Andrea's Sports Rant
Sports yapping. Erik Jones defender. Everyone could potentionally catch a straight in here so keep that in mind.
2026 FIFA World Cup | Group Stage - Brazil vs. Morocco
Entry #11 — 13/06/26
MetLife Stadium, or how we would come to know it during this World Cup, "New York, New Jersey Stadium", would host what was definitely the most anticipated match of the opening week, and perhaps one of the most eagerly awaited encounters of the entire group stage. The Verdeamarela came into the tournament with a blend of established veterans and emerging talents alike, marking Carlo Ancelotti's first opportunity to showcase his long term ambitions with Brazil's national team and try to amend the organizational and sporting decline that has plagued the Seleção in the past few years, particularly following their extremely underwhelming and frustratingly inconsistent 2022 World Cup campaign.
The Moroccans, on the other hand, faced a very different challenge. Their last World Cup campaign had already gone down in history thanks to the African side's exceptional defensive organization and remarkable tactical discipline, qualities that carried them all the way to the semi-finals.
It was a run for the history books, that's for sure, but also one that established a precedent few nations have ever had to live up to. The Atlas Lions, as well as the Moroccan people, have now acquired a completely new understanding of their national team's capabilities, and with that come new expectations, greater ones. I do not believe that what Morocco achieved in 2022 was a fluke or a miracle, on the contrary, I wholeheartedly believe that the country has genuinely grown on an organizational level, but this tournament will be crucial in proving that. Most of the squad that carried them through their historic run in Qatar is no longer here, meaning Morocco has been forced to reinvent themselves in the past four years. Winning the FIFA U-20 World Cup and lifting the Africa Cup of Nations (sort of?) only reinforced the feeling that they were heading in the right direction, but the World Cup has always been the ultimate measuring stick.
So, that's the stage. On one side stands Brazil, football's most decorated nation, attempting to rediscover itself. On the other stood Morocco, eager to prove that Qatar had not been their peak, but merely their starting point. It was easy to see why this match had been so hyped, and it didn't disappoint.
Morocco's days of being the kind of team that lowers their head in the face of giants are long past; today there was no hesitation, no fear of the iconic yellow jersey, and certainly no intention of merely surviving against Brazil. From the very start the African squad seemed certain that they not only needed, but deserved to take the three points back home, choosing to press aggressively and moving the ball with remarkable confidence, perhaps even dictating the pace of the game against the five-time world champions at times.
Brazil, meanwhile, never quite settled. Ancelotti's team struggled to advance through the midfield, being overwhelmed by an African side that repeatedly anticipated their passes and forced turnovers, leaving the South Americans poorly positioned. Brazil's double pivot spent most of the first half under constant pressure, preventing the Seleção from establishing any meaningful rhythm in possession. Morocco's ability to recover the ball in the midfield and immediately launch quick attacks through Bouaddi, El Aynaoui, and Ounahi became the defining feature of the initial 45 minutes of play. This, added to the presence of both Hakimi and Mazraoui on each side, meant that the African nation was capable of attacking from wherever they pleased, and whenever they deemed appropriate, almost always resulting in a dangerous situation for the Brazilian side.
The opening goal was therefore no surprise for either nation. Morocco's superiority would be rewarded in the 21st minute when Brahim Diaz put a perfectly measured ball ahead of Brazil's defense line, allowing Saibari to race it to the Brazilian goal, lifting the ball over Alisson and netting with a certainty that could only be applauded. What a goal.
If you thought this would be the point in which Morocco resorts to parking the bus and waiting it out, then you would be thoroughly mistaken; the African champions would continue to press forward, looking far more composed than an uncomfortable Brazil that, devoid of ideas, would resort to desperate crosses. And yet, even in that position, Brazil would eventually make sure to remind the world why you should never count them out, not even at their lowest point, and that reason is their individual talents. Brazil can struggle collectively all you want, but this nation has never failed to provide the world with players dotted with individual capabilities strong enough to change the fate of entire games and even tournaments, and on this occasion it was Vinicius Jr. who was once again forced to carry that burden.
After failing to create any truly groundbreaking opportunities during much of the first half, Vini would manage to score the equalizer in the 32nd minute in a way that only world class players like him seem to know how: by himself, unexpectedly, and flashy. The Merengue would receive the ball on the left side before drifting inside, choosing to drive the ball beyond Bounou's reach and into the top right corner of the goal with a magnificent finish. It was a gift for Brazil, allowing them to regain their composure before heading into the locker room.
At the start of the second half there would be a shift, a more tactical approach by both nations. Morocco, after leaving most of their energy behind, became understandably more conservative while maintaining their ambition untouched. Brazil, on the other hand, gained better defensive stability thanks to Ancelotti's adjustments, which in turn allowed them to gain more possession, but the Verdeamarela rarely translated it into clear opportunities. Brazil seemed more stable overall, but their midfield disaster continued unchanged. On more than one occasion the South Americans would be forced to rely on improvisation rather than well thought attacking combinations, and that wouldn't work well against the North Africans who, I would say, had greater chances despite the stalemate of the second half.
In fact, if one player ensured Brazil escaped New Jersey with a point, aside from Vini, then it was Alisson Becker. The keeper would make two outstanding saves late in stoppage time, deny the Moroccans from what would have been a deserved win, and preserve a result that, while fair and maybe even lucky, most probably left the five-time world champions feeling demoralised.
Ultimately, no team would be left empty handed as the final whistle came and the 1–1 remained untouched. A demonstration of Morocco's strength and proof that their success had most definitely not been an accident of any kind. Brazil, meanwhile, managed to escape New York with a generous point that deep down they knew they didn't deserve, which in turn raised several uncomfortable questions about their structural issues. Brazil might be capable of leaving the group stage, but if this midfield disaster doesn't get fixed throughout the next two games, I'm afraid that the five-time world champions won't make it far into the knockout stage once again. We'll have to wait and see.
2026 FIFA World Cup | Group Stage - Qatar vs. Switzerland
Entry #10 — 13/06/26
Looking at this game from the outside, it was fairly easy to overlook the Qatari squad in favor of a Swiss team full of European league stars, but the 2022 World Cup hosts went out to play determined to prove the improvements they had made at an organizational level, and they certainly surprised many of us.
The first few minutes of the match were surprisingly active. Both the Qatari squad and the European team made some important plays that seemed especially promising. The first came just one minute into the first half with a counterattack led by Edmilson Junior, who went one on one with Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel. The Qatari, however, struggled to find the right angle and ended up producing a poor shot, missing a great opportunity for the small Arab nation.
Switzerland seemed taken aback and quickly tried to regain the initiative and set the record straight, producing two clear chances that ended up in the Qatari goalkeeper's hands and the stands, respectively. The whole situation was certainly frustrating for the Swiss squad, who tirelessly kept forcing opportunities that went nowhere, and exhausting for the Qatari team, who were constantly under pressure in what felt like an infinite battle for survival that was bound to wear them down sooner rather than later.
In the 13th minute of the game, Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler received a headed pass from his teammate Breel Embolo that left the Bologna player all alone in front of Qatari goalkeeper Mahmud Abunada. Abunada did what any of us would have done if asked to defend our nation's goal in the World Cup of all places: keep it out or die trying. In a desperate effort to stop the Swiss attack, he charged head-on into Freuler, preventing him from scoring but taking quite a blow in the process. The European squad immediately cried out for a penalty, and while I do not believe a penalty would have been unjustified in this situation, the replay made it quite clear that Freuler was offside, even to the naked eye. The play went to the VAR, but for some reason it was never shown again on screen, and the referee did not even go to the monitor to review it. Instead, he awarded the Qatari goalkeeper a yellow card and forced him to get up from where he was lying on the ground so he could face the penalty. Breel Embolo stepped up to the spot and scored with ease, but I truly find this whole situation baffling. Four years earlier, FIFA had implemented top of the line technology that allowed us to see whether a player was offside by as little as a single strand of hair, and in other matches of this tournament we had seen that technology used in similar situations, so why not show us the replay? Yet another disgraceful moment for FIFA.
Going one goal down after just 16 minutes was, understandably, very demoralizing for the small Arab nation, especially against a squad like Switzerland, who had been overwhelmingly superior. The Qatari team therefore spent the rest of the first half camped inside their own half, doing an admirable defensive job with the occasional escape, while the European nation spent it attacking relentlessly and squandering obvious opportunities time and time again.
As the second half began with an endless series of corners in the Europeans' favor, it seemed the match would continue along the same lines, with the Qataris giving everything they had to keep Switzerland from scoring. However, as the hydration break approached, the game turned into a much more even back-and-forth contest, in which goalkeeper Mahmud Ibrahim Abunada stunned everyone with an outstanding performance.
The 90th minute arrived with the score still 1–0, exactly as it had been for the previous 70 minutes. The referee added an additional six minutes of stoppage time, three of which accounted for the mandatory hydration break.
In the 90+3rd minute, it all seemed as though the Swiss had done enough. They had possession and were preparing for a throw-in deep inside their own half. They only needed to slow the game down, pass the ball around for a few seconds, and the match would be over. But as Miro Muheim threw the ball toward his teammate and the match's only goalscorer, Breel Embolo, the Swiss seemed to decide it was already too late to challenge for it, backing away as Qatari defender Boualem Khoukhi attacked the header. The ball fell directly into the path of a Swiss defender, who quickly cleared it away from the penalty area, but before one of his teammates could reach it, Homam Ahmed got there first. He passed it to Afif, who waited until Ahmed had made his run before returning the ball to him. Two Swiss defenders rushed toward the Qatari to block the cross, but it was too late. Ahmed delivered it into the box, where Boualem Khoukhi was once again waiting to meet it with his head. As the ball approached, the Qatari leaped, twisted his neck, and powered the ball into the net in the 90+4th minute to equalize and seemingly earn Qatar its first-ever World Cup point, or so it seemed.
As Khoukhi ran toward the corner flag to celebrate, another man fell to the ground in despair: Miro Muheim had just scored an own goal. The same man who had started the move had also brought it to its conclusion by scoring against his own nation.
It was a frankly poetic ending. I celebrated the goal so wildly that I did not even realize it had been an own goal at first, a truly beautiful ending to an otherwise somewhat unremarkable game.
2026 FIFA World Cup | Group Stage - United States vs. Panama
Entry #9 — 12/06/26
The third and final opening match of the 2026 World Cup came at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the United States faced Paraguay.
From the very beginning, it was clear that the US had the upper hand, going all in at the start and forcing a couple of good opportunities. Meanwhile, the Paraguayans failed to come up with good chances of their own.
Just seven minutes in, United States star Christian Pulisic would make an incredible pass towards the Paraguayan penalty zone, forcing a clear chance. Fortunately (for me and all of Paraguay, and probably most of the world), none of his teammates were there to receive it. Unfortunately, Paraguayan Damián Bobadilla would scramble towards the ball, accidentally kicking it and scoring an own goal in the process. It was the fastest goal of the 2026 World Cup so far, and the 55th own goal in the tournament's history, the last one being Argentinian Enzo Fernández against Australia in the last World Cup.
Truly, Paraguay did not perform at all. The United States squad proved overwhelming, and the visiting team was constantly scrambling around trying to avoid another goal. Truly shameful.
One would think Paraguay would use the hydration break to get their heads together and focus back into the game, but apparently, while all of us watching at home got bombarded by ads, Paraguay did absolutely nothing. As soon as the game restarted, the US began charging against the South American team, and soon enough they sneaked a remarkable pass through Paraguay's defensive line (is it even defensive if they aren't trying?), leaving Folarin Balogun with a perfect opportunity, one the man wouldn't overlook. He shot towards the goal and scored, but as he ran to celebrate, however, the referee signaled offside. The local crowd didn't like that one bit, they booed their hearts out.
But before Paraguay could let out a breath of relief, the US rushed to pick up the pieces and try yet again. Pulisic provided an incredible assist to Folarin Balogun, who, with 30 minutes played, scored the second one, this time not offside.
By this point, Paraguay was running like a chicken without its head in a frankly shameful manner. They weren't just playing badly; it was almost as if they didn't know how to play. Whenever the USA entered their penalty zone—which was most of the game—the South Americans scrambled to "defend" clumsily, like amateurs, totally disoriented. It was baffling.
There was not one obvious chance for Paraguay, not one!
For a losing team, normally more time means more of a chance to make a comeback, but as the first 45 minutes finished, I found myself begging for no stoppage time, because at that point it was clear no amount of time would be enough for Paraguay to wake up, it could only make it worse. Despite my pleas, five minutes were given, and my worst nightmare was proven right when, four minutes into stoppage time, Folarin Balogun scored his second goal, making it 3–0 without Paraguay doing anything to stop it.
I mentally thanked Christ for the fact that halftime arrived.
Unfortunately, just fifteen minutes later, this newly developed form of torture returned to my screen. Paraguay chose to substitute Damián Bobadilla for Brazilian-born Maurício Magalhães Prado, while the US sat Pulisic down, with Sebastian Berhalter taking his place.
The United States had clearly decided to slow down its pace, choosing to save energy after building a safe enough advantage, but Paraguay still struggled quite a bit. They did, however, manage to force their way into the US's side of the pitch, and just three minutes into the second half, Diego Gómez produced Paraguay's first and clearest chance yet.
Sixteen minutes into the second half, Paraguayan Antonio Sanabria went out so Álex Arce could take his place. A couple of moments later, Paraguay had its second chance in 60+ minutes of play, but it quickly ended with Gómez kicking it into the stands.
Back from the second hydration break, the US made two new substitutions: Folarin Balogun for Ricardo Pepi, and Sergiño Dest for Olympique de Marseille player Timothy Weah, who—fun fact—is the son of George Weah, a former footballer and the 25th president of Liberia (yeah, crazy stuff).
Seventy-two minutes in, the Paraguayan squad finally chose to get their shit together, taking the host team by surprise and scoring their first goal thanks to Palmeiras player Maurício Prado, with a remarkable assist from Julio Enciso. The United States' rhythm quickly began to deteriorate, and the Paraguayans started having clearer opportunities, with the host nation committing more infractions and often failing to make successful passes.
Finally, the game began having an actual pace, with the ball moving back and forth between both teams.
In the 88th minute, Weston McKennie gave an incredible pass towards Ricardo Pepi, leaving him directly in front of the Paraguayan goalkeeper. The PSV player flunked it. As the 90th minute faded, the match was given seven more minutes of play, which the USA's squad took advantage of, making several unsuccessful attempts and receiving multiple tackles from the Paraguayan squad in the process.
The end of the 97th minute arrived just as the US headed towards the Paraguayan goal, and so the referee allowed the play to continue. The host nation took that last chance, and Giovanni Reyna capitalized to the max, scoring the fourth goal to put an end to this massacre.
Honestly, quite a disappointing result overall, at least for me. I think it's safe to say that the days of overlooking the United States are over, even though they're still far from building a truly threatening organization. Their squad has improved drastically, and that must be acknowledged. However, I really did expect Paraguay to perform better, especially taking into consideration that their last World Cup appearance was 16 years ago.
2026 FIFA World Cup | Group Stage - Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Entry #8 — 12/06/26
The first Group B match started with both Canada and Bosnia playing with a 4-4-2 formation. Canada went straight for the opening goal as soon as the match started, but Bosnia was able to drive it out of the penalty box, not without a couple of close calls that may or may not have justified a yellow card.
Just two minutes in, Bosnia and Herzegovina was met with a beautiful chance to take the lead when the European squad received a free kick that left the ball right in front of Amar Memić and the Canadian defensive line completely disoriented. Unfortunately, the opportunity was completely wasted when the Bosnian decided to kick it directly into the stands. That wouldn't discourage the Balkan for long, however, as just a couple of moments later, Memić would go for a counterattack that put the Canadian squad in quite a bad spot. Celtic's defender Alistair Johnson would then decide that it was faster to commit a criminal foul against the Bosnian rather than actually trying to stop the play like a human being, ruining the whole opportunity and receiving a yellow card in the process.
After this, Canada would force a couple of great chances, some of them quite obvious, like that of Jonathan David in the 16th minute of the game, a play where the Canadian received the ball right in front of the Bosnian goalkeeper but didn't manage to score thanks to Vasilj's quick response.
After Canada's number 22, Richie Laryea, tried to assassinate members of the Bosnian squad on a couple of different occasions, the Europeans were met with a chance via a corner. Ivan Bašić was the one in charge of starting the play, and while he did kick it a bit short, the Bosnian captain, in a remarkable move, would jump for a header, moving it back just enough for number 25, Jovo Lukić, to go for a header, this time towards the Canadian goal, scoring the first one of the match for the Eastern European nation.
I'm not going to lie, I screamed this goal like a total idiot. I've been rooting for Bosnia since they managed to leave Italy out during the qualifiers, and I was completely overjoyed by this result. In that instant, I was a Bosnian in spirit, but I wasn't the only one celebrating. I was happy to see the stadium with a considerable amount of Bosnian blue even amongst so much Canadian red, and I think we've all seen the incredible images of the Bosnian crowd as they marched to the stadium ahead of the game. Take me to America indeed!
In the 31st minute, Villarreal player Tani Oluwaseyi had a clear chance at the equalizer, but with Muharemović right beside him, he wasn't able to angle it right and sent it straight to the crowd. A mistake that would prove disastrous as Canada began to struggle more and more under the European squad's defense.
While the host nation had a clearly superior presence during the rest of the first half, the Bosnians were set on not allowing them to score. The North Americans succumbed under pressure, committing frankly juvenile mistakes that were often committed by the team's greatest stars, names that outshone Bosnia's players by a mile but weren't playing well enough for anyone to notice. International football at its best.
The second half started with a much more offensive Canada, which Bosnia was quick to respond to with an equally brutal defense. Just one minute into the game, Vasilj would produce yet another remarkable save to keep it out of the net, but just a couple of moments later, the Canadians would come back charging, and Vasilj would be left to defend against an approaching Oluwaseyi on his own. In a quick act of desperation, the Bosnian goalkeeper would choose to go forward and meet the Canadian head on (more literally than figuratively) right at the penalty line, a play that resulted in a brutal clash that ended with both players on the ground.
Now here's the thing. While at first glance the play may seem like an obvious foul (and thus a penalty, maybe even a yellow card), the truth is the Bosnian did reach the ball first, hitting the Canadian unintentionally as he tried to punch the ball away. And to make it all worse, the Canadian was clearly offside, so no penalty was awarded.
The Canadians were, naturally, not happy about the whole situation and continued to desperately try to equalize in an effort to not become the first host nation in World Cup history to lose their opening match.
In the 52nd minute came another chance for the Canadians after a beautiful pass from Eustáquio that left the ball at Koné's feet, ready to strike the Bosnian goal. Koné kicked, and both defender Tarik Muharemović and goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj were unable to stop it, but as everything seemed lost, the Bosnian captain, Sead Kolašinac, would step up once again—the ball hitting his feet, bouncing up, hitting the crossbar and going out. A miraculous save worth remembering for the years to come.
Almost immediately after, the Bosnians would respond with a promising counter that the Canadian goalkeeper was able to keep at bay. The match's pace was quickly shifting in intensity towards something even more dangerous, and the tension could be felt.
Bosnia would be saved right on the line once again in the 66th minute of the match, after Nikola Katić made a header to keep the ball out of the net when Vasilj wasn't able to answer fast enough. Bosnia was choosing to put their lives on the line from the very start. This would be one of many obvious chances that Canada would fail to capitalize on.
Back from the second hydration break of the game, both teams would choose to make substitutions. The European squad would see Amar Memić and Esmir Bajraktarević go out in favor of Kerim Alajbegović and Ivan Šunjić, and Canada would respond with Southampton player Cyle Larin entering to replace Tani Oluwaseyi. The latter change would immediately prove successful, as Larin would score the equalizer in the 78th minute with a beautiful assist from Promise.
Canada was instantly invigorated, and they would immediately start seeking a chance to make it 2-1. In the twelve minutes remaining (+6 minutes of stoppage time), the Bosnians would fight till exhaustion to keep the Canadians out, withstanding obvious fouls that even saw Kolašinac get injured and substituted near the end. It would all be worth it, however, as the match would come to a close with the score tied 1-1, with both countries taking a valuable point home.
This game would mark Canada's first-ever point.
2026 FIFA World Cup | Group Stage - Mexico vs. South Africa
Entry #7 — 11/06/26
The opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup started amongst the deafening cheers of the Aztec Stadium's crowd. One of the most iconic of football coliseums was once again the protagonist of sports history as it prepared to host its third World Cup opener.
The host team, who had been facing a number of struggles as of late, was set on offering a spectacle as the whole nation, and millions across the world, turned to look at them. Mexico was quick to push towards South Africa's half of the field, choosing to set up camp there with relentless pressure that stopped the African nation from being able to respond.
Just four minutes in came Mexico's clearest chance yet in the form of a remarkable cross by Israel Reyes followed by a strike from English second division player Raul Jimenez, which was quickly repelled by South African goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
The host nation wouldn't have to wait long, however, as just five minutes later, Colombian born Julián Quiñones would catch the African nation by surprise and score the first goal for Mexico to officially start the 2026 World Cup. In a nice touch from the Saudi League player, he walked towards the stands and celebrated just like South African Siphiwe Tshabalala and his teammates did back when he scored the opening goal of the 2010 South African World Cup, a match that was, curiously enough, played against Mexico.
The plays that followed were marked by an unjustifiably violent attitude from the South African squad, that would finally be penalized with the tournament's first yellow just 16 minutes in. The lucky winner? Teboho Mokoena.
At this point the Mexican squad seemed to be playing quite decently, and at 19 minutes sharp Quiñones would once again find a gap and strike towards the South African goal, missing the top right corner by a matter of centimeters.
Mexico wouldn't give up, however. Thirty minutes in, Toluca player Jesús Gallardo would perform a cross that was quickly intercepted by Williams, who once again saved the South African squad from disaster. Shortly after that, Quiñones would make another remarkable attempt at glory with a strike that would, sadly, hit the goal frame.
Mexico would have its last clear chance of the first half three minutes into overtime. Quiñones (yes, same guy once again) would give a beautifully placed pass to a young Brian Gutiérrez, leaving him perfectly positioned to score a goal in his first World Cup appearance. The American born would, however, crumble under pressure and choke every kid's dream opportunity by kicking the ball poorly and most definitely too weakly.
Halftime arrived with the host nation up one goal to nothing and having an overwhelming number of clear attempts. Whenever a rare opportunity came for the South African team, the visiting squad would quickly fail to capitalize on it. The team was often poorly positioned and inconsistent with their passes; their only clear chance coming in the form of 26-year-old Chivas goalkeeper Raúl Rangel messing up and leaving the goal unguarded, a monumental mistake that the African nation failed to take advantage of.
As soon as the second half started, Gutiérrez would come back searching for redemption, and the opportunity didn't take long to arrive. Only five minutes into the second half, the youngster would receive a pass that would leave him in front of South Africa's defensive line with only the goalkeeper ahead of him. As he dribbled towards the goal, midfielder Yaya Sithole would hunt him down and force a fall to stop what would've otherwise been most definitely a goal. The ref was quick to award the South African a red card.
South Africa was able to offer a response in the form of a couple of relatively significant plays that may not have led to anything but revealed the poor performance Mexican goalkeeper Raúl Rangel was having.
Sixty six minutes in came Mexico's second goal thanks to a remarkable pass by Quiñones that was finished with a strike from Jiménez, who never gave up in searching for that goal opportunity. The goal proved to be extremely emotional for Jiménez, who failed to contain his tears. Just six years ago the Mexican had suffered a not only career threatening but potentially life ending skull fracture in a match against Arsenal, an extremely complex injury that would've marked the end of it all for most men but that he was able to somehow overcome, returning to his lifelong passion and representing his nation in front of his home crowd. One of those stories only football can give.
Now, despite being two goals up, the Mexican squad began performing surprisingly poorly in the second half, the only reason it all went unnoticed was because South Africa was performing just as bad, if not worse. The Mexican crowd, ever so demanding, began voicing their discontent immediately. Just twelve minutes before the end of the match, however, the Mexican crowd would stop to clap for who was most definitely the MVP of the match. Julián Quiñones sat down in the 18th minute with the Aztec Stadium applauding his outstanding performance. Totally deserved.
In the 80th minute, MLS player Oswin Appollis, who had entered the game just three minutes prior, would go for a strike against the Mexican goal, and while the play went nowhere, the moment would be remembered as his teammate Themba Zwane decided to push Mexican Roberto Alvarado, being awarded a red card after VAR review.
The African nation wouldn't be the only one to receive reds, however, as just one minute into the seven minute long overtime, a Mexican player would perform a slide tackle on Khuliso Mudau as the South African headed towards the Mexican goal in what some argue could've been a goal-scoring play, but that I think was heading nowhere.
With both teams completely exhausted, the opening match came to an end in the 97th minute, with Mexico beating the opening match curse and finally being able to come out victorious. In the most Mexican fashion, the beautiful and colorful Aztec Stadium burst into screams and cheers while "El Rey" began playing, truly cinematic stuff.
While overall it wasn't the most interesting of matches, I think all football fans would agree with me when I say that Mexico, no matter how good or how poorly they perform, breathes football, and that this beautiful tournament shares a profound connection with Mexico, and with the Aztec Stadium specifically. Looking back at the images taken from this match, one can only think back to the number of battles the world has witnessed in this very place. It is a real shame that the final of the 23rd edition of the World Cup won't take place here.
2026 NBA Finals - Game 4
Entry #6 — 10/06/26
Game 4 started with Karl Anthony Towns clearly set on amending the mistakes he had committed in the previous game. Sadly, the Dominican was quick to betray his greatest flaw: the number of fouls he commits. After two early fouls, he was immediately put back on the bench.
On top of these horrible news, New York seemed averse to playing on the inside, choosing to play from the line and failing to score on multiple occasions.
Anunoby was the silent hero of the Knicks this first quarter, but he couldn't stop the Spurs from building a huge lead. Victor Wembanyama seemed especially comfortable, having found his place under the net and playing a remarkable defensive game, but as a whole, the San Antonio team played notably calmer, with the Knicks rushing and committing mistakes at crucial moments.
Another player who shone from the local side was Mitchell Robinson, who played logically and assertively, guarding Wembanyama and trying to close the gap. With 40 seconds left, however, Mitchell would be awarded a flagrant foul for falling into Wemby's trap and pushing the guy in the neck after a bit of bad mouthing.
Wemby has clearly proven himself capable of playing the mind game in these finals, and of course, mind games are always important. However, I do think the Spurs team could use other players choosing to play it in his place, because you never know when Wemby could cross the line and pay the price for it, and he's way too valuable an asset to fall for it.
The first quarter closed with the Knicks losing by a devastating 19 points (41–22 in favor of the Spurs).
For some reason, the 2nd quarter started with Jose Alvarado trying to defend Wemby. Alvarado got quite violent and committed what was quite clearly a flagrant foul (book-definition of a flagrant foul) against the San Antonio alien, but luckily for him, it didn't get penalized as such.
Luck wouldn't last much longer for the New York based team, however, as the Spurs responded with a three pointer rain. They came in one after the other, making up for all those they had previously missed, and widening the gap to a whopping almost 29 point lead. The performance and maturity of rookie Carter Bryant especially surprised me; he showed quite a step up from the previous glimpses we had seen of the young prospect in this series.
To close up this nightmare scenario, Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns got awarded yet another foul and got sent straight to the bench once again.
It truly seemed like everything was going according to plan for the Spurs: passes, steals, fouls, defense and offense. There was a truly devastating difference between the performances of both teams, and the Madison Square Garden suddenly fell silent as lifelong New York fan Spike Lee put his hands on his head out of pure desperation. I cannot even begin to imagine how exasperating it all felt for Brunson, who was trying it all to turn things around. It truly surprised me when, with less than 2 minutes on the clock and a 25 point deficit, Brunson went to the free throw line and missed.
By the last 40 seconds of the game, it seemed like the New Yorkers couldn't even run. Halftime arrived with the Knicks losing 49 to 76.
Immediately after restarting, Stephon Castle had to be benched after committing his 4th personal foul. Karl Anthony Towns was also involved in yet another foul, this time on the receiving end against Wemby. While it was clearly a foul, and the flagrant penalty that was awarded was totally justified, I personally think this was an honest mistake on Wemby's part, unlike previous fouls. This was the sort of situation where the man's fascinating physique played against him instead of in his favor.
OG Anunoby and Josh Hart stepped up as the Spurs' three pointer miracle began to fade, and Wemby, for some reason, decided to go back to playing from outside the arc. By this point, it was clear that the only thing in which the Spurs were winning was in points, but on the court they were getting outplayed left and right. The Knicks were beginning to change the tide little by little.
KAT committed his 4th foul against Dylan Harper, who managed to score both his free throws and sent the Dominican back to the bench. Mitchell Robinson entered in his place, and as payback, Brunson forced a foul on Harper on top of scoring a bucket. Harper was HEATED. The twenty year old was on fire, which made for a striking contrast with the rest of his team, who were all acting rather coy.
The last quarter started with a 15‑point lead for the Spurs but with the Knicks playing vastly better. The question was: how much longer would New York manage to keep this up? Their relentless pace seemed to be punishing, and Jalen Brunson was part of the starting five despite having played all 12 minutes of the previous quarter.
The Knicks didn't wait long to answer the question and silence all doubters, playing for their lives and annihilating the Spurs' defense – if you could even call it that. Brunson seemed quite tired indeed, but Anunoby didn't let New Yorkers down, and with Harper being the only San Antonio player stepping up, the difference was cut down quite rapidly.
With three and a half minutes on the clock, Wemby would make a two pointer that left the score 104 to 97 in San Antonio's favor. Now bear with me as I try to describe the events that took place in the last few minutes.
Brunson struggles under defense. The Knicks pass it around for a while. The ball lands on Alvarado, and the Puerto Rican goes for the three pointer. Kobe. Immediate bucket. 104 to 100 for the Spurs. Spurs try and respond; Fox goes for the three pointer, messes up. Back to the Knicks. Brunson walks, invigorated, shoots – three points. 104 to 103.
San Antonio has the ball. There are two minutes and twenty seconds left; they try to take it slow. Fox dribbles towards the Knicks' side of the court calmly to try and attempt a pick‑and‑roll. He tries to pass it to Castle; Josh Hart intercepts it and runs to the basket as Castle follows. Hart PANICS he doesn't know what to do and ends up missing the layup, failing to score despite being on his own.
Back to San Antonio. Fox passes it to Wemby. No more taking it slow. The alien goes for the drive, misses, but gets awarded two free throws after a foul. In an absolutely dreadful moment, Wemby steps to the free throw line and misses not one but two free throws in the most decisive moment of all!
Knicks gain possession back, and Brunson walks calmly. He knows San Antonio has lost the mind game. He dribbles on his own, waits until he exhausts 22 seconds of the shot clock, shoots at the last second from within the paint. The ball bounces around the rim – once, twice - it goes in. The Knicks take the lead, 105 to 104, with one minute and 20 seconds left. This is it.
The Madison Square Garden cannot believe it. Not a single soul is sitting down. Back at home, I too stand up. Whatever happens now, it's clear we are all witnessing history. The Knicks know it well.
The Spurs are desperate. Castle receives a pass, fumbles it, manages to save it, but as he goes for the drive, he steps out of bounds. Back to the Knicks. They try it all but end up exhausting their time. Shot clock violation.
There are 38 seconds left. San Antonio has the ball; they're one point down. Fox has the ball; jump shot for the three - misses. Castle goes for the rebound, but Hart is already on him. A foul is awarded. San Antonio has two free throws. MSG is practically falling down. The busiest city in the world comes to a standstill. The sound is deafening as Castle steps to the free throw line. No one could be blamed for crumbling, but Stephon Castle takes a deep breath, aims, shoots – it goes in. Once, twice. Absolute silence.
Thirty seconds left. The Spurs are up by one point, 106 to 105. The Knicks have possession.
Hart thinks it through before passing it to Brunson. The clock starts counting. The Spurs put up a brutal defense. He has no one to pass it to, throws it to KAT, he's cornered. Back to Brunson. He gives in, goes for the drive. Two points is enough; two points is all they need. Jalen Brunson jumps and encounters a wall – all 2 meters and 20 centimeters of a man by the name of Victor Wembanyama.
Hart jumps, desperate to get it back, but the rebound is unsuccessful. Fox goes for the counter, but the ball slips from his fingers just so. He chases after it towards the Knicks' basket, Anunoby behind him, but it doesn't matter, he reaches it first.
There are 13 seconds left for the buzzer to go off. He only needs to waste time, take it easy, wait for his team to arrive, and he will have it. It's a tie. The Spurs go back to San Antonio with the series tied 2‑2. They did it, a comeback, the Larry O'Brien on the tip of their fingers. But the rim is ahead of him, and no one is there to defend it. It calls to him, and suddenly the need to dunk it, to celebrate it in the face of those who doubted him, overcomes him. And against all sense and logic, he goes for it.
Just as Fox jumps, Anunoby reaches his side. The ball is already leaving his hand, headed for the net, when it gets slapped away and back to Brunson's hands. "Choke" isn't a word that I use lightly, but this moment, this whole match, this is the definition of a choke.
There are 10 seconds left, an insignificant amount of time, the blink of an eye, a single breath, not more than 10 steps, not enough to make any difference in almost any other setting. But this is basketball, and this is the scenario only basketball can give you. Brunson has it. Fox and Wemby are on him. He doesn't know what to do. He jumps back, shoots, and New York goes silent once again as the ball flies across the court, bouncing off the rim and out. Is this the end? The Knicks have just performed one of the greatest feats in NBA history, let alone NBA Finals, they had just come back from a 29‑point deficit, and they're going to lose by a single point? OG Anunoby doesn't think so.
He charges across the court, dodging the bodies of San Antonio's players. He jumps, as do five others behind him, but he is determined, all of New York on his shoulders as he reaches out, his fingers stretching. An insignificant amount of friction, but it is enough. It's enough for the ball to travel back towards the net, and as OG falls, he looks back, and it goes in.
OG Anunoby doesn't even smile as he stands up. This is another day at work. But New York has been waiting for this a long time, and they cannot believe it. They did it. They're up 107 to 106. They won. The series is now 3‑1, a devastating result. They just need one more: one more win, one more effort. Screaming isn't enough.
San Antonio can't believe it either. Just 24 minutes ago, they had been twenty nine points ahead. How did this happen? How did they allow it to come to this? It's unheard of, devastating. Fox cannot say a word. Thirteen seconds, that was all he needed to wait. And now, unless they turn it around like only one team in history has been able to do, he will regret that decision for a lifetime.
If the Knicks win next game, San Antonio will forever remember De'Aaron Fox as a greedy and incompetent player who, even as the most seasoned and senior member of a young squad, decided to act like a child and ruined his team's chances to win the NBA Finals. Why did he go for the two pointer? Why didn't he waste time? Play the long possession? Thirteen seconds! Thirteen damn seconds! I myself felt like screaming, but rationally, no matter how bad this mistake was and how bad the immediate outcome proved to be, the truth is De'Aaron Fox cannot be blamed, because it should've never come to this in the first place. This game was never supposed to be defined by a single point, not when the Spurs were winning by almost thirty!
The Spurs blowing a twenty nine point lead is what should be remembered. A single mistake? We've all been there. We've all missed a point. We've all given a bad pass. We've all been culprits. No one is innocent, no one has ever been. But how many mistakes in a row does it take to blow a 29 point lead? Even if they go on to win this next game, even if they win the whole damn thing, the Spurs need to look back at this moment for the rest of their lives and remember it for what it is: a stain, an embarrassment, maybe the gravest mistake of their whole careers. It is shameful!
2026 NBA Finals - Game 3
Entry #5 — 08/06/26
Game 3 of the NBA finals was HEATED.
The Spurs, who came from being down 2-0 against the Knicks, losing both games at home, arrived at Madison Square Garden completely renewed and ready to ruin the Big Apple's party. Wemby, who had performed relatively poorly in the 2nd game, messing up crucial plays and failing to deliver on three pointers, started off hot, clearly dominating under the net, a zone he had seemed particularly averse to in the last two games.
From the visiting side, Stephon Castle also started quite well, intercepting, making creative passes and, most importantly, scoring important three pointers, which had been San Antonio's kryptonite during the last game. Early on it took the Knicks quite a while to adapt to the Spurs' pace, they seemed taken aback, but Brunson stepped up to guide the series' leaders.
Number 11 took the lead and tried to pull the team back together, getting into a harsh scuffle with Castle that ended up with the Knicks' leader being awarded a physical foul.
Halfway through the first quarter, Wemby would go back to the bench with Luke Kornet entering in his place. Kornet would shortly after get into a bit of friction with NYK' Josh Hart. The local bench jumped to break everything off, but it was obvious that the climate was much more tense than during the previous games.
The first quarter closed out with the Spurs leading 33-22 at the Knicks' home court. Despite the obvious pressure on the young shoulders of the San Antonio team, the Spurs showed surprising maturity, choosing to confront this third game with calmness and assertiveness despite being two down. The Knicks, on the other hand, proved to be uncertain against San Antonio's pace, playing aggressively and losing many important points, mainly three pointers, which had previously been the team's forte.
The second quarter was undoubtedly started by OG Anunoby, who stepped up and quickly managed to close the gap to the visiting team with rapid-succession plays and some incredible buckets. On the other hand, Stephon Castle pulled ahead on the Spurs' side, delivering valuable points even from some of the worst spots.
With three minutes and change left on the clock, Castle and Brunson would get into yet another scuffle, this time with Castle pushing the Knicks' star into the ground unnecessarily harshly. Brunson seemed to be hurt quite badly, and the team was quick to appeal and try to get Stephon awarded a flagrant foul, to no avail. Three free throws were given instead.
Karl-Anthony Towns logged some valuable minutes in both quarters but lacked any significant impact besides a couple of plays, which showed a drastic pace change from last game.
Halftime arrived with the Knicks winning 64 to 57.
The third quarter got started in a really controversial way after Brunson was awarded a flagrant foul for pushing Julian Champagnie, except it arguably wasn't even a foul to begin with. It was curious, to say the least, especially taking into consideration the foul Castle had committed against Brunson in the last quarter and how he got away with it.
Twelve minutes went by quickly in an excruciatingly rapid succession of plays in which no team was able to build a point gap.
We entered the last stretch of the game with the Spurs winning by a single point (92 to 91 — yes, that's how close things were). The Spurs quickly took the initiative and started to build a lead little by little, capitalizing on every foul and mistake the New Yorkers committed and trying to make up for their lack of three pointers and unsuccessful passes.
This last quarter made obvious a weakness that the Knicks had been having during the whole game: their reliance on Brunson. In past games, the Knicks had shown a vastly superior ability to rotate players and play in multiple configurations, but this game the players were set on going for the safe option, burning out Brunson in the process. KAT, who had previously shone, couldn't manage to score a single point in the 4th quarter.
Twenty year old Dylan Harper played especially well, making important shots and decisive passes. His teammate De'Aaron Fox, on the other hand, seemed at a loss, even if at the very end he managed a couple of important plays. If one could describe these last 12 minutes with a single word, it would probably be "brutal." The Spurs did an incredible job on defense, often bordering on violence that overwhelmed the Knicks' offense. Wemby was the main culprit behind this violence, while Brunson was more often than not on the receiving end of it all.
At some point, San Antonio's defense proved so unbreakable that the Knicks resorted to three pointers, but they just couldn't get those shots to go in. The game came to a close with the Spurs winning 115 to 111.
The Spurs blowing a twenty nine point lead is what should be remembered. A single mistake? We've all been there. We've all missed a point. We've all given a bad pass. We've all been culprits. No one is innocent, no one has ever been. But how many mistakes in a row does it take to blow a 29 point lead? Even if they go on to win this next game, even if they win the whole damn thing, the Spurs need to look back at this moment for the rest of their lives and remember it for what it is: a stain, an embarrassment, maybe the gravest mistake of their whole careers. It is shameful!2026 FireKeepers Casino 400
Entry #4 — 07/06/26
Despite qualifying in the top ten, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and my dearest Erik Jones were all sent to the back of the grid due to car adjustments. Two laps in, Connor Zilisch tapped the wall after spinning between turns 3 and 4; fortunately he was able to continue, but it wouldn't really matter since he would end up crashing off turn two and hitting the inside wall on lap 9, putting an end to his race. Sigh.
At this point I'm just waiting for something to happen to the 88 car every weekend. It truly isn't a matter of if but a matter of when, 'cause I know it will happen sooner than later. I know driver error is a part of it, but Trackhouse needs to get their shit together. They have good drivers, great drivers even; the team cannot continue to perform like this.
After this it didn't take long for Hocevar to get started with his usual antics, but I pretty much missed all of it because I had some friends call me about an assignment. Stage one finished with Tyler Reddick coming first.
On lap 83 a wreck ensued due to Kyle Larson's stupid ass squishing down the leading cars and producing a chain reaction that sent my beloved #45 flying onto the inside wall in a rather rough crash, not precisely due to the initial impact but rather because he bounced back and was hit directly on the driver side by a wrecking Dillon, who also got battered pretty badly.
Around lap 100, Erik began to climb and make some important overtakes against Bubba, Larson and Suarez, but while he gained good speed, it wasn't enough to surpass Elliott, who would go on to win stage two, with Erik right behind him.
Around lap 148 Chase got a loose tire and lost control of the car, brutally crashing into Christopher Bell in one of the most horrible looking crashes we've seen as of late. The damage to the #20 car was absolutely horrifying, but fortunately Bell was able to walk out safe and sound, as did Elliott. A red flag was immediately deployed to remove both cars and fix up the damage on the SAFER barriers.
Seeing Bell's onboard makes you appreciate the incredible safety developments that NASCAR and other racing categories have implemented in the last few years. It is always wonderful to know that drivers are now able to simply walk out of these horrible scenarios that just a decade or two ago could've been fatal. It was also great to see Elliott's level of sportsmanship and maturity even after losing what seemed to be a great chance for the win.
The race restarted on lap 154. Daniel quickly took the lead, but the yellows quickly came back as McDowell hit the back of Gragson's car, triggering a multi-car accident involving #10, #21, #33, #47, #51, #60, #71, and, sadly, #97. This would mark the 11th caution of the day, an unfortunate track record for Michigan.
With 40 laps left, the race restarted once again. Hocevar didn't wait before going to haunt Suarez for 1st place. Hamlin saw the two Spire drivers fighting and went for the inside lane, making it three-wide and overtaking them both. Hocevar made it quite clear that he wasn't interested in playing for the team and continued fighting his teammate as Denny escaped ahead of both of them. Bubba saw that as a chance and overtook Hocevar as well.
26 laps to go and Jones made a move down the inside lane to overtake Byron, choosing to successfully hunt down Logano for fifth place immediately after. At around lap 184 Suarez began losing pace, being overtaken by Bubba, Hocevar and Jones. While Suarez tried his best to defend against a quick Larson, Jones managed to pass both Wallace and Hocevar in rapid succession to clinch second place.
Denny Hamlin proved his worth once again and managed to win after starting from last place for the second time in a row. This win would mark Denny's 63rd, matching Kyle Busch's total and placing him as the 9th winningest driver in NASCAR history. In an emotional moment, Denny drove around the final stretch with a flag sporting his number 1 and Kyle's 8, forming Rowdy's iconic 18 and dedicating this huge win to Brexton and Lennix. Truly what NASCAR is all about.
2026 F1 Monaco Grand Prix
Entry #3 — 07/06/26
After a remarkable qualifying that saw Max Verstappen secure a front row start, the #3 car, also known as a fucking shitbox with wheels, decided to start messing around during the formation lap, and straight up gave up at the start of the race, stalling just as 20 other drivers began speeding up behind it. Fortunately no crash occurred and everyone was ok, but it was truly heartbreaking to see Max fall to the very back and retire without completing a single lap. The car seemed to have improved its pace these last few races and that P2 start was extremely important in a track like Monaco where overtaking opportunities come much less often.
After stalling, Max went on the radio to say the engine was broken, so obviously fantastic news. RBR power unit strikes again.
Early on Perez was penalized with a drive through penalty for starting the race out of his grid box, which caused him to lose plenty of positions. His teammate Valtteri Bottas had even worse luck and after struggling with his brakes for a while he was forced to retire on Lap 18 due to technical issues yet again, cooling problems this time around. Absolute disaster scenario for Cadillac.
On such a dull track you have to hang onto every bit of emotion you can find, and this year it came in the form of technical issues (because you already know overtakes were not going to happen). One of the most interesting "battles" occurred between Isack Hadjar and George Russell. Hadjar struggled with different technical complications and was pretty much begging on the radio for the team to do something as he gave his all to keep Russell behind. The team wasn't sure what the problem was, but Hadjar did complain about the engine, so if Hadjar was right that would be 2/2 engine failures for Red Bull this weekend (Great! Love this stupid team).
At some point Hadjar, struggling and under pressure, jumped the chicane and Russell was quick to (rightfully, I'll admit) complain on the radio, but it all surprisingly went nowhere. Fed up with losing time behind a clearly slower Red Bull, Mercedes called up Russell to the pits to try and perform an undercut that went successfully at around Lap 34. That same lap Hamilton would be put under investigation and immediately be given a 5 sec penalty for speeding in the pitlane.
A couple laps after his undercut, Russell was put under investigation for speeding on pitlane, being awarded a 5 sec penalty the very next lap. Ollie Bearman retired around this point and Colapinto was given a penalty for speeding on pitlane. On lap 45 Norris was called to the garage to retire after a power unit issue, which is obviously bad news for McLaren as this would be Norris' 2nd power unit related DNF in a row (not complaining).
On lap 46 a controversial team order came from Williams when the team asked Albon, who had been rolling in 9th place, to switch positions with his teammate Sainz who was 10th. The idea was for Albon to hold back the cars fighting for 10th place and give his teammate enough time to pit, that way they both maintain position and both get points. Albon was, rightfully, unhappy about it but he complied anyway.
While Williams' strategy worked for a while, on lap 49, just as Albon started complaining about how risky and unfair this strategy was for him, Lindblad overtook him proving his concerns right. While I understand what Williams were trying to do, as they have failed to get points this season and a double points finish would mean a lot to the team, I cannot help but feel for Albon. I'd be raging if I were him.
On lap 56 Piastri was given a 5 sec penalty for speeding on pitlane and at this point it was getting pretty clear that something had to be going on with the sensors or something, I mean it isn't normal for drivers to mess up this badly.
On lap 60 of 78 Stroll crashed and a safety car was deployed, lots of drivers took this opportunity to change to fresher tires, Russell and the Ferraris amongst them. The Italian team went for a double stack and Hamilton served his penalty without a problem. Leclerc, on the other hand, was not happy about being called in for new softs.
Russell had a penalty yet to serve, and if he had chosen not to go into the pits it would've just been added to his final time, but for some reason the team decided to call him in and not serve it. The Brit received a new set of tires but was put under investigation a couple laps later for failing to serve his penalty. An absolute disaster class for Russell.
The race was set to restart on lap 66, but just as Antonelli crossed the line Charles Leclerc crashed into the final turn, forcing the Monegasque to abandon his home race despite having an almost secured podium finish.
I was getting ready for yet another safety car when the session was abruptly red flagged, at first I thought there had been problems removing Leclerc's car from the track but it turns out the track itself was the problem. A bit of asphalt had been messed up and the stewards would need a while to try and fix it.
During the red flag Isack Hadjar, who was promoted to third place after Leclerc's DNF, got put under investigation for infringement of safety car rules. Russell's investigation was also concluded with a drive-through penalty being awarded.
The race was given a standing start with 8 laps left. Hadjar dropped two places at the start due to power problems yet again, Colapinto came into contact with Sainz out of the hairpin and the Spaniard was forced to retire. Antonelli would win the Monaco GP after a superb race that would finish in a grand slam.
Hadjar finished 4th, but was promoted to 3rd due to Gasly, who was ahead of him, being penalized. Obviously an incredible result for the young driver, but it could've been lost if the FIA had decided to issue a penalty for a red flag infringement his team committed.
2026 F3 Monaco Sprint Race
Entry #2 — 06/06/26
While I do not often engage with feeder series, I'm afraid F3 has offered enough for me to speak about today, and for all the wrong reasons. The 2026 F3 Monte Carlo sprint was a hot mess marked by an early crash at the Grand Hotel Hairpin that ended up wrecking pretty much everyone on the grid. The race ended with Japanese driver Hiyu Yamakoshi in P1, obtaining his maiden win alongside teammate Bruno del Pino in P3, and Chinese driver Gerrard Xie in P2. Normally this is where I would go, "But it didn't take long for everything to go off track," or something along those lines, but the problem is, it did take long (unnecessarily long) for the FIA to make sense of this chaos, and thus we were all left waiting for an official classification for no less than EIGHT HOURS, which is honestly baffling. But here is a quick rundown.
Round two of the season started as usual, but it only took six turns for chaos to start. Upon reaching the iconic hairpin, Finnish driver Tuukka Taponen made a move to overtake Rivera around the inside, but as the Mexican driver rushed to close the gap, they ended up colliding, causing multiple other crashes behind them, which is frankly inevitable with 30 cars packed so close together in such a small turn on such a narrow track.
Almost at the same time as this was unfolding, United States driver Brad Benavides, who started the race in 20th place, went for a gap between Rodin Motorsport driver Christian Ho and DAMS' driver Nandhavad Bhirombhakdi, making contact with their tires and lifting the front of his car completely, only to smash back into the ground and crash against a barrier as Ho, who had gotten his front wing broken and stuck under his left side tire due to contact with Benavides, crashed into the young American's rear. While the crash didn't seem particularly concerning from the outside, it would result in three broken vertebrae and a recovery period of (at least) two months for Benavides.
With debris scattered all across the track, the session was yellow-flagged and then red-flagged to facilitate cleanup. Thirty minutes had to pass for the race to restart. With only three laps completed, the session was turned into a timed race and 22 minutes of action were given, but the misfortunes continued and two yellows had to be deployed: the first one accompanied by a safety car for yet another crash in the hairpin, this one involving car #1, #5, and #3, and the second one with only 7 minutes left on the clock due to a bit of debris.
Now, the worst part wasn't the number of in-race mishaps and penalties, but the number of post-race penalties and how late they came. Cars 15, 28, 23, 27, and 29 had to serve stop-and-go penalties (30 seconds) for problems with post-race car procedures. Cars 6, 15, and 29 had to serve 10-second penalties for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. Car 5 got a 10-second penalty for causing a collision. And car 14, Yamakoshi (the winner of the race) was disqualified for failing to meet post-race inspection standards.
His car was found to have the front left hand side pushrod mounted on the right and the front right hand pushrod mounted on the left, which is, of course, illegal according to technical regulations even if it doesn't improve time in the slightest. This is a major fuck-up by Van Amersfoort Racing and is totally heartbreaking for the young driver, who had already been celebrating his maiden win for hours before the stewards called him and the team over. After his disqualification, Gerrard Xie was promoted to P1, which I'm sure felt special since it is his first F3 win, but I know no driver wishes to win this way.
2026 NBA Finals - Game 2
Entry #1 — 05/06/26
Writing this immediately after game two of the NBA Finals and WHAT A MESS!!
The San Antonio Spurs have succumbed to the pressure of the NBA Finals and have, so far, proved right all the things that they were already questioned about.
Up until now the young squad had been able to prove themselves capable, mature, focused and above all, ready, but these past two matches, and especially this second one, have demonstrated that they may indeed not be prepared for the Larry O'Brien.
In their defense, I do think it's unfair to immediately diminish what they have achieved in order to get this far solely based on this performance, but no matter how fondly we, as fans, look back on a season or a player, it is all meaningless if you are to succumb just one step away from the greatest prize of all.
The general lack of concentration of the Spurs' team is, sadly enough, especially reflected on Wemby, which sucks for him since I really do like the guy and was rooting for him, but it is the sort of responsibility you get when you are the face of a team. Sports fame can be extremely rewarding, but it is also brutally punishing: the Spurs' success is directly associated with Wemby, but in turn he is expected to accept responsibility for its defeats, even when no one can play a one-man match at this level.
In a way, I do believe the team is capable of turning this around despite everything, but the team needs to start playing like they believe they belong here, not like they're just happy to have made it. Game 3 is a must-win, not just for the series, but for their identity and morale. One more collapse like this, and the whole identity of this team will crumble to extinction.
