By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
World Cup Daily: Past, present and future stars take the stage
The best World Cup days don’t just produce great soccer. They produce theatrics.
On Thursday, as Spain met Austria and Portugal faced Croatia, and Switzerland tested Algeria, soccer’s past, present and future shared the same stage. An 18-year-old continued announcing himself to the world. A 29-year-old quietly strengthened his case as one of international soccer’s most clinical forwards. And veterans in their late 30s and early 40s reminded everyone they still have chapters left to write.
There was an emotional tribute. Supporters made Toronto feel like Lisbon and Zagreb. And another knockout match descended into chaos.
It became the kind of day only a World Cup can deliver.
Here are the big takeaways from Thursday’s action.
Routine, ruthless, relentless
Against Austria, Spain didn’t just win; they looked every bit the team everyone else should fear.
La Roja might not have sparkled in the group stage, memorably opening the tournament with a frustrating draw against debutants Cape Verde. But Spain has grown into this competition in ominous fashion; not because it dazzled or relied on moments of individual brilliance, but because it made a tough European opponent look ordinary.
Spain’s style of play is routine and relentless. Luis de la Fuente’s side kept the ball until Austria ran out of gas, moving with such precision that Ralf Rangnick’s backline could only chase shadows. For the Austrians, it would have felt like water filling a room — an unsettling wave of claustrophobia until suddenly there’s no air left to breathe.
Austria deserves enormous credit for hanging in as long as it did, with Alexander Schlager producing several outstanding saves. But even when Austria briefly found a foothold after halftime, the Spaniards were never frustrated. They simply kept asking the same impossible question until Austria ran out of answers, which is what separates this side from everyone else.
The metronomic calm of Rodri and Pedri in the midfield gave Spain complete control, while wonderkid Lamine Yamal provided the edge. The 18-year-old spent another afternoon making one of Europe’s most dependable backlines look uncomfortable, gliding past challenges with an ease that almost looked unfair. Then came Mikel Oyarzabal, whose quick movement and relentless work on and off the ball made him the perfect frontman for a team that values patience over theatrics. The Real Sociedad forward now has four goals in this competition, only two away from Golden Boot leaders Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, who each have six. Could the 29-year-old be a sneaky pick to win the honour?
Overall, we’ve seen flashes of Spain’s brilliance throughout this tournament. Against Austria, we saw the complete version. The frightening part is the 3-0 knockout barely felt extraordinary — it just felt routine.
And that’s exactly what World Cup winners tend to do.
A World Cup classic, made in Toronto
For 45 minutes, Portugal and Croatia played a match that looked destined to be forgotten.
The hour that followed was everything that makes the World Cup unforgettable.
Portugal dominated the first half, holding possession while Croatia defended with every available blue shirt. It looked like a standard knockout match: tense, tactical and not exactly one to write home about.
Then Ivan Perišić changed everything.
The 37-year-old gave Croatia a shock lead early in the second half, which set the match into motion. Rafael Leão rattled the crossbar. 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo thought he equalized, only for an offside flag to cut his celebration short. Minutes later, he buried a penalty to score his first World Cup knockout goal and breathe life back into Portugal’s campaign.
And somehow, it still wasn’t over.
Roberto Martinez’s boldest decision came when he replaced Ronaldo with Gonçalo Ramos late in the second half. But the questionable move proved inspired. Ramos rose above two Croatian defenders to power home a stoppage-time winner before Croatia thought it had forced extra time in the dying seconds, only for another offside decision to crush its hopes. It was pure cinema at Toronto Stadium, with eighteen minutes of added time, a pitch invader, fans throwing objects onto the field, and wave after wave of late chances from some of soccer’s greatest stars. Was it a technically perfect showing? Absolutely not. But sometimes, the most memorable sporting moments are simply the ones that make you feel something.
Portugal survived to set up a blockbuster Round of 16 showdown with Spain, while Croatia left heartbroken in what may have been Luka Modrić’s final World Cup appearance. Portugal will need to be far sharper against a Spanish side that has looked among the tournament’s most complete teams, but after Thursday’s result, it’s clear that the side is up for the challenge.
Beyond the result, this match wasn’t just another reminder of why the World Cup captivates billions every four years. It also showed what hosting this tournament can mean for Canada. Toronto Stadium became the setting for a night of chaos, controversy, heartbreak and jubilation that will live long in the memories of everyone lucky enough to witness it. If the 2026 World Cup is about growing the game in this country, nights like this are exactly how it happens.
After Portugal and Croatia turned Toronto into a movie, Switzerland offered something much different in Vancouver: control, patience, and punishment.
Algeria had the ball for long stretches in the first half, but Switzerland had the better plan. They sat deep, waited for Algeria’s wandering wing-backs to leave space, and struck just 10 minutes in with a Breel Embolo tap-in.
For the sixth straight World Cup match, Algeria conceded first. And for all their possession and territory, they rarely troubled Gregor Kobel.
Then came the moment that effectively ended the contest. Just 47 seconds into the second half, Algeria switched off again. They failed to clear the danger on multiple occasions and watched Dan Ndoye bury a superb finish to double Switzerland’s lead.
That was the match in a nutshell. Algeria had the possession, but Switzerland had the control. They protected space, targeted Algeria’s biggest weakness, and never allowed the game to become the open, emotional contest their opponents needed.
It wasn’t as dramatic as Portugal/Croatia, nor as technically dominant as Spain/Austria, but it was every bit as effective. Switzerland reminded everyone that knockout soccer doesn’t always need to be spectacular. Sometimes, success comes from identifying a weakness, exploiting it ruthlessly, and making the result feel inevitable.
Portugal’s Round of 32 clash with Croatia kicked off at midnight in Portugal, exactly one year after the death of Diogo Jota.
Before kickoff at Toronto Stadium, the big screens displayed his photo following the Portuguese national anthem as supporters paused to remember one of the country’s most beloved athletes.
Austria didn’t manage a single shot on target against Spain, which made for a quiet yet historic night for goalkeeper Unai Simón.
The Athletic Bilbao star set a new all-time World Cup record for most minutes played without conceding, passing the previous mark of 517 set by Italy’s Walter Zenga in 1990.
It remains to be seen whether the 29-year-old can follow Iker Casillas as the second Spanish netminder to lift the World Cup trophy. But with La Roja looking this controlled, composed and downright scary, they’re certainly making the case.
Sportsnet soccer reporter John Molinaro captured one last postcard from Toronto Stadium before Portugal and Croatia took the pitch on Thursday. As the sun dipped below the skyline, a packed stadium of fans from around the world soaked in the atmosphere for Toronto’s final match of the 2026 World Cup – a fitting sendoff for a city that has embraced the tournament from day one.
Fun fact: Ronaldo scored his first goal for Real Madrid at this stadium in 2009, in a friendly against Toronto FC.
1. Gonçalo Ramos (Portugal): Introduced off the bench, Ramos made an impact when it mattered most, as his stoppage-time header booked Portugal’s place in the Round of 16. The new AC Milan striker has averaged a goal or assist every 37 minutes at the World Cup, the best ratio of any Portuguese player thus far.
2a. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): He may not carry the same star power as some of the World Cup’s biggest names, but few forwards are as clinical. His brace against Austria sent Spain into the Round of 16 and extended a remarkable run of 17 goals in his last 17 international appearances. Ever since scoring the winner in the Euro 2024 final, the 29-year-old simply hasn’t slowed down.
2b. Lamine Yamal (Spain): The youngster was a constant menace against Austria, becoming the youngest player since 1966 to record more than 10 touches in the opposition box at a World Cup. Just as encouraging for Spain, the Barcelona winger played 85 minutes, his longest outing of the tournament and his most since returning from a hamstring injury.
3. Johan Manzambi (Switzerland): Switzerland’s breakout star keeps on delivering. The 20-year-old set up another goal on Thursday, taking his tournament tally to three goals and two assists. His pace down the left flank repeatedly stretched Algeria’s defence and gave Switzerland another dimension in attack. At this rate, it won’t be long before Europe’s biggest clubs come calling.
Continue Reading
The final World Cup 2026 Round of 32 matchup will pit Colombia against Ghana on Friday night. Colombia won Group K with a 2-1-0 record, while Ghana (1-1-1) was a third-place finisher in Group L. The Ghanaians are 65th in FIFA rankings, making them the lowest-ranked team to make the Round of 32, while Colombia is ranked 11th. Both nations have one all-time victory in a knockout round match at the World Cup. This will be the first competitive matchup between the squads.
Kickoff is 9:30 p.m. ET from Kansas City Stadium. The latest Colombia vs. Ghana odds from FanDuel Sportsbook list the Colombians at -195 on the 90-minute money line (risk $195 to win $100), with Ghana at +650, and a draw at +280. The over/under for total goals is 2.5. Colombia are at -650 to advance to the next round, with Ghana at +410. Before locking in any Ghana vs. Colombia picks or World Cup 2026 predictions, check out the Colombia vs. Ghana predictions from SportsLine’s Martin Green.
After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Last year, Green was profitable in multiple areas on his soccer betting picks, including the Champions League (+211.25) and Bundesliga (+100). He’s also been red-hot in 2026, posting an 18-8 record over his last 26 UCL picks, returning nearly $1,000 in profit. He’s also on a 16-6 roll (+833.5) on his 2026 World Cup picks entering Friday. Anyone wanting to follow his World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could see big returns.
Now, Green has studied Ghana vs. Colombia and just revealed his 2026 World Cup picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see his picks. Here are several World Cup odds and soccer betting lines for Colombia vs. Ghana:
|
Ghana vs. Colombia 90-minute money line |
Colombia -240, Ghana +800, Draw +330 |
|
Ghana vs. Colombia over/under: |
2.5 goals |
|
Ghana vs. Colombia to advance: |
Colombia -650, Ghana +410 |
|
Ghana vs. Colombia picks: |
|
|
Ghana vs. Colombia streaming: |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Top Colombia vs. Ghana predictions
After examining Ghana vs. Colombia from every angle, Green is leaning Under 2.5 total goals (-132). Both squads have played low-scoring contests thus far in the World Cup, with Ghana’s matches averaging 1.67 total goals and Colombia averaging 1.33 combined goals. Overall, four of Colombia’s last five World Cup matches have seen under 2.5 total goals, while four of the Ghanaians last five matches across all competitions have had under 2.5 combined scores.
“It could be a tight, tense game, as Ghana are well-drilled in defense,” Green told SportsLine. “Colombia are likely to dominate possession in this game, but they’ll need to be patient as they try to break down Ghana’s low block.” See Green’s best bets for Colombia vs. Ghana at SportsLine, and you can bet Under 2.5 goals for Ghana vs. Colombia at FanDuel here:
How to make Ghana vs. Colombia picks
After studying Colombia vs. Ghana from every angle, Green has found a critical x-factor and locked in two best bets, one of which returns plus-money that he calls “a solid play.” You can head to SportsLine to see what they are.
So what is the best bet for Ghana vs. Colombia? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Colombia vs. Ghana, all from expert on a 16-6 roll on WC picks, and find out.
If you ranked the Minnesota Vikings’ top storylines heading into July, the upcoming quarterback battle would probably take the cake — even if Kyler Murray remains the frontrunner to earn the spot. NFL.com came along to size up the competition this week, and according to Nick Shook, the job is Murray’s to lose.
Shook was actually pretty matter-of-fact about his prediction. He doesn’t consider the outcome very suspenseful.
Murray Has the Edge, But McCarthy Still Factors into the Long Game
Shook: Murray Will Win QB1
Shook analyzed which NFL players could most improve this season, mentioning Murray as a top candidate.
Along the way, he announced his QB1 prediction for the Vikings: “Murray’s shift from Arizona to Minnesota isn’t quite the discovery of an oasis, but it’s certainly a better situation for the former No. 1 overall pick than the one he inhabited in the desert.”
“After dealing with injuries and logging just five games in 2025, Murray is now playing under quarterback expert Kevin O’Connell and has the privilege of throwing passes to Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings and T.J. Hockenson in a stable offensive scheme that helped Sam Darnold post a career year in 2024.”
If Darnold could explode in the Twin Cities, so can Murray — is the working theory for many.
“Yes, he’s going to win the job over J.J. McCarthy, and I believe he’ll form a beautiful partnership with O’Connell, the coach of a team that is a reliable quarterback away from a return to the playoffs. Expect Murray to become that quarterback and rebuild his reputation along the way,” Shook concluded.
Most of the World Agrees
By now, most Vikings fans and NFL followers understand that Murray will win the quarterback battle sometime this month or next, and he’ll get a chance to maintain that gig throughout the 2026 campaign. Per sportsbooks, he’s a -770 favorite as the calendar flipped to July, which implies an 88% chance of prevailing.
Murray started 87 games for the Cardinals over seven seasons, compared to McCarthy’s 10 since 2024, and Murray has all the necessary tools of a franchise quarterback. McCarthy may, as well, but there’s a reason Murray was drafted first overall in 2019, and McCarthy was chosen 10th in 2024 — Murray’s skills are just superior.
Of course, if Shook is incorrect and McCarthy scores the upset, it will have meant that he had seriously turned the corner in his development — even Murray couldn’t stand in his way. Many Vikings fans are secretly hoping for the outcome; it’s just unlikely, given Murray’s track record held up against McCarthy’s.
Cinema at Training Camp Regardless
Minnesota really hasn’t featured a real quarterback battle since 2014 — the dawn of the Mike Zimmer era. That summer, rookie Teddy Bridgewater, veteran Matt Cassel, and the once-promising Christian Ponder vied for the top job, with Cassel prevailing briefly before losing his title due to injury early in the 2014 season.
The Vikings, too, started to have a junior quarterback battle in 2024, but two things occurred: 1) Most fans understood that Sam Darnold would be the quarterback while McCarthy watched and learned indefinitely; 2) McCarthy tore his meniscus during the first preseason game, ending the battle on a sorrowful note.
Therefore, many newcomers to Vikings football have never experienced this — two guys battling it out in Eagan heat with the top prize of the QB1 scepter.
That’s coming to Vikings training camp in four weeks.
Golden Opportunity for a Long-Term QB1
Both combatants have the chance of a lifetime, believe it or not. The Vikings drafted McCarthy for this very task in April 2024 — to be the franchise quarterback for perhaps a decade. A host of injuries have dampened that forecast, and in his first year as a starter, McCarthy looked pretty damn shaky, sans a few clutch moments that generated intense highlights — and memes.
Murray, on the other hand, can be another Baker Mayfield, cast off by his employer in pursuit of something better, with the player landing elsewhere and seizing a QB1 job for the long haul. That happened to Mayfield in 2023, and now in Tampa Bay, he’s just their franchise quarterback. That can occur for Murray in the Twin Cities.
And if all else fails, the Vikings have a new general manager named Nolan Teasley, who would, in theory, have the opportunity to size up the 2027 NFL Draft for a new quarterback, a convenient time for it because the next class of signal-callers already appears to be overflowing with talent.
Rookies report to Eagan for Vikings training camp in 24 days.
Jul 2, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Dylan Lee (52) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves’ recent struggles may be spilling into the bullpen, an area of the team that has been solid for most of the season.
Atlanta, which will open a four-game series on Friday night against the visiting New York Mets, saw its relievers melt down on Thursday and allow eight runs in an 11-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Braves have lost 14 of their last 19 games to see their lead in the National League East shrink to 2 1/2 games over the Philadelphia Phillies.
New York, which is in last place in the division, did not play on Thursday. The Mets lost a three-game series at Toronto and have dropped 10 of their last 12 games.
The Atlanta bullpen, which posted a 2.14 ERA in June, finished the final four innings on Wednesday without allowing a hit.
It was a different story on Thursday.
Dylan Lee, who entered the game with an 0.95 ERA, allowed three runs in one-third of an inning and saw his ERA grow to 1.64. Reliable Tyler Kinley gave up three runs in two-thirds of an inning, and Ian Hamilton and James Karinchak each gave up one run.
“Dylan has pitched a lot, so it’s something we’ve got to keep an eye on,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “We always talk about trying to keep those guys strong all the way through. (Lee) was good to go, and he’s been virtually untouchable this year.”
Atlanta setup man Robert Suarez is out with right elbow inflammation and won’t return until after the All-Star break.
This will be the second series between Atlanta and New York this season. The Mets won two of three games from June 12-14 in New York.
The Mets will send Christian Scott (2-0, 3.20 ERA) to the mound on Friday to face fellow right-hander Grant Holmes (4-4, 3.96) of the Braves.
Scott will make his second start since spending two weeks on the injured list with a hip impingement. He returned on Saturday to start against Philadelphia and threw 4 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out six in New York’s 6-2 victory. “I feel great,” Scott said afterward. “Felt like I attacked the zone pretty well for the most part. Just established my off-speed stuff early in the game and then kind of just rode the wave off of that.”
Scott, who made nine starts as a rookie in 2024, missed all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Since his return this spring, Scott has been reliable. In 10 starts, he has allowed more than three runs just one time — when he gave up four in 4 2/3 innings against St. Louis on June 11 before going on the injured list.
He has made one career start against the Braves, taking a loss after allowing three runs over six innings in 2024. Holmes has made 15 starts, but his inability to pitch past the fifth inning in four of his last five starts caused the Braves to temporarily move him into a long relief role. In his last appearance against San Francisco on Saturday, he allowed just one hit over four scoreless innings in his team’s 5-0 loss.
Holmes has made two career starts against the Mets, going 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA and striking out 13 in nine innings.
–Field Level Media
Gervonta Davis has revealed the name of a past legend that he would have loved to have shared the ring with.
Davis has competed throughout multiple divisions in his career, claiming world honours at super featherweight, lightweight and super lightweight.
Since first becoming world champion just under a decade ago, ‘Tank’ has beaten the likes of Ryan Garcia, Rolly Romero and Isaac Cruz, winning 30 professional fights, with 28 of those coming by knockout.
The last 18 months have been difficult for Davis, having first been held to a controversial majority decision draw against Lamont Roach in March 2025, before a planned exhibition with Jake Paul in November was cancelled after ‘Tank’ was involved in legal trouble.
He has since lost out on his WBA lightweight title after being named champion in recess, but there are now rumours over a return to the ring, with names such as Devin Haney and Floyd Schofield mentioned as possible opponents.
While those are options for the future, a resurfaced clip has seen Davis reflect on one big name from history that he would have loved to have tested his skills against.
“In the past? My weight class? Pernell Whitaker.”
Whitaker was a four weight world champion from lightweight to light middleweight, and is widely viewed as one of the greatest defensive boxers of all time, prompting his induction in the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006.
His final record stood at 40 wins from 46 professional fights, and a clash against Davis would have certainly been an intriguing match-up of styles.
Wimbledon is well underway and the upsets are starting to come thick and fast, with French Open champion and women’s fifth seed Mirra Andreeva the latest top seed to fall.
The 19-year-old Andreeva, who lifted her first grand slam title just last month in Paris, lost to former Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who found the form of her 2024 title run to win 4-6 7-5 6-4 on Centre Court.
Advertisement
On the men’s side, fourth seed and title contender Ben Shelton lost in a match tiebreak against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen on Tuesday in the biggest upset of the tournament so far, while former semi-finalist Elina Svitolina has also made a premature exit.
Reigning champion and third seed Iga Swiatek survived an almighty scare in her first-round match against Taylor Townsend, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka now faces a tough third-round against Jelena Ostapenko.
Reigning men’s champion and top seed Jannik Sinner survived a scare of his own in the first round as he needed five sets to see off Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, while seventh seed Novak Djokovic remains a possible semi-final opponent for the Italian.
Follow the top players’ progress with our seed tracker here:
Men’s seeds
after second round
Advertisement
-
Jannik Sinner (ITA) – ✅ plays Jenson Brooksby (USA) in third round
-
Alexander Zverev (GER) – ✅ plays Marcos Giron (USA) in third round
-
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) – ✅ plays Michael Zheng (USA) in third round
-
Alex de Minaur (AUS) – ✅ plays Zachary Svajda (USA) in third round
-
Taylor Fritz (USA) – ✅ plays Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) in third round
-
Novak Djokovic (SRB) – ✅ plays Arthur Rinderknech [26] (FRA) in third round
-
Daniil Medvedev – ✅ plays Jan-Lennard Struff in third round
-
Flavio Cobolli (ITA) ✅ plays Karen Khachanov [19] in third round
-
Alexander Bublik (KAZ) ✅ – plays Frances Tiafoe [17] (USA) in third round
-
Casper Ruud (NOR) ❌ – knocked out first round by Hubert Hurkacz 4-6 2-6 6-7(7)
-
Andrey Rublev ❌ – knocked out first round by Roman Safiullin (Q) 4-6 7-6(6) 6-3 3-6 6-7(12)
-
Jiri Lehecka (CZE) ✅ – plays Jaume Munar (ESP) in third round
-
Luciano Darderi (ITA) ❌ – knocked out first round by Ethan Quinn 7-6 7-5 6-2
-
Jakub Mensik (CZE) ❌ – knocked out second round by Grigor Dimitrov 7-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4
-
Learner Tien (USA) ❌ – knocked out by second round by Marton Fucsovics 6-7 6-4 7-6 6-3
-
Frances Tiafoe (USA) – ✅ plays Alexander Bublik [10] (KHZ) in third round
-
Francisco Cerundolo (ARG) ❌ knocked out first round by Jaume Munar 6-1 6-4 6-3
-
Karen Khachanov – ✅ plays Flavio Cobolli [9] in third round
-
Arthur Fils (FRA) ❌ – knocked out second round by Matteo Berrettini 6-4 7-5 3-6 6-3
-
Tommy Paul (USA) – ✅ plays Hubert Hurkacz (POL) in third round
-
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) – ✅ plays Marton Fucsovics (HUN) in third round
-
Rafael Jodar (ESP) – ✅ plays Shintaro Mochizuki (JPN) in third round
-
Joao Fonseca (BRA) – ❌ knocked out by Roman Safiullin (Q) in third round 6-3 6-3 6-3
-
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) – ✅ plays Novak Djokovic [7] (SRB) in third round
-
Cameron Norrie (GBR) ❌ knocked out first round by Michael Zheng (Q) 6-7 6-2 6-7 6-3 7-6
-
Ugo Humbert (FRA) ❌ knocked out by Zizou Bergs 6-2 7-5 4-6 3-6 6-3
-
Brandon Nakashima (USA) ❌ knocked out second round by Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-7(6) 6-7(5) 7-6(6) 6-7(7)
-
Tomas Martin Etcheverry (ARG) ❌ knocked out first round by Lorenzo Sonego 4-6 4-6 7-6(2) 6-7(4)
-
Alejandro Tabilo (CHI) ❌ knocked out first round by Kamil Majchrzak 6-3 7-5 7-5
-
Ignacio Buse (PER) ❌ knocked out second round by Jenson Brooksby 6-2 6-2 6-3
-
Matteo Arnaldi (ITA) ❌ knocked out first round by Quentin Halys 6-3 1-6 6-7(5) 3-6
Jannik Sinner defeated Carlos Alcaraz in last year’s final (PA Wire)
Iga Swiatek is the defending women’s champion and the third seed (Getty)
Women’s seeds
after second round
-
Aryna Sabalenka – ✅ plays Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) in third round
-
Elena Rybakina (KAZ) – ✅ plays Elise Mertens [25] (BEL) in third round
-
Iga Swiatek (POL) – ✅ plays Alexandra Eala [29] (PHI) in third round
-
Jessica Pegula (USA) – ✅ plays Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) in third round
-
Mirra Andreeva ❌ knocked out second round by Barbora Krejcikova 4-6 7-5 6-4
-
Amanda Anisimova (USA) – ✅ plays Madison Keys [26] (USA) in third round
-
Coco Gauff (USA) – ✅ plays Clare Liu (USA) in third round
-
Elina Svitolina (UKR) ❌ – knocked out first round by Daria Snigur 5-7 2-6
-
Linda Noskova (CZE) – ✅ plays Sorana Cirstea [17] (ROM) in third round
-
Karolina Muchova (CZE) – ✅ plays Mananchaya Sawangkaew (THA) in third round
-
Belinda Bencic (SUI) – ✅ plays Anna Kalinskaya [19] in third round
-
Marta Kostyuk (UKR) – ✅ plays Emma Navarro [23] (USA) in third round
-
Jasmine Paolini (ITA) – ✅ plays Maria Sakkari (GRE) in third round
-
Naomi Osaka (JPN) – ✅ plays Daria Kasatkina (AUS) in third round
-
Diana Shnaider ❌ – knocked out second round by Liudmila Samsonova 4-6 6-4 2-6
-
Iva Jovic (USA) – ✅ plays Ekaterina Alexandrova [18] in third round
-
Sorana Cirstea (ROU) ✅ – plays Linda Noskova [9] (CHZ) in third round
-
Ekaterina Alexandrova – ✅ plays Iva Jovic [16] (USA) in third round
-
Anna Kalinskaya – ✅ plays Belina Bencic [11] (SUI) in third round
-
Maja Chwalinska (POL) ❌ – knocked out first round by Mananchaya Sawangkaew 2-6 7-5 6-2
-
Marie Bouzkova (CZE) – ✅ plays Liudmila Samsonova in third round
-
Leylah Fernandez (CAN) ❌ – knocked out first round by Janice Tjen 6-1 7-6
-
Emma Navarro (USA) – ✅ – plays Marta Kostyuk [12](UKR) in third round
-
Clara Tauson (DEN) ❌ – knocked out first round by Maria Sakkari 6-3 6-3
-
Elise Mertens (BEL) – ✅ plays Elena Rybakina [2] (KHZ) in third round
-
Madison Keys (USA) – ✅ plays Amanda Anisimova [6](USA) in third round
-
Anastasia Potapova ❌ – knocked out first round by Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-3
-
Ann Li (USA) ❌ – knocked out first round by Zeynep Sonmez 5-7 6-1 4-6
-
Alexandra Eala (PHI) – ✅ plays Iga Swiatek [3] (POL) in third round
-
Emma Raducanu (GBR) ❌ – withdrew due to injury
-
Donna Vekic (CRO) ❌ – knocked out first round by Ashlyn Krueger 6-3 6-7(3) 4-6
-
Katerina Siniakova (CZE) ❌ – knocked out second round by Nikola Bartunkova 6-3 3-6 7-5
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A top Athletics outfield prospect still can’t feel his lower half after spinal surgery was needed to repair fractured vertebrae following a scary collision with a teammate in Double-A ball.
Ryan Lasko, a 24-year-old outfielder in the Athletics system, was injured during a game with Double-A Midland RockHounds after diving to catch a ball while playing center field.
The problem was Lasko’s right field teammate was also barreling down to catch the ball. They both gave up their bodies for the potential catch and collided as they hit the turf.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Ryan Lasko of the Athletics makes a jumping throw during a Spring Training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at HoHoKam Stadium on March 8, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.
After he was carted off, it was found that Lasko fractured his C6-C7 vertebra, according to MLB.com. He needed spinal decompression and stabilization surgery to repair the injury, and he was in stable condition.
However, due to swelling, Lasko still doesn’t have feeling in his lower half just yet.
REDS’ DANE MYERS CARTED OFF FIELD AFTER CRASHING INTO WALL MAKING ACROBATIC CATCH VS BREWERS
Ryan Lasko of the Midland Rockhounds poses for a photo during the Midland Rockhounds photo day at Momentum Bank Ballpark on Monday, March 30, 2026, in Midland, Texas. (John E. Moore III/MLB Photos)
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay discussed Lasko’s injury on Wednesday, saying that “there’s hope the feeling comes back.”
Lasko is one of the Athletics’ top prospects, entering the season as the franchise’s No. 18 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He was taken by the Athletics’ in the 2023 MLB Draft in the second round.
While he opened the season in Double-A, Lasko made it to Triple-A Las Vegas last season.
Ryan Lasko of the Athletics bats during the second inning of a spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Hohokam Stadium on March 8, 2026, in Mesa, Arizona. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
This year, Lasko is slashing .209/.275/.360 with six home runs, five triples and 34 RBI.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
At 68, with white hair crowning a sun-ruddied face, Randy Fry has the tall, sturdy build of the tight end he once was and the self-assured mien of the executive he is. He has, for decades, steered clear of publicity. Before last month, he’d never spoken on the record about The Institute.
“To know me is to know that I don’t walk into a room and tell people who I am,” Fry said. “I just lay low. I listen. People ask me what I do, I say, ‘I’m semi-retired.’”
For much his career, he kept busy with Fry’s Electronics, the retail juggernaut he built with his brothers, John and David, using seed money from the sale of Fry’s Food and Drug, a supermarket chain their father co-founded and ran. From its birth in 1985 with a single store in Sunnyvale, Calif., Fry’s Electronics expanded to 36 locations in nine states, accounting, at their peak, for estimated annual sales of $3.2 billion. In the emergent digital age, the stores were fixtures of the zeitgeist, beloved by computer nerds and garage tinkerers, and promoted through near-ubiquitous radio ads whose tagline — “The best buys are always at Fry’s. Guaranteed!” punctuated by laser-gun fire — became a meme before “meme” entered the mainstream.
Gradually, then suddenly, business cratered. The rise of online shopping signaled trouble. Box-store sales sagged. In 2021, struggling in a retail landscape reshaped by Amazon, Fry’s Electronics folded and its outposts went dark.
But they left a grassy legacy behind.
;)
Leo Sens/GOLF
ALONG WITH EARLY LESSONS in Business 101, the three Fry boys had received a childhood introduction to golf. Their father loved the game and sponsored the Tour pro Jackie Cupit, who would stay with the family when competitions brought him to Northern California.
“We grew up with golf all around us,” Randy said.
During college, at Santa Clara University, he mothballed his sticks, playing one year as a walk-on tight end before turning to crew. He picked up his clubs again after graduation but played only sporadically. Though he enjoyed the challenge and the recreation, he came to see another purpose for the game.
At many of the most exclusive golf clubs, deal-making is discouraged. Randy and his brothers flipped that script, setting out to build a course expressly for that purpose: a luxe retreat whose sole reason for existing was hosting clients. For that, they needed land, which they found in Morgan Hill, near San Jose, on a site once occupied by the Flying Lady, a giant aviation-themed restaurant, museum and resort with a modest nine-hole course beside it. When the Flying Lady went bankrupt in 1994, the Frys bought the property. Two years and $22 million later, The Institute welcomed its first rounds.
There was no ceremony, no ribbon-cutting. In wider industry circles, though, there were whispers. Jeff Sanchez, a Bay Area-born golf professional, first caught wind of them in the late 1990s, while working at a resort in the Carolinas.
“You heard about a handful of people that got to play,” said Sanchez, who now serves as The Institute’s general manager. “Stories about walking the fairways with caddies and these elegant meals after golf. You weren’t sure if they were real stories or if that was really happening.”
It was — on an extremely limited basis. The club’s policy was simple and restrictive. Aside from Randy, John and David Fry, eight top Fry’s executives were entitled to bring guests, but only if those guests were deemed important clients. Whether a candidate met the threshold was determined by the Frys. Without their sign-off, the answer was no — frequently delivered to people unaccustomed to hearing that word.
;)
Leo Sens/GOLF
As for those who cleared the bar, they found that “yes” could be disorienting, too. Take the Panasonic CEO. Invited for a round in the years before the iPhone existed, he arrived to find an empty parking lot, a desolate locker room and a host who explained, matter-of-factly, that they would be the only group on the property. For a course that averaged roughly eight rounds a week, that was not unusual. Still, the CEO was gobsmacked. As Randy Fry relays the story, the executive surveyed the silent, immaculate grounds, then announced that he would have to leave immediately. “I have to go buy a camera,” he said. “No one is going to believe this.”
Adding to the mystique was the club’s non-golfy name, which hinted at its intended dual purpose: It was meant to double as the new headquarters of the American Institute of Mathematics, which John Fry established to further research and education in the field. Plans included designs for a 164,000-square-foot clubhouse called the Castle, patterned on the Alhambra in Spain, a 13th-century marvel of Moorish engineering. Work crews went so far as to dig a giant hole for an underground parking garage that would sit below the Castle, where, as the Frys envisioned it, golf operations would share space with brainiacs engaged in high-brow cogitation.
Construction stalled, though, in the wake of tragedy. In 2010, a pipeline explosion in the South Bay city of San Bruno killed eight people. Due to the nearby location of two major gas lines, PG&E filed a lawsuit to stop the project. The case was settled 12 years later with a mutual walkaway. The giant hole was filled in and The Institute built a par-3 course called the ‘little i’ instead.
That marked a change, but it wasn’t the club’s most significant shift. For years, Fry’s Electronics more than justified the existence of the course and the millions of dollars required to maintain it. Given the business sums at stake, the balance sheet fell heavily in the brothers’ favor.
“If we were doing, say, $400 million with a vendor, and we could shave off three percentage points, and you times that by 40 vendors, next thing you know, you’re way ahead of the game,” Randy said. “And they just can’t wait to come back the next year and make another deal.”
Nothing, however, lasts forever. The Frys weren’t blind to that. As early as 2011, they’d begun to contemplate a different future for The Institute, with functions that extended beyond business. There was talk of morphing into a members club and maybe staging a PGA Tour event, which would not have been a stretch. At the time, Fry’s was the title sponsor of the Frys.com Open, which, after stints in Las Vegas and Arizona, had moved to Cordevalle, a 10-minute drive across the valley from The Institute.
Ultimately, it was determined that the course wasn’t yet ready for the big stage; its tournament infrastructure needed work. But that was then. If all goes as planned, the club will soon be holding a coming-out party.
“I’m not nervous about exposing The Institute,” Randy said. “I think it’s time.”
Which invites the question: What is there to see?
;)
Channing Benjamin
THE ENTRANCE TO THE INSTITUTE sits a few miles and several turns off Highway 101 in Morgan Hill, where a narrow road dead ends at a security gate. Affixed to it is the club logo — a curvy lower-case “i” of the kind used in mathematical notations. Enter an access code and you’re in, up a hill and around a corner to a parking lot beside a white building with green trim, a color scheme reminiscent of the one found at the end of Magnolia Lane.
It’s one of multiple Augusta-like touches. The course itself spills across ample shifts in elevation, its layout ornamented with creeks and ponds and outsize alabaster bunkers. Pine trees line many holes — since its inception, the club has planted more than 25,000 trees — their lower branches trimmed to allow for swings, the ground beneath them strewn with pine straw brought in from Georgia. Conditioning, a point of pride from the start, has been taken to Masters-level refinement by Brad Owen, the former longtime Augusta National superintendent, who came aboard as a consultant in 2025, along with former USGA agronomist Adam Moeller.
Alister MacKenzie, who co-created Augusta with Bobby Jones, did not design The Institute. But neither did Robert Muir Graves nor Damian Pascuzzo, as online posts alternately assert. Those architects provided guidance, but, according to Randy Fry, the routing was dreamed up by his brother, John, and an associate, Steve Sorenson. In recent years, Bruce Charlton of Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s design firm, has been brought on to help with modifications.
“There is always something to do,” Randy said. “We will never really be finished.”
John Fry lived on property during construction and for years after, serving as a driving force behind the operation. But he has since relocated to Florida, closer to a golf project that the Frys are developing in the Bahamas. David Fry is an active Institute member but does not take part in club governance. Of the siblings, Randy is the most involved in the day to day. The head of the club’s three-person board, which includes John and a prominent Silicon Valley member, he drives down most mornings from San Francisco to tend to details large and small. He plays once or twice a week, shooting in the 80s when his form is right.
***
ON A RECENT JUNE AFTERNOON, Fry and a guest constituted the lone group on the course, joined by two caddies. Club policy calls for walking and for each golfer to have his own looper. Fry himself has a personal rule, which he cites as a refrain to guests.
“Whoever has the most fun wins,” he said. “That’s the game.”
At 441 yards, with a yawning fairway bunker on the left, The Institute’s 1st hole is a formidable test and a fitting introduction to a gut-check opening stretch that asks a lot of the driver. The back nine poses a different sort of challenge with what Jeff Sanchez describes as “the television holes” — water-laden and rich in risk and reward. Highlights include a par-5 14th that emulates the 13th at Augusta with its dogleg bend and crossing creek. The par-3 that precedes it so closely resembles the 12th at Augusta that a prominent golf-industry figure requested that the front bunker be removed to keep the hole from looking too much like a clone. The Institute obliged.
;)
Leo Sens/GOLF
For all its allusions to other layouts — the green on the downhill, dogleg-right 10th is long and hourglass-shaped like the 4th at Spyglass, though set at a different angle, while the approach to the par-4 15th has steep false front inspired by the 10th at Shinnecock — The Institute is not a replica course. It has a Northern California character of its own, stitched into a live-oak studded canvas along hills that go from emerald to gold as spring gives way to summer. Nor, though, is it of the minimalist style that sets the hearts of today’s architectural tastemakers aflutter, with its celebration of tawny turf and sandy wastes and rustic, jagged edges. It is not a likely candidate for the World Top 100. But it is a stand-alone experience.
Fry, for his part, does not seem overly concerned with rankings. He is, however, consumed with details. He speaks at length of trees the club has planted, drainage work beneath a fairway, bunker edges and green runoffs that took painstaking efforts to perfect, among other projects that occupy his days. He is equally attentive to the course’s stories. Along the left side of the 15th hole sits a ranch house where John Fry lived during the club’s early years and where Tiger Woods stayed when he played the 2011 Frys.com Open at nearby CordeValle. (The club currently has six bedrooms, with eight more to come). Beside the finishing hole, a multi-colored flower bed has been planted in the shape of the club’s “i” logo, an idea Randy borrowed after seeing a similar display at Valderrama.
As golfers make the turn, the club treats them to another flourish. Staff members set out a linen-covered table with a mid-round snack and drink — on this recent afternoon, tempura asparagus and a beet-and-ginger energy shot — part of a culinary program that the club considers a calling card on par with its conditioning and exclusivity. The cuisine keeps coming after the round with an elegant, multi-course lunch.
As we count down to the first college football game of the 2026 season, we continue our new series: The records of each top CFB program in the West against all the others in the region.
Some schools have met many times over the years, while others are beginning new rivalries in the wake of recent realignment.
For each opponent in the table below, we provide the total games played, wins, losses, ties, winning percentage, first year played, and most recent contest.
We continue with Nevada, which has played 447 games against regional foes, winning 187, losing 249, with 11 ties for a winning percentage of .430.
The Wolf Pack have recorded the most wins (28) against UNLV. They have played the most games (57) and lost the most games (34) against Fresno State.
Here is a breakdown of Nevada’s records vs. the region’s teams.
Nevada Football Wins vs. the Top Programs in the West
| Opponent | Games | W | L | T | Win % | First Game | Most Recent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 8 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 25.0 | 10/26/2012 | 11/23/2024 |
| Arizona | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 25.0 | 11/01/1924 | 09/12/2015 |
| ASU | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 66.7 | 10/12/1946 | 09/09/2006 |
| Boise State | 47 | 14 | 33 | 0 | 29.8 | 09/25/1971 | 10/24/2025 |
| BYU | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 40.0 | 09/28/1929 | 10/18/2014 |
| Cal | 35 | 5 | 29 | 1 | 15.7 | 11/15/1899 | 09/04/2021 |
| Colorado State | 20 | 5 | 15 | 0 | 25.0 | 10/19/1974 | 11/02/2024 |
| Fresno State | 57 | 22 | 34 | 1 | 39.5 | 11/10/1923 | 10/04/2025 |
| Hawai’i | 29 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 51.7 | 12/25/1920 | 10/26/2024 |
| UNLV | 51 | 28 | 23 | 0 | 54.9 | 11/22/1969 | 11/29/2025 |
| New Mexico | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 59.1 | 11/01/1941 | 10/18/2025 |
| New Mexico State | 17 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 88.2 | 10/24/1992 | 08/27/2022 |
| Oregon | 8 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 12.5 | 10/04/1947 | 09/07/2019 |
| Oregon State | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 40.0 | 11/26/1903 | 10/12/2024 |
| San Diego State | 17 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 41.2 | 11/11/1945 | 10/11/2025 |
| San Jose State | 38 | 24 | 12 | 2 | 65.8 | 11/30/1899 | 11/15/2025 |
| Stanford | 19 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 10.5 | 11/11/1899 | 11/14/1931 |
| UCLA | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 00.0 | 08/31/2013 | 08/31/2013 |
| USC | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 00.0 | 11/13/1920 | 09/02/2023 |
| Utah | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 55.0 | 11/28/1901 | 11/25/1945 |
| Utah State | 28 | 19 | 9 | 0 | 67.9 | 11/09/1904 | 11/08/2025 |
| UTEP | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75.0 | 11/04/2000 | 09/21/2019 |
| Washington | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0 | 11/20/1903 | 10/11/2003 |
| WSU | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25.0 | 08/31/2002 | 09/23/2017 |
| Wyoming | 11 | 5 | 6 | 0 | 45.5 | 10/02/1937 | 11/22/2025 |
Formula 1 is bringing back one of its most popular fan experiences this weekend, with all 22 drivers set to take part in a LEGO minicar parade before the British Grand Prix.
The special parade returns after last year’s Miami Grand Prix, where drivers turned the traditional pre-race lap into a hilarious race that quickly went viral on social media.
This time, Formula 1 and LEGO are going even bigger.
Each of the 22 drivers will have their own LEGO minicar for Sunday’s parade at Silverstone. According to Formula 1, every car is built from 28,000 LEGO bricks, weighs 280 kilograms, and can reach speeds of up to 25 km/h.
The minicars were designed and built by a team of 20 designers and engineers at LEGO’s factory in the Czech Republic, with the entire project taking more than 6,400 hours to complete.
Formula 1 Chief Commercial Officer Emily Prazer said the success of last year’s event made bringing it back an easy decision.
“Last year’s F1 drivers’ parade in Miami with the LEGO big build cars was one of the most memorable and talked-about moments of the season, capturing the imagination of fans around the world and showing a different side of the sport.”
She added:
“This year, we’re building on that moment to create an incredible spectacle for fans attending the British Grand Prix and those watching globally.”
LEGO also expects this year’s event to be even bigger.
Chief Product and Marketing Officer Julia Goldin said fans and drivers had been asking for the return of the minicars.
“Fans and drivers alike asked, so now we are delivering. We wanted to go even bigger than last year and ensure we continue to surprise and delight our fans.”
The parade will take place 90 minutes before Sunday’s British Grand Prix, with drivers swapping their Formula 1 cars for LEGO creations before returning to business when the racing begins.
If last year’s Miami event is anything to go by, the parade could once again become one of the most memorable moments of the race weekend.
Sports
2026 World Cup parlay, best bets: Top picks for matches on Friday include Egypt, Argentina-Cape Verde
SportsLine’s team of experts have revealed their World Cup parlay and soccer predictions for Friday’s matches
•
1 min read
The last three Round of 32 contests at the 2026 World Cup will take place on Friday, July 3 with defending champions Argentina in action against upstarts Cape Verde headlining the day’s matches. Egypt and Australia get the party started in the afternoon, while Colombia face Ghana in the final game of the day.
SportsLine experts like Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brad Thomas have given their analysis for Friday’s game, and we’ve taken that into account when putting together a parlay with odds from FanDuel. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
World Cup parlay for Friday
- Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia (-148)
- Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals (-215)
- Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No (-182)
FanDuel parlay price: +280
Egypt to qualify for the next round vs. Australia
Australia were able to stun Turkiye for a 2-0 win but did not score a goal in either of their other group stage games. Meanwhile, Egypt put together strong performances across their three matches and found the back of the net at least once each time. Mohamed Salah is the best player on the pitch, and while I expect Australia to hold their own for some time, Egypt will ultimately prevail.
Argentina-Cape Verde Under 3.5 goals
There’s a good argument to be made to take Under 2.5 goals, but I’d recommend adding the extra goal to the total here. Cape Verde have been overlooked in this entire World Cup, and all they’ve done is stay in matches. They haven’t lost a match yet and they aren’t simply going to roll over just because Lionel Messi is on the pitch. I expect Argentina to win, but I can see this being a frustrating contest for La Albiceleste for about an hour or so. Eventually, Messi and Co. will break through this Cape Verde back line but I’d take the Under on 3.5 goals.
Colombia-Ghana both teams to score: No
This particular wager has hit in two of Colombia’s three group stage games, and they only allowed one goal to Uzbekistan. Ghana have scored two goals across their three group stage games, but they really should’ve done better against both England and Panama. Colombia’s back line has been one of the most underrated units over the last few years and I think they clamp down once again in the Round of 32.
News Videos49 seconds ago
Arizona Iced Tea $.99 Cent Experiment Worked #money
NewsBeat2 minutes ago
‘You don’t think I’ve murdered him do you?’ Moment wife who stabbed retired businessman husband to death with paring knife feigns shock to ambulance crews as she’s jailed for 12 years
Crypto World3 minutes ago
The Museum of American Finance opens its doors in Boston
-
Fashion7 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Staud – Corporette.com
-
Crypto World3 days agoStrategy authorizes up to $1.25B in Bitcoin sales under new capital plan
-
Tech5 days agoClaude Code turned every engineer into three. Now companies need more product thinkers
-
News Videos5 days agoMAJOR BITCOIN & MARKET UPDATE!!!! (MUST WATCH ASAP!!!)
-
Tech4 days agoAnonymous researcher drops 0-day ‘exploitarium’ repo
-
Crypto World6 days agoCoinbase, Circle Deepen Crypto Stock Losses Despite Resilient S&P 500
-
Business3 days agoAustralia treasurer says alleged access of prime minister’s bank data ’incredibly concerning’
-
Crypto World6 days agoKraken's xStocks Opens Bending Spoons IPO Registration to EEA Retail
-
Sports7 days agoFIH Pro League: India defeat Pakistan 7-1, register biggest win of campaign | Other Sports News
-
Tech6 days agoBluekit phishing kit adopts browser-in-the-middle for login theft
-
Tech6 days agoRussian hackers now target Signal backup recovery keys
-
Crypto World7 days agoHyperliquid Named on Singapore MAS Investor Alert Register
-
Crypto World7 days agoRTX holders must register wallets before token distribution begins
-
Business4 days agoThe AI boom won’t burst all at once. It will pop in ‘rolling bubbles’: Macquarie
-
Sports2 days agoBroncos roster: OL Ben Powers (No. 74) entering final year of contract
-
Tech6 days agoSilicon Valley paid to kill AI regulation, now it wants the rules back
-
NewsBeat3 days agoPresenter Caroline Flack’s brother Paul Flack dies aged 55
-
Crypto World1 day agoBinance stock trading tops $1B in first month after launch
-
NewsBeat1 day agoNew exhibition reflects five decades of movement between island of Ireland and GB
-
Tech6 days agoOpenAI mulls delaying IPO over valuation concerns
You must be logged in to post a comment Login