Egypt’s Mohamed Salah (10) celebrates his goal with teammate Mostafa Ziko (11) during the World Cup Group G soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Mohamed Salah scored the go-ahead goal and Egypt went on to defeat New Zealand 3-1 on Sunday night and secure its first-ever World Cup win.

Salah celebrated his 68th international goal by pumping his fist before he was mobbed by his teammates in the 67th minute, to the thrill of the red-clad Pharaohs fans in the sellout crowd at BC Place Vancouver.

When Salah was subbed off in the 85th minute he was treated to a standing ovation.

READ: World Cup: Germany beats Ivory Coast 2-1 advances to KO phase

Egypt moved to the top of the standings in Group G with the win, but was not yet assured a spot in the knockout round. The Pharaohs will play a deciding game against Iran on Friday in Seattle, needing at least a draw to advance.

Egypt is making its fourth World Cup appearance after missing the field in Qatar four years ago. Salah scored a pair of goals in the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Finn Surman put New Zealand in front in the 15th minute with a flying header off a corner kick delivered by Instagram sensation Tim Payne. It was the third international goal for the 6-foot-3 defender who plays for the Portland Timbers in MLS.

Omar Marmoush dropped a free kick off to Salah in the 35th minute but it went just wide and bent into the side netting.

Egypt turned up the pressure coming out of the half and Mostafa Zico broke through with equalizer, finding space between Surman and Payne for a header that goalkeeper Max Crocombe got a hand on but couldn’t stop in the 58th minute. Zico celebrated by gesturing for the fans in the crowd to cheer.

READ: World Cup: Japan routs Tunisia, 4-1, in 1000th  men’s match

Salah took a back-heel pass from Zico for his goal, which puts him just one away from tying his coach Hossam Hassan for the national team’s all-time scoring lead. Trezeguet’s diving header wrapped up scoring for Egypt in the 82nd.

Egypt’s Hamdy Fathy was subbed off late in the first half after an apparent injury away from the ball. He was replaced by Ramy Rabia.

In the opener against Belgium, Emam Ashour scored the early goal for Egypt but then Romelu Lukaku subbed into the match and caused chaos in the box, resulting in an own goal for a 1-1 draw.

New Zealand twice took the lead against Iran in their group opener, only to cede it for a 2-2 draw in the end. Elijah Just scored both goals for the All Whites.

New Zealand previously appeared at the World Cup in 2010 and drew all three of its games.

Iran and Belgium played to a scoreless draw earlier in the day in Inglewood, California, giving both teams two straight draws at the tournament. New Zealand returns to Vancouver on Friday to face Belgium.

Lamine Yamal was the centre of attention before kick-off and remained the main talking point long after the final whistle as Spain delivered a commanding 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta.

The 18-year-old forward returned to action after limited minutes in Spain’s opening draw with Cape Verde, having only recently recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in April. Head coach Luis de la Fuente had insisted his careful handling of the teenager was part of a long-term plan, and that patience quickly paid off.

From the moment Yamal stepped onto the pitch, the atmosphere shifted. Thousands of fans wore his name, while every appearance on the big screen triggered loud cheers inside the stadium. Even before touching the ball, he had already lifted the occasion.

Once involved in play, he took complete control of the attacking rhythm. Spain, criticised for lacking urgency in their previous match, looked sharp, direct and confident from the start, with Yamal driving much of their forward momentum.

The breakthrough came midway through the first half and fittingly involved the teenager. A low ball was driven across the face of goal, and Yamal arrived at the back post to slide home his first World Cup goal, sending the Atlanta crowd into celebration.

From that moment, Spain never looked back. Their movement, passing and intensity overwhelmed Saudi Arabia, who struggled to cope with the pace and creativity of the Spanish attack.

Former Spain defender César Azpilicueta praised the youngster’s natural ability, saying his creativity and confidence cannot be taught and improves with every game.

“He knows how to create chances, take on defenders and find space,” Azpilicueta said. “He is growing every single match.”

Yamal’s goal also placed him in elite company, making him one of the youngest scorers in World Cup history before turning 19, and among a very small group of teenagers to score in the competition.

Spain added further goals after the opener to complete a dominant 4-0 victory, underlining their attacking strength and tournament ambitions.

The comparisons to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue to follow him, but former England striker Wayne Rooney stressed the importance of discipline and consistency if the teenager is to maintain his rise.

“What stands out is the responsibility he has already taken,” Rooney said. “At such a young age, he is already central to Spain’s plans.”

With another standout performance on the global stage, Yamal once again showed why he is being described as one of football’s brightest young stars, while Spain sent a strong message to the rest of the tournament with a performance full of intent and quality.

McDermott’s relationship with Queiroz goes back to 2011 and has spanned three different national teams with two spells at Iran as well as one at Qatar and now Ghana, but it was a mutual connection that got the ball rolling for the two to meet.

“Carlos was considering the Iran job in 2011 and my former head coach in the USL in America was Carlos’ long-term goalkeeper coach. I was already in the Middle East, working in Abu Dhabi for a club team and the conversations started. I met Carlos in Doha, we talked and myself and two other staff members joined Carlos and accepted the Iran job and that was the start of it,” he explained.

While he did not accompany Queiroz to Colombia or Egypt, instead taking over at the “mighty Glentoran” where he won an Irish Cup, McDermott did not hesitate in following him to Qatar and now to Ghana after a spell with League of Ireland First Division side Cobh Ramblers.

“Here we are again, another brilliant project with a brilliant football nation. It’s an opportunity I don’t think anyone can say no to, to work with the Ghana football team and Carlos again, it’s been brilliant.”

While many managers and their coaching staff have a few months to plan everything from travel to squad selection for the World Cup, Queiroz and McDermott did not have that luxury.

Appointed in April, they did not get to work with their full 26-man squad until the end of May, with just one full training session before a 1-1 friendly draw against Wales on 2 June and a flight to the US the next day.

“The logistics and travel were already in place, we tweaked them a little,” he said. “A big group of our players didn’t arrive until 30 May and we didn’t have a full training session until 31 May.

“We had two days, played Wales and flew the next day to the US. We had to submit our 26-man list before we even played Wales but the players have been brilliant to work with.”

Their last-minute preparations do not seem to have hampered things on the pitch, with Ghana beating Panama 1-0 in their opening Group L game in Toronto, courtesy of a 95th-minute winner from Caleb Yirenkyi.

McDermott has been impressed with how the squad has gelled off the pitch and their musical talents.

“When they are together, as you can see from social media, there is a bond and it’s new to me. I’ve been around the Middle East, Asia, Ireland and US and have had groups with good atmospheres but this, it’s hard to express it. I stand sometimes and just enjoy it,” he said.

“It was the night before we played Panama in the hotel and they have a tradition where the day before their first game after the training session they have a prayer and a song.

“The song went from the pitch and carried on to the 30-minute bus to the hotel and carried on to the hotel and once they got going they got going, it went on for an hour and a half. When you see the positive energy it gives them it’s nice. My foot started tapping!”

The Tkachuk brothers won gold with Team USA together, and now it appears they’ll be chasing a Stanley Cup together after a reported blockbuster trade on Father’s Day.

The Ottawa Senators are reportedly close to trading Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers, where his brother, Matthew, stars, according to multiple reports.

The Panthers’ package for Brady is reportedly their first-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft as well as a 2029 first-round pick and a 2030 second-round pick.

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Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators looks on during warmup before an NHL game against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 13, 2025, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. (André Ringuette/NHLI)

Brady, 26, was a trade candidate entering this offseason, as he has two years remaining on his seven-year, $57.5 million contract he signed with the Senators. He tallied 59 points last season (29 goals), helping the Senators get back to the playoffs.

The Senators also lost in the first round in 2025 to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

HURRICANES LEGEND TURNED COACH ROD BRIND’AMOUR MAKES HISTORY AS TEAM WINS STANLEY CUP OVER GOLDEN KNIGHTS

Unfortunately for Ottawa, they were swept by the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Carolina Hurricanes, which happens to be one of the teams he was willing to go to in a trade.

Brady also reportedly had the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild on his list of teams he’d be willing to join, per TSN.

Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk celebrate after the United States defeated Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Carolyn Kaster/AP)

The Senators named Brady their team captain ahead of the 2021-22 season – the same year he signed his contract.

Now, Brady will look to bring the chemistry with his brother, leadership and physical play he showcased earlier this year at the Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina to the Panthers.

Brady played a pivotal role in helping Team USA capture gold over Team Canada in historic fashion during the Winter Olympics. He tallied three goals and five total points during the tournament.

Brady Tkachuk of the United States celebrates winning the gold medal during the men’s gold medal game against Canada at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Vitalii Kliuiev/Getty Images)

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The Panthers get a major upgrade on their roster following a year when they missed the playoffs after going 40-38-4. Florida won the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons before this past season, and the Panthers’ front office is clearly looking to run the table in the postseason again.

Getting Brady to not just team up with Matthew, but the rest of the talented roster in Sunrise, is a hot start to the offseason.

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Spain’s Lamine Yamal (19) celebrates with Mikel Oyarzabal after scoring a goal during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Spain and Saudi Arabia in Atlanta, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Lamine Yamal’s return sparked Spain’s World Cup into life as the European champions ran riot to beat Saudi Arabia 4-0 in Atlanta.

Making his first start in two months after a hamstring injury, Yamal ended La Roja’s long wait for a World Cup goal just 10 minutes in.

Mikel Oyarzabal then struck twice to put Luis de la Fuente’s men 3-0 up inside 24 minutes.

READ: World Cup: Cape Verde surprises in debut vs Spain

De la Fuente’s careful management of Yamal’s minutes continued as the Barcelona superstar was replaced at half-time before Hassan al-Tambakti’s own goal rounded off the scoring.

“We had to recover good feelings, correct a few things from the last game, but we need to keep improving if we want to achieve our target of getting to the final on July 19,” said De la Fuente.

Victory propels Spain to the top of Group H, which also saw Cape Verde holding Uruguay to a 2-2 draw.

Billed as one of the pre-tournament favorites, Spain got off to a slow start in a 0-0 draw against debutants Cape Verde.

A pedestrian performance despite dominating possession only highlighted the importance of Yamal to their quest to be world champions for a second time.

De la Fuente also warned his players had been “stung” by the criticism they faced following their opening result and they responded emphatically.

READ: World Cup 2026: How are the favorites shaping up?

Yamal’s return was one of four changes in total with Pedro Porro, Dani Olmo and Alex Baena also coming into the starting line-up.

After over 2,500 passes and 50 attempts at goal since their last World Cup goal, Spain finally found the net and fittingly Yamal made the breakthrough.

Pressure rises on Saudis

Oyarzabal found space in behind the Saudi defence and his low cross picked out the 18-year-old to slot in at the back post.

The Saudis held Uruguay 1-1 in their opening game but there was little evidence that the billions splashed to raise the level of their domestic league has aided the national team.

Coach Georgios Donis looked particularly irked that two of Spain’s goals came from corners.

Oyarzabal pounced on Aymeric Laporte’s flick-on to give the 2010 winners the breathing space they craved.

READ: Lamine Yamal waves Palestinian flag during title parade

Just three minutes later, the Real Sociedad forward volleyed home from Olmo’s header for his 14th international goal in his last 13 caps.

Oyarzabal was inches away from a first-half hat-trick when his audacious effort with the outside of his foot from a narrow angle came back off the crossbar.

But with the job done by half-time, De la Fuente could afford the luxury of replacing Yamal and Oyarzabal at the break.

“Had we had a different result, he (Yamal) would’ve played for longer but given the result and that the match was under control, we considered his contribution was enough for us to have him in the next game,” added De la Fuente.

The changes did not disrupt the waves of Spanish attack towards the Saudi goal, but the fourth also came via a corner.

Cucurella was afforded acres of space to shoot and although his effort was repelled by Mohammed al-Owais, the rebound deflected in off the unfortunate Tambakti.

To round off an ideal afternoon for De la Fuente on his 65th birthday, Nico Williams and Mikel Merino were afforded valuable minutes off the bench in the second period as they too get up to match speed after lengthy absences due to injury.

By contrast, the pressure is now on Donis to deliver in Saudi Arabia’s final group game against Cape Verde in Houston.

Victory will likely take the Arabian Falcons into the knockout stages for the first time since the World Cup was last in the United States 32 years ago.

Spain travel to Guadalajara next for the final group game against two-time winners Uruguay on Friday.

Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Los Angeles Sparks and teammates celebrate after Ogwumike hit the game-winning buzzer-beater basket against the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena on June 21, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Melina Pizano/Getty Images/AFP

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to lift the Los Angeles Sparks to a 98-97 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday night on the anniversary of the league’s first game that featured the same two teams.

The Sparks, who lost that inaugural game to the Liberty in 1997, trailed by 17 points in the third quarter before rallying behind Ogwumike, who finished with 24 points.

On the final play, Erica Wheeler drove and passed it out to Ogwumike who calmly sank the 3-pointer just before the buzzer from the wing. Breanna Stewart had made one of two from the foul line with just under 9 seconds left to give New York a two-point lead.

READ: WNBA scores: Paige Bueckers posts 31, Wings rout Mercury

Nneka Ogwumike called game 🥵

She hit the @TISSOT buzzer-beater to secure the @LASparks 98-97 dub over The Liberty! pic.twitter.com/f8a6VUo2Ez

— WNBA (@WNBA) June 22, 2026

Ogwumike had 12 of her points in the final 3:50, including a 3-pointer to tie the game at 93 with 1:27 left. The Liberty led 95-93 when Stewart, who was shooting 87.5% from the foul line coming into the game, went to the line with 26.7 seconds left. She made one of two free throws.

Rae Burrell then hit two free throws after she was fouled with 10.3 seconds left. Stewart was fouled a second later and again missed one of the free throws.

With no timeouts left, Wheeler went up the floor and set up the fantastic finish.

Burrell had 19 points and Wheeler scored 15. Stewart and Jonquel Jones both scored 18 with Stewart snagging 10 rebounds to pace New York.

READ: WNBA scores: Jonquel Jones, Liberty surge past Tempo

New York, which has lost two straight following an eight-game winning streak, plays three more road games before hosting the Las Vegas Aces in the Commissioner’s Cup championship game on June 30.

New York beat Los Angeles 67-57 in the league’s inaugural game.

Up next
New York: At the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday.

Los Angeles: At the Toronto Tempo on Thursday.

MI New York captain Nicholas Pooran plays a delivery down the leg side during match 7 of the Major League Cricket season 4 between Texas Super Kings and MI New York . (Photo/Sportzpics)

Defending champions MI New York opened their account in MLC 2026 with an eight-wicket win over Texas Super Kings in the last match of the tournament’s opening leg at Grand Prairie Stadium on Monday (IST).The victory was set up by a strong bowling display led by Trent Boult and Corbin Bosch before captain Nicholas Pooran guided the chase with an unbeaten 68.After suffering defeat in their opening game, MI New York needed a response and got it quickly through Boult. The left-arm pacer dismissed Smit Patel in the first over and then removed Rilee Rossouw with a ball that came back sharply, reducing Texas to 20 for 2.Texas, who were without their regular captain Faf du Plessis due to a back spasm, struggled to recover from the early setbacks. Bosch struck before the end of the Powerplay to leave them at 36 for 3.Milind Kumar and Shubham Ranjane rebuilt the innings with a 65-run partnership and briefly put Texas back on track. However, MI New York kept picking up wickets. Ranjane fell one run short of a half-century, while Bosch dismissed Donovan Ferreira and Wiaan Mulder to stop any late charge.Boult’s early breakthroughs and Bosch’s control through the middle and death overs ensured Texas never gained full momentum. The innings ended at 158, with four balls still remaining.MI New York started the chase aggressively. Quinton de Kock attacked from the outset, taking on Akeal Hosein in the first over with two fours and a six. Texas then missed a key chance when Monank Patel was dropped by Amishi de Silva in the third over.The missed opportunity proved costly. Monank and de Kock added 49 runs for the opening wicket before Monank and Pooran put together another partnership worth 64 runs. While de Kock provided the early runs, Pooran paced the chase carefully and ensured there were no setbacks.Monank was dismissed for 46 after bringing the target well within reach. Pooran then took control, increasing the scoring rate as the finish approached. His unbeaten 68 helped MI New York complete the chase with 14 balls to spare and secure their first win of the season.

The Minnesota Vikings may or may not have a hole at the OLB3 position in 2026, depending on the maturation of young in-house candidates like Bo Richter, Tyler Batty, and Chaz Chambliss. The club could also utilize second-year defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins in an EDGE capacity or bring rookie off-ball linebacker Jake Golday along sooner than expected in a hybrid OLB function.

Or — the club could sign Za’Darius Smith for cheap, who stopped by Minnesota in 2022 and reached the Pro Bowl that year.

Vikings Could Use Another Proven Rotational Rusher

Smith Out in PHI

The Philadelphia Eagles parted ways with Smith earlier this month, as PennLive‘s Johnny McGonical wrote, “The Philadelphia Eagles made a flurry of moves on Wednesday, signing edge rusher A.J. Epenesa and guard Michael Jordan while cutting ties with a pair of reserves. But one more move might have been lost in the shuffle. The Eagles released edge rusher Za’Darius Smith from the reserve/retired list.”

“That makes Smith a free agent, months after abruptly retiring from football. There’s no word on if Smith will keep playing. But now the three-time Pro Bowl edge rusher is free to sign with another team and continue his career, if he so chooses.”

Smith is 33 and could have a season or two left in the tank, especially as a situational pass rusher. Some Vikings fans have thought since his release: Why not Minnesota?

Career Stats and Recent Downturn

Smith remains a viable option for an OLB3, so long as expectations are tempered and folks are not anticipating his 2022 performance.

His career statistics are impressive: 145 games, 98 starts, 70.5 sacks, 87 tackles for loss, 176 quarterback hits, 16 passes defensed, 10 forced fumbles, and 3 Pro Bowl selections. He was particularly effective with Green Bay and Minnesota, accumulating 36 sacks in three full seasons between 2019 and 2022.

His tenure with the Vikings was notably strong, featuring 44 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, and 10 sacks, earning him consideration for Comeback Player of the Year.

Concerns now primarily revolve around his age. His 2023 stint with the Eagles yielded only 1.5 sacks in five games. Nevertheless, Pro Football Focus still assigned him a favorable pass rush grade — 77.7 — which is obviously crucial for the would-be Vikings role.

As an OLB3 supporting Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner, Smith is a sensible choice, especially as an economical rotational rusher.

A Wise Fit in Minnesota?

Smith knows the Vikings — and even most of the current coaching staff, stopping by Minnesota after his Packers chapter in 2022. He curiously asked for a ticket out of town after just one productive season, but in all likelihood, he has a positive opinion of Kevin O’Connell.

And let’s face it — what else is he going to do? He’s winding down his career, and NFL teams won’t bang on his door in full force. He’d also have the perk of joining a Top 3 defense, led by Brian Flores, over the last few years.

For Minnesota, it might just need a seasoned pass rusher who can get after quarterbacks on 3rd Down and be in line for spot starting duty if Van Ginkel and Turner miss time. Smith isn’t unfathomably old; he can likely still start in a pinch.

Overall, a reunion angle makes sense, and Smith can likely be signed for a few million bucks.

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz wrote this week, “On paper, Smith has the kind of skill set that should work in a Flores defense. He can line up on the edge or present a blitz look in the A gap. He’s always been a solid run defender, even if that’s not the most notable part of his game. The three-time Pro Bowler has all kinds of experience in various schemes from his 11 seasons with six different teams.”

The Other Options in Free Agency

Suppose Smith does not move the needle for the Vikings in summer free agency, but they still want a veteran OLB. The options are plentiful:

• Derek Barnett
• Haason Reddick
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Joey Bosa
• Kyle Van Noy
• Leonard Floyd
• Marcus Davenport
• Preston Smith
• Von Miller

Bosa and Clowney, for example, will be more expensive than Smith, but the moral of the story is that a litany of EDGE options remains.

Smith will turn 34 in September. New Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley has about $13 million to spend on free agents, more than enough to sign Smith if he’s in the mood.

For cheap, the guy seems like a wise choice for OLB insurance. Why not?

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker