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No previous winner of the tournament has missed three World Cups in a row, which Italy now have after missing out on Russia in 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Also on Thursday, former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, who was working closely with the men’s national team, resigned as delegation head via Instagram., external
Buffon, who was part of Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning side, wrote that with Gravina’s decision to go, he felt, “as an act of responsibility”, he should do the same.
“The main objective was to bring Italy back to the World Cup. And we didn’t succeed,” Buffon, 48, added.
“It’s fair to leave it to those who will come after the freedom to choose the figure they think is best to play my role.”
Gravina, 72, who is the Uefa first vice-president, announced his resignation following a meeting held at the FIGC’s headquarters in Rome.
He took the job in October 2018, with his predecessor Carlo Tavecchio having stepped down following Italy’s failure to beat Sweden in a World Cup play-off the previous year.
Kerr’s status at Chelsea was unquestionable before she suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while at her peak in January 2024.
It took her more than 18 months to recover and she is still returning to full fitness as Chelsea struggle to meet expectations this season.
Off the pitch, Kerr has endured difficulties too. She was found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment against a Metropolitan Police officer in 2025 – the result of a court case which played out in the public eye and caused controversy.
That led to calls in her home country to strip her of the Australia captaincy, while she stepped out of the limelight in England.
It has also been a period of change for Kerr as she got married to former West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis and they have a son, who was born in May.
In her absence, Chelsea went unbeaten domestically and won the treble in manager Sonia Bompastor’s debut campaign, but it has not gone to plan this year.
Injuries – particularly in attacking positions – players departing the club and performances not being up to scratch mean Chelsea are set to miss out on the Women’s Super League title and are out of the Women’s Champions League.
Kerr has struggled to regain her place in the starting XI despite this, playing just 444 minutes in the WSL this season.
She has made 15 appearances in the league, but only started two games, while she netted three goals in three starts in Europe.
Bompastor has fewer options up front, with USA striker Catarina Macario joining San Diego Wave, and Aggie Beever-Jones and Mayra Ramirez out injured.
So has Kerr been overlooked?
“She’s featured in almost every league game this season but it’s only two that she has started. The number nine position has been difficult for Chelsea,” said former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie on BBC Radio 5 Live.
“Lauren James has played there to allow them to get Alyssa Thompson and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd in the team, who have been in good form. There’s lots of different factors.
“But they haven’t got an out-and-out number nine. Chelsea need a number nine. To let go of Sam Kerr, without having a replacement there, would be a big step.”
From Marjam Swanson: Sure, it’s very early. Maybe that’s why all Dodgers’ batters seem to be hitting is the snooze button — snoozing and, on Wednesday, losing 4-1 to the Cleveland Guardians.
Only Andy Pages has looked alert in the Dodgers’ super-imposing lineup, which would have been shut out before a crowd of 45,556 at Dodger Stadium if not for Freddie Freeman’s two-out home run in the ninth inning.
Before Freeman’s 407-foot blast, Pages had the only two hits off Guardians starter Gavin Williams. Cleveland’s 6-foot-6 right-hander had Dodgers hitters scuffling for seven innings, striking out 10 as the Guardians won for the second time in the three-game series.
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Otherwise, the Dodgers only seriously threatened when reliever Shawn Armstrong was on the mound in the eighth inning and they got runners on second and third, as Pages doubled over Teoscar Hernández, who had singled.
But then Shohei Ohtani struck out on three pitches to end the inning.
A day off and a road trip are now just what Doc ordered: manager Dave Roberts suggested a day to reset and some hostile crowds in Washington and then Toronto, where the Dodgers won last season’s epic, seven-game World Series against the Blue Jays, could help get his club’s juices flowing.
Last week, a woman filed a civil lawsuit against Nacua, alleging that on New Year’s Eve he made an antisemitic statement during a group dinner and later bit her shoulder. Attorney Levi McCathern told The Times before the lawsuit was filed that Nacua denied the allegations and that Nacua would “pursue all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”
The California Post reported Wednesday that Nacua had checked into a Malibu rehab facility. A Rams official declined to comment.
In a statement to The Times on Wednesday, McCathern said Nacua “voluntarily entered a private facility to focus on his health, personal growth, and overall development — and I’m really proud of him for doing that ahead of his upcoming season.
Lakers star LeBron James reacts during a game against the Sacramento Kings in December.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
From Broderick Turner: The tests kept coming in the month of March for the Lakers and they responded with the same resounding answer: We’re ready.
Yet, even though the Lakers posted a 15-2 record last month, even though they beat some of the best teams in the NBA, they still have another big test on the horizon that will further show whether they’re ready.
The Lakers will meet the defending NBA champion Thunder in Oklahoma City on Thursday night, and it will be the test of all tests because OKC is just as hot as L.A. and owns the best record in the NBA.
Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi was tagged for five runs in the third inning and took the loss against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.
(Paul Beaty / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Matthew Boyd struck out 10 while pitching into the sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Angels 6-2 on Wednesday.
Nico Hoerner had three hits for Chicago on a chilly and windy afternoon at Wrigley Field. Matt Shaw had two hits and two RBIs, and Alex Bregman reached three times in the rubber game of the three-game series.
Boyd (1-1) yielded two runs, one earned, and two hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second start of the season. The left-hander was tagged for six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to Washington on opening day.
Kings forward Trevor Moore, center, celebrates with teammates after scoring in overtime of a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Blues at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.
Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who moved into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference — one point ahead of San José and Nashville. Anton Forsberg made 23 saves, including one in overtime, for the Kings, who stopped a four-game losing streak at home.
Robert Thomas scored the only goal for the Blues on a deflection with 3:53 left in the third period to send it to overtime. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots in the loss, including two in the extra period. St. Louis is four points behind the Kings for the second wild-card spot.
Ducks forward Ryan Poehling skates toward the puck between Sharks forward Adam Gaudette, left, and defenseman Sam Dickinson during the second period of the Ducks’ 4-3 loss Wednesday.
(Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
From the Associated Press: Macklin Celebrini tied the score with less than two minutes to play then assisted on Alexander Wennberg’s winning goal with 31 seconds left to complete a four-point game as the San José Sharks beat the Ducks 4-3 on Wednesday night.
With two goals and two assists, Celebrini has 40 goals and 105 points this season, moving him past Erik Karlsson (101 points in 2022-23) for the second highest single-season point total in franchise history behind Joe Thornton’s 114-point effort in 2006-07.
The 19-year-old Celebrini also has 17 games this season with three or more points, second among teenagers in NHL history only to Wayne Gretzky, who had 19 in 1979-80.
NFL referee Robin DeLorenzo prepares for a game between the Texans and Saints on Oct. 15, 2023, in Houston.
(Eric Christian Smith / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: One of the first women to officiate an NFL game is suing the league for gender discrimination, harassment and retaliation more than a year after she was fired.
Robin DeLorenzo filed a lawsuit last week in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York that claims she was “subjected to gender-based scrutiny, humiliation, disparate training, unequal gear, and open hostility” while employed as an NFL official from April 2022 to February 2025.
“She was denied the support and development routinely afforded to male officials, graded through a system built and controlled by men who had fixated on her gender from day one, and punished when she reported harassment or insisted on being treated with basic respect,” the lawsuit states.
Rick Scott practices at the Valley Ice Center on Wednesday.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
From Cierra Morgan: For nearly three decades, the L.A. Kings Valley Ice Center has served as a second home for hundreds of young hockey players in the San Fernando Valley. Now, that future is on shaky ice.
The Panorama City facility is set to demolish its main ice rink, leaving athletes who use the center with a smaller, non-regulation rink. Taking the place of the main rink will be a medical facility for seniors, according to the Valley Ice Center’s owner.
Some local parents say the situation has been heart-wrenching for them and their children.
1939 — Ralph Guldahl beats Sam Snead by one stroke to capture the Masters golf tournament.
1969 — Toronto center Forbes Kennedy sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for most penalties in one game with 8.
1978 — Czech tennis star Martina Navratilova wins her first WTA Tour Championship.
1980 — Wayne Gretzky becomes the youngest player to reach 50 goals at 19 years and 2 months of age.
1983 — New York Islander Mike Bossy becomes the first player to score 60 or more goals in three consecutive seasons.
1984 — Georgetown, led by junior center Patrick Ewing and freshman forward Reggie Williams, beats Houston 84-75 to win the NCAA championship in Seattle. Houston becomes the second team to lose in two consecutive finals.
1985 — Edmonton C Wayne Gretzky sets an NHL record with his 34th career hat trick.
1986 — The 3-point field goal, at 19 feet, 9 inches, is adopted by the NCAA.
1990 — UNLV pounds Duke 103-73 to win its first NCAA championship and extend the Blue Devils’ streak to eight Final Four appearances without a title. The Runnin’ Rebels become the first team to score more than 100 points in a championship game and the 30-point margin is the largest ever.
1995 — Connecticut caps an unbeaten season by defeating Tennessee 70-64 for the NCAA women’s championship. The Huskies, 35-0, become the winningest basketball team for one season in Division I.
2000 — Connecticut wins its second women’s national championship with a 71-52 victory over Tennessee. The top-ranked Huskies beat No. 2 Tennessee for the second time in three meetings this season.
2001 — New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens becomes American League all-time strikeout leader.
2001 — Seattle outfielder Ichiro Suzuki has 2 hits and becomes first Japanese position player to play in a regular season MLB game.
2003 — At 27 years, 249 days Texas Rangers infielder Alex Rodriguez becomes the youngest MLB player to hit 300 home runs.
2005 — Bubba Stewart becomes first African-American to win a major motor sports event when he takes out the Monster Energy AMA Supercross C’ship event in Irving, Texas.
2007 — The Florida Gators keep their stranglehold on the college basketball world with an 84-75 victory over Ohio State for their second straight national championship. The Gators are the first team to repeat since Duke in 1991-92.
2010 — Basketball superstar Kobe Bryant signs a three-year contract extension with the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers worth $87 million.
2011 — The Detroit Red Wings clinch their 20th straight playoff berth with a 4-3 victory over Nashville. The Red Wings extend the longest active playoff streak among North America’s four major professional sports and extend their NHL record with 11 straight seasons with 100 points.
2012 — Doron Lamb scores 22 points as Kentucky wins its eighth men’s national championship, holding off Kansas for a 67-59 victory.
2013 — Shoni Schimmel scores 24 points and giant-slaying Louisville claims another big upset, beating second-seeded Tennessee 86-78 and earning the school’s second trip to the Women’s Final Four.
2014 — The Sacramento Kings beat the Los Angeles Lakers 107-102 to give the Lakers their 50th loss of the season. The last time the Lakers had 50 or more losses was 1974-75 (30-52).
2016 — Villanova advances to the national championship game with the biggest margin of victory in Final Four history, overwhelming Oklahoma in a resounding 95-51 victory. The margin topped 34-point Final Four wins by Cincinnati over Oregon State in 1962 and Michigan State over Penn in 1979.
2018 — Pernilla Lindberg makes a 30-foot birdie putt on the eighth extra hole to win the ANA Inspiration for her first professional victory. Lindberg finishes off Inbee Park on the par-4 10th, the fourth playoff hole at Mission Hills.
2018 — Villanova wins its second men’s national championship in three years after a 79-62 victory over Michigan. Donte DiVincenzo comes off the bench to score 31 points for the Wildcats. Villanova wins all six games by double digits over this tournament run, joining Michigan State (2000), Duke (2001) and North Carolina (2009) in that company.
2019 — OKC guard Russell Westbrook becomes 2nd player in NBA history to have 20+ points, rebounds and assists in a game; records 20-20-21 in 119-103 win over LA Lakers.
2023 — Caitlin Clark scores 41 points in the Final Four for Iowa against South Carolina.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
SAN JOSÉ — Macklin Celebrini tied the score with less than two minutes to play then assisted on Alexander Wennberg’s winning goal with 31 seconds left to complete a four-point game as the San José Sharks beat the Ducks 4-3 on Wednesday night.
With two goals and two assists, Celebrini has 40 goals and 105 points this season, moving him past Erik Karlsson (101 points in 2022-23) for the second highest single-season point total in franchise history behind Joe Thornton’s 114-point effort in 2006-07.
The 19-year-old Celebrini also has 17 games this season with three or more points, second among teenagers in NHL history only to Wayne Gretzky, who had 19 in 1979-80.
Will Smith had a goal and two assists for the Sharks and Yaroslav Askirov made 28 saves.
Troy Terry scored 4:04 into the third period to give the Ducks a 3-2 lead.
Celebrini tied it with 1:39 to play.
Ryan Poehling and Alex Killorn also scored for the Ducks, who have lost three straight games but remain atop the Pacific Division. Drew Helleson had a pair of assists and Lukas Dostal made 16 saves and also got his first assist of the season on Poehling’s goal.
The Ducks played without their leading goal scorer, Cutter Gauthier, who suffered an upper-body injury in Monday night’s 5-4 loss to Toronto.
Nathan Gaucher made his NHL debut for the Ducks. He was selected 22nd overall by Anaheim in the 2022 draft.
San José has a 2-1 lead in the four-game regular-season series between the teams.
Up next for the Ducks: vs. St. Louis at Honda Center on Friday night.
Trevor Moore scored 1:56 into overtime to lift the Kings to a 2-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night.
Adrian Kempe also scored for the Kings, who moved into the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference — one point ahead of San José and Nashville. Anton Forsberg made 23 saves, including one in overtime, for the Kings, who stopped a four-game losing streak at home.
Robert Thomas scored the only goal for the Blues on a deflection with 3:53 left in the third period to send it to overtime. Jordan Binnington stopped 24 shots in the loss, including two in the extra period. St. Louis is four points behind the Kings for the second wild-card spot.
Moore sped up the right side, outskated Jonatan Berggren, centered the puck and snapped a shot past Binnington for the victory. Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty assisted on the goal.
With the Kings leading 1-0, Thomas went to the front of the net and Philip Broberg’s shot deflected off Thomas’ skate and past Forsberg to tie it.
After a scoreless first period, Jared Wright nearly put the Kings ahead midway through the second, but his goal was waved off for goaltender interference.
The Kings got one that counted on Kempe’s power-play goal on a wrister with 3:01 left in the second period to put them up 1-0.
Up next for the Kings: vs. Nashville at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday night.
The much anticipated pitching duel between Gary Morse of Orange Lutheran and Julian Garcia of St. John Bosco on Wednesday under the lights at Hart Park exceeded expectations.
With both hitting 95 mph, Morse gave up two hits in six innings with eight strikeouts. Garcia struck out 10 and also gave up two hits, but one was a leadoff home run by Ricardo Hurtado.
St. John Bosco (11-2, 5-0) broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the seventh to defeat Orange Lutheran 4-1. It was the second consecutive Braves win. Orange Lutheran, which came into the week ranked No. 1 by The Times after winning the National High School Invitational, dropped to 7-3 overall and 0-2 in the Trinity League.
Closer Jack Champlin came in after a leadoff single in the seventh to pick up the save.
The Braves loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, then scored two runs on a wild pitch and added a third on James Clark’s single. The teams close out their three-game series in a 1:30 p.m. game Thursday at St. John Bosco.
Gary Morse of Orange Lutheran struck out eight against St. John Bosco in six innings Wednesday.
(Nick Koza)
With two outs in the top of the seventh inning Sam Lakey hits a home run to give De La Salle 1-0 lead over Notre Dame. Lachlan Clark struck out 10 in 6 2/3 innings. pic.twitter.com/8kEvkZ1nlR
Concord De La Salle 1, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 0: Sam Lakey hit a two-out solo home run in the top of the seventh inning to break up a pitching duel and send De La Salle into Thursday’s championship game of the National Classic. It was the third consecutive shutout by De La Salle pitchers. Notre Dame’s Lachlan Clark made no mistakes other than giving up the home run. He struck out 10 in 6⅔ innings. Notre Dame twice had bases-loaded situations but failed to take advantage, including hitting into a double play in the bottom of the sixth.
Corona Centennial 5, Cypress 1: Jacob Torres threw a complete game with nine strikeouts and Aiden Simpson homered to lead the Huskies in a semifinal game of the National Classic. They will face De La Salle on Thursday at 4 p.m. at El Dorado in the tourney final.
Vancouver (Wash.) Union 1, El Dorado 0: The Golden Hawks gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh. Julian Rodriguez gave up three hits in 6⅔ innings.
Fountain Valley 5, Edison 0: Four pitchers combined for the shutout. Ethan Cortez had two doubles.
Harvard-Westlake 7, Loyola 1: James Tronstein homered, Jake Kim had two RBIs and Evan Alexander struck out 10 in 5⅓ innings.
Bell 7, Chula Vista Olympian 3: The Eagles (15-1) received four RBIs from Eric Medina, including a two-run single in the seventh to break a 3-3 tie.
Sylmar 5, San Francisco Lincoln 2: Tim Sepulveda had two hits and three RBIs while Rickee Luevano went three for three to lead Sylmar.
El Camino Real 6, La Costa Canyon 4: Michael Spancer and Shane Bogacz each had three hits while Blake Dubin had a two-run single for the Royals.
Cleveland 9, Marshall 3: The Cavaliers won their eighth consecutive game. Shiloh Wickliffe had two hits and three RBIs.
Quartz Hill 13, Palmdale 0: Parker White had three hits and threw a no-hitter in the Golden League win over Palmdale.
Ayala 4, Bonita 2: Easton Sarmiento struck out seven in 5⅓ innings for Ayala (11-1).
Bishop Alemany 10, Chatsworth 0: Mikey Martinez, a transfer from Crespi, had three hits in his Alemany debut.
Carson 9, Classical 7: Nate Ruan had three hits, including a two-run home run. Skylar Vinson also had a two-run home run.
Foothill 6, Irvine 0: Jackson Phillips threw the shutout, striking out nine and giving up two hits.
Villa Park 5, Arcadia 2: Aidan Young had two hits for Villa Park. Logan Hoppie threw a complete game with six strikeouts.
Mira Costa 13, Torrance 4: Connor Collins drove in four runs for the Mustangs.
Oaks Christian 5, Westlake 1: Dane Disney and Carson Sheffer each had two hits in the Marmonte League win.
Thousand Oaks 3, Newbury Park 1: Jake Ange continued his hot hitting with a home run, single and two RBIs.
Palos Verdes 7, Redondo Union 2: Franco Correa and Jackson Alba each finished with three hits for Palos Verdes.
Huntington Beach 8, Corona del Mar 2: Jared Grindlinger had four hits and four RBIs and Owen Bone homered for the Oilers.
Newport Harbor 7, Los Alamitos 3: Henry Mann was three for three with two RBIs for Newport Harbor.
Norco 17, King 2: The Cougars (12-1) received four hits from Zion Martinez and three hits and three RBIs from Jacob Melendez to stay unbeaten in the Big VIII League. Jordan Ayala struck out seven and gave up one hit in four innings, setting him up to pitch against St. John Bosco on Tuesday in the Boras Classic.
Santa Margarita 6, Mater Dei 0: Tyler Unter struck out nine in six scoreless innings and Andre Owens had two doubles for the Eagles.
Servite 6, JSerra 4: Jaden Liu had two RBIs in Servite’s Trinity League win.
South Hills 5, McClatchy 2: Christian Santoyo threw a complete game for South Hills.
Mission Viejo 1, Tesoro 0: Jackson Krause, Caleb Tucker and Jackson Stonebarger combined for the shutout. Aiden Chapuis had three hits.
Chaminade 4, Granada Hills 3: Nicholas Penaranda had three hits for the Highlanders in the loss. Isaac Hearn had two hits and two RBIs for Chaminade.
Corona Santiago 9, Las Vegas Basic 2: Jonathan Thornton had three hits and Striker Pence struck out six in five innings.
Softball
Orange Lutheran 2, King 1: The Lancers won their first-round game of the Michelle Carew tournament. Rylee Silva struck out seven. Carlie Snyder had two hits.
Garden Grove Pacifica 13, Long Beach Poly 6: Matte Stern had a triple, single and four RBIs for Pacifica.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 7, Camarillo 2: Jackie Morales hit a two-run home run for the Knights.
Fullerton 7, Chino Hills 5: Hayley Brock had a home run, double, two singles and four RBIs for 13-1 Fullerton. Malaya Majam-Finch struck out nine. Milena Medyn led Chino Hills with three hits.
Norco 4, Long Beach Millikan 0: Coral Williams struck out nine in the shutout. Angelina Gonzales hit a home run.
Marina 8, Rio Mesa 0: Mia Valbuena threw two no-hitters, first against Rio Mesa, then in a 1-0 win over Los Altos. She had 18 strikeouts against Los Altos.
American heavyweight Deontay Wilder says his fight against Briton Derek Chisora will be “one of the best in history” – with both men gearing up for their 50th professional bout.
Following last week’s crash, authorities found two white pills in Woods’ pocket, which were identified as hydrocodone – an opioid used to treat pain.
Officers also reported he appeared “lethargic and slow” while “sweating profusely” with “extremely dilated” pupils, and that his “normal faculties were impaired”.
A Florida judge on Wednesday approved Woods’ request to leave the United States to seek treatment at a comprehensive inpatient treatment facility.
Woods’ attorney Douglas Duncan said doctors have recommended an “intensive, highly individualised and medically integrated programme” for the golfer, away from the media and public scrutiny.
Duncan said the urgent level of care Woods needs cannot be safely done within the US, “as his privacy has been repeatedly compromised”.
Arsenal captain Kim Little says she believes her side are “getting better and better” as they reach the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League, after beating Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate to close in on successfully defending their title.
CHICAGO — Matthew Boyd struck out 10 while pitching into the sixth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Angels 6-2 on Wednesday.
Nico Hoerner had three hits for Chicago on a chilly and windy afternoon at Wrigley Field. Matt Shaw had two hits and two RBIs, and Alex Bregman reached three times in the rubber game of the three-game series.
Boyd (1-1) yielded two runs, one earned, and two hits over 5 2/3 innings in his second start of the season. The left-hander was tagged for six runs in 3 2/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to Washington on opening day.
Zach Neto had two of the Angels’ four hits. Yusei Kikuchi (0-1) was charged with five runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Chicago grabbed control with five runs in the third inning. Miguel Amaya walked and scored from first on Hoerner’s double into the gap in left-center. Bregman singled in Hoerner, and Dansby Swanson drove in Ian Happ with a sacrifice fly. Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong contributed two-out RBI singles.
It looked as if first-year Angels manager Kurt Suzuki wanted a replay review of the play at the plate when Amaya scored but was denied because he took too long to decide on the challenge.
The Angels chased Boyd while scoring two runs in the sixth. Jo Adell singled in Neto, and Mike Trout scampered home on an error on Bregman at third.
The Cubs tacked on an unearned run in the seventh. Trout dropped Carson Kelly’s leadoff fly ball to center for an error, and Kelly scored on Shaw’s one-out single.
Up next
Angels: Following an off day, LHP Reid Detmers (0-0, 5.79 ERA) starts for the Angels in their home opener on Friday night. RHP Bryan Woo (0-0, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound for Seattle.
Cubs: RHP Cade Horton (1-0, 2.84 ERA) starts the opener of a weekend series at Cleveland on Friday. LHP Joey Cantillo (0-0, 4.91 ERA) gets the ball for the Guardians.
Last week, a woman filed a civil lawsuit against Nacua, alleging that on New Year’s Eve he made an antisemitic statement during a group dinner and later bit her shoulder. Attorney Levi McCathern told The Times before the lawsuit was filed that Nacua denied the allegations and that Nacua would “pursue all available legal remedies in response to these false and damaging statements.”
The California Post reported Wednesday that Nacua had checked into a Malibu rehab facility. A Rams official declined to comment.
In a statement to The Times on Wednesday, McCathern said Nacua “voluntarily entered a private facility to focus on his health, personal growth, and overall development — and I’m really proud of him for doing that ahead of his upcoming season.
“He is committed to using this time constructively so that he can return in the best possible position — both personally and professionally — to continue contributing to his team and the game he loves.”
The Rams are scheduled to begin offseason workouts under coach Sean McVay on April 20. In the statement, McCathern said that Nacua would complete the program in time to participate in Rams organized team activities. That part of the offseason program begins several weeks into the offseason.
“Puka is deeply grateful for the support he has received from his family, friends, Coach McVay, and his teammates,” McCathern said. “It is unfortunate that a trivial lawsuit has drawn attention to him during a time when he is committed to becoming a better person. I am excited to see what the future holds for this exceptionally talented young man.”
The lawsuit was the latest situation involving Nacua that cast a spotlight on the fourth-year pro.
During a livestream last December, Nacua criticized NFL officials and made a gesture regarded as antisemitic. Nacua apologized, and the Rams and the NFL issued statements condemning antisemitism and discrimination. But after the Rams’ loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Nacua criticized officials in a social media post from the locker room. The NFL fined him $25,000.
Nacua, 24, led the NFL with 129 receptions last season, was voted All-Pro and was a finalist for NFL offensive player of the year. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he is eligible for an extension that could equal or surpass the deal Seattle Seahawks receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba recently signed that includes $120 million in guarantees.
On Monday, at the NFL owners meetings, McVay repeatedly said, “I trust this kid’s heart,” and later said “he understands what the responsibility is, not exclusive to just the production on the field.”
General manager Les Snead described Nacua as “ young man, becoming,” who is “continuing to evolve” as a person and player. Snead and Tony Pastoors, the Rams’ chief operating officer both said on-the-field performance is not the only factor that is taken into account when making decisions regarding contract extensions.
“It isn’t just, ‘OK, turn it on on Sundays and make decisions from there,’” Pastoors said. “We have to take in every data point we can.”
Slegers described an “unbelievable performance” in the second leg because of the fightback Arsenal knew Chelsea would give.
Goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar returned to the starting XI and put in a stunning performance, denying Sam Kerr on several occasions in the second half.
England defender Lotte Wubben-Moy was a rock at the back in the absence of Leah Williamson and Arsenal were not shaken when fellow centre-half Steph Catley went off with a calf injury at the end of the first half.
In-form striker Alessia Russo was full of tricks and flicks. The England international usually keeps touches on the ball to a minimum but she did what it took to escape tricky situations when pressure was building.
Slegers said her team were prepared to “suffer” in order to get what they wanted and it paid off in the end.
“It’s suffering for something you love. I think that’s what the team did really well. They were prepared for a difficult scenario and for momentum shifts,” she added.
“In the first 15 minutes, potentially at the end of the game when things changed again, they just stayed in the ‘controlled middle’, as we call it.
“They stayed in the game and were constantly in control of whatever scenario or momentum swing. They did their job. Mentally we were in control.
“Of course, we wanted to stop them getting chances and in an ideal world there are no shots but it was two really good teams going against each other.”
Former England captain Steph Houghton said Arsenal were “better in big moments” and deserved to progress on the balance of the tie.
Brighton forward Fran Kirby added: “Arsenal allowed Chelsea to have the ball, they were comfortable in their block and defensively worked really hard.
“With the opportunities that they had, they could even have gone on and won the game, so they will be really proud of the performance.
“It showed a different side to Arsenal. It showed what they can do when they have to defend.”
Arsenal will hope to book their place in the final when they take on the winner between Lyon and Wolfsburg – who play each other on Thursday night.
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor said her players “do not deserve that level of refereeing” after Arsenal’s Katie McCabe avoided a red card for pulling Alyssa Thompson’s hair during their Champions League quarter-final exit.
The Blues were chasing a late leveller after scoring a stoppage-time goal to make it 3-2 on aggregate when McCabe reached out and tugged Thompson’s hair.
The American winger was breaking forward, but McCabe escaped a yellow card and the video assistant referee (VAR) did not advise referee Frida Mia Klarlundto review the incident.
Bompastor was shown a yellow card for angrily protesting against the decision and then sent off for her continued outburst – although she refused to leave the touchline as Arsenal held on to reach the semi-finals.
The Frenchwoman arrived prepared with her mobile phone so she could show a replay of the incident as she gave a furious interview to BBC Two.
“For me, it is clearly a red card for the Arsenal player. She’s pulling Alyssa Thompson’s hair,” Bompastor said.
“If the VAR is not able to check that situation, I don’t know why we have the VAR.
“I’m the one getting a red card when I think the Arsenal player should be the one getting a red card.”
Everton are monitoring John Stones’ contract situation at Manchester City, Sandro Tonali’s representatives contact Real Madrid, while Barcelona lead the race to sign Bernardo Silva.
England midfielder John Stones is not expected to be offered a new deal by Manchester City, with the 31-year-old’s former club Everton among those monitoring his situation. (Talksport), external
Sandro Tonali’s representatives have made contact with Real Madrid as part of a widening search for the 25-year-old’s next club, while Manchester City are also interested in signing theNewcastle and Italy midfielder. (Teamtalk), external
Barcelona are leading the race to sign 31-year-old Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva on a free transfer this summer. (Sun), external
Arsenal are monitoring 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen and Cameroon forward Christian Kofane, with the German club wanting up to £60m for a summer transfer. (Florian Plettenberg), external
Barcelona’s £26m option to buy on-loan England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, expired in March, meaning the Spanish club must now negotiate a transfer fee with Manchester United. (Cadena SER – in Spanish), external
Brook was fined and given a final warning over his conduct following the incident. But that only came to light more than two months later, after the final Test against Australia in Sydney.
In January, 27-year-old Brook said supporters have “every right to be annoyed” with his behaviour as he issued a public apology.
But he also stated he was on his own when the bouncer “clocked ” him and only later admitted other players had been present. He explained he had lied about that because he had been trying to protect his team-mates from further scrutiny.
It also emerged the Cricket Regulator was looking into the matter.
England’s players were widely criticised for their off-field behaviour during the Ashes, including claims of excessive drinking during a mid-series break in the coastal resort of Noosa.
Tongue, 28, told BBC Sport earlier this week he had learned from what had happened in the New Zealand capital and is “just trying to focus on the cricket now”.
During a meeting at Lord’s to discuss the findings of a review of the tour last week, England’s managing director Rob Key said there is not an “easy fix” to cricket’s relationship with alcohol.
Shortly after his attorney entered a plea of not guilty, Tiger Woods announced he will seek treatment “to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.”
The golf legend was arrested Friday on suspicion of DUI with property damage and refusal to submit to a urinalysis stemming from a rollover crash near his home on Jupiter Island, Fla. Hydrocodone pills were found in his pocket and a sheriff’s deputy noted in the arrest affidavit that Woods had bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils and was “sweating profusely” while performing field sobriety tests.
Attorney Douglas Duncan appeared in Martin County, Fla., court Tuesday, waived arraignment on Woods’ behalf, entered not guilty pleas on the two misdemeanor charges and requested a trial by jury.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery.
“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return to a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”
Although he hadn’t committed to playing, Woods had been toying with returning to competition for the first time since 2024 at next week’s Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, where he has won five championships.
Now he won’t even make an appearance, let alone play. Woods was scheduled to attend the opening of “The Patch,” a municipal golf course in Augusta that he helped redesign. He also was expected to attend the annual Champions Dinner on April 7.
“Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament fully support Tiger Woods as he focuses on his well-being,” Masters chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement. “Although Tiger will not be joining us in person next week, his presence will be felt here in Augusta.”
Woods, 50, last competed on the PGA Tour in July 2024 when he missed the cut at the Open Championship, posting an 8-over 79 and 6-over 77 at Royal Troon. It marked his third consecutive missed cut in a major that year.
Widely considered the greatest golfer of all time, Woods has amassed 82 PGA Tour wins, including 15 majors. He has competed sporadically the last four years because of injuries, but has become an increasingly important figure off the course, serving as chairman of the PGA Tour’s Future Competition Committee and serving on the tour’s Enterprises Board, Policy Board and Player Advisory Council.
When arrested Friday, Woods was asked if he had any medical conditions. He replied that he has had seven back surgeries and at least 20 leg operations.
He also has had several car accidents.
Around Thanksgiving 2009, a report that Woods had been in a car accident near his home erupted into a major scandal involving allegations of affairs. It resulted in Woods’ divorce from Elin Nordegren, the mother of his children.
In 2021, Woods was seriously injured in a rollover crash near Rancho Palos Verdes the morning after the Genesis Invitational, which he hosted at Riviera Country Club. He had to be extricated from the wreckage of the Genesis GV80 SUV that he was driving
Woods underwent “a long surgical procedure” on his lower right leg and ankle, according to a statement he released. Doctors inserted a rod into his leg and placed screws into his foot and ankle.
The NBA has received several billion-dollar bids for teams in the proposed European league, BBC Sport understands.
Initial plans for ‘NBA Europe’ are for 10 to 12 franchises that would stay in the league on an annual basis.
It is understood multiple bids worth between $500m and $1bn (£375m to £750m) have been made, while there are also several above the billion-dollar mark.
Europe’s best teams currently compete in the EuroLeague, which was started by basketball’s international governing body Fiba but has been run by Euroleague Basketball since 2000.
Mark Tatum, the NBA’s deputy commissioner and chief operating officer, said the NBA had “received significant interest from a range of prospective teams”.
The league is expected to be made up of new franchises, current basketball teams and football clubs who may or may not already have associated basketball teams.
More than a dozen existing teams have been in talks with the NBA, including some EuroLeague teams, sources said.
BBC Sport has contacted EuroLeague for comment.
Reports have previously said that EuroLeague has concerns about the new venture, threatening legal action against the NBA should clubs break existing agreements to take part in the new competition.
With a current working title of NBA Europe, the plan is to launch the new league as soon as the 2027-28 season.
As many as 16 teams across the continent could be involved, with a team from both London and Manchester expected to feature.
Tatum said: “The level of engagement and the scale of the bids reflect the marketplace’s belief in our proposed model and the enormous, untapped potential for European basketball.
“We will now review the bids in more detail and shortlist the partners who share our vision and commitment to accelerating the growth of the game across the continent.”
The Suppan name is well known in West Hills. Jeff Suppan was a superstar at Westhills Pony Baseball before moving on to Crespi and having a 17-year career in MLB. His sister, Karen, was once the girls’ volleyball coach at Chaminade. Brother Mike has been a longtime teacher at Chaminade. Jeff still helps at Westhills Pony Baseball.
Now there’s a new Suppan making a name for herself. Jeff’s daughter, Finley, is the star pitcher as a sophomore for Chaminade (10-2-1).
Asked about her father’s contributions, Finley said, “He’s helped me a lot. We’ve had many car rides together. He told me a lot about the mental side of softball. Also how important it is to just focus one pitch at a time as a pitcher and to control the controllable.”
Dad is learning it’s much harder to watch his daughter pitch than pitch himself.
“I have to admit I don’t know how my parents and my family watched me pitch for all those years,” Jeff said. “I guess that’s why my mom always kept score and now I do to.”
Finley’s complete interview will be on Thursday’s edition of Friday Night Live at 5 p.m. via X at LATSondheimer.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
Wiffen said he is expecting “to swim the best ever so I don’t have to make a decision” across the 200m, 400m, 800m and 1500m events he will be competing in, despite his recent lack of competitive action.
He outlined his goals as swimming the 400m around 4.33 seconds, the 800m below 7.42 seconds and the 1500m under 14.40 to assess whether his time spent in California has been successful.
The County Armagh man also cited Dublin as a potential future base if he does decide to move, but emphasised that doing so would be heavily dependant on his performances in Bangor.
“If I’m around those times, under or around PB, then that’s great. That obviously means the training is working, and if it doesn’t work then I [have to figure out] what I’m going do after,” he added.
“I’m thinking of coming back to Dublin if it doesn’t go well, but, we have to see. If I swim lights out in Bangor, then my decisions obviously can’t have been made.”
Wiffen also explained the main differences he has encounter between training in England and in the US, where they use yardage instead of metres.
“The training is just quite different and, even though I don’t swim a lot of yards, I just think being in America is fun. There’s quite a lot of distractions, and it’s a good lifestyle but, it’s not the same as what Loughborough was like,” he said.
“[It was] all about grind, very similar weather to Ireland and I love swimming in the rain and when the weather is dull. When you’re in the sun everything becomes a lot harder and the motivation becomes a lot harder.
“When I’m swimming in California, my motivation is I’m with a really good training group and everybody’s pushing each other, where as in Loughborough, I feel like it was more self-motivation, I was getting there because I wanted to win.
“I wanted to do all these things where I feel like another group is kind of pushing me to swim fast, which I like, but I think I want a bit of the self-motivation back, so we’ll have to see how the next week goes.”
From Thuc Nhi Nguyen:Luka Doncic, with the eyes of five defenders fixed on him in the paint, faked a lob pass. He threatened to wrap a pass around Cleveland center Thomas Bryant’s back. Instead, the Lakers superstar pulled up straight over the top of Bryant’s outstretched arm, dropping a fadeaway jumper softly through the net.
Doncic smiled toward the Lakers’ bench as he backpedaled. He shrugged at himself.
Doncic brought back all his old tricks after serving a one-game suspension and capped his torrid March with 42 points, 12 assists, five rebounds and no turnovers in the Lakers’ 127-113 rout of the Cavaliers (47-29) on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
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Doncic, who was suspended for Monday’s game against the Washington Wizards because of technical foul accumulation, joined Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to score 600 points in the month of March. He is one of just 10 players to score 600 points in a month.
“You can see he’s the MVP,” forward Rui Hachimura said.
Doncic, in the NBA most valuable player conversation with Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama and Denver’s Nikola Jokic, scoffed at the suggestion that he state his case for the coveted award.
He’ll let his numbers speak: A league-best 33.8 points per game, the only player averaging 30 points a game with more than 100 steals this season and the third-youngest player to reach 15,000 career points.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the third inning of a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
From Maddie Lee: The sprinkling of rain over Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night added a new element to what’s already a familiar sight: Shohei Ohtani walking off the mound and immediately strapping on the various guards and batting gloves he wears to hit.
In the Dodgers’ 4-1 win — as Ohtani held the Guardians to one hit through six scoreless innings in his 2026 pitching debut — it happened twice.
The first inning was guaranteed. But after throwing a scoreless fifth, Ohtani again was due up to lead off the bottom half of the inning.
He appeared to realize just that as he reached the far end of the dugout. Ohtani pivoted and jogged to the opposite entrance, where he handed off his hat and glove to start the well-practiced routine.
UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez, left, drives to the basket past Duke center Arianna Roberson during the Bruins’ Elite Eight win in the NCAA women’s basketball tournament on Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
From Anthony Solorzano: With Kendrick Lamar’s “tv off” blaring outside the Mo Ostin Basketball Center, a crowd of cheering fans gave the UCLA women’s basketball team a fitting sendoff Tuesday as they left Westwood for Phoenix.
The Bruins are back in the Final Four, where they’ll play Texas — the only team that has beaten them this season — and begin a final push to win what they hope will be their first national championship since 1978.
Last year, UCLA fell to Connecticut in the Final Four, a loss that has made the Bruins hungrier for a title.
“Experience is such an important teacher, for me, as well as for [the team],” said UCLA coach Cori Close. “I just think there’s been a clarity of focus.”
Portland’s Brandon Ingram, left, controls the ball in front of the Clippers’ Derrick Jones Jr. during the first half of the Clippers’ 114-104 loss Tuesday night at Intuit Dome.
The Clippers (39-37) are eighth in the Western Conference, a half-game in front of the ninth-place Blazers (39-38). The loss locked the Clippers into the NBA play-in tournament. They lead the season series against the Blazers 2-1, with the teams playing again on April 10 in Portland.
Toumani Camara scored 17 points and Scoot Henderson added 15 for the Trail Blazers.
Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-run single with two outs in the sixth against reliever Phil Maton (0-1), and that was all Soriano (2-0) needed on a cold and windy night at Wrigley Field.
The 27-year-old right-hander threw 90 pitches, striking out four and walking two. He was coming off a terrific performance in the Angels’ 3-0 win at Houston on opening day.
Chase Silseth pitched around a single by Nico Hoerner and walk to Moisés Ballesteros in the seventh. Drew Pomeranz worked 1⅓ innings against his former team, and Jordan Romano got two outs for his second save.
Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell, left, speaks with referees during a game against the Rams at SoFi Stadium in December.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
From Sam Farmer: With the NFL and referees union at a negotiating impasse, the league has put in place a safety net in case replacement game officials are required for the upcoming season.
Team owners approved a rule Tuesday allowing the league to intervene from its New York headquarters and correct officiating errors in real time using replay technology. The rule would be in effect for one year only and would be triggered if the NFL and NFL Referees Assn. cannot agree on the fundamental issues of accountability, compensation and working conditions.
“There is frustration among ownership about the state of the negotiations,” said NFL executive Jeff Miller, responsible for overseeing the league’s communications and public affairs. “What we’ve been crystal clear on is that this is an opportunity for us to improve the state of our officiating.”
Golfer Tiger Woods stands by his overturned vehicle in Jupiter Island, Fla., March 27.
(Jason Oteri / Associated Press)
From Steve Henson:Tiger Woods failed field sobriety tests after crashing into another vehicle last week, and had bloodshot eyes and two hydrocodone pills in his pants pocket, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit released Tuesday.
Woods, 50, told investigators he did not notice the vehicle in front of him had slowed because he was looking at his cellphone and changing the radio station, the affidavit said. His Land Rover rolled onto its side after hitting a Ford-F150 pickup truck pulling a small trailer.
The prescription opioid pills were found during a search after his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, causing property damage and refusal to submit to a lawful test. Woods told deputies he had taken prescription medications earlier that day.
Just consider the evidence: In his 10 years with LAFC, Thorrington has hired three coaches and each one has been better than the last. How many other executives have a track record like that?
Then again, maybe it’s not luck. Maybe Thorrington simply has been the best general manager in the league over the past decade.
“Either one. Doesn’t really matter,” Thorrington said when asked for the secret to his success. “The results are what matter.”
Jaden Ivey waived by Bulls for ‘conduct detrimental’
Chicago Bulls guard Jaden Ivey is defended by Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones on Feb. 7.
(Erin Hooley / Associated Press)
From Chuck Schilken: The Chicago Bulls announced Monday that they have waived guard Jaden Ivey for “conduct detrimental to the team,” soon after the former first-round draft pick made anti-LGBTQ+ comments on Instagram Live.
The move came less than two months after Chicago acquired Ivey from the Detroit Pistons. In recent days, the fourth-year player has posted several videos on Instagram in which he speaks at length about his religious beliefs.
Ivey recorded another such video Monday soon after learning of his release by Chicago. In it, he held firm to his convictions and predicted he would have trouble landing another NBA job because of them.
1930 — American golfer Bobby Jones starts his Grand Slam season by winning the Southeastern Open.
1938 — Joe Louis knocks out Harry Thomas in the fifth round in Chicago to retain his world heavyweight title.
1940 — Governor Herbert Lehman of New York signs the Dunnigal bill, which legalizes pari-mutuel wagering and outlaws bookmakers at the state’s racetracks.
1954 — Detroit Red Wings right wing Gordie Howe scores 2 goals and an assist, and sets a Stanley Cup playoff record for fastest goal from the start of a game (:09).
1972 — The first collective player’s strike in major league history begins at 12:01 a.m. The strike lasts 12 days and cancels 86 games.
1973 — Boston’s John Havlicek connects on 24 field goals and finishes with 54 points the Celtics defeat Atlanta, 134-109, in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
1978 — NY Islanders RW Mike Bossy becomes first NHL rookie to score 50 goals in a season.
1981 — Edmonton C Wayne Gretzky has an assist (his 103rd) to break Bobby Orr’s 10-year mark for most assists in a single NHL season.
1984 — Southern Cal beats Tennessee 72-61 for the NCAA women’s basketball title.
1985 — Villanova shocks Georgetown with a 66-64 victory to win the NCAA basketball title. The Wildcats, led by Dwayne McClain’s 17 points, shot 79 percent from the field, making 22 of 28 shots, and added 22 of 27 free throws.
1989 — Jim McAllister of Glassboro State hits four home runs and drives in nine runs in four at-bats in a 21-5 five-inning rout of Delaware State.
1990 — Betsy King holds on for a two-stroke victory over Kathy Postlewait to win the LPGA Dinah Shore tournament.
1991 — Duke ends years of frustration with a 72-65 victory over Kansas for its first national title in five championship game appearances and nine trips to the Final Four.
1992 — A week before the Stanley Cup playoffs are set to begin, the NHL players strike for the first time in the league’s 75-year history. The strike lasts 10 days.
1996 — Kentucky wins its first national title in 18 years with a 76-67 victory over Syracuse.
1999 — Detroit Pistons G Joe Dumars becomes 10th player in NBA history to play 1,000 games with the same team.
1999 — Philadelphia 76ers head coach Larry Brown wins his 900th pro game.
2000 — Michelle Kwan wins her third World Figure Skating title by pushing through all seven triple jumps. The triple toe-triple toe lifts Kwan above Russians Irina Slutskaya and last year’s champion, Maria Butyrskaya.
2002 — With Juan Dixon and Lonny Baxter leading the way, Maryland wins its first national championship with a 64-52 victory over Indiana.
2007 — Morgan Pressel becomes the youngest major champion in LPGA Tour history with a game well beyond her 18 years, closing with a 3-under 69 at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. Pressel plays her final 25 holes over Mission Hills without a bogey as Suzann Pettersen blew a four-shot lead with four holes to play.
2007 — American super swimmer Michael Phelps smashes his own world record in the 400m individual medley (4:06.22) to win his record 7th gold medal at the World Championships.
2011 — Jarome Iginla scores his second goal of the game with 5:03 left to reach 1,000 points and help Calgary rally to beat St. Louis 3-2.
2016 — Golden State Warriors consecutive home winning streak ends at 54 games.
2018 — Arike Ogunbowale hits a 3-pointer with a tenth of a second left to give Notre Dame a 61-58 win over Mississippi State and its first women’s national championship since 2001. Notre Dame, trailing 30-17 at halftime, pulls off the biggest comeback in title game history, rallying from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter and a five-point deficit in the final 1:58.
2020 — All England Lawn Tennis Club cancels Wimbledon for the first time since World War II because of the COVID-19 pandemic; entire grass-court season abandoned.
Compiled by the Associated Press
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
After the China tie, Team Whyte, who are ranked in the world’s top five but are making their debut at this level, continue the round-robin against Norway (02:00). They conclude it with matches against the Swiss and Czech Republic on Thursday, with the tie with Switzerland available to watch on the BBC Sport website and app.
Whyte – along with Robin Brydone, Euan Kyle and Craig Waddell – are representing Scotland after world top-ranked rink Team Mouat elected not to compete after their silver medal at the Olympics in Cortina earlier this year.
The top six progress, with the top two going straight into the semi-finals and the other four teams competing to join them.
“We have two tough games [on Wednesday] in China and Norway,” said Whyte.
“Both teams seem to be playing quite well, so if we can try to come out firing and put in some good performances then that would be great to allow in the last stage to maybe get us two more wins and hopefully secure us the semi-final spot.
“However, there are a lot of teams around that area that could easily also get that semi-final spot, so there a lot of big games still to be played, but we are feeling positive.”
New Zealand all-rounder Amelia Kerr hit a stunning 179 not out off 139 balls to inspire her side to chase down 346 against South Africa in the highest successful run chase in women’s one-day international history.
Laura Wolvaardt’s 69 from 74 balls, a 91 from 90 balls by Anneke Bosch and Chloe Tryon’s 25-ball 52 helped South Africa post 346-6 in the second ODI of their series against the Kiwis.
Kerr came in at 21-1 in New Zealand’s reply and struck 23 fours and one six at a strike rate of 128.78 during her match-winning knock.
She was helped by Izzy Gaze, who made 68 from 48 balls, as the Kiwis made 350-8 in reaching their target with two balls to spare and levelling the series.
The previous highest successful chase in women’s ODI cricket was when India made 341-5 in reaching a 338 target set by Australia in their World Cup semi-final last October.
Kerr is no stranger to producing heroics, especially against South Africa, as she inspired New Zealand to victory against them in a T20 World Cup final in 2024.
She was also the ICC’s women’s cricketer of the year in 2024.
Kerr also holds the record for the highest individual innings in a women’s ODI, having hit an unbeaten 232 against Ireland when aged 17 in 2018.
