Sports
Messi Leads Argentina into Copa America Final
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to the Copa America final with a 2-0 win over Canada. The 37-year-old scored six minutes into the second half, deflecting an effort from Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez past Canada goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.
Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez opened the scoring, latching onto a pass from Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo de Paul and converting from close range. This marks the sixth time in the last eight editions that Argentina, the 15-time Copa America winners, have reached the final.
The upcoming final, against either Uruguay or Colombia, will be Angel di Maria’s final appearance for Argentina before his international retirement. There are also doubts about Messi’s long-term future with the national team. “Let’s enjoy what we are experiencing as a national team, as a group. It is not easy to be in a final again, to compete again to be champions,” Messi told TyC Sports. “I’m living it as I have been living everything lately – enjoying it very much and being aware, as it happens to Fideo (Di Maria) and Ota (Nicolas Otamendi), that these are the last battles.”
Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni stated he will work to “convince” Di Maria and Messi to continue with international duty. “For Leo (Messi), it’s similar to Angel,” said Scaloni. “We have to let him be and we will never be the ones to close the door. He can be with our team for as long as he wants to be. And if he wants to retire but still come and hang around, it would be great.”
Canada, ranked 48th in the world, struggled to recover after Alvarez’s goal. “What I said to the team afterwards is I know that they’re very disappointed, but I’m very proud of them,” said Canada coach Jesse Marsch. “We’ve put together some incredible performances, just starting our process.” Marsch emphasized the importance of expanding their player pool in the coming years.
The semi-final between Uruguay and Colombia takes place on Thursday, 11 July at 01:00 BST, and the Copa America final is on Monday, 15 July at 01:00 BST.
Sports
Jack Draper Advances to Japan Open Last 16 with Win Over Bellucci
British tennis player Jack Draper has secured a spot in the Japan Open last 16 after defeating Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in straight sets. Draper, ranked world number 20, claimed a 6-4, 6-2 victory, marking his first win since his US Open semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner earlier this month.
The 22-year-old’s triumph in Tokyo comes as a welcome return to form following a challenging Davis Cup in Manchester, where he lost both of his singles matches to Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, contributing to Great Britain’s failure to reach the knockout stages.
After a tightly contested first set against world number 103 Bellucci, Draper dominated the second set, building a 5-1 lead before closing out the match. He will face Polish second seed Hubert Hurkacz in the next round on Friday.
Sports
Wolves Defender Yerson Mosquera Likely Out for Season with Knee Injury
Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera is expected to miss the remainder of the season following a serious knee injury sustained in Wolves’ 3-1 loss to Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Colombian twisted his knee after a collision with Villa’s Morgan Rogers in the 82nd minute and was stretchered off the pitch.
Scans confirmed that Mosquera suffered damage to both the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which will require surgery. Wolves’ head of high performance, Phil Hayward, said, “We will be visiting specialists to finalise the plan for surgery, and it’s highly unlikely he will feature again this season.”
Mosquera had been a key part of Wolves’ defense this season, starting all five Premier League games after returning from a loan spell at Villarreal. His absence further deepens Wolves’ defensive issues, as they did not secure a replacement for Max Kilman following his £40m move to West Ham.
Wolves, currently winless and sitting at the bottom of the Premier League, face Liverpool at home in their next match.
Sports
Ex-Real Madrid & Manchester United Defender Raphael Varane Retires at 31
Raphael Varane, former defender for Real Madrid, Manchester United, and the French national team, has retired from professional football at the age of 31. Varane, who joined Italian side Como in July, sustained a knee injury on his debut, prompting his decision to step away from playing. He will remain at Como in a non-playing capacity.
In an emotional Instagram post, Varane wrote, “It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct,” explaining his desire to leave the sport on his own terms.
Varane began his career at Lens before a decade-long stint at Real Madrid, where he won 18 major trophies, including three La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. He later joined Manchester United in 2021, making 95 appearances and winning the Carabao Cup in 2022.
Internationally, Varane earned 93 caps for France, winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League. Reflecting on his career, Varane expressed pride in both his achievements and staying true to his values.
He hinted at future projects with Como, adding, “Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon.” Varane has also been vocal about the dangers of head injuries in football, having played through concussions during his career, and he has called for better protection for players.
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