A Busy Start to September Across the Sports World

Cardinals Fight Back After a Difficult Stretch

Their series against the Baltimore Orioles got off to an awful start. The Cardinals were blown out 13-1 in the opener, with Baltimore exploding for eight runs in the fifth inning. Pete Alonso was at the center of the offensive attack, collecting four hits and driving in four runs.

Game two was a completely different story. The Cardinals pushed the Orioles to the limit before Baltimore escaped with an 8-7 victory. St. Louis had opportunities throughout the game, but a late RBI double from Christian Encarnacion-Strand gave Baltimore the winning run. Ivan Herrera also had an excellent night at the plate in the narrow loss. At that point, St. Louis was simply trying to avoid being swept.

The Cardinals responded. Rookie Blaze Jordan provided the spark they desperately needed, launching a three-run homer in the second inning for his first career home run at Busch Stadium. Ramón Urías added a two-run homer, while Gordon Graceffo gave the Cardinals a huge boost by throwing three perfect innings in a bullpen game. Even after Baltimore mounted a late comeback, Riley O’Brien came through in the ninth to close it out. That 7-5 victory snapped a five-game losing streak and allowed St. Louis to salvage something from the series.

The Cardinals then opened their series with the Pittsburgh Pirates by winning 4-1. The pitching staff set the tone, and St. Louis got the series started on the right foot. Unfortunately, Game 2 went the other way. Pittsburgh won 6-2 behind a three-run homer from Rafael Flores Jr. and a solo shot from Brandon Lowe.

That leaves St. Louis with one more opportunity to finally win a series. After the way the Cardinals battled back against Baltimore and took the first game from Pittsburgh, they will be hoping to finish the job.

Kansas City Current Show Their Resilience

The Kansas City Current have had a much more encouraging stretch. They began it with a 1-1 draw against Seattle Reign. Seattle took an early lead, but Debinha calmly converted a penalty kick to bring Kansas City level. The match also featured several milestones, including Lo’eau LaBonta reaching 200 regular-season appearances.

Then came the response Kansas City needed. The Current jumped all over the North Carolina Courage in their next match, racing out to a 3-0 lead. An own goal opened the scoring before Croix Bethune and Michelle Cooper found the net. Haley Hopkins played a major role in the attack, assisting both Bethune and Cooper.

North Carolina fought all the way back into the game, but goalkeeper Lorena came up huge late. She made several important saves, including a fingertip stop on an Ashley Sanchez effort and a full-extension save against Chioma Okafor. Kansas City held on for the 3-2 victory.

It was exactly the type of win the Current needed — not an easy victory, but one that showed they could withstand pressure and protect a lead.

St. Louis CITY SC Prepares for a Major Stretch

St. Louis CITY SC are heading into one of the most important stretches of their season. The team will close August at home against FC Dallas before traveling to Vancouver and then Portland. CITY will return home September 12 to face Minnesota United before traveling to Colorado on September 16.

That Colorado trip is particularly important because it is the U.S. Open Cup semifinal against the Colorado Rapids. With the semifinal looming, these MLS matches become more than just regular-season games. They are an opportunity for CITY to sharpen their game and build confidence before what could be the biggest match in club history.

There is also an important roster change to account for. Eduard Löwen did not simply leave on a loan or disappear from the lineup. St. Louis CITY transferred him to the San Jose Earthquakes. San Jose acquired the midfielder for $425,000 in General Allocation Money, with another $500,000 available through performance-based conditional GAM.

Löwen leaves St. Louis after becoming one of the most important players in club history, particularly during the remarkable 2023 expansion season. His departure is a significant one. He brought creativity, leadership and a dangerous attacking presence to the midfield, and CITY will have to find ways to replace that influence as the schedule gets tougher.

Manchester City Heads Into a Packed September

Manchester City continued its strong start to the Premier League season with a dominant 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace. And there was a little extra satisfaction attached to this one. Crystal Palace defeated City 1-0 in the FA Cup final, so getting a convincing victory over Palace in the league was a chance for City to answer back.

Rayan Cherki stole the show. The new City star scored twice, including a spectacular individual effort that showcased his close control and creativity. Erling Haaland also found the net twice, continuing his excellent scoring form. The combination of Cherki’s creativity and Haaland’s finishing gave City a frightening attacking presence.

City now face a demanding September. They open the month against Coventry City before traveling to Portugal to begin their Champions League campaign against FC Porto. Then comes the Manchester derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The schedule does not let up. City will host Norwich City in the EFL Cup before facing Sunderland in the Premier League. The Sunderland match has been moved to September 20 because of City’s EFL Cup involvement.

After that comes the international break. It is a packed month, and City’s ability to handle all of those competitions could say a lot about what kind of season this will become.

The women’s season is almost here, and City will begin their WSL title defense at home against Birmingham City on September 6. They will then travel to Aston Villa before returning home for a meeting with Liverpool. September closes with a trip to face newly promoted Charlton Athletic. It is a challenging opening month, but City will be eager to start the new campaign strongly.

Barcelona Opens Its Title Defense Strongly

Barcelona have started their La Liga title defense in style. The defending champions opened the season with a 5-0 demolition of Elche on the road. Raphinha led the way with two goals, while new signing Karim Adeyemi scored on his debut. Anthony Gordon also made an impact after coming off the bench, helping Barcelona turn an already comfortable win into a complete rout.

Barcelona then returned home and defeated Athletic Club 2-0. Raphinha opened the scoring, and Fermín López added the second late in the match. Athletic goalkeeper Unai Simón kept the score from getting even more lopsided with several impressive saves, while Barcelona continued to look comfortable in front of their home supporters.

Two games, two wins and two clean sheets is about as good a beginning as Barcelona could have hoped for. Barcelona’s women’s team has also started the new season with a statement, opening with a 5-0 victory over Tenerife.

The schedule gets much tougher in September. Barcelona will travel to Sevilla, host Atlético Madrid, travel to Alavés and then finish the month on the road against Logroño United. It is a busy month, but Barcelona will have plenty of opportunities to show that last season’s success was no fluke.

Team USA Continues a Strong Run Across Multiple Sports

Team USA has been busy, and several national teams have delivered strong performances. The U.S. men’s basketball team continued its road toward the 2027 FIBA World Cup with an 89-71 victory over Chile. Cole Swider provided a major spark, scoring 19 points, while the Americans pulled away after a brief interruption caused by a scoreboard issue during the third quarter. The victory kept the United States moving in the right direction in qualifying.

The U.S. men’s volleyball team put together an impressive run at the NORCECA Final Six. Team USA went undefeated through the preliminary round, beating Mexico, Guatemala, Canada, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. One of the most impressive moments came against Canada, when the Americans rallied from two sets down to win 3-2. They then defeated Puerto Rico again in the semifinal to reach the championship match. The run showed just how resilient this group has been, especially in matches that required five sets.

The U.S. women’s volleyball team lost to Canada in the NORCECA Continental Championship gold-medal match, but that meant the United States finished with the silver medal. It was another extremely competitive match between the two North American rivals. The U.S. pushed Canada to five sets before Canada pulled away in the deciding set. Jordan Thompson, Chiaka Ogbogu and Dana Rettke helped keep the Americans in the match, but Canada ultimately captured its first NORCECA women’s continental championship. So while it was a disappointing ending, the silver medal was still a strong finish for Team USA.

The U.S. women’s field hockey team also had a solid World Cup run. The Americans defeated Ireland 3-1 after falling behind early. Lucy Adams scored her first international goal to tie the game, Mia Schoenbeck put the U.S. ahead from a penalty corner, and Abby Tamer added another goal in the final quarter. That victory put the United States into the 9th-place game against England.

England won that match 3-1, with Ryleigh Heck scoring the U.S. goal. Kelsey Bing and Jenny Rizzo both made important saves throughout the game, but England eventually pulled away. The United States finished 10th overall. It was still a tournament filled with encouraging moments for the United Eagles, particularly their comeback against Ireland.

Americans Reach the Podium in Montreal

The 2026 Beach Pro Tour Elite16 event in Montreal produced some incredible beach volleyball. The U.S. did, however, have a major presence on the podium.

Kristen Cruz and Taryn Brasher reached the women’s final after a strong run through the tournament. They ultimately took silver, falling to Brazil’s Thâmela Coradello and Victoria Lopes in three sets. The Brazilian pair had to fight through several difficult matches, including a comeback against the American team in the final. Thâmela and Victoria eventually won 19-21, 21-18, 15-12.

Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson claimed women’s bronze in front of their home fans. On the men’s side, Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sørum captured gold, while Brazil’s André Stein and Renato Lima took silver. Canada’s Samuel Schachter and Jonathan Pickett earned men’s bronze after an incredible three-set win over Norway’s Hendrik Mol and Mathias Bernsten.

That meant the biggest American result in Montreal was Cruz and Brasher’s silver medal. The tournament also gave Canadian fans a memorable home event, with both Canadian teams reaching the podium.

Little League World Series Reaches Its Final Stage

The Little League World Series has reached its final stage in Williamsport. The tournament featured some incredible elimination games. Canada survived Panama 3-2 in extra innings, with Connor Ross delivering a key RBI single. Japan also edged Europe-Africa 3-2, while Southeast pulled off a dramatic comeback against Mid-Atlantic, overcoming a five-run deficit before Brooks Cameron delivered a walk-off hit.

As the tournament progressed, the field continued to shrink. Great Lakes, representing Hamilton, Ohio, made a strong run through the U.S. bracket. Japan continued to survive on the international side, while Curaçao became one of the tournament’s biggest stories.

On August 29, Curaçao defeated Japan 4-0 to win the International Championship and advance to the World Series final. Jaymiëll Martina was the star, pitching 5⅔ scoreless innings, striking out 12 and driving in a run with a double.

The U.S. Championship produced an equally impressive performance. Henderson, Nevada, representing the Mountain Region, overwhelmed Hamilton, Ohio, 12-2. Maddox Bryan delivered the big moment with a walk-off single as Nevada advanced to the World Series championship game.

That sets up a championship matchup between Henderson, Nevada, and Curaçao. As of Sunday afternoon, the championship is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Lamade Stadium. The third-place game between Japan and Great Lakes is scheduled beforehand. No matter what happens in the final, both Nevada and Curaçao have already given fans plenty to remember.

Chiefs Turn Their Attention to the Regular Season

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their preseason with a 9-9 tie against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. It was a defensive battle, with Kansas City’s scoring coming entirely from Harrison Butker field goals.

Rookie running back Brashard Smith provided some of the most exciting moments, including a 57-yard kickoff return, while quarterback Garrett Nussmeier gave the Chiefs some encouraging moments through the air. Seattle briefly took the lead in the third quarter, but the Chiefs’ defense prevented the Seahawks from finishing the job. A missed extra point and a missed field goal at the end of the game helped preserve the 9-9 tie.

The Chiefs finish the preseason at 0-2-1, but preseason records only tell part of the story. Now the attention turns toward the regular season.

American Stars Take Center Stage at the U.S. Open

The final Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season is underway in New York. Ben Shelton enters the tournament as one of the Americans to watch. He will face Tallon Griekspoor in the opening round. Shelton is coming off a strong summer that included a title in Montreal, and he has already reached at least the Round of 32 in each of his previous two U.S. Open appearances.

Taylor Fritz will also begin his tournament against fellow American Darwin Blanch. Blanch is one of the more intriguing young players in the draw. The 18-year-old earned his wild card by winning the USTA Boys’ 18s National Championship and has already made history as one of the youngest Americans to win a match at the Miami Open level.

And then there is Coco Gauff. Gauff arrives in New York with plenty of momentum after winning the Cincinnati Open. She defeated Jessica Pegula 6-2, 6-4 in an all-American final, capturing her second Cincinnati title and her first championship of the 2026 season.

Now Gauff turns her attention to the U.S. Open, where she will face Zeynep Sönmez in the first round. Gauff has talked about approaching this year’s tournament with a different mindset after the difficult experience she had at last year’s U.S. Open. Rather than allowing the pressure of playing at home to take over, she wants to enjoy the experience and let her tennis do the talking.

For Shelton, Fritz and Gauff, the American spotlight will be bright. And with the tournament just getting started, there is plenty of tennis still to come.

September Is Just Getting Started

If August was busy, September might be even crazier. The Cardinals are still searching for a series victory. St. Louis CITY SC are heading toward a huge U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Manchester City have the Premier League, Champions League and EFL Cup all competing for attention. Barcelona are trying to defend their league title, while both clubs’ women’s teams are beginning their seasons.

Meanwhile, Team USA continues competing across multiple sports, the Little League World Series is reaching its championship moment, the Chiefs are preparing for the regular season, and the U.S. Open is just beginning.

There is certainly no shortage of sports to follow as we head into September.