Sports
Charlotte FC ready for Wilfried Zaha era to begin
Aug 31, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte FC fans during pre match activities against Atlanta United at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Wilfried Zaha plans to let his play do the talking.
The former English Premier League standout is set to make his MLS debut Saturday when Charlotte FC opens its season at Seattle.
“I’m not much of a talker — my thing is I try to lead by example,” Zaha said Wednesday in his introductory news conference. “I don’t tend to blab and blame and talk about how good I am or what I’m going to do, because you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. The only way I can prove how good I am is on the pitch.”
Charlotte (14-11-9, 51 points in 2024) finished fifth in the Eastern Conference last season thanks to the stingiest defense in the league led by MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Kristijan Kahlina.
Charlotte tied for 22nd in MLS with 46 goals, a big reason it brought in Zaha, re-acquired midfielder Pep Biel and traded for Portland midfielder Eryk Williamson.
“Wilfried’s performances in the Premier League on the international level speak for themselves,” Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta said. “We are confident he can make an immediate impact in Major League Soccer.”
The Sounders (16-9-9, 57 points), who took fourth in the Western Conference, also made offseason moves to reinvigorate their offense.
They acquired forward Jesus Ferreira and midfielder Paul Arriola in trades with FC Dallas and re-signed midfielders Albert Rusnak and Joao Paulo. They’re also looking for big things from youngster Pedro de la Vega, who battled injuries throughout last season.
Arriola, de la Vega and Rusnak scored Wednesday as the Sounders opened their international campaign with a 3-1 road victory against Antigua GFC in the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
“Watching Seattle compete, whether it’s the Western Conference final, or a final, or Champions League, or all these other tournaments the one constant variable is always that the Sounders are competing for something,” Arriola said. “As a player, I’ve lived various stages of my career: being a young guy, being a superstar, being a sub, playing for the national team, doing all these different things.
“And the one thing that I really want to do is win something on the club level. And I really do believe that coming here, along with some other additions that have been presented with the team and the current core that Seattle has had for many years, for me, it’s just really exciting. I really do think that we can do something special.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles blow another late lead, but Dylan Beavers bails them out
Jul 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Brandon Young (63) pitchin in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn Images Dylan Beavers singled in the winning run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Baltimore Orioles beat the visiting Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday night.
Gunnar Henderson homered as the Orioles evened the series at one game apiece after failing to hold a late-game lead for the second game in a row.
Ozzie Albies homered for the Braves, who lost for only the third time in their last 10 games.
Baltimore’s Jackson Holliday doubled with one out in the ninth and moved to third on pinch hitter Colton Cowser’s flyout before scoring on Beavers’ hit off losing pitcher Didier Fuentes (4-1). Yennier Cano (2-2) was the winning pitcher with one inning of shutout relief.
Brandon Young pitched into the seventh inning for the second consecutive strong start for a Baltimore pitcher, but just like Friday night the bullpen couldn’t make it hold up. Young held the Braves to one run on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings.
Orioles reliever Rico Garcia gave up a game-tying home run in the eighth inning for the second night in a row.
Braves starter Bryce Elder worked five innings, giving up two runs (one earned) with four hits, four walks and eight strikeouts. Victor Mederos threw two shutout innings in relief before Fuentes entered and gave up his only two hits to two of the last three batters he faced.
Holliday and Beavers each finished with two hits as the game’s only players with more than one hit. The Orioles have won nine of their last 12 games.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand continued to give the Baltimore offense a boost as his two-out single in the third inning drove in the game’s first run.
Henderson homered with two outs in the fifth to make it 2-0.
Atlanta scored in the sixth on Mauricio Dubon’s groundout. Albies’ 17th homer of the season pulled the Braves even on the second pitch of the eighth inning.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals support Andre Pallante with big 6th inning to down Reds
Jul 25, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Alec Burleson (41) hits a one run single against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images The St. Louis Cardinals broke open a pitcher’s duel Saturday night with a six-run sixth inning to support right-hander Andre Pallante in a 7-0 victory against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Alec Burleson, Ivan Herrera and Blaze Jordan all had key hits for the Cardinals, who came in having dropped seven of nine.
Pallante (11-6) allowed two hits in seven innings. He finished with eight strikeouts, tying his season high for the sixth time, and was just one strikeout shy of his career best. Pallante also retired his final 12 batters, and walked just one overall. He lowered his ERA to 3.77 in what likely was his best start of the season.
The Cardinals scored an unearned run against Reds right-hander Hunter Greene in the bottom of the first inning, but poured it on in the sixth, which was Greene’s third time through the lineup.
JJ Wetherholt walked to lead off and Burleson lined a single to right. Herrera followed with a two-run double to left making it 3-0.
Bryan Torres later hit an RBI single and Jordan followed with two-run single to right on a two-strike count to make it 6-0, prompting Reds manager Terry Francona to remove Greene (2-2).
Nathan Church followed with a safety squeeze against left-hander Sam Moll to push across Torres as the seventh run.
Unable to keep the Reds’ three-game winning streak going, Greene’s era ballooned to 7.06 in his fourth start of the season.
Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz made three fielding miscues in the first inning, booting a soft grounder for an error, getting his feet tangled on a pop-up single, and making a poor relay throw to the plate on Burleson’s RBI single.
Burleson finished with three hits, and Wetherholt scored twice, helping the Cardinals improve to 13-2 when he scores at least two runs.
The Reds did not mount a scoring threat until the ninth, against Cardinals right-hander Gordon Graceffo, who loaded the bases with no outs after pitching a scoreless eighth. A strikeout and a double play followed.
The Cardinals have won five of seven from the Reds in the season series, which continues Sunday afternoon at Busch Stadium.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Miami extends win streak to 6 with late Luis Suarez PK at Montreal
Jul 25, 2026; Montreal, Province of Quebec, CAN; Inter Miami CF midfielder Casemiro (5) kicks the ball away as he defends against CF Montreal forward Prince Owusu (9) during the first half at Saputo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images Luis Suarez’s penalty-kick goal in the 81st minute lifted Inter Miami to a 1-0 victory over host CF Montreal on Saturday night.
With the win, Miami (11-2-4, 37 points) has won six straight matches, including the last two without Lionel Messi as he recovers from Argentina’s run to the World Cup final.
The loss extends Montreal’s (4-10-3, 15 points) winless skid to six matches (0-3-3). Montreal has not recorded a victory in the league since a 2-0 decision over Orlando City on May 9.
In the 70th minute, the ball was crossed into the box and Miami forward German Berterame went up for a header and collided with Montreal defender Efrain Morales. Berterame remained down for several minutes, and medical personnel were rushed onto the pitch to attend to Berterame, who was taken off the field in an ambulance.
On the ensuing penalty kick 11 minutes later, Suarez chipped a shot over keeper Sebastian Breza for his ninth goal of the season.
Montreal had opportunities at the game’s opening goal early in the second half.
In the 50th minute, Hennadii Synchuk’s right-footed strike from the right side of the box missed just to the right of the goal.
Seven minutes later, Miami’s Yannick Bright was awarded a free kick after being fouled by Prince Owusu. Montreal midfielder Matty Longstaff blocked Suarez’s ensuing free kick from just outside the box.
Miami had another glorious opportunity in the 68th minute, but a leaping Breza recorded his only save of the night on Telasco Segovia’s right-footed strike from just outside the box.
Miami dominated first-half possession, but it was Montreal with the lone shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
In the 13th minute, Synchuk had a glorious opportunity, but Miami keeper Rocco Ríos Novo (two saves) got his right hand on the strike to make the save.
Saturday was the first of two meetings between the clubs this season. They’ll meet again in Florida on Aug. 29.
–Field Level Media
