After dropping their previous preseason affair with the Buffalo Bills, the Carolina Panthers had something to prove going into Friday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite the regular season remaining a couple of weeks away, Friday night was an opportunity to prove that Carolina can learn from its mistakes and show flashes of what this team can really be. They did just that in a quite impressive 34-17 win.

Let’s start with the guys doing the dirty work up front. Carolina’s offensive line did exactly what they were supposed to do. Three different quarterbacks took snaps for the Panthers and not a single one was sacked. If Carolina can continue getting heavy protection from their O-line, that would go a long way.

With starters seeing a few more snaps than the last two preseason games, the Panthers were able to get into a little bit of rhythm offensively. Bryce Young was 5 of 6 for 49 yards and ultimately set up a one-yard touchdown run from running back Jonathan Brooks.

Brooks had five carries for 18 yards and seems to be really comfortable running the football after recovering from two ACL tears. While Brooks is anticipated to make a major impact in the backfield, the Panthers have other weapons too, and they used them. Trevor Etienne and AJ Dillon both also had five carries, Miles Davis had three, Anthony Tyus III had nine and even WR Jimmy Horn Jr. had an explosive carry for 39 yards. Having so many options of how to move the ball downfield will be vital for this team going into the regular season.

Not only was the wealth shared among running backs, the quarterbacks who saw time under center for Carolina on Friday did a phenomenal job of spreading the football around. Kenny Pickett had the most time at QB and made the most of his opportunity, completing 15 of 25 for 137 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to Roc Taylor.

Thirteen different players caught passes in Duval, one state in particular stood out. Carolina’s offense has been notorious in recent years for struggling to make the big play. On Friday, we saw eight of those 13 receivers had a reception of 10 or more yards. Combine those big-play threats with the running game, and Carolina could field a lethal offense in Uptown this season.

Carolina’s offense in recent years has been notorious for not being able to make the big play. On Friday, eight of the 13 receivers who made a catch had a reception of 10+ yards. Combine big play threats with the running game, Carolina could field a lethal offense in Uptown this season.

With the understanding that the Jaguars aren’t exactly the Bills, Carolina’s defense seemed to improve from a week ago as well. They were able to force an interception and a fumble recovery and only allowed one “garbage time” touchdown with a massive lead and three minutes to play in the final quarter.

Panthers fans who were concerned after last week’s outing should be just as excited now, if not more, after seeing what this team is capable of. Preseason is just that and it doesn’t always translate to the regular season but based on Friday’s performance, it is easy to say Carolina is heading in the right direction.

The Panthers will take on the Houston Texans on Friday, Aug. 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET at Bank of America Stadium for their final pre-season contest.

All Photos from: Carolina Panthers

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

To succeed in the NFL, a quarterback needs heavy protection up front. That is a luxury Bryce Young has not often enjoyed in his career. Carolina spent this past offseason addressing the need, and Friday night is the first real chance to see those moves on display.

The Panthers are coming off a tough loss to the Buffalo Bills, one that left them with more concerns than answers. Friday is a chance to shift momentum back in their favor.

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The line will be tested right away. Offensive tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton are both dealing with serious injuries and are expected to miss significant time, thinning the group Carolina just rebuilt and handing the new additions an immediate opportunity.

As we get one step closer to the regular season, we can likely expect some more snaps from starters including offensive lineman: Rasheed Walker, Damien Lewis, Luke Fortner, Robert Hunt and Monroe Freeling.

Photo: Andrew Stein/Carolina Panthers

While Young has received a lot of criticism his first few seasons in the league, there has always been the caveat to his poor performances that his O-line was not giving him enough time in the pocket to make the right decisions.

If the Panthers are able to move the chains efficiently against Jacksonville and get into a rhythm, coach Dave Canales can breathe a sigh of relief and start imagining what this offense could be in 2026. Having playmakers like Tetairoa McMillan is a blessing for a play-caller, but it starts up front on the line.

Photo: Andrew Stein/Carolina Panthers

On the other side of the football, the Panthers will look to pressure the quarterback and force more incompletions. Although Carolina was tasked with slowing down quarterbacks with a high football IQ in Josh Allen and Kyle Allen last week, it forced only seven incompletions in 33 pass attempts.

As far as injuries go, defensive tackle Derrick Brown and quarterback Haynes King are currently listed as questionable for Friday night’s contest.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, and fans can tune in via ESPN Unlimited. After this game, the Panthers have one more preseason contest, against the Houston Texans, before the regular season begins.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Charlotte FC visits Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday with a chance to correct one of the few things it has not solved this season: winning away from home.

The Crown enters the match after a 3-1 victory over Columbus. Brandt Bronico scored 29 seconds in and Liel Abada converted a penalty in the ninth minute. Chase Adams pulled Columbus within one before halftime, but Pep Biel restored the two-goal lead in the 73rd minute.

Charlotte still spent too much of the match defending. Columbus finished with 70% possession, 26 shots, 57 touches in Charlotte’s box and 13 corners. Columbus Crew also forced Kristijan Kahlina to make several saves.

Toronto finally won, somehow

Toronto is coming off an almost identical result. The Reds beat New England 2-1 on Saturday for their first MLS victory since April 4, even though New England had almost 71% possession, took 24 shots and won 11 corners. Toronto took three shots and did not win a corner.

Toronto will be missing Djordje Mihailovic after his red card against New England. Jonathan Osorio has a knee injury as well. Alonso Coello could join Niklas Dorsch and 18-year-old Markus Cimermancic in the midfield.

Dániel Sallói is the Toronto player Charlotte should be most worried about. He has four goals and three assists in 19 MLS appearances. Toronto will probably use Sallói and Theo Corbeanu on either side of Josh Sargent.

Matchups to watch

Bronico runs more than any other player on the field and has enough technical ability to back it up. It’s surprising he has played so few minutes this season, but the Charlotte 49ers graduate has made it count when needed. He has a lot of grit and fights for the badge, and he’s also a fan favorite.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Toronto’s replacement midfield should not get much time to settle if Bronico starts and presses from the opening whistle. His energy could also take some of the defensive work away from Ashley Westwood.

The other matchup to watch is Abada and David Schnegg against Richie Laryea. Abada said their connection was better Saturday than it had been during Leagues Cup. Laryea likes to leave right back and join the attack, so there should be room behind him.

Allan Saint-Maximin looked great, and it’s clear he’s still getting used to the artificial turf. That’s something he mentioned in the postgame press conference. But he had sparks of brilliance in the limited time that he played, and it seems like he will only get better. BMO Field has grass, so it will be interesting to see if that makes any difference Wednesday.

Nathan Byrne is the main lineup question after tweaking the hamstring that has bothered him before. Will Cleary would be the likely replacement at right back if Byrne cannot play.

It’s unclear why Smith keeps playing Biel on the right and then has to use substitutions or tactical changes to shift him more toward the middle, because that is where he plays the best. Toronto spent most of Saturday without the ball, and Charlotte will need Biel in the middle if it has to break the Reds down.

Photo: Matthew Calamari (@calamari.media)

Biel has scored in three straight matches and leads Charlotte with 10 MLS goals. His recent form becomes especially important while Charlotte continues to rotate Idan Toklomati and Archie Goodwin at center forward.

The road problem

Charlotte has won four straight in this series, including a 3-1 victory in May. However, Charlotte is only 2-5-1 away from home, which is the main concern about this match.

Westwood has played way too many minutes, and while he is playing extremely well and has been very important to the squad, he tends to get tired toward the final 20 minutes. With that comes a chance of injury or fatigue after playing so much, so often.

Saturday’s rain delay made a four-day turnaround even shorter. Bronico can take some of the running away from Westwood, but Charlotte is still dependent on its captain when it has to control possession and stop Dorsch from carrying Toronto through midfield.

Opta gives Charlotte a 39.7% chance to win. Toronto is at 34.5%, with the draw at 25.8%.

Toronto enters short-handed and Charlotte has had its number. This should be a Charlotte win. The road record has to get better at some point, and Wednesday is a very good chance to start.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

Things did not go as planned for the Carolina Panthers in their second preseason contest of the summer against the Buffalo Bills. Dave Canales’ squad found themselves on the wrong end of a 29-14 score. A Carolina touchdown by John Metchie III with 20 seconds left in the game salvaged the score from being a blowout.

Bryce Young got his first snaps of live action in preparation for the 2026 season, albeit very limited playing time. Young finished his day on 3 of 5 passing and 18 yards. He did not have a touchdown or an interception, which has been his kryptonite in first quarters. Young’s short time on the field did not give any indicator that he has truly elevated his game, but neither did it show he can’t handle leading his team. As the preseason progresses, we will likely see him playing more snaps and putting his foot on the gas to prove himself as a true QB1.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

On the other side of the ball, the Panthers’ defense showed it has a lot of work to do. Taking on MVP-level quarterback Josh Allen is no easy task for anyone, but Allen doing the damage he did in such little time is still alarming. Allen was 6 of 8 in the air going for 111 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers were able to sack Allen once, which is a small victory for the defense considering how poorly its pass rush is rated after all the injuries.

Even once Josh Allen departed from the game, former Panther Kyle Allen took over under center and also topped 100 passing yards. He went 14 of 16 on pass attempts for 108 yards without turning the ball over.

Carolina’s secondary is the one area on defense that is supposed to be their strong suit, but that did not look like the case on Saturday. This will have to be cleaned up once the regular season rolls around if the Panthers want to compete for another division title.

There are still positives for both the offense and defense of Carolina to take away from Saturday’s loss. For the offense, 14 different players caught passes in the preseason matchup. This may sound normal in a preseason game given so many people are getting looks at real game situations, but this also really shows the Panthers’ willingness to spread the ball around and trust everyone on the field to make plays. Young could have many weapons to work with this season.

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While the defense needs to stop the pass a little more efficiently, holding the Bills to 1 of 7 on third downs is wildly impressive. Even if Carolina is giving up some yards, if they can get stops when it matters most, all the mistakes could be forgotten. Panther fans will see if the defense can bend and not break moving forward.

Carolina’s next preseason game is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m. EDT against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

NFL preseason continues for Dave Canales and company when the Carolina Panthers take on the Buffalo Bills on Saturday, Aug. 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET in Buffalo at the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium.

While this will be the first preseason game for the Bills, Carolina will be competing in its second preseason game following a thrilling victory against the Arizona Cardinals in the Hall of Fame Game last week.

Saturday will give Panthers’ fans their first look at the starting unit as Canales has said starters are expected to play around 10-12 snaps depending on how drives are going. This means seeing the progression (or not) of quarterback Bryce Young who will have a lot of eyes on him this upcoming season.

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Haynes King was the QB who stole the show last week, but following a hamstring injury he will not be available on Saturday for the Panthers. Once Young is out of the game, fans can expect to see some split time between Kenny Pickett and newly signed veteran Kyle Trask.

Photo: Cassie Baker / Carolina Panthers

Much like King, starting running back Chuba Hubbard is also dealing with a hamstring injury so he will not be available. This will put the spotlight on Jonathan Brooks who has high expectations and looks to elevate the Panthers’ offense despite facing the uphill battle of multiple ACL tears.

Through the first few drives (on both sides of the ball), fans could get a look at Carolina’s true colors (so to speak), and their team identity. The offense has slowly been adding pieces and finally feels like it can be a real threat when at their best and the defense will be tested early facing one of the NFL’s best in Josh Allen. The start of this game is something Panthers fans do not want to miss.

Can the offense find a rhythm and make a statement early? Can the defense get off the field on third down against a MVP-caliber QB? Will Jonathan Brooks insert himself as a real weapon in Canales’ offense? Is Bryce Young still the answer under center for the Panthers? All of these are legitimate questions we could see starting to be answered Saturday.

Charlotte left the Atlas match with three points and a clean sheet. The first half was still a warning for Pachuca.

“I was really disappointed with the first half,” Dean Smith said. “I just thought we were so poor on the ball. I thought whenever we got it, we turned it over again. Our only meaningful move in the first half was a crossover from a throw-in where Westie put Archie in. Apart from that, we just kept shelling the ball and giving it away too cheaply. They made it difficult. They went man for man on us in midfield. I was pleased to get them in at halftime and give them a few words.”

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Atlas had a goal disallowed for offside. Tyler Miller made a one-handed save. Charlotte did not put a shot on target before the break.

Liel Abada replaced Brandt Bronico. Pep Biel moved inside. Ashley Westwood and Djibril Diani became the two deeper midfielders.

“Go and run on the outside. Go and ask some questions when you get a one-v-one, because that was going to be our outlet today,” Smith said. “When you went into midfield, you needed a one-touch pass out because of their man-to-man style. Our fullbacks were our out-balls because they had the time and space, but then they had to eat up the space and give it to our wide players one-v-one.”

Charlotte finally used it. Tyger Smalls forced a turnover and crossed for Abada in the 78th minute. Smalls added the second after goalkeeper Camilo Vargas went forward for a late corner.

Photo: Charlotte FC

The score changed. The warning did not. That hesitation cannot follow Charlotte into Tuesday. It should bother it before Pachuca.

Good result. Strange game. Pachuca is next.

Pachuca has zero points, but it took 23 shots against Cincinnati and put seven on target. Oussama Idrissi created Adrián Alcaraz’s early goal in that 3–1 loss, then scored against Columbus.

Idrissi has been involved in both Pachuca goals. He starts from the left and comes inside. Smith has rotated Nathan Byrne and Will Cleary there.

“I think since we’ve come back, both have done all right when they played there,” Smith said. “When you’re playing Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, fresh legs normally helps, and we’re fortunate enough to be able to do that with them two at the moment.”

Rondón will be the focus for Charlotte’s center backs. Ream was rested, and Kessler missed the squad.

“It was OK,” Smith said of the changed back line. “I mean, Prince and Morrison together. Kess couldn’t make today. He had a tight thigh that we didn’t want to risk, and I gave Tim a breather to see them again. So yeah, they were OK. As I say, didn’t give big chances away. I just felt positionally we didn’t shift quick enough at times. So that’s something, again, we can work on at the training ground.”

Ream should return. Pep will not. He was sent off after the final whistle, a serious loss because Charlotte only figured Atlas out after Smith moved him inside.

“I just felt Pep wasn’t in the game at all on the side,” Smith said. “So I wanted to get him inside and change the shape back to a 2-1 in midfield. I thought that helped us in the second half. You need your best players. We know Pep is one of them. We need him in the game and he wasn’t in the game enough. We passed the ball a little bit better, we had better angles, and I thought the subs all made a really good impact.”

Luca de la Torre is the likely replacement.

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“I thought his performance was really good when he came on,” Smith said. “I thought he handled the ball really well. He kept the ball really well, but he was productive with it as well, and he helped us calm the game down a little bit. The way he’s come back from the World Cup break has been really pleasing for us.”

Allan Saint-Maximin did not dress against Atlas.

“He’s going to need work,” Smith said. “One thing he does, he recovers really quickly. He’s a fast-twitch player. He’ll get on the ball and do bits and he’ll explode. He’s not done loads of on-field training, so he’ll feel out of puff a little bit, but then he recovers really quickly. I don’t think it’ll take loads of time to get him to full fitness.”

The schedule is part of the selection too. Smalls was asked how the players are avoiding burnout.

“I think it’s just managing our bodies. We have really good staff that make sure they take care of us and, yeah, it’s up to us to obviously look after ourselves and make sure we’re doing the right thing. So yeah, I think obviously all of us are doing that, and we’re focused on getting the best possible run we can in this cup. So yeah, it’s a lot, having a lot of games in a short amount of time, but I think we’re ready for it.”

Charlotte has six points, but only four MLS teams advance from Phase One.

“Our setup’s been the same for all the games, to be honest,” he said. “We went into the first game wanting to win it, and we made some changes from the game against Chicago. We’ve made some changes again tonight in the back four. We’ve made changes at halftime and in the second half. So we’re using the squad to try and win games, and we’ll try that again on Tuesday.”

Idrissi. Rondón. No Pep. Possibly Saint-Maximin. That is the match.

And Charlotte cannot wait until halftime to enter it.

Carolina won the first preseason matchup of the year in thrilling fashion by a score of 33-30. Panthers’ QB Haynes King scored the game-winning touchdown by stretching over the goal line as time expired. If Thursday night was any indication of how this season could go, the nickname ‘Cardiac Cats’ just might be making a comeback in Uptown.

There are still a lot of questions circulating about the Panthers’ identity as a football team and if they are truly a team the league should look out for. Winning the NFC South a season ago and giving the Los Angeles Rams a run for their money in the first round of the playoffs caught a lot of people’s attention. At the end of the day, Carolina still finished the 2025 season with a losing record.

Of course one game into the preseason, all of these questions about Carolina cannot be answered. We are not going to overreact but we can still take away three observations from the Hall of Fame Game that could be flashes of who the Panthers will be this season.

1. Quarterback Depth

There is no doubt at all who QB1 in Charlotte is. Former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young solidified that spot last season by showing up in the clutch and competing at a high level. However, depth at the quarterback position is crucial in this league and the Panthers proved they have that this season.

Not to throw shade at long-time veteran Andy Dalton, but the Red Rifle just isn’t what he once was. Adding an experienced QB like Kenny Pickett is huge for the Panthers. Pickett is still on the earlier side of his career but has seen the league enough to know what he needs to do in order to be successful. Just his presence on the roster can go a long way.

Pickett was the starting QB for Dave Canales on Thursday. His short time under center got overshadowed by Haynes King (which we will discuss next) but Pickett should not be overlooked.

He was 8 of 11 on pass attempts for 62 yards. Pickett did take a few sacks which sounds alarming in the box score but remember, this is the first game of the preseason. The protection he was getting was not quite from the first string offensive line which Carolina upgraded this offseason.

25-year-old Haynes King took over Pickett’s role and showed out. King went 21 of 34 for 180 yards and two passing touchdowns. King also displayed his ability to scramble and use his legs when it mattered most. The former Georgia Tech star went five yards into the end zone as time expired to give the Panthers the victory.

We all know we will see Bryce Young under center Week 1. The hope and the intention from Canales is that Young is there every game this season. However, if injury strikes or if change is needed at the QB position, the Panthers will likely have their answer to that issue internally. This is a great safety net that Panthers fans should be thrilled with.

2. New Offensive Attack?

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of the game on Thursday for Panthers’ fans was watching the opening drive. Obviously a lot of attention in this game would be on Kenny Pickett to see if he looked like he could handle the position if needed.

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Pickett looked calm, cool and collected early. It is worth noting that Pickett targeted his tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders on the first two plays of the game. Now if you break down the film, it is likely that Sanders was his second or even third read on these plays but the use of the tight end is something Carolina has practically ignored the last couple of seasons.

Even if the Tight End is not the number one option, feeling comfortable going underneath to move the chains could completely change the Panthers offense. If teams now have to worry more about guys like Sanders making catches, that is going to open up holes for the running backs but more likely open up shots down the sideline to elite receivers like Tetairoa McMillan. We very well could see Canales have a lot of fun with a more well-rounded offense this season.

3. Will Lee III strengthens secondary

It is no secret that the Panthers defense is going to be a major concern this season. Following severe injuries to important personnel like LB Nic Scourton, the pass rush has been weakened significantly. Of course Carolina will do everything they can to address this issue but it may be that the secondary needs to step up and make even more plays.

As big of an ask as that is for corners and safeties, the good news is the addition of fourth-round draft pick CB Will Lee III makes this possible. We already know about the chaos that Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson can cause but the athleticism of Lee III gives the Panthers the flexibility to move these versatile players in spots they can make a major difference in.

If there is one bright side to the Panthers defense at the moment, it is that adding Lee III provides more play-making ability. However, the secondary can only do so much. For things to play out the way Carolina wants on defense, the offense will have to keep drives alive to rest the defense, and the defense will have to get off the field on third down. Even on Thursday, the Panthers allowed a first down on 7 of the Cardinals’ 12 third-down attempts. That will have to be cleaned up before the regular season begins.

Goals from Brandt Bronico, Archie Goodwin and Tyger Smalls carried Charlotte to a 3–0 win over Pumas UNAM at Bank of America Stadium on Tuesday night.

Charlotte entered the competition looking to change a recent pattern. Dean Smith’s team lost its opening Leagues Cup match in each of the previous two seasons, leaving little room for error in the remaining games. This time, Charlotte started on the front foot and never trailed.

Bronico opened the scoring in the 27th minute. The midfielder continued his run into the penalty area and was rewarded when the ball ricocheted off him and past Keylor Navas.

“You can say there was luck about it, but he’s in the right area,” Smith said afterward.

The run was part of Charlotte’s plan. Smith instructed his midfielders to enter the penalty area when the ball was being attacked from their side, while another player remained behind to provide balance.

Charlotte doubled its lead five minutes after halftime. David Schnegg found space on the left and delivered a cross toward Goodwin, whose header gave Navas little chance.

Smalls added the third from the penalty spot in the 78th minute. The winger had entered just seven minutes earlier, then raced onto a Tyler Miller throw and drew a foul inside the box.

Smalls said the transition was something Charlotte had worked on in training. The coaching staff emphasizes attacking the space that can appear after defending a set piece, and Miller recognized it quickly.

“Throughout the 90 minutes, we were pretty consistent,” Smalls said. “That’s something that we’ve struggled with in the past.”

The scoreline matched the quality of Charlotte’s chances. The Crown finished with seven big chances to Pumas’ one and recorded 24 touches in the opposition box. Pumas still placed six shots on target, but Miller stopped all of them to preserve the clean sheet. FotMob’s match data reflects a game Charlotte controlled in the most important areas, even when possession was relatively balanced.

Charlotte also received important contributions from several players outside its usual starting group.

Nineteen-year-old Rodolfo Aloko repeatedly attacked Pumas’ high defensive line. Djibril Diani disrupted the midfield partnership of Pedro Vite and Adalberto Carrasquilla, while Tim Ream and Henry Kessler completed their first start together in central defense.

Nathan Richmond made his first-team debut in the 82nd minute after earning an opportunity through his performances with Crown Legacy FC.

“It was such a proud moment,” Richmond said. “Ever since I came to Crown Legacy, I’ve dreamed of playing for the first team.”

Charlotte’s attention now shifts to Atlas FC, which visits Bank of America Stadium on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Atlas began its Leagues Cup campaign with a 3–1 defeat at Columbus. The Mexican side held 56% of the possession but produced only two shots, both on target. The numbers suggest Atlas had the ball without turning that control into sustained danger.

The club is also at the beginning of a transition under Hernán Crespo. Atlas appointed Crespo on July 16, and Friday will be only his third competitive match in charge.

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Atlas has generally played in a 4-2-3-1, using two holding midfielders and advancing its fullbacks to support attacks. Camilo Vargas provides experience in goal, while Édgar Zaldívar brings energy and late runs from midfield. Duk and Sergio Hernández can carry the ball from wide positions, with Ryan Mmaee operating centrally.

That shape presents an interesting matchup for Charlotte. Aloko, Smalls or Idan Toklomati could find the same space behind the defense that Charlotte used against Pumas. Atlas’ double pivot may make central combinations more difficult, placing more importance on Charlotte’s wide players.

Charlotte must also improve its second-half possession. Smith acknowledged that his team gave the ball away too easily against Pumas. Similar turnovers could allow Atlas to establish the attacking rhythm it failed to find in Columbus.

Only the top four MLS teams and top four Liga MX teams advance from Phase One, making every point important. Leagues Cup awards three points for a regulation win, two for a shootout win and one for a shootout loss.

A second regulation victory would move Charlotte to six points before its final Phase One match against Pachuca on Tuesday. After starting the previous two Leagues Cups with a defeat, Charlotte has given itself a much better starting position.

Last season, the Panthers finished in a three-way tie at 8-9 and are the reigning NFC South champions. In order to make sure they can convince doubters they are for real during the 2026 season, they have their work cut out for them. Let’s take a look at four things fans should watch for that could be indicators for how the Panthers’ upcoming season could play out.

Photo: Andrew Stein / Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young looks to prove doubters wrong

Over the last few seasons, the biggest debate in Charlotte has been if the Panthers should move on from former number one overall pick Bryce Young. At times Young has looked mediocre at best. Other times he has looked like the former Heisman winner Carolina drafted back in 2023.

Young had somewhat of a “breakout” season a year ago as he led the Panthers in multiple come-from-behind victories and seemed to take care of the football when it mattered most. However, the young quarterback still made some head-scratching mistakes and displayed some inconsistency.

Regardless of his play, Young’s leadership has always been present. He is always the last one off the field making sure he recognizes each one of his teammates with a high five. While we are used to seeing Young stay calm, collected and encouraging, he has already shown he has a fire lit underneath him this offseason by assertively challenging his team to sharpen up.

It has been reported that Young has had an impressive camp to date. This could be a result of him increasing his intensity. If Young could find the fine line between some fiery passion and not putting too much pressure on himself, we could see this upcoming season be his breakout year and prove he is the franchise quarterback the Panthers are in desperate need of.

Response to Injuries

Injuries are unfortunately part of the NFL game (even though it feels like that is even more the case if you are the Carolina Panthers). How teams respond to major injuries could be the biggest difference between missing the playoffs and being contenders.

So far, the Panthers have faced three injuries that could change the way they operate. Tight end Mitchell Evans suffered an ankle sprain and is currently listed day-to-day. Evans can be expected to be ready by the time the season rolls around however, his recovery time could result in a lack of much needed work with tight ends. Carolina’s offense, a season ago, used the Tight End position very little and could take their game to the next level if they found ways to utilize weapons at this position. Having Evans sidelined for any amount of time could potentially be taking away valuable time to improve this aspect of their game.

Carolina’s 2026 third round pick, WR Chris Brazzell II suffered a more serious injury recently as well. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Brazzell II tore his LCL and is expected to undergo season-ending surgery. While this is a big blow for the Panthers, they proved to the fan base they mean business. Almost immediately following the injury, Carolina added undrafted rookie Gabriel Benyard to their roster to add more depth at receiver with Brazzell out. While this move may not directly make a major impact in the Panthers success this season, their prompt response to this injury should prove to fans that Carolina is truly looking to get better every chance they get and making sure their roster is complete.

Perhaps the most devastating injury the Panthers have faced this offseason is losing outside linebacker Nic Scourton for the season. Scourton tore his ACL during team drills on the first day of training camp. Historically, the Panthers have been able to point to their defense as the reason for any success. Now with Scourton out for the year, the defensive expectations for the Panthers have lowered according to NFL experts. Carolina fans can only hope the front office has something up their sleeve to address the hole that will be left with Scourton out.

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Managing these injuries and finding solutions (whether they be internal or external) is a puzzle that Carolina will have to solve in order to put together the 2026 season they desire.

Jonathon Brooks Progression

It is impossible to discuss Panthers injuries without touching on Jonathon Brooks. However, the good news is that Brooks has recovered from previous injuries and has the Carolina camp buzzing.

The running back has only appeared in three games for the Panthers since being selected in the second round of the 2024 draft. Brooks has suffered two ACL tears in the same knee that has set him back significantly.

So far this offseason, Brooks has proved he is back to full strength with what has been described as “explosive” speed. Adding this threat in the backfield could be a major advantage for the Panthers offense, especially after RB Rico Dowdle signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency.

If Brooks can continue down the path he is currently on, he could become an X-factor in the Panthers offensive game plan and fans across the Queen City will suddenly forget about Dowdle.

Creating a Culture?

Let’s face it. The Panthers have been somewhat of the laughing stock in the NFL. Aside from the two seasons they reached the Super Bowl, Carolina is never taken as a true threat to anyone. Even a season ago in the playoffs, they made the postseason with a losing record.

Photo: Andrew Stein / Carolina Panthers

Head coach Dave Canales and quarterback Bryce Young seem to be leading the charge in changing the culture in Charlotte. At the end of last season, Young and the Panthers were gaining national traction and people started asking “Are the Panthers a good football team?” While the responses varied, it had been quite some time since experts even entertained the thought.

Building off last season and continuing to find ways to compete at the highest level, we could see the culture in Charlotte shifting right in front of our eyes. That’s not to say we can expect the Panthers to be in the Super Bowl again this upcoming season but they could be taking a step in the right direction.

If Carolina creates an inviting, competitive culture, we could start seeing free agents across the league start to put the Panthers on their wish list of landing spots and before you know it, Carolina could find itself a contender.

X’s and O’s are obviously important, but the attitudes in Carolina could carry this franchise a long way. It started during the second half of last season and has now carried into training camp as it prepares for the 2026 season.

Coach Dean Smith mentioned after the match, he knows how much the Atlanta rivalry means to the fan base.

“It was great to be in front of our supporters, but was disappointed that [Charlotte FC] did not get a win for the fans,” Smith told reporters following the match.

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There were a number of giveaways and promotions for the first match following the World Cup break.

Not only did the the match host $1 hot dog and $5 beer night, but the club also brought out 18-time Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion Joey Chestnut for the occasion.

Chestnut handled the pregame Coronation, which takes place in front of the supporters section. On his way to the Coronation, the Hot Dog Eating World Champion stopped to sign multiple autographs, helping build the crowd’s energy before kickoff.

Fans were also there to welcome Tim Ream back to the Bank. This was Ream’s first match since the U.S. men’s national team’s Round of 16 loss at the World Cup.

Ream drew a loud road during introductions as supporters made sure he felt the love after his run with the USMNT.

Charlotte FC will be back in action Thursday against the New York Red Bulls, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. It will be the club’s final match before the All-Star break.

The 2026 MLS All-Star Game is set for July 29 in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium, where fans will be able to cheer on Pep Biel, Ashley Westwood and Tim Ream. The Skills Challenge takes place Tuesday, July 28, at Truist Field.

So although Charlotte FC did not get the win, fans have a lot to look forward to over the next week!

For the next 45, it made the third-place game look as stressful as possible.

England beat France 6–4 on Saturday in Miami, surviving a second-half comeback after carrying a four-goal lead into halftime. Bukayo Saka scored a hat trick, Jude Bellingham added the final goal in stoppage time and England secured third place at a men’s World Cup for the first time.

The result gave England its best finish since winning the tournament in 1966. It also produced the highest-scoring third-place game in World Cup history, surpassing France’s 6–3 victory over West Germany in 1958.

The third-place playoff is usually treated as the match nobody wants to play. England and France arrived three days after semifinal losses, with both managers rotating heavily and both teams still carrying the disappointment of missing the final.

It did not take long for the game to stop feeling meaningless.

Declan Rice opened the scoring after just over two minutes, punishing a loose pass from Désiré Doué and finishing past Mike Maignan. Rice captained England as Harry Kane was benched and played like the emotional core of a team desperate to end its tournament with something tangible.

England's best moments all began the same way. Tuchel's side won the ball, attacked before France could recover its shape and forced the French back line into panicked defending. Rice consistently played England's first forward pass after recoveries, while Saka constantly found open grass on the right. By halftime, England had turned almost every transition into danger.

Ezri Konsa doubled the lead from a Rice corner, beating Adrien Rabiot in the air. Saka then took over.

His first goal came after England broke forward quickly and France couldn’t recover. His second arrived in first-half stoppage time, completing a remarkable opening period in which England scored four goals and made one of the tournament’s strongest teams look completely lost.

Saka had been left on the bench throughout England’s 2–1 semifinal loss to Argentina. Three days later, he headed to the locker room with two goals and England carried a 4–0 lead.

That should have been the end of the contest. It was not close to the end.

Didier Deschamps made four changes at halftime, introducing more speed and experience while trying to rescue the final match of his 14-year tenure as France manager. Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Digne helped recover the defense, while Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembélé gave France more runners around Kylian Mbappé.

Photo: YantsImages / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Mbappé scored three minutes after the whistle, running onto a pass from Michael Olise and finishing cleanly past Dean Henderson. France began pressing higher, winning the ball closer to England’s goal and forcing Tuchel’s team into a familiar defensive retreat it had avoided throughout the first half.

Barcola added France’s second, and the match suddenly had a different rhythm. Mbappé scored again in the 66th minute after a smart pass from Olise, cutting England’s lead to 4–3. England had gone from four goals ahead to one goal away from a collapse in 20 minutes.

England responded by dropping deeper. The midfield couldn’t slow France’s attacks, and defenders began dropping toward their own penalty area instead of stepping forward to stop moves earlier. Olise missed the best chance to equalize. England no longer looked capable of slowing the game down.

Tuchel eventually introduced Jude Bellingham and Elliot Anderson because England needed control. The substitutions slowed the game just enough for England to regain possession before Saka’s late penalty brought some breathing room.

Saka converted the penalty to complete his second international hat trick. It was an emphatic response from a player who had watched the semifinal from the bench and then scored three times in England’s final match of the tournament.

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Even at 5–3, the game refused to end. Dembélé scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to make it 5–4, giving France one last chance to force extra time. Two minutes later, Bellingham ended it at the other end.

The final goal made it seven for Bellingham's tournament, the most ever scored by an England player at a single World Cup. Saka finished with three on the day. Rice contributed a goal, an assist and one of his team's strongest all-around performances.

Mbappé's disappointment came with history of its own. His two goals moved him to 22 in World Cup competition, taking him past Lionel Messi's total entering Sunday's final. He also became the first men's player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 goals at a single World Cup. Messi, however, still has one match left to respond. It was an extraordinary individual achievement attached to a result he clearly did not want.

France’s second half showed why it had reached the semifinals. Its first half showed why it did not reach the final.

The same was true for England in reverse. Its opening 45 minutes offered another example of the talent and depth Tuchel has available. England played quickly, pressed with purpose and punished nearly every mistake France made. The second half exposed the work still ahead.

England became passive once France increased the pressure. It stopped controlling possession, allowed wingers to dictate play between the lines and came dangerously close to throwing away a four-goal lead. For a team trying to become a consistent tournament winner, that inability to manage difficult games remains a serious concern.

Third place should not hide the problems England carried through parts of the tournament. It does, however, give the team something more substantial than another painful exit.

“We almost don’t allow ourselves to be proud of third place,” Tuchel admitted afterward. “But I hope, in some time, the players can be proud.”

England left Miami with a medal, its best World Cup finish since 1966, and one final reminder of how close it can look to both brilliance and disaster in the same match.

France left with its own situation: a historic night for Mbappé, an impressive comeback and one of the worst defensive halves of the tournament.

The third-place game may have been the match neither team wanted. They still produced one that captured everything both teams had been throughout this tournament. England capable of looking unstoppable before losing control, France capable of looking beaten before suddenly becoming dangerous again.

Lead Photo Credit: Bryan Berlin / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

For nearly a month, Spain and Argentina have answered completely different questions.

Spain has spent this World Cup showing it can control almost every match it plays. Argentina has spent it proving it doesn’t always have to.

One team arrives in the final having conceded just one goal in seven matches. The other has scored a tournament-high 19 goals. Spain has looked like the tournament’s most complete side from the very beginning. Argentina repeatedly fell behind in knockout matches before discovering another way to win them anyway.

Now those two paths finally cross.

Here are four things to watch as the World Cup is decided.

1. Can Spain stop the game from becoming transitional?

If there has been one consistent theme throughout Spain’s tournament, it has been control. Not only possession, but control.

Against France in the semifinal, Spain didn’t allow the match to become the kind of open game Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise wanted. Rodri protected the middle, the defensive line stayed compact and France spent most of the afternoon waiting for transition opportunities that almost never came.

Argentina present a similar challenge, but in a different way.

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Lionel Messi doesn’t need many touches to change a match. Julián Álvarez is constantly looking to run beyond the back line, while Rodrigo De Paul and Enzo Fernández waste no time turning recoveries into attacks. Sometimes they need one pass.

That makes Spain’s defense just as important as its attack.

Luis de la Fuente’s side will have more of the ball. The question is whether they can keep enough structure behind it. Spain want every Argentine attack to begin against an organized defense. Open space would give Messi and Álvarez the disorder they need before Spain can recover.

2. Can Argentina make Rodri uncomfortable?

Photo: Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The final’s most important battle will center on a player who rarely makes the highlight reels.

So much of Spain’s control begins with Rodri. He has completed 648 passes during this tournament, already the most by any player at a single World Cup on record.

He dictates the tempo when Spain has possession, but his work after Spain loses it will be even more important. Time and again throughout this tournament, he has prevented dangerous counterattacks before they ever developed, allowing Spain to recover the ball high up the field and start over.

Argentina knows that.

Expect De Paul, Enzo Fernández and Álvarez to pressure Rodri whenever possible. The objective will be forcing Spain away from the calm, patient buildup that has led it here.

Rodri escaping that pressure would allow Spain to string together long spells of possession that gradually drain an opponent’s energy. Disrupting him would force Spain to play more directly and pull the final toward the open, unstable game Argentina has repeatedly created.

3. Can Argentina keep winning matches they don’t control?

Photo: Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The defending champion has reached another World Cup final while never looking comfortable for a knockout match.

Cape Verde equalized twice and fought Argentina through 120 minutes in the Round of 32. Egypt led by two goals late in the Round of 16 before Argentina produced one of the tournament’s most remarkable comebacks. England led until the closing minutes of the semifinal before two Messi assists created goals for Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez.

Spain’s path has looked almost the opposite. Aside from late winners against Portugal and Belgium, it has controlled matches from start to finish, killing opponents’ chances by dictating the tempo.

Argentina has shown another way to win.

That’s what makes this final so intriguing. If Spain dominates possession for long stretches, that alone won’t guarantee anything. Argentina has spent the past month proving it is comfortable waiting for one decisive moment, even after long periods without the ball.

Not every champion controls every match. Sometimes surviving them is enough.

4. Who gets to make history?

Photo: Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Every World Cup final carries history. This one offers it to both sides.

Argentina is trying to become only the third men’s team to defend a World Cup title and the first to do it since Brazil in 1962. A fourth championship would place the Argentines alongside Germany and Italy, with only Brazil owning more.

For Lionel Messi, another World Cup would add another chapter to a career that has already changed every conversation about greatness.

Spain is chasing something different.

Sixteen years after winning its first World Cup, Spain has the chance to lift a second trophy and add a world championship to the European title it won two years ago. The Spaniards also enter the match unbeaten in 37 consecutive games, tied for the longest unbeaten run in men’s international soccer history. A win in the final would give Spain the record.

Much has been made of Messi sharing the field with Lamine Yamal, given the famous photograph of the two together nearly two decades ago. That storyline deserves the attention it has received.

But this final is bigger than one generation passing the torch to another. It’s about whether Spain’s control or Argentina’s resilience becomes the final story of this World Cup.

After a month of comebacks, tactical battles and matches that refused to follow their scripts, the tournament has reached its final question. Spain has controlled almost everything placed in front of it. Argentina has survived everything it could not.

One of those approaches will be enough to win the World Cup.

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

For 24 days, the United States gave us reasons to believe this World Cup might be different.

It scored four goals on opening night, clinched its group with a match to spare and won a World Cup knockout game for the first time since 2002. By the end of its run, the USMNT had scored a program-record 11 goals.

The United States also went home in the Round of 16 again.

I spent much of this tournament waiting to find out what this team was actually made of. The 4–1 win over Paraguay was impressive. Beating Australia made things comfortable. Surviving Bosnia and Herzegovina with 10 men showed grit.

But there was a question the first four matches could not answer: Could this team beat an opponent with more talent?

Against Belgium, the answer was no.

The USMNT finally looked comfortable as the favorite

For much of its World Cup history, the United States has been at its best when the match becomes uncomfortable. It has relied on defending deep and finding a way to survive.

This team showed something else. The opening match against Paraguay remains the best example.

Mauricio Pochettino built his team around a back three of Tim Ream, Chris Richards and Alex Freeman, with Sergiño Dest providing width on the right and the attacking players moving into the spaces around Folarin Balogun.

Ream gave the United States a way to play through pressure instead of over it. Richards completed all 83 of his passes, while Ream’s 23 line-breaking passes were the most by any player in a match during the tournament’s opening round.

Up top, Balogun gave them a purpose. His movement opened space underneath when he ran behind the back line. The U.S. did not have to force every chance through Christian Pulisic because its striker could create problems on his own.

Even the 4–1 score did not fully capture how the United States controlled the match. The Americans recorded 53 touches inside Paraguay’s penalty area, 17 more than in any previous USMNT World Cup match since 1966. Balogun also became the first American since Bert Patenaude in 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup game.

The 2–0 win over Australia reinforced the same idea. Even without Pulisic, who was dealing with a calf problem, the U.S. controlled another opponent it was expected to beat and clinched the group with one match remaining.

Progress can’t only be measured by how close a team comes to upsetting a traditional power. At some point, a team with ambitions of reaching a quarterfinal has to consistently beat the teams it is better than.

For most of this tournament, the United States did.

Balogun became the story of the tournament… on and off the field

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

No player represented the trajectory of the USMNT’s World Cup better than Balogun.

He started the tournament by scoring twice against Paraguay and quickly became the main point of an American attack that had spent years trying to solve the No. 9 position.

Against Bosnia, Balogun scored the opening goal before being sent off in the second half after his studs came down on Tarik Muharemović’s ankle while the two competed for the ball. The debate initially focused on the moment and whether the red card was justified.

Within days, the story had moved far beyond the challenge.

President Donald Trump publicly confirmed that he had spoken with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked for Balogun’s case to be reviewed. FIFA did not rescind the red card. Citing Article 27 of its disciplinary code, it deferred Balogun’s automatic one-match suspension for a one-year probationary period, clearing him to face Belgium.

UEFA said FIFA had “crossed a red line” and called the decision “incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” Questions followed about whether political pressure had influenced a process that was supposed to be independent. FIFA said that its judicial bodies made the decision independently.

According to later reporting, FIFA disciplinary committee chairman Mohammad al-Kamali made the decision without consulting the committee’s other 17 members. Balogun was also the only player sent off at the tournament to have his ban handled in that manner.

Whatever anyone believed about the original challenge, the situation had become more than a refereeing decision.

A U.S. president had contacted the president of FIFA about the suspension of an American player during a World Cup being played on American soil. European officials openly questioned the ruling, and accusations of political influence followed the USMNT into the biggest match of its tournament.

It is impossible to measure what the controversy did to the Americans. There is more evidence for what it did to Belgium.

After the match, Belgium captain Youri Tielemans acknowledged that the controversy gave Belgium extra motivation. Belgium’s official social media accounts a pointed response after the final whistle: ‘Overturn this’.

None of that explains a 4–1 loss. Belgium won because it was the better team and punished the United States in ways its previous opponents could not.

Bosnia showed the fight. Belgium showed the gap.

The controversy would overshadow much of what had happened against Bosnia, including the way the United States finished the match.

The Americans struggled at times to break down a deep defensive block, but their pressure eventually created an open chance. Ream controlled a long clearance and played into Tyler Adams, whose first-time flick played in Malik Tillman. Tillman slipped Balogun through, and he finished just before halftime.

After Balogun’s red card, the USMNT spent the final half-hour defending its penalty area, competing for second balls and protecting the lead. Tillman’s late free kick made it 2–0 and gave the United States its first World Cup knockout victory since 2002.

I still do not know exactly how to weigh that achievement. The expanded tournament format complicates it. A Round of 32 did not exist at previous World Cups. The United States had won a knockout match for the first time in 24 years, but it had not yet advanced further than the teams that reached the Round of 16 in 2010, 2014 and 2022.

Belgium showed how difficult the next step remains.

Pochettino returned to the same starting lineup he had used against Paraguay and Bosnia, but the structure that allowed the United States to control its previous opponents left its back three exposed when Belgium moved the ball around the press.

Dest pushed high, Pulisic moved inside and Freeman was pulled into wide defensive areas before having to recover toward his own goal. Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie could close one lane, but Belgium usually found another.

Against Paraguay or Australia, an American mistake often led to another opportunity to defend. Against Belgium, it led to a goal.

Charles De Ketelaere scored after nine minutes. Tillman equalized from a free kick, but the United States stayed level for only two minutes before De Ketelaere headed Belgium back in front.

When Matt Freese misjudged a loose ball outside his penalty area early in the second half, Hans Vanaken scored into an empty net. Romelu Lukaku added the fourth in stoppage time.

Belgium controlled the spaces that mattered and punished mistakes immediately.

The United States had become good enough to punish the teams below it. Belgium showed it was not yet good enough to survive its own mistakes against a team above it.

So, was this World Cup a success?

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

I think it was. I also do not think the USMNT should be satisfied with it.

The United States won its group, won a knockout match for the first time since 2002 and scored more goals than any American World Cup team before it. Balogun emerged as the striker this team had spent years searching for, and Pochettino built a side capable of controlling matches rather than waiting for them to become chaotic.

It did all of that without getting the best version of its best player. A calf problem limited Pulisic earlier in the tournament, and he later sustained microfractures in his right tibia and fibula against Belgium.

But the goal of hosting this World Cup wasn’t only to produce another respectable Round of 16 appearance. The tournament was at home. The core of the team had entered its prime. Pochettino had been hired to raise the ceiling of a generation that already knew how to reach this stage.

Belgium showed us where that ceiling still was.

The USMNT was better than it had been four years earlier. It scored more, controlled matches more comfortably and found ways to win without Pulisic carrying every attack.

It still went home in the Round of 16.

That does not make this World Cup a failure. It makes it something more frustrating. A successful tournament that still left the United States wondering how close it really is to the status it wants to join.

For the first time in a long time, simply being better did not feel like enough.

The 2–0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina gave the Americans proof that they could win a World Cup match when everything was on the line.

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Folarin Balogun scored before halftime. Malik Tillman’s free kick gave the Americans breathing room. After Balogun’s dismissal early in the second half, the United States spent more than 30 minutes protecting its lead with 10 men. It survived.

Belgium is next. For American soccer fans, those two words bring back memories immediately.

The last World Cup meeting between these countries produced one of the most unforgettable performances in United States soccer history. Tim Howard made 15 saves in Salvador in 2014 (which is still tied for the most ever in a World Cup match) and somehow the United States still fell 2–1 after extra time.

For many fans, that was the night they learned what a World Cup knockout match feels like.

Twelve years later, the United States gets another chance. Welcome to the USMNT’s edition of Monday Night Football.

Here are four things to watch.

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

1. What does Balogun’s return change?

It seemed like the United States would have to face Belgium without its starting striker. Instead, Balogun was cleared to play and will be available Monday night after FIFA ruled he could participate in the Round of 16. That changes the conversation.

Balogun gives Mauricio Pochettino’s side something few American teams have had at a World Cup: a striker who can stretch defenses and force center backs into uncomfortable decisions.

His movement creates space for Christian Pulisic and Tillman to operate freely underneath him. The Americans need to punish Belgium when opportunities appear because they won’t have much possession.

Balogun is the player most capable of making that happen.

2. Can the United States attack Belgium’s wide spaces?

Belgium advanced to the Round of 16 after one of the wildest matches of the tournament.

The Red Devils trailed Senegal 2–0 late in regulation before goals from Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans forced extra time. Tielemans eventually scored the winning penalty to complete an unlikely comeback.

Senegal repeatedly found success attacking the spaces behind Belgium’s fullbacks and forcing the Belgian defense to turn toward its own goal.

Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest could be two of the most important players on the field Monday night. When the United States is at its best, it plays with speed and pushes its fullbacks high. Against Belgium, those moments could determine the match.

That does not mean recklessly throwing numbers forward against players like De Bruyne and Lukaku. It means being brave enough to attack when the opportunities appear.

The United States cannot spend 90 minutes waiting for Belgium to make mistakes; it has to force them

3. How does the United States handle Belgium’s experience?

Belgium is no longer the young Golden Generation that arrived in Russia with expectations of winning the tournament. However, the experience remains.

De Bruyne is still one of the best creators in world football. Lukaku is one of the most dangerous penalty-box forwards in international soccer. Tielemans just dragged Belgium through a knockout match that looked lost.

And Thibaut Courtois remains one of the world’s greatest goalkeepers.

Photo: Эдгар Брещанов / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Photo: Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making a save during the match against Brazil, 6 July 2018

Belgium does not need many chances. One De Bruyne pass and one Lukaku run across a defender can decide this match. A Courtois save can keep Belgium alive long enough for momentum to shift.

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Belgium wants control. The United States wants energy, pressure and transitions.

Controlled chaos has often brought out the best in this group.

4. Is this finally the breakthrough moment?

Photo by Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

This is where the game becomes bigger than tactical analysis.

There was Mexico in 2002. Ghana in 2010. Belgium in 2014. Netherlands in 2022.

Different teams, different eras and different circumstances, but all part of the same search for a defining knockout moment.

The victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina moved the United States forward. Beating Belgium would move this team into a different category historically. It would give this generation of players the result American soccer has spent decades chasing.

The pieces are there.

Pulisic is in his prime. Balogun is playing. Tillman is coming off the goal that sealed the United States’ first World Cup knockout victory since 2002. Adams gives the midfield balance every successful tournament team needs. Robinson and Dest can turn the wide areas into an advantage.

And Pochettino has this team looking more comfortable in difficult moments than it has in a long time.

The setting feels right. Seattle hosted Belgium’s comeback victory over Senegal earlier in the week and will stage its final World Cup match of the tournament Monday night. The atmosphere should be among the best of the competition this summer.

The United States has spent 12 years waiting for another shot at Belgium. Tonight, it gets one.

Photo: Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

1. The red card changed the entire conversation

For most of last night, this looked like it would become the Folarin Balogun game.

The striker scored the opening goal just before halftime, converting the chance the United States had been searching for against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s compact defensive shape.

Then, in the 64th minute, everything changed.

Balogun’s challenge on Tarik Muharemović was upgraded to a straight red card following a VAR review, forcing the United States to play the rest of the match with 10 men.

The decision became one of the biggest talking points of the match. Some believed it was the correct interpretation of the laws of the game. Others felt the replay made the challenge appear worse than it looked in real time.

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The consequences are clear: Balogun will miss the Round of 16 matchup against Belgium, leaving the U.S. without its leading scorer at the exact moment they would most like to have him available.

2. The United States showed something it has not always shown in big tournaments

They never panicked. That may have been the most impressive part of the night.

Previous American teams might have dropped deeper and deeper after losing a player in a knockout match. Instead, the U.S. remained organized, disciplined and surprisingly comfortable.

Bosnia pushed numbers forward and searched for opportunities through crosses and set pieces, but clear chances were difficult to find. The U.S. held Bosnia to just 0.25 expected goals and only seven touches inside the penalty area despite playing the final half hour with 10 men.

There were no frantic clearances or loss of structure. No sense that the game was slipping away. If anything, the United States looked more comfortable playing with 10 men than Bosnia looked trying to break them down with 11.

This program has spent years hearing questions about how it responds to adversity in these moments. This felt significant.

3. Mauricio Pochettino entered the record books

Photo by Bryan Berlin/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Pochettino became the first U.S. men’s national team coach to win three World Cup matches, moving ahead of Bruce Arena’s two victories in 2002.

More importantly, he delivered something American soccer had not experienced in nearly a quarter century. The United States had not won a World Cup knockout match since defeating Mexico in the Round of 16 in 2002. That streak is over.

Maybe this is years of watching U.S. teams enter knockout matches hoping to survive rather than expecting to advance, but there was something different about this one. The Americans were the better team from the opening whistle and looked like a side that believed it belonged here.

The Bosnia match guaranteed that this tournament already has a place in U.S. soccer history. The Belgium match will determine how far this run goes.

4. Malik Tillman and Antonee Robinson continue to drive this team forward

Tillman finished the story. And he did it in style:

His free kick in the 82nd minute was one of the best American goals of the tournament and immediately killed whatever hope Bosnia had left of a comeback.

Every World Cup produces a player who starts as a promising talent and becomes an established star in front of the world’s eyes. Tillman is making a strong case to be that player for this American team.

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At the same time, Antonee Robinson continues to look like one of the best left backs in the world. Bosnia struggled to deal with his runs forward all evening, and defensively he helped limit one of the tournament’s better set-piece teams to very few opportunities.

If Tillman has become the breakout star of the tournament, Robinson has become one of its most consistent performers. The encouraging part for the United States is that new stars keep emerging alongside the established ones.

5. Everything changes against Belgium

Антон Зайцев / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

The question surrounding this generation of American players was whether it could handle the pressure of meaningful World Cup matches. That question has been answered. Now comes a different one.

Can the United States beat one of the world’s elite teams without its leading scorer?

Belgium will enter the match as the favorite. That may actually suit the U.S. For the first time in this tournament, the pressure shifts to the other side.

The United States will fight in Seattle missing Balogun but bringing something it did not have a week ago: evidence that this group can handle knockout pressure, adversity and expectations all at once.

The Santa Clara crowd celebrated a moment American soccer had been waiting 24 years to experience again.

Maybe the team we’ve spent years waiting for has finally arrived.

Photo by Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The United States men’s national team enters interesting territory Wednesday night. For the first time in a modern World Cup knockout match, the Americans are not the underdog.

That’s unfamiliar for a program that has spent most of its World Cup history trying to ruin someone else’s party. They are the host nation, the group winner and the team expected to advance.

Standing in their way is Bosnia and Herzegovina, making their first appearance in the knockout stage and playing with little media pressure.

Here are four things to watch as the teams meet in Santa Clara with a place in the round of 16 on the line.

1. How the U.S. handles possession

Bosnia has spent much of the tournament defending in a compact shape and looking to create chances through direct, long balls into the box. That could force the U.S. into long periods of possession.

The Americans have looked dangerous throughout the tournament when attacking open space. Today’s challenge will require something different.

The U.S. will rely heavily on outside backs Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest to provide width and stretch Bosnia’s defensive shape. The movement of players such as Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman between the lines could become important if the midfield becomes crowded.

The temptation in knockout matches is to force difficult passes or settle for hopeful crosses. The United States will need to move the ball quickly enough to create openings while staying disciplined defensively if possession is lost.

If the game is played primarily in Bosnia’s half, the U.S. should feel comfortable with the situation rather than rushed by it.

2. Christian Pulisic's impact

Photo by Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Christian Pulisic looks likely to return to the starting lineup after dealing with a calf issue earlier in the tournament. That could change the entire strategy of the American attack.

Pulisic remains the player most capable of creating chances on his own, whether through dribbling in wide areas, drawing defenders out of position or creating shooting opportunities from difficult angles.

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Bosnia will make slowing him down a priority. That attention could create opportunities elsewhere.

The U.S. does not necessarily need Pulisic to dominate the match statistically. It needs him to force Bosnia into decisions it usually wouldn’t have to make. In knockout soccer, a single moment often changes everything. Few American players are better equipped to create one.

3. Bosnia's veteran experience

   

   Photo: Ailura/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0 AT)

The United States may have more overall depth, but Bosnia enters the match with a veteran core capable of making life uncomfortable for the Americans.

That begins with striker Edin Džeko. The former Manchester City and Roma remains one of the game’s most intelligent center-forwards. He can hold possession, win aerial duels and create open lanes for others. Making him dangerous even when touches are low.

The United States has dealt with defensive injury concerns throughout the tournament, and Bosnia will test them physically through crosses and set pieces.

Bosnia does not need possession to create chances. One well-delivered free kick or one defensive mistake inside the penalty area could change the game entirely. The U.S. will want to avoid turning the match into a physical contest.

Bosnia would likely welcome a match decided by moments of chaos rather than American possession.

4. Can the U.S. handle being favorites?

For Bosnia and Herzegovina, a victory would represent the biggest result in the country’s history.

The nation’s only previous World Cup appearance came in 2014, when it failed to advance from the group stage. Reaching the knockout rounds in 2026 already meant progress. Eliminating the host nation would bring this squad into national history.

The stakes are different for the United States. The United States has not reached a World Cup quarterfinal since defeating Mexico in the round of 16 in 2002.

Since then, the program has produced talented squads and memorable moments but has struggled to take the next step on the global stage. This generation has openly talked about changing expectations for American soccer.

Winning a knockout match at home would represent meaningful progress. For a team playing in front of home crowds and carrying higher expectations than previous American squads, handling that pressure will be just as important as any tactical change.

The total trade package includes Charlotte sending a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.

This is the second 2033 first-round pick the Charlotte Hornets have acquired within the past week, having also received a 2033 first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the LaMelo Ball trade package.

Miles Bridges is represented by Klutch Sports Group, whose CEO Rich Paul has a notable relationship with Suns Governor Mat Ishbia. The two could have possibly worked together to find Miles his new home.

Bridges spent two years at Michigan State playing for Tom Izzo. Ishbia also played for Tom Izzo while he was a member of the 2000 NCAA National Championship team.

With both LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges now gone, the Hornets are officially turning the page on their previous core.

Photo Source: Hayden Schiff / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

The trade will bring Grayson Allen back to the state of North Carolina, where he first gained notoriety at Duke University, when he was a freshman on the 2015 NCAA championship team.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Timberwolves are sending the Hornets Naz Reid and multiple picks.

This comes after Shams reported immediately following the NBA Draft that the Hornets were engaged in trade conversations with teams around the league and expected a deal to happen within the next 24–48 hours. It seems the negotiations were nearly complete at that point.

The total package includes: the Charlotte Hornets sending LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three first-round pick swaps (2028, 2029, 2030), and three second-round picks (2029, 2032, 2033), sources tell ESPN.

LaMelo Ball has been a staple in the Charlotte community since he was drafted to the Hornets in the 2020 NBA Draft with the 3rd overall pick.

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According to Charania, Ball does want to be in Charlotte, but the Hornets are still listening to calls from multiple teams.

During the 2025-2026 season, the Charlotte Hornets were 3-7 last season without LaMelo Ball.

Okereke, a four-year player, was originally a walk on for Cornell before finishing off his career at Vanderbilt.

During his time at Vanderbilt in Nashville, he averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.

According to insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, many teams around the league believed that the Lakers were expecting Henri Veesaar to fall to them.

The Lakers are still searching for their big man, even after re-signing Austin Reaves . Reaves inked a 4-year, $185M max deal. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Lakers are projected to still have $45- $50M in cap space. This is without LeBron James on the books.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Los Angeles is not expected to sign LeBron to a max deal (~$55M).