womens

UCLA loses to Alabama

Megan Grant hit her 41st home run of the season to tie a UCLA career record Thursday night, but top-seeded Alabama rallied behind a five-run surge to beat the eighth-seeded Bruins 6-3 on opening day at the Women’s College World Series.

UCLA starter Taylor Tinsley took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning but walked leadoff batter Jena Young then surrendered a 249-foot home run to Alexis Pupillo two batters later to tie the score.

In the sixth, Alabama’s Kristen White beat out a grounder to third and Young dropped a bloop single to left, setting the stage for Brooke Wells, who drove a pitch from Tinsley 239 feet to center field to give the Crimson Tide the lead.

The Bruins (52-9) will have to beat the winner of the game between Arkansas and Nebraska on Friday night to avoid elimination.

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Angels rout the Tigers

Grayson Rodriguez pitched five strong innings as the Angels beat the Detroit Tigers 7-1 on Thursday for their fifth victory in six games.

The Angels won back-to-back series for the first time this season, sweeping Texas at home before winning two of three in Detroit.

Detroit has gone 4-18 since May 4, losing seven straight series.

Rodriguez (2-1) allowed one run on two hits and two walks in five innings. He struck out five.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

MLB team owners propose a salary cap

From Bill Shaikin: They had balloons, baseball caps and a splashy video. They even had Dusty Baker, because any day with Dusty Baker is a good day.

And, as a campaign called “The Sacramento Pitch” unveiled its plan to lure a Major League Baseball expansion team to the state capital, the mayor made his pitch a blunt one.

“This region has earned its place in the majors,” Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty said Thursday. “And, frankly, MLB could use Sacramento.”

We’ll see. But, as McCarty and other dignitaries rallied in Sacramento, a more important gathering was happening in New York, at which MLB owners formally proposed the salary cap players have vowed to resist.

Whether owners can get a cap — either by persuasion through the fall and winter, or more likely by canceling games next spring so players go unpaid — remains to be seen. For Sacramento and the other American and Canadian cities pursuing two expansion teams, the outcome of collective bargaining could determine the fee MLB would charge for each one.

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Mason Edwards leads USC to College Baseball World Series

From Joaquin Ruiz: Mason Edwards has first-round hype ahead of July’s 2026 MLB draft for a reason.

USC’s ace takes the mound like a boxer enters the ring, eager to land blow after blow. And as the Trojans (43-15) open the NCAA tournament in College Station, Texas, at 6 p.m. PDT Friday (ESPNU), the southpaw packs a serious punch. He carries a nation-leading 160 strikeouts and the second-best 1.43 ERA.

“They’re getting a competitor,” Edwards said of what people can expect when he pitches. “There have been a lot of situations where I’ve had to battle and fight adversity. So, I think you’ll see a good fight when I toe the rubber. I’m not going to shy away from any type of competition.”

If anything, the competition probably shies away from Edwards.

Named the Big Ten 2026 Pitcher of the Year after stacking a record 113 strikeouts in conference play, Edwards is integral to what has been USC’s best team since the early 2000s.

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Can UCLA win the College Baseball World Series?

From Joaquin Ruiz: No. 1 UCLA’s quest for the second baseall national title in school history starts Friday.

The Bruins (51-6, 28-2 Big Ten) enter the NCAA tournament as the top overall seed and host against Saint Mary’s (34-25, 15-12 West Coast) to begin the Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium.

After winning its first Big Ten tournament championship in program history on Sunday, UCLA is focused on continuing its dominance and embracing the target on its back as a College World Series favorite.

“We’ll see what happens, but I think just staying with us and not trying to do too much and just stay present,” UCLA junior outfielder Payton Brennan said. “That’s the main thing — and staying with each other.”

Their record and conference dominance aside, the Bruins sit atop several statistical categories and are intimidating across the diamond.

But UCLA coach John Savage said UCLA isn’t looking past its regional foes — Saint Mary’s, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Virginia Tech.

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This day in sports history

1946 — Two-year-old fillies Chakoora and Uleta become the first thoroughbreds to complete a transcontinental flight. They’re flown from New York to Inglewood by the American Air Express Corp., a 2,446-mile trip that lasts 20 hours due to bad weather.

1968 — European Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London: Bobby Charlton scores twice as Manchester United beats Benfica, 4-1; first English club to win the trophy.

1971 — Al Unser wins his second straight Indianapolis 500 with a record mark of 157.735 mph and finishes 22 seconds ahead of Peter Revson. The pace car, ridden by Eldon Palmer, crashes into the portable bleachers and injures 20 people.

1977 — A.J. Foyt becomes the first driver to win four Indianapolis 500s and Janet Guthrie becomes the first woman in the race. Guthrie is forced to drop out after 27 laps with mechanical problems.

1977 — Australian Sue Prell first female golfer to hit consecutive holes-in one; 13th and 14th holes at Chatswood Golf Club, Sydney.

1980 — Larry Bird beats out Magic Johnson for NBA rookie of year.

1983 — After three second-place finishes, Tom Sneva wins the Indianapolis 500 by 11 seconds over three-time champion Al Unser.

1985 — 29th European Cup: Juventus beats Liverpool 1-0 at Brussels.

1988 — Rick Mears overcomes an early one-lap deficit, then overpowers the rest of the field on the way to his third Indianapolis 500 victory. Mears gives team-owner Roger Penske an unprecedented seventh victory and fourth in five years.

1990 — Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker, the top two seeds, are bounced in the first round of the French Open by two European teenagers, the first time the top two men’s seeds are eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament. Edberg is swept easily in straight sets by 19-year-old Sergi Bruguera of Spain, and Becker loses to 18-year-old Yugoslav Goran Ivanisevic.

1991 — 35th European Cup: Red Star Belgrade beats Marseille (0-0, 5-3 on penalties) at Bari.

1993 — Wayne Gretzky’s overtime goal gives the Kings a 5-4 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Western Conference finals. The Kings become the first NHL team to play the full 21 games in the first three rounds.

1998 — Eighteen-year-old Marat Safin, ranked 116th in the world and playing in his first Grand Slam tournament, beats defending champion Gustavo Kuerten, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the French Open.

2005 — Dan Wheldon wins the Indianapolis 500 when Danica Patrick’s electrifying run falls short. Patrick is the first woman to lead at Indy, getting out front three separate times for a total of 19 laps. But Wheldon passes her with seven of the 200 laps to go and easily holds on.

2006 — Rafael Nadal passes Guillermo Vilas as the King of the clay courts and begins his pursuit of a second successive French Open trophy. Nadal earns his 54th consecutive win on clay, breaking the Open era record he shared with Vilas by beating Robin Soderling in straight sets in the first round at Roland Garros.

2011 — JR Hildebrand, one turn from winning the Indianapolis 500, skids high into the wall on the final turn and Dan Wheldon drives past to claim an improbable second Indy 500 win in his first race of the year.

2011 — Roger Federer sets another record by reaching the French Open quarterfinals, and Novak Djokovic closes in on a pair of his own. Federer extends his quarterfinal streak at major tournaments to 28 with a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory over Stanislas Wawrinka. Djokovic maintains his perfect season to 41-0 and stretches his overall winning streak to 43 matches by beating Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

2012 — Serena Williams loses in the first round of a major tournament for the first time, falling to Virginie Razzano of France 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 at the French Open. Williams enters the day with a 46-0 record in first-round matches at Grand Slam tournaments.

2016 — Alexander Rossi wins the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

2017 — Tiger Woods is arrested and charged with driving under the influence in Jupiter, Fla.

2021 — UEFA Champions League Final, Porto: Kai Havertz scores just before halftime to give Chelsea a 1-0 win over Manchester City in an all-English final; Blues’ second CL title.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1916 — Christy Mathewson defeated the Boston Braves 3-0 for the New York Giants’ 17th consecutive road win.

1922 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled organized baseball was primarily a sport and not a business, and therefore not subject to antitrust laws and interstate commerce regulations. The suit had been brought by the Federal League’s Baltimore franchise.

1928 — Bill Terry hit for the cycle to lead the New York Giants to a 12-5 win over Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. Terry became the first player in major league history to include a grand slam as part of the cycle.

1942 — New York’s Lefty Gomez, self-described as the worst-hitting pitcher in baseball, banged out four hits while pitching a 16-1 four-hitter against Washington.

1956 — Dale Long went hitless for the Pirates, ending his major league record streak of home runs in eight consecutive games. The Brooklyn Dodgers beat Pittsburgh, 10-1.

1965 — Philadelphia’s Richie Allen hit a 529-foot home run over the roof of Connie Mack Stadium off Chicago’s Larry Jackson in the Phillies’ 4-2 victory.

1976 — Houston’s Joe Niekro was the winning pitcher and hit a home run off his brother, Phil Niekro. The Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1. It was the only home run hit by Joe in his 22-year major league career.

1990 — Oakland’s Rickey Henderson broke Ty Cobb’s 62-year-old American League stolen base record, but the Toronto Blue Jays still beat the Athletics 2-1. Henderson’s 893rd steal came in the sixth inning.

2000 — Oakland second baseman Randy Velarde turned the 10th unassisted triple play in regular-season history during a 4-1 loss to the New York Yankees. With runners on first and second in motion, Shane Spencer hit a line drive to Velarde who caught the ball, tagged out Jorge Posada (running from first) and stepped on second to beat Tino Martinez.

2002 — Roger Clemens recorded the 100th double-digit strikeout game of his career, fanning 11 in seven innings against Chicago. Nolan Ryan (215) and Randy Johnson (175) were the others to have 100 double-digit strikeout games.

2002 — In an article in Sports Illustrated former NL MVP Ken Caminiti stated that about 50% of current major league players used some form of steroids.

2003 — Colorado, behind Todd Helton’s three home runs and Ron Belliard’s five hits beat the visiting Dodgers 12-5. Helton added a single and drove in six runs.

2010 — Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay threw the 20th perfect game in major league history, beating the Florida Marlins 1-0. It was the first time in the modern era that there were a pair of perfect games in the same season. Halladay faced three Marlins pinch-hitters in the ninth. Mike Lamb led off with a long fly ball, Wes Helms struck out, and Ronny Paulino to hit a grounder to third for the 27th out. Halladay struck out 11 and went to either 3-1 or 3-2 counts seven times, twice in the game’s first three batters.

2013 — Chris Davis went 4 for 4 with two home runs, and the Baltimore Orioles overcame three homers by Ryan Zimmerman to beat the Washington Nationals 9-6.

2013 — Dioner Navarro had the first three-homer game of his career, connecting from both sides of the plate at Wrigley Field to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 9-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. Navarro drove in a career-high six runs and scored four times.

2014 — Diamondbacks pitcher Josh Collmenter faces the minimum 27 batters in spite of giving up three hits in a complete game shutout defeat of the Cincinnati Reds. The three Reds baserunners were erased on double plays.

2015 — Lewis-Clark State wins their 17th NAIA baseball title.

2021 — The Twins’ Josh Donaldson scored the two-millionth run in major league history.

2025 — Chris Sale becomes the fastest pitcher to reach 2,500 strikeouts, doing so in 2,026 innings, fewer than the 39 men who have preceded him to the mark.

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.

Prediction: 3rd

It was the perfect season for Manchester City as they claimed their first league title in a decade – and in manager Andree Jeglertz’s debut campaign.

With no Champions League football to distract them, City were able to throw everything at the WSL title and they swept up the opposition.

They went on a 13-game winning streak between September and February and, at one point, had a 12-point lead over Chelsea.

They also kept key players Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema fit, with the two scoring a combined 31 goals – half of the club’s overall tally.

With a squad packed with talent and depth, City will hope to compete on several fronts in Europe next year, but must replace Shaw, who looks set to leave.

UCLA captured its ticket to the Women’s College World Series, winning a best-of-three super regional over Central Florida with a 14-4 victory Saturday night at Easton Stadium. The Bruins also set a new NCAA record for WCWS appearances, reaching the double-elimination tournament in Oklahoma City 34 times.

Facing elimination, UCF threw five total pitchers at the Bruins’ lineup. None could silence UCLA’s bats.

While Megan Grant had another quiet night, working three walks, her presence in the box was enough to drive in a run. The right fielder worked a full count in the third inning. With the bases loaded, she hit a sac-fly to far right field. Only feet separated her from setting a new program career home-run record. The accolade still belongs to Stacey Nuveman (90 home runs).

A batter later, shortstop Aleena Garcia hit an RBI-single that bounced off the top of Evan’s glove to give UCLA the lead. Catcher Alexis Ramirez added a run to the momentum an inning later when she homered over the left field wall.

Meanwhile UCF’s starter Tori Payne consistently worked from behind the count and walked five batters. The righty’s pitch count topped 92 by the fifth inning. UCF coach Cindy Ball-Malone pulled Payne when she loaded the bases and gave up a run by hitting a pitcher.

Reliever Lena Elkins couldn’t work out of the jam without run damage. Ramirez doubled down the left field line, scoring two. The Bruins left two on base.

While UCLA didn’t fall behind after tying the score in the third inning, UCF challenged the Bruins’ ace Taylor Tinsley and the defense more than on Friday.

In the first, Tinsley left one bad pitch too far into the strike zone, and the Knights’ shortstop Aubrey Evans sent the ball flying over the center field wall. Tinsley then took a deep breath and continued. She struck out the next batter, and got a quick groundout to third base. When Tinsley ended the inning on a swinging strikeout, she ripped off her mask and screamed as her teammates poured out the dugout to give her high fives.

Tinsley held the Knights hitless until the fourth inning, where she gave up three singles. Kaniya Bragg saved the Bruins from any opposing runs when she trapped Sierra Humphreys’ single in the clay before it could reach the grass.

While Tinsley had struggled to find the zone that inning, she stranded the runners, striking out one batter and eliciting a groundout to short.

Her struggles to find the zone reappeared in the fifth, though she wasn’t the only one facing challenges. With two runners on the base, Ramirez tried to throw out a runner stealing second, but the ball slipped away from Bragg and trickled into the outfield grass. One runner scored and another advanced to third, later scoring on a foul out to left field.

Despite having two outs, Tinsley gave up two singles and an equal number of walks, loading the bases and giving up another run. Central Florida’s Coco Jaimes flew out to left to end the inning, but the Knights had scored three to close UCLA’s lead to 6-4.

UCF couldn’t enjoy the beginnings of a comeback for long. Garcia smashed a three-run homer over the right field wall in the sixth inning. Woolery tacked on an extra run on an RBI-double in the seventh and Garcia put the final nail in the coffin when she hit another three-run homer to nearly the same spot. Garcia’s seven RBIs are the most in a single game in program history. Bre Alejandre hit the final home run of the night, extending the Bruins’ single-season NCAA-record setting home run total to 200. With no one left to pitch, Ball-Malone put Payne back on the mound and she finished the game for the Knights.

Tinsley finished the game with 11 strikeouts, four earned runs, three walks and nine hits, marking her 24th complete game of the season and 32nd victory.

UCLA will play Alabama in the first game of the WCWS on Thursday.

Lopez quickly caught attention at Madrid, though her route to the top was not without major obstacles.

At just 11 years old she lost her mother to a brain tumour. When her mother’s condition worsened and her father practically lived at the hospital, Mellado and her Madrid team-mates helped Lopez get to training and kept her occupied.

From there, Lopez developed at remarkable speed. In 2019, she was named most valuable player at a La Liga-organised tournament for under-12s girls’ teams after scoring seven goals, including a hat-trick in the final.

She caught the eye by scoring 60 goals in 17 matches in the 2020-21 youth league, and began her journey through the country’s junior ranks.

In September 2021, Lopez became the youngest player to feature in Spain’s top flight when she came off the bench against Athletic Bilbao, aged 15 years and 42 days.

“Of course she had the ability – I always told her so,” Mellado said.

“I also pushed her hard, because if she really wanted it, she had to always give her best and she always did. She was one of the hardest-working and she never once complained.

“She knows what she wants – that’s very important, because it makes her strive every day to achieve it.”

In 2022, perennial Spanish champions Barcelona signed Lopez on her 16th birthday, and two months later she became the youngest debutant in the club’s professional history.

She did so wearing the number 30, the same shirt worn by Lionel Messi when he broke into the Barca first team.

That season Lopez became Barcelona’s youngest-ever Champions League debutant, male or female, and the youngest player ever to score in Liga F.

If fans were not already excited by her potential, they were in October that year when she was named MVP as Spain won the U17 World Cup in India.

Lopez made her senior Spain debut in February 2024, replacing national icon Jenni Hermoso during the Nations League semi-final. At 17 years, six months, and 27 days, she become her country’s youngest debutant.

A breakout 2024-25 campaign – during which she stepped in for the ill Aitana Bonmati to help Spain reach the final of Euro 2025 – led to her winning the Kopa Trophy for the best young player in the world.

After initially being used as a winger, Lopez is now largely used in a central role for club and country despite competition from the likes of Bonmati, Patri Guijarro and her idol Alexia Putellas.

A combination of intelligence, excellent technique and athleticism allows her to both score and create – she has contributed nine goals and nine assists in 26 Liga F games this season, 16 of them as a starter.

“She’s not afraid of anything and she tries everything. And I think that’s why, even in teams with so much talent, she’s starting to earn a place in the starting line-up,” Vidal said.

“As we say in Spain, she’s one of those footballers you buy a ticket to watch, because she enjoys the game and makes you enjoy it too.

“She’s just as extroverted on the pitch as she is off it.”

Petr Vlachovsky, ⁠a Czech women’s football club coach who filmed players in changing rooms, has been banned for life.

European football’s governing body says it has issued a lifetime ban ⁠to Petr Vlachovsky, ⁠a Czech women’s football coach who secretly filmed his players.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) said it had decided to ban Vlachovsky “from exercising any football-related activity for life” following an investigation into allegations of potential misconduct.

“The CEDB further decided to request FIFA to extend the abovementioned ban on a worldwide level and to order the Football Association of the Czech Republic to revoke Mr Petr Vlachovsky’s coaching licence,” the statement added.

Czech media reported that the coach was convicted in ⁠May 2025 and initially received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year domestic coaching ban for filming FC Slovacko’s players in changing rooms, the youngest of ⁠whom was 17. According to the indictment cited by the Czech media, Vlachovsky confessed and expressed regret.

Vlachovsky had also previously served as coach of the Czech women’s Under-19 team.

“This is a deeply serious and distressing matter which came to light ⁠in 2023 and had a significant impact on our club, ⁠and above all on the players affected,” a spokesperson for FC Slovacko told the Reuters news agency.

“From the moment we became aware of the allegations, the club acted immediately, terminated its cooperation with the former coach, and ⁠cooperated with the relevant authorities.

“Throughout this process, the club has regarded itself as an injured party and has treated the ⁠matter with the utmost seriousness, sensitivity and respect for ⁠those affected.”

Football players’ union FIFPRO welcomed the ban as well as UEFA’s request for world football governing body FIFA to impose an international ban on Vlachovsky.

“This outcome sends a strong and necessary message that abusive and inappropriate behaviour has no place in football and ‌that ‌safeguarding the wellbeing of players must remain a priority at every level of the game,” FIFPRO added in a statement.

Wales’ skillset and depth of the player pool remain up for debate.

Interim attack coach Ashley Beck said: “If the skill level isn’t as good as it should be, it doesn’t matter what shapes you play.

“If we want to play an exciting brand of rugby and compete against the best, the skill development needs to be better.”

Beck’s view was echoed by former Wales fly-half James Hook who was among the Scrum V pundits on Sunday. He also questioned whether Wales’ players are putting in the extras to improve as individuals.

“Whether it’s working on your kicking for an hour a day, your throwing, your passing, your tackling – are these players doing that? I don’t know,” said Hook.

“From my experience, once the team session is finished, your individual job still needs to continue.”

Wales’ strength in depth was also discussed on the panel, with Wales clearly in need of some reinforcement at fly-half.

Lillicrap said: “People have been calling out Lleucu George saying it needs to change there, but ultimately who comes in? If you take her off the field what other tens have you got?”

“As a fly-half on an international stage, you’ve got to run this team, you can’t throw a youngster into that lion’s den.”

Last year, Arsenal won the Champions League but will be mere spectators when Barcelona and Lyon face off next Saturday (17:00 BST).

The Gunners reaching the semi-finals but were dispatched by the French giants in a one-sided second leg.

Chelsea went out a round before, to Arsenal, while Manchester United were seen off by Bayern Munich.

The Ballon d’Or will likely reflect this European balance.

Nominations come later in the summer but with no international tournaments this year, it will be enlightening to see which WSL players make the shortlist.

Nine made the top 30 last August – and that did not include anyone from Manchester City, for whom Khadija Shaw, Vivianne Miedema and Yui Hasegawa among others have staked huge claims.

Others such as Arsenal’s Alessia Russo and Mariona Caldentey, Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson and Manchester United’s Jess Park have also all had exceptional seasons and may feature.

Yet when the biggest award is doled out, it is still likely to be dominated by players from elsewhere. After all, a Barcelona player has won each of the past five years

Perhaps until Champions League success becomes commonplace, the leading WSL clubs must accept second billing to Europe’s other heavyweights.

Having said that, with Georgia Stanway, Ona Batlle and even Alexia Putellas linked with switches to England this summer, the balance could flip sooner than expected.

Burton, who switched to number eight after Feaunati pulled out of the line-up in Parma, partners the Exeter star in the back row, with Kabeya, who won player of the match in the September’s World Cup final, at open-side flanker.

Liz Crake, who won her most recent cap in 2023 and has returned to working as a dentist alongside her rugby, has been named on the bench after Saracens team-mate Kelsey Clifford suffered a leg injury.

England have won their past 17 meetings with France in all competitions, but were pushed to within a point in a 43-42 victory in last year’s Six Nations finale.

France, who have grown into the tournament as a new-look backline have found their feet, will be roared on by a crowd that is expected to set a new record for a Women’s Six Nations match in France at the 42,000-capacity Stade Atlantique.

England: Kildunne; Breach, Jones (c), Rowland, Moloney-MacDonald; Harrison, L Packer; Carson, Cokayne, Bern, Ives Campion, Burns, Burton, Kabeya, Feaunati

Replacements: Powell, Crake, Muir, Short, M Packer, Robinson, Aitchison, Sing.

Australia captain Sophie Molineux has been passed fit and named in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.

The 28-year-old all-rounder will lead a 15-strong squad for the tournament in England, with assistance from vice-captains Ash Gardner and Tahlia McGrath.

Fast bowler Lucy Hamilton has been selected for her first international tournament as the six-time champions look to regain the World Cup title after losing in the semi-finals in 2024.

All-rounders Annabel Sutherland and Grace Harris return to the squad having been rested and dropped respectively for the tour of the West Indies in March.

Molineux was appointed to the Australia captaincy in January, replacing the retired Alyssa Healy, and was considered a surprise pick following a career blighted by injury.

She injured her back prior to the tour of the Caribbean, her first away series as captain, where she played exclusively as a batter.

Australia national selector Shawn Flegler had previously confirmed, external that Molineux would not have been considered for a non-bowling role at the World Cup.

“Sophie has already made her mark as captain and built a strong connection with the group over the last couple of tours, so we’re looking forward to seeing what this side can achieve under her leadership,” Flegler said upon the squad’s announcement.

“Darcie Brown was unlucky to miss out but the decision was based on the conditions we’re expecting and the make-up of the side.

“With at least six right-arm pace options in the mix and raw pace expected to be less effective, we opted to go with Lucy Hamilton who offers something different as a left-arm quick.”

Molineux’s side will play warm-up fixtures against South Africa, England and the West Indies before opening their tournament against South Africa on 13 June at Old Trafford.

On a six-game unbeaten run and nine points further up the table than their opponents, Brighton arrived at Liverpool’s St Helens stadium as favourites – but their Wembley dream was in serious jeopardy when they fell 2-0 down after 22 minutes.

Manuela Vanegas gave Brighton hope when she halved the deficit with a determined finish 105 seconds after Beata Olsson had scored the Reds’ second.

The Seagulls looked revitalised after the break and they were rewarded when Madison Haley nodded in the leveller.

“They found it difficult in the first half but they stuck to the task with intensity and energy,” former England defender Anita Asante said on TNT Sports.

Manager Dario Vidosic said he “felt like it was coming” when Brighton were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the hosts’ box in the final seconds.

“I didn’t even think about extra time, even though it was so close to it. It just felt like the momentum, how dominant we were, that the goal was bound to come,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Noordam, who had never previously scored for Brighton, had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes when the set-piece clearance rolled to her and she calmly slotted the ball into the top-left corner.

“What a moment from Nadine Noordam,” said ex-England midfielder Fara Williams on TNT Sports.

“Brighton had a really slow start but they managed to claw their way back. It’s a credit to them. They really believe in what they’re doing.

“That’s what this competition is all about. That’s the history of this competition. Those last-minute moments that get to Wembley.”

France and England will battle it out for the Six Nations title in the final match next weekend and, even though Ireland aren’t pushing those heavyweights, they now established themselves as a young, upcoming squad.

Their victory over Wales is their second of this campaign after an impressive 57-20 win over Italy, who occupy fourth spot.

“We’re starting to handle bigger occasions and bigger pressure more, and with that comes more expectation. But that’s the cool thing, that’s where we want to be,” he continued.

“Our next thing now is we’re going to start converting that belief, that confidence, that understanding and that we’re quite good into results.

“We’ll get there, the trajectory is still up and we’re still hungry to get better. So no doubt we’ll get there and as quick as we can get there, the quicker the better.

Despite their progress, Bemand also acknowledged they still have room to improve.

Ireland have never beaten France nor England with the head coach adding that this must be an aim of the side.

“We do want to be in games where we’re in a position to beat an England and a France.

“Are we getting there? Well, with this competition, we’ve proved that we haven’t as yet.

“So, we’ll take that, but unfortunately it means we have to sit on it for 12 months before we get another crack at them, a top four team.

“Our job now is to get as good as we can in the next year so that when we get them over here, we can condense that scoreline even further.”

Ireland finish their Six Nations campaign with a home match against Scotland on 17 May at the Aviva Stadium.

Compared to their second-half showing against England, where they bagged two late tries for a bonus-point, Wales could muster very little after the break in Belfast.

Ireland were utterly dominant with possession and territory, with last year’s player of the championship Aoife Wafer leading the charge.

Travelling fans’ only consolation was a 78th minute Jasmine Joyce try but it was not enough to prevent Wales from leaving empty handed.

“We’re ranked 12th in the world, we played the team ranked 5th in the world and you can clearly see when you’re away from home, you’ve got to be a lot more clinical,” said Wales head coach Sean Lynn.

“We said in the huddle at the end of the game, we’ve got to be better with our composure and accuracy.

“I wouldn’t have said the girls dropped their heads. They stuck at it, stuck to their processes, but Ireland kept the ball really well.

“The girls give everything out there and when you see them upset after the game it’s because they care, they want to be winning, so it is tough.”

Despite losing their previous eight Six Nations matches, Wales came into the game with confidence after they registered a record four tries against world champions England in their last outing.

They started stronger in Belfast, but Wafer gave Ireland the lead against the run of play when the back row’s persistence paid off and she forced her way over the line before Dannah O’Brien added a challenging extra two.

Wales looked to respond quickly with a huge tackle from Parsons denying Hannah Dallavalle after Carys Cox had taken advantage of a mix-up and fed the ball through.

The visitors kept pushing and registered their first try when Georgia Evans dived over from close range and Keira Bevan was able to convert to level the match.

A double movement denied Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald after she had powered her way over as the home side, buoyed by a vocal crowd, began to settle.

Wafer then turned provider, shrugging off multiple white shirts before a superb offload to Parsons, who raced down the right wing to restore Ireland’s lead.

They then struck a hammer blow just before the break as, opting to play on with clock in the red, Ireland were rewarded for their persistence as they added their third try when Hogan crossed after sustained pressure from a ruck.

After the restart, a television match official [TMO] check confirmed Moloney-MacDonald’s kick out at Evans warranted a yellow card.

Wales were unable to take advantage of having an extra player and it was soon 14-players apiece for a period as Jasmine Joyce was shown a yellow card for placing her hands on the ground when bringing Eve Higgins down.

As the hour mark approached, Aoife Dalton and Linda Djougang linked up and fed the ball to Wafer to cross to secure the bonus point.

Bemand then turned to his bench and made a flurry of changes which added energy to their play.

Replacement Jones thought she had added Ireland’s fifth shortly after her introduction, only for her effort to be ruled out after a TMO review.

Joyce added Wales’ second try in the final five minutes as she held off Parsons and stretched to ground the ball.

Ireland did land a fifth try in the final seconds as Hogan bundled over from close range, with O’Brien able to convert for a fourth time.