Sports
Pro-Argentina crowd helps spur dramatic win over Cape Verde
July 3, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Argentina fans in the stands during the match. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images When Argentina twice conceded equalizing goals to Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday night, the decidedly partisan Albiceleste crowd did not grow quiet.
If anything, the volume increased as La Doce made the stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., their own, imploring their side to a 3-2, extra-time victory that will go down as one of the all-time great World Cup matches.
For Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, it was very much appreciated.
“I think the (fans) are the first ones who understand that this is Argentina, nothing is easy,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “When you have bad results, you must have character as you have 47 million people rooting for you, and you need the courage to bounce back from that. And this team has it. I think people know it.”
At a tournament where critics have questioned whether the matchday atmosphere would suffer as a result of record-high ticket prices, Argentina’s supporters have continued to do whatever it takes to pack American stadiums.
It was particularly true Friday in South Florida, which has one of the country’s highest concentrations of Argentine lineage, and an MLS team in Inter Miami that is the club home of Albiceleste stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
“There are Argentinians everywhere,” Messi said through an interpreter. “Many people came here. Even those who came without tickets, they had a lot of excitement, and they supported us as they always do.”
Fans of other South American nations — particularly Colombia and Ecuador — have also created fiercely partisan environments despite ticket prices.
Yet after Argentina ended a 36-year drought and won the 2022 World Cup, perhaps none are as unrelenting as those who support the Albiceleste with the confidence that such support will be rewarded.
That was eventually true Friday, long after Messi opened the scoring with his World Cup-record-increasing 20th career goal. The matter wasn’t settled until Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute header caromed off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and over the line.
Even Cape Verde manager Bubista noticed the resiliency of Argentina’s support following his side’s two game-tying goals, including a fabulous strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral that made it 2-all in the 103rd minute.
“Looking at the stadium virtually filled with Argentinians also shows the greatness of the team, of the nation, of their football,” he said. “I think they’re already used to that. Obviously the public in attendance tonight helped with that at points.
“Even when we equalized, we felt the (fans) cheering Argentina on in moments of difficulty throughout the match.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Sports
Breanna Stewart's season-high 36 leads Liberty past league-best Lynx
Jul 3, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones (35) posts up against Minnesota Lynx forward Natasha Howard (1) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images All-Star starter Breanna Stewart scored a season-high 36 points as the host New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx 99-86 on Friday night.
New York (13-8) got good support from Sabrina Ionescu (17 points, six assists), Jonquel Jones (14 points, a game-high 15 rebounds and five assists), rookie Pauline Astier (14 points, six assists) and Leonie Fiebich (13 points, four assists).
The Lynx, who still have the best record in the WNBA at 15-5, were led by Rookie of the Year front-runner Olivia Miles, who had 14 points — all but two before halftime — and five assists. Miles and teammate Natasha Howard were also named All-Star starters on Thursday.
However, Howard was held to seven points on 3-for-10 shooting.
The Lynx – who are tied with Las Vegas for the best road record in the league at 9-2 – also got 18 points from Kayla McBride and 16 points from Courtney Williams.
New York led 26-22 after a first quarter that featured 16 points on 7-for-7 shooting by Stewart. The Liberty missed their first four shots and then made 11 in a row, leading by as many as 12 points. The Lynx did well to stay close given the Liberty making 61.1% of their first-quarter field goals.
Midway through the second quarter, Minnesota took a 40-39 lead on two Miles free throws before the Liberty closed the quarter on a 13-2 run to take a 59-49 advantage into halftime.
Stewart scored 18 first-half points, while Miles had 12 points and five assists. New York shot 64.7% from the floor. Minnesota shot 40.9% but stayed in the game by outscoring New York 13-5 on second-chance points behind eight offensive rebounds.
In the third quarter, Stewart scored 11 points as New York stretched its lead to 78-65. Miles was held to two points in the third.
New York added to its lead midway through the fourth, going up 85-68, and the Liberty cruised from there.
For the game, New York shot 58.1% to 40% for Minnesota.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Adam Sandler officiates Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift wedding in New York
May 23, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce react during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images The celebrity wedding of the decade took place on Friday when Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce married pop superstar Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The officiant was actor Adam Sandler, a friend of the couple.
The best man was Travis Kelce’s brother, Jason Kelce, a former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro center. Taylor Swift’s brother, Austin Swift, was her “man of honor,” according to a press release from Swift’s representatives, who noted that the ceremony featured no bridesmaids nor groomsmen.
The video boards outside the arena read “JUST&T MARRIED!” following the ceremony, which reportedly was attended by around 1,000 guests.
According to People, among those believed to have been at the nuptials were Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper, Ed Sheeran, Miranda Lambert, Hugh Grant, Zoe Kravitz, Jason Sudeikis, Jimmy Fallon, Tommy Hilfiger and Selena Gomez.
The couple got engaged in August 2025, and news recently broke that they would be taking over the home venue of the newly crowned NBA champion New York Knicks for the wedding.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Daylen Lile, Luis Garcia Jr. homer twice as Nationals top Pirates
Jul 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. (2) celebrates with shortstop CJ Abrams (5) after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Luis Garcia Jr. and Daylen Lile each belted two home runs to lead the Washington Nationals to a 9-5 home win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday.
Lile also doubled and drove in four runs and Garcia had three RBIs. Jose Tena hit a two-run homer and James Wood had a double, a triple and scored a run for Washington.
Bryan Reynolds doubled, homered and drove in two runs while Esmerlyn Valdez was 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI for the Pirates.
With one out in the first, Garcia lined his 17th homer of the season to right field.
An inning later, Lile hit a solo shot to center, giving the Nationals a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Reynolds homered with two outs on a 2-0 count to trim the Nationals’ lead to 2-1.
Washington answered in the bottom of the inning, extending its lead to 5-1. Wood led off with a triple into the right field corner and scored on Tena’s two-run bomb.
CJ Abrams followed with a single, and after Dylan Crews lined out, stole second. Lile’s RBI double knocked in Abrams.
Jake Mangum’s two-out liner in the fourth knocked off Washington starter Foster Griffin’s glove. But second baseman Nasim Nunez charged in, barehanded the ball and threw out Mangum with a sidearm toss to first.
The Pirates loaded the bases in the seventh. After Jared Triolo doubled with two outs and stole third, Konnor Griffin and Brandon Lowe drew walks off reliever Justin Lawrence. The Nationals brought in Clayton Beeter from the bullpen, and he struck out Reynolds to escape the jam.
In the bottom of the seventh, Garcia made it 7-1 with his 18th homer of the season, a two-run blast to right.
Lile stretched Washington’s lead to 9-1 with his second homer of the game, a two-run blast in the eighth.
Lowe, Reynolds, Valdez and Nick Gonzales each drove in a run with doubles in the ninth for Pittsburgh.
Griffin (9-2) allowed one run on four hits while walking one and fanning two in five innings for Washington.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller (6-6) yielded five runs on eight hits over six innings. He walked none and struck out one.
–Field Level Media
Breanna Stewart's season-high 36 leads Liberty past league-best Lynx
Adam Sandler officiates Travis Kelce-Taylor Swift wedding in New York
