Germany are through to the knockouts. Nagelsmann made a triple sub at the 60th, Deniz Undav scored twice, and Ivory Coast were beaten 2-1. Real coach's-eye lesson: when your starters aren't doing it, change the structure, don't wait. Most managers don't make that call. Nagelsmann did. Schlotterbeck off at halftime, replaced by Rüdiger, suspected ligament damage — Germany may be down a starting center back going into the knockouts.

Cabo Verde drew Uruguay 2-2 — Pina scored their first ever World Cup goal from a 32-meter free kick. Two draws against major football nations. They could qualify. Population 600,000.

Curaçao got their first World Cup point with a 0-0 against Ecuador. Their keeper Eloy Room made 15 saves — the most in 90 minutes of a World Cup match since records began in 1966.

Türkiye are OUT. 62 shots across two matches, zero goals — the worst two-match goalless run in World Cup history. Vincenzo Montella goes home.

Plus: the first mouth-covering red card in World Cup history — exactly as the rule was designed.

Then: I went to two VNL Women's matches at Huamark in Bangkok last week, and twenty years of coaching team sport jumped out at me. Even the pros can't pass — and I think I know why. Early specialization, the libero rule, and the cost of building specialists instead of generalists. Why Italy keep winning, why Thailand can take Canada to four sets, and what every youth coach in every team sport should be thinking about.

Thursday: Germany vs Ecuador. Final group match.

Germany 7-1 Curaçao. Big debut. Ivory Coast beat Ecuador in the 90th minute and Group E is still interesting. Neuer started. Calf held. Wirtz was excellent. Real test is Saturday in Toronto.

Other World Cup notes: Brazil were rescued by Vinícius against Morocco and look like a team still adjusting to Ancelotti. Sweden five-one'd Tunisia. Japan held the Netherlands 2-2 with an 89th-minute equalizer. Scotland got their first World Cup win in 28 years. Australia upset Türkiye.

NBA: The Knicks won the championship — first since 1973. The Spurs held leads of 12+ in all five games and converted one. Wembanyama walked off the court without shaking hands. He's 22 and learning what losing feels like. Brunson was Finals MVP at 29 and deserves more credit than he's getting.

UFC Freedom 250 from the White House South Lawn: Justin Gaethje TKO'd Ilia Topuria via corner stoppage in round 4. Topuria's first career loss. Ciryl Gane denied Alex Pereira a three-division title by beating him in round 2. All seven fights ended in finishes.

Saturday: Germany vs Ivory Coast in Toronto. The real test.

Germany 2-1 USA in Chicago. Havertz in the 2nd, Sané with the winner in the 57th, and an Antonee Robinson goal in between that you should look up. Germany got the win but the Neuer-Baumann question is still unresolved seven days from the opener. Lennart Karl is out of the squad with a thigh injury. Coach's-eye honest take: Germany are about 10% to win this tournament, and that's being generous.

Plus a proper World Cup preview: Spain are the favorites and probably the right pick. Argentina are the narrative pick. France are the coin flip. Brazil under Ancelotti is the genuinely unknown variable. Norway are everyone's dark horse with Haaland and Ødegaard. Morocco are still being called a dark horse even after making the semis in Qatar. Belgium are quietly scoring seven goals in two friendlies and nobody is talking about them.

Christian Eriksen collapsed on a pitch in Denmark on Sunday. He's in hospital, he's stable, his pacemaker did its job. We wish him well.

FIFA's new rules: 5-second goal kicks, 10-second substitutions, mouth-covering red cards, expanded VAR. The 5-second rule is going to fundamentally change how some teams play.

Women's VNL just started — USA control, Italy still the team to beat, Germany off to a good start, China losing at home.

NBA Finals: Knicks up 2-0 on the Spurs. Wembanyama threw a pass into his teammate's back to lose Game 2. He's 22. He'll be back. Maybe this series, maybe next year.

The World Cup starts Thursday Bangkok time. Germany play Curaçao on Sunday. In Houston.