Indiana Fever rivals brutally troll Caitlin Clark's glamorous enforcer Sophie Cunningham after crushing defeat
The Fever were highly expected to defeat the Sparks, who were in the penultimate spot in the WNBA standings, yet blew a late lead to derail the major momentum the Clark-less Indiana squad had built over the several previous days.
During the high point for the Fever, Cunning ham spoke out about the WNBA's latest expansion news, stating how she thought Detroit and Cleveland were unideal cities for new league teams.
Now, the Sparks have made sure to twist the knife a little more after the defeat with a cheeky social-media post.
'List of cities Indiana has beef with: Detroit, Cleveland, Los Angeles,' a Sparks post on X read, with the City of Angels bolded.
Clark missed her fifth game in a row on Saturday night with a groin issue, with some fans believing the Fever were actually better off without their star player on the court after two dominant wins over the Minnesota Lynx and Las Vegas Aces.
In the loss to the Fever, Cunningham had four points in 23 minutes of action, the most for non-Indiana starter.
Last month, Cunningham was ejected from a game against the Connecticut Sun after committing a flagrant foul and instigating a brawl, which some viewed as evening the score for the team's physical nature on Clark.
The explosive game escalated to a shocking level in the second half when Jacy Sheldon appeared to jab Clark in the eye. In defense, the Fever star retaliated by giving Sheldon a nudge away from her only for Marina Mabrey to step in and slam Clark to the ground.
The team now has even records with and without Clark in their lineup, as they are 4-4 with her on the court and 5-5 with the phenom watching from the sidelines.
Clark could return to the court on Wednesday night when the Fever host the expansion Golden State Valkyries.
The former Iowa guard missed five games at the beginning of the WNBA season with a quadriceps injury and has no stated timetable for her return to the court in present day.
Saturday's miserable loss is two weeks before the WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis, where Clark was voted a captain despite her multiple absences.
She was named an All-Star Game captain by being one of the two players receiving the most fan votes. Lynx star Napheesa Collier and Clark will now have the opportunity to draft from a pool of the other WNBA All-Stars to create two teams ahead of the festivities.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Mexico 2-1 USA: El Tri wins Gold Cup title in dominant fashion
Update: Date: 2025-07-07T01:39:46.000Z Title: Topic A for the', 'USA', 'is … Content: Mexico won the 2025 Gold Cup title after Edson Álvarez's winning goal in the second half. Read Beau Dure's minute-by-minute report. Beau Dure Mon 7 Jul 2025 02.26 BST First published on Sun 6 Jul 2025 22.30 BST 2.26am BST 02:26 Last word to Scott Martin: 'In the referee's defense, He has a solid 'not a foul' signal, and it would be a shame not to use it.' I warm up for games by yelling 'advantage' a lot. I should probably stop using that as a crutch. But these games are incredibly difficult to officiate, and it would've taken some baffling decisions to give the USA a chance in this one against a superlative Mexican team. Good night to those in the USA, and happy Monday to those in other time zones. 2.24am BST 02:24 Topic A for the USA is … … who took advantage of their teammates' absences to stake a claim for the World Cup roster? I don't know that anyone surprised us with their standout play here except perhaps Alex Freeman. Malik Tillman and Diego Luna already have a decent amount of buzz. Maybe Matt Freese, with his penalty shootout heroics against Costa Rica? Still a very long way to go. 2.20am BST 02:20 Landon Donovan: 'Other guys kind of fell apart during the match.' The USA won the Fair Play Award. It's presented to Ream, who poses with USSF president Cindy Cone. Mexico's Luis Malagon wins the Golden Glove. Honestly, he was a bit lucky on the saves he made tonight, but it's hard to fault him on the goal. Edson Alvarez gets the 'best player' award. 2.15am BST 02:15 Tim Ream's interview is abruptly cut short because the people at the desk apparently needed to say something. He was saying something about calmness. Not sure if he meant Mexico having it or the USA not having it. 2.13am BST 02:13 The great drummer Neil Peart once said of an album release by his band, Rush, that it's everything you hate about Rush. This game was everything you hate about Concacaf. Cynical fouls, with a referee struggling to keep pace. An awkward playing surface – specifically, grass trucked in and put over artificial turf. US supporters being outnumbered in the crowd by their opponents. An opening ceremony that left a thick haze in the stadium through much of the game. And a dreadful game by the US team. They make take some positives from this tournament, but they can take no positives from this game. They were outplayed in every aspect of the game in nearly every minute. The absences, of course, were noteworthy. No Christian Pulisic. No Weston McKennie. No Antonee Robinson. But several of these players will be disappointed in their performances tonight, and rightly so. The Fox Sports crew is spinning it as a way for the younger players to gain experience. To be sure, that's true for Alex Freeman (age 20), Damion Downs (21) and Diego Luna (21), all of whom had some good moments in this tournament. Malik Tillman is still 23, though a game like this will age someone quickly. But the 2-1 score flatters the USA. This could've been so much worse. Full credit, however, to Mexico. This is a team that knows how to possess the ball and knows how to win it back. Their lack of finishing acumen will limit their progress in the World Cup, but in Concacaf, they are absolutely the top team of 2025. Updated at 2.14am BST 2.05am BST 02:05 Call it what you like, but don't call it undeserved. 2.03am BST 02:03 90 min +7: Aaronson bundles the ball over his own goal line to concede a corner. 2.02am BST 02:02 90 min +5: In roughly the amount of time it takes a first-time novelist to complete a draft, Mexico take a throw-in. The USA go off to the races when they get it back, and Montes simply takes the ball away from Freeman. 2.01am BST 02:01 90 min +4: Freeman tries to switch the point of attack, but Vega sees it all the way and easily picks it off. 2.00am BST 02:00 90 min +3: Ruiz with a timely step to break up a US attack. The seams in the grass are plainly visible. Footing has been a problem at times. 1.59am BST 01:59 90 min +2: Whatever the USA tried to do off that free kick didn't work. But Ream knocks it forward, and it's a CHANCE for the USA. Downs, perhaps thinking he was offside, leaves the ball for Agyebang, who doesn't make clean contact. That was very close to a stunning equalizer. 1.58am BST 01:58 90 min: We should have about 800 minutes of stoppage time. We'll have seven. Actually, that's probably about right. But add on to that – Freeman is down after being shoved to the ground. Free kick for the USA near the sideline, 40 yards from goal. 1.56am BST 01:56 88 min: Aaronson rolls a couple of times after being tripped. Gimenez, who just came into the game, is down. Seems suspicious, but a closeup shows a finger that bent in a way you do not want fingers to bend. 1.54am BST 01:54 87 min: After spending a few minutes on the substitutions, play resumes with the USA getting a couple of touches in the Mexican penalty area. 1.53am BST 01:53 85 min: A brilliant slide tackle from Alvarez stops Agyemang's promising run. Raul Jimenez gets a yellow card for time-wasting as he takes an epoch or two to leave the field as he's subbed out for Gimenez. Reyes replaces Sanchez. Huerta comes on for Alvarado, who had a tremendous game. Tolkin replaces Arfsten, which seems a bit unfortunate. Aaronson replaces Luna. 1.51am BST 01:51 83 min: Alvarado shoots wide, then drops the ground. Possible cramp. Or time-wasting. Gimenez and Huerta are about to come on Mexico; Aaronson and Tolkin for the USA. 1.49am BST 01:49 82 min: McGlynn replaces the ineffective Adams, who kicks something on the bench in frustration. 1.46am BST 01:46 The VAR decision is that Alvarez barely stayed on. I suppose, but given the way the freeze-frame technology usually finds some fingernail in an offside position, I don't know that I buy it. 1.45am BST 01:45 At least for now. The ball is played across the area, off one Mexican player's head and then off Alvarez's head and into the net. But he's offside. Or … 1.43am BST 01:43 76 min: Strong defensive play from Berhalter near the top of the penalty area, but Mexico regain possession, and Luna is called for a foul. The ball is near the far sideline. 1.42am BST 01:42 74 min: Mexico bring in Pineda for the youngster Mora, who certainly made his presence felt in this game. 1.40am BST 01:40 73 min: Alvarado has a sliver of space, but the US defense swarm to take it away. 1.39am BST 01:39 72 min: Pochettino sent Downs into the game with instructions to be relayed to his teammates, and it appears they were not correctly relayed. The team are in disarray. 1.38am BST 01:38 71 min: Against all odds and all stats, this game is still 1-1. Mexico gets their 11th corner kick. The USA have none. 1.36am BST 01:36 69 min: US sub: Downs for de la Torre. Today is Downs' 21st birthday, so if the USA were to somehow win this, he'd be allowed to taste the champagne. 1.35am BST 01:35 67 min: Vega's cross sails across the front of the net, and Richards chests it out for a corner. Replay shows the defender certainly put a hand on the ball while it was sitting on the ground. From a common-sense point of view, I can understand why that wasn't called, but from a Laws of the Game perspective, I don't. 1.33am BST 01:33 67 min: Arfsten beats one defender but not the next, but the defender puts a hand down to the ground and … maybe handles the ball? 1.32am BST 01:32 65 min: Mexico's eighth corner kick is deflected for Mexico's ninth corner kick. But we'll pause as the ref notices the two Mexican players once again giving Berhalter a noogie. 1.31am BST 01:31 64 min: Adams slams into Alvarado and is surprised to be called for a foul. Joe Pearson: 'According to the ELO rankings (not the band), Mexico are 22, USA are 40. Seems about right.' Speaking of Elo ratings, congratulations to Magnus Carlsen for breaking the 2900 mark. 1.29am BST 01:29 61 min: Tillman slides through two Mexican players and is called for fouling at least one of them. Before that, a half-chance for the USA as a through ball pops into space, but Malagon alertly races out of his goal to play the ball. He was probably getting bored. 1.26am BST 01:26 58 min: As a referee myself (very, very low level), I hate to criticize the people with the whistles, but after a sound decision to establish control early by blowing the whistle often, he seems to have misplaced it. Tillman is just getting clobbered out there. 'His threshold for a foul is insanely high,' says one person on the refereeing forum I peruse. Hey – foul called as Agyemang is held like a long-lost brother at midfield. Updated at 1.27am BST 1.24am BST 01:24 56 min: Just an embarrassing sequence for the US defense there, as Alvarado goes 1-on-2 and arguably wins. Then a desperate lunge masquerading as a slide tackle fails to do the task, and in the end, it's a deflected shot/cross that Freese awkwardly punches out for a corner. Then no one is marking Vega, and his cross slams into Freese and, to the US keeper's relief, stays under him. 1.22am BST 01:22 55 min: Tillman is mauled at midfield, and while our intermittently attentive referee blows the whistle, he still takes the time to let everyone know he doesn't appreciate that. Updated at 1.28am BST 1.21am BST 01:21 54 min: CHANCE for the USA, with Arfsten getting into the attack, faking out one defender and launching a shot that goes just over the far upper corner. 1.19am BST 01:19 53 min: Presumably, the US will have another touch on the ball before the game ends. 1.18am BST 01:18 51 min: CHANCE for Mexico, and that was so close. Alvarado, from near one corner of the penalty area, just misses the far post. 1.17am BST 01:17 50 min: The Turf Monster causes a Mexican attacker to trip. About time the USA's most consistent defender made an appearance. 1.16am BST 01:16 49 min: Jiménez lofts a cross from the right flank, and this time it's Freeman doing just enough to disrupt the attack. Mexico attack again, and Richards has to scramble back to knock it out for a corner. Updated at 1.19am BST 1.15am BST 01:15 48 min: Ream wins a header to stop a promising Mexican attack. It still looks too easy for Mexico to make incisive passes, while the USA have had … one? Maybe? 1.13am BST 01:13 47 min: The USA start by stringing a few passes together, which is an improvement. 1.12am BST 01:12 Second half is underway … and it's still hazy. 1.08am BST 01:08 Kurt Perleberg asks how far a full-strength US team can go in the World Cup next year. I'll say Seattle. 1.02am BST 01:02 Stat time Concacaf has some intriguing stats, including the aforementioned 'touchmap' that was, until now, more or less devoid of US touches in the Mexican penalty area. The Jimenez goal was graded at 0.149 'expected goals.' I'd have expected more. Freeman's shot was actually higher – 0.152. Mexico has a 5-0 edge in corner kicks, a 10-2 advantage in interceptions, and 298 passes to the USA's 162. They completed 85.9% of their passing attempts; the USA clocked in at 76.5%. The USA have an edge in something they probably don't want – clearances (27-7). Good news – the foul count has slowed. Just six a side at halftime, though the referee made several correct advantage calls and several possibly incorrect no-calls. 12.56am BST 00:56 Mexico have dominated, and yet the USA should consider themselves unlucky not to be up 2-1 right now. 12.55am BST 00:55 45 min +1: A minute ago, the US had exactly one touch on the ball in the Mexican penalty area. They nearly made it two goals on two touches, as the onrushing Freeman heads the ball straight into the face of the fortunate Malagon. The ball stays in the area, and the USA have a couple of potential shouts for a penalty, though they don't make a big deal of it. It ends up with Luna blasting the ball high. 12.53am BST 00:53 44 min: YELLOW to Montes for banging into Agyemang as the US forward was about to get past the defender. It's not a red card because Agyemang was too far to the side for it to be a 'last man' situation (or 'DOGSO' in ref speak). Updated at 1.17am BST 12.51am BST 00:51 43 min: Winston Smith takes me to task for neglecting to mention Jimenez's tribute to Diogo Jota after his goal. The soccer world is a small one in many ways, and Diogo Jota clearly touched so many people. Jimenez played with him at Wolves. Updated at 1.15am BST 12.50am BST 00:50 42 min: Another corner, and two Mexican players are giving Berhalter a noogie. Not sure why our referee is allowing it to continue. 12.48am BST 00:48 40 min: Mora shoots from 22 yards, and Freese probably should've held that ball rather than palming it wide and conceding a corner. 12.47am BST 00:47 39 min: Berhalter has dropped to right back, with Freeman pushing forward. It's working in the sense that the USA still have possession, but it's not going anywhere.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Taylor v Serrano 3 – all you need to know
Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano face off in the ring for a third time on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New trilogy encounter is unprecedented for a major female boxing rivalry and Taylor is two wins to the good against both fights were incredibly close and so the multiple-weight world champions return to the scene of their first, now classic, 2022 is also a stacked undercard with Britain's Ellie Scotney, Ramla Ali, Savannah Marshall and Chantelle Cameron all in you need to know about the event is below. How to follow Taylor v Serrano 3 on the BBC? Live text commentary will begin from 01:00 BST on the BBC Sport website and will be able to follow most of the undercard, including Scotney and Marshall's world title Sport will bring you daily coverage from New York in fight week with Steve Bunce delivering episodes of his 5 Live Boxing with Steve Bunce podcast. What time is Taylor v Serrano 3? Alycia Baumgardner's world title defence is the co-main event, meaning Marshall and Scotney will probably fight between 01:30 and 02: and Serrano are expected to make their ringwalks around 03:30 BST. Who is on Taylor v Serrano undercard and what is the running order? How many rounds and what weight is Taylor v Serrano 3? Taylor and Serrano have already shared 20 rounds together and their latest fight is scheduled for ten, two minute first fight was at lightweight and the rematch was at light-welterweight. The trilogy will also be at light-welterweight. Taylor v Serrano fight week schedule Tuesday - open workouts from 22:00 BST The Oculus World Trade Center hosts the workouts which will see every fighter in the ring from 17:00 local - news conference from 23:00 BSTAll boxers will gather for the news conference at the the Theater inside Madison Square Garden from 18:00 local - weigh-in from 23:00 BSTThe Theater hosts the public weigh-in from 18:00 local time. Many of the fighters will weigh in earlier in the day before doing another weigh-in in front of fans. How do Taylor and Serrano's records compare? Taylor and Serrano have two of the best records in boxing, not just the women's is a seven-weight world champion while Taylor is among an elite club in the modern era to win undisputed titles in two weight 39, has 24 wins and just one loss on her record, a 2023 defeat by Cameron she avenged in her next 36, is one of the most experienced pro-female fighters on the scene today with 47 wins, three losses and one draw on her has two victories over Serrano, while the other defeat was way back in 2012 at super-featherweight to Frida saw in the first fight how their styles gelled perfectly and just how many punches were thrown between them. A combined 320 punches were landed over the 10 rounds and after 20 rounds that figure rose to 861 won a narrow split decision in an instant classic at MSG three years Irishwoman suffered her first defeat since then while Serrano became undisputed champion at featherweight as she amassed five more fight last November was another epic as Taylor leaned on her reactions and experience while a badly cut Serrano refused to take a backwards step. Remarkably, after 40 minutes we still haven't seen a knockdown. Who won Taylor v Serrano 1 & 2? Taylor and Serrano's two fights couldn't have been much closer. The first encounter was a split decision for Taylor while the rematch was a little wider for the and grit for both women was a massive factor in each fight, with Taylor digging deep to stay on her feet at MSG before Serrano battled through a terrible cut above her eye through much of the rematch in Texas. On both occasions, Serrano slammed her foot on the gas from the very first bell, throwing a huge amount of punches. She out-landed Taylor in both fights, with 324 punches to Taylor's 217 in the the volume wasn't enough for Serrano as she failed to put a real dent in Taylor. The defending champion used her counters and speed to deal with the onslaught and landed more of the meatier Serrano had visibly hurt Taylor in the first fight, she was unable to rock her rival in the either woman come out with a different game plan for the trilogy or will we see another all-action firefight?
Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
Two-time champ Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber decline HR Derby invites
July 7 - Two-time champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets said Sunday that he will not be participating in the Home Run Derby this year in Atlanta. Alonso won the popular event that is held one day before the All-Star Game in 2019 and 2021. He had been a participant in each of the last five times the event was held. "I just decided not to do it this year," Alonso told reporters on Sunday of the July 14 event. "I have never really fully enjoyed the three off-days, so I just want to be in the best possible position to help this team win in the second half. "I'm in a groove with certain things. I definitely will do it again. It doesn't mean no forever. Alonso was chosen to play in the All-Star Game for the fifth time. He is batting .287 with 20 homers and 73 RBIs in 91 games. Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber also said Sunday that he won't be part of the derby. He participated in 2018 and 2022. It's a good bet Schwarber will strongly consider being part of the competition next year when the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby are held in Philadelphia. "I'm not going to do the Home Run Derby," Schwarber said Sunday of the 2025 event. "Maybe see what happens next year." Schwarber was named to the All-Star team for the third time in his career on Sunday. He is batting .251 with 27 homers and 63 RBIs in 90 games. Other players expected to pass on the event are Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are just three confirmed participants with the Home Run Derby being held a week from Monday -- Seattle Mariners star Cal Raleigh (35 homers), emerging Washington Nationals slugger James Wood (23) and Atlanta Braves standout Ronald Acuna Jr., who has nine homers in 40 games since missing nearly 12 months due to an ACL injury. --Field Level Media
