Sports
Morocco end historic Canadian run, advance to World Cup quarters
July 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, U.S.; Morocco’s Azzedine Ounahi celebrates scoring their first goal. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images The future is bright for Canada even though the present is clouded by a 3-0 loss to Morocco in the round of 16 at Houston on Saturday.
To be fair, the score was not indicative of how the Canadians had the No. 6 team in the world on the ropes in the first half and doesn’t diminish the fact that the Canadians went further in this World Cup than any previous foray.
Despite key injuries and the novelty of playing the big boys on the biggest stage, coach Jesse Marsch as only he can be, was ebullient when looking ahead.
“I’d rather be us than them,” he said. “As good as Morocco is, I’d rather be us, right? I’m really proud of our guys. We went after the game, they’re hurting right now, but my goodness, I couldn’t be prouder.
“What a privilege our fans have had to root for a team like this that goes after the game, that doesn’t play defensive, that shows that they can be better. Of course, we have to be in these situations more and more and then we have to find ways to succeed and then we have to build from that. But what a great team.”
But no matter how Marsch feels, Morocco took advantage of their chances while Canada failed to pounce early in the physical match. There were four yellow cards apiece and Canada had 24 fouls to 14 for Morocco.
Azzedine Ounahi gave Morocco the lead in the 50th minute and added another in the 82nd minute on a breakout before Soufiane Rahimi scored against a pressing Canada in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Morocco, unbeaten in 34 matches, play July 9 in Foxborough, Mass., against France, a 1-0 winner over Paraguay on Saturday.
Morocco suffered a major blow in the 22nd minute when leading scorer Ismael Saibari had to leave with a possible hamstring injury. The 25-year-old attacking midfielder scored in all three group matches and on Wednesday it was announced he was joining Germany’s Bayern Munich from Dutch side PSV Eindhoven.
After a listless first half, Morocco stunned Canada with a goal from nowhere on only their second shot of the match.
Achraf Hakimi lined up for a free kick to the right of the goal after a yellow card, the seventh of the match, to Canada’s Luc de Fougerolles for a sloppy foul on Soufiane Rahimi.
“We had 11 incredible performances in the first half, we were unlucky not to get the lead,” Marsch said. “We should have been on top of the game. We should have had the lead, and then it’s the fine details, right? “Like, do we need to foul on the sideline, and then dealing with the set piece, but they have quality.”
Ounahi scored an insurance goal to become the first Moroccan to score twice in a World Cup match since Salaheddine Bassir in 1998 against Scotland.
“I think everybody back home should be very proud,” Canada midfielder Stephen Eustaquio said. “We always felt the love back home from the Canadians. We’re finally a soccer country. We need this support to go forward.
“We’re going to enter another cycle of four years. Everybody, the youngsters here, they need (the fans’) support throughout the four years so that we make sure that we can go even further in the next World Cup.”
Being healthy would help. Canada was dealt a serious setback in the second group match vs. Qatar when midfielder Ismael Kone broke his leg after a horrendous tackle against him.
Also, captain Alphonso Davies, who sustained a hamstring injury in early May playing for Germany’s Bayern Munich, made only one appearance in the World Cup – the final 15 minutes against South Africa in the round of 32.
Still, Marsch was defiant to the end in praising his team’s effort against Morocco.
“We were the better team,” he said. “They made a couple more plays than us. … It was just they have a little bit of quality in the final third, but we lacked a little ability to make a play when we needed to.”
That makes him even more anxious for 2030.
“I think that there’s real excitement and with that excitement comes higher expectations,” he said. “So next World Cup, everyone’s going to say that anything less than the round of 16 is a failure, right? Anything less than the next Copa America semifinals is a failure.
“We enjoy those expectations. Nobody has higher expectations of ourselves than us. Nobody’s more disappointed in the fact that we lost the game that we were very much in control of than ourselves and so we have to swallow that pride. We have to continue to think about how to get better, be humble to the fact that we have a lot more to work to do.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Denny Hamlin edges Kyle Larson for pole at Chicagoland
Jul 4, 2026; Joliet, Illinois, USA;NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) speaks to the media after winning the pole award for the eero 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images JOLIET, Ill. — When it comes to oval tracks, Denny Hamlin has established himself firmly on the throne as king of qualifying.
In Saturday’s time trials at Chicagoland Speedway, Hamlin edged Kyle Larson by 0.001 seconds to claim the pole position for Sunday’s eero 400 (6 p.m. ET on TNT, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Hamlin sped around the 1.5-mile intermediate track in 30.296 seconds (178.241 mph). Larson, who ran later in the qualifying order, fell just short at 178.235 mph.
The Busch Light Pole Award was Hamlin’s fourth of the season, his first at Chicagoland (which hasn’t hosted a NASCAR national series race since 2019) and the 52nd of his career, breaking a tie with Ryan Newman for ninth all-time.
Hamlin, the 2015 Chicagoland winner, won poles at the previous two oval tracks on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway. He is the only driver to win poles at both Chicagoland Speedway and the Chicago Street Course (2023).
“I’m the Chicago master — what can I say?” Hamlin quipped.
In fact, Hamlin considered himself lucky to win his third straight oval-track pole, having gotten the benefit of favorable cloud conditions.
“I don’t want to continue to underplay it, but we got very fortunate,” said Hamlin, who leads the series standings by one point over Tyler Reddick. “The last 12 cars had full sun — 100 percent sun. The last few had 90 percent, but I think that was the deciding factor.”
“We saw that, right after I went, the track definitely got hotter, and it seemed like the corner speeds of those guys started to slow down. I think if there was one more car behind Ty Gibbs (the final qualifier), they definitely would have beaten us, because it went full shade.
“We got fortunate there, but they (Hamlin’s No. 11 team) did a real good job overnight with my car (whose balance wasn’t ideal during Friday’s practice).”
Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing Ford drivers Chris Buescher (178.153 mph) and Brad Keselowski (178.089 mph) qualified third and fourth, respectively. With two victories at Chicagoland, Keselowski is the only driver in the field for Sunday’s race with multiple wins at the track.
Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ty Gibbs, Christopher Bell and Chase Briscoe claimed the respective fifth through seventh starting positions. Bubba Wallace, Chase Elliott and William Byron completed the top 10, which consisted of four JGR Toyotas, three Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets, two RFK Fords and one 23XI Racing Toyota (Wallace).
The No. 2 and top remaining seed in the NASCAR Cup Series In-Season Challenge, Hamlin faces Erik Jones in Sunday’s second round. Jones qualified 22nd.
In battles between teammates, Larson faces Byron, while Gibbs takes on Briscoe.
Hamlin, however, will have his eye on Larson.
“In my personal opinion,” Hamlin said, “Kyle Larson is the best driver at this race track, so he’s going to be someone I have to contend with, and I’m sure all the Hendrick cars are.”
Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet failed inspection three times and must start from the rear of the field under penalty. McDowell will have to serve a pass-through on the opening lap.
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Riley Greene HR backs Jack Flaherty as Tigers blank Rangers
Jul 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) hits a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Riley Greene blasted a two-run homer to support a strong outing by Jack Flaherty as the visiting Detroit Tigers blanked the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Saturday.
Flaherty scattered three hits and didn’t issue a walk while striking out five in 5 2/3 innings. Flaherty (2-8) has pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings since coming off the injured list.
Keider Montero didn’t give up a hit and walked one over three innings while notching his first career save. Montero has pitched 12 scoreless innings in his last three outings.
Ben Malgeri drove in the other run as the Tigers improved to 4-1 during their six-game road trip. The teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday.
Texas starter Cal Quantrill (3-1) gave up three runs (two earned) and three hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out two. Benjamin Peoples tossed two scoreless innings in his major league debut for the Rangers, who had won seven of their last eight.
The Rangers were shut out for the first time since June 6. The teams were coming off a rare Friday off due to a nearby FIFA World Cup match.
Detroit scored a pair of two-out runs in the first. Kerry Carpenter singled to center before Greene pulled a 2-2 cutter from Quantrill down the right field line that stayed inside the foul pole. Greene’s homer was his 12th this season.
The Tigers made it 3-0 in the second. Colt Keith led off with a single. Left fielder Alejandro Osuna made an error on a fly ball hit by Zach McKinstry, putting both runners in scoring position. Malgeri’s grounder knocked in Keith. Detroit loaded the bases but Carpenter flied out to center, stranding the runners.
Flaherty was removed after Josh Jung banged a two-out double to center in the sixth. Tyler Holton came on and retired Brandon Nimmo on a grounder.
Detroit threatened in the ninth. McKinstry smacked a one-out single and moved up on a groundout and a wild pitch. Chris Martin then induced James Outman to pop out.
–Field Level Media
Sports
No. 2 Alexander Zverev through to 4th round at Wimbledon
Germany’s Alexander Zverev in action against the United States’ Marcos Giron at Wimbledon on July 4, 2026. Alexander Zverev is showing no hangover effects after capturing his first Grand Slam event.
The French Open champion, who typically struggles on the grass at Wimbledon, reached the fourth round with a convincing 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Marcos Giron on Saturday at the All England Club.
The German served brilliantly, smashing 17 aces to only three double faults and won 54-of-70 first-serve points.
After a routine first set, neither player flinched in the second, leading to a tiebreaker. Zverev sprinted to a 6-2 lead in the breaker, but Giron held off three set points before succumbing on the No. 2 seed’s forehand volley winner.
“He (Giron) is somebody who plays fantastic on grass and he shows it every time he steps out on the surface,” Zverev said. “He has won tour-level events on the surface, I knew that I had to be 100% ready from the first point onwards and I am very happy to be through in straight sets.”
Zverev has never been past the fourth round in London. To do so, he will have to take out No. 13 seed Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic, who edged Spain’s Jaume Munar, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Lehecka blasted 52 winners in the four-set win and staved off six of Munar’s eight break-point opportunities.
Zverev is 1-1 versus Lehecka, but the two have not played since 2023.
No. 6 seed Taylor Fritz started slowly before notching a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (5) victory over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego. Both players hit 39 winners.
Fritz will face No. 10 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the fourth round. Bublik had a stunning 48-12 edge in aces while producing a 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (11), 4-6, 6-3 victory over No. 17 Frances Tiafoe. Bublik had 83 winners against 50 unforced errors and saved nine set points before winning the third set.
“We had a great battle,” Bublik said. “This match will stay with me forever.”
Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov had 46 winners against 25 unforced errors while registering a 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-3 over Matteo Berrettini of Italy. Berrettini had 49 winners and 43 unforced errors.
Dimitrov will face Brit wild card Arthur Fery, who outlasted Belgium’s Zizou Bergs 2-6, 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5). This marks the first time the London-born Fery has reached the round of 16 at a major and he also has cracked the Top 100 in the live rankings, now sitting at No. 91.
“It’s a really special moment. I can’t really fully process it yet,” Fery said. “When I’m playing this well and having these kind of results, it was only a matter of time till I broke the Top 100. It’s still a significant milestone. As I said, yeah, doing it here is incredibly special for me. It’s my home tournament. It’s where I grew up. So yeah, it’s very special.”
In another quadrant of the bracket, fifth-seeded Alex de Minaur outlasted Zachary Svajda 6-2, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 and No. 9 Flavio Cobolli of Italy rallied to knock off Russia’s Karen Khachanov 0-6, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-2.
The Australian took advantage of Svajda’s second serve, winning 35 of 50 points and converting eight break points. He also was efficient at the net, winning 22 of 27 while moving forward in the two-hour, 40-minute match.
“I feel great. I’m happy to get through the first week. This is the first goal of the tournament, obviously,” said de Minaur. “It’s getting down to crunch time, I guess. I’m happy with the way I have been playing. The body is feeling great. I thought today was probably the best I moved around the court.”
Cobolli, the French Open runner-up to Zverev, won only nine points in the first set. But after splitting a pair of tiebreakers, he flipped the early script and recorded 22 winners versus only 10 unforced errors.
Cobolli has dropped both matches against de Minaur, but the two hard-hitting baseliners have not played since 2024.
–Field Level Media
Denny Hamlin edges Kyle Larson for pole at Chicagoland
Riley Greene HR backs Jack Flaherty as Tigers blank Rangers
