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The World Cup is delivering chaos and heartbreak in equal measure, and the United States felt both Monday night. Belgium dismantled the Americans four goals to one, sending the co-hosting nation home early and igniting a political firestorm after President Trump had personally lobbied FIFA to overturn a red card shown to Folarin Balogun in the previous round. The intervention went nowhere, and now so does the U S team.
Meanwhile across the Atlantic, England gave their fans a reason to stay up past midnight. Nine point one million people tuned in on BBC to watch the Three Lions battle Mexico in a dramatic win that kicked off at two in the morning local time. That makes it the largest live UK television audience ever recorded in that overnight window, and Jude Bellingham was right in the middle of it.
Shifting to the ice, there is serious smoke coming out of Pittsburgh. Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman is floating the Penguins as a potential landing spot for Vancouver's Elias Pettersson, suggesting general manager Kyle Dubas could look to reunite the star center with former Canuck Andrei Kuzmenko. If that deal materializes, Pittsburgh gets back into the conversation fast.
That's your play-by-play. Sports Desk, back to the booth.
