The Sports Report: U.S. women advance to Round of 16 after lackluster draw with Portugal

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Kevin Baxter in Auckland, New Zealand: Less than a minute into the second half of Tuesday’s scoreless World Cup match between the U.S. and Portugal, a fire alarm sounded in Eden Park, accompanied by verbal instructions to leave the stadium immediately. Nobody went anywhere, but the warning, which continued for an annoying four minutes, seemed appropriate: the U.S. was closer than it had ever been to leaving a women’s World Cup during the group stage.

In fact, the only time the U.S. finished anywhere but first in its group was 2011. The Americans lost to Sweden that year to place second, then rallied to make the tournament final, during which they lost to Japan. This time they advanced by only the thinnest of margins, holding on for a 0-0 tie to finish group play with a win and two draws, good for five points, one better than Portugal. It’s the first time the U.S. has failed to win at least two of its three group-stage games.

The unbeaten Netherlands finished the first round with a resounding 7-0 victory over Vietnam to win the group. But it never should have come to this, with the U.S. settling for a draw against a team it outscored 39-0 during 10 previous games, all wins.

Portugal was playing in its first World Cup, the penultimate team to qualify for the expanded 32-team field. The U.S. has won the tournament four times. Yet on Tuesday, in a game the U.S. had everything to play for, the Americans ended the night even with Portugal on the scoreboard.

And the U.S. was lucky that was as bad as it got since second-half substitute Ana Capeta should have won it for Portugal in stoppage time, but her right-footed shot from the top of the box struck the right post and bounced out.

“Today was just simply uninspiring, disappointing,” former U.S. star Carli Lloyd said during Fox’s postgame broadcast. “They don’t look fit, they’re playing as individuals and the tactics are too predictable.”

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Monday/early Tuesday Results

Group E
U.S. 0, Portugal 0
Netherlands 7, Vietnam 0

Group B
Australia 4, Canada 0
Nigeria 0, Ireland 0

Group C
Zambia 3, Costa Rica 1
Japan 4, Spain 0

Standings

Top two in each group qualify for Round of 16
x-qualified for Round of 16
All times Pacific

Group A
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
x-Switzerland, 1-2-0, +2, 5
x-Norway, 1-1-1, +5, 4
New Zealand, 1-1-1, 0, 4
Philippines, 1-0-2, -7, 3

July 20
New Zealand 1, Norway 0
Switzerland 2, Philippines 0

July 24
Philippines 1, New Zealand 0

July 25
Switzerland 0, Norway 0

July 30
Norway 6, Philippines 0
Switzerland 0, New Zealand 0

Group B
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
x-Australia, 2-0-1, +4, 6
x-Nigeria, 1-2-0, +1, 5
Canada, 1-1-1, -3, 4
Ireland, 0-1-2, -2, 1

July 20
Australia 1 Ireland 0
Nigeria 0, Canada 0

July 26
Canada 2, Ireland 1

July 27
Nigeria 3, Australia 2

July 31
Australia 4, Canada 0
Nigeria 0, Ireland 0

Group C
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
x-Japan, 3-0-0, +11, 9
x-Spain, 2-0-1, +4, 6
Zambia, 1-0-2, -8, 3
Costa Rica, 0-0-3, -7, 0

July 21
Spain 3, Costa Rica 0

July 22
Japan 5, Zambia 0

July 25
Japan 2, Costa Rica 0

July 26
Spain 5, Zambia 0

July 31
Japan 4, Spain 0
Zambia 3, Costa Rica 1

Group D
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
England, 2-0-0, +2, 6
Denmark, 1-0-1, 0, 3
China, 1-0-1, 0, 3
Haiti, 0-0-2, -2, 0

July 22
England 1, Haiti 0
Denmark 1, China 0

July 28
England 1, Denmark 0
China 1, Haiti 0

Tuesday
China vs. England 4 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
Haiti vs. Denmark 4 a.m. FS1, Universo

Group E
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
x-Netherlands, 2-1-0, +8, 7
x-USA, 1-2-0, +3, 5
Portugal, 1-1-1, +1, 4
Vietnam, 0-0-3, -12, 0

July 21
U.S. 3, Vietnam 0

July 23
Netherlands 1, Portugal 0

July 26
U.S. 1, Netherlands 1

July 27
Portugal 2, Vietnam 0

August 1
U.S. 0, Portugal 0
Netherlands 6, Vietnam 0

Group F
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
France, 1-1-0, +1, 4
Jamaica, 1-1-0, +1, 4
Brazil, 1-0-1, +3, 3
Panama, 0-0-2, -5, 0

July 23
France 0, Jamaica 0

July 24
Brazil 4, Panama 0

July 29
France 2, Brazil 1
Jamaica 1, Panama 0

Wednesday
Panama vs. France 3 a.m. Fox, Universo
Jamaica vs. Brazil 3 a.m. FS1, Telemundo

Group G
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
x-Sweden, 2-0-0, +6, 6
Italy, 1-0-1, -4, 3
Argentina, 0-1-1, -1, 1
South Africa, 0-1-1, -1, 1

July 22
Sweden 2, South Africa 1

July 23
Italy 1, Argentina 0

July 27
Argentina 2, South Africa 2

July 29
Sweden 5, Italy 0

Wednesday
Argentina vs. Sweden 12 a.m. Fox, Telemundo
South Africa vs. Italy 12 a.m. FS1, Universo

Group H
Team, W-D-L, GD, Pts
Colombia, 2-0-0, +3, 6
Germany, 1-0-1, +5, 3
Morocco, 1-0-1, -5, 3
South Korea, 0-0-2, -3, 0

July 24
Germany 6, Morocco 0
Colombia 2, South Korea 0

July 29
Morocco 1, South Korea 0

July 30
Colombia 2, Germany 1

Thursday
Morocco vs. Colombia 3 a.m. FS1, Telemundo
South Korea vs. Germany 3 a.m. Fox, Universo

ROUND OF 16
Friday
Switzerland vs. Spain, 10 p.m., FS1

Saturday
Japan vs. Norway, 1 a.m., FS1
Netherlands vs. 2G, 7 p.m., Fox

Sunday
1G vs. United States, 1 a.m., Fox

Aug. 7
1D vs. Nigeria, 12:30 a.m., FS1
Australia vs. 2D, 3:0 a.m., FS1

Aug. 8
1H vs. 2F, 1 a.m., FS1
1F vs. 2H, 4 a.m., FS1

DODGERS

From Jack Harris: With less than 24 hours remaining until Major League Baseball’s trade deadline, the Dodgers’ last-minute wish list is starting to take shape, according to multiple people with knowledge of the team’s thinking unauthorized to speak publicly.

Plan A is a pursuit of New York Mets ace Justin Verlander — a potential blockbuster deal that remains on the table ahead of Tuesday’s 3 p.m. Pacific deadline, but will require the teams to bridge gaps on both the prospect return the Dodgers would send to New York, as well as how much of Verlander’s contract the Mets are willing to pay down.

Plan B could be a pivot to Detroit Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodríguez — a 30-year-old veteran who is having a career-best year and could become a free agent this winter.

Plan C might be, well, nothing — with the Dodgers’ continued wariness of inflated deadline prices making any further big-name moves far from a guarantee.

To be certain, the club wants to add an impact starter to their underwhelming rotation. The chances of them completing another acquisition are seen as possible, if not likely.

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All MLB box scores

NL WEST STANDINGS

Dodgers, 59-45
San Francisco, 58-49, 2.5 GB
Arizona, 57-50, 3.5 GB
San Diego, 52-55, 8.5 GB
Colorado, 42-64, 18 GB

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

San Francisco, 58-49
Philadelphia, 57-49
Miami, 57-50
Milwaukee, 57-50
Arizona, 57-50

Chicago, 53-53, 3.5 GB
San Diego, 52-55, 5 GB
New York, 50-55, 6 GB

For full standings, go here

ANGELS

From Sarah Valenzuela: The Angels lineup had a new look Monday, with the newly acquired C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk helping lift the Angels to a 4-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.

Grichuk was one of three Angels who hit home runs off Braves starter Charlie Morton. Luis Rengifo pushed the Angels (55-51) into the lead on a lead-off homer in the first and Chad Wallach added a solo shot in the sixth.

Grichuk became the first player to homer in his Angels debut since Anthony Rendon achieved the feat in 2020. Grichuk, drafted by the Angels in 2009, was traded in to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 before he made his major-league debut.

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Bubba Harkins’ defamation lawsuit against Angels and MLB settled before going to trial

Angels box score

All MLB box scores

AL WEST STANDINGS

Texas, 60-46
Houston, 60-47, 0.5 GB
Angels, 56-51, 4.5 GB
Seattle, 55-51, 5 GB
Oakland, 30-77, 30.5 GB

WILD-CARD STANDINGS
top three teams qualify

Tampa Bay, 65-44
Houston, 60-47
Toronto, 59-48

Boston, 56-50, 2.5 GB
Angels, 56-51, 3 GB
New York, 55-51, 3.5 GB
Seattle, 55-51, 3.5 GB
Cleveland, 53-54, 6 GB

For full standings, go here

UCLA-USC

From Ben Bolch: All around her, Mackenzie McGovern felt the warm embrace of an unlikely cross-town alliance. A balloon arch, brought by the wife of her dad’s UCLA football boss, filled the air inside her Redondo Beach home while balloon pillars towered above the driveway. A spread of pasta, chicken, salad and Bundt cakes was provided by the wife of another UCLA colleague.

Not to be outdone, wives of four USC football coaches set up a mimosa bar to celebrate the occasion on that early June evening. Ten families of Trojans and Bruins gathered for photos, no one minding that some marked their allegiances by breaking out a two-fingered victory salute and others by holding fours-up. They were all one on this night.

Mackenzie had just graduated from high school, only two days after delivering a eulogy at the funeral of her father, Bill, the Bruins’ former defensive coordinator who was laid to rest in his native New Jersey after a nearly yearlong battle with cancer. This would not be a pity party but a reminder that those who leave us want to cherish what we still have.

“The whole night I wasn’t thinking about how I don’t have my dad,” Mackenzie remembered, “I was thinking about how I had all these amazing people that love and care for my whole family and were there for us.”

...... The spark that connected the McGoverns with their new extended family was a text message chain including a mutual friend of Colleen McGovern and Becky Grinch, the wife of USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. The coaches wives began discussing Mackenzie’s struggles with her adjustment to Southern California. Becky mentioned that Kate Henson, the daughter of USC offensive coordinator Josh Henson, was also having a hard time after recently moving from College Station, Texas.

Mackenzie invited Kate to have ice cream and after a few times hanging out, they became inseparable. Mackenzie began to confide in Kate about her dad’s illness, starting a chain reaction that would result in USC coaches’ wives Caitlin Riley, Shauna Henson, Becky Grinch and Mackenzie Odom sending food deliveries and prayerful messages.

“Kenzie would say, ‘Oh, my dad’s in the hospital,’” Colleen McGovern said, “and within minutes I’d get a text from these four women on their staff saying, ‘What can we do? Tell us what you need.’”

The USC coaches had experienced a similar tragedy in early 2022 when receivers coach Dave Nichol died of cancer shortly after joining their staff.

“Listen, we all compete against each other and all that,” USC coach Lincoln Riley said of supporting the McGoverns, “but we’re kind of our own little community of coaches and we all know what each other goes through, the challenges that this job brings not only for us, the coaches, but even more so for our families and so you kind of felt like you were just kind of right there with them the whole way.”

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RAMS

From Gary Klein: Stetson Bennett ranks among the most successful quarterbacks in college football history, a legacy he appreciates but never ponders.

Bennett led Georgia to national titles in each of the last two seasons. He is one of only four college quarterbacks to help carry their teams to consecutive championships.

Bennett knows his place in football lore. The status does not move the Rams rookie. The teamwork and sacrifice it took to achieve it do.

“Just remembering the steps, and not the result, I guess, keeps you from saying, ‘Yeah, hey, look at me,’” Bennett said.

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CLIPPERS

From Chuck Schilken: Clippers wing Amir Coffey was arrested early Sunday in Hollywood on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle where he was a passenger, the Los Angeles Police Department said.

Coffey was one of two passengers in a vehicle that was stopped for speeding by officers near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue at 1:50 a.m., according to the LAPD. The driver was cited for speeding and another passenger was cited for possession of marijuana, police said. The LAPD did not release their names.

Los Angeles County jail records show Coffey was booked for the misdemeanor crime at 5:05 a.m. Sunday and released nearly four hours later. He is due in court Aug. 24 for a hearing on the matter.

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BRONNY JAMES

From Chuck Schilken: USC freshman Bronny James appears to have made great progress in the week since he suffered a cardiac arrest during a team workout at the Galen Center.

James went out to dinner Friday night in Santa Monica with his family — his father, Lakers star LeBron James; his mother, Savannah; and siblings Bryce and Zuhri — a spokesperson for the James family told The Times on Monday.

On Sunday, LeBron James posted an Instagram video of his oldest son looking healthy and strong while playing the piano (and playing it quite well).

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SPORTS ON TV

Local teams on TV today:
All times Pacific

4:20 p.m. Angels at Atlanta, Bally Sports West

7:10 p.m. Oakland at Dodgers, SportsNet LA

7 p.m. New York at Sparks, NBATV

The rest of today’s sports on TV listings can be found here.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1936 — The Berlin Olympics begin.

1945 — New York’s Mel Ott hits his 500th home run in a 9-2 victory over the Boston Braves at the Polo Grounds. Only Babe Ruth with 714 and Jimmie Foxx with 527 have more.

1963 — Arthur Ashe becomes first African-American tennis player to be named in the U.S. Davis Cup team.

1972 — Nate Colbert of the San Diego Padres drives in 13 runs in a doubleheader sweep of the Atlanta Braves, 9-0 and 11-7.

1982 — American Greg Louganis becomes 1st diver to score 700 (752.67) in 11 dives in winning 3m springboard gold, World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

1987 — Mike Tyson wins the undisputed heavyweight championship with a 12-round unanimous decision over IBF champion Tony Tucker in Las Vegas.

1992 — Eric Griffin, a two-time world champion at 106 pounds, loses to Rafael Lozano of Spain under the new electronic scoring system at the Olympics. All five judges credit him with more blows than his opponent as did five jury members used as a backup in case the computer failed.

1994 — Baltimore’s Cal Ripken becomes the second major leaguer to play 2,000 straight games when the Orioles beat Minnesota 1-0.

1996 — Michael Johnson wins Olympic gold in the 200 meters in a record 19.32 seconds, becoming the first male Olympian to win the 200 and 400 in a single games. Dan O’Brien wins gold in the decathlon, four years after failing to make the U.S. Olympic team.

2002 — In signing star linebacker Ray Lewis to a 5-year contract extension the Baltimore Ravens give him a $19m signing bonus, then the largest in NFL history.

2004 — Karen Stupples wins her first major title with a record-tying 19-under 269 at the Women’s British Open. Stupples ties the low score in a major, set by Dottie Pepper at the 1999 Nabisco Dinah Shore.

2010 — Stuart Appleby hits golf’s magic number, shooting a 59 to win the Greenbrier Classic. He is the fifth PGA Tour player to reach the milestone.

2010 — Yani Tseng of Taiwan wins the Women’s British Open by one stroke for her third major title and second of the year to go with the Kraft Nabisco.

2010 — Bob and Mike Bryan win their record 62nd career doubles title on the ATP Tour. The twins were tied with Hall of Famers Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde of Australia.

2012 — Four teams are kicked out of the women’s badminton doubles at the London Games for trying to lose on purpose. The eight players from China, South Korea and Indonesia are cited for conduct “clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.”

2021 — Marcel Jacobs becomes the first Italian athlete to win the 100m dash in 9.80 at the Tokyo Olympics.

—Compiled by the Associated Press