Representing an embattled nation living under assault, Ukraine’s men’s national team arrived in Scotland for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier fighting a lengthy domestic league layoff, underdog odds (+240), and a passionate home crowd.

Now, after a cathartic, emotional 3-1 victory, the Ukrainians are just one win from featuring in the globe’s biggest sporting event for only the second time.

Due to the ongoing Russian invasion, the Ukrainian Premier League suspended its season in February, then terminated it in April. Many of Ukraine’s players thus had limited playing time over recent months — but their countrymen on higher-profile European teams picked up much of the slack in Glasgow.

• Longtime midfielder Andriy Yarmolenko kicked off the scoring — he’s making around $126,000 per week with West Ham United.
• The next goal came from Roman Yaremchuk, whom Benfica reportedly paid $18.7M to acquire in July 2021.
• Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko added an assist on the stoppage-time dagger; he makes around $25,000 per week.

Aside from the morale boost a World Cup bid would provide for a country under siege, this team also has some very soccer-specific motivation.

Since joining FIFA in 1992, Ukraine has qualified just once, falling to eventual champions Italy in the 2006 quarterfinals.

To keep their dream run alive, Ukraine will have to go through Wales in Cardiff on Sunday. The Blue and Yellow are very slight underdogs (-110) to advance.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are counting on a veteran core to pull off the first Stanley Cup three-peat in almost 30 years — but maybe weren’t expecting to be routed by the youngest team left in the playoffs.

The Rangers stormed the Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final, a statement win anchored by New York’s “Kid Line” of Alexis Lafreniére, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil — all 22 or younger — who contributed three assists and five total points.

While superstars like Chris Kreider, Igor Shesterkin, and Mika Zibanejad rightly command most of the headlines, New York’s fourth line are showing clutch production at a relative bargain for a team with a $67.4 million salary cap.

• Chytil scored two goals in Game 1 and has seven total in the postseason — T2 for most in franchise history for players 22 or younger.
• Lafrenière (9 PTS) surpassed Niklas Sundstrom for the second-most career playoff points by a Rangers player 20 or younger.
• Lafrenière ($3.8M AAV), Kakko ($3.3M), and Chytil ($2.3M) account for only $9.4M of New York’s total cap — or roughly 14%.

All three are homegrown talent: Lafrenière was the first overall pick in 2020, Kakko second overall in 2019, and Chytil the 21st pick in 2017.

With an average age of 26.7 years, the Rangers could be the first Cup winners with an average age younger than 27 since the Canadiens in 1993 (26 YRS, 91 D). 

They’re slight favorites (-125) to make their first Stanley Cup Final since 2014.

The GOAT of women’s golf is back playing in her first major LPGA tournament in 13 years — but has the long layoff unjustly lowered expectations?

On Thursday, Annika Sorenstam shot a 3-over 74 in the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open in Southern Pines, North Carolina. 

The 51-year-old had retired in 2008 after 72 LPGA Tour wins, including 10 majors. Now, she’s arguably the biggest name in a field playing for the largest purse in LPGA history — $10 million, with $1.8M to the winner — and despite any expected rust, she can’t be counted out.

• She’s a three-time U.S. Women’s Open winner, including 1996 at Pine Needles.
• Sorenstam is the LPGA’s all-time money leader with $22.6M.
• The Swede is a record eight-time LPGA Tour Player of the Year.

After making her comeback on the senior circuit, Sorenstam qualified for the Open with an eight-shot victory in the 2021 U.S. Senior Women’s Open.

Now, she’s in a field where she’s twice the average age of the other golfers.

Despite her credentials, Sorenstam remains a wild long shot (+30,000) to win the Open.