World Cup Spotlight (Seattle): The U.S. and Australia meet Friday at Lumen Field with Group D supremacy on the line after both opened with wins—USA beat Paraguay 4-1, while Australia stunned Türkiye 2-0—while coach Mauricio Pochettino says the Americans must match Australia’s “belief” and mentality; Injury Watch: Christian Pulisic’s calf remains doubtful as he trains separately again, with the team saying they’ll decide after medical consultations; FIFA/Travel Tension: Iran says it will file a complaint with FIFA over World Cup travel restrictions after a denied request to fly to Los Angeles ahead of its match; How It All Fits (Knockout Math): FIFA’s group tiebreakers and third-place rules are set to make the next week decisive for who advances; Local Sports Culture: Aussie fans are already turning Seattle into a party at MLB games, and the matchday buzz is building; Washington Arts & Community: Seattle’s news fellowship expansion is drawing friction over pay expectations and newsroom rules, even as it aims to boost coverage statewide; Sports Beyond Soccer: MLB ends the Home Run Derby clock format, reverting to swing-count rules.