Mbappé Powers France Into World Cup Quarterfinals With 1-0 Win Over Paraguay
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kylian Mbappé notched his 19th career World Cup goal, lifting France to a 1-0 victory over Paraguay in brutal heat and sending Les Bleus into the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive time. Temperatures hovered near 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) throughout the match, with an extreme heat warning in effect. Mbappé converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute to break a scoreless deadlock against a tough, defense-first Paraguay squad. The penalty was awarded after a video review determined Diego Gomez tripped Mbappé. France will next face Morocco on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Mbappé One Goal Behind Messi on All-Time World Cup List
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Mbappé’s penalty against Paraguay was his seventh goal of this tournament, pulling him even with Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race for the tournament’s top scorer. The goal came in the 70th minute of his 19th World Cup appearance, when Mbappé used a stutter-step to beat Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Messi holds the all-time World Cup scoring record, and Mbappé now trails him by just one goal overall.
Morocco Rolls Past Canada 3-0, Becomes First African Nation to Reach Quarterfinals Twice
HOUSTON (AP) — Azzedine Ounahi scored twice as Morocco dominated Canada 3-0 in the Round of 16 on Saturday, making Morocco the first African country to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals on more than one occasion. The victory builds on Morocco’s landmark run in 2022, when the team became the first African nation to reach the semifinals. For Canada, a co-host of this World Cup, the loss ends a memorable run that included the country’s first-ever knockout stage victory — a 1-0 win over South Africa.
Eala Stuns Swiatek at Wimbledon; Rybakina Also Eliminated
LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon’s title defense by Iga Swiatek came to an abrupt end Saturday in a straight-set third-round defeat to 21-year-old Alexandra Eala of the Philippines. Eala made history as the first Filipino player — man or woman — to advance to the fourth round of a Grand Slam singles event. Swiatek had defeated Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in last year’s final. Shortly before Swiatek’s elimination, 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina was also knocked out in the third round, falling to Elise Mertens in straight sets. In another notable result, Madison Keys defeated sixth-seeded Anisimova 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in an all-American matchup on the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
Serena Williams’ Coach Cites Nerves and Closed Roof in Wimbledon Defeat
LONDON (AP) — One of Serena Williams’ coaches is opening up about what affected the 44-year-old’s performance in her first singles match in nearly four years. Coach Rennae Stubbs told The Associated Press that nerves played a role in Williams’ loss earlier this week at Wimbledon. Stubbs recalled a moment about an hour into the match: “I noticed her in the middle of the second set take a big sort of deep breath and I actually turned around to Venus and said, ‘Oh I think she just relaxed.’” Stubbs also shared that she resumed coaching Williams in March and immediately saw that the 23-time Grand Slam champion still had the ability to compete. Williams lost 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3 to 20-year-old Maya Joint of Australia on Tuesday.
Serena Williams Pulls Out of Wimbledon Doubles Due to Knee Injury
LONDON (AP) — Serena Williams has withdrawn from her scheduled doubles partnership with sister Venus at Wimbledon, citing a right knee injury. The 44-year-old sustained the injury during her singles return earlier in the week, at the end of the first set of a three-set loss. Williams addressed the situation on Instagram, writing: “I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles. Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete.” Her post included photos of four syringes, which she said showed “the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match.”
Mexico Hosts England in High-Stakes World Cup Round of 16 at Estadio Azteca
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s four-decade quest to return to the World Cup quarterfinals reaches a defining moment Sunday when El Tri takes on England in the Round of 16 at home. The match is being called arguably the most significant game in Mexican football history. Mexico has an extraordinary record at the Estadio Azteca, which opened in 1966 — the national team has lost there just twice, with the most recent defeat coming against Honduras in September 2013. Mexico has not allowed a single goal at the venue during this World Cup.
Egypt Coach Waves Palestinian Flag After World Cup Victory
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan took to the pitch holding a Palestinian flag following his team’s win over Australia in the World Cup. Hassan dedicated the victory to both Egyptians and Palestinians, saying his heart is with them. Egypt advanced from the elimination round for the first time in its history on Friday, defeating Australia on penalty kicks after a draw. Video of Hassan with the flag spread widely online, with crowds chanting “free Palestine.” The gesture came amid widespread pro-Palestinian demonstrations linked to the ongoing war in Gaza. Whether FIFA will take disciplinary action remains unclear, as the governing body has previously moved to limit political displays on the field.
Messi Scores 20th World Cup Goal, Extends Record Streak and Leads Golden Boot Race
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi has now scored in eight consecutive World Cup matches, a record-extending streak that grew Friday when Argentina’s captain found the net in the 29th minute against Cape Verde. The goal was the 20th of Messi’s World Cup career, pushing him two ahead of France’s Mbappé on the all-time list. Messi now has seven goals in this tournament — one more than Mbappé — giving him the lead in the Golden Boot race. He has scored 12 times across his last eight World Cup appearances. Argentina held on for a 3-2 win in extra time.
Boston’s Aroldis Chapman Sets MLB Record for Strikeouts as a Reliever
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman has broken a major league record that had gone untouched for more than 50 years. The 38-year-old Cuban left-hander struck out the Angels’ Denzer Guzman for the 1,364th strikeout of his career as a reliever, surpassing a mark set by Hall of Fame knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, whose 21-year career wrapped up in 1972. It was Chapman’s 1,364th career strikeout across 17 seasons with seven teams. The Red Sox honored the milestone in their clubhouse at Angel Stadium, playing a video retrospective of Chapman’s career for his younger teammates.
