INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The coach of Iran’s World Cup team says it was ordered to leave the U.S. and return to its training base in Mexico only a few hours after opening its politically charged tournament by playing to a 2-2 draw with New Zealand. Coach Amir Ghalenoei didn’t say who ordered the Iranians to leave earlier than planned. The team had expected to spend the night in California. The Iranians’ World Cup cycle has been in upheaval since the U.S. and Israel began a war against Iran on Feb. 28.
ATLANTA (AP) — Tiny Cape Verde pulled off a stunning result in its World Cup debut by holding heavily favored Spain scoreless in a 0-0 draw. An impressive performance by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha helped Cape Verde deny a victory by one of the favorites to win the tournament. The result was the biggest shock of the World Cup so far. And it might have been even better for Cape Verde. Diney Borges had a late chance to score, but saw his header saved by Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Iranian American demonstrators amassed outside Iran’s first World Cup match, waving the pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flags banned inside the stadium and calling for change in Tehran. Others on Monday filed into the stadium in wholehearted support of the team. Spectators both cheered and booed at Iran’s national anthem. Iran drew 2-2 with New Zealand near Los Angeles, home to the largest Iranian community outside Iran. Iran’s participation in the World Cup has been fraught with conflict due to the ongoing war with U.S. and Israeli forces. Many diaspora community members say they’re also upset over FIFA’s rules barring political flags in the stadium.
Transfer quarterback Brendan Sorsby will not play for Texas Tech this fall. He is instead planning to enter the NFL supplemental draft. That will end an unprecedented legal fight over the college eligibility of a player who had acknowledged betting on college and pro sports, including some wagers on his own team while a freshman at Indiana four years ago. The decision by Sorsby came exactly one week before the deadline to apply for the NFL supplemental draft. It was also on the same day the NCAA and Big 12 Conference had filings in different courts challenging a temporary injunction that cleared the way for Sorsby to play despite being declared ineligible after he acknowledged making thousands of bets worth at least $90,000 while in college.
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — The start of practice for the U.S. Open featured plenty of wind and limited activity at Shinnecock Hills. That's the way it's been trending at majors that move to a different course each year. Justin Thomas says nine holes is taking three hours because of all the practice on and around the greens. So more players have been doing what Jack Nicklaus did in his prime. They've come to Shinnecock Hills for practice ahead of U.S. Open week. It's a lot quieter with less traffic. Rory McIlroy says one reason for the busy practice rounds are people hanging around inside the ropes.
Serena and Venus Williams are bringing their doubles partnership back at Wimbledon. The All England Club has announced a doubles wild card invitation for the Williams sisters to the tournament which starts in less than two weeks. The move comes after 44-year-old Serena recently returned to competition after nearly four years away from professional tennis. Venus has still been competing sporadically and turns 46 on Wednesday. The Williams sisters have won 14 Grand Slam titles together in doubles including six at Wimbledon. Their last title together at Wimbledon came a decade ago and the first came more than a quarter century ago.
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (AP) — Norway is leaning into the country’s Viking heritage as its star-studded men’s team containing Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard heads into a first World Cup in 28 years. First it was their fans performing a synchronized “Viking row” in the stands at matches. Then it was their players dressing up in authentic Viking attire to the backdrop of a fjord for a moody, dramatic photo shoot on the rocky beach. It has created plenty of excitement and debate, with one commentator describing it as “chauvinistic.” The Norway fan routine sees lines of supporters rowing in unison to the steady beat of a drum. It could potentially have a similar impact to the “thunder clap” performed by Iceland's soccer fans.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lionel Messi and Argentina are ready to defend their World Cup title. For Messi, the tournament beginning Tuesday night against Algeria is another opportunity to burnish his legacy as one of the greatest soccer players ever. For La Albiceleste, the opportunity exists to become only the third nation to repeat as champions. Messi enters the World Cup having dealt with a minor hamstring injury, but he's been fit and relaxed in the few moments of training opened to reporters. He has not spoken to the media since his arrival with the national team, but those close to him have spoken glowingly about his importance not only to Argentina but soccer fans worldwide.
The U.S. drug czar portrayed a menu of changes to anti-doping protocols being proposed by a World Anti-Doping Agency panel in advance of the LA Olympics as moves that would “undermine the trustworthiness of the performances of competitors” at those games in two years. Sara Carter, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, sent an open letter to WADA and its stakeholders. It comes a day before an “extraordinary meeting” of the WADA executive committee at which it will discuss recommendations from a “working group” put together in the wake of a doping case involving Chinese swimmers.
CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong put his name in the Chicago Cubs’ record book next to Hall of Fame slugger Hack Wilson — and then nearly ruined the celebration at Wrigley Field. Crow-Armstrong completed the first cycle by a major leaguer this season with a seventh-inning single, then was promptly picked off first base by Colorado Rockies reliever Brennan Bernardino. Fortunately for Crow-Armstrong and the Cubs, they scored twice in the ninth to rally for a 5-4 victory. Crow-Armstrong, who was a single short of the cycle Saturday in San Francisco, hit a leadoff home run in the first inning, tripled off the wall in the third and doubled down the right-field line in the fifth. Wilson is the only other Cubs center fielder to hit for the cycle since 1901.
Finals
INTERLEAGUE
Final Washington 7 Kansas City 3
Final Arizona 4 L.A. Angels 3
Final Athletics 11 Pittsburgh 2
Final L.A. Dodgers 4 Tampa Bay 3
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Minnesota 4 Texas 2
Final Detroit 9 Houston 3
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 7 Miami 0
Final St. Louis 3 San Diego 0
Final Cincinnati 12 N.Y. Mets 0
Final Chicago Cubs 5 Colorado 4