Front Row Seat: San Diego FC clinches playoff spot in first MLS season

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Dodgers avoid sweep with late-inning comeback

It was an annoying end to an otherwise splendid series for the Padres against the Dodgers.

Section 1904John Gennaro

San Diego FC / San Diego Wave FC / Soccer

San Diego FC clinches playoff spot in first Major League Soccer season - San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego FC needed a Houston loss (2-1 against San Jose); an Austin loss or tie (3-2 at Montreal); and a Real Salt Lake loss or tie (3-1 against Minnesota). It is the earliest an expansion team has qualified for the MLS playoffs.

SDFC is closing in on two other expansion milestones as well: 57 total points by LAFC in 2018, and 17 wins by St. Louis City in 2023. It currently has 53 and 16, respectively.

They’re also the first expansion team to win six straight road games. And Danish winger Anders Dreyer already shattered the record for goal contributions with 30 (13 goals, 17 assists), previously held by LAFC’s Carlos Vela with 27.

Match Recap: San Diego FC Clinches Playoff Berth with Scoreless Draw Against Portland Timbers at Snapdragon Stadium - MLSsoccer.com
San Diego FC (SDFC) clinched its first-ever spot in the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs after a 0-0 draw against the Portland Timbers at Snapdragon Stadium. SDFC is the first team in MLS to secure a Playoff berth this season and the fastest expansion club to reach the postseason (28 matches) since the 2009 Seattle Sounders (29 matches).

SDFC earned another point in the standings with the draw and remained in first place in the Western Conference. The Club scored twice in the first half, but both goals were disallowed following Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviews. The result keeps SDFC in the Supporters’ Shield race, currently sitting second with 53 points, level with the Philadelphia Union (54).

Juventus condemns racist remarks made toward USMNT star Weston McKennie - Yahoo Sports
Juventus condemned racist remarks made toward USMNT star Weston McKennie following Juventus' 2-0 win over Parma on Sunday.

Juventus issued a statement after the contest, saying McKennie was subjected to "discriminatory racist remarks by some individuals in the away section" after the game ended.

The incident marks the third instance in the last week that alleged racist abuse has occurred at a soccer match. FIFA president Gianni Infantino spoke out Monday against two instances of alleged racial abuse that took place during the German Cup, calling them "unacceptable."

Missed opportunities cost San Diego Wave in home loss to Racing Louisville - San Diego Union-Tribune
San Diego Wave coach Jonas Eidevall gathered his team after another disappointing home result — a 1-0 loss to Racing Louisville. He spoke to them about staying together after a tough outcome.

Sunday night’s match marked the fourth straight time the Wave failed to win at Snapdragon Stadium, their last home victory coming on May 25.

And while the Wave (8-4-5) are still in a good place — they’re third in the National Women’s Soccer League standings — there remains some cause for concern.

San Diego Padres

Dodgers pound Padres to move back into tie atop NL West - San Diego Union-Tribune
“Clearly, they’re not making many mistakes with me,” Estrada said. “Any type of contact, it’s either over the fence or something. Baseball ain’t easy. It can really mess with your mind a bit. But the greats have gone through these struggles. Since this game has existed, there are struggles. Could be one team, two teams. I mean, it’s baseball. … It’s a tough game. You’re gonna leave pitches down the middle. You’re gonna give up three-run bombs. You’re gonna have a team that has seen your stuff. You’re gonna have something. And ironically, it’s against a team that we’re battling right now for the lead.”

After fierce Padres-Dodgers season set, only a tiebreaker stands between them - MLB.com
Shildt preferred the Rushing-Jeremiah Estrada matchup over Smith-Morejon, and was undeterred by the fact that Estrada has struggled against the Dodgers this season.

“Jeremiah’s been outstanding,” Shildt said. “He was in a lane that, quite frankly, he’s been great [in] for us. People can run from people. I personally don’t.”

Shildt opted to save Morejon for Ohtani on deck, if the game were still tied. It never got that far. Estrada hung a slider, and Rushing launched a three-run homer into the right-field seats. From there, the Dodgers poured it on, and when the dust settled, the division was tied. Again.

Padres notes: Michael King throws, Will Wagner arrives; Vedder Cup revival - San Diego Union-Tribune
Michael King was all smiles as he walked off the Petco Park mound on Sunday morning. He’d thrown 44 pitches over three simulated innings. He struck out six and an infield comprised of bench coach Brian Esposito, coaching assistant Scott Stroud, coach Nick Punto and special assistant Allen Craig deftly recorded an “out” on every play in the infield.

“I didn’t see any hits,” King said with a laugh.

More importantly, no hiccups.

The left knee inflammation that sent King back to the injured list after just one start held up just fine and his stuff was more in line with what he expects.

“Velo’s good, shapes were good,” King said. “ … It’s been an easier rehab than the nerve that I had and obviously way more straightforward. If I can throw that velo and that command, I’ll be good.”

Odds & Ends

Fleetwood wins Tour Championship for first PGA Tour title - ESPN
Following so many near misses, the English golfer finally picked up his first PGA Tour victory Sunday after posting a 2-under 68 to finish 18 under in the Tour Championship, three strokes ahead of Russell Henley and Patrick Cantlay at East Lake Golf Club.

It was Fleetwood's 164th career start on the PGA Tour, and his long wait, while agonizingly painful and frustrating at times, was well worth it. He collected the FedEx Cup and $10 million for winning.

"It's easy for anybody to say that they are resilient, that they bounce back, that they have fight," Fleetwood said. "It's different when you actually have to prove it."

Though Fleetwood, 34, had won seven times on the DP World Tour and three other times around the world, he had yet to lift a trophy in a PGA Tour event – until Sunday.

Napheesa Collier returns to Lynx after 7-game absence, re-stakes claim in MVP race in 32-point effort - Yahoo Sports
The WNBA's MVP favorite was activated for Sunday's Minnesota Lynx game against the Indiana Fever after being sidelined for seven games with a sprained right ankle.

Collier picked up where she left off with 32 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two steals in a 97-84 Lynx win.

An NBA Fan’s Guide to the Most Stacked EuroBasket Ever - The Ringer
The NBA couldn’t be deader, but EuroBasket 2025 is here to save us. Get ready for Lean Luka, a Jokic-led juggernaut, and some damn good basketball.

Little League World Series: Dominant Lin Chin-Tse leads Chinese Taipei past Nevada for first International championship win since 2017 - Yahoo Sports
Lin Chin-Tse wasn't quite perfect but he was more than good enough with a dominant one-hit performance on the mound Sunday to lead Chinese Taipei to a 7-0 win over Nevada in the Little League World Series championship game.

The LLWS title is the first for an International team since Japan won in 2017. The title is a record 18th for a team from Chinese Taipei, but its first since 1996.

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