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Japan coach takes responsibility for Wataru Endo going home

Japan's Wataru Endo, left, works with his team during practice at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tenn., on June 8, 2026.Japan’s Wataru Endo, left, works with his team during practice at Geodis Park in Nashville, Tenn., on June 8, 2026.

Two days after Japanese captain Wataru Endo withdrew from the World Cup due to an ankle injury, his coach Hajime Moriyasu told reporters that he took responsibility for the decision.

Following his withdrawal, Endo announced his retirement from international competition altogether.

Moriyasu spoke with the media through an interpreter on Saturday, saying it was ultimately his responsibility.

“As the head coach, I was the one who made the final decision,” Moriyasu said.

The 33-year-old Liverpool midfielder had been dealing with an ankle injury that required surgery in February. Endo was hoping to be fit for the competition in North America, but experienced discomfort and played only the first half in a May 31 tune-up friendly against Iceland.

“I’d been receiving reports from the medical staff. During the game with Iceland, he was not able to perform on the pitch for a long time,” Moriyasu added. “We had him try as best as he could and also had the medical staff looking after him. We discussed that throughout the World Cup, it may be difficult for him to perform for the entire period of the games, therefore I made the final decision looking at his condition.

“It felt really bad for me to give him such a message. Of course, it’s impossible to know exactly how he felt or know what his thoughts were, but he was very understanding and respectful and we could maintain our good conversation in a cool manner.”

Japan open Group F play against Netherlands on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

Endo has scored four goals in 73 caps for Japan since his 2015 debut with the national team. He helped the team reach the Round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“As announced, I will be stepping away from the World Cup squad,” Endo wrote on social media earlier in the week. “With this campaign, I will be retiring from the national team. So from here on, I’ll be cheering for the Japan national team as one of the fans.

“The moment when the Japan national team wins the World Cup will surely come some day. Let’s believe in that and cheer them on together.”

Shuto Machino, a striker for Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach, replaced Endo on the 26-man World Cup roster.

Japan will also face Tunisia on June 20 in Guadalupe, Mexico, and Sweden on June 25 in Arlington, Texas.

–Field Level Media

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Paul Goldschmidt homers in 9th to lift Yankees over Blue Jays

Jun 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn ImagesJun 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning Saturday afternoon, and the visiting New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1.

Louis Varland (3-2) allowed Cody Bellinger’s bloop single to center to open the ninth. Goldschmidt followed by smashing an 0-1 knuckle curve to left for his ninth home run of the season.

David Bednar struck out the side in the home ninth to earn his 14th save, as the Yankees earned a split of the first two games of the three-game series. Fernando Cruz (4-1) survived three walks in the eighth to get the win.

Jasson Dominguez added a solo homer for the Yankees.

Kazuma Okamoto hit a solo shot for the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays loaded the bases against Cam Schlittler in the second but failed to score. They broke through with two outs in the third when Okamoto lined an 0-2 fastball down the left-field line for his second homer of the series.

Dominguez tied the game when he led off the fourth with a homer to right on a 3-2 splitter from Kevin Gausman. Dominguez was recalled from his rehabilitation assignment Saturday when Trent Grisham was put on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.

Toronto threatened in the fourth when Brandon Venezuela walked with one out and took third on Yohendrick Pinango’s double. Second baseman Jazz Chisholm’s diving catch on Charles McAdoo’s line drive kept the game tied.

Schlittler pitched around two walks that opened the home fifth with a double-play grounder and a strikeout.

Gausman retired his final 10 batters to finish with one run allowed, one hit and two walks with seven strikeouts.

Schlittler also worked seven innings in which he allowed one run, six hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.

J.C. Escarra and Ben Rice singled with two out in the eight against Toronto reliever Tyler Rogers to put runners at the corners. McAdoo made a diving grab on Dominguez’s hard grounder to first for the final out.

Cruz walked Okamoto and Jesus Sanchez to start the home eighth. Ernie Clement popped out to first on a bunt, and Valenzuela struck out. Pinango walked to load the bases before McAdoo fouled out to first.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not play for Toronto because of a stiff back.

–Field Level Media

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Golden Knights C William Karlsson ruled out for Game 6

Jun 11, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) warms up before game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn ImagesJun 11, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson (71) warms up before game five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

Vegas Golden Knights center William Karlsson has been ruled out of Sunday’s Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals due to a left arm injury.

Karlsson sustained the injury Thursday during a 4-2 loss in Game 5 to the host Carolina Hurricanes.

Karlsson was injured in the second period when he took a hard hit from Carolina defenseman Sean Walker. Karlsson’s left arm smacked into the glass and trainers were later working on him before he left the arena to undergo tests.

Vegas coach John Tortorella declined Saturday to weigh in on whether or not Karlsson would be available for a possible Game 7 in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday.

Golden Knights winger Mitch Marner, who plays on the same line as Karlsson, is disappointed with the timing of the injury.

“It’s obviously a big miss,” Marner told reporters after the morning skate on Saturday. “He’s done a lot of great things for us since he’s been back. But we’ve done this all year. We’ve had a lot of injuries throughout the year, throughout playoffs. So obviously it sucks losing Will, but it’s a ‘next-man-up’ mentality.”

Karlsson, 33, has three goals and nine points in 15 playoff games. He played in just 14 regular-season games after sustaining a lower-body injury on Nov. 8.

Karlsson has played with Vegas for all nine seasons that the franchise has been in the NHL. In 569 games for Vegas, Karlsson has amassed 403 points (165 goals, 238 assists). He has added 80 points (34 goals, 46 assists) in 121 playoff appearances for the Golden Knights.

Karlsson also played with the Anaheim Ducks (2014-15) and Columbus Blue Jackets (2015-17).

–Field Level Media

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Jackson Suber holds one-shot lead at RBC Canadian Open

Jun 13, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN;  Jackson Suber hits his tee shot at the second hole during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesJun 13, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Jackson Suber hits his tee shot at the second hole during the third round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Jackson Suber birdied the final hole to post a 4-under-par 66 and take the lead through the third round of the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday during what became an evolving leaderboard at Caledon, Ontario.

Suber is at 13-under 197, one stroke ahead of Bud Cauley, who also recorded 66, going into Sunday’s final round at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley-North Course.

Wyndham Clark (63), Brice Garrett (67), England’s Tommy Fleetwood (67) and Sweden’s Jesper Svensson (68) are tied for third place at 11 under.

Suber, who’s without a PGA Tour victory, was bogey-free until No. 16, but got that back on the final hole for his second 66 of the tournament sandwiched around Friday’s 65.

Cauley had a five-hole stretch on the backside with four birdies, including three in a row.

Svensson, bidding for his first victory on the PGA Tour, held the lead until a double-bogey on the 17th hole. He began the backside with three consecutive birdies.

Defending champion Ryan Fox (68) of New Zealand, Billy Horschel (64), Jimmy Stanger (68), Sam Burns (69) and Canada’s Sudarshan Yellamaraju (65) are clustered in seventh place at 10 under. Burns, contending for the second week in a row, was in Saturday’s final pairing and ended the round with a birdie.

Second-round Ben James, in his first professional tournament, shot 78 and tumbled all the way to a tie for 59th place at 2 over James, a 23-year-old former collegiate golfer for Virginia, had five consecutive bogeys on the front side and was 7 over for the round before his only birdie on No. 15.

Clark, Yellamaraju. Fleetwood, Svensson, Keith Mitchell and England’s David Skinns all reached 10 under to pull even atop the leaderboard before James began his round.

Norway’s Viktor Hovland made a big push as well, shooting 64, though his lone bogey came on No. 18 when he took a penalty before reaching the green. He is tied for 12th at 9 under.

–Field Level Media

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