INDIANAPOLIS | The United States moved into the World Cup knockout round without Christian Pulisic, Wyndham Clark carried a four-shot U.S. Open lead into the weekend, North Carolina and Oklahoma prepared to open the College World Series final, and the Indiana Fever looked for a quick response after Atlanta ended their winning streak.
U.S. reaches the World Cup knockout round
The United States beat Australia 2-0 in Seattle on Friday to advance to the World Cup round of 32 with a group match still to play. The Americans played without Pulisic, who missed the match with a calf injury.
An own goal by Australia defender Cameron Burgess gave the U.S. an early lead, and Alex Freeman added a header before halftime. AP reported that Paraguay later beat Turkey 1-0, which secured the top spot in Group D for the United States.
The result gives the co-hosts six points from two matches and a stronger path into the expanded knockout stage. The U.S. faces Turkey next, while the round-of-32 match is scheduled for 1 July in Santa Clara, California.
Pulisic injury remains the U.S. question
Pulisic's absence did not stop the U.S. from controlling Australia, but his fitness remains one of the national team's biggest questions. Reuters reported before the match that Ricardo Pepi replaced Pulisic in the starting lineup.
The performance showed U.S. depth, but the knockout round will raise the standard. The next update to watch is whether Pulisic returns for the final group match or is held out to protect his calf for the knockout stage.
Clark leads the U.S. Open
Wyndham Clark holds a four-shot lead at the U.S. Open after two rounds at Shinnecock Hills. Reuters and The Guardian reported Clark reached seven under par, with Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Stevens and Tom Kim among the closest chasers at three under.
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy remained in the tournament at even par, while several major names missed the cut. Clark's lead is significant, but Shinnecock's wind, rough and greens can change the tournament quickly over the weekend.
College World Series final opens
North Carolina and Oklahoma open the Men's College World Series championship series Saturday in Omaha. NCAA.com lists Game 1 for 3 p.m. Eastern, with Game 2 set for Sunday and Game 3 scheduled Monday if necessary.
The final brings together a North Carolina team still chasing its first national title and an Oklahoma program seeking its first championship since 1994. Pitching depth, bullpen timing and defensive execution will shape the best-of-three series.
Dream stop Fever streak
Atlanta beat Indiana 108-101 Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, ending the Fever's four-game winning streak. Angel Reese finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while Caitlin Clark scored 26 points with seven assists.
The loss did not erase Indiana's recent progress, but it showed the Fever still need defensive answers against elite scoring and rebounding. The next meeting with Atlanta gives Indiana a chance to show whether the result was a one-night defensive slip or a matchup problem.
MLB roundup
In Major League Baseball, Reuters reported that the Athletics rallied from seven runs down to beat the Angels 12-11 on a walk-off walk in the 10th inning. The Cubs beat Toronto 16-2, the Yankees shut out Cincinnati 5-0 and Detroit edged the White Sox 4-3.
The baseball calendar remains crowded, but the weekend's national attention will be split between MLB series, the College World Series final, the U.S. Open and World Cup group-stage movement.
What comes next
Saturday's key sports watch points are the opening game of North Carolina-Oklahoma, Clark's third round at Shinnecock Hills and U.S. injury updates before the final World Cup group match. For Indianapolis readers, the Fever's response to Atlanta remains the local basketball thread to follow.
Additional Reporting By: Associated Press; Reuters World Cup Reporting; Reuters U.S. Open Reporting; The Guardian U.S. Open Reporting; NCAA.com; WNBA; Reuters MLB Roundup.