Pakistan salvage some pride in their final T20 World Cup match by holding on to earn a three-wicket victory over Ireland in Lauderhill on Sunday.
Both sides were already out of the competition before the match, but Pakistan clearly wanted to go out on a high as they came out of the blocks quickly.
Ireland got off to a nightmare start, slumping to 4-3 in just the second over. Shaheen Afridi (3-22) and Imad Wasim (3-8) impressed as Pakistan smothered their opponents, though Gareth Delany managed to gain some momentum with 31 off 19 balls.
Ireland eventually stumbled to 106-9 and looked out of sorts while bowling as well as Pakistan raced to 52-2 by the end of the eighth over.
Barry McCarthy (3-15) set up a nervy finish though as his intervention saw Pakistan lose four wickets during the next three overs.
Ireland could not hold onto their dominance though as Afridi scored two sixes in the 19th over to reach 111-7 and ensure a Pakistan win with seven balls remaining.
Pakistan are left to rue their slow start to the tournament, while Ireland finish their T20 World Cup campaign without registering a single win, with both sides now heading home.
Data Debrief: Too little, too late?
It is the second time in the tournament that Pakistan have had two bowlers take three wickets each after Naseem Shah (3-21) and Haris Rauf (3-21) in their defeat to India.
Overall, this is the lowest match aggregate (217) involving Pakistan and Ireland in T20Is.
The University of Arkansas celebrated a stellar year in track and field with significant South Central Region honours for the 2024 outdoor season. Senior sprinter Nickisha Pryce was named Track Athlete of the Year, while first-year head coach Chris Johnson was recognized as Coach of the Year, capping off an extraordinary season for the NCAA Division 1 Women's Champions.
Pryce, a standout athlete from St. Mary, Jamaica, entered the outdoor season with a personal best of 50.21 in the 400m. She made remarkable improvements, culminating in a collegiate and Jamaican record of 48.89 seconds, which she set while winning the NCAA 400m title. Pryce's victory spearheaded an unprecedented Arkansas sweep of the top four spots in the event, earning the Razorbacks a crucial 29 points towards their team total.
Throughout the season, Pryce demonstrated consistent progress, achieving career-best marks of 50.13, 49.72, 49.32, and finally 48.89. Her extraordinary performances were pivotal as Arkansas amassed 61 of its 63 championship points on the final day of the NCAA Championships. This remarkable achievement allowed Coach Johnson and his team to complete a sweep of the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor team championships in his debut season as head coach.
In addition to her NCAA title, Pryce also secured the SEC 400m title with a time of 49.32, which at the time ranked third on the collegiate all-time list. Her dominance in the 400m was instrumental in Arkansas's 1-2-3-5 finish at the SEC Championships, contributing 28 points to the team’s total.
Pryce's achievements have cemented her place in history as the first collegian and first Jamaican to run under 49 seconds in the 400m. She surpassed the 22-year-old Jamaican record of 49.30 set by Lorraine Fenton in 2002.
Her time of 48.89 also eclipsed the previous collegiate record of 49.13 set by fellow Razorback Britton Wilson in 2023. On the 2024 world list, Pryce ranks second behind Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who recorded a time of 48.75. Pryce’s time also ties her for 13th on the all-time world list alongside Mexico’s Ana Guevara from 2003.
The culmination of Arkansas's season was highlighted by an emphatic victory in the 4 x 400m relay at the NCAA Championships, where the Razorbacks set a collegiate record and world-leading time of 3:17.96. Pryce's impressive third-leg split of 49.19 was crucial in securing the title. This performance broke the previous collegiate record of 3:21.92 set by Arkansas at the NCAA West meet, narrowly surpassing Kentucky’s 3:21.93 from the 2022 SEC meet.
Coach Chris Johnson's leadership was instrumental in guiding the Razorbacks to these historic achievements. Under his guidance, Arkansas scored in eight different events to capture the NCAA outdoor team title, edging out Florida by four points. This victory followed their triumph at the NCAA Indoor meet, where they won by five points.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the FairBreak Foundation have announced a new partnership aimed at promoting and supporting women's cricket throughout the Caribbean. This collaboration will leverage the strengths of both organizations to elevate women's cricket from grassroots programs to professional levels.
The FairBreak Foundation, renowned for promoting gender equality through its Women's Invitational T20 tournaments, has successfully hosted two ICC-sanctioned events in Dubai (2022) and Hong Kong (2023). The new partnership with CWI marks the first collaboration between FairBreak and an ICC Full Member Board, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing women's cricket.
CWI Chief Executive Officer Johnny Grave expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: “We are pleased and enthusiastic to be the first ICC Full Member Board to partner with FairBreak. One of the new strategic objectives of CWI has been to achieve parity between women and men in cricket by 2027, and we believe that this partnership will allow us to showcase the talent and potential of female cricketers in the West Indies while promoting inclusivity and gender equality within the sport.”
Cheryll Rogers, FairBreak Chief Executive Officer, echoed this excitement: “We are delighted to partner with CWI and bring the support of FairBreak to the communities of the Caribbean. It has been my pleasure to bring FairBreak up to a new level for women’s cricket. Our aspiration is to partner with cricket boards and charities to uplift community cricket as well as create new pathways into the women’s professional game. The new FairBreak team and their commitment to the highest standards of safety and governance are setting a gold standard for the environment in which we invite players to play. Our tournaments will now be held in the best stadiums in the world, including the West Indies. A truly unique opportunity.”
A key element of this partnership is FairBreak’s investment in grassroots cricket programs. These programs will benefit and inspire future generations of female cricketers across the Caribbean. Additionally, the partnership will engage local coaches, match officials, and other support personnel in upcoming FairBreak Invitational T20 Tournaments, providing them with invaluable experience and exposure.
The partnership also aligns with CWI's strategic objective of achieving gender parity in cricket by 2027. By collaborating with FairBreak, CWI aims to promote inclusivity and gender equality within the sport, showcasing the talent and potential of female cricketers in the West Indies.
This groundbreaking partnership between CWI and the FairBreak Foundation represents a significant step forward for women's cricket in the Caribbean. With plans to host future FairBreak Invitational T20 Tournaments in world-class stadiums, including those in the West Indies, the partnership promises to provide unparalleled opportunities for female cricketers and further the development of women's cricket in the region.
Three-time Olympic gold medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made a triumphant return to the track with a controlled sprint of 11.15 seconds at the French Foray Meeting held at the National Stadium on Saturday night. This performance comes less than two weeks before the start of the Jamaica national championships, which will determine the team representing Jamaica at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 38-year-old sprinting legend, who boasts a lifetime best of 10.60 seconds, was making an extraordinarily late start to her season. Despite this, Fraser-Pryce, running with her right knee and lower-thigh strapped with kenisio tape, demonstrated her enduring talent by shaking off the rust and securing victory against a competitive field. Jodean Smith, clocking in at 11.20 seconds, finished second, while schoolgirl Sabrina Dockery took third place with a time of 11.46 seconds.
In the men's sprints, Bouwahjgie Nkrumie emerged as the fastest athlete of the night with a time of 10.21 seconds. Sandray Davison was close behind, recording a time of 10.25 seconds, while De Andre Daley achieved a season-best of 10.26 seconds to finish third. Notably, Ackeem Blake, despite stumbling out of the blocks in Nkrumie's heat, managed to recover and post a respectable time of 10.30 seconds.
West Coast Fever star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard delivered a record-breaking performance on Sunday, scoring 73 goals to lead her team to a 78-71 victory over the New South Wales Swifts in the Suncorp Super Netball League.
The win, witnessed by a home and away record crowd of 11,267, secured Fever's second spot on the Super Netball table.
The match came on the heels of a tumultuous week for the Swifts, who announced the release of Trinidadian star Samantha Wallace-Joseph on Friday due to "behavior concerns." The loss of Wallace-Joseph, a key player for the Swifts, left the team struggling to adjust their gameplay and maintain cohesion on the court.
Despite the Swifts' impressive tally of 18 supershots to Fever’s one, they were outplayed from the beginning.
Swifts co-captain Maddy Proud admitted the controversy surrounding Wallace-Joseph had taken a toll on the team. "While it has only come out this week, we have had to deal with it for probably a month. There was a little bit of a relief in a way that all that speculation now has a conclusion," she said following the loss. "It would be silly to say that it hasn’t affected the group. We are a very tight-knit group and we had played with Sammy for eight years. We won two premierships with her and have been through a lot."
The Swifts, still adjusting to playing without a holding shooter like Wallace-Joseph, faced early challenges in feeding a moving circle. This led to moments of confusion between Helen Housby and youngster Sophie Fawns, resulting in both players moving into the same space.
The Fever capitalized on the Swifts' ball-handling errors in the second term, extending their lead to 14 points heading into the third term's power five. Although Fawns managed a flurry of supershots, hitting 11 out of 14 two-point goals, it wasn't enough to close the gap.
Fowler-Nembhard's exceptional aerial prowess earned her MVP honours for the match. Her performance not only secured a vital win for the Fever but also highlighted her as a continued formidable force in the league.
The Fever's victory reinforces their strong position in the league, while the Swifts will need to regroup and adapt quickly to their new team dynamics as they navigate the rest of the season without Wallace-Joseph.
Leo Afonso scored an incredible 94th-minute winner as Inter Miami fought back to beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1 in MLS on Saturday despite being reduced to nine men.
Miami's grasp on top spot in the Eastern Conference looked like being weakened when Gerardo Martino's team – who were without both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez as Argentina and Uruguay continue their Copa America preparations – fell behind after three minutes.
Mikael Uhre's one-on-one finish put the Union ahead, but Miami levelled just after half-time as Julian Gressel fired into the top-right corner from the centre of the box.
The Herons, though, found themselves up against it when both David Ruiz and Tomas Aviles were sent off, the former for a horror challenge on Leon Flach and the latter earning a soft second booking for kicking the ball away.
With the Union throwing men forward in search of a winner, they were struck with a sucker punch.
Afonso raced away on the counterattack, ignoring Benjamin Cremaschi to his right before slotting his finish past Oliver Semmle to hand Miami an eighth win in their last 11 games (two draws, one defeat).
Data Debrief: No Messi, no problem
Ahead of Saturday's game, Miami had only won three of their 14 matches without Messi since the Barcelona great arrived in MLS (five draws, six defeats).
However, even without Messi, Suarez or a full complement, Miami showed they are the team to beat in MLS this year.
Martino's team ended the game having enjoyed more possession (57.4 per cent), shots on target (four to three) and touches in the box (17 to 16) than Philadelphia, despite playing almost 40 minutes at least one player down.
In what was another clinical all-round display, Adelaide Thunderbirds registered their seventh win of the Suncorp Super Netball (SSN) League, as they bettered GIANTS Netball 57-42 in a lopsided contest at Ken Rosewall Arena, on Saturday.
Demonstrating their exceptional depth and quality across the court, Thunderbirds, the reigning champions, led from start to finish in a dominant win that propelled them to second on the ladder, and reaffirmed their status as a strong contender in the race to the finals.
Jamaican Romelda Aiken-George scored 38 goals from 47 attempts for the Thunderbirds, with support from Lauren Frew (10 goals from 13 attempts), Georgie Horjus (five goals from seven attempts), and Lucy Austin (four goals from five attempts).
Sophie Dwyer (24 goals from 25 attempts), Jo Harten (14 goals from 16 attempts, and Matisse Letherbarrow (four goals from four attempts) led the efforts of the GIANTS team, which comprises Jamaican defender Jodi-Ann Ward.
Thunderbirds, on 28 points, are now eight points off leaders Melbourne Vixens (36 points), with West Coast Fever, who will be up against New South Wales (NSW) Swifts on Sunday, in third on 28 points.
After coming off an all-important win last week against the Queensland Firebirds, GIANTS were looking to secure a back-to-back victories and keep their hopes of breaking through to the top four alive.
Jamaican Latanya Wilson (left) of Adelaide Thunderbirds challenge for possession.
However, the relentless defensive pressure from the Thunderbirds, coupled with a high number of unforced turnovers, proved overwhelming for the GIANTS, who ended the game with their lowest score in Super Netball history, much to the dismay of the home crowd.
Both teams were composed in the early exchanges, as they traded goals in end-to-end action before things began to unravel for the hosts, and that allowed Thunderbirds to close the quarter 16-12 up.
Momentum gradually shifted in favour of the GIANTS, who went on a three-goal run early in the second quarter, with follow-up efforts by captain Harten later gifting them a lead. But, their lead was short-lived, as the Thunderbirds' intensified work rate across the court saw them regain the ascendancy in a 14-8 run for a 30-20 scoreline at the half-time interval.
Player of the match, Latanya Wilson was again a powerhouse for the Thunderbirds, as the Jamaican racked up three intercepts and five deflections in the first half alone.
For the GIANTS, it was Jodi-Ann Ward who willed her side along with her relentless efforts. Ward finished on the highest Nissan Net Points for the GIANTS, along with three intercepts and six deflections.
Thunderbirds coach Tania Obst used the depth of her bench in the third quarter, bringing veteran Laura Scherian into the game at WA and moving Horjus into GA. The GIANTS were unable to quickly adapt to the positional changes, as the Thunderbirds scored three unanswered three-goal runs.
Try as they did, GIANTS failed to really respond and, as such, faced a 13-goal deficit at 43-30 heading into the final quarter.
Still, it was more of the same –one-way traffic –for the Thunderbirds, who accelerated and dominated across all areas of the court in the final quarter. The long reach of outstanding Jamaican goalkeeper Shamera Sterling-Humphrey took the wind out of the home side, and allowed the Thunderbirds to wrap up a comfortable win.
Luchi Gonzalez has urged San Jose Earthquakes to turn PayPal Park into a fortress, starting against FC Cincinnati in the MLS on Saturday.
San Jose sit bottom of the Western Conference, three points adrift of FC Dallas and Sporting Kansas City after winning just three games this season.
The ‘Quakes are winless in their last four matches, but Gonzalez is confident the mid-season break served his team’s preparation for Cincinnati well.
"The guys had some time off to kind of recharge and miss each other, miss training, miss the competition," Gonzalez said. "They're showing hunger, they're showing intensity and excitement as we approach Cincinnati.
"It's about getting the stadium back to being our fortress. Making teams miserable here and our intensity and our urgency to push the game. We know Cincinnati defend very well. They can hurt you with some individual talent."
Meanwhile, Cincinnati’s seven-game winning streak was ended by defeat to Nashville SC last time out.
They sit second in the Eastern Conference, just two points behind leaders Inter Miami, having played two games less, but head coach Pat Noonan does not want them to pay any attention to the standings.
"I don't want our group to focus at all on where they are in the standings," said Noonan. I don't think it's indicative of the quality they have and the challenges that we'll face so that part’s important.
"The second you think you have any type of advantage because of the position in the standings, or your opponents’ position, you step on the field and understand pretty quickly that's a poor approach."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
San Jose – Amahl Pellegrino
Pellegrino scored his team-leading fifth goal in San Jose’s last match on May 31. He’s scored four of the Earthquakes’ last nine MLS goals dating back to early May.
Cincinnati – Luciano Acosta
Acosta has recorded at least one goal contribution in each of his last five away matches (three goals, four assists), the longest streak in club history. Only Cristian Arango (11) has more goal contributions in road matches than Acosta (10 – four goals, six assists) this season.
MATCH PREDICTION: FC CINCINNATI WIN
Each team recorded a home win over the other in the first two meetings between San Jose and FC Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the last meeting, 6-0, in 2022, the largest margin of victory in team history and tied for San Jose’s largest-ever defeat.
Cincinnati has lost only one of its last 14 MLS away matches (incl. playoffs) dating back to last August (W9 D4) including winning the last four in a row. The only team in MLS history to lose just once in a span of 15 road games (incl. playoffs) was LA Galaxy in 2009-10.
Meanwhile, San Jose has just 11 points from 16 matches this season, equaling their worst total at this stage of a season in club history (also in 2018). The ‘Quakes have never hit the halfway point of a 34-match season with fewer than 12 points.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
San Jose – 21.6%
Draw – 21.8%
Cincinnati – 56.6%
Troy Lesesne is confident that D.C. United have the right players to get a result against a "difficult" Charlotte FC on Saturday.
D.C. have failed to win any of their last five matches, though did come from 2-0 down against Toronto FC to draw before the mid-season break.
They sit 10th in the Eastern Conference with 19 points, and despite missing a lot of players, Lesesne believes he has a squad capable of snapping their winless streak.
"We're not going to put energy into what we don't have," he said. "We're going to put all our focus onto a difficult opponent in Charlotte. It's a great atmosphere there, but it's a team we feel we can match up against and hopefully get some points.
"We have a task at hand and a capable group to get the job done this weekend. We have to concentrate on the things that we need to concentrate on, not the distractions, not the excuses.
"We have young talented players in this squad that can make an impact, and they can handle the pressure."
Meanwhile, Charlotte sit five places above them in the table and have six points more.
Despite finishing the first half of the season with a 3-2 victory over Atlanta United, defender Adilson Malanda thinks the club could be in an even stronger position.
Malanda said: "I think we could look better, we've given points away, but I think we're ready for the second part. Big part of dropping points was away, so we want to fix that to stay where we are, but it's important we win at home too."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC – Liel Abada
Abada scored Charlotte’s first multi-goal game of 2024 in the Crown’s 3-2 win over Atlanta. Abada is the eighth different Charlotte player to score multiple goals in a match, with only Inter Miami (nine) has more different players with a multi-goal game since the start of the 2022 season.
D.C. United – Mateusz Klich
Klich earned a valuable point with his late penalty in D.C.’s 2-2 draw with Toronto FC last time out. He is their joint-second scorer this season with two goals but is still 11 behind Christian Benteke’s tally of 13.
MATCH PREDICTION: CHARLOTTE FC WIN
The home team have not lost any of the four meetings between Charlotte and D.C. United, with Charlotte recording a win and a draw in two matches at Bank of America Stadium. D.C. did not score in either match, one of two teams that have made multiple visits there without ever scoring (Inter Miami).
Charlotte have won four of their last seven matches (D2 L1) including a 3-2 win at Atlanta on June 2. The 14 points over the last seven games equals the second-most in any seven-game span in the club’s MLS history (15 in April-May 2023)
Meanwhile, D.C. have won one of their last 13 regular-season away matches (D6 L6) dating back to last July. United have failed to score in more than half (seven) of those games.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Charlotte FC – 52.1%
Draw – 24.4%
D.C. United – 23.4%
Josh Wolff is hoping Austin FC can regain some urgency after their mid-season break, starting with their trip to Colorado Rapids.
Austin are on a three-game winless streak, losing their last two outings, leaving them sixth in the Western Conference.
With teams below them catching up to their 23-point tally, Wolff admitted there is still room for improvement, but remained upbeat about his team’s progress this season.
"We're pleased with where we're at. There's still a long way to go, there's a lot to improve on," Wolff said.
"The second half of the season will be challenging. You've got to quickly generate urgency to get back on the field and perform. Colorado is the most important game - because it's the next one.
"I want to create urgency and focus on the things we need to keep improving on while keeping our guys healthy. We are going to put everything we can into this game."
Colorado are one of the teams closing in on Austin, sitting just one point and two places below them in the table.
The Rapids have won just one of their last five matches in the MLS, but head coach Chris Armas is confident his side can turn good performances into results.
Armas said, "We really want to get these performances to turn into points. We think we're doing alright, but we know there's room to improve so that's where all of our energy went over the break.
"We're going to get there. We've got a good group, they're hungry and they come to learn. They're giving everything. We're still a work in progress, but I still believe in this."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Djordje Mihailovic
After failing to contribute to a goal in his first five Rapids appearances, Mihailovic has 10 goal contributions in his last 11 matches (five goals, five assists) including recording one in three straight games.
Austin FC – Alexander Ring
Austin attempted just eight shots in their defeat to Real Salt Lake on June 1 – it was the league-high 10th time Austin have attempted fewer than 10 shots in a match this season.
All those efforts came in the second half, with Ring scoring a consolation goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time.
MATCH PREDICTION: COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
The Rapids hold the slight edge in the head-to-head between the teams, winning three times to Austin’s two wins (D2). Colorado have scored in all seven meetings between the sides.
However, the Rapids have lost back-to-back matches for the first time this season following defeats at Houston Dynamo and Vancouver Whitecaps. Colorado have lost three of their last four matches (D1) after dropping only three of their previous 12 in league play dating back to the start of March (W6 D3).
Austin have lost consecutive matches for the first time since last August with defeats to Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake. Austin had lost only three of their previous 14 matches (W6 D5) dating back to the beginning of March.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 47.8%
Draw – 26%
Austin FC – 26.2%
Sean Johnson is excited to extend his stay with Toronto FC, after penning a new contract with the club.
The goalkeeper, who has been included in the United States’ squad for the Copa America, joined Toronto ahead of the 2023 season from New York City FC.
While last season was a disappointment for the Reds, Toronto are sixth in the Eastern Conference, with 24 points from their 17 games so far in 2024.
Johnson has kept four clean sheets in 12 MLS appearances, and his good form has been rewarded with a deal that will keep him with Toronto until the end of the 2026 campaign.
Ahead of Toronto’s meeting with the Chicago Fire, Johnson told club media: “I am excited to extend my time in Toronto – the fans have welcomed me with open arms since arriving.
“TFC has a rich history of success and I’m committed to giving everything to add some more special moments for the club and the city.”
“We are happy to announce that Sean has signed an extension with Toronto as he has been an integral part of our evolution both on and off the field,” said Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez.
“Sean will continue to provide us with the consistency and stability we will need in our group as we continue to push towards reaching our full potential. His leadership has been a fundamental aspect of our team’s identity, and we look forward to Sean helping our club achieve its goals in 2024 and beyond.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto FC – Federico Bernardeschi
Bernardeschi had a goal and an assist in Toronto’s draw with D.C. on June 1, taking his total to 11 goal contributions (seven goals, four assists) this season, one more than any Toronto player recorded during the 2023 campaign.
Chicago Fire – Hugo Cuypers
Cuypers scored one of the Fire’s two goals in their win over the Galaxy and has been involved in a goal in three straight MLS appearances. No player has been involved in a goal in four straight games for the Fire since Robert Beric in September-October 2020 (five straight).
MATCH PREDICTION: TORONTO WIN
Chicago snapped a nine-match winless run with a 2-1 home victory over the LA Galaxy on June 1. It was the Fire’s first multi-goal performance since their previous win, a 2-1 victory over Houston on April 6.
Toronto have scored 33 goals in its last 11 matches in all competitions (W6 D2 L3). The Reds had totalled 32 goals in their previous 43 matches dating back to March 2023.
The Reds are unbeaten in 12 straight home matches against the Fire (W7 D5) with Chicago’s last win in Toronto coming in 2012. This is Toronto’s longest home unbeaten run against any opponent in their MLS history.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto FC – 44.5%
Chicago Fire – 28.7%
Draw – 26.8%
CF Montreal have used their recent MLS bye week to get some injured players back to fitness, says coach Laurent Courtois.
Montreal were not in action last weekend, but kick-start the second half of their 2024 campaign against Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
And Courtois revealed that the break enabled Montreal to get three strikers, who had all been injured, healthy.
Josef Martinez, Matias Coccaro and Kwadwo Opoku are now back in the fold after lay-offs, as are Mason Toye and Lassi Lappalainen.
“A big part of it was to get people healthy and to fix a little bit the morale of the troops,” Courtois said of the break. “In that sense, these past two weeks have been really beneficial.
"Having all the people together brings a whole different dynamic. Everybody wants to win his spot.”
Not that Montreal went into the break in poor form. They are unbeaten in three games, having drawn with the Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC either side of beating D.C. United 4-2.
They sit 12th in the Eastern Conference, though going up against RSL presents a stern test.
Salt Lake are top of the Western Conference with 33 points from their 17 matches. They are unbeaten in 13 games in MLS.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
CF Montreal – Sunusi Ibrahim
Sunusi Ibrahim’s goal after 49 seconds on June 1 was the sixth first-minute goal Montreal have scored in MLS play. No team have scored more goals in the opening minute of matches since Montreal joined the league in 2012.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango’s 16 goals and 10 assists for the season leave him one goal away from equalling Alvaro Saborio’s single-season club goals record of 17 set in 2012 and one goal contribution away from equalling Jeff Cunningham’s single-season record of 27 set in 2006.
MATCH PREDICTION: RSL WIN
RSL are on the second-longest single-season unbeaten run in club history (after going 14 straight games without defeat in 2010). The last team to go more than 13 straight games without defeat in a single regular season was the Portland Timbers (15) in 2018.
Montreal, though, are unbeaten in three straight matches (W1 D2) following a four-match regular-season losing streak. Montreal have not gone unbeaten in four straight league matches in over a year, since winning four straight games in April-May last season.
RSL recorded a 2-1 win at Montreal in the last meeting between the sides in May 2022. It was the first away win in the nine all-time meetings between the sides.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Montreal – 30.1%
RSL – 45.1%
Draw – 24.9%
Emerging Ireland secured a four-wicket win over the West Indies Academy to complete a 3-0 sweep of their 50-over series in Bready on Friday.
The tourists, after being out in to bat, were guilty of not using up their allotted overs as they were dismissed for 236 with all of seven overs to spare.
Ackeem Auguste led the way with a 68-ball 81 including 10 fours and two sixes while Joshua James hit 26* off 25 balls.
Skipper Gavin Hoey led the Irish charge with his leg-spin with 4-45 from his 10 overs while medium pacer Olly Riley took 3-38 from nine overs.
Emerging Ireland then needed only 39 overs to reach 238-6 and secure victory and a 3-0 series triumph.
Morgan Topping led the way for the hosts with 46 while Seamus Lynch hit 45* off just 28 balls including six fours and two sixes.
Chris de Freitas and Scott MacBeth also had solid contributions with 38 and 36, respectively.
Captain Nyeem Young took 3-56 from nine overs for the Academy.
The teams will now turn their attention to a pair of four-day games from June 18-21 in Comber and June 25-28 in Belfast.
Four-time Olympic 100m medallist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is set to open her 2024 season this Saturday at the JAAA's French Foray meet at the National Stadium in Kingston. The 38-year-old sprinting star will take on a relatively weak field of athletes as she tests her readiness to challenge for an unprecedented third Olympic 100m title in Paris this August.
Fraser-Pryce, who last competed in August 2023 when she ran 10.77 to win the bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, is gearing up for the Jamaica National Championships, which begins in less than two weeks on June 27. To secure her place in the Olympic squad, Fraser-Pryce will need to finish in the top three at the national trials.
In an interview with Sportsmax.TV last October, Fraser-Pryce revealed plans to run more races leading up to the Olympics in 2024. However, for reasons unknown, she has not been able to compete before Saturday. As one of the most decorated sprinters in history, with five World Championships 100m titles to her name, Fraser-Pryce has faced a series of injuries since 2016. A toe injury in 2016 hampered her chances of winning a third consecutive Olympic 100m title, and she finished third.
After nearly two years off due to the birth of her son Zyon, Fraser-Pryce made a triumphant return by winning her fourth World 100m title in Doha in 2019. She followed this with a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and a fifth world title in Oregon in 2022. During an injury-hit season in 2023, she followed up with a bronze at the World Championships in Budapest.
On Saturday, Fraser-Pryce will gauge her readiness for what she has indicated will be her final Olympic campaign. Fans and athletics enthusiasts will be watching closely as she begins her journey towards making history once again in Paris.
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