Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that the final two games of the critical New York Mets vs. Braves series in Atlanta would be postponed and played in a doubleheader next Monday – the day after the regular season ends – due to the approaching Hurricane Helene.

The league’s decision completely upends the National League playoff race, which began Wednesday with the Mets holding a one-game advantage and Arizona Diamondbacks a half-game up on the Braves, who were on the outside looking in.

Now, the Mets and Braves will be forced to play two potentially decisive games just a day before the wild-card series are scheduled to begin. That likely leaves most of the potential NL playoff field in a holding pattern until the doubleheader ends.

The Mets and Braves had a scheduled off day this past Monday before the first game of the three-game series and the Atlanta area had always been expected to be impacted by Hurricane Helene, making Wednesday’s decision all the more frustrating for the teams involved.

Asked if he was surprised by how long it took MLB to make a decision, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters that ‘my job is to manage the team. We knew there was weather, but you can’t predict.’

Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.

The storm reached hurricane status Wednesday and is forecast to make landfall in Florida on Thursday, putting much of the Southeast under hurricane advisory.

The Braves are set to host the Kansas City Royals – who are fighting for an AL wild-card spot – from Friday to Sunday while the Mets head to Milwaukee for three games before Monday’s newly scheduled doubleheader.

“I hope the Royals can get here,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters. “I would hope we don’t get things screwed up for their series.”

If the Diamondbacks are mathematically eliminated by the end of the weekend and only wild-card seeding is left to determine between the Mets and Braves, the doubleheader’s status will be at the discretion of commissioner Rob Manfred.

This year’s ‘Thursday Night Football’ schedule has been packed with divisional matchups, and this week’s game is no different.

The Dallas Cowboys will face the New York Giants in Week 4 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. It’s the first NFC East clash for Dallas after it has played in two interconference games out of its first three to begin the year. The Giants will be playing in their second divisional game, with their first being a 21-18 Week 2 loss to the Washington Commanders.

Both teams enter the Week 4 matchup with a 1-2 record. The lone win for each team has come against the Cleveland Browns. The Cowboys defeated Cleveland in Week 1, and the Giants also won on the road in Cleveland in Week 3.

Here’s the ‘Thursday Night Football’ schedule for Week 4.

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Who plays on ‘Thursday Night Football’ tonight?

The Giants host the Cowboys on ‘Thursday Night Football’ in Week 4.

How to watch Thursday Night Football: Cowboys at Giants

Live stream: Amazon Prime Video
TV channel: Fox 5 (New York market) | Fox 4 (Dallas-Fort Worth market)

‘Thursday Night Football’ will be exclusively available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Viewers in the New York market can tune to Fox 5 to watch the matchup. For those in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, you can tune to Fox 4.

Watch’Thursday Night Football’with a Prime Video subscription

Thursday Night Football preview

One team entered the season with playoff aspirations and good vibes after negotiating contract extensions with its biggest offensive stars. The other entered with plenty of uncertainty after losing its star running back and forcing its starting quarterback into a final ‘prove it’ year.

Both the Cowboys and the Giants are 1-2. Each team’s win was against the Browns.

The Cowboys enter Week 4 coming off of a 28-25 loss to the Ravens at home. After scoring six points in the first three quarters combined, Dallas scored 19 unanswered in the fourth quarter and came up just short of completing a massive comeback.

Ultimately, the Cowboys’ defense could not stop Baltimore’s rushing attack. Running back Derrick Henry tallied 151 yards on 25 carries (6.0 yards per carry) with two touchdowns. Quarterback Lamar Jackson had 87 rushing yards on 14 attempts (6.2 YPC) and a rushing touchdown of his own.

Quarterback Dak Prescott finished 28-of-51 on pass attempts for 379 yards and two touchdowns.

New York enters with more momentum after getting its first win of the year against Cleveland with a 21-15 victory in Week 3. The Giants bounced back after fumbling the opening kickoff and allowing a touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive to score 21 unanswered points. It proved to be enough to hold on in the end.

New York’s pass rush feasted on a banged-up Browns offensive line. The group sacked quarterback Deshaun Watson eight times on the day, the highest total by a Giants pass-rush group since 2014. Nine players recorded at least half a sack.

Quarterback Daniel Jones was 24-of-34 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie wideout Malik Nabers was responsible for 78 of those yards and both touchdowns with his eight catches.

Both the Giants and Cowboys have a chance to reach .500 in their ‘Thursday Night Football’ clash. Dallas has won the last six games against New York, dating back to 2021.

NFL Week 4 schedule

All times Eastern.

Thursday, Sept. 26

Cowboys at Giants | 8:15 p.m. | Amazon Prime Video

Sunday, Sept. 29

Saints at Falcons | 1 p.m. | Fox
Rams at Bears | 1 p.m. | Fox
Vikings at Packers | 1 p.m. | CBS
Steelers at Colts | 1 p.m. | CBS
Broncos at Jets | 1 p.m. | CBS
Eagles at Buccaneers | 1 p.m. | Fox
Bengals at Panthers | 1 p.m. | Fox
Jaguars at Texans | 1 p.m. | CBS
Commanders at Cardinals | 4:05 p.m. | Fox
Patriots at 49ers | 4:05 p.m. | Fox
Browns at Raiders | 4:25 p.m. | CBS
Chiefs at Chargers | 4:25 p.m. | CBS
Bills at Ravens | 8:20 p.m. | NBC

Monday, Sept. 30

Titans at Dolphins | 7: 30 p.m. | ESPN
Seahawks at Lions | 8:15 p.m. | ABC

NFL Week 3 results

Thursday, Sept. 19

Jets 24, Patriots 3

Sunday, Sept. 22

Giants 21, Browns 15
Colts 21, Bears 16
Vikings 34, Texans 7
Eagles 15, Saints 12
Steelers 20, Chargers 10
Broncos 26, Buccaneers 7
Packers 30, Titans 14
Panthers 36, Raiders 22
Seahawks 24, Dolphins 3
Lions 20, Cardinals 13
Ravens 28, Cowboys 25
Rams 27, 49ers 24
Chiefs 22, Falcons 17

Monday, Sept. 23

Jaguars at Bills
Commanders at Bengals

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The Connecticut Sun’s pursuit of the franchise’s first WNBA championship continues, but Caitlin Clark’s sensational rookie season is over, after the Sun held on for a 87-81 win in Game 2 Wednesday, sweeping Indiana and ending the Fever’s postseason run.

The Sun were led again by Alyssa Thomas, who recorded her fourth straight playoff game with 10 assists. Thomas finished with a team-high 19 points, 13 assists and five rebounds. Marina Mabrey chipped in 17 points while DeWanna Bonner added 15 and seven rebounds.

Clark finished with a game-high 25 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Aaliyah Boston was terrific inside, scoring 16 points while grabbing 19 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough for Indiana.

Connecticut advances to the semifinals and will meet Minneapolis. The Lynx swept Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury in their Game 2 later Wednesday night.

Read on for news, highlights and key moments:

Fever at Sun: Game 2 highlights

Another record for Caitlin Clark

The Indiana guard became the first rookie to score 25 points, dish five assists and grab five rebounds in a postseason game. She tied her favorite player, Maya Moore, at the 20-point mark earlier.

Caitlin Clark and Maya Moore now share this stat

Clark joined her childhood idol, Maya Moore, in becoming just the second WNBA rookie in playoff history to score 20 points, grab five rebounds and dish five assists. The other former rookie to do that? None other than Maya Moore, Caitlin Clark’s favorite player.

End of 3Q: Connecticut 61, Indiana 52

Perhaps you’ve heard that Alyssa Thomas has two torn labrums, one in each shoulder.

It doesn’t seem to matter.

Thomas scored 10 points in the third quarter to boost the Sun to a 61-52 lead. She already has recorded a double-double (16 points, 10 assists) and is on triple-double watch again (she has five rebounds). She’s helped the Sun maintain their lead over Indiana despite Caitlin Clark hitting the 20-point mark.

Erica Wheeler takes hard tumble at end of first half

Erick Wheeler came smoking down the floor on the final play of the half, but missed an open layup and her momentum carried her into the first row of photographers. The spill looked awkward and Wheeler was down for a couple minutes before walking off the court under her own power, holding her midsection. The Fever said Wheeler suffered a thumb injury but can play.

Halftime: Connecticut 41, Indiana 34

Does anyone for Indiana want to play defense?

It didn’t look like it in the second quarter, as Connecticut got going in transition, scoring in the open floor while Indiana mostly stood around as the Sun opened a 41-34 halftime lead.

Four Sun players have already scored six points or more, led by Marina Mabrey, who has nine. Triple double queen Alyssa Thomas already has six points, eight assists and three rebounds.

On the other end, Caitlin Clark has scored or assisted on 10 of Indiana’s 13 field goals. She’s got 14 points, four assists and four rebounds. Aliyah Boston, who did come back to the game with two fouls, has eight points and 11 rebounds.

The Fever should have cut into Connecticut’s lead right at the end of the half, but Erica Wheeler blew a wide open layup. Worse, she took a hard tumble into the first row — and a camera man — and appears to be injured.  

End of 1Q: Connecticut 17, Indiana 14

Caitlin Clark knows it’s do-or-die time — and she’s playing like it.

The rookie connected on her first 3 attempt just 27 seconds into Game 2, and then hit another midway through the first quarter. Clark already has six points, four rebounds and three assists.

Meanwhile, the Connecticut Sun couldn’t throw a basketball in the ocean for most of the first quarter, shooting just 5-of-20 after starting 1-of-11. But the Sun closed on an 11-0 run over the last three minutes to take a slim lead, 17-14.

Keep an eye on pace. There’s a lot of time left, but the pace through the first quarter absolutely favors the Fever.

A potential problem for Indiana: Aliyah Boston got whistled for her second foul with just under two minutes to play in the first quarter, sending her to the bench. She might not return this half.

Caitlin Clark gets fan temporarily moved

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — A fan sitting courtside was escorted out of his seat for a short time during Wednesday night’s Game 2 after Fever rookie Clark reported him to officials.

In a dead ball period after a Fever foul, Clark went up to officials and pointed out someone sitting in the second row of courtside seats. Mohegan Sun Arena security quickly went up to him and escorted him out of his seat and into the back of the house.

At the same time, the Fever were challenging a foul call because they believed it was called on the wrong player. The foul was ultimately successful, being changed to Lexie Hull.

By the time the review was over, the fan had returned to his seat. — Chloe Peterson, Indianapolis Star

Caitlin Clark opens with a 3 and a dime

The Fever rookie launched a 3-pointer to open scoring and followed that with this sweet pass to Kelsey Mitchell for a layup.

Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun

The Fever meet the Sun in Uncasville at the Mohegan Sun Arena for Game 2 of their best-of-three series Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Sun lead the series 1-0 and can advance to the semifinals with a victory. If the Fever win, they will force a decisive Game 3 in Indianapolis on Friday.

How to watch Fever at Sun

The game will be broadcast on ESPN.

How to stream Fever at Sun

The game can be streamed on Fubo. In addition to local TV markets, the Fever-Sun game also will be available on demand upon its conclusion on WNBA League Pass. Fans can get the WNBA League Pass by downloading the WNBA app.

Fever make key lineup change for Game 2

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — The Indiana Fever are making a lineup change in a win-or-go home situation.

With Connecticut up 1-0 in the best-of-three first-round playoff series, the Fever have elected to slot Temi Fagbenle in the starting lineup in place of NaLyssa Smith in Wednesday night’s Game 2. There is no known injury to Smith; she practiced normally at the Fever’s shootaround Wednesday morning and warmed up as normal before tip.

Smith’s minutes have been steadily decreasing throughout the second half of the season, despite maintaining her spot in the starting lineup. She has played around 20 minutes per game over the last 10 games of the season, while fellow starters have been averaging 30+ minutes per game. In Game 1, Smith, the No. 2 overall pick in 2022, played just nine minutes, going 0-of-1 from the field with one rebound. — Chloe Peterson, Indianapolis Star

Sun missing a starter vs. Fever

Tyasha Harris will miss Game 2 with an ankle injury. Marina Mabrey, who scored 27 points off the bench in Game 1, gets the start. — Indianapolis Star

Sun starting lineup for Game 2

Fever starting lineup for Game 2

Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun postseason schedule

Sunday, Game 1: Connecticut 93, Indiana 69
Wednesday, Game 2: Connecticut 87, Indiana 81, Sun win series 2-0

WNBA postseason schedule

First round

Sunday, Sept. 22:

Game 1: New York 83, Atlanta 69
Game 1: Connecticut 93, Indiana 69
Game 1: Minnesota 102, Phoenix 95
Game 1: Las Vegas 78, Seattle 67

Tuesday, Sept. 24:

Game 2: New York 91, Atlanta 82, Liberty win series 2-0
Game 2: Las Vegas 83, Seattle 76, Aces win series 2-0

Wednesday, Sept. 25

Game 2: Connecticut 87, Indiana 81, Sun win series 2-0
Game 2: Minnesota 101, Phoenix 88, Lynx win series 2-0

Semifinals

Las Vegas Aces vs. New York Liberty

Game 1, Sept. 29: Las Vegas at New York, 3 p.m., ABC
Game 2, Oct. 1: Las Vegas at New York (TBD)
Game 3, Oct. 4: New York at Las Vegas (TBD)
Game 4*, Oct. 6: New York at Las Vegas (TBD)
Game 5*, Oct. 8: Las Vegas at New York (TBD)

Connecticut Sun vs. Minnesota Lynx

Game 1, Sept. 29: Connecticut at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m., ESPN

(* – If necessary; all times Eastern; best-of-five series)

Caitlin Clark, DiJonai Carrington downplay eye poke

Indiana Fever vs. Connecticut Sun: USA TODAY reporters’ picks 

Nancy Armour: Sun over Fever in 2 

Scooby Axson: Sun over Fever in 2 

Ellen J. Horrow: Sun over Fever in 3 

Jordan Mendoza: Sun over Fever in 3 

Lindsay Schnell: Sun over Fever in 2 

Read more prognostications and analysis here. 

DiJonai Carrington named WNBA Most Improved Player

As the WNBA continues to hand out superlatives, Sun guard DiJonai Carrington picked up the Most Improved Player award Wednesday before Game 2. Carrington was taken by the Sun in the second round of the 2021 WNBA draft after completing her grad year at Baylor. She saw her averages in points, rebounds, steals and assists per game rise, along with being a defensive stalwart. Carrington received 28 of 67 first-place votes. Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby was second (18 votes) and Minnesota Lynx forward Bridget Carleton was third (15).

Opinion: Caitlin Clark endures tough WNBA playoff debut

UNCASVILLE, Conn. — As Caitlin Clark goes, so go the Indiana Fever. That was true throughout a remarkable regular season of rookie joy, uplifting achievement and unexpected triumph. 

It also was true on Sunday afternoon, when the rough-and-tumble reality of the WNBA postseason came crashing down on a Fever starting five that had never played a second in the playoffs before they stepped onto the court for Game 1 against the formidable and seasoned Connecticut Sun. Read Christine Brennan’s full column here.

Caitlin Clark rewrites WNBA record books. Again. And again. 

The Fever rookie made headlines all summer with her head-turning play. Revisit her accomplishments in this graphic. 

How Caitlin Clark helped change Lexie Hull’s game 

Like most WNBA fans, Lexie Hull consumes a lot of Caitlin Clark content.  

Any time Clark breaks a record, says something interesting or, like, sneezes, Hull is made aware.  

But when Hull, Clark and Katie Lou Samuelson traveled with their boyfriends (in Samuelson’s case, husband) to Mexico for a much-needed beach vacation during the WNBA Olympic break, Hull learned something new about Clark.  

The No. 1 pick of the 2024 draft and the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year is . . . funny.  

Goofy, even. A prankster.  

“She loves to stir up some trouble, that’s for sure. If you need a laugh, she’ll get it done for you,” Hull told USA TODAY Sports.  

Read full story here. 

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Travis Kelce’s eight catches are the fewest he’s had through his first three games since he became the Kansas City Chiefs starting tight end. Is it cause for concern? Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes don’t believe so.

Reid and Mahomes came to the defense of the nine-time Pro Bowler while speaking to reporters Wednesday. Both believe Kelce’s slow start is a byproduct of their opponents’ gameplan to contain the tight end.

“I know people are saying that he’s old, or whatever, has distractions and all this. The defenses don’t think that,” Reid said of Kelce. “We have another receiver that plays opposite him that has a lot of yards and catches, and that’s how this thing goes. Travis is fine.”

The receiver Reid is referring to is second-year pro Rashee Rice who is off to a stellar start. Rice leads the team with 24 catches, 288 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Entering Week 4, Rice ranks first in the NFL with 24 catches.

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“He’s been more versatile this year. He’s able to run more and more routes, and then the way he’s able to catch the ball and make stuff happen after the catch. He’s a hard guy to tackle,” Mahomes said of Rice. “I think it helps that the speed out there is kind of helping spread out the field for him. And then there’s a lot of attention on Travis. When he’s getting those one-on-one matchups, he’s winning, and that’s, that’s all you can ask for a guy. And he seems like he’s getting better and better each and every week.”

Rice’s 29 targets more than double Kelce’s 12 targets. But Mahomes said Kelce doesn’t mind. The three-time Super Bowl MVP recalled a play during the second quarter of Kansas City’s 22-17 Week 3 win over the Falcons where three Atlanta defenders where looking at Kelce, so the quarterback threw a short checkdown pass to tight end Noah Gray that resulted in 13 yards and a first down.

“I feel like I want to get him the ball more,” Mahomes said. “Whereas he’s just like, ‘I just want to win, man. I don’t care. I’ll run these routes and take guys with me so that other guys can get open.’”

Kelce’s production dipped last regular season when he didn’t reach 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2015. However, the 34-year-old tight end was vital during Kansas City’s Super Bowl run, tallying a playoff-high 32 receptions, 355 yards and three touchdowns.

So, while opposing defenses are scheming to take Kelce away, the Chiefs know Kelce’s impact goes beyond the box score. Recent history suggests he’s more than capable of filling up the stat sheet in the biggest moments.  

“We understand he’s an important part of this offense, and we want to make sure that we’re still featuring him. But at the same time, if defenses are going to take away him, we’ll give the ball to other guys and let them make plays,” Mahomes said.

“But as the season goes on, if we continue to show that we’re going to throw it to Rashee (Rice) and we’re going to throw it to these other guys and they are gonna make plays, teams are gonna have to do those one on one match ups, and that’s when Travis will eat.”

Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy could only laugh in disbelief.

The Crew lost to Club América in the Campeones Cup final on Wednesday night after a thrilling penalty shootout (5-4) that lasted seven rounds following a 1-1 tie in regulation at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

The match between the reigning MLS and LIGA MX champions did not end without controversy.

The Crew saw Malte Amundsen, who scored the equalizer in the 77th minute, hit the crossbar on his penalty shot in the sixth round. But it appeared América goalie Luis Malagón left his post on the back line before the shot.

Nancy praised the game referees for informing the players of the rules in the penalty round, until it came to the decisive moment that cost the Crew its third championship in the last year.

“The goalkeeper was not on his line. The referee, he said that … Sorry, I’m laughing, because the referee said that it didn’t affect the shot,” Nancy said. “So, I don’t know, the rules are rules.”

Club América’s Néstor Araujo scored the game-winning kick through the hands of Crew goalie Patrick Schulte one kick later to steal the victory.

Columbus is 2-2 in championship games in the last year: The Crew beat LAFC 2-1 in the 2023 MLS Cup, lost to Pachuca 3-0 in the Concacaf Champions Cup final on June 1, and beat LAFC 3-1 in the Leagues Cup final on Aug. 25, before Wednesday’s defeat.

The Crew must turn the page quickly with the potential to win two more crowns before the end of this MLS season.

The Crew will visit the White House on Friday to celebrate their 2023 MLS Cup title, before facing D.C. United at Audi Field on Saturday.

Then, the Crew will welcome Lionel Messi and MLS-leading Inter Miami to Columbus next Wednesday in a match that could decide the MLS Supporters’ Shield. If Inter Miami wins its next two games (Saturday vs. Charlotte, and at Columbus), it will win the title awarded to the team with the league’s best record.

“I’m sad for the players because they deserved better, but I’m really proud of what they did,” Nancy said. “We got close to win this game, but we didn’t. We have to digest, and we have to move forward.”

Aziel Jackson and Alexandru Matan also missed in the shootout for Columbus, which was unable to rely on standouts Diego Rossi, who left four minutes before regulation ended, and Christian Ramirez, who was substituted off during the second half. Rudy Camacho, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Cucho Hernández and DeJuan Jones scored for Columbus in the penalty shootout

“He was tired. Simple as that,” Nancy said of why Rossi was taken out.

Víctor Dávila scored in the 68th minute to give América a 1-0 lead. Diego Valdés, Rodrigo Aguirre, Álvaro Fidalgo and Dávila scored for América in the shootout.

The Campeones Cup is another trophy for LIGA MX powerhouse Club América, which has 15 all-time league titles – more than any other franchise.

Campeones Cup: Columbus Crew vs. Club América highlights

Columbus Crew and Club América penalty shootout results in Campeones Cup

Club América has won the Campeones Cup after a 5-4 penalty shootout against Columbus Crew.

Rudy Camacho scores for Columbus, 1-0.
Diego Valdés scores for América, 1-1 after one round.
Alexandru Matan misses for Columbus, 1-1.
Richard Sánchez misses for América, 1-1 after two rounds.
Jacen Russell-Rowe scores for Columbus, 2-1.
Rodrigo Aguirre scores for América, 2-2 after three rounds.
Cucho Hernández scores for Columbus, 3-2.
Álvaro Fidalgo scores for América, 3-3 after four rounds.
DeJuan Jones scores for Columbus, 4-3.
Víctor Dávila scores for América, 4-4 after five rounds. The shootout goes on.
Aziel Jackson misses for Columbus, 4-4.
Ramón Juarez misses for América, 4-4 after six rounds.
Malte Amundsen misses off the top post for Columbus, 4-4.
Néstor Araujo scores for América, 5-4 after seven rounds.

Columbus Crew and Club América headed to penalty shootout in Campeones Cup

After 90 minutes and stoppage time, we have a tie in the Campeones Cup. And the game will immediately go to a penalty shootout to decide the champion.

It’ll be interesting to see which Crew players participate in the shootout after Diego Rossi and Christian Ramirez were substituted out of the match.

Malte Amundsen goal: Columbus Crew 1, Club América 1

We’ve got a tied match in Columbus after a corner kick and a header in the 77th minute.

The Crew’s Malte Amundsen maneuvered superbly to make the kick from the corner, and found the bottom left side of the net.

The momentum has swung as the match heads into the final 12 minutes of regulation.

Víctor Dávila goal: Club América 1, Columbus Crew 0

We’ve got a score in Columbus, but it comes from the opposition.

América’s Víctor Dávila, who joined the club about two weeks ago, came on as a substitute and scored in the 68th minute to take a 1-0 lead.

It was simply a defensive breakdown by the Crew, as Dávila broke free behind them into a straightaway attack toward the net.

Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte with big save: Columbus Crew 0, Club América 0

Álvaro Fidalgo missed in 58th minute, thanks to a stellar save by Crew goalie Patrick Schulte. The save followed a miss by Crew standout Christian Ramirez in an earlier sequence. It’s still scoreless in Columbus.

Columbus Crew and Club América tied at halftime

We’re tied at halftime, but the Columbus Crew had its best attack toward the net.

Cucho Hernandez delivered a pass to Diego Rossi in the box, but Rossi’s header was squared away by Club América goalie Luis Malagón in the 45th minute.  

Club America had much of the momentum in the first half, taking six shots with two on target. Columbus had only three shots, with their miss on target.

Club América possessed the ball for 57.71% in the first half, while Columbus had 42.29% possession.

How to watch Columbus Crew vs. Club América in Campeones Cup live stream?

The match will be streamed live via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish, and on TUDN exclusively in Spanish.

Columbus Crew vs. Club América starting lineups

Here are the starters for both clubs in tonight’s Campeones Cup:

What time is the Campeones Cup?

The Campones Cup begins at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio – home of the Columbus Crew.

What is the Campeones Cup?

The Campeones Cup is an annual competition that pits the winners of the previous MLS and LIGA MX seasons against each other for a trophy. This will be the sixth edition.

Think of it as a North American version of the Finalissima, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, which sees the Copa America winner take on the UEFA Euro champions in a match.

Columbus Crew on title run

The Columbus Crew beat LAFC, 2-1, in the 2023 MLS Cup, lost to Pachuca 3-0 in the Concacaf Champions Cup final June 1, and beat LAFC, 3-1, in the Leagues Cup final on Aug. 25.

The Campeones Cup is the fourth chance for Columbus Crew to win a trophy before the MLS season ends and the MLS Cup playoffs begin to end the 2024 season.

The Crew has also been here before: After winning the MLS Cup in 2020, the Crew won the Campeones Cup in 2021.

Campeones Cup winners

MLS teams have won three of the five Campeones Cups:

2018: Tigres UANL 3, Toronto FC 1
2019: Atlanta United 3, Club América 2
2021: Columbus Crew 2, Cruz Azul 0
2022: New York City FC 2, Atlas FC 0
2023: Tigres UNAL 0 (4), LAFC 0 (2)

Columbus Crew vs. Club América recent history

These teams last met during Leagues Cup 2023 group play, where the Crew beat Club América 4-1 on July 31, 2023. Cucho Hernández scored twice, while Christian Ramirez and Steven Moreira scored for Columbus, while Kevin Álvarez scored for Club América.

Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami on Oct. 2

The Crew is still in contention for the MLS Supporters Shield, and will be one of the most feared teams, along with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, for the MLS Cup this year. They’ll meet at Lower.com Field on Oct. 2.

Top 3 MLS Eastern Conference standings: Inter Miami (64 points), FC Cincinnati (56) and Columbus Crew (56).
Top 4 MLS Supporters Shield standings: Inter Miami (64), LA Galaxy (58), Cincinnati (56) and Columbus (56).

Columbus Crew has four regular season matches remaining, while Inter Miami, LA Galaxy and Cincinnati have three games left this season.

The Indiana Fever were eliminated from the 2024 WNBA playoffs after they were swept by the Connecticut Sun in the best-of-three first round matchup. The Sun fended off a late rally in Game 2 after winning Game 1 on Sunday.

Clark put up a solid effort in the elimination game, scoring a game-high 25 points with nine assists and six rebounds in the Fever’s 87-81 loss. She also had one steal and one block to go along with three turnovers. It came after Clark had 11 points with eight assists in her playoff debut.

It wasn’t near the blowout win Connecticut had on Sunday, but the Sun did lead for the majority of the game. Clark opened the game with a 3-pointer that made it seem like it would be a hot-shooting night. She made her second 3-pointer just a few minutes later to give Indiana a nine-point lead after making two of her first three attempts beyond the arc.

But after that, it was tough for Clark to sink another deep shot. She went just 1-for-9 from beyond the arc afterward as the Sun claimed the lead and held on to it. Connecticut got the lead to nine points in the fourth quarter, but Indiana stormed back to take a slim lead at 75-73 with a chance to force a winner-take-all Game 3. Connecticut then went on a 14-6 run to end the game and seal the sweep. Clark didn’t get a shot attempt in the final two minutes and finished the night 10-for-23 from the field, including 3-for-12 on 3-pointers.

Clark’s record-setting rookie season ends after 42 total games. In her first year, including playoffs, Clark scored 805 points, recorded 354 assists and pulled down 237 rebounds.

Caitlin Clark stats in Game 2

Points: 25
Rebounds: 6
Assists : 9
Steals: 1
Blocks: 1
Shooting: 10-for-23
3-point shooting: 3-for-12

Deshaun Watson knows that the Cleveland Browns offense needs to improve after a 1-2 start to the season, but he doesn’t believe having him run more would be a part of the solution.

Watson was asked during a Wednesday news conference if he wanted Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey to scheme up some running plays for him. His response?

‘I’m not going in there to ask them for more designed runs,’ he told reporters, with a laugh. ‘If I don’t have to run, I’m not going to run. I’m not trying to take any hits.’

That Watson would be interested in protecting himself is hardly a surprise. He’s coming off a 2023 season during which he played in just eight games because of a shoulder injury, so staying on the field is his top priority in 2024.

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That’s one of the reasons Watson believes Stefanski won’t emphasize adding more designed runs to Cleveland’s game-plan.

‘I won’t say that it won’t help out the offense as far as just a run game,’ Watson said. ‘But coming back from my injury, I don’t think that is a high priority for Kevin to put me in that situation. Because if I go out there on a designed run and something happens, then now you’re mad at Kevin. I feel like it’s a lose-lose situation, honestly.’

Still, with the Browns ranking 24th in the league in rushing yards per game (95.7) and Watson ranking 10th league-wide in quarterback rushing yards with 85, some believed his athleticism could be an asset in trying to boost Cleveland’s Nick Chubb-less running game.

But Watson simply doesn’t believe using him on designed runs entirely suits his skill set.

‘I’m not a running quarterback, in a sense,’ Watson said. ‘I can make things happen, but I’m not trying to run. I’m not a running back. It’s not my specialty. They signed me to throw the ball, make decisions and be a quarterback, not a runner.’

Watson clarified that he wasn’t ruling scrambling out of his repertoire. He still wants the freedom to take off as he sees fit, especially when lanes open up in front of him.

‘I’m never gonna hesitate pulling it, running it,’ Watson said. ‘Obviously, I’m gonna be smart and not try to run up or run over some defensive guy. That’s not my specialty. But if I can make something happen and try to get something positive, then I’m gonna try to do that for sure.’

Watson is averaging 6.1 yards per carry with a long of 16 on the season, so those scrambles could provide a small spark for the offense.

But if Watson isn’t willing to run consistently, then Stefanski and Dorsey will have to find a way to get Jerome Ford and D’Onta Foreman going with Chubb still sidelined.

If that doesn’t happen, then the pressure will be on Watson — who ranks 27th of 31 qualified quarterbacks in passer rating with a mark of 71.4 — to significantly up his game as a passer and help Cleveland’s offense reach its full potential.

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The Columbus Crew won’t be lifting another trophy on its home field on Wednesday night.

The Crew lost to Club América in the Campeones Cup after a thrilling, 5-4 penalty shootout that lasted seven rounds after a 1-1 tie in regulation at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus, the reigning 2023 MLS Cup champions and Leagues Cup 2024 champion, was seeking its third championship for the second time in the last year. But the Crew will have to wait.

It fell to Pachuca in the Concacaf Champions Cup in June, and was unable to edge Club América after Néstor Araujo scored the game-winning kick through the hands of Crew goalie Patrick Schulte.

The Crew saw Malte Amundsen, who scored the 1-1 equalizer in the 77th minute, hit the crossbar on his penalty shot in the sixth round. Aziel Jackson and Alexandru Matan also missed for Columbus, which was unable to rely on standouts Diego Rossi and Christian Ramirez after they were substituted out during regulation.

Víctor Dávila scored in the 68th minute for Club América, which won its fifth trophy in 15 months. The LIGA MX side staked its claim as the best club in North America with the Campeones Cup victory.

We’ll provide live updates below throughout the match. Here’s everything you need to know:

Columbus Crew and Club América penalty shootout results in Campeones Cup

Club América has won the Campeones Cup after a 6-4 penalty shootout against Columbus Crew.

Rudy Camacho scores for Columbus, 1-0.
Diego Valdés scores for América, 1-1 after one round.
Alexandru Matan misses for Columbus, 1-1.
Richard Sánchez misses for América, 1-1 after two rounds.
Jacen Russell-Rowe scores for Columbus, 2-1.
Rodrigo Aguirre scores for América, 2-2 after three rounds.
Cucho Hernández scores for Columbus, 3-2.
Álvaro Fidalgo scores for América, 3-3 after four rounds.
DeJuan Jones scores for Columbus, 4-3.
Víctor Dávila scores for América, 4-4 after five rounds. The shootout goes on.
Aziel Jackson misses for Columbus, 4-4.
Ramón Juarez misses for América, 4-4 after six rounds.
Malte Amundsen misses off the top post for Columbus, 4-4.
Néstor Araujo scores for América, 5-4 after seven rounds.

Columbus Crew and Club América headed to penalty shootout in Campeones Cup

After 90 minutes and stoppage time, we have a tie in the Campeones Cup. And the game will immediately go to a penalty shootout to decide the champion.

It’ll be interesting to see which Crew players participate in the shootout after Diego Rossi and Christian Ramirez were substituted out of the match.

Malte Amundsen goal: Columbus Crew 1, Club América 1

We’ve got a tied match in Columbus after a corner kick and a header in the 77th minute.

The Crew’s Malte Amundsen maneuvered superbly to make the kick from the corner, and found the bottom left side of the net.

The momentum has swung as the match heads into the final 12 minutes of regulation.

Víctor Dávila goal: Club América 1, Columbus Crew 0

We’ve got a score in Columbus, but it comes from the opposition.

América’s Víctor Dávila, who joined the club about two weeks ago, came on as a substitute and scored in the 68th minute to take a 1-0 lead.

It was simply a defensive breakdown by the Crew, as Dávila broke free behind them into a straightaway attack toward the net.

Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte with big save: Columbus Crew 0, Club América 0

Álvaro Fidalgo missed in 58th minute, thanks to a stellar save by Crew goalie Patrick Schulte. The save followed a miss by Crew standout Christian Ramirez in an earlier sequence. It’s still scoreless in Columbus.

Columbus Crew and Club América tied at halftime

We’re tied at halftime, but Columbus Crew had its best attack toward the net.

Cucho Hernandez delivered a pass to Diego Rossi in the box, but Rossi’s header was squared away by Club América goalie Luis Malagón in the 45th minute.  

Club America had much of the momentum in the first half, taking six shots with two on target. Columbus had only three shots, with their miss on target.

Club América possessed the ball for 57.71% in the first half, while Columbus had 42.29% possession.

How to watch Columbus Crew vs. Club América in Campeones Cup live stream?

The match will be streamed live via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV in English and Spanish, and on TUDN exclusively in Spanish.

Columbus Crew vs. Club América starting lineups

Here are the starters for both clubs in tonight’s Campeones Cup:

What time is the Campeones Cup?

The Campones Cup begins at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio – home of the Columbus Crew.

What is the Campeones Cup?

The Campeones Cup is an annual competition that pits the winners of the previous MLS and LIGA MX seasons against each other for a trophy. This will be the sixth edition.

Think of it as a North American version of the Finalissima, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, which sees the Copa America winner take on the UEFA Euro champions in a match.

Columbus Crew on title run

The Columbus Crew beat LAFC, 2-1, in the 2023 MLS Cup, lost to Pachuca 3-0 in the Concacaf Champions Cup final June 1, and beat LAFC, 3-1, in the Leagues Cup final on Aug. 25.

The Campeones Cup is the fourth chance for Columbus Crew to win a trophy before the MLS season ends and the MLS Cup playoffs begin to end the 2024 season.

The Crew has also been here before: After winning the MLS Cup in 2020, the Crew won the Campeones Cup in 2021.

Campeones Cup winners

MLS teams have won three of the five Campeones Cups:

2018: Tigres UANL 3, Toronto FC 1
2019: Atlanta United 3, Club América 2
2021: Columbus Crew 2, Cruz Azul 0
2022: New York City FC 2, Atlas FC 0
2023: Tigres UNAL 0 (4), LAFC 0 (2)

Columbus Crew vs. Club América recent history

These teams last met during Leagues Cup 2023 group play, where the Crew beat Club América 4-1 on July 31, 2023. Cucho Hernández scored twice, while Christian Ramirez and Steven Moreira scored for Columbus, while Kevin Álvarez scored for Club América.

Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami on Oct. 2

The Crew is still in contention for the MLS Supporters Shield, and will be one of the most feared teams, along with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, for the MLS Cup this year. They’ll meet at Lower.com Field on Oct. 2.

Top 3 MLS Eastern Conference standings: Inter Miami (64 points), FC Cincinnati (56) and Columbus Crew (56).
Top 4 MLS Supporters Shield standings: Inter Miami (64), LA Galaxy (58), Cincinnati (56) and Columbus (56).

Columbus Crew has four regular season matches remaining, while Inter Miami, LA Galaxy and Cincinnati have three games left this season.

This year’s U.S. Open Cup final (10:30 p.m. ET Wednesday at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium) will deliver history or frustration for one side, humiliation or redemption for the other.

Facing humiliation or redemption is Los Angeles FC, which has been snake-bitten in finals since it won MLS Cup in 2022. Facing history or further 2024 frustration is Sporting Kansas City, which is attempting to tie a record for most all-time Open Cup wins.

Los Angeles FC has played in four finals since its dramatic MLS Cup win over the Philadelphia Union, and has lost all four — including two to the Columbus Crew. In 2023, LAFC lost the Concacaf Champions Cup final to Club León of Liga MX, the Campeones Cup in a penalty kick shootout to Liga MX’s Tigres and finally MLS Cup to the Crew. In 2024, LAFC advanced to the Leagues Cup final, only to be defeated by its newfound nemesis, the Crew.

Going 0-5 in trophy games would be a tough pill to swallow for an LAFC team that is mired in a late-season slump, having won just one game — the U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Seattle Sounders — since it reached the Leagues Cup final.

Sporting Kansas City is having a rough 2024 MLS campaign, as one of just two teams to have been eliminated from playoff contention. However, history beckons. Sporting Kansas City has won four previous U.S. Open Cups — tied with the Chicago Fire and Seattle Sounders for the most by an MLS team. With a win over LAFC, Sporting KC would tie Bethlehem Steel and Maccabee Los Angeles for the most U.S. Open Cup titles all-time.

What time is the U.S. Open Cup final between LAFC and Sporting Kansas City?

Kickoff for Los Angeles FC vs. Sporting Kansas City is Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 10:30 p.m. ET from BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.

How do I watch the U.S. Open Cup final between LAFC and Sporting Kansas City?

The U.S. Open Cup final will be available to stream for free via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

What is the U.S. Open Cup?

American soccer history is a disjointed and often-confusing enterprise, barren of the convenience of the century-long continuity of leagues such as Major League Baseball or the National Football League. However, one thread that ties the game of soccer together in this country through the years has been the U.S. Open Cup (officially known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup). The first U.S. Open Cup (originally called the National Challenge Cup) kicked off in 1913, seven years before the formation of the NFL and 12 years after the opening season of baseball’s American League. The U.S. Open Cup — this country’s oldest annual tournament for team sports — has been played every year since 1913 with the exception of 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament was modeled after England’s FA Cup, so the single-elimination competition is open to U.S.-based amateur and professional clubs. The winner of the U.S. Open Cup — a team that technically is the national champion of American men’s club soccer — earns a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Didn’t Los Angeles FC already qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup?

Yes!

In all, nine MLS teams will qualify for the 27-team 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup (four via MLS competition, three through Leagues Cup, one via the U.S. Open Cup and one via the Canadian Championship).

Four MLS teams already have qualified for the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup: Columbus Crew (Leagues Cup winner, starts in Round of 16), Los Angeles FC (Leagues Cup runner-up), Colorado Rapids (Leagues Cup third-place finisher) and Sporting Kansas City (U.S. Open Cup finalist).

Also on Wednesday night, the final of the Canadian Championship — Canada’s club cup competition — will be played between Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Toronto FC. That will add a fifth MLS team to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup field.

Sporting Kansas City already qualified as a U.S. Open finalist. If the U.S. Open Cup winner also holds another Concacaf Champions Cup qualification spot (as is the case for Los Angeles FC), the tournament’s runner-up will earn a Concacaf Champions Cup spot. Should the U.S. Open Cup runner-up hold multiple Concacaf Champions Cup qualification slots, then the next best MLS club that has accumulated the most regular-season league points will earn the slot. That is not the case for Sporting Kansas City, which already has been eliminated from MLS playoff contention.

MLS has dominated the competition

Since 1996, MLS teams have won all but one U.S. Open Cup; the Rochester Rhinos beat the Colorado Rapids in the 1999 final. While MLS has competed in the U.S. Open Cup since the league’s inception, the old North American Soccer League avoided it. So, you won’t see the likes of multiple-time NASL Soccer Bowl winners such as the New York Cosmos or Chicago Sting gracing the historical records of the U.S. Open Cup.

USL sides Indy Eleven (2024 semifinalist), Sacramento Republic FC (2022 finalist) and FC Cincinnati (2017 semifinalist; FC Cincinnati began MLS play in 2019) have made deep tournament runs in recent years as lower division entries.

Who has the most US Open Cup titles?

If the National Association Football League had stood the test of time like MLB or the NFL, perhaps American sports fans would speak of Bethlehem Steel in the same reverence as the New York Yankees or Green Bay Packers. Bethlehem Steel won five U.S. Open Cups in the tournament’s first 13 years. Four years after its last U.S. Open Cup championship in 1926, Bethlehem Steel folded. Meanwhile, the National Association Football League folded in 1921 and was essentially replaced by the American Soccer League, which shut down during the Great Depression in 1933. Bethlehem Steel played in both leagues.

Even though its last title came in the 1920s, Bethlehem Steel remains tied for the most U.S. Open Cup championships (five) with Maccabi Los Angeles, a semi-pro soccer club that operated from 1971-1982. MLS teams are catching up to the early repeat champions, with the Chicago Fire, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders each with four championships.

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(This story has been updated with new information.)

Of all the stories mentioned in the ‘Mr. McMahon’ docuseries about WWE founder Vince McMahon, one that has heavy interest is the sexual assault lawsuit brought onto McMahon by a former company employee.

Throughout the six episodes of the documentary, several of the controversies — from use of steroids to the deaths of major stars — that circulated around McMahon are talked about, as well as sexual abuse allegations in the past decades.

In all instances, McMahon addresses the criticism he received. But when it comes to the lawsuit filed by Janel Grant, don’t expect to hear from McMahon about it in the series.

Here is what is discussed in ‘Mr. McMahon’ regarding the recent sexual assault allegations facing the wrestling figure:

What does Vince McMahon say about sexual assault lawsuit in ‘Mr. McMahon’?

Nothing.

During the finale of the series, after discussing when McMahon stepped down as CEO of WWE in 2022 amid an investigation into whether he paid money to a former employee to keep an affair quiet, the screen shows an empty chair and reads:

‘After the allegations became public, Vince McMahon canceled his final interviews for this series.’

That’s because nearly all of the interviews done for the series took place before the news of the lawsuit in January. However, it is addressed.

The Wall Street Journal reporter Khadeeja Safdar, who first reported on the lawsuit, discusses the details of the allegations. One notable thing she talks about is the allegation McMahon used Grant as an incentive for a WWE star to re-sign with the company. Safdar says the unnamed star is Brock Lesnar, who is one of the biggest names in the company. Lesnar has not appeared in WWE since the lawsuit was released.

Reporters also confirm the investigation in 2022 on McMahon involved Grant.

Was Janel Grant interviewed for ‘Mr. McMahon’?

Grant did not take part in ‘Mr. McMahon.’ Ann Callis, an attorney for Grant, did not say if Grant was asked to be part of the series, but said last week her client ‘deserves the opportunity to tell her full story, not be a part of someone else’s.’

After the release of the series, Callis said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports ‘there is no difference’ between McMahon’s on-air persona and his true self and the ‘violent outbursts, sexual deviance and manipulation’ of his character is what Grant experienced while employed by WWE.

‘While the docuseries put McMahon’s obsession with power and control on full display, it only scratches the surface of his criminal behavior and it fails to tell the full story of his abuse, sexual assault and human trafficking of Ms. Grant,’ Callis said. ‘She deserves the opportunity to tell her story, on her own time, and in her own way. We look forward to her day in court and to seeing McMahon at last held accountable for his actions.’

Vince McMahon statement on ‘Mr. McMahon’

Even though he didn’t address the recent allegations, McMahon did issue a statement on the docuseries just days before its release. He said after seeing an early partial cut of the series, it ‘takes the predictable path of conflating the ‘Mr. McMahon’ character with my true self, Vince.’

‘A lot has been misrepresented or left out entirely in an effort to leave viewers intentionally confused. The producers use typical editing tricks with out of context footage and dated soundbites etc. to distort the viewers’ perception and support a deceptive narrative,’ McMahon said. ‘In an attempt to further their misleading account, the producers use a lawsuit based on an affair I ended as evidence that I am, in fact, ‘Mr. McMahon.’ I hope the viewer will keep an open mind and remember that there are two sides to every story.’

USA TODAY Sports reached out to McMahon’s representatives and WWE for comment.

What is alleged in the sexual assault lawsuit against Vince McMahon?

In the suit, Grant said McMahon made her sign a non-disclosure agreement about their relationship for an agreed amount of $3 million. However, Grant alleges she never received full payment from McMahon and wants to void the agreement with the lawsuit.

Grant, hired by WWE in 2019, detailed experiences with McMahon. During her employment, Grant said she was forced into a sexual relationship with McMahon, and he would share explicit photos, videos and details of her to other WWE employees. She added she was also coerced into having sexual relations with other WWE staffers, including WWE’s former head of talent relations John Laurinaitis, who is also named in the suit.

In May 2020, the lawsuit states McMahon began to recruit other men and force Grant into sex trafficking. Text messages allegedly from McMahon show he told Grant ‘i’m the only one who owns U and controls who I want to (expletive) U.’