Sports
Folarin Balogun: Red-card reversal 'controversy' distracted USMNT
July 1, 2026; Santa Clara, California, U.S.; Folarin Balogun of the U.S. celebrates scoring their first goal. Mandatory Credit: Phil Noble-Reuters via Imagn Images United States men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun said Tuesday that his overturned suspension in the World Cup went from elation among his teammates to a sense of uneasiness that impacted the side’s final match of the tournament.
In a visit to “CBS Mornings,” Balogun described the whirlwind of emotions that started with his red card in a round of 32 match against Bosnia-Herzegovina to FIFA rescinding his mandatory one-game ban for a round of 16 match against Belgium.
Resentment for the USMNT grew after President Donald Trump admitted that he reached out to FIFA for a review of the decision. The animosity picked up even more momentum when Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said his side was prepared to defend the credibility of the sport after Balogun was ruled eligible.
Belgium dominated the second half of a 4-1 victory on July 6 at Seattle that eliminated the United States from the tournament.
The USMNT’s ineffective play against Belgium was criticized, as was star player Christian Pulisic, who struggled to spark the offense before departing with a leg injury.
“It was a difficult game against Belgium and that can kind of overshadow whether we were focused or not,” Balogun said during his studio visit. “From me, being inside the camp and inside the setup, I know we had full concentration going into the game.”
And yet the team carried the weight of what became a heavy dose of world politics.
“My initial reaction was I was happy to be back in the team, but when I kind of started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy,” Balogun said. “And I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves. Because it is something that is so unique.
“The closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult (with) a lot of outside noise. That’s hard to avoid.”
While the United States won Group D with victories in its opening two matches and won again in the knockout round, it failed to equal its best run in the tournament. The USMNT advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup at Japan and South Korea.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red-hot rookie Olivia Miles leads Lynx into clash with Sparks
Jun 17, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles (5) drives to the basket against LA Sparks guard Ariel Atkins (7) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images While pursuing their second winning streak of at least four games this season, the Minnesota Lynx have had a knack for keeping things interesting.
Owner of the league’s best record, Minnesota (18-6) seeks a more comfortable showing on Wednesday afternoon when it hosts the Los Angeles Sparks (10-12) in Minneapolis.
The Lynx have had to mount fourth-quarter rallies in each of their last three wins. On Monday, they trailed by eight in the opening minute of the final quarter before an offensive outburst lifted the club to a 104-100 victory over the Phoenix Mercury.
Kayla McBride and rookie Olivia Miles combined for 70 points in Monday’s win, helping the highest-scoring offense in the Western Conference (90.6 points per game) reach triple digits for the fifth time this year.
Miles, in particular, has turned heads just two months into her pro career. With her 33-point, eight-assist outing, the No. 2 overall pick out of TCU became the fastest player in league history to reach 400 points, 100 rebounds and 100 assists (22 games).
“There have been tremendous players in the league, so I just can’t say enough,” Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. “Her impact on our team, just the magnitude of it, shouldn’t be understated. … The success of the team is on her shoulders and it’s impressive how she’s handled it.”
Miles’ 19.4 points per game lead the Lynx, while McBride adds 17.0 per night and Natasha Howard averages 16.8.
Los Angeles enters the difficult matchup having dropped six of its last nine games. The Sparks also have gone 1-12 against the Lynx since the beginning of the 2023 season, which includes a 99-83 loss on June 17 in Los Angeles.
Coach Lynne Roberts’ team has been dealt bad luck on the injury front throughout the year. Kelsey Plum (team-high 23.9 points per game) hasn’t played since June 21 with a lower leg injury. Former No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink has appeared in just 14 games — none after June 15 due to a sprained ankle.
“We can’t be entirely outcome-driven. We haven’t been healthy all year,” Roberts said. “The roster that we had on paper has not been the roster that we’ve played with. That’s hard on the players. It’s tough to gain consistency. But that’s what it is. We have to just keep chopping wood.”
Fifteen-year veteran Nneka Ogwumike leads the healthy Sparks with 17.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game while Dearica Hamby averages 14.6 points and 7.6 rebounds.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Inter Miami acquire Ecuadorian D Fricio Caicedo
Apr 4, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Fans wait to enter the stadium prior to the game between the Inter Miami CF and the Austin FC at Nu Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Inter Miami acquired Ecuadorian defender Fricio Caicedo on loan from Costa Rica’s FC Moravia FCM.
The deal announced Tuesday runs through the 2027 season and includes a purchase option.
Caicedo, 18, is also eligible to occupy a U22 Initiative roster slot with the defending MLS Cup champions.
“Fricio is a young player with tremendous potential and a bright future,” Inter Miami sporting director Alberto Marrero said. “We’re very pleased to welcome him to the project. We believe this is the ideal environment for him to continue developing, grow as a player, and gradually showcase his full potential. He stands out for his physicality, his strength in the air, and his pace when competing for loose balls.”
The ink is dry. Caicedo is officially a Heron ?? pic.twitter.com/gi4Jclf46R
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) July 14, 2026
The 6-foot-4 center-back acknowledged that playing alongside eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is a dream come true.
“My goals are to play, earn minutes, become a starter and win many trophies,” Caicedo said. “I came to Miami because my dream was to play alongside (Lionel) Messi, who is without a doubt the best player in the world. I’m here to make history and show what I can do.”
Inter Miami will return from the FIFA World Cup break on July 22 against the visiting Chicago Fire.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fleet extend ROY Haley Winn through 2028-29
Feb 19, 2026; Milan, Italy; Haley Winn (8) of the United States celebrates after winning the gold medal in women’s ice hockey after defeating Canada during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images The Boston Fleet signed reigning Rookie of the Year Haley Winn to a one-year contract extension through the 2028-29 season.
The deal was announced on the defender’s 23rd birthday on Tuesday.
Winn was also a finalist for PWHL Defender of the Year honors in 2025-26 after tallying 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 30 games. Drafted No. 2 overall in 2025, she averaged a league-high 26:45 of ice time.
Winn also helped the United States won a gold medal at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, contributing a goal and three assists in seven games.
–Field Level Media
Red-hot rookie Olivia Miles leads Lynx into clash with Sparks
Inter Miami acquire Ecuadorian D Fricio Caicedo
