Sports
Australia coach defends controversial PK decisions
June 25, 2026; Santa Clara, California, U.S.; Australia coach Tony Popovic celebrates after the match. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Patrick Beach and Mathew Ryan were taken by surprise when Australia coach Tony Popovic executed a goalkeeper substitution just before a penalty-kick shootout against Egypt on Friday.
“You have to talk to the coaches about that,” Beach told reporters post-match. “I found out at the same time you guys did.
“Obviously there was a plan that was put in place, and it wasn’t for us to know about.”
Popovic defended that decision as well as his choice to tap 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington with the match on the line after Egypt eliminated the Socceroos from the World Cup in the round of 32.
Egypt and Australia played to a 1-1 draw before the Pharaohs went 4-for-4 from the spot while Australia missed their first and fourth attempts in the shootout. Australia were vying for their first World Cup knockout victory in national team history.
When it was evident the match would require penalties, Popovic pulled out Beach in favor of Ryan. Beach had made three saves, including a last-second parry over the bar of Egypt’s potential game-winner during second-half stoppage. But Ryan is the national team’s captain and former No. 1 choice in net.
Ryan failed to stop a single attempt. He guessed the wrong direction for the last three.
“It didn’t work, so we can look at many things in the reasons behind it, but with Matty’s experience and, I think, if you looked at his record in saving penalties, Patrick is new as a goalkeeper not just with the national team, but even in club football,” Popovic said, citing the 22-year-old Beach’s lack of big-game experience. “We just felt that Matty’s experience will be the difference. In the end, it didn’t work out that way, but not because of Matty’s poor judgment or lack of ability. They took really good penalties.”
Beach went on to say he and Ryan “are here to do the job of whatever works best for the team” and he felt nothing but respect for Popovic. Ryan revealed that he, too, was caught by surprise.
“No, no, (I wasn’t told) before the match,” Ryan said in the mixed zone. “Just as extra time was beginning, (teammate Paul Izzo) and I got told to warm up and the first time I got told was five minutes before half time of extra time, that if we weren’t going to make any more subs then right at the end they were gonna put me in there.”
As for the other end of the pitch, Popovic caught heat from fans and analysts for his choice of penalty takers. He had subbed out two potential options, Nestory Irankunda and Cristian Volpato.
Defender Harry Souttar went first and cleared his shot into the stands. Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabli went on to convert to keep Australia’s hopes alive, but then Popovic chose another defender in the teenaged Herrington, who plays for Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids.
He clanged his shot off the crossbar before Egypt potted their fourth straight goal to win the shootout.
Popovic answered defensively when a reporter asked about the decision to tap Herrington.
“I’m sure you’d be saying something else if the young kid scored,” he said. “You’d probably be sitting there saying how wonderful it is that an 18-year-old took the penalty and scored.
“I trust him to play in a game that we needed to get a result against Paraguay, and a game where elimination was on the line. What’s the difference with a penalty?”
Herrington admitted “a lot of people would be wondering why I stepped up” to the spot.
“The coaching staff, the team, had my back,” Herrington said. “I was confident, so I knew where I wanted to put it, I did my routine and just unfortunately didn’t go my way. So I’ll keep working on it, keep working hard and hopefully come back.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Neymar says career with Brazil 'over' after loss to Norway
July 5, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.; Brazil’s Neymar and Raphinha look dejected after the match as Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images Neymar’s legendary career for Brazil is over, the forward said following the 2-1 loss to Norway in the round of 16 game on Sunday.
The 34-year-old was emotional in an interview with TV Globo as he was in tears at the conclusion of the match in East Rutherford, N.J., where he scored Brazil’s lone goal on a penalty kick in stoppage time.
“I tried, I tried. Now it’s over. I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said.
He had made his first international appearance for Brazil in a friendly against the United States on April 10, 2010, at MetLife Stadium, the same venue as on Sunday, and scored in his debut.
Neymar, if he indeed retires from suiting up for Brazil, finishes as the country’s all-time leading scorer with 80 goals. The legendary Pele, who recorded 77, was the only Brazilian in four World Cups before Neymar matched him on Sunday.
Cafu had 142 appearances for Brazil, with Neymar’s 130 second on the all-time list.
Neymar’s previous goal for Brazil came in 2023, the last time he played for the national team. Injuries have played a major part as he tore his ACL in 2023 and missed Brazil’s first two group-stage games at the 2026 World Cup because of a right calf injury.
He entered as a substitute and played 15 minutes against Scotland on June 24 and came on the field in the 67th minute for the match Sunday against Norway.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox power past Angels to sweep series
Jul 5, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran (16) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Willson Contreras and Jarren Duran each hit home runs as the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 7-5 victory on Sunday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Masataka Yoshida went 3-for-5 with an RBI and Tsung-Che Cheng had two hits and scored a run for Boston, which collected its eighth win in the last 10 games.
Right-hander Greg Weissert (1-2) earned the win with 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief and Aroldis Chapman picked up his 18th save. Boston starter Ranger Suarez, named to his second All-Star Game on Saturday, left in the third inning with left adductor tightness after stretching high for a Jo Adell comebacker. Suarez allowed three runs on six hits and struck out five with no walks over 2 2/3 innings.
Zach Neto went 3-for-5 with a home run, double and two RBIs, and Adell had three hits and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which lost its sixth straight game. Starter Ryan Johnson (1-4) suffered the loss, allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits over four innings. The right-hander walked one and struck out six.
Los Angeles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Neto led off with a bloop single, advanced to third on a single by Denzer Guzman and scored on a fielder’s choice by Jorge Soler. One out later, Adell drove in Guzman with a single to center.
Boston tied it, 2-2, in the second on Duran’s 13th home run, a 422-foot drive to center, driving in Yoshida, who had singled.
The Angels regained the lead, 3-2, in the bottom of the second when Josh Lowe reached base on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on Neto’s double to left-center.
The Red Sox took advantage of a Neto fielding error to take a 5-3 lead in the third. Cheng led off with a bunt single and, two outs later, Wilyer Abreu reached base when shortstop Neto mishandled his grounder to extend the inning. Contreras then drilled the next pitch 446 feet over the bullpen in left-center for his 20th home run and a 5-3 advantage.
Boston extended the lead to 7-3 in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Abreu and an RBI single by Yoshida.
Los Angeles closed to 7-4 in the eighth when pinch hitter Donovan Walton lined a double to right and scored on a single by Adell.
Neto finished the scoring in the ninth with a two-out solo homer off Chapman, his 19th of the season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dallas Fuel tops Spacestation Gaming for OWCS NA Stage 2 crown
YMCA member Austin Manengu works the keyboard as he plays a game of Fortnite during the unveiling of the new gaming lab at the Maplewood Family YMCA in Rochester Thursday, June 20, 2024. YMCA of Greater Rochester in partnership with Metro Sports & Entertainment Group will open two gaming labs for youth and teens this year. Dallas Fuel surged to a 2-0 lead en route to a 4-2 victory over Spacestation Gaming on Sunday in the grand final of the Overwatch Champions Series’ North American Stage 2 playoffs.
After the slow start, Spacestation Gaming won two of the next three maps to force a sixth map in the best-of-seven grand final, which went to the Fuel.
As champion, Dallas earned $30,000 out of the $75,000 prize pool, while Spacestation Gaming collected $15,000.
The top four Stage 2 finishers advanced to Stage 3. The top three finishers also qualified for the Overwatch Champions Series’ Midseason Championship, a $1 million event scheduled for July 29-Aug. 2 in Paris.
Six teams participated in a round-robin regular season, with the top four advancing to the playoffs, which ran from Friday through Sunday. All matches in the double-elimination bracket were best-of-five, except for the grand final.
Dallas Fuel advanced to the grand final with a 3-1 victory earlier Sunday over Team Liquid in the lower-bracket final.
Team Liquid won the opening map, Antarctic Peninsula Control 2-0 before Dallas responded with three straight wins on Dorado Escort (2-1), Neon Junction Hybrid (2-1) and Colosseo Push (115.5m-38.1m).
Dallas had opened the regional playoffs with a 3-0 loss to Team Liquid on Friday in the upper-bracket semifinals to drop to the lower-bracket semifinal. Dallas blanked LuneX Gaming 3-0 on Saturday to earn a rematch with Team Liquid. Spacestation Gaming downed Team Liquid 3-1 on Saturday in the upper-bracket final.
Spacestation Gaming had finished atop the regular-season standings with a 5-0 record, followed by Dallas Fuel (4-1), Team Liquid (3-2), LuneX Gaming (2-3), The Kafe (1-4) and Disguised (0-5).
Overwatch Champions Series’ North American Stage 2 prize pool
1. $30,000, qualifies for Midseason Championship and NA Stage 3 — Dallas Fuel
2. $15,000, qualifies for Midseason Championship and NA Stage 3 — Spacestation Gaming
3. $12,000, qualifies for Midseason Championship and NA Stage 3 — Team Liquid
4. $8,000, qualifies for NA Stage 3 — LuneX Gaming
5-6. $5,000, qualifies for NA Stage 2 promotion/relegation — The Kafe, Disguised
–Field Level Media
Neymar says career with Brazil 'over' after loss to Norway
Red Sox power past Angels to sweep series
