Etsy witch–level magic
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)

Hey there!
The horrors persist, but so do we — let’s find some joy on this Wednesday, shall we?


— Portland legend Damian Lillard, deep in his feels during Monday’s visit to the Trail Blazers locker room, part of his return to his original NBA team. There’s no place like home.
UEFA Women’s Euro
⚽ Dream on

The GIST: Sunday’s UEFA Women’s Euro final is close enough to taste — but there’s still one semi to go. Scroll on to learn how the defending champs booked their return to the ’ship before we preview today’s must-win match between No. 2 Spain and No. 3 Germany.
🤯 No. 5 England launches yet another comeback, defeats No. 13 Italy 2–1: For the second consecutive game, the Lioness supersubs made all the difference. Underdog Italy capitalized on another slow England start and led 1–0 for much of yesterday’s semi, until teen Lioness striker Michelle Agyemang scored the latest equalizer in tournament semifinal history, forcing extra time.
- Then in the 119th minute, fellow substitute Chloe Kelly sealed the deal when England was awarded a controversial penalty kick. Etsy witch–level magic.
👀 No. 2 Spain has never beaten No. 3 Germany — will that change today?: Defending FIFA Women’s World Cup champion Spain has played flawless fútbol throughout the tourney, winning every match thus far. But old habits die hard — and Germany is Spain’s kryptonite.
- Die Nationalelf has tied three and won five of their eight all-time matches against La Roja, including last year’s Paris Olympics bronze medal match victory. Can this never-say-die squad defy the odds and defeat the tourney favorites once more? We’ll find out at 3 p.m. ET.
WNBA
🏀 Hello from the other side

The GIST: Just like your fave tunnel fit, the WNBA’s back serving looks as the second half of the season tipped off with last night’s five-game slate. Let’s hoop to it with a mid-week round-up of who’s hot and who’s not, plus a look at the road ahead.
🔥 Minnesota Lynx remain infallible at home: Last night’s 91–68 win over the Chicago Sky moved the Lynx to a perfect 13-0 at Target Center, 15 victories shy of the league’s all-time home win streak record. Undefeated home streaks have been something of a crystal ball in the W: The last five teams to start the season 10-0 (or better) finished as champions. *taps ruby slippers*
- Speaking of champs, the NY Liberty bolstered their repeat hopes on Monday, inking 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman. The 32-year-old led Istanbul’s Fenerbahçe to back-to-back EuroLeague titles since leaving the W in 2022, and she now joins a Libs squad who just celebrated Jonquel Jones’ return from injury.
❄️ Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark remains sidelined: Clark (quad and groin) didn’t take the floor in last night’s 98–84 loss to NY, marking the 12th game (including the Commissioner's Cup final) she’s missed this season. This is uncharted territory for the two-time All-Star, who played every single game during her four-year collegiate career and her first pro season.
➡️ Pushing towards the playoffs: The top eight teams will make the postseason regardless of conference, and every game matters, especially with these jam-packed standings. There’s only one tilt on the docket tonight — and it’s a good one as the second-in-the-East Atlanta Dream battle the second-in-the-West Phoenix Mercury at 10 p.m. ET. Pop that corn.
Together With BMO

⭐ Cue Smash Mouth — the MLS All-Star Game is tonight, pitting the best footballers from the MLS and Mexico’s LIGA MX against one another in a one-night-only battle that you simply cannot miss. And get this — five MLS players are from BMO-sponsored teams, including:
- Midfielder Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
- Goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
- And forward Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
Tune in tonight at 9 p.m. ET to see all the action, and in the meantime, check out our Soccer Help Desk, created in partnership with BMO, for answers to all your footy questions. Getcha game on.

🚴 Tour de France — Ongoing — FloSports
- Just how high can Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar climb? The limit does not exist. The race leader retained his spot yesterday, putting on a record-breaking Mont Ventoux ascent and holding off his nemesis, Jonas Vingegaard, with just five stages to go.
🥎 AUSL: Volts vs. Talons — Tonight at 7 p.m. ET — TSN
- It’s the final day of the inaugural regular season, and the Talons will be looking to end it on a high note. They’ll soar into this weekend’s best-of-three championship series vs. the Bandits, who finish their own regular season at 8:30 p.m. ET against the Blaze. Look good, feel good, play good.
⚾ MLB: NY Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays — Tonight at 7:07 p.m. ET — Sportsnet
- All good things come to an end, including the Jays’ franchise-record home win streak, which sadly ended at 11 with last night’s 5–4 loss to the Yanks.
- But that just makes this American League East series finale all the more interesting as Toronto swings to maintain their sizable lead in the division.
⚽ MLS: All-Star Game — Tonight at 9 p.m. ET — MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
- The MLS’ finest are looking extra shiny ahead of tonight’s match, which will pit them against the top players in Mexico’s Liga MX. But the question of the night is whether Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi will make his long-awaited All-Star debut or suffer the consequences for skipping. Drama.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🏊 What to read
This article about Canadian swimmer Penny Oleksiak. After withdrawing from the World Aquatics Championships earlier this month, Canada’s most-decorated Olympian was notified of an anti-doping rules violation related to whereabouts failures. Say it ain’t so.
👀 How to sit courtside for free
Attend the Sun Life Canada Hoops 3x3 National Championship to watch Canada’s best teams compete live at Toronto’s iconic Bentway on August 9th and 10th. Now that’s a splash from downtown.*
📸 What to check out
This Joe Burrow Sports Illustrated cover. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is redefining style, blending fashion and football.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Swish swish.Question of the Day
We’re building something special for our GIST community and want to know where we can best meet you. Of the platforms listed below, which one do you use most often? If your top choice is not listed, reply to this email and let us know. Watch this space.
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Rachel Fuenzalida, Grace DePaull, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Katie Kehoe Foster. Fact-checking by Marga Sison and Mikaela Perez. Ops by Briana Ekanem and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.