Trending in opposite directions, the Atlanta Dream meet the Golden State Valkyries for the third time in 11 days on Saturday afternoon in College Park, Ga.

Atlanta (12-8) dropped all four games on a road trip that began with defeats on June 24 and 26 at Golden State. It marks the longest skid for the Dream since a four-game stretch in August 2024.

“I think we’re playing hard,” Atlanta coach Karl Smesko said after Thursday’s 81-76 loss to the Washington Mystics. “But we have to make some shots. We’ve got to find a way to win even when we don’t shoot it well and the other team does.”

The Dream have averaged 76.8 points during the losing streak, which pales in comparison to their 90.4 points per game during their first 16 contests.

Rhyne Howard leads Atlanta with 18.9 points per game, followed by Allisha Gray at 18.3. Newcomer Angel Reese has amassed 14.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest.

None of the three, however, were named Thursday as All-Star Game starters for the July 25 contest. Reese was offended on behalf of her teammates.

“I think they work so hard and they put a lot of work in, and the way that they’re guarded every game and they have to adjust. The reason why we’re where we are is because of those two,” Reese said. “For us not to have anyone (in the starting lineup) was just a slap in the face, but they’re not going to say anything. I am.”

Golden State (13-7), meanwhile, has won three straight games and saw leading scorer Gabby Williams (15.8 ppg) named as a starter for the All-Star contest in Chicago.

Williams has helped push the Valkyries to the No. 3 spot in the Western Conference standings heading into the start of a five-game road swing.

“What’s most important is our next game and that’s it,” Golden State coach Natalie Nakase said. “We don’t look too far ahead. I think that’s what keeps our players really level-headed and focused on each team.”

Janelle Salaun adds 12.5 points per game for the Valkyries and Veronica Burton chips in 12.2 points with 5.4 assists.

–Field Level Media

Canada coach Jesse Marsch knows his side will need every advantage it can get against Morocco in a round of 16 match in Houston on Saturday.

That includes figuring out how best to use captain Alphonso Davies coming off an injury.

The Bayern Munich left-back played the final 15 minutes of Sunday’s 1-0 win over South Africa in his first appearance since sustaining a hamstring injury in early May. He immediately set up Promise David for a shot just outside the left post and provided a boost to the Canadians.

“I thought he had a good impact on the game and, more than anything, what you saw is that South Africa really respected him when he came in,” Marsch said. “So, we will be thinking about how to use Alphonso again in this game, whether from the start or off the bench.”

Davies has 15 career goals for Canada and has reached a status that he is featured on a collection of McDonald’s World Cup cups with the likes of David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Lamine Yamal and Christian Pulisic.

Canada claimed their first knockout victory when Stephen Eustaquio scored in the second minute of second-half stoppage time against South Africa.

But Marsch knows Morocco are on another level — and not just because Morocco rank sixth in the updated (but unofficial) FIFA world rankings compared to No. 54 South Africa. (Canada are 30th.)

“Preparing for Morocco is like a gory, horrible nightmare,” Marsch said. “It’s like, I don’t want to watch them play. They’re too good.”

His sleeplessness likely relates to trying to stop attacking midfielder Ismael Saibari, who scored in all three group stage matches. On Wednesday, it was announced he will move to Bayern Munich, joining Davies, from PSV Eindhoven.

After Morocco beat the Netherlands 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 tie in the round of 32, Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi said it’s time the world take notice.

“Morocco has gained everybody’s respect now,” he said. “It’s not because of what we’ve said. We’ve now shown it.

“(The players) know that behind them there are millions and millions of people. We played when it was 2 in the morning in Morocco and we’re certain that most people stayed awake. That gives you the energy not to give up, to keep going and to believe in yourself.”

The teams met in the final group stage match at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco prevailing 2-1. The Moroccans then downed Spain and Portugal to become the first African nation to reach the final four.

Ouahbi knows anything can happen in a knockout match.

“Nobody can stop us if we play the football we know how to play,” he said. “But nobody is unbeatable. If we get things wrong, we’ll go home.”

The winner will play France or Paraguay — who meet Saturday in Philadelphia — in the quarterfinals in Foxborough, Mass., on July 9.

–Field Level Media

Novak Djokovic delivered a record-tying 7-5, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4) third-round victory over big-serving Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech on Friday at Wimbledon.

The seventh-seeded Serbian, a seven-time champion at the All England Club, matched Roger Federer’s men’s record with his 105th singles win at the grass court Grand Slam. Martina Navratilova holds the overall mark with 120.

“To be able to make history in this sport is a huge honor and a huge privilege,” the 39-year-old Djokovic said during his on-court interview. “Particularly here, it’s always a been a dream childhood tournament of mine. I’m not thinking about whether it’s going to be 105 or 106, but I’m just thinking about trying to win that match on a given day.

“Today I was quite stressed out. There was more tension than usual. I knew it was going to be a very challenging match for me. I’m just happy to overcome this. I propose a matchup between me and Roger for 106!”

Djokovic weathered 21 aces by the 6-foot-5 Rinderknech, who saved six of nine break points and won 82.4% of the points on his first serve. Rinderknech finished with a 67-40 advantage in winners, but Djokovic was sharp with only 16 unforced errors in the three-hour, 15-minute match.

“He’s very tall. He hit some incredible serves. So, he deserves a round of applause for his performance today,” said Djokovic. “It was a really tiring, really close match. I’m happy to overcome it. Sometimes you just have to find a way to win, and I’m happy I did that today.”

Up next for the 24-time Grand Slam winner is Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, who posted a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win upset of No. 24 Joao Fonseca of Brazil.

In other action Friday, defending champion and No. 1 seed Jannik Sinner of Italy moved into the fourth round for the fifth straight year with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Jenson Brooksby in 2:13.

“I am very happy about the win,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “I am trying to improve every day. A small step forward today and I am trying to get better if I want to get further in this tournament.”

Sinner’s next opponent is Japanese qualifier Shintaro Mochizuki, who knocked out 19-year-old Spaniard and No. 23 seed Rafael Jodar 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-4.

Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff pulled off a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 7-5 upset of two-time semifinalist and No. 8 seed Daniil Medvedev of Russia.

Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz rallied past No. 21 Tommy Paul 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5, 6-2 and No. 22 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain defeated Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics in straight sets.

–Field Level Media