As the U.S. women’s national team prepares for their Round of 16 matchup at the 2023 World Cup, they’ll do so without a key player: Rose Lavelle.

Lavelle picked up a yellow card for the second straight game in the USWNT’s 0-0 draw with Portugal on Tuesday, requiring her to sit out the team’s next game. The midfielder’s absence is a big blow for the U.S., who looked marginally better in the last two games with Lavelle on the field.

Rose Lavelle is given a yellow card 🟨 pic.twitter.com/ovuNG1mWmn

— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) August 1, 2023

“[Portugal] gave us a really good game. They made it frustrating for us,” Lavelle told FOX Sports. “We’re disappointed in ourselves, but we have another game to focus on. We made it through.”

Lavelle returned to the field at this World Cup after sitting out since April with a knee injury. The U.S. coaching staff had limited her minutes to start the tournament as she built her fitness back up.

The USWNT offense continues to look for answers after failing to capitalize on 17 shots — and six on goal — against Portugal. They will miss Lavelle’s creativity and distribution in the midfield in their Round of 16 matchup, most likely against Sweden, but the 28-year-old plans to contribute in other ways.

“We can control our energy. I think that’s going to be big,” she said. “I’m disappointed in myself for getting the yellow and not being able to help the team next game, but I think there’s other ways off the field I can help the team, and that’s what I’ll do. … We’re getting the chances, but it’s that final bit of ruthlessness in putting it away.”

Kelley O’Hara acknowledged Lavelle’s frustration after the Portugal game, giving her a hug and a message of inspiration.

“I just wanted her to know how much her presence on the field tonight had such an impact,” O’Hara said she told Lavelle. “Her energy and her fight and her aggressiveness and just her flair. Everything about her was huge for us and I don’t want her to forget that.”

South Carolina vs Texas A&M ended in a routing, as the Gamecocks overcame a shorthanded roster and motivated Aggies squad to secure a 71-56 victory on Monday.

Sophomore forward Joyce Edwards delivered a dominant performance in the SEC showdown, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season. Edwards was particularly clutch in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of her points in the final period.

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Junior guard Tessa Johnson provided support with 19 points, tying her career-high with five made three-pointers. Johnson caught fire early, sinking her first four attempts from beyond the arc and finishing 5-of-11 from range.

The Gamecocks built a 16-point lead late in the third quarter, before Texas A&M responded with a 7-0 run. That's when senior Aggies guard Ny'ceara Pryor hit a buzzer-beating three to cut South Carolina's advantage to 55-47.

Texas A&M pulled within four points early in the final period. But Edwards quickly shifted the narrative, scoring eight points on a 9-0 run to push South Carolina's lead to 67-53 with under two minutes remaining. The breakout performance subsequently sealed the results for South Carolina vs Texas A&M.

"The team that's able to grab it at any given moment can win basketball games," South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said postgame.

"They had it at the end of the third quarter, and we tried to figure out how to do that. I think we had more probably defensive momentum after we stopped fouling in the fourth quarter and then we were able to score."

The victory improved surging South Carolina to a 22-2 overall record and 8-1 in SEC play. They've also held tight to their No. 3 AP Poll ranking, despite missing starters Ta'Niya Latson and Agot Makeer to lower-leg injuries.

How to watch South Carolina women's basketball this week

South Carolina hosts unranked Mississippi State on Thursday at 6:30 PM ET, live on ESPN.

The Gamecocks' next ranked matchup comes on Sunday, tipping off against skidding No. 19 Tennessee at 3 PM ET, live on ESPN.

This year's Olympic hockey schedule is bringing the head, with the women's tournament kicking off on February 5th in Milan — one day before the Opening Ceremony.

The 2026 Winter Olympics features 10 nations competing across two groups through February 19th, when medal games will determine the podium finishers.

One heated rivalry is at the center of this year's hockey schedule. Defending champions Canada are seeking their sixth Olympic gold, while Team USA enters as the reigning world champions after ousting Canada from the 2025 World Championship.

From the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena to the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena, competition is expected to be fiercer than ever, as the third-year PWHL has elevated play across all participating nations. Here's everything you need to know.

Which countries feature in the Olympic hockey group stage?

Group A brings together the world's top-ranked teams: United States, Canada, Finland, Czech Republic, and Switzerland. These five teams automatically qualified based on IIHF world rankings, and were subsequently guaranteed quarterfinal spots. Group B consists of host nation Italy, plus Japan, Sweden, Germany, and France, all earning their positions through qualification tournaments.

Olympic hockey's preliminary rounds run through February 10th, with each team playing four group-stage matches. The knockout rounds follow, with the bronze and gold medal matches slated for February 19th.

Complete 2026 Winter Olympics hockey schedule

Olympic Hockey Schedule: Preliminary Round

Thursday, February 5th (Group stage)

• 6:10 AM ET — Sweden vs Germany (Group B)
• 8:40 AM ET — France vs Italy (Group B)
• 10:40 AM ET — Czechia vs United States (Group A)
• 3:10 PM ET — Canada vs Finland (Group A)

Friday, February 6th (Group stage)

• 6:10 AM ET — France vs Japan (Group B)
• 8:40 AM ET — Czechia vs Switzerland (Group A)

Saturday, February 7th (Group stage)

• 6:10 AM ET — Germany vs Japan (Group B)
• 8:40 AM ET — Sweden vs Italy (Group B)
• 10:40 AM ET — USA vs Finland (Group A)

Sunday, February 8th (Group stage)

• 10:40 AM ET — France vs Sweden (Group B)
• 3:10 PM ET — Czechia vs Finland (Group A)

Monday, February 9th (Group stage)

• 6:10 AM ET — Japan vs Italy (Group B)
• 10:40 AM ET — Germany vs France (Group B)
• 2:40 PM ET — Switzerland vs USA (Group A)
• 3:10 PM ET — Canada vs Czechia (Group A)

Tuesday, February 10th (Group stage)

• 6:10 AM ET — Japan vs Sweden (Group B)
• 10:40 AM ET — Italy vs Germany (Group B)
• 2:10 PM ET — Canada vs USA (Group A)
• 3:10 PM ET — Finland vs Switzerland (Group A)

Olympic Hockey Schedule: Knockout Round

Friday, February 13th (Quarterfinals)

• 10:40 AM ET — TBD
• 3:10 PM ET — TBD

Saturday, February 14th (Quarterfinals)

• 10:40 AM ET — TBD
• 3:10 PM ET — TBD

Monday, February 16th (Semifinals)

• 10:40 AM ET — TBD
• 3:10 PM ET — TBD

Thursday, February 19th

• 8:40 AM ET — Bronze Medal Game
• 1:10 PM ET — Gold Medal Game

While SC Corinthians fell just short of the inaugural intercontinental title on Sunday, the 2026 FIFA W Champions Cup final did prove a massive success for the Brazil league's champions, scoring the highest viewership for a women's club match in the South American country's history.

Brazilian network CazéTV covered the competition's semifinals and final, with the broadcaster registering more than 1 million concurrent streams during Sunday's championship match — a viewership that rivals Brazil's 2023 World Cup group-stage games.

Perhaps even more impressive, Sunday's 3-2 extra-time loss to WSL side Arsenal also coincided with Corinthians' men's team's Brazil Super Cup battle, stressing the growing popularity of the club's women's squad.

"It doesn't matter if it's basketball or football, women's or men's, I'm a Corinthian supporter," a traveling Brazilian fan told The Athletic, with many news outlets reporting on the team's sizable fan support at the FIFA tournament in London last week.

Sunday's Champions Cup viewership also reflects the Brazil club's overall rising attendance, with the team featuring in every one of the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A1 league's five highest-attended matches — and winning the Top 4.

Claiming seven of the last eight league championships — including the last six straight trophies — Corinthians' 2024 title match against São Paulo saw 44,529 fans pack Neo Química Arena, netting the largest crowd at a women's club soccer match in South American history.

The fan clamor for Corinthians bodes well for another upcoming FIFA tournament, with Brazil preparing to host the first-ever World Cup in South America in 2027.

"Football is about love and Brazil loves football," said Brazilian soccer legend Marta in a video for a 2027 World Cup event just last month. "Our country is ready to embrace the women's game with pride, emotion and belief."

Spain soccer star Alexia Putellas is hitting the pitch in style, with Nike releasing the two-time Ballon d'Or winner's first Player Edition with the sportswear giant — a bespoke Phantom 6 boot — earlier this week.

Drenched in a bold red, black, and metallic colorway, the Putellas boots include glitter designed to "create additional distinction under bright stadium lights."

With multiple elements highlighting the FC Barcelona attacker's lucky number 11, the Phantom 6 boots also feature the custom Nike logo for Putellas emblazoned on the heel.

Constructed from a pair of interlocking 11s that combine with the letter "A," Putellas's new logo forms a crown, referencing her nickname of "La Reina" — Spanish for "The Queen."

"Growing up in Spain, I could only watch men playing football," Putellas said in a Nike statement on Sunday. "I never dreamed about playing at Camp Nou or having my own Nike boot. This is crazy, but I'm enjoying the process."

Just days before her 32nd birthday, Putellas adds her new Nike Player Edition Phantom 6 boot to a resume stacked with a World Cup (2023), three UEFA Champions League trophies, and numerous Liga F titles as well as her two Ballons d'Or.

How to purchase the Alexia Putellas Nike Phantom 6 boots

The Nike Phantom 6 Alexia Putellas Player Edition boots are currently available for purchase in both adult and kids sizes at select retail stores and online at nike.com.