the Berlin Open WTA grass-court tournament for the second time.
Sabalenka had been 9-3 in previous meetings against the American third seed but it was their first clash on grass.
Pegula got off to a strong start, capitalising on Sabalenka’s poor forehand with ten unforced errors in the first three games.
She broke serve to lead 2-1, then gave Sabalenka no chance on her serve, securing the set 6-4 in three-quarters of an hour.
The Belarusian took an early lead in the second set, breaking serve immediately, but looked shaky when it came to closing out the set and was pushed to a tiebreak which was interrupted by rain at 3-1 for the American on her opponent’s serve.
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Two and a half hours later, the two players returned to the Steffi Graf court, and Sabalenka snatched the set, setting up a deciding third set.
Pegula quickly pulled away in the deciding set, closing it out 6-0 after two hours and 13 minutes on court.
Eala, who upset world number two Elena Rybakina in the last 16 and Queen’s Club champion Donna Vekic in the first round, will be looking to continue her fine form against eighth seed Noskova.
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The 21-year-old world number 35 is the first player from the Philippines to break into the top 50.
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