16 going on 17

The GIST: One semi down, one to go — and boy was the first match an absolute thriller. No. 8 Spain are through to their first Euro final appearance since 2012 after yesterday’s 2–1 win over No. 2 France. Here’s how it happened and what to expect in the second semi this afternoon.

Spanish teen scores goal of the tourney: France opened the scoring with an eighth minute header, but sixteen-year-old Spanish forward Lamine Yamal quickly equalized, nailing this long range rocket in the 21st minute to become the youngest goalscorer in Euro history, just four days before his 17th birthday. Feliz cumpleaños, indeed.

• Less than four minutes later, forward Dani Olmo buried his third goal in three games, a golazo that would stand as the game-winner for La Roja.

• France’s loss means captain (and typically prolific scorer) Kylian Mbappé exits the tourney having scored only one goal (a penalty in the group stage) — a masked and muted performance that extends Les Bleus’ 24-year Euro trophy drought.

Next up, a clash of the comeback kids: The semis drama continues today at 3 p.m. ET, when No. 7 Netherlands battles No. 5 England. Both squads take the pitch after come-from-behind quarter-final dubs, adding an extra layer of unpredictability to the powerhouse match.

• England is aiming to make their second straight Euro final and find redemption (especially winger Bukayo Saka) after their heartbreaking 2020 loss to Italy, while the Netherlands, led by forward Cody Gakpo, have defeated the Brits in eight of their last nine matches.

• TL;DR? Expect the unexpected from the first whistle.

The GIST: Much like the Euro, one half of the Copa América final is set after No. 1 Argentina’s 2–0 win over No. 48 Canada last night. Let’s dive into the deets before the second semi kicks off tonight.

Lionel Messi ends Canada’s Cinderella run: Recently struggling Messi found his stride last night, scoring his first goal of the tourney and rising to second on the all-time men’s international goal-scoring list while sending the defending champs to the Copa final for the 30th time.

• As for CanMNT, their Copa debut ended in frustration — they accumulated 14 fouls and four yellow cards amid some questionable refereeing. Outside forces aside, the Canadians were outplayed by the Argentinians, registering only two shots on goal.

• That said, the red and white’s tourney run is still celebration-worthy. Canada went from an early 2022 FIFA men’s World Cup exit to the Copa semis under the leadership of new head coach Jesse Marsch. The future sure looks bright.

Up next — No. 14 Uruguay vs. No. 12 Colombia: Defensive-minded Uruguay meets offensive powerhouse Colombia tonight at 8 p.m. ET. Uruguay has allowed just one goal the entire tourney, while Colombia leads all teams in scoring with 11, including five in the quarter-final alone.

• Two players to watch? Uruguayan defender José Giménez and Colombian midfielder James Rodriguez. Giménez has been the key to Uruguay’s lock down D, while resurgent Rodriguez is reminding fans he’s still Colombia’s best playmaker, notching five assists throughout the tourney.

Guess who’s back, back again? The eagerly awaited second edition of Ally's Sports Spotlight. Time to beat the summer heat with the coolest women’s sports events in July:

• 🏀 WNBA All-Star Game, July 20th at 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC): This isn’t your average All-Star Game: This year, the selectees on Team USA will face off against the other All-Stars (aka Team WNBA) to build hype for the Paris Olympics. Magnifique.

• ⚽ Wrexham Summer Tour, July 19th through 26th (schedule here): The hit series Welcome to Wrexham is taking the show on the road from Wales to our West Coast, and this time, they’re bringing their women’s club with ’em. Wrex Coast, best coast.

• 🥎 Athletes Unlimited Pro Softball opening day, July 26th at 6 p.m. ET (ESPNU): Expect AU’s five-week softball season to begin with a bang. This radical approach to professional play packs so much action, you won’t want to miss a minute.

As one of the biggest women’s sports fans around, Ally’s spotlighting women athletes this month and always. Check out how they’re investing in women’s sports, and learn more about how they can help you become a financial All-Star, too.

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