As Mohamed Ouahbi, the Moroccan manager, revisits the first half of their heavy defeat in Houston, he’ll likely be even more certain of his team’s potential to reach the World Cup final.

During the opening 45 minutes against Canada, Morocco seemed to lose their identity. The players bickered among themselves and appeared disjointed on the field, performing worse than anyone might have anticipated.

Young sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi was barely noticeable, and the team’s key player, Ismael Saibari, struggled with a hamstring injury, nearly in tears when he had to leave the game. Meanwhile, captain Achraf Hakimi was largely sidelined from the action. 

It marked a historical low for Morocco, as they failed to register even a single shot in the first 25 minutes of a World Cup match, entering the halftime break with a meager 0.02 expected goals (xG).

Ouahbi spurred his team into action, prompting a players-only huddle in the tunnel before they returned to the pitch for the second half. The transformation of the team by the end of the 98-minute game was astonishing compared to their lackluster first-half performance.

A brace from Azzedine Ounahi and one from substitute Soufiane Rahimi, settled this last-16 tie. Moments of genuine quality that undid all of Canada’s carefully constructed game-planning.

Strife didn’t break Morocco, just like it didn’t break them against the Netherlands when they were staring an early exit in the face. Just like it won’t break them in the quarter-final against France or Paraguay.

BELIEVE IN BRAHIM

Brahim Diaz is used to pressure having turned out for Real Madrid, Manchester City, and AC Milan.

He’s a Champions League winner, a Premier League winner, a two-time LaLiga winner, a Super Cup winner, a Serie A winner, an Africa Cup of Nations winner, you get the idea.

So to see him questioned by Moroccan media in the lead-up to this game was bordering on the remarkable.

‘He is in a good place and is one of our best players. He is relaxed, and so am I,’ Ouahbi said. How pleased he’ll have been to see Diaz fire the perfect message to his critics in Houston.

Diaz, the outstanding player at the 2025 ‌Africa Cup of Nations where he finished as tournament top scorer, took over this second half and took responsibility when his side was searching for its leaders to step forward.

First he teed up Ounahi for his and Morocco’s second goal with a perfectly weighted cutback, then came the final-second breakaway when his through ball was turned in by Rahimi, taking his tournament total to four assists. Only France’s Michael Olise has more (5).

‘With major players, we are always expecting more from them,’ Ouahbi said, ‘but he does not need to be a game-changer every single day.’

Diaz, who now has the most assists of ANY African player in World Cup history, was questioned and answered the call. Ouahbi will be delighted.

COPING WITHOUT SAIBARI

The black mark against this victory for Morocco centres on whether Saibari’s tournament is over or not.

With Saibari flat on his back, he pulled up his shirt, desperate for cameras not to see the tears that looked set to inevitably flow as his game, and maybe tournament, was cut short.

Bayern Munich’s latest signing, who scored in all three group stage games, was clutching his right hamstring and, if that is any more than the most minor of tweaks, it appears inevitable that Saibari’s World Cup is over and done with.

The fact Morocco scored with all three of their shots on target in the second half is a positive and will be the type of clinical nature Morocco will need to sustain if Saibari is missing from the line-up.

Rahimi was a willing runner and his hold-up was crucial to helping Morocco get up the pitch when they began turning the screw.

But if Saibari is out, things have to change. Morocco will hope the second half against Canada put down a blueprint on how to succeed without their star man at the point of their attack.

CANADA STAR POWER

Jesse Marsch sat on a drinks cooler, with his head resting in the palm of his left hand, struggling to understand how Canada had done so much right, only to get the most important part wrong to exit the World Cup.

This Morocco team, unbeaten in 33 games, stretching all the way back to a defeat to Kenya in August 2025, have ‘literally zero weaknesses’ Marsch said in the build-up.

And yet Marsch had a plan. Back once again as the underdogs, Marsch had a trick or two up his sleeve.

For 45 minutes the plan worked flawlessly in Houston, restricting Morocco to nothing of any value.

But, truth be told, Canada didn’t have enough creativity, enough invention, enough flair, enough star power to turn brilliant execution out of possession to the decisive moment when they did have the ball.

When the ball left Ounahi’s boot, picked out cleverly from a Morocco free-kick five minutes into the second half, the dynamic of this contest changed.

Canada’s disciplined 4-4-2 that had made Morocco look increasingly normal waned. They had to turn the screw and lacked the quality or invention to do so.

And so it became stretched. It became open. It became the type of game Morocco wanted all along. It became easy for Morocco.

Goals two and three did not tell the story of the game but at this level, reality checks are often brutal and this was no exception for Canada.

The second was a gift as Canada overcommitted chasing an equaliser and it was Ounahi who converted after a swift four-on-three break.

And then, in the closing seconds, the 98th minute, came the third. A real dagger. The reality check.

By this point Canada were sending their goalkeeper up with reckless abandon and Rahimi, teed up by Diaz, put the cherry on top after another breakaway goal.

Canada’s plan worked exceptionally well to nullify Morocco for 45 minutes. But eventually the onus will fall on you and your players to produce a moment or two of magic.

That was what separated the sides and is what Canada will need if they are to mirror what Morocco have done in back-to-back World Cups. At this level you need star power – and Canada simply don’t have it.

In the heart of New York City, patriotism shines brightly with a vibrant display of red, white, and blue.

A fresh survey, released just as the country gears up to commemorate its 250th birthday, suggests that an overwhelming number of city dwellers take pride in calling themselves Americans.

Despite New York’s longtime reputation as one of the less patriotic states, the Honan Strategy Group’s findings offer a different narrative. According to the poll, a notable 68% of New Yorkers expressed pride in being citizens of the United States.

Conversely, only 21% of those polled conveyed sentiments that could be considered anti-American.

While a significant portion of participants embrace their American identity, there is also a prevalent concern among them regarding the nation’s current trajectory.

Of the city dwellers surveyed, 43% percent think the country is in a “serious decline” and 62% are pessimistic about its future over the next 10 years. 

Thirty percent said America has dire issues but they can be fixed, according to the poll.

Only 19% of respondents believe the United States is the greatest nation in the world — even though 55% said they were thrilled for the America 250 celebrations in New York City.

“New Yorkers aren’t anti-American. They’re alarmed about America. That’s a very different thing and it’s the mood heading into July 4,” Bradley Honan, the group’s CEO, told The Post. 

New York’s complicated relationship with patriotism is nothing new.

The state is the second-least-patriotic state in the country, according to a WalletHub survey from June.

Arkansas residents are the least proud to be American, while people in Virginia are the most patriotic among all 50 states, that survey found. 

A fresh legal predicament has emerged for former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in the United States. Five Venezuelan families have filed a civil lawsuit, accusing him of orchestrating a police unit in Venezuela that engaged in extrajudicial killings and torture during his tenure in office.

The lawsuit claims that Maduro founded the Special Action Forces of Venezuela, commonly known as FAES, and maintained authority over the unit as it purportedly executed a campaign of extrajudicial killings between 2017 and 2021. The families are petitioning for compensatory and punitive damages under the Torture Victim Protection Act.

This legal action marks the second avenue of litigation against Maduro in the United States, where he is already facing trial on separate federal charges concerning drug trafficking and weapons. The lawsuit maintains that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York is an appropriate venue, as Maduro is presently held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

TRUMP ‘SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING’ PLAN TO MAKE VENEZUELA AND ITS $40 TRILLION IN OIL PERMANENT PART OF USA

According to the complaint, FAES officers routinely entered homes before dawn wearing black clothing and face coverings, separated young men from their families, forced many to their knees, executed them and then staged crime scenes to make it appear the victims had “resisted authority.” Plaintiffs also allege officers looted homes, planted weapons and transported victims to hospitals after they had already died in an effort to conceal the alleged killings.

The lawsuit details five incidents between 2017 and 2021 involving six victims and also accuses FAES officers of torturing three relatives by beating, detaining or forcing them to witness the killings before they were denied justice through Venezuela’s judicial system.

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs, Maduro’s attorney Barry Pollack and Amnesty International did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.

The lawsuit alleges Maduro established FAES in 2017 as a special tactical unit within Venezuela’s National Bolivarian Police and later publicly defended the force despite criticism from the United Nations and other human rights organizations. It cites reports from the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and the U.S. State Department documenting allegations of widespread human rights abuses by the unit.

The families argue they have been unable to obtain justice in Venezuela because prosecutors either refused to pursue investigations or failed to hold senior officials accountable, leaving them without an effective legal remedy in their home country.

The Torture Victim Protection Act allows civil claims in U.S. courts over alleged torture and extrajudicial killings committed under the authority of a foreign government.

Maduro served as Venezuela’s president from 2013 until 2026, according to the complaint. He has pleaded not guilty in his criminal case and has previously described himself as a “prisoner of war.”

While Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s nuptials might have been the most sought-after event at Madison Square Garden, not every celebrity chose to spend their Friday evening there.

Amid much anticipation, the couple exchanged vows in a grand ceremony attended by approximately 1,000 relatives, close friends, and stars from various industries, taking place in New York City’s glittering backdrop.

The illustrious guest list included luminaries like Jennifer Lopez, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Selena Gomez, Bradley Cooper, and Gigi Hadid, all part of this celebrated occasion.

In contrast to the Manhattan fanfare, Kendall Jenner, Jacob Elordi, Justin Bieber, and Hailey Bieber opted for a leisurely getaway nearly 2,500 miles away in Idaho over the holiday weekend.

The quartet was seen gearing up for fun as they boarded a speedboat from Kendall’s private residence at the exclusive Gozzer Ranch Golf & Lake Club situated on the picturesque shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Their absence from the wedding quickly fueled online speculation that they hadn’t made Swift and Kelce’s guest list, though it’s unclear whether any of the four were ever invited.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Jenner, Elordi and the Biebers for comment. 

The group kept things low-key for the outing, with Kendall and Jacob both sporting baseball caps, Hailey pulling her hair into a tight bun and Justin opting for a hoodie. 

The foursome were joined by several friends, turning the outing into a party of its own – though it was a far cry from the roughly 1,000 guests who reportedly attended Swift and Kelce’s lavish nuptials.

It may not come as a huge surprise to Swifties that Jenner wasn’t among the wedding guests, given Taylor’s years-long feud with her sister, Kim Kardashian.

The bad blood dates back to Kanye West’s infamous 2016 song Famous and the fallout over a leaked phone call, with Swift and Kardashian continuing to trade public barbs in the years since.

Hailey Bieber’s absence also raised eyebrows, with fans quick to point to her rumored feud with Swift’s BFF Selena Gomez.

Although both women have repeatedly denied any bad blood, that hasn’t stopped the internet from turning every social media move into fresh feud fodder.

The news comes after invited guest Maren Morris revealed the personalized favor Swift and Kelce handed out to guests.

The morning after the lavish celebration, Morris shared a series of glamorous Instagram snaps from the event before giving fans a closer look at the custom keepsake tucked away in the final photo.

The personalized handkerchief featured the couple’s bespoke wedding logo, made up of two intertwined Ts framed by hearts, alongside the wedding date, July 3, 2026, and the location, New York City.

In a sweet nod to the bride’s music, the memento also included the opening lyric from Swift’s 2014 hit Blank Space: ‘So it’s gonna be forever…’

Morris even paid tribute to the newlyweds in her caption, quoting another Swift classic as she wrote: ‘Baby just say yes,’ referencing the singer’s hit Love Story.

But the embroidered handkerchief wasn’t the only lavish gift guests took home during the wedding weekend.

Those invited to Thursday night’s intimate rehearsal dinner for around 100 of the couple’s closest family members and friends also left with velvet gift boxes embossed with the newlyweds’ intertwined ‘TT’ monogram.

According to Page Six, each box contained a champagne flute adorned with real diamonds, along with a frayed fabric card printed with what appeared to be the garden from Swift and Kelce’s now-famous engagement photos.

Guests also didn’t waste much time sharing details from inside the tightly guarded ceremony itself.

Just hours after the festivities wrapped, AMC CEO Adam Aron posted – before later deleting – an unusually detailed account of the ceremony, describing the couple’s vows as ‘long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing.’

‘Then the vows. Long, entertaining, personal, charming, emotional, irreverent and endearing explorations by each as to how they met, why they want to be with each other for all eternity, the promises they made in joining their much-beloved two whole families (Kelce’s and Swift’s) as one, and committing to their new mutual life together,’ he wrote.

Aron also revealed the transformed Madison Square Garden was draped in peach and white, while Swift stunned in a white gown with a long veiled train and Kelce wore a white tuxedo before the pair sealed the ceremony with what he described as ‘a sweep you off your feet kiss.’

by: Raquel Martin

Posted: Jul 4, 2026 / 03:14 PM CDT

Updated: Jul 4, 2026 / 03:38 PM CDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. (DC Bureau) — As the United States approaches its historic 250th birthday, a new landmark on the National Mall is being introduced. This monument is dedicated to acknowledging the influential women who have played a pivotal role in shaping American democracy, ensuring their contributions are honored in the nation’s narrative.

The Women’s Suffrage National Monument will be the inaugural memorial on the National Mall that focuses entirely on the campaign which granted women the right to vote. Advocates highlight this as a significant moment to honor the many women who fought tirelessly to expand the nation’s fundamental commitments to freedom and equality.

Washington Correspondent Raquel Martin spoke with the leaders behind the project about why they believe America’s “front yard” should reflect not only the nation’s founders, but the women who spent decades pushing the country closer to a more perfect union.

The special also explores the years-long bipartisan effort to bring the monument to life, why its location carries symbolic significance, and how Americans will help shape its final design as the nation marks America 250.