INDIANAPOLIS | Christian Pulisic's injury status became the biggest World Cup question for the United States, Atlanta stopped Indiana's winning streak in a high-scoring WNBA game, North Carolina and Oklahoma reached the College World Series final and Wyndham Clark seized early control of the U.S. Open before darkness suspended play.
Pulisic questionable for U.S.-Australia
Pulisic remains a doubt for the United States' Group D match against Australia in Seattle after dealing with a calf issue from the Americans' opening victory over Paraguay. Reuters reported that his availability remained uncertain as the U.S. prepared for a match that could shape the team's path through the expanded World Cup group stage.
The U.S. opened with a 4-1 win over Paraguay, creating early momentum, but Australia presents a different test. A result against Australia would help the Americans control their route toward the knockout round. Pulisic's possible absence would change the attacking structure, forcing the U.S. to lean more heavily on depth, pressing and chance creation from other players.
Australia becomes a real Group D test
Australia has a chance to show that its opening performance was not a one-off. The Socceroos have grown into a team comfortable in difficult tournament settings, and a match against a co-host in Seattle gives them both a challenge and an opportunity. The expected atmosphere, midday conditions and U.S. injury uncertainty all make the game more complicated than the group table alone suggests.
For the United States, the key is not only whether Pulisic plays. It is whether the team can stay disciplined if the match becomes physical or stretched. A strong start would ease pressure. A slow start would invite Australia to treat the game as a chance to seize the group.
Dream halt Fever's winning streak
Atlanta beat Indiana 108-101 Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, ending the Fever's four-game winning streak. The result came after Indiana had built momentum behind improved offensive balance and a run of strong home performances.
Angel Reese led one of the night's central storylines for Atlanta, while Indiana still received major scoring from its backcourt. The game had the intensity expected from a matchup involving Reese, Caitlin Clark and two teams trying to define themselves in the Eastern Conference. For the Fever, the loss does not erase the progress of the previous week, but it does show how thin the margin can be when defensive stops do not match offensive production.
Clark and Mitchell keep Indiana close
Indiana's offense again generated enough points to win on many nights. The problem was Atlanta's ability to answer, attack the glass and keep pressure on the Fever defense. High-scoring losses can be deceptive because they hide the possessions where a stop, rebound or transition-control moment would have changed the game.
The rematch schedule gives the Fever little time to sit with the result. Indiana's next task is to determine whether Thursday was a defensive lapse or a sign that opponents are finding ways to pull the Fever into games where they have to score perfectly to survive.
College World Series final is set
North Carolina and Oklahoma advanced to the Men's College World Series final in Omaha. NCAA.com reported that North Carolina beat West Virginia 12-7 and Oklahoma beat Georgia 11-4 to reach the best-of-three championship series.
The matchup gives North Carolina another chance to chase its first national title and gives Oklahoma a shot at its first championship since 1994. Both teams reached the final by surviving the pressure of Omaha, where pitching depth, bullpen management and defensive mistakes can change a season in one inning.
White Sox stun Yankees
In Major League Baseball, Andrew Benintendi delivered one of Thursday's biggest swings with a pinch-hit grand slam that lifted the Chicago White Sox past the New York Yankees 5-1. Reuters reported that the win ended a nine-game White Sox skid at Yankee Stadium and stopped New York's four-game winning streak.
The result matters less for the standings than for the reminder that late-inning bullpen matchups can flip a game instantly. Chicago needed one swing to change the tone of a road series, while the Yankees were left with a missed chance to finish a sweep.
Wyndham Clark leads U.S. Open before darkness
At the U.S. Open, Wyndham Clark surged four shots clear before darkness suspended first-round play at Shinnecock Hills. The Guardian reported that Clark, the 2023 champion, reached six under through 16 holes as calm conditions helped late starters produce movement on the leaderboard.
Clark's start gives the tournament a clear early leader, but Shinnecock is not a course that lets anyone coast. Weather, wind, firmer greens and the delayed completion of Round 1 can quickly change the shape of the championship. Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and other contenders still have time to recover or move.
What comes next
Friday's sports calendar centers on U.S.-Australia and Pulisic's availability. The Fever must quickly adjust after a loss that exposed defensive issues. The College World Series moves toward a North Carolina-Oklahoma final, and the U.S. Open resumes with Clark trying to convert an incomplete first round into a true tournament command position.
Scores, injuries and tee-time conditions can change quickly during live competition. Readers should use official league and tournament sources for final lineups, box scores and updated standings.
Additional Reporting By: Reuters U.S. Soccer Reporting; The Guardian World Cup Reporting; WNBA; NCAA.com; Reuters MLB Roundup; The Guardian U.S. Open Reporting.