It’s the middle of the summer, which means there isn’t a ton of NHL news to sift through, but there is some, and, in the case of the Chicago Blackhawks, it’s very bad.

That’s because the team just learned their franchise centerpiece, Connor Bedard, will be out of action four months after getting injured while training.

That means he won’t be back in the team’s lineup until November.

NHL TEAM’S ROUGH OFFSEASON GETS WORSE AS FRANCHISE LEGEND LEAVES TO COACH FOR ARCH-RIVAL

Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard will miss four months of action after undergoing surgery on an injured left shoulder. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)

Bedard was training in Vancouver last week when video started making the rounds showing him falling during a drill and leaving the ice in clear discomfort.

Well, that discomfort was real, and, on Wednesday the Blackhawks announced the 2023 first overall pick had undergone surgery on his left shoulder and is expected to make a full recovery.

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He will miss some action early in the upcoming season.

The Blackhawks will be happy to have him back a month or so into the season as opposed to having him miss four months of the regular season, but that is going to make Chicago’s start to the season critical.

The Blackhawks play in a tough Central Division, and they have to keep pace with the likely playoff teams in it — squads like the Avalanche, Stars, Wild, Mammoth and maybe Jets — so that they don’t have to dig out of a hole when Bedard returns to action.

Bedard dealt with an injury to his other shoulder last season. (David Gonzales-Imagn Images)

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Bedard is no stranger to injuries. He battled an injury to his right shoulder last season, and in his rookie campaign in 2024-25, he broke his jaw.

When he’s healthy, he has averaged a little under a point per game, something the Blackhawks will need as they continue to work their way back to being perennial playoff contenders.

The Fifa World Cup 2026 quarterfinals begin with a fixture that carries the weight of form, history and unfinished business. France arrive as title favourites, the most balanced side left in the tournament and a team whose attack has made even difficult matches appear manageable. Morocco arrive as African champions, World Cup semifinalists from four years ago, and no longer a romantic surprise but a contender with enough structure, speed and belief to trouble anyone.

At Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, France and Morocco meet again, four years after their semifinal in Qatar. France won that match 2-0 on their way to a final defeat against Argentina. Morocco left that tournament as the first African and Arab nation to reach a World Cup semifinal. Now the Atlas Lions are trying to become the first African side to reach back-to-back World Cup semifinals.

The challenge is severe. France have won five matches out of five, scored 14 goals, conceded only two, and are yet to fall behind. Kylian Mbappe has seven goals in five games, one behind Lionel Messi and level with Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race. Around him, Ousmane Dembele, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola give Didier Deschamps arguably the most dangerous attacking unit in the competition.

But Morocco are not built to be dazzled. They are built to resist, wait and strike.

The road to the quarterfinals

France have taken the direct route. They topped Group I with wins over Senegal, Iraq and Norway, then beat Sweden 3-0 in the Round of 32 and Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16. The Paraguay game was not fluent, but it may prove useful. France had to withstand provocation, physical pressure and a messy contest. They did not lose control.

Morocco’s path has been more dramatic. They opened with a 1-1 draw against Brazil, beat Scotland 1-0, and then defeated Haiti 4-2 to finish second in Group C. In the Round of 32, they needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Issa Diop before beating the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties. They then knocked out co-hosts Canada 3-0 in Houston, scoring all three goals in the second half.

France: More fluent, but still pragmatic

France under Deschamps have often been associated with tournament pragmatism. This edition has looked different. They have attacked earlier, pressed with more variety and used the pace of Mbappe, Dembele and Barcola to make transitions lethal. Olise has been central to that shift, with five assists and a tournament-high 11 through balls. Three of those assists have led to Mbappe goals.

The win over Paraguay, however, added another layer. France were not sparkling, but they were controlled. Assistant coach Guy Stephan said the match provided answers about how the players respond “in the face of that kind of adversity”. That matters in a quarterfinal where Morocco will try to frustrate, slow and counter.

France also have small concerns. Aurelien Tchouameni is doubtful with an adductor injury. Marcus Thuram has returned to training after a calf issue and is expected to be available. Olise, Barcola and Manu Kone are one yellow card away from missing a potential semifinal.

Morocco: From surprise package to contender

Morocco’s 2022 run changed global perception. Their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title confirmed that it was not a one-tournament miracle. Under Mohamed Ouahbi, who took charge in March, Morocco have become more layered than the side that shocked Spain and Portugal in Qatar.

The major blow is the absence of Ismael Saibari. The 25-year-old, who had scored in all three group games and struck the winning penalty against the Netherlands, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury suffered against Canada. He had been used as a false nine and was Morocco’s most important goal threat. Soufiane Rahimi, who came on for him and scored against Canada, is the likely replacement.

Ouahbi has insisted Morocco are no longer a surprise.

“We’re no longer a surprise today, and that’s a great source of pride,” he said.

Against France, that confidence will be tested by the tournament’s most complete squad.

Where the match could be won: Fast breaks

This quarterfinal may be decided by counter-attacks. Morocco and France are the top two teams at this World Cup for fast-break shots, according to Opta. Morocco lead with 10 such attempts, while France have nine. Both have scored three goals from those situations.

That makes the match tactically fascinating. Both teams are dangerous when they win the ball in their own half and attack quickly. Both also need to be careful about where they lose possession.

Morocco scored from such a sequence against Brazil. El Khannouss blocked Lucas Paqueta’s pass, Noussair Mazraoui split midfield with a forward ball, Diaz released Saibari, and Morocco were ahead after only two passes.

France operate similarly but with greater individual speed. If Morocco’s full-backs push high, Mbappe and Barcola will look to attack the space behind them. If France lose the ball in midfield, Hakimi, Diaz and Ounahi can spring forward quickly. The first pass after a regain may matter as much as the final shot.

Mbappe vs Morocco’s right-sided strength

The main question is obvious: can Morocco stop Mbappe?

Still, Mbappe does not need much. France do not require long spells of control to hurt opponents. Olise’s through balls and Barcola’s speed mean Morocco must constantly manage depth. If their back line drops too deep, France can circulate and cross. If they push too high, Mbappe can decide the match in one run.

Mbappe also enters the game after a difficult few days off the pitch. Following France’s win over Paraguay, he responded to abuse from a Paraguayan senator, describing the comments as “despicable” and “racist”. Now the France captain must return his focus to the field, where his influence has been decisive.

Diaz, Hakimi and Morocco’s route to an upset

Hakimi’s duel with Lucas Digne could be one of the game’s most important battles. France have refreshed their left side in the knockouts, with Digne replacing Theo Hernandez to add a crossing threat. But that side can also be attacked. Hakimi’s long sprints from deep and Diaz’s passing could test France’s defensive balance.

Ounahi is another key figure. His ability to carry the ball and escape pressure gives Morocco a way to turn defence into attack. Without Saibari, Morocco will need others to make runs beyond France’s midfield. Rahimi gives them a more traditional forward profile, but the team’s attacking rhythm will change.

Head-to-head and history

France dominate the head-to-head record, with four wins and two draws from six meetings. The most important meeting came in the 2022 World Cup semifinal, when France beat Morocco 2-0 in Qatar.

But the relationship between the two countries gives this fixture an added dimension. France occupied Morocco between 1907 and 1956, and more than a million Moroccans now live in France. That history does not define the football, but it shapes the emotional context. For Morocco, beating France would not only mean reaching another World Cup semifinal. It would also mark one of the most significant results in African football history.

Team news

Referee focus

Fifa has appointed an all-Argentinian officiating team for the match, with Facundo Tello as referee. The decision has drawn attention in France because Argentina beat France in the 2022 World Cup final. This is the first time at the 2026 World Cup that the entire officiating team is from the same country.

Tello has taken charge of two matches at this tournament: South Africa’s 1-0 win over South Korea and Canada’s 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina. Across those games, he issued seven yellow cards and awarded no penalties.

What experts expect

  Predictions largely favour France, though most expect Morocco to make the game uncomfortable. The range of forecasts underlines the same theme: Morocco have enough organisation and transition threat to trouble France, but Les Bleus’ attacking depth gives them the stronger case.

One thing to know about France

Deschamps has refreshed France’s left side in the knockouts. During the group stage, Theo Hernandez offered a more defensive profile at left-back, while Desire Doue played ahead of him. In the knockouts, Digne has added a crossing option from deep, giving France a different way to attack packed defences.

One thing to know about Morocco

Morocco are the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals of two World Cups. But this team is not simply a repeat of the 2022 version. Under Walid Regragui in Qatar, Morocco often played with very low possession, including 27 per cent against Spain and 23 per cent against Portugal.

Prediction

Morocco will make France work. Their counter-attacking threat is real, their full-backs are elite, and their collective confidence has grown from a 34-match unbeaten run and an AFCON title. But Saibari’s absence is a major loss, and France’s attacking depth may eventually tell.

France do not need to dominate every minute to win. They only need the right moment: an Olise pass, a Barcola run, a Dembele dribble, or Mbappe in space.

Prediction: France 2 Morocco 1

Who will the winner face?

The winner will face Spain or Belgium in the semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on July 14. That match will kick off at 3 pm ET, which is 12:30 am IST on July 15.

He’s the striker that is inevitable. The one that always scores. The one that has the most ridiculous goals-per-game record in international football since… well since records began.

He is of course, Erling Haaland. Manchester City’s No.9, their goalscorer in chief, the greatest predator in the modern game. He may have Braut Haaland on his back on the other side of the Atlantic, but there’s no difference. Goals remain his business. And business is good.

This weekend, he’s the man who will look to destroy England’s World Cup hopes. Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions meet Haaland’s Norway on Saturday night in Miami, with a semi-final spot on the line.

And Haaland is brimming with confidence after his last 16 double downed Brazil – and he got the better of Arsenal rival Gabriel, absolutely destroying him to head home Norway’s first, before sealing victory with a fine second.

The big man has seven goals to his name in his debut World Cup, putting him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot. Four of those goals have been match-winning strikes and he’s taken his scarcely-believable international record to a staggering 62 goals in 54 internationals at senior level.

That includes scoring in each of his past 14 competitive appearances for Norway. He’s bagged 27 goals during that run. Absolutely freaking ridiculous.

England, of course, know all about him. In four seasons at the Etihad he’s banged home 112 goals in 132 Premier League matches. Marc Guehi and Nico O’Reilly are current team-mates, John Stones has only just stopped being one and Ezri Konsa and Dan Burn are more than familiar with the 6ft 4in behemoth’s ways.

It is stupid how good he is. But is it stupid to think that England can stop him on Saturday night? Should we fear the possibility of Haaland wrecking our hopes of a first World Cup since 1966?

Let us know exactly how much you’re worried about the big man in our Haaland slide-o-meter!

Reigning and undisputed ONE strawweight MMA world champion ‘The Passion’ Joshua Pacio of the Philippines knows his next foe has improved greatly, and he’s not taking him lightly in any way.

Pacio is set to take on Russian star Mansur Malachiev in a rematch for the strawweight MMA world title in the main event of The Inner Circle 21, which broadcasts live in Asia primetime on Friday, July 10, from the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

In a recent interview with ONE Championship, Pacio talked about Malachiev’s improvements since their first fight.

‘The Passion’ told the world’s largest martial arts organization:

“He definitely improved, especially that last fight with Jarred Brooks. What I saw is his wrestling improved even more. I think his striking is also catching up. When he fought Saruta, he was hitting his mark. I think he caught him with a left hook at one point, so his striking has also gotten better. He’s starting to use his reach advantage much better.”

Needless to say, Pacio is ready to prove once again why he’s the better man.

Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action of The Inner Circle 21 live via a monthly subscription through live.onefc.com. Please visit ONE Championship’s official website for more information on how to watch from your location.

Joshua Pacio says Mansur Malachiev has a chip on his shoulder: “He still hasn’t accepted that he lost”

Joshua Pacio is excited for his showdown with Mansur Malachiev at The Inner Circle 21 this Friday night, and he’s looking forward to another tough outing against the Dagestani.

‘The Passion’ told ONE:

“It was a close match. I think until now, he still hasn’t accepted that he lost. I believe I have grown up since that fight, three years ago. I’ve also watched how he has improved and matured as a fighter and an athlete. He beat top contenders like Bokang [Masunyane] and [Yosuke] Saruta, and of course, [Jarred] Brooks… I think this will be an exciting rematch.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Joshua Pacio’s next fight.