Hi there! The intensity is building with high-stakes matches unfolding rapidly in the U.S., featuring the Club World Cup and Gold Cup. Both tournaments have already provided exciting moments as the knockout phases commence. I`m Pardeep Cattry, bringing you the latest as this busy summer of soccer continues.
📺 Footy Fix
All times U.S./Eastern
- Monday, June 30
- 🏆 CWC: Inter vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m.
- 🏆 CWC: Manchester City vs. Al-Hilal, 9 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 1
- 🏆 CWC: Real Madrid vs. Juventus, 3 p.m.
- 🏆 CWC: Borussia Dortmund vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m.
⚽ The Forward Line
🇺🇸 USMNT Survives in Penalty Shootout Win
The U.S. Men`s National Team faced a tough challenge on Sunday but secured their place in the semifinals after a dramatic match against Costa Rica. The game finished 2-2 after regular time, with the USMNT ultimately winning 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
The match began poorly for the U.S. when Max Arfsten conceded a penalty in the 11th minute, which Francisco Calvo converted to give Costa Rica a 1-0 lead. However, a spirited USMNT responded by creating numerous chances throughout the first half. Despite Malik Tillman missing a penalty in the 37th minute, Diego Luna`s equalizer in the 41st minute was a deserved reward for their pressure. Arfsten then put the U.S. ahead in the 49th minute. The U.S. team subsequently eased off, and paid the price when Alonso Martinez equalized in the 71st minute, forcing the game into penalties. In a tense shootout that went six rounds, goalkeeper Matt Freese made three crucial saves, and Damion Downs scored the decisive penalty to send the USMNT through.
Matt Freese had a standout performance, establishing himself as the unexpected first-choice goalkeeper in a tournament where coach Mauricio Pochettino is evaluating a broader player pool. While minutes might have initially seemed destined for Patrick Schulte or Zack Steffen, injuries made Freese the backup to Matt Turner. The 26-year-old, despite inconsistent previous showings, proved his worth in the shootout. Freese developed in MLS Next Pro, where matches skip extra time and go directly to penalties, contributing to his impressive record of six wins in seven shootouts across youth and senior levels, as he mentioned in a post-match interview.
- Freese: `Penalties are my thing. [On] the plane ride over here to Minnesota. I was studying the penalties. I`ve been studying them all week and was ready for it if we needed it, and the one that I didn`t move on [was a] suggestion from my goalkeeper coach Toni Jimenez.`
Freese is the latest USMNT player to make a name for himself during this Gold Cup campaign, which offers significant opportunities for less experienced players, joining Malik Tillman in this regard. He wasn`t the only one to impress on Sunday; Luna, a favorite of Pochettino for his competitive attitude, combined his drive with a vital goal against Costa Rica, while Arfsten played a key role in the USMNT`s dynamic start, overcoming his early penalty concession.
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🔗 Midfield Link Play
🏆 Heavyweights Take Charge at Club World Cup
The Club World Cup knockout stage is officially underway, with four teams already securing quarterfinal spots and the remaining four to be decided in the next couple of days. The Round of 16 featured a unique mix of teams, mostly from Europe and South America, but also included three representatives from other continents. As the knockouts progress, the favorites appear to be prevailing, and there`s a growing expectation that European teams might dominate the later stages.
Some results were more predictable than others, such as Paris Saint-Germain`s dominant 4-0 victory over Inter Miami on Sunday. Lionel Messi had limited impact as the last MLS team in the competition was comfortably defeated by the UEFA Champions League winners, serving as a clear reminder of the challenges faced when the World Cup winner shoulders too much responsibility in a team sport, as noted by James Benge.
- Benge: `Inter Miami felt like a Lionel Messi team, just not the ones you remember most fondly. Instead, they were redolent of those last few years at Barcelona when he was carrying too heavy an offensive load, the weird PSG sojourn where all the attacking talent was on his side but the other team were playing as a unit. Whatever the value Messi has brought to the American footballing project — and indeed to Inter Miami`s results in his time with the club — it is fair to note that catering for the great man has made for a team uniquely ill-suited to taking on the best teams in the world. Rather than surround Messi with the legs to do his running for him, the club hierarchy afforded the Argentine a chance to reunited with his 30-something mates.`
Elsewhere, Chelsea overcame Benfica in a match affected by weather delays that went into extra time, and Palmeiras defeated Botafogo in an all-Brazilian Round of 16 tie. Bayern Munich`s 4-2 win over Flamengo on Sunday sets the stage for what could be a quarterfinal round heavily featuring European sides. Their match was one of only two in the Round of 16 between European and South American teams; the other is Inter against Fluminense on Monday. This dynamic suggests Palmeiras might be CONMEBOL`s only quarterfinalist. The remaining Round of 16 fixtures also lean towards European dominance – Real Madrid will play Juventus, while Manchester City are favored against Al-Hilal, and Borussia Dortmund have the edge against Monterrey.
This progression points towards a potentially unsurprising outcome in the tournament, possibly lacking the international diversity and charm that characterized the earlier stages.
🔗 Top Stories
🇺🇸 USWNT wins again: The U.S. Women`s National Team secured another 4-0 victory over Ireland on Sunday, as head coach Emma Hayes continues to utilize the team`s deep squad effectively.
🇬🇹 Guatemala ousts Canada: Canada is out of the Gold Cup after losing to Guatemala in a penalty shootout. Guatemala reaches the competition`s semifinals for the first time since 1996.
🇧🇷 Palmeiras takes out Botafogo: Palmeiras delivered a significant win over Botafogo in the Club World Cup on Saturday, positioning themselves as potentially the last South American team left in the tournament.
❌ Pochettino denies Brentford links: USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino stated he did not interview for the Brentford managerial position, following reports he was considered for the role ultimately filled by Keith Andrews.
🗣️ Pique on Kings League: Gerard Pique discussed the Kings League in an interview, describing it as a `parallel` soccer ecosystem capable of co-existing with the traditional game.
🇮🇹 Lazio falconer update: Lazio has evicted the falconer who was fired in January after posting photos of prosthetic genitalia and had since been squatting at the club`s training ground.
💰 The Back Line
💵 Best Bets
- Club World Cup Round of 16: Real Madrid vs. Juventus, Tuesday, 3 p.m.
💰 THE PICK: Gonzalo Garcia to score (+160) – Gonzalo Garcia has stepped up amidst uncertainty regarding Kylian Mbappe`s health and Rodrygo`s future. The 21-year-old has scored two goals in three Club World Cup games, including the first under new manager Xabi Alonso. As Alonso builds his team for next season, expect Garcia to seize his opportunity and play a role as Real Madrid aims for the quarterfinals.
📺 What We`re Watching
📺 What`s on CBS Sports Golazo Network
☀️ Morning Footy (Weekdays 8-10 a.m.): The network`s flagship morning show helps fans start their day with highlights, interviews, and major soccer storylines. Morning Footy is also available as a podcast.
☀️ Morning Footy (10 a.m. ET): A special edition kicking off the network`s coverage of major games, featuring highlights, interviews, and the biggest soccer storylines. Also available as a podcast.
🏆 Champions League Today (1 p.m. ET): Kate Scott hosts pregame studio coverage with analysts Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards. Coverage from Allianz Arena begins at 1 p.m. ET, with the match broadcast starting at 1:30 p.m. ET.
⚽ The Champions Club (5:30 p.m. ET): Join Poppy Miller, Mike Grella, Nigel Reo-Coker, Tony Meola, and Jimmy Conrad for live reactions and match analysis breaking down all the action from the Champions League final.
🥅 Scoreline (7 p.m. ET): Scoreline is the destination for catching up on global football news and results, match highlights from top competitions, and all the day`s must-see goals, airing seven days a week.
📺 How to watch: CBS Sports Golazo Network is a free 24/7 channel offering extensive coverage of top soccer competitions worldwide. Stream for free on the CBS Sports app, Pluto TV, and Paramount+.
