Sports
Veronica Burton, Gabby Williams guide Valkyries past Mercury
Jun 9, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Kaila Charles (6) is called for the foul against Phoenix Mercury guard Lexi Held (10) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images Veronica Burton scored a season-high 25 points and dished out eight assists, Gabby Williams also had 25 points, and the Golden State Valkyries held off the Phoenix Mercury 87-81 in a Commissioner’s Cup game in San Francisco on Tuesday.
Kayla Thornton scored 12 points and Janelle Salaun added 11 for the Valkyries, who had their 17-point halftime lead trimmed to one before recovering in the final minutes to break a season-worst two-game losing streak.
Alyssa Thomas scored 20 of her 22 points in the second half for the Mercury, who had a two-game winning streak broken in the third game of a four-game road trip. Monique Akoa Makani put up a season-high 19 points.
Thomas, who missed the previous game with a calf injury, had nine assists and eight rebounds.
Akoa Makani’s 3-pointer brought the Mercury (4-9, 2-2 Commissioner’s Cup) within 76-75 with 3:09 left before Williams’ three-point play gave the Valkyries an 84-78 lead with 1:39 remaining.
Thomas’ three-point play closed the deficit to 84-81 on the next possession, but Williams intercepted Thomas’ pass and made 1 of 2 free throws with 11 seconds left. Thornton later sank two to ice it.
Williams finished with three 3-pointers for the Valkyries, who wound up 10 of 29 (34.5%) from long distance. Golden State (7-5, 2-2) made 6 of 12 from beyond the arc in the first half, when it built a 49-32 lead. The Valkyries lead the WNBA with 12.1 treys per game and a 37.9% success rate from long range.
Williams sank three 3-pointers while Burton, Thornton and Salaun had two apiece. Burton went 9-for-11 at the free-throw line.
The Valkyries have won the first two in the season series, including a 95-79 home victory on May 10.
Akoa Makani, playing her sixth game after finishing her season in France, had six points and Thomas had four assists in a 13-0 run for a 16-10 Mercury lead in the first quarter. The Valkyries responded with a 12-2 run for a 22-18 edge.
The Valkyries closed the second quarter on an 18-5 run to take a 49-32 halftime lead, their largest advantage to that point. Burton had 10 points in the period as Golden State outscored Phoenix 27-14. Thomas and Mercury teammate Kahleah Copper were given technical fouls during the half-ending stretch.
Thomas scored 13 points in the third quarter, when the Mercury outscored the Valkyries 29-17. Golden State led 66-61 entering the fourth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dan + Shay, Jason Sudeikis slated to appear before U.S.'s Cup opener
Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay poses on the red carpet of the 58th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville on Nov. 20, 2024. Dan + Shay will sing the national anthem and the star of “Ted Lasso,” Jason Sudeikis, also will participate in the pregame festivities ahead of the United States’ opening World Cup match.
The U.S. will face Paraguay on Friday in Inglewood, Calif. Purahei Soul will perform the Paraguayan national anthem.
In a Tuesday press release, FIFA announced that Sudeikis “will welcome fans to Los Angeles and celebrate the unifying power of football on the world’s biggest stage.”
The pregame show already was scheduled to include performers Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.
FIFA has scheduled headline entertainers for performances ahead of the World Cup openers in all three of the co-host nations. Mexico plays its first match on Thursday against South Africa in Mexico City, while Canada opens on Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.
–Field Level Media
Sports
USWNT use own goal to earn friendly split in Brazil
Apr 11, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; United States forward Sophia Wilson (11) runs on the pitch during the first half against Japan at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Sophia Wilson was involved again in her team’s goal and the visiting United States women’s national team survived a physical encounter in Tuesday night’s 1-0 friendly victory over host Brazil in Fortaleza.
Wilson’s match-winning shot was ultimately credited as an own goal after it deflected off defender Isabela Chagas past the wrong-footed Lorena in the 63rd minute.
It came following her 25th international goal in a 2-1 loss to the same Brazilian side in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
Brazil finished with nine players after two stoppage-time ejections. Bia Zaneratto was sent off for earning her second yellow card in the fourth minute of stoppage time, and referee Paola Cebollada Lopez sent off Tarciane for elbowing Wilson in the ninth.
Home side manager Arthur Elias and several assistants were also dismissed from the technical area during the second half.
Lorena made six saves for the Selecao, which will host next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup. Her counterpart Claudia Dickey kept her ninth international clean sheet without making a save.
Brazil’s Dudinha exited the match on a stretcher just after the half-hour mark after absorbing an apparent right leg injury. She was spotted on the team bench using crutches after halftime.
Wilson’s ability on the dribble helped her side take a deserved lead midway through the second half.
Pressured by Isadora Haas on the right flank, Wilson split Haas and Aline Gomes to dribble toward the top of the penalty arc.
From there, her low shot deflected off Chagas, leaving Lorena with no hope of reacting in time to make the save.
Olivia Moultrie nearly doubled the lead three minutes later on the break, striking the left post with her low attempt with only Lorena to beat.
Wilson had the first threatening opportunity for the visitors in the 20th minute, cutting in from the left flank and forcing Lorena into a lunging save.
And in first-half stoppage time, Lorena made a sensational double save to keep the hosts level, denying Emma Sears with her right hand, then recovering to smother Wilson’s rebound attempt with her left.
In the 55th minute, Rose Lavelle sprinted onto Wilson’s throughball for a one-on-one look against Lorena, but sent her effort just wide of the left post.
–Field Level Media
Sports
In MLB debut, White Sox's Braden Montgomery hits walk-off HR vs. Braves
Jun 9, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery (24) takes the field during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Braden Montgomery belted a game-ending, two-run homer in the 10th inning in his major league debut to lift the host Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 victory against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.
Montgomery, the White Sox’s No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, connected against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (0-1) in the bottom of the 10th after Atlanta’s Mauricio Dubon hit a go-ahead RBI single against Grant Taylor on the first pitch of the top half.
Called up from Triple-A Charlotte before the game, Montgomery went 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
Chicago didn’t hold the lead until its final swing and picked up its fifth walk-off victory of the season.
Matt Olson homered twice for the Braves while Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris II added three hits apiece.
Miguel Vargas hit a two-run shot and Jacob Gonzalez had two hits and an RBI for the White Sox.
Olson provided the early power with his first multihomer effort of the season. He delivered a two-run blast against White Sox opener Brandon Eisert in the first inning and added a solo shot against Erick Fedde in the third.
Atlanta raced to a 4-0 lead entering the bottom of the third but Chicago chipped away with Vargas’ two-run home run in the bottom half. Montgomery brought the White Sox within 4-3 with an RBI single — his first career hit — against Braves starter Grant Holmes in the fourth.
Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left the game with left hamstring tightness in the fourth. Batting with one out, the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year and 2023 NL MVP hit a ground ball to Vargas at third. The throw narrowly beat Acuna, who hobbled down the right field line after running through the bag.
Eli White replaced Acuna in right field. White preserved a one-run Braves lead in the sixth, erasing Derek Hill at the plate to end the inning after Sam Antonacci lined a single to right. The call was upheld on replay after a White Sox challenge.
Chicago tied the game at 4-all on a Gonzalez RBI single in the seventh.
Holmes took a no-decision, scattering three runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. Fedde yielded two runs (one earned) and six hits in five innings while striking out four.
Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of Ronald, started at shortstop for Chicago as Colson Montgomery, no relation to Braden, missed the game due to back tightness.
Taylor (2-0) yielded an unearned run and two hits in two innings with one strikeout.
–Field Level Media
