Rivers Cuomo channels Dave Grohl in Weezer’s new “What Happens After You?” video

ABC/Randy Holmes

Weezer has premiered the video for “What Happens After You?” — a track off their new SZNZ: Autumn EP.

The clip finds frontman Rivers Cuomo in the recording studio and channeling his inner Dave Grohl as he performs all the instruments on the song.

“Why have one Rivers when you can have many?!” the visual’s description wonders.

You can watch the “What Happens After You?” video streaming now on YouTube.

Weezer released SZNZ: Autumn in September, on the first day of fall. It’s the third installment in the group’s ongoing seasonally themed SZNZ series following Spring and Summer. The fourth and final EP, Winter, is expected in December.

You can catch Weezer live in 2023 at the baseball-themed Innings Festivals, taking place in Arizona and Florida in February and March, respectively.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Neil Young has a plan for sustainable touring

Gus Stewart/Redferns

Neil Young hasn’t been on tour since before the pandemic, and while he has no immediate plans to hit the road, when he does, he hopes to do so in a more environmentally friendly way. In fact, in a new interview with The New Yorker, Young says he already has a plan for a more sustainable tour.

“I’ve been working on it with a couple of my friends for about seven or eight months. We’re trying to figure out how to do a self-sustaining, renewable tour,” he shares. “Everything that moves our vehicles around, the stage, the lights, the sound, everything that powers it is clean. Nothing dirty with us. We set it up; we do this everywhere we go.”

He adds, “This is something that’s very important to me, if I’m ever going to go out again… and I’m not sure I want to, I’m still feeling that out. But if I’m ever going to do it, I want to make sure that everything is clean.”

Young’s plan also includes the food people eat at shows. He notes, “I’ve been working on this idea of bringing the food and the drink and the merch into the realm where it’s all clean. I will make sure that the food comes from real farmers.” He insists, “It’s about sustainability and renewability in the future, loving Earth for what it is. We want to do the right thing. That’s kind of the idea.”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Step into the fantastical world of ‘Willow’ on Disney+ today

Courtesy of Disney+

CIt’s time to re-enter the fantastical world of Willow. The late 80s George Lucas/Ron Howard fantasy film is reborn as a series, launching today on Disney+. It stars Ruby Cruz and Dempsey Bryk, who play the children of Val Kilmer and Joanne Whalley’s characters from the film.

So, what’s it about? Cruz tells ABC Audio the series is about a quest that begins when her brother is kidnapped.

“I lead a quest to go find him,” she explains. “We are definite ragtag team of misfits who have no idea what’s coming because we’re sort of embarking into the unknown… And I have all the false confidence in the world that I can find it and I’m faced with harsh realities.”

While Cruz didn’t know much about the movie before getting the role, she’s now “seen it a million times.”

“It’s so special and full of heart and just such a unique sort of, they take fantasy to a whole different, I don’t know, like it’s very contemporary as well as very fantastical,” she says. 

Jon Kasdan, son of Star Wars scribe Lawrence Kasdan, created the show and shares that one of his main goals was to keep the things that made the movie great, which he attributes to a “combination of real humor and looseness with things that were genuinely scary and threatening.”

Pair that legacy with the fact that Willow came from the mind of George Lucas and he’s not worried about being overshadowed by other fantasy series.

“The truth is that George’s world is so unique, so specific to George and what he’s created, that it’s almost a genre unto itself. And I really feel like we’re working in the Lucasverse more than we’re working in any kind of fantasy universe that’s been seen before,” he says.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Scoreboard roundup — 11/29/22

iStock

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
New York 140, Detroit 110
Dallas 116, Golden State 113
L.A. Clippers 118, Portland 112

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
San Jose 4, Montreal 0
Boston 3, Tampa Bay 1
Carolina 3, Pittsburgh 2 (OT)
Philadelphia 3, NY Islanders 1
Nashville 2, Anaheim 1 (OT)
Winnipeg 5, Colorado 0
Calgary 6, Florida 2
Washington 5, Vancouver 1
Seattle 9, Los Angeles 8 (OT)

TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
(1)Houston 100, Norfolk St. 52
(3)Virginia 70, Michigan 68
Marquette 96, (6)Baylor 70
(16)Illinois 73, Syracuse 44
(19)Kentucky 60, Bellarmine 41
(22)Maryland 79, Louisville 54
(24)San Diego St. 72, UC Irvine 69

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

New data shows Alzheimer’s drug can slow cognitive decline

Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Promising data shows that an Alzheimer’s drug can slow cognitive decline.

In a phase III clinical trial, with results published Tuesday in The New England Journal of Medicine, the drug, Lecanemab — developed by Eisai and Biogen Inc. — slowed the rate of cognitive decline by 27% in patients in the early stages of the disease, making it the first drug of its kind to produce such positive trial results, a study showed.

Researchers followed nearly 1,800 patients over the course of 18 months and found the drug “resulted in moderately less decline on measures of cognition and function,” compared to patients who received a placebo.

However, the companies noted that “longer trials are warranted to determine the efficacy and safety of Lecanemab in early Alzheimer’s disease.”

Patients who have Alzheimer’s disease have build-up of two proteins, amyloid-beta and tau, in the brain. They clump together and form plaques, disrupting cell function and causing symptoms such as memory loss and confusion.

Lecanemab is a monoclonal antibody that helps remove the amyloid-beta clumps.

Trial participants were split into two groups, both with a Clinical Dementia Rating Scale Sum of Boxes (CDR-SB) score of about 3.2 when the trial began. This score, which measures dementia impairment, has a scale from 0 indicating no impairment to 18.0 indicating severe impairment. A score of 3.2 indicates very mild impairment.

Over the course of 18 months, patients in the Lecanemab group saw their score go up by 1.21 points in comparison with patients in the placebo group, who saw their score go up by 1.66 points.

There were some adverse events in the trial, the companies said, including patients who experienced brain swelling or brain bleeding.

Following the 18-month study, two patients died after experiencing brain hemorrhaging. However, Easi said no deaths are considered linked to Lecanemab.

What’s more, the Alzheimer’s Association said it was “encouraged” by the news and called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to give accelerated approval of Lecanemab.

“These peer-reviewed, published results show Lecanemab will provide patients more time to participate in daily life and live independently,” the association said in a statement. “It could mean many months more of recognizing their spouse, children and grandchildren.”

The statement continued, “Treatments that deliver tangible benefits to those living with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s and early Alzheimer’s dementia are as valuable as treatments that extend the lives of those with other terminal diseases”

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Biden says Congress must avert rail strike but it’s ‘not an easy call’; workers ‘disappointed’

Florian Roden / EyeEm/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and avert a potential strike of the nation’s railway workers — which could upend huge parts of the economy that depend on freight to move goods — by forcing the workers’ unions to accept a deal negotiated earlier this year.

In a statement, Biden described himself as a “proud pro-labor” president and said his decision was a difficult one.

But he said the larger economic considerations outweighed those concerns.

As at least one of the unions involved express dismay at the move, trade groups applauded Biden’s request of Congress.

“I am reluctant to override the ratification procedures and the views of those who voted against the agreement. But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal,” he said.

He asked Congress to quickly pass legislation to adopt the tentative deal between the rail companies and employees that was reached in September and brokered by the White House.

If a deal is not reached — or forced by Congress — then a strike could begin after the Dec. 9 deadline. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Monday night that the House will soon take up such legislation and won’t modify the agreed-upon terms from September.

Like Biden, she said, “We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt.”

The tentative contract included a 24% compounded wage increase and $5,000 total in lump-sum payments.

Pelosi praised certain elements of that deal but said, “Democrats are continuing to fight for more of railroad workers’ priorities, including paid sick leave.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a member of the Democratic caucus, has said his colleagues should do more for workers.

The two largest unions had initially highlighted how the tentative agreement included “wage increases, bonuses, with no increases to insurance copays and deductibles” and improved time-off policies, which had become a sticking point.

While eight of the 12 rail unions then went on to formally ratify the agreement, four rejected it — including the largest in the nation, with 50.8% of its workers voting against the deal.

Some of the workers’ groups who rejected the agreement cited frustration with compensation and working conditions, particularly a lack of paid sick days.

Because all of the rail workers have vowed not to cross the picket line in the event of a stoppage, the objections of four of the 12 unions ensures a strike unless there is a last-minute change in negotiations or congressional intervention.

Biden said Monday he was calling for Congress to act on advice of his secretaries of labor, agriculture transportation, who “believe that there is no path to resolve the dispute at the bargaining table and have recommended that we seek Congressional action,” according to his statement.

In urging Congress to ratify the deal between the rail companies and workers, however, Biden also warned lawmakers not to try and change the terms on their own. “Some in Congress want to modify the deal to either improve it for labor or for management. However well-intentioned, any changes would risk delay and a debilitating shutdown. The agreement was reached in good faith by both sides,” he said.

A strike would “devastate our economy,” he said, noting that “the holiday season” was no time for that outcome.

Why rail workers rejected the deal

Unions have said rail employees are seeking improvements to working conditions, since workers do not receive paid sick days. The unions have accused rail companies of penalizing workers for taking time off for medical reasons and holding the nation’s economy hostage to ensure a favorable deal.

The National Carriers’ Conference Committee, or NCCC, which represents the nation’s freight railroads in national collective bargaining, has said rail employees are provided “significant” time off and the companies have offered a fair contract that includes a considerable wage increase.

After the SMART Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, the nation’s largest rail union, rejected the contract in a record turnout vote last week, the group’s president urged further negotiations.

“SMART-TD members with their votes have spoken, it’s now back to the bargaining table for our operating craft members,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson said in a statement then.

“This can all be settled through negotiations and without a strike. A settlement would be in the best interests of the workers, the railroads, shippers and the American people,” he added.

Immediate reactions on Congress intervening

One of the unions whose membership turned down the new freight rail contract said it was “disappointed by and disagrees with” Biden’s call for Congress to pass legislation to end the labor dispute.

The Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (BMWED) said in a news release Tuesday that congressional intervention “both denies Railroad Workers their right to strike while also denying them of the benefit they would likely otherwise obtain if they were not denied their right to strike.”

The union reiterated workers’ calls for better paid sick leave policies in a new contract, saying the president and Congress should “act swiftly by passing any sort of reforms and regulations that will provide paid sick leave for all Railroad Workers.”

The tentative deal, if enforced, would give rail workers an additional personal leave day.

Pelosi said on Tuesday that the House would take up legislation to avert a rail strike as soon as Wednesday morning.

“Tomorrow morning, we will have a bill on the floor,” she said outside the White House after meeting with Biden and the other top four congressional leaders: Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

“It’s not everything I would like to see,” Pelosi said, adding that she would’ve liked to see the rail workers get more paid sick leave.

Schumer confirmed that the Senate, too, would get the bill on the floor soon — and he said he had agreement from McConnell.

“Leader McConnell I agreed we’d try to get it done ASAP,” Schumer said.

Neither he nor Pelosi answered questions or said whether they thought they had the votes to pass the legislation. At least one senator, Florida Republican Marco Rubio, wrote on Twitter that he opposed it because it “doesn’t have the support of the rail workers.”

McCarthy said outside the White House that thought legislation would pass.

He didn’t miss an opportunity to blame Biden for the deal falling apart, though. He called it another example of the White House going back on its word, after calling the negotiation a “win” just a month ago.

“It’s unfortunate that this is how we’re running our economy today,” he said.

Biden told ABC News’ Mary Bruce at the White House on Tuesday that he was “confident” in avoiding a strike.

“Congress, I think, has to act to prevent it. It’s not an easy call, but I think we have to do it. The economy’s at risk,” he said.

What a railroad strike could mean for the economy

A potential strike could lead to $2 billion a day in lost economic output, according to the Association of American Railroads, which lobbies on behalf of railway companies.

“No one benefits from a rail work stoppage — not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy,” AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies said in a statement Monday night. “Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions. A clear pattern of ratified agreements has been established and Congressional action to prevent a work stoppage in this manner is appropriate.”

“A national rail strike would severely impact the economy and the public,” the NCCC said last week.

Rail is critical to the entire goods side of the economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, retail and warehousing. Freight railroads are responsible for transporting 40% of the nation’s long-haul freight and a work stoppage could endanger those shipments.

Moody’s Analytics chief economist, Mark Zandi, said that a railroad strike would be “economically costly,” and that a freight shutdown would roil supply chains and put upward pressure on U.S. goods inflation, making price problems temporarily worse.

The main channel for a strike to boost inflation is through the higher cost of transportation, particularly for agriculture, Zandi said. Corn, wheat and soybeans are the primary agriculture commodities that use rail.

A strike would also affect shipments of ethanol, potentially leading to higher gas prices, according to Zandi.

Trucking freight rates, which are still elevated above pre-pandemic levels, could also be pushed higher. Zandi said that the American Trucking Association estimates that a rail work stoppage would require 500,000 more trucks and 80,000 more drivers to fill the gap — an untenable number.

More immediately, however, Zandi said a strike would not have a material impact on holiday sales. Inventories of Christmas goods are ample and the major shipping of goods from ports to warehouses for the season is long over.

“Getting goods from warehouses to homes is done by truck,” Zandi said. “Perhaps some trucks would be diverted to help move goods typically done by rail, but this should not be a significant factor for Christmas.”

Local rails, though, could see disruptions should a rail strike occur — leaving commuters in a lurch. Freight companies own and operate many of the tracks across the country and in the event of a strike, local trains that run on those tracks would be forced to cancel trips.

But some Amtrak trains and commuter rails that run along the Northeast Corridor wouldn’t be affected by this. Amtrak owns some of its tracks, and they are not involved in the ongoing negotiations. In addition, local rail that own and operate their own tracks would not be affected — such as Trinity Railway Express in Dallas and Bay Area Rapid Transit in San Francisco.

Why Congress is involved in potential rail strike

All labor disputes in the railway and airline industries — which are seen as critical to the U.S. economy, stretching across major industries from energy to agriculture — are governed by a 1920s-era federal law known as the Railway Labor Act, or RLA.

Congress enacted that law after decades of sometimes violent worker strikes and when Americans had grown dependent on many industries, particularly farming and manufacturing.

Under the RLA, if the parties in the rail labor dispute do not reach agreement on a new contract, the railroads can either impose their own work rules or employees can strike — or both.

At that point, the RLA would no longer set the terms of behavior.

Congress, acting with authority from the Constitution’s commerce clause, has not voted to end a railroad strike since April 1991 — less than 24 hours after a walkout. At the time, lawmakers approved a joint resolution — with President George H. W. Bush being roused from his bed in the middle of the night to sign the bill — that forced the parties in the dispute into a 65-day binding arbitration process.

Had those workers not approved of the terms in arbitration, Congress mandated that less generous solutions from the Presidential Emergency Board, acting as a third party, be accepted.

ABC News’ Adam Carlson, Cheyenne Haslett and Lauren Peller contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Delphi murders: Suspect’s gun matched bullet found by girls, according to newly released document

Indiana State Police

(DELPHI, Ind.) — A judge presiding over the Delphi, Indiana, double murder case issued an order on Tuesday unsealing the probable cause affidavit related to suspect Richard Allen’s arrest.

Judge Frances Gull found that “public interest is not served by prohibiting access” to the evidence in the murders of Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14. The judge added that witness safety is ensured by redacting their names.

The newly released probable cause affidavit said one of the girls mentioned “gun” as a man approached, according to video recovered from one of the victim’s phones.

A man is seen and heard telling the girls, “Guys, down the hill,” and Abby and Libby go down the hill, according to the probable cause affidavit.

A .40-caliber unspent round was found less than 2 feet away from one of the bodies, and that unspent round went through a gun that Allen owns, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Clothes belonging to the girls were found in Deer Creek, south of where their bodies were discovered, the document revealed.

Police still have not released how Abby and Libby died.

Allen, a 50-year-old Delphi man, was arrested last month and charged with two counts of murder for the Feb. 2017 killings. Abby and Libby, best friends in the eighth grade, were on a hiking trail in rural Delphi when they were killed. Allen has entered a not guilty plea.

When interviewed by police in 2017, Allen said he was on the trail that afternoon, according to the affidavit.

On Oct. 13, 2022, Allen told police he saw juvenile girls on the trails east of Freedom Bridge and said he went onto the Monon High Bridge.

Allen confirmed to the police he owns guns, the document said.

A search warrant was executed at Allen’s home on Oct. 13, 2022, the document said. Officers found knives and guns, including a Sig Sauer, Model P226 and .40-caliber pistol, the document said.

Indiana State Police’s lab analysis of Allen’s gun “determined the unspent round located within two feet” of one of the girl’s bodies “had been cycled through Richard M. Allen’s Sig Sauer Model P226,” the probable cause affidavit said.

Allen voluntarily spoke to police on Oct. 26, 2022, and said he never allowed anyone to borrow that gun, the document said.

“When asked about the unspent bullet, he did not have an explanation of why the bullet was found between” the girls’ bodies, the probable cause affidavit said.

“He again admitted that he was on the trail but denied knowing Victim 1 or Victim 2 and denied any involvement in their murders,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Video from one of the girl’s phones shows a man wearing dark jacket and jeans. Allen told investigators on Oct. 13, 2022, that he wore jeans and a blue or black Carhartt jacket that day, according to the probable cause affidavit. Allen’s wife confirmed to police that he owns a blue Carhartt jacket, the document said.

Investigators believe Allen is the man seen on the cellphone video. Investigators also claim he forced Abby and Libby down the hill to the spot where they were killed, according to the document.

Investigators believe Allen was seen walking back to his car with “clothes that were muddy and bloody,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Prosecutors wanted to keep the probable cause affidavit sealed.

The document was released in response to a motion filed by news organizations, including ABC News.

Allen is set to return to court on Feb. 17 for a bond hearing and pretrial hearing.

The defense submitted a change of venue motion on Tuesday requesting that the trial take place at least 150 miles from Carroll County (where Delphi is located).

Police still ask anyone with information about the case to submit a tip at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Scientists observe 2 new lava flows on Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano

Steve Prorak / EyeEm/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Scientists have observed two new lava flows out of the Mauna Loa volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island — the largest active volcano in the world.

The lava is flowing north out of Fissure 3 in the northeast rift zone, crossing the road outside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s observatory overnight, the U.S. Geological Survey announced Tuesday morning.

Ash and lava began spewing out of the volcano on Sunday around 11:30 p.m. and continued into Monday, is the first eruption from Mauna Loa in nearly 40 years.

The lava was contained to the summit, and there are currently no threats to populated areas, according to the USGS.

However, the eruption has migrated from the summit to the northeast rift zone, where fissures are feeding several lava flows, according to the USGS, which advised residents at possible risk from Mauna Loa lava flows to review preparedness and refer to Hawaii County Civil Defense information for further guidance.

Lava flows are significant enough to be visible from Kona, dozens of miles away.

Mauna Loa is so large it takes up more than half of the Big Island. The last time it erupted was in March and April 1984.

The volcano has erupted dozens of times since the 1880s, allowing volcanologists to get to know its “personality,” Michael Poland, research geophysicist for the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory, told ABC News. This means that scientists are predicting that the flow will likely abate now because the initial eruptions are typically the heaviest.

Since the eruption is occurring to the northeast, where the peak’s slope seaward is more gentle, it would take weeks of a continuous eruption for it to reach Hilo, Poland said.

Gov. David Ige told ABC News Live that he was not yet worried about any impact on Hawaiians.

“I think right now we’re not that concerned,” Ige said. “The eruptions and the fissures are very high up. … In fact, there really is no communities or no structures anywhere close to the fissures that are erupting right now.”

“It will take weeks, if not longer, of eruptions occurring in order for the Northeast Rift Zone eruption to reach any kind of community or get close to any infrastructure,” the governor added.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park has closed the Mauna Loa Summit Area to visitors as a precaution

Video posted to Twitter by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory shows thermal footage of the lava flowing out of the volcano’s summit.

In conjunction with the lava flow, there were more than a dozen earthquakes in the region of more than 2.5 magnitude early Monday morning, according to the USGS.

Lava was still erupting from the summit and was overflowing from the caldera Monday, according to USGS Volcanoes. The National Weather Service issued an ashfall advisory for depositing ash and debris, as well as light accumulation of ash on vessels, until 6 a.m. along the Alenuihaha Channel, Big Island windward waters, Big Island leeward waters and Big Island southeast waters.

The NWS advised that vessels should remain at port or avoid advisory areas, and those with respiratory sensitivities should take extra precautions to minimize exposure.

Falling volcanic ash and debris can also render engines or electronics inoperative, according to the NWS.

Hawaii is home to several active volcanos, including the Kīlauea volcano on the Big Island, one of the most active in the world.

Volcano activity has been recorded all around the globe over the past year.

Major eruptions could be underway from two volcanoes on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula after clouds of ash and lava began spewing on Nov. 20.

In July, an eruption at the Sakurajima volcano in Japan prompted evacuation orders for residents nearby in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima.

And last week, marine geologists announced that the underwater volcano eruption that occurred on Jan. 15 in the Tongan archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean is the largest ever recorded.

ABC News’ Max Golembo, Matt Gutman and Bonnie Mclean contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

World Cup live updates: US defeats Iran to advance to knockout round

Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — After years of controversy around its location, the 2022 World Cup is underway in Qatar.

There have been allegations of payoffs to FIFA members to earn the bid, criticism of Qatar’s laws against women and LGBTQ individuals, the deaths of migrants used to build the sparkling new stadiums and even last-second controversy over beer sales. The tournament was also moved from its usual summer timeframe to the holiday season to avoid Qatar’s intensely hot weather.

But on the field, the best players in the world — such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar — are ready to go. And the U.S. is back with a hungry, young team after failing to qualify for the last World Cup.

Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:

Nov 29, 7:40 PM EST
Christian Pulisic has pelvic contusion, status ‘day-to-day’: USMNT

U.S. forward Christian Pulisic was diagnosed with a pelvic contusion after colliding with Iran’s goalkeeper during a match on Tuesday, the U.S. men’s national soccer team said.

Pulisic’s “status is day-to-day,” the team said in a tweet.

“I’ll be ready Saturday don’t worry,” Pulisic said earlier in a social media post accompanied by a photo of the superstar cheering from a hospital bed. A family friend of Pulisic confirmed the authenticity of the post to ABC News.

Pulisic, 24, was helped off the field shortly after scoring a goal in the 38th minute of the match. Pulisic collided with Iranian goalie Alireza Beiranvand during the play and remained on the ground for several minutes. He did not return to the game.

He was taken to the hospital for scans on his abdomen, the team said.

Nov 29, 5:35 PM EST
Lionel Messi’s Argentina side highlights Wednesday’s action

Argentina, led by the legendary Lionel Messi, faces a critical match with Poland as it attempts to qualify for the knockout rounds Wednesday.

Group C is tightly packed with Poland standing at 4 points, Argentina at 3 points and underdog Saudi Arabia at 3 points. Mexico is at the bottom of the table with 1 point, but it does have a chance of making the next round.

If Poland or Argentina wins outright, it will qualify for the next round. If Saudi Arabia defeats Mexico, it will also improbably make it to the knockout stages. But who advances otherwise gets more complicated from there.

Mexico needs to defeat Saudi Arabia if it wants to advance, but they still would need to get a helpful result in the Poland-Argentina match (either a Poland win or a draw and advantageous goal differential). A draw in both matches would put Argentina and Saudi Arabia tied at 4 points and come down to goal differential as well. Poland would win the group.

Group D is more clear. France has already qualified for the next round, so they may take it easy against Tunisia. Tunisia would need to beat France, get a draw in Australia-Denmark and win out on goal differential.

The Aussies would advance with a win against Denmark. Denmark can only advance with a win, though it would need a better goal differential than Tunisia if the African country upsets France.

Here is Wednesday’s schedule:

  • Australia vs. Denmark, 10 a.m., FS1
  • Tunisia vs. France, 10 a.m., Fox
  • Poland vs. Argentina, 2 p.m., Fox
  • Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico, 2 p.m., FS1

Nov 29, 5:24 PM EST
Christian Pulisic taken to hospital for scans

U.S. star Christian Pulisic was taken to the hospital for scans on his abdomen after the team’s win over Iran.

Pulisic sustained an injury after he slammed into Iranian goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand while scoring the eventual game-winning goal late in the first half. Though he stayed down for several minutes and had to be helped to the sideline, he did return to the game.

The 24-year-old was substituted out at halftime. U.S. head coach Gregg Berhalter said immediately following the game he did not have an update on Pulisic’s condition. The U.S.’s next game is Saturday.

Nov 29, 4:21 PM EST
Biden congratulates USA soccer team

President Joe Biden celebrated the U.S. win over Iran at the World Cup following remarks in Bay City, Michigan. He walked back up on stage and delivered his congratulations:

“USA! USA! That’s a big game, man. Well, I spoke to the coach and the players and said, ‘You can do it,’” Biden said.

He continued, “They did it. God love ‘em! Anyway, just thought you might want to hear.”

The U.S. will face the Netherlands at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the knockout round.

-ABC News’ Ben Gittleson

Nov 29, 4:05 PM EST
US advances to knockout stage with 1-0 win against Iran

The United States has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup with a 1-0 win over Iran.

Walker Zimmerman played hero for the U.S. in the 98th minute when he cleared a loose ball from just feet in front of their net.

The U.S. finished second in Group B and will face the Netherlands, the winner of Group A, in the knockout round.

Nov 29, 3:55 PM EST
England takes group with easy win against Wales

England is ticketed for the knockout stage and the top spot in Group B after a 3-0 win against Wales.

Marcus Rashford had a brace with goals in the 50th and 68th minutes and Phil Foden added one in the middle, just one minute after Rashford’s first goal.

England will face the second-place team in Group A, Senegal, in the first knockout match of the tournament.

Nov 29, 3:16 PM EST
England scores 2 quick goals to take 2-0 lead

England came out of the halftime on fire with two quick goals against Wales to take a 2-0 lead.

Marcus Rashford scored in the 50th minute on a beautiful free kick from just outside the box, followed by a goal from Phil Foden a minute later.

England advances to the second round with a win or draw. With a two-goal lead, they appear poised to earn the top spot in Group B.

Nov 29, 2:59 PM EST
US leads 1-0 at the half, England-Wales remains scoreless

The U.S. leads 1-0 against Iran at the half in a game they must win to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Star striker Christian Pulisic scored the first goal of the game in the 38th minute on an assist from Sergiño Dest. Dest headed a ball to Pulisic, who was crashing into the box and knocked the ball into the bottom left corner of the net before crashing into Iran’s goalkeeper.

The U.S. came very close to making it 2-0 in stoppage time of the first half when Timothy Weah beat the keeper one-on-one. However, Weah, who had scored the only goal in the tournament so far for the U.S., was called offside.

In the other Group B match, England and Wales remain tied at 0-0. England just needs a draw to advance to the knockout stage.

Nov 29, 12:02 PM EST
Senegal, Netherlands advance from Group A

The first two teams to advance out of group play are Senegal and Netherlands. Netherlands cruised to a 2-0 victory over host country Qatar, while Senegal earned a 2-1 victory in a must-win match.

Senegal led 1-0 at the half on a penalty kick goal from Ismaila Sarr in the 44th minute. But Ecuador tied the game 1-1 in the 67th minute on a goal by Moises Caicedo off a corner kick. A draw would’ve meant Ecuador advanced to the knockout round.

But Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly scored the go-ahead goal just three minutes later off a free kick. The goal stood up as the game-winner.

A heavily favored Dutch side had no issues with Qatar, which had already been eliminated from contention for the second round. Cody Gakpo scored in the 26th minute and Frenkie de Jong added a second goal just four minutes into the second half. Netherlands finished atop the group with the win.

Netherlands will play the second-place team in Group B in the next round, while Senegal will face the winner of Group A. The U.S., if they advance over Iran, will likely take on Netherlands.

Nov 29, 11:03 AM EST
Senegal, Netherlands hold 1-0 leads at half

Senegal and the Netherlands hold one-goal leads at the half in the final matches in Group A.

Senegal, which likely needs a win to advance, scored a goal on a penalty kick by Ismaila Sarr in the 44th minute. Senegal leads Ecuador, 1-0. Ecuador needs a win or draw to advance to the knockout stage.

The Netherlands has had no problems with the host country of Qatar in the first half, leading 1-0 behind a goal from Cody Gakpo in the 26th minute. A win would put the Dutch into the second round.

Nov 29, 10:07 AM EST
Netherlands-Qatar and Ecuador-Senegal underway

The first two matches of the day are underway in Qatar, including the final game for the home squad.

Qatar, which cannot advance to the next round after losses in its first two matches, faces the Netherlands, which currently stands atop Group A. The Netherlands would advance with a win.

In the second match, Ecuador and Senegal face off with the winner guaranteeing a spot in the knockout stage. A draw would also be enough for Ecuador to move on.

If Senegal-Ecuador tie and Netherlands loses, it will come down to goal differential to determine whether Netherlands or Senegal advances. Netherlands is currently plus-2 in goal differential on Senegal, so they are looking good.

Nov 29, 9:56 AM EST
FiveThirtyEight gives US 38% chance of beating Iran

The odds of beating Iran are in the U.S.’s favor, but the overall chances of advancing to the knockout round are not — at least according to FiveThirtyEight’s World Cup predictions.

The U.S. has a 38% chance of winning, while Iran has a 31% chance, with a 31% chance of a draw. Only a win will put Team USA into the next round, so that means there’s a 62% chance they won’t advance to the knockout stage.

For those looking even further down the line, the U.S. has less than a 1% chance of winning the World Cup — the same as Iran. For those looking on the bright side, the U.S. does have a 15% chance of making the quarterfinals.

FiveThirtyEight uses its Soccer Power Index ratings to determine the likely winner. The SPI draws from a database of international matches dating back to 1905. For a full explanation of how the rankings work, click here.

Nov 29, 9:16 AM EST
Pandas predict a US win against Iran

Good news for the U.S. men’s team — Qatar’s psychic pandas Thuraya and Suhail have chosen the U.S. to beat Iran in today’s must-win matchup.

The two pandas were gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate it as the host country of the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day’s matchups.

However, the pandas are not given the choice of a draw and they’re not always correct.

The pandas also chose England over Wales, Senegal over Ecuador and Qatar over the Netherlands in today’s matches.

Nov 29, 8:54 AM EST
Blinken denies ‘geopolitical’ nature of World Cup

When Secretary of State Antony Blinken was asked about the unrest in Iran and China as it related to the game between the U.S. and Iran at the World Cup later today, Blinken said “let’s let the athletes do their thing,” expressing his belief that there are no geopolitical implications beyond a competitive game.

“I’m certainly confident in [the athletes’] abilities to do well on the field. And I don’t think there are any particular geopolitical aspects to this, other than that,” he added.

Affirming the right to protest, Blinken closed his answer, saying “protests that we’re seeing in China, protests that we’re seeing for different reasons, in Iraq, in other places — our position is the same everywhere, which is that we support the right of people everywhere to peacefully protest to make known their views, their concerns and their frustrations.”

Nov 28, 8:07 PM EST
Must-win match for USA highlights Tuesday schedule

The U.S.’s future in the World Cup will be decided Tuesday against Iran. After draws against Wales and England, the U.S. can only advance to the knockout stage with a win; anything else and they will be boarding a flight home.

Iran, ranked nine spots lower than USA in the FIFA rankings, defeated Wales and was blown out by England, so they are facing a similar situation as the U.S. — though a draw could also result in them making it out of the group stage as well. Wales can only advance with an unlikely dominating performance against England.

The match has almost been eclipsed by controversy over the U.S. Soccer Federation posting a photo of the Iranian flag on Twitter without the Islamic symbol. The post was to show support for protesters in Iran, and has earned calls for FIFA to kick the USA out of the competition. That’s unlikely, but Iran can handle it on the field by simply beating the USA. FiveThirtyEight’s predictions give the U.S. a 38% chance of winning versus 31% for Iran (with a 31% chance of a draw).

This is only the third time the two countries have met. They faced off in another politically heated match in the 1998 World Cup when the U.S. government called Iran the “most active” sponsor of terrorism just weeks beforehand. Iran won that match, 2-1.

The other two games on Tuesday will be in Group A, including the final match for the home country. Unfortunately for local fans, Qatar has already been eliminated from contention for the knockout stages. Netherlands can advance with a win over Qatar (or a draw and some help), while the winner of Ecuador-Senegal will also advance. Ecuador would advance with a draw.

Tuesday’s schedule of matches:

  • Ecuador vs. Senegal, 10 a.m., FS1
  • Netherlands vs. Qatar, 10 a.m., Fox
  • Iran vs. United States, 2 p.m., Fox
  • Wales vs. England, 2 p.m., FS1

Nov 28, 6:28 PM EST
White House won’t comment on Iran flag flap

The White House declined to comment on the Iranian flag flap created by the U.S. Soccer Federation’s removal of the Islamic emblem from a photo on the U.S. men’s national team’s Twitter account.

National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the White House would not have comment during a White House press briefing Monday afternoon.

“This isn’t the kind of thing that you would — that the White House would — comment on,” Kirby said at the briefing. “USA soccer is a private entity, and they make their own decisions about those kinds of things, and we wouldn’t comment on that. We wish them all the best tomorrow.”

Kirby also said he wasn’t aware of any conversations or consultations involving anyone from the U.S. government about the U.S. Soccer Federation’s decision to alter the flag.

The logo was later added back to the flag in the team’s Twitter header. The federation had said it was done to support protesters in the country currently demonstrating against the totalitarian regime and its treatment of women.

-ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky

Nov 28, 5:26 PM EST
US coach, captain try to avoid Iran flag controversy

U.S. national team coach Gregg Berhalter tried to keep the focus on Tuesday’s game at a press conference as he faced questions about why the U.S. team’s Twitter account removed the Islamic emblem from Iran’s flag in a post Sunday. He also insisted his team had no knowledge of the post.

The U.S. soccer federation said it removed the logo to show support for those protesting in the country against authoritarian rule and its treatment of women.

Berhalter tried to keep the focus on the uniting power of sports and the World Cup, even as Iran called for the U.S. to be kicked out of the World Cup for altering its flag.

“Sport is something that should bring people together, bring countries together,” Berhalter said. “When you look at the Olympics, to see all those countries competing at the same time, is a wonderful event. The World Cup is very similar, where people come from all around the world. Fans come from all around the world, and you get to compete on the field, as brothers, so sport does have the ability to do that.”

U.S. captain Tyler Adams was criticized by an Iranian reporter for mispronouncing “Iran,” which he apologized for, and he was questioned about discrimination in the U.S., saying it is everywhere but there has been progress. But he also deflected attention back to the game.

“Listen, we support Iran’s people and Iran’s team. But that being said, you know, we’re laser focused on this match as they are as well,” Adams, 23, told reporters. “We know how important this is for our progress of our team and what we want to do to prove to our country, you know, how hard we’ve been working. And we know they want to do exactly the same.”

The U.S. must defeat Iran Tuesday to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

-ABC News’ Karyn Rhodus

Nov 28, 4:29 PM EST
Portugal cruises to win over Uruguay, clinches spot in knockout stage

Portugal dispatched Uruguay on Monday, taking its second win of the tournament and guaranteeing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will see the knockout stage in what is almost certainly the 37-year-old’s last World Cup.

Portugal won 2-0 behind two goals from Bruno Fernandes. The Manchester United star — briefly Ronaldo’s teammate before Man U dismissed the star — scored the match’s first goal in the 54th minute and then added the clincher in the 93rd minute on a penalty kick.

Portugal will play South Korea on Friday, but will likely rest some players to get them ready for the knockout stage.

Nov 28, 1:03 PM EST
Brazil tops Switzerland

In the Group G competition Monday, Brazil beat Switzerland 1-0 with a late-game goal by Casemiro.

With that, Brazil has won both its matches so far in the tournament and sits atop the group.

Nov 28, 10:14 AM EST
Ghana defeats South Korea, Cameroon and Serbia tie

Ghana won over South Korea 3-2 in a high-intensity match that saw the momentum change several times over.

Ghana started strong, with Mohammed Salisu scoring 24 minutes in and Mohammed Kudus at 34 minutes, bringing the score to 2-0 by halftime.

But then Cho Gue-sung of South Korea scored twice, at the 58th minute and again just three minutes later. He scored both goals on a header from a cross, the second powerful strike followed by an exuberant team celebration as it tied up the game.

Ghana met the challenge just minutes later, with Kudus scoring once more to put Ghana back in the lead.

With 10 minutes of extra time, South Korea was not able to score again as the Ghanaian team successfully defended multiple goal opportunities.

Earlier Monday, in Group G, Cameroon and Serbia ended in a 3-3 tie.

Nov 27, 3:59 PM EST
Germany, Spain tie

Germany and Spain ended their high-energy match in a 1-1 tie Sunday.

Both goals came late in the game, with Spain’s Álvaro Morata scoring at 62 minutes and Germany’s Niclas Füllkrug at 83 minutes.

Nov 27, 1:06 PM EST
Croatia beats Canada 4-1

Croatia handily beat Canada four goals to one. Croatia’s goals were scored by Marko Livaja, Lovro Majer and Andrej Kramaric, who scored twice.

Canada’s Alphonso Davies scored their sole point, the country’s first in a men’s FIFA World Cup, within the first three minutes of the match.

Croatia is now the top team in Group F, while Canada will not advance.

Nov 27, 11:23 AM EST
Morocco beats Belgium 2-0

Morocco beat Belgium Sunday with two goals over zero.

The first goal was scored by Abdelhamid Sabiri 73 minutes in on a free kick near the corner. The second goal came in extra minutes, scored by Zakaria Aboukhlal chipping off a smart assist by Hakim Ziyech.

This win puts Morocco at the top of Group F.

Nov 27, 8:12 AM EST
Costa Rica beats Japan 1-0 with late goal

Costa Rica beat the favored Japan 1-0 with a late goal on Sunday.

Keysher Fuller scored the match’s sole goal at the 81-minute mark, shooting from inside the 18-yard box and slipping the ball past the fingertips of Japan’s goaltender, Shuichi Gonda.

The goal was Costa Rica’s first of the tournament after losing 7-0 against Spain in its opening game.

Nov 26, 4:15 PM EST
Argentina tops Mexico 2-0 in vital win

After a stunning loss to Saudi Arabia, Argentina defeated Mexico 2-0.

Argentina and Saudi Arabia now have three points each. The team that wins their third match in this round will likely head to the knockouts.

Nov 26, 1:30 PM EST
France defeats Denmark 2-1 in heated match

France defeated Denmark 2-1 with a last minute goal from Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappé, in what was a tight game between the two Group D teams.

Mbappé also scored France’s first goal of the match. The win solidifies France’s spot in the knockout round.

To qualify for the next round, Denmark will have to defeat Australia on Wednesday.

Nov 26, 12:17 PM EST
Poland defeats Saudi Arabia 2-0

Poland defeated Saudi Arabia 2-0, putting the Polish team in Group C’s top spot.

Saudi Arabia has the second highest number of points in the group thanks to its surprise 2-1 win over Argentina. Mexico and Argentina will face off later today, where Mexico could knock Argentina out of the tournament with a win.

Nov 26, 8:04 AM EST
Saudi Arabia can qualify for elimination round with win over Poland

Poland and Saudi Arabia have kicked off at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia shocked the football world this week with a 2-1 over Argentina, one of the favorites to win the World Cup. Poland played Mexico and earned a scoreless draw against the squad to take one point away from the match.

The second Group C match of the day will take place later on where Mexico can eliminate Argentina from the competition with a win.

Nov 26, 7:07 AM EST
Australia defeats Tunisia for their first World Cup win since 2010

Australia and Tunisia played a tight game throughout with each squad having their chances to score but it was Australia who ultimately prevailed 1-0 over the North African side.

Tunisia is now on the backfoot when it comes to qualifying for the knockout rounds but they have not formally been eliminated in the loss to Australia. Australia have garnered three points in their two matches thus far. Tunisia has earned one point in their matches. Denmark takes on France later today in the other Group D match.

Nov 25, 4:09 PM EST
US and England tie 0-0

The U.S. and England tied in their match on Friday, ending the game without scoring any goals.

To advance to the next round, the U.S. will need to win its match against Iran on Tuesday.

England won its match against Iran on Monday 6-2.

Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
Neymar injures right ankle during Brazil’s 1st match

Soccer star Neymar injured his right ankle during Brazil’s match against Serbia Thursday.

The team’s doctor Rodrigo Lasmar said Neymar sprained his ankle and said he is confident Neymar will continue playing at the World Cup, according to the Associated Press.

Nov 25, 12:47 PM EST
China gifts Qatar two pandas tasked with predicting game winners

Thuraya and Suhail are two pandas gifted to Qatar from China to celebrate their hosting the World Cup. Every day, they are tasked with predicting which countries will win that day’s matchups.

Fans of the U.S. men’s soccer team may hope this less-than-stellar rate holds as the pandas predicted this morning that England wins in the team’s group stage match.

Nov 25, 12:37 PM EST
Senegal beats Qatar 3-1

Senegal beat World Cup host Qatar 3-1, in what was the host’s first appearance in the tournament ever.

The two other Group A members, the Netherlands and Ecuador, are set to face off on Friday.

Nov 25, 7:30 AM EST
Wales suffers defeat at the hands of Iran

With two goals allowed in added time, Wales lost a tight match to Iran 2-0.

In the defeat, Wales has one point in Group B and Iran now has three. The United States will play England later today to wrap up the second games for each team in the group at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Nov 25, 6:00 AM EST
Wales and Iran battle to 0-0 at halftime in each squad’s second match

In a closely fought match between the two teams, Wales and Iran have played a tight match so far at halftime at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Ar-Rayyan.

Wales has had possession 54% of the time to Iran’s 30% with the ball contested 16% of the time.

England is leading Group B with three points and they will play the United States who garnered point against Wales in their first match. Wales is tied with the U.S. with one point and Iran yet to put points on the table.

Nov 24, 10:39 PM EST
Brazil wins against Serbia as Neymar suffers ankle injury

Brazil defeated Serbia 2-0 in the opening for Group G at Lusail Stadium courtesy of Brazilian forward Richarlison’s double goals.

Brazil’s Neymar, one of the sport’s most popular players, sprained his ankle, according to Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar.

Now at the top of the Group G standings, Brazil will play Switzerland on Monday, while Serbia will face Cameroon.

Nov 24, 8:43 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.

Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.

Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.

Nov 24, 2:04 PM EST
Portugal beats Ghana 3-2 as Ronaldo breaks record

Soccer star Christiano Ronaldo made history today, becoming the first male player to score in five different World Cups after scoring a penalty kick in Portugal’s opening match.

Portugal now leads Group H after defeating Ghana 3-2.

Ronaldo left Manchester United earlier this week after an explosive TV interview in which he criticized the club and manager Erik ten Hag.

Nov 24, 11:39 AM EST
Uruguay and South Korea draw 0-0

Uruguay and South Korea did not score any goals in their first appearance in the 2022 World Cup, ending the game with a 0-0 draw.

The two other teams in the group, Portugal and Ghana, are also facing off today.

Nov 24, 8:10 AM EST
Uruguay takes on South Korea

The match between Uruguay and South Korea has kicked off in Al Rayyan, Qatar.

This match is the first one featuring teams from Group H, the last group not to have played yet in Qatar 2022. The other two teams, Ghana and Portugal, will play later today.

Nov 24, 7:07 AM EST
Switzerland defeats Cameroon 1-0

Cameroon-born Swiss star Breel Embolo scored the only goal of the match in the 48th minute shortly after the half as Switzerland defeated Cameroon in the first game of the World Cup for each squad in Group G.

Embolo, who plays for Ligue 1 club Monaco in France, refused to celebrate in what would be the only goal of the match and held up his hands after scoring before he was mobbed by his teammates in celebration.

Switzerland will next play Brazil on Monday while Cameroon will take on Serbia the same day.

Nov 23, 1:02 PM EST
Spain looks like Cup contender with rout of Costa Rica

Spain, one of the oddsmakers’ favorites to hoist the World Cup trophy next month, did nothing to dissuade those picking the 2010 champs to win another title.

Spain defeated Costa Rica 7-0 in the most lopsided game of the tournament so far. Costa Rica had zero shots on goal in the match.

Ferran Torres had two goals, while Dani Olmo, Marco Asensio, Gavi, Carlos Soler and Alvaro Morata each had one.

It was the most goals scored by Spain in a World Cup game, topping the six they scored against Bulgaria in 1998. Spain next plays Germany on Sunday, with the German side facing elimination with a loss.

Nov 23, 10:16 AM EST
Japan shocks Germany with 2 goals in final 15 minutes

Germany controlled possession throughout the first half and appeared ready to cruise to a opening game victory. Then Japan turned it on in a shocking final 15 minutes to steal the win.

German Ilkay Gundogan scored on a penalty kick in the 33rd minute, and thought they had added a second late in the first half before a review took it off the board.

In the second, Ritsu Doan tied the game at 1-1 in the 75th minute after coming on the pitch just four minutes earlier. Eight minutes later, Takuma Asano gave Japan the 2-1 lead and held on for the win.

Nov 23, 10:14 AM EST
German players cover mouths in protest

The starting 11 for Germany posed for photos covering their mouths before the match with Japan in a sign of protest.

Several European team captains had planned to wear “OneLove” armbands during the tournament as a protest against Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ laws. However, FIFA cracked down on the teams’ decision and promised to immediately hand out yellow cards to any player violating the rules on uniform.

Also, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser was pictured wearing the armband while watching in the stands, alongside embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino. She had previously said she might not even attend the World Cup due to concerns over human rights.

Nov 23, 7:04 AM EST
Croatia and Morocco draw 0-0

Croatia and Morocco failed to score in their match, which ended up being the third 0-0 draw in the 2022 World Cup so far.

The other two teams in the group, Canada and Belgium, will face off later today at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium — popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium — in Al Rayyan, Qatar. It will be Canada’s first World Cup match in 36 years and only their second ever appearance at the tournament.

Nov 23, 6:57 AM EST
Morocco and Croatia battle to 0-0 draw at halftime

Croatia controlled possession of the ball 51% of the time to Morocco’s 36% in the first half of the Group F match at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar.

Croatia had two corner kick opportunities but were unable to capitalize on those opportunities to score while Morocco had one less foul in the first half than the European side.

Nov 23, 5:08 AM EST
Match between 2018 World Cup runners-up and Morocco kicks off

Croatia, runners-up to France in the 2018 World Cup, has taken the field against the second-best team in Africa, Morocco, in Group F’s first match of the tournament.

Morocco has not won a World Cup match since 1998 and has only ever emerged from the qualifying rounds in the tournament once, 36 years ago in 1986.

Nov 22, 4:23 PM EST
Soccer powers take the stage on Wednesday

Germany, Spain and Belgium take to the field on Wednesday as they each look to open the tournament with a win — and deliver a message that they are in World Cup-winning form. Germany and Spain won the World Cup in 2014 and 2010, respectively, while Belgium is No. 2 in the FIFA world rankings.

Our neighbors to the north, Canada, also get their World Cup underway. This is just the second time Canada has appeared in the World Cup and certainly want to do better than that appearance in 1986 when they went 0-3 in the group stage.

Here’s the schedule for Wednesday:

  • Morocco vs. Croatia, 5 a.m., FS1
  • Germany vs. Japan, 8 a.m., FS1
  • Spain vs. Costa Rica, 11 a.m., Fox
  • Belgium vs. Canada, 2 p.m., Fox

Nov 22, 4:07 PM EST
Defending champion France routs Australia

Just nine minutes into France’s opening round match with Australia they trailed 1-0 behind a goal from Craig Goodwin.

But any thoughts of the defending World Cup champions stumbling to a loss in their opener — like Argentina earlier in the day — were erased by Adrien Rabiot in the 28th minute. Five minutes later, Olivier Giroud banged one home to take the lead.

The rout was on in the second half when 23-year-old French star Kylian Mbappe headed one home in the 68th minute. Giroud scored a brace with his second goal in the 71st minute. The goal tied him with legend Thierry Henry for the most international goals in French history.

France finished with 23 shots to Australia’s four. The Aussies had just one shot on goal.

Nov 22, 1:11 PM EST
Mexico, Poland go scoreless after Lewandowski misses penalty

Mexico and Poland, both teams hoping to advance to the knockout stage, finished 0-0 in their opening match after Polish star Robert Lewandowski missed a penalty kick in the second half.

Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa came up with a big stop in the 58th minute Tuesday. Mexico, meanwhile, dominated possession — 61% to 39% — and had 11 shots but couldn’t break through.

Lewandowski, one of his generation’s great forwards, has not scored a World Cup goal in four matches.

Nov 22, 11:12 AM EST
Fans show off team pride with crazy costumes

Win or lose, you can always count on fans to show up — often in the most outlandish outfits.

-ABC News’ Moe Zoyari

Nov 22, 10:04 AM EST
Denmark, Tunisia settle for scoreless draw

Denmark, one of the sleeper picks to win the tournament, settled for a 0-0 draw with Tunisia in their first game in Group D. It was the first scoreless draw of the tournament and only the second draw — after the U.S.-Wales on Monday.

The Danes are ranked 10th in the world, while Tunisia is ranked 30th.

Denmark held its collective breath in the 93rd minute when the referee was called over to look at VAR for a hand ball, but the ruling came back with no penalty.

Nov 22, 9:35 AM EST
World Cup’s New High-Tech Ball Will Change Soccer Forever: FiveThirtyEight

When the 2022 World Cup made its debut on Sunday, it kicked off one of the most significant in-game uses of technology in sports history.

All tournament long, match balls will contain a sensor that collects spatial positioning data in real time — the first World Cup to employ such a ball-tracking mechanism. This, combined with existing optical tracking tools, will make VAR (video assistant referees) and programs like offside reviews more accurate and streamlined than they’ve ever been.

Combining these two forms of tracking has long been a holy grail of sorts in technology circles, and FIFA’s use of the ball sensor in particular will serve as a highly public test case over the next four weeks.

For more on the technology and how it will affect the World Cup, read FiveThirtyEight’s in-depth investigation.

Nov 22, 9:16 AM EST
Budweiser plans celebration with unused beer

With millions of dollars in unused beer sitting in Qatar, the company AB InBev says it will be bringing the beer to the winning country for an “ultimate” celebration.

“Where there is a celebration, there is always a Budweiser. In that spirit, Budweiser wants to bring this celebration from the FIFA World Cup stadiums to the winning country’s fans,” the company said in a statement. “We will host the ultimate championship celebration for the winning country. Because, for the winning fans, they’ve taken the world. More details will be shared when we get closer to the finals.”

Nov 22, 9:03 AM EST
Saudi Arabia stuns Argentina

Lionel Messi and Argentina were stunned by Saudi Arabia on Tuesday as the Saudis rallied to beat one of the tournament’s favorites, 2-1.

Messi, one of the sport’s all-time greats, scored in the 10th minute on a penalty kick. But Saudi Arabia came out strong in the second half with goals in the 48th minute by Saleh Al-Shehri and in the 53rd minute by Salem Al-Dawsari.

 

Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Police forces scramble to fill vacancies as crime rises

ABC News

(PHILADELPHIA) — Across the country, police forces are scrambling to keep their roll call numbers at full staff, but officials said they’ve been hit with challenges.

Burnout, low morale, and dejection have caused many cops, both long-time veterans and newcomers, to quit and change careers and recent public backlash against excessive police force has resulted in a drop in new applications, according to police officials.

In Philadelphia, the police force is facing a shortage of 600 officers, roughly 10% of its full force.

“It’s critical now,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw told ABC News of her force’s staffing levels. “It’s already critical, was critical a year ago.”

Outlaw and other police chiefs said the nation’s officer turnover issue is coming at a crucial time with crime on the rise and they’re working hard to get officers on the streets.

Several other cities have also reported officer shortages during the last two years.

Los Angeles’ police force is down roughly 500 officers and New Orleans’ police department has 300 fewer officers this year compared to 2021, according to data from the departments and local media reports.

A survey released two weeks ago by the Police Executive Research Forum found that three out of every four police departments have warned that their number of new applicants have declined over the last five years.

Kevin Davis, the police chief for the Fairfax County Virginia police, told ABC News that exit interviews show officers are leaving because they’re not feeling valued and can find better opportunities elsewhere.

“They’re going into IT, they’re going into sales, they’re teaching,” he told ABC News. “We’ve even had a person leave to go be a farmer.”

Anthony Carapucci told ABC News that he turned in his badge and gun after about a decade with the Philadelphia police department this year because he felt burned out.

“Yes, it’s a good job. It’s an honorable job, but it’s almost not worth it,” Carapucci, the son of two police officers, said.

Outlaw acknowledged the increased toll that her officers are facing, especially since they’re needed to take on extra duties to fill the voids.

The retention issue has also created a grave safety concern, she said. While Philadelphia police still respond quickly to 911 calls for shootings, homicides, and other serious crimes, the commissioner said it may take longer for officers to respond to lower-priority calls.

Philadelphia saw a record-breaking 562 homicides last year, according to police statistics. More than 460 people have been murdered in the city so far this year, statistics show.

Some Philly residents have said they’ve seen a difference in the lower police presence.

Kanitra Scott, who runs Nuvo’s Glam and Glow Hair Salon in Germantown, told ABC News that there have been a number of shootings outside her store since a patrol car stopped coming to patrol.

“All the killings started from the summer until now,” she said.

Police officials said that some of their officers have been discouraged by the public criticism following instances of police brutality.

When asked to respond to critics who say law enforcement may have undermined its own credibility and discouraged some potential recruits from pursuing a career in law enforcement, Outlaw rejected that notion adding “the same people who raised their voices against misconduct were the same ones “that will call 911 and will file a complaint if we don’t get there quickly enough.”

Still the commissioner and other chiefs said that the best way to tackle this issue is to convince communities that policing is still a “trusted profession.”

“Examine your heart, do you want to serve? Do you want to make your community better and your family safer and your neighbor safer and your friends safer?” Fairfax County’s Davis said.

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