Heartbreak at SoFi; Gray Magic lifts Aces
Türkiye nips the USMNT 3-2 in a wild stoppage-time thriller, but SoFi Stadium continues to steal the World Cup show. Plus, the Aces dominate in Vegas.
Good morning! What a dramatic night at SoFi Stadium. The USMNT suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Türkiye after a late stoppage-time goal, but the real story remains the incredible World Cup atmosphere in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, in Las Vegas, the Aces found their rhythm again with some late-game ‘Gray magic’ to dominate the Wings, and the Lakers continue to build out their future roster with fresh undrafted free-agent talent. Let’s dive into a packed Friday edition.
🚨 HEADLINES
⚽ Heartbreak at SoFi. Türkiye nips the USMNT 3-2 in a wild stoppage-time thriller to close out the World Cup group stage finale — Zach Cavanagh reports from SoFi Stadium.
🌎 World Cup Weirdness. From unusual VAR calls to unexpected tournament drama, bizarre moments took center stage last night at SoFi Stadium — Steve Carp breaks it down in his column from SoFi Stadium.
🏀 Gray Magic in Vegas. Chelsea Gray and a lethal bench spark powered the Las Vegas Aces to a commanding 99-84 bounce-back win over the Dallas Wings — Arion Armeniakos reporting from Michelob ULTRA Arena.
🏀 Future Lakers Arrive. Los Angeles adds two more intriguing undrafted free agent prospects on Exhibit 10 deals as roster building gets underway — Carlos Yakimowich with the details from Los Angeles.
⚾ Padres Complete Sweep. JP Sears and the San Diego Padres shut down the Atlanta Braves 5-2 at Petco Park to lock up an impressive series sweep — James Newell from downtown San Diego.
📋 SCOREBOARD — THURSDAY, JUNE 25
⚽ WORLD CUP: Türkiye 3, USA 2 · Australia 0, Paraguay 0
🏀 WNBA: Aces 99, Wings 84
⚽ TÜRKIYE STUNS USMNT IN STOPPAGE TIME; SOFI STEALS THE SHOW
It was a night of pure theater at SoFi Stadium. The U.S. Men’s National Team went toe-to-toe with Türkiye in a thrilling group stage finale, only to see victory slip away in the dying seconds of stoppage time as Türkiye secured a 3-2 win. Despite the heartbreaking finish, the broader narrative belongs to the venue itself. As Arash Markazi notes, SoFi Stadium has completely stolen the show this month, delivering unmatched energy and production value that establishes it as the crown jewel of the tournament.
GO DEEPER
› Zach Cavanagh: Türkiye nips USMNT in stoppage time to take group stage finale
› Steve Carp: Weirdness takes center stage at World Cup
› Arash Markazi: SoFi Stadium steals the show at World Cup
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📺 WATCHLIST — FRIDAY, JUNE 26
⚾ MLB: Dodgers at Padres — SportsNet LA — 6:45 p.m. PT
⚾ MLB: Athletics at Angels — ABTV — 7:10 p.m. PT
⚽ WORLD CUP: Iran vs. Egypt — FS1 — 8:00 p.m. PT
🎟️ GOING TO A GAME TODAY?
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⚾ MLB: Dodgers at Padres — Petco Park — $99
⚾ MLB: Athletics at Angels — Angel Stadium — $3
🌴 TWO-MARKET TRIVIA
Chelsea Gray put on a clinic last night to lead the Aces past the Dallas Wings. Which college did Gray attend before embarking on her stellar WNBA career?
Answer at the bottom.
🎧 THE SPORTING TRIBUNE TODAY
On today’s episode, the crew breaks down the USMNT’s wild 3-2 loss to Türkiye, evaluates the performance of the World Cup host cities, and reviews the Lakers’ newest roster depth moves. Catch it on your favorite podcast platform or via Westwood One Sports across Southern California and Las Vegas.
› Listen to the latest episode
Trivia answer: Duke. Chelsea Gray starred for the Blue Devils before becoming a multi-time WNBA champion and the focal point of the Aces’ ‘Gray magic.’
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