Mexico opened the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa in a fiery Group A clash that produced three red cards and two well-taken goals before a packed crowd at the Mexico City Stadium on Thursday.
The hosts made the perfect start when Julián Quiñones struck in the ninth minute from Érik Lira’s assist.
The early goal settled Mexico, who controlled possession and dictated the pace of the match for much of the evening.
South Africa’s hopes suffered a major setback four minutes into the second half when Yaya Sithole was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge.
Reduced to 10 men, Bafana Bafana struggled to cope with Mexico’s attacking pressure.
Mexico capitalised on their numerical advantage in the 67th minute as Raúl Jiménez finished from Roberto Alvarado’s pass to double the lead.
The goal marked the striker’s first-ever World Cup goal and sparked celebrations among the home supporters.
The match became increasingly heated in the closing stages. South Africa were reduced to nine men in the 84th minute when Themba Zwane received a straight red card following a VAR review for an off-the-ball incident involving Alvarado.
Mexico also finished the match with 10 men after defender César Montes was sent off in stoppage time for denying a goalscoring opportunity during a South African counterattack.
The dismissal capped a chaotic ending to the tournament’s opening fixture.
The victory gives Mexico an early advantage in Group A and provides a strong foundation for their World Cup campaign, while South Africa face an uphill battle to revive their qualification hopes after a difficult opening-night defeat.
The post Mexico begin World Cup campaign with emphatic win over South Africa appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Centre for China Studies (CCS), on Thursday, held a dialogue on the governance of China and knowledge sharing in Nigeria-China cooperation.
The roundtable dialogue also examined the implications for mutual learning between nationals of both countries.
Speaking during the dialogue, the Director of the Centre for China Studies, Charles Onunaiju, recalled that in September 2024, on the occasion of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to China and his participation in the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Nigeria and China elevated bilateral cooperation and consequently established a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and committed to “building a high-level China-Nigeria community with a shared future”.
The two sides, Onunaiju said, issued a 19-point joint statement outlining cooperation and engagement across diverse fields, where they agreed not only to broaden and deepen the areas in which they are already active but also to accelerate the pace of cooperation and open fresh frontiers.
He also said President Tinubu, on his return from the state visit, established the Directorate of the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership (NCSP) within the Presidency to provide strategic direction for the engagement, which is viewed as highly consequential among Nigeria’s international partnerships.
He stated that, earlier, Nigeria and the Chinese government had established an intergovernmental committee, a framework for coherent dialogue and consultations on all issues of mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Onunaiju further recalled that on May 1 this year, China’s zero-tariff treatment for all goods from the 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing took effect, opening a new vista for the structural transformation of economies in the region, historically burdened by single-commodity, monoculture economic structures.
He added that infrastructure development, agricultural modernisation, capacity building, industrial and production-capacity cooperation, trade and investment, as well as cultural and educational exchanges, are among the areas in which the two sides have made considerable progress.
“Knowledge and experience sharing, mutual learning, civilisation dialogues, and explorations of the histories, ideas and contemporary thinking of both sides are important frontiers that are open to further development in Nigeria-China bilateral cooperation.
“‘The Governance of China’ and ‘Selected Readings’, compendiums of the written and spoken works of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and President of the People’s Republic of China, contain important perspectives on the contemporary governance of modern China.
“Against the ideologically motivated insinuations in the West that China’s governance is ‘opaque’ and ‘secretive’, these volumes, which have been translated into major languages across the world, actually place issues concerning the governance of modern China in the public domain.
“Highlights of these issues include theoretical exploration aimed at understanding the laws of social development and relating general principles to the specific context of a country’s social and historical conditions, with the implication that policy is not casually formulated. It is an intimate but rigorous process of interrogating and deconstructing reality with a determination to identify approaches that fit the historical and contemporary conditions of a particular country,” Onunaiju said.
Addressing the gathering, the Counsellor at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, Wang Jun, said that, as experts from universities, research institutions, intelligence bodies and systems who have long been dedicated to academic research and knowledge creation, the participants represented the very best of intellectual endeavour.
“On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, I extend warm congratulations on the successful hosting of this event and express my sincere appreciation for your active participation. The focus of today’s dialogue is Xi Jinping: The Governance of China series.
“This volume systematically articulates the core principles, essence and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It offers important windows into understanding the logic behind China’s development, governance and strategic innovation. For example, the concept of targeted poverty alleviation outlined in the books emphasises tailored measures for households and individuals.
“China has successfully lifted nearly 800 million rural residents out of poverty. This philosophy and methodology hold significant practical value for Nigeria and other African countries in their efforts to reduce poverty and promote inclusive development. Another key idea is the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.
“It stresses a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. This has enabled China to pursue a path of green, low-carbon and high-quality development while offering valuable insights for African countries seeking sustainable development during modernisation. President Xi Jinping has clearly stated that China is ready to share its governance experience with Africa and support every country in exploring development paths suited to their national conditions,” Wang said.
In his remarks, the Provost of the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria and Director of the Centre for Contemporary China-Africa Research, Prof. Sheriff Ghali Ibrahim, said the two books by Chinese President Xi Jinping are collections of his speeches, writings and interviews.
The post CCS holds dialogue on governance of China, knowledge sharing in Nigeria-China cooperation appeared first on The Sun Nigeria.
APC women leader Oby Ajih says President Tinubu is creating opportunities that could lead to a female president in Nigeria. Read more on Punch.
Read More: https://punchng.com/tinubu-creating-path-for-future-female-president-apc-seast-women-leader/
Kwara transport unions appeal to President Tinubu and Governor AbdulRazaq to urgently fix the collapsed Moro and Ohan bridges, crippling Kwara North’s econ
Read More: https://punchng.com/kwara-transport-unions-beg-tinubu-abdulrazaq-to-fix-collapsed-bridges/
Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has approved a cabinet reshuffle, appointing new advisers and reassigning others to strengthen governance.
Read More: https://punchng.com/kano-gov-reshuffles-cabinet-appoints-new-advisers/
President Bola Tinubu will deliver a national address to Nigerians on Friday, June 12, to mark Democracy Day. Tune in at 7:00 a.m. on NTA.
Read More: https://punchng.com/tinubu-to-address-nigerians-on-democracy-day-friday/
Shakira and Burna Boy delivered a high-energy performance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico, thrilling fans with the official anthem “D
Read More: https://punchng.com/photos-shakira-burna-boy-thrill-fans-at-2026-world-cup-opening-ceremony-in-mexico/
Dozens of protesters clashed with police outside Estadio Azteca during the World Cup’s first match in Mexico. Learn about the World Cup protests and their
Read More: https://punchng.com/police-protesters-clash-outside-first-world-cup-match-in-mexico/
Peter Obi criticises Tinubu’s food strategy, stating Nigeria has no reason for its worsening food insecurity despite vast agricultural potential. Millions
Read More: https://punchng.com/nigeria-has-no-reason-to-be-hungry-peter-obi-slams-tinubus-food-strategy/
Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa in the dramatic 2026 FIFA World Cup opener, marked by three red cards. Read about the match highlights.
Read More: https://punchng.com/world-cup-opener-mexico-beat-south-africa-2-0/
Nigeria’s FG may seek AU intervention over recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, citing a growing continental concern. Read more.
Read More: https://punchng.com/fg-considers-au-intervention-over-attacks-on-nigerians-in-south-africa/
New York police detained 56 people and injured 10 officers during unrest after the Knicks’ NBA Finals win. Charges include assault and disorderly conduct.
Read More: https://punchng.com/new-york-police-detain-56-over-unrest-during-nba-finals/
Reading Time: 2 minutes
It looks like more legal drama for the notorious Giudice family.
Both Teresa and Joe Giudice have served time in prison, and now, Milania Giudice, the 20-year-old daughter of The Real Housewives of New Jersey stars, has been arrested on assault charges.
According to surfaced court records obtained by Page Six, Milania was arrested last month in New Jersey and charged in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident.
Milania Giudice attends Cosmopolitan NYFW on February 8, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Sean Zanni/Getty Images for Cosmopolitan NYFW)
The arrest reportedly took place on May 14 following an incident in Montville Township.
According to court and law enforcement records, Milania was charged with simple assault and purposely or knowingly causing bodily injury.
Authorities have classified the matter as a domestic violence case.
At this point, very few details about the alleged incident have been made public.
Neither Milania nor her famous mother has commented publicly on the arrest, and it remains unclear whether the case has been resolved or is still moving through the legal system.
As always, it’s important to remember that Milania has only been arrested, not convicted, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The news comes during what should have been an exciting time for Milania.
The Bravo veteran recently completed her sophomore year at the University of Tampa, where she has been attending school since leaving New Jersey in 2024.
Fans of RHONJ have watched Milania grow up on television for years.
Known for her outspoken personality and memorable one-liners, she became one of the franchise’s most recognizable Housewives kids long before she was old enough to drive.
Unfortunately, growing up in the Giudice family has also meant living through more than her fair share of legal controversies.
Teresa and ex-husband Joe Giudice both pled guilty to fraud charges more than a decade ago. Joe was later deported from the United States and now resides outside the country.
In recent years, Teresa has continued to battle financial and legal headlines, including reports involving tax liens and other money-related issues.
As a result, the Giudice daughters have spent much of their lives navigating public attention that most young adults could never imagine.
Whether this latest incident proves to be a brief legal hiccup or something more serious remains to be seen.
For now, however, it’s yet another difficult headline for a family that has rarely been far from controversy.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
Milania Giudice, Daughter of Teresa Giudice, Arrested For Assualt was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
Professional golfer Phil Mickelson is reportedly no longer a member at the San Diego-area Farms Golf Club.
Multiple sources told Golf Digest in a report published Thursday, June 11, that the professional golfer, 55, was accused by a female employee of making inappropriate contact with her before a round of golf this spring.
The six-time major champion made nonconsensual and inappropriate physical contact with her, multiple sources claimed to the publication, who did not name the employee for privacy reasons.
The woman — who reportedly alerted supervisors immediately — declined to be interviewed, but a spokesperson for the athlete said in a statement, “Any misunderstanding has been cleared up.”
Mickelson, who announced in a February Instagram statement that he was stepping away from competing due to a “family health matter,” is said to still be putting family first.
“Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf,” the statement from his spokesperson continued.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
The Farms also released a statement, saying that an “individual is no longer a member of The Farms Golf Club” after there was a “report of member misconduct.”
Though Mickelson was not named in the statement, multiple sources told Golf Digest that it was referring to him.
“There is a great deal of misinformation circulating and, while Phil’s full attention is devoted to a private family health matter, he has retained defamation counsel and is determined to hold accountable any publication or individual trafficking in speculation or false rumors,” defamation attorney Tom Clare told the publication.
According to Golf Digest, The Farms has a display of athletes associated with the club, which included Mickelson. A spokesperson for the club said Mickelson’s display is now gone.
In April, Mickelson provided a personal update on Instagram, writing that he would not be playing the Masters as he and his family continued to “navigate a personal health matter.”
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This story Phil Mickelson Unwelcome at Golf Club After Female Employee Accused Him of Inappropriate Contact first appeared on Globe. Follow Globe on Yahoo so you don’t miss what’s coming next.
With the NBA Draft right around the corner, the Boston Celtics have begun doing their due diligence on potential targets. Over the past two weeks, the franchise has welcomed multiple groups of draft night hopefuls, putting them through their paces in pre-draft workouts with Boston’s coaching staff and talent evaluators.
One player who may have caught Boston’s attention is Zuby Ejiofor. The versatile big man recently worked out for the Celtics, and given his skill set, may have impressed those who were watching. Ejiofor is a mobile big, capable of guarding multiple positions and slotting between the four and the five, thus providing some positional versatility.
During a recent episode of the “How ‘Bout Them Celtics?” podcast, hosts Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance shared their thoughts on the fact that Ejiofor has worked out with Boston. The duo dove into some game tape from the impending rookie, dissecting his game, fit within the Celtics system and overall upside.
The Celtics have two drop-defense big men already on the roster (Neemias Queta and Luka Garza); therefore, Ejiofor could be an attractive prospect to add optionality within Joe Mazzulla’s rotation.
You can watch the full breakdown of Ejiofor’s game by clicking on the embedded video above.
Watch or listen to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
Spotify: https://bit.ly/40JRevf
Apple: https://apple.co/45sAUBG
Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How Zuby Ejiofor could plug a gap for the Celtics
Perhaps you’ve heard this one before . . .
A former Carolina Panther is headed to Orchard Park, N.Y.
As announced on Thursday, wideout Devin Thompkins has signed with the Buffalo Bills. The 26-year-old receiver spent part of the 2024 campaign as a member of the Panthers.
The Fort Meyers, Fla. native and Utah State product began his NFL career as an undrafted free agent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022. He’d then cross paths with current Panthers head coach Dave Canales, formerly Tampa’s offensive coordinator, a year later in 2023.
Canales would bring Thompkins to Carolina in the summer of 2024, his first year leading the team. The speedy 5-foot-8, 155-pounder played in seven games for the Panthers that season—amassing four receptions for 20 yards along with five punt returns and five kickoff returns.
Thompkins last played for the Atlanta Falcons, appearing in seven contests in 2025.
Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
This article originally appeared on Panthers Wire: Former Panthers WR Deven Thompkins signs with Bills
Around half of Iran’s World Cup squad took poafrt in an open practice session at their Tijuana training camp (Guillermo Arias)
Iran’s footballers took to the training pitch in front of journalists Thursday at their base camp in Mexico, giving the world its first glimpse of a team whose participation in the World Cup has been clouded by war with the United States.
After having moved their training camp to Tijuana from the planned base in Arizona, the squad has said very little since arriving for the tournament last Sunday.
For Thursday’s training session, journalists were given fifteen minutes to see a small group of players as they ran through warm-up exercises.
Of the 26 members of “Team Melli,” only a dozen players were present, with star striker Mehdi Taremi among those who did not show.
Dressed in green jerseys, the players did some light jogging on the training pitch of the Xolos, Tijuana’s local club.
They then performed stretching and core-strengthening exercises on foam mats.
Iran is scheduled to play its first match on Monday in Los Angeles against New Zealand.
A team official confirmed to AFP that the squad is set to enter the United States on Sunday and spend the night there ahead of the match.
Last week, Iran’s ambassador to Mexico told journalists the squad would only be allowed into the US on the day of their games and would have to leave straight afterwards.
Iran’s participation in the tournament, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, comes three months after the US and Israel launched attacks on the country of around 93 million people, setting off hostilities that saw a large swathe of the Middle East drawn in, and the global economy shaken.
Thursday’s open practice came as US President Donald Trump announced what he said was a “great settlement” to end the war with Iran, saying he expected a deal to be signed in Europe as soon as this weekend.
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Missouri landed one of its top receiver targets in Memphis (Tenn.) Lausanne Collegiate standout Lawrence Britt.
The four-star wide receiver, ranked No. 248 in the Rivals Industry Ranking, chose Missouri over Arkansas, Florida and Iowa after a recruitment that featured national attention and numerous scholarship offers.
Missouri’s push started early.
The Tigers became Britt’s second offer back in 2024, and that relationship never stopped growing.
“When they first offered, Coach Peeler told me he watched all 16 minutes of my film,” Britt told Rivals. “That was very impressive to me. He showed me right away that he was very interested in me, and that never changed.”
Over time, Missouri established itself as one of the schools to beat.
A trip to Columbia for the Kansas game helped change everything. That put the Tigers in contention. Britt has visited Columbia eight times and developed deep ties to both the program and the community.
“It’s a very alive environment. Everybody is supportive. The fans are really invested in the football program and they pour into it.”
Missouri remained a consistent presence throughout the process, but the official visit sealed the deal.
“This official visit was very important. We wanted to make sure everything was right and it was the right fit. Being there, it really felt like home.
“It came down to the people, the relationships and the development. Those are the main reasons I committed to Missouri. It is the best fit for me.”
Wide receivers coach, Jacob Peeler is a big part of this decision.
“Just being with the best receiver coach in the nation played a big role,” Britt said. “It’s an honor to join that room. He coaches hard, he develops his players and I know he will be a great coach for me.”
Britt feels the same about head coach Eli Drinkwitz.
“I think Coach Drink is going to be one of the best when it’s all said and done,” Britt said. “His mindset is all about football and building you as a person. He runs a great offense, players play hard for him and he has Missouri playing great football.”
In the end, Missouri checked the boxes for Britt.
“I have family there, I have been there a lot, and it is just like home,” he said. “The coaches were a big part of my decision. They wanted me, they recruited me hard and on that official visit, I knew it was home.”
Mock draft explores how Marlins might maximize lone early selection originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Miami Marlins started the season on the right foot. They went 5-1 right out of the gate, but some fans would soon see some struggles that knocked them off their feet.
They don’t have much of a problem being successful at home, holding a 23-16 record, but on the road is a different story. They have gone 11-19 outside of Miami, which has been a real killer.
So, while the team is looking to figure out its road woes, the front office is busy getting ready for the draft. They were awarded the No. 14 pick, which means they will have to have a few options in mind, just in case the player they want gets taken before Miami hits the clock.
MORE: Marlins shake up the power rankings after an impressive week
The Marlins have really operated as a team that looks to take the best player available in the draft, no matter if they are a high school or college athlete.
Last year, they went with two college players, but the year before, they went with a prep outfielder. So, it’s up in the air with who the team is eyeing closely.
However, The Athletic’s Keith Law took a shot at predicting the first round selections, and in it, he sees the Marlins selecting Arkansas pitcher Hunter Dietz.
“The Marlins went heavy on college players with strong underlying data or characteristics last year, and I expect them to do the same again, especially since they don’t have an extra pick until after the second round. Dietz’s stuff grades out extremely well, although he has a medical flag from two prior arm surgeries.”
Dietz is electric on the mound, but he does come with some concerns. He’s had two arm surgeries, the first being in 2023 and the second being in 2024 after experiencing a setback from the first surgery.
However, he did not miss any time this season and led the club with his 131 strikeouts and held a 7-4 record.
Angels’ first round draft plans hovering around top prep pitcherNationals linked to high upside draft target despite injury riskMLB analyst sets the stage for the Royals to draft an exciting prep shortstopLatest draft predictions should have Twins fans jumping for joy
The NBA Draft is fast approaching, and that means the Boston Celtics’ front office is likely whittling down its list of potential draft targets. Right now, the two clear holes on the roster are at the point guard and center positions. Therefore, Stevens may view the draft as an opportunity to plug a gap with a cost-controlled contract that boasts long-term upside.
The center position projects to be especially deep in this year’s draft class. Sure, there won’t be any standout big men talents when Boston is on the clock with the 27th pick, but there should certainly be some solid options capable of eating NBA minutes for stretches of next season.
During a recent episode of the “How ‘Bout Them Celtics” podcast, hosts Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance took a closer look at Chris Cenac Jr. The 6-foot-11 big out of Houston is expected to sit within the Celtics draft range, and could be a solid third-string big heading into the new season. Cenac is a one-and-done collegiate prospect, which may weaken his stock with Stevens, who has preferred longer-tenured collegiate talents at times.
During the podcast episode, Simone and LaFrance dove deep into Cenac’s game, exploring what he could bring to the Celtics, how he would fit with the roster and what areas of his game would need immediate attention to fit within Joe Mazzulla’s system.
You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded video above.
Watch or listen to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS
Spotify: https://bit.ly/40JRevf
Apple: https://apple.co/45sAUBG
Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: What could Chris Cenac Jr. bring to the Celtics?
