Connect with us

Sports

Spirit, Vitality move to semis at BLAST Premier: World Final

Syndication: Arizona RepublicA backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home.

Jordan Woodruff

Team Spirit and Team Vitality each recorded a sweep on Friday and advanced to the semifinals of the $1 million BLAST Premier: World Final 2024 in Sentosa, Singapore.

Spirit eliminated FaZe Clan with a 13-10 win on Mirage and a 19-17 victory on Anubis.

Russian Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov recorded 53 kills and a plus-21 kills-to-death differential for Spirit, who advanced to Saturday’s semifinal showdown with Astralis.

Also on Friday, Team Vitality collected 13-6 wins in both Dust II and Mirage to knock out MOUZ.

Israel’s Lotan “Spinx” Giladi had 35 kills and a plus-21 kills-to-death differential to pace Vitality, who will face G2 Esports on Saturday.

The Counter-Strike 2 event began Wednesday with eight teams battling for a top prize of $500,000. The top three teams from each group made the playoffs. All matches are best-of-three until Sunday’s best-of-five grand final.

Saturday’s semifinals:

–Astralis vs. Team Spirit

–G2 Esports vs. Team Vitality

BLAST Premier World Final prize pool:

1. $500,000

2. $250,000

3-4. $85,000

5-6. $25,000 — FazeClan, MOUZ

7-8. $15,000 — Natus Vincere, Team Liquid

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Mets' Francisco Lindor exits game due to calf injury

MLB: Minnesota Twins at New York MetsApr 22, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) reacts after his RBI infield single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor exited New York’s Wednesday game against the visiting Minnesota Twins after the fourth inning due to left calf tightness.

Lindor, who was on first base following a single, did not appear to be running at full speed as he circled the diamond and scored on Francisco Alvarez’s double. The 32-year-old grimaced while rounding third and remained on the ground for a few seconds after sliding in ahead of Victor Caratini’s tag to give the Mets — who have lost 12 straight — a 2-1 lead.

Lindor was injured the same day Juan Soto returned from a 15-game absence caused by a strained right calf. The Mets won their first three games after Soto was injured April 3 before beginning their losing streak.

Lindor has missed just 15 games total since his most recent IL stint, in 2021, when he missed more than five weeks due to a right oblique strain.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Offensive eruption helps Orlando City take down Charlotte FC

MLS: Charlotte FC at Orlando CityApr 22, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando City SC defender Zakaria Taifi (19) celebrates a goal by midfielder Luis Otavio (5) against Charlotte FC in the first half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Martin Ojeda scored his third and fourth goals of the season early in the second half to help Orlando City to a 4-1 victory over visiting Charlotte FC on Wednesday night.

Luis Otavio added his first career MLS goal early and Ignacio Gomez added his first late for Orlando (2-6-1, 7 points), which had scored only six times before Wednesday’s victory.

The 20-year-old Gomez was making only his second MLS appearance, playing on a short-term loan from Orlando’s MLS NEXT Pro reserve team.

The Lions also continued their recent defensive improvement, allowing only one goal in each of their last three matches after conceding 23 in their first six.

Morrison Agyemang’s header pulled Charlotte (4-3-2, 14 points) level late in the first half in their second of three consecutive away matches.

Charlotte conceded three or more goals for only a second time this season, the first coming in a 3-0 loss at the LA Galaxy in their second match of the campaign.

Ojeda’s multi-goal performance was his first since a brace in last season’s 3-2 win over Nashville on Sept. 20, the final two tallies of a 16-goal campaign.

Wednesday’s tallies came 12 minutes apart, with the first arriving in the 49th minute.

As Orlando worked the ball down the left flank, Ojeda drifted into space in front of Charlotte’s back line, which appeared to lose sight of him.

Eventually, the ball came to Justin Ellis, who drew multiple defenders on the left side of the penalty area, then dropped a pass to Ojeda near the penalty arc.

Ojeda hit it with his left foot, guiding his finish beyond Kristijan Kahlina’s dive and inside the right post.

His second came from a free kick earned when Zakaria Taifi absorbed Harry Tofolo’s foul above the right side of the penalty area.

Charlotte set up a three-man defensive wall. But Ojeda was able to curl a low, left-footed shot around it and into the bottom right corner.

This time, the lunging Kahlina reached it, but without enough power to push it clear of danger.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Dramatic goalkeeper goal earns Toronto FC draw with Philadelphia

MLS: Austin FC at Toronto FCApr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto FC goalkeeper Luka Gavran (1) looks on against Austin FC during the second half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

A header from goalkeeper Luka Gavran six minutes into second-half stoppage time gave Toronto FC a dramatic 3-3 draw with the visiting Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.

Gavran was downfield with the rest of his teammates during Daniel Salloi’s late free kick, bidding for an equalizer. Salloi’s initial shot was deflected back out to Alonso Coello, whose pass into the box found Gavran’s head for his first career goal.

The draw extended unbeaten streaks for both clubs. Philadelphia is 1-0-2 in its last three matches while Toronto FC are 3-0-4 in their last seven. Toronto is also 4-0-9 in its last 13 home matches dating back to last June.

Josh Sargent and Kobe Franklin scored for Toronto (3-2-4, 13 points) earlier in the second half as it recovered from a 2-0 deficit.

Milan Iloski, Danley Jean Jacques and Nathan Harriel scored for the Union (1-6-2, five points). Harriel was almost the late-game hero for Philadelphia after the defender converted a header off a corner kick in the 89th minute.

Frankie Westfield’s eighth-minute free kick off the goalpost highlighted a dominant opening 25 minutes for Philadelphia. Toronto then controlled the rest of the first half, but Union defenders Westfield, Harriel, and Japhet Sery all made impressive individual plays to disrupt scoring chances.

With the back line helping stifle Toronto FC’s attack, Iloski put Philadelphia ahead four minutes into first-half stoppage time. Jovan Lukic’s through-ball found Iloski moving between two Toronto FC defenders and Iloski buried the shot after entering the box.

It was Iloski’s second goal of the season, then Jean Jacques followed with his second goal in the 52nd minute. On something of a broken play for Toronto, Jean Jacques beat Zane Monlouis to a loose ball in the box and his one-touch strike sailed into the net.

Sargent and Franklin then recorded their second goals of the season, as Toronto FC roared back to quickly level the score.

Four minutes after Jean Jacques’ tally, Sargent took the ball in the box and made a canny move to find space before burying his second goal. Franklin then banked a shot off the post and into Philadelphia’s net for the 64th-minute equalizer.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading