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Tag: Men's sports

  • AP source: Aaron Judge, Yankees reach $360M, 9-year deal

    AP source: Aaron Judge, Yankees reach $360M, 9-year deal

    SAN DIEGO — Aaron Judge has issued his ruling: Court remains in session in the Bronx.

    Judge is staying with the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract, according to a person familiar with baseball’s biggest free agent deal ever.

    The person spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the AL MVP’s contract had not been announced.

    Judge, who hit an American League record 62 homers last season, will earn $40 million per year, the highest average annual payout for a position player. The contract trails only Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts’ $365 million pact with the Los Angeles Dodgers for biggest in baseball history. Trout and Betts were already under contract when they signed those deals.

    The Yankees made a long-term offer to Judge before last season that was worth $213.5 million over seven years from 2023-29. But the outfielder turned it down in the hours before opening day in April.

    The 6-foot-7 Judge bet on himself — and won.

    Judge surpassed Roger Maris’ AL home run mark to power New York to an AL East title. He also tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs and just missed a Triple Crown with a .311 batting average.

    New York was swept by Houston in the AL Championship Series, but Judge became the first AL MVP for the Yankees since Alex Rodriguez in 2007.

    By rejecting the Yankees’ preseason offer, Judge gained $146.5 million and an extra two guaranteed seasons. The Northern California native also visited with the San Francisco Giants last month, and there likely were more teams monitoring the market for the slugger who turns 31 in April.

    Judge’s decision will have a domino effect on several teams and free agents. His status held up at least some of New York’s offseason plans — given the size of the contract — but general manager Brian Cashman made it clear his team would wait patiently while Judge contemplated his options.

    In the end, that approach worked.

    “So we’ll wait, we’ll wait for this process to play out,” Cashman said Monday at baseball’s winter meetings in San Diego. “And that means staying active in the conversations and negotiations.”

    Judge, 30, was selected by New York in the first round of the 2013 amateur draft and made his big league debut in 2016, homering in his first at-bat.

    A year later, he was one of baseball’s breakout stars. He hit .284 with 52 homers and 114 RBIs in 2017, winning the AL Rookie of the Year award. The four-time All-Star has 220 homers and 497 RBIs in seven big league seasons.

    “A guy of his stature and his greatness hopefully spends his entire career into Monument Park and into the Hall of Fame as a Yankee,” New York manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday.

    The average annual value of Judge’s deal trails only New York Mets pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, at $43.3 million. Verlander’s deal was reached Monday and hasn’t been announced, but a person familiar with it told the AP he would earn $86.7 million over two years.

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    Blum reported from Qatar.

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    AP Baseball: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Canadiens score 2 goals in 7 seconds, beat Kraken 4-2

    Canadiens score 2 goals in 7 seconds, beat Kraken 4-2

    SEATTLE — Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson scored seven seconds apart in the second period and the Montreal Canadiens snapped a two-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday night.

    Canadiens rookie Johnathan Kovacevic and Seattle rookie Shane Wright scored their first NHL goals.

    Kovacevic was acquired by Montreal in October after being placed on waivers by Winnipeg. He has found regular playing time with the Canadiens this season, and has three assists to go with his goal.

    “It’s been a dream come true, really,” Kovacevic said. “It’s been something that I’ve worked forward to. Everyone has a different path, and I feel like I’ve taken kind of a long road to get here. And that kind of comes with more gratitude. I have a lot of appreciation for where I’m at.”

    After Kovacevic put Montreal on the board at 12:56 in the first period, Wright tied it at 15:30.

    It was Wright’s first game back after a five-game conditioning stint with the AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds. Wright’s goal came against a Montreal squad that passed on him with the No. 1 pick of the 2022 NHL draft. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde assisted.

    “It’s a great feeling,” Wright said. “I don’t really remember a whole lot of the play; I kind of blacked out at the celebration there. (I) was super excited, obviously.”

    Caufield and Anderson answered in the second, scoring at 2:05 and 2:12, respectively, to give Montreal a 3-1 lead. Nick Suzuki assisted on Caulfield’s score, and Christian Dvorak and Juraj Slafkovsky picked up assists on Anderson’s goal.

    The Canadiens added to their lead at 18:40 in the second when Rem Pitlick made it 4-1, with assists going to Joel Edmundson and Jake Evans.

    Seattle answered with one second left in the period, as Jared McCann scored with an assist from Andre Burakovsky.

    Jake Allen made 31 saves for Montreal.

    Seattle goaltender Martin Jones stopped 12 shots.

    Though the Canadiens went into the final period with a two-goal lead, Allen wasn’t about to relax.

    “There’s not many leads that are safe anymore,” he said. “It’s not like it was 10 years ago when you’re up three goals, you pretty much lock it down. This game is all about offense. You’ve just got to be able to manage the game better, play the game within the game, and I thought we did a better job in the third period tonight with that.”

    The Kraken’s two consecutive losses come on the heels of their franchise-record seven-game winning streak, which ended with a 5-1 home loss to Florida on Saturday. Seattle completed a 1-2 homestand, while Montreal went 2-2 on its four-game trip.

    After a tough 7-6 loss Monday to Vancouver in overtime, Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis was happy his team bounced back.

    “We found a way to stay in it, get a point, and then get back at it tonight,” St. Louis said. “Was it a perfect game plan for us? Absolutely not. We found a way, and that is what this league is all about.”

    NOTES: Seattle forward Morgan Geekie returned to the ice after missing the past three games with an upper-body injury. … Caufield and Anderson’s two second-period goals marked the fastest two goals on the road in franchise history.

    UP NEXT

    Seattle: At the Washington Capitals on Friday.

    Montreal: Host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

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    AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Little known before World Cup, Ramos goals lift Portugal

    Little known before World Cup, Ramos goals lift Portugal

    LUSAIL, Qatar — In his first start for Portugal’s national team, Gonçalo Ramos showed that he has the goods — and the goals — to stand in for Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Even at the World Cup.

    The 21-year-old forward scored a hat trick Tuesday after surprisingly being called on to start against Switzerland in place of Ronaldo, the men’s record holder for most international goals. Portugal won the match 6-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time.

    “Not even in my wildest dreams did I think about being part of the starting team for the knockout stage,” Ramos said through a translator after being named player of the match.

    Those three goals, and the smoking pistols goal celebration, instantly made Ramos one of the sport’s hottest prospects.

    Morocco, which will next play Portugal on Saturday for a spot in the semifinals, may not have known anything about Ramos before Tuesday. That has certainly changed.

    Ramos had never played for Portugal before being selected in the World Cup squad last month. He was given the No. 26 shirt in the 26-man squad and played for only a few minutes as a late substitute in Portugal’s group wins over Ghana and Uruguay. He had zero attempts on goal in those games.

    “Most people in the world had never heard about him until today,” Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes said.

    The first hint that Ronaldo’s place might be at risk came Monday. Portugal coach Fernando Santos vented his frustration with his long-time star’s body language after being replaced in a 2-1 loss to South Korea on Friday.

    Sure enough, 80 minutes before the start of the match at Lusail Stadium, Ronaldo’s name was missing from the starting lineup. Ramos was his replacement.

    The final result made Santos look more like a mad genius than a madman.

    Ramos scored early, giving his team the lead in the 17th minute. Passes then started flowing, attacks came in waves and consumed the Swiss opposition, leaving them seemingly unable to track the speed and mobility of playmakers like Fernandes, João Félix and Bernardo Silva.

    Ramos was at the center of it all.

    “Gonçalo is more dynamic,” Santos said through a translator. “Cristiano currently is a player who is more fixed and plays in a more determined area.”

    Ramos linked easily with a group of teammates he has barely played with, ghosting in at the near post to poke the ball in from close range for his second goal, and the team’s third, soon after halftime.

    He created the fourth goal with a pass to Raphael Guerreiro and then completed his hat trick with a deft flick over onrushing Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the 67th minute.

    Seven minutes later, Ronaldo came off the bench and replaced Ramos on the field.

    They next met in the center circle after the final whistle, the established star hugging his potential successor. Ramos was holding the match ball, the usual gift for a player who scores three goals.

    The first hat trick at this year’s World Cup was only the fifth in the past three tournaments. One of those came from Ronaldo four years ago, when he was 33, in a 3-3 group-stage draw with Spain.

    When Ramos returns to play for Benfica in the Portuguese league, he will no longer be under anybody’s radar.

    Yet clues were there when the young forward stepped up a level this season to replace Darwin Núñez, now at Liverpool after another big-money sale by the Lisbon club. Led by goals from Ramos, Benfica is unbeaten both in Portugal and in the Champions League.

    “It’s because people are not aware of the quality in the Portuguese league,” Fernandes said. “I think people should be aware of Gonçalo and his qualities.”

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Morocco and Spain go to penalty shootout at World Cup

    Morocco and Spain go to penalty shootout at World Cup

    Spain’s Marco Asensio, top, and Morocco’s Nayef Aguerd challenge for the ball during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Morocco and Spain, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

    The Associated Press

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  • Samuel Eto’o filmed in altercation outside World Cup game

    Samuel Eto’o filmed in altercation outside World Cup game

    DOHA, Qatar — Cameroon soccer federation president and former star player Samuel Eto’o was filmed apparently kicking a man to the ground in an altercation outside a World Cup stadium early Tuesday.

    Eto’o had paused to pose for photos with fans near Stadium 974 after Brazil beat South Korea 4-1. Footage circulating on social media showed him then reacting to comments by a man holding a camera.

    The former Barcelona and Inter Milan forward was initially held back by people in his entourage then got clear and appeared to aim a kick at the man, who fell backwards to the ground.

    Eto’o has been in Qatar as president of the soccer federation of Cameroon, which was eliminated in the group stage last week.

    He also represents Qatar’s World Cup organizing committee as a Global Legacy Ambassador since 2019 and is part of the FIFA Legends program that uses former players to promote soccer.

    It was unclear in what capacity Eto’o attended the game Monday night.

    Qatari organizers said Eto’o had not been their guest at the game. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the Cameroon federation did not immediately answer phone calls or respond to messages seeking comment.

    Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which oversees the World Cup, and its government did not immediately respond to questions about the incident.

    Eto’o played at four World Cups for Cameroon between 1998 and 2014, and was elected to lead its soccer federation one year ago.

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35 as Thunder rally past Hawks

    Gilgeous-Alexander scores 35 as Thunder rally past Hawks

    ATLANTA — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Josh Giddey had 12 of his 17 points in the final period, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to beat the Atlanta Hawks 121-114 on Monday night.

    Dejounte Murray finished with 24 points and Trae Young had 23 points and 10 assists for the Hawks (13-11), who have squandered six double-digit leads this season. They began the night tied for second-most in the NBA in that category.

    In winning its third straight, Oklahoma City (11-13) has outscored its last three opponents 106-68 in the fourth. The Thunder trailed 88-84 entering the final period.

    “It was an up and down game for us for sure, but when it really mattered it was a good gut check for us tonight,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Kind of midway through the third to end the third and to start the fourth we were really good again. That won us the game.”

    Giddey’s three-point play early in the fourth made it 91-90 for the Thunder’s first lead since late in the first. They never trailed again as Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s third-leading scorer, kept hitting free throws down the stretch. He scored 12 points in the fourth and finished 15 for 15 from the foul line, all in the second half.

    “Try to be aggressive, I try not to seek them too much, just play aggressive basketball and then when the opportunity presents itself I like to get there,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “Unfortunately I didn’t get there in the first half and I knew that going into halftime that I was going to try to get there in the second half for sure.”

    Oklahoma City went on a 23-8 run over an eight-minute span until the 2:53 mark of the fourth, putting too much distance for the Hawks to overcome. Gilgeous-Alexander hit a pair of free throws to make it 111-103 with 1:04 remaining to all but finish off Atlanta.

    “I thought they were able to break down our defense early in the game and forced the defense to collapse and they had their kick-outs,” Hawks coach Nate McMillan said. “They established the tempo that they wanted to play and with that and our help in the turnovers and outworking us on the glass, it’s going to be tough to beat them.”

    Young threw a backward pass over his right shoulder to feed Murray for a dunk that made it 63-54 early in the third, and Oklahoma City called timeout. A.J. Griffin later followed with a 3 that put the Hawks up 66-56, and Atlanta pushed the lead to 14 before the Thunder went on a 17-6 run to close within two on a pair of free throws by Gilgeous-Alexander.

    Young was 0 for 5 from the field before his baseline runner gave Atlanta a 56-52 lead in the final minute before halftime. The Hawks were ahead 59-54 at intermission.

    “The good thing about our team is we don’t give in,” Giddey said. “We play through it. When things get tough, we come together.”

    TIP-INS

    Thunder: Coach Mark Daigneault said swingman Kenrich Williams, who missed the game with a right knee sprain, isn’t expected to be sidelined for long. … Jalen Williams started instead F Aleksej Pokusevski and had 12 points in 31 minutes. … The Thunder won in Atlanta for the first time since March 2018.

    Hawks: Prior to the game, longtime TV announcer Bob Rathbun briefly lost consciousness on the court and was treated for dehydration. He was listed as stable, responsive and heading to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. … Griffin has connected on at least one 3 in nine straight games, the longest such active streak among NBA rookies.

    UP NEXT

    Thunder: At Memphis on Wednesday.

    Hawks: At New York Knicks on Wednesday.

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    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Bonds, Clemens Hall of Fame bids now on even shakier ground

    Bonds, Clemens Hall of Fame bids now on even shakier ground

    SAN DIEGO — Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were rejected by baseball writers in their bids for the Baseball Hall of Fame ten times. On Sunday, the duo chased by steroid suspicions got another rebuke from a panel that included many of their peers.

    The door hasn’t formally shut on their Cooperstown chances. But the latest letdown means the pair — with eight MVPs and seven Cy Young Awards between them — may never be celebrated with the sport’s greatest individual honor.

    Fred McGriff was the only player elected Sunday to the Hall of Fame by a 16-member contemporary era committee, one of several groups credentialed to seal a player’s enshrinement. McGriff was chosen unanimously, while neither Bonds or Clemens received more than three votes.

    When it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame, there are several potential avenues to induction, but it can be a very bumpy road for all but the most straightforward cases.

    HOW CAN PLAYERS BE ELECTED TO THE BASEBALL HALL OF FAME?

    Players are first considered by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America no sooner than five calendar years after their big league career ends. A BBWAA screening committee creates the annual ballot, and members who have been active baseball writers for at least 10 years are eligible to vote.

    Players on Major League Baseball’s ineligible list cannot appear on BBWAA ballots, the mechanism by which Pete Rose has been excluded from consideration. Voters are instructed to base their decisions on “the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.”

    The result of this year’s writers’ vote — which requires 75% for induction — will be announced Jan. 24.

    Players are removed from the BBWAA ballot if they receive less than 5% of the vote. They also are taken off after 10 appearances. Bonds (66%), Clemens (65%) and Curt Schilling (58.6%) fell well short in their final chances on the BBWAA ballot last January.

    Once a player is no longer being considered by the BBWAA, his case shifts to the Hall’s committee system — divided into the contemporary and classic eras. The contemporary era committee considers candidates whose careers were primarily from 1980 on. The classic panel examines players who had their most significant impact on the game prior to 1980.

    The committees rotate yearly. The contemporary committee approved McGriff on Sunday at baseball’s winter meetings in San Diego. Another contemporary committee meets next year to consider managers, executives and umpires. The classic committee votes in December 2024.

    The ballot for each panel consists of eight candidates selected by a BBWAA-appointed historical overview committee. There is no limit when it comes to how often a candidate can appear on an era ballot.

    Rose also is ineligible for era ballots because of his inclusion on MLB’s ineligible list.

    The 16 members of each era committee — comprised of Hall of Famers, executives and writers — are appointed by the Hall’s Board of Directors. Voters can select as many as three candidates, and the support of 75% of ballots cast are required for induction.

    WHAT NOW FOR BONDS, CLEMENS AND SCHILLING?

    The next time Bonds, Clemens and Schilling could be considered would be by a contemporary committee for the 2026 Hall of Fame class.

    Bonds and Clemens look like no-doubt Hall members on the backs of their baseball cards, and Schilling has a strong case, as well.

    A seven-time NL MVP, Bonds set the career home run record with 762 and the season record with 73 in 2001. A seven-time Cy Young Award winner, Clemens went 354-184 with a 3.12 ERA and 4,672 strikeouts. Schilling went 216-146 with a 3.46 ERA in 20 seasons, winning the World Series with Arizona in 2001 and Boston in 2004 and 2007.

    But Bonds and Clemens have been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, and support for Schilling dropped after he made hateful remarks toward Muslims, transgender people, reporters and others. Bonds has denied knowingly using performance-enhancing drugs, and Clemens maintains he never used PEDs.

    Schilling got seven votes Sunday, and it’s possible a future committee may swing in his favor. For Bonds and Clemens, that now seems unlikely.

    There was a thought that maybe Bonds and Clemens would get more sympathy from their peers than writers for their suspected steroid use during an era tarnished by the stain of PEDs. That clearly wasn’t the case.

    This year’s contemporary committee included Hall of Famers Greg Maddux, Jack Morris, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Frank Thomas and Alan Trammell, plus executives Paul Beeston, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Theo Epstein, Dave St. Peter, Derrick Hall and Ken Williams; and media members Steve Hirdt, LaVelle Neal and Susan Slusser. Chipper Jones was supposed to be on the committee but missed Sunday’s vote due to COVID-19. He was replaced by Hall.

    The Hall of Fame did not reveal all down-ballot totals, saying only that Bonds and Clemens received fewer than four votes — a strong indication that unless new evidence exonerates them from PED charges, they might never get their day in Cooperstown.

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    Follow Jay Cohen at https://twitter.com/jcohenap

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    AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar’s 1 liquor store

    World Cup fans find booze at hotels, Qatar’s 1 liquor store

    DOHA, Qatar — In a dusty neighborhood on the outskirts of Qatar’s capital, guards stand duty at a gated compound ringed with razor wire, carefully checking passports and permits before allowing anyone inside. But this isn’t a prison or a high-security area associated with the ongoing World Cup.

    It’s the liquor store.

    Rigid limits on alcohol are a fact of life in this conservative Muslim nation on the Arabian Peninsula, which follows the same strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam as its neighbor Saudi Arabia. Soccer fans coming to Qatar for the World Cup got a taste of that just before the tournament as authorities cancelled beer sales at stadiums.

    Yet corks continue to be popped in luxury boxes at games. Fans are filling pints from beer towers at dozens of hotel bars, lounges and nightclubs with liquor licenses. Sales of $14 Budweisers at Doha’s FIFA Fan Zone continue unabated.

    “Not to say that you need alcohol to fuel your life, but it’s a good time,” said Ed Ball, an American who created an online map for imbibers in Doha to find bars. “The idea being passed around that you can’t drink in Qatar is wrong. There are places.”

    In addition to the bars, there’s the liquor store where non-Muslim residents and visitors can shop after applying for a government-issued license. Located next to an Indian school in Doha’s dusty Abu Hamour neighborhood, it is run by the Qatar Distribution Co., a state-owned enterprise under the umbrella of Qatar Airways, which holds exclusive rights to distribute alcohol and pork in the country.

    The store — currently the only one selling liquor in Qatar — operates on an appointment system, harkening back to the strict coronavirus regulations that governed this country prior to just before the World Cup.

    On a recent visit, guards twice checked an Associated Press reporter’s identifications and appointments. Razor wire tops the compound’s high walls, which bar the public from a peek inside. Signs warn that any abuse aimed at the guards can result in an alcohol license being revoked. Empty silver-colored beer kegs are piled up in the parking lot.

    At the end of a chlorine-scented walkway, customers reach the entrance to the store. Inside, the shelves and stands are stocked with bottles of wine largely running from $12.50 up to $45. A liter of Absolut vodka goes for $42, while a liter of Jack Daniels whiskey sets a shopper back $70. A 24-pack of standard Budweiser cans costs nearly $52.

    A small section of the store offers frozen pork pepperoni pizzas, slabs of bacon, Spam and cans of pork and beans.

    Customers filled their carts or carried bottles and cans in their hands, checking against shopping lists or texting family members to double check what was needed. Several wore FIFA passes for the tournament around their necks.

    Outside the shop, a 31-year-old British woman who works as a school teacher in Qatar, filled the trunk of her car. She declined to offer her name, given the connotations drinking can carry in Qatari society, but dismissed criticism surrounding drinking and the tournament.

    “It’s really not that big of a deal,” she said of the licensing system in Qatar. “It’s like going to the supermarket — for alcohol.”

    She added that she thought the restrictions on sales for the matches also made sense. “I’m British. I know what it’s like to to be around drunk people all the time.”

    Across the wider Persian Gulf, alcohol remains banned in Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the sheikhdom of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. Drinking alcohol is considered haram, or forbidden, in Islam. Imams point to a verse in the Quran calling wine “the work of Satan.”

    But the region as a whole has a long history with alcohol, itself an Arabic word. The 8th century poet Abu Nawas even was known for his “khamriyyat,” or “wine poems.”

    Both alcohol and pork face a 100% import duty. Qatar says it uses the tax revenue to improve health care, infrastructure, education and other public services.

    Visitors are not allowed to bring alcohol into the country. Many hotels are dry and prohibit guests from bringing alcohol to their rooms.

    Even with those restrictions, Qatar sold 23.2 million liters of alcoholic drinks in 2021, according to data from Euromonitor International. Though dwarfed by the United Arab Emirates’ 115 million liters sold in the same period, Qatar’s numbers show a 14.6% growth as the pandemic waned.

    Meanwhile, Ball’s online map of bars in Qatar has been viewed over 875,000 times. An accompanying Twitter account shows him downing two pints of beer in 10 seconds.

    “For me, drinking is just like eating. It just goes along with the culture,” Ball told the AP after returning home to Seattle, where he works for Boeing Co. “I know it’s not part of Qatar … but it’s also part of the World Cup. One of the biggest sponsors is Budweiser so it just goes to show you it kind of goes hand in hand.”

    Bars in Qatar typically scan IDs of those heading in, with many working on a voucher system during the tournament to make sure fans spend at least certain amount.

    On Saturday night, a group of Russians screamed expletives at the U.S. team during its match with the Netherlands as they downed shots and posed for photographs with servers at Doha’s Irish Harp.

    Dermot O’Callaghan, a 66-year-old soccer fan from Dublin, Ireland, enjoyed a much calmer pint at the bar, swaying along to the Cuban band Chicas Melao.

    “It’s very enjoyable, you can get a drink here if you want in the evenings,” O’Callaghan said. “You do have a cohort of fans roaming around, looking for a drink.”

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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    Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP.

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  • Trail Blazers beat Pacers in Lillard’s return from injury

    Trail Blazers beat Pacers in Lillard’s return from injury

    PORTLAND, Ore. — Jerami Grant scored 28 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers over the Indiana Pacers 116-100 on Sunday night.

    Blazers star Damian Lillard scored 21 points and had six assists in his first game since returning from a calf strain he suffered on Nov. 19. He’s missed 12 games so far this season.

    “It felt good especially coming off last night. We picked up a big win and I just wanted to encourage the team and bring that energy to get us on a win streak,” Lillard said. “I felt normal, I felt good. I think this time it wasn’t as bad as the first time.”

    Anfernee Simons had 22 points and six assists on the night, while Jusuf Nurkic had 19 points and six rebounds.

    The win helped Portland sweep a back-to-back set after winning in Utah on Saturday night.

    One night after Grant and Simons combined to score 78 points in a win at Utah, Lillard wanted to make sure his return didn’t lead to them turning down their own offense.

    “Don’t let me stop you from being aggressive,” Lillard said of Grant and Simons, who combined to score 50 in Sunday’s win. “I’m going to have the ball in my hands and I’m going to find opportunities to do what I do. That’s what I do.”

    Myles Turner led the Pacers with 24 points and nine rebounds. Buddy Hield had 22 points in support as the Pacers were without starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

    Lillard connected on his first field goal attempt — a step back 3-pointer from the corner. With Lillard back in uniform, Portland kept the Pacers at bay for much of the game. Although the Pacers jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter by hitting six of 10 shots, Portland was in control for most of the game.

    “I think at the start of the second half we lost some of our principles defensively,” Turner said. “We got a little too excited offensively and it hurt our defense. We need to play 48 minutes of basketball.”

    The Blazers were hot from the outside, shooting 17 of 40 (42.5%) from the 3-point line. Ball movement was key for Portland as they had 32 assists on 42 made field goals.

    “If we’re really going to win, then it has too be collective,” Lillard said. “It’s really encouraging for me to see it really unfold.”

    Lillard picked up his third foul in the second quarter and the Blazers took him out for the final 2:24 of the first half. During Lillard’s stint on the bench to close the first half, the Blazers extended their lead to 54-49.

    A 3-pointer by Grant extended the lead to 69-53 with 8:54 left in the third quarter and a 3-pointer by Simons pushed the lead to 89-67 with under two minutes in the quarter. Portland took a 93-74 lead into the final period.

    Portland held 22 point leads several times on Sunday night.

    The Pacers showed some grit to start the fourth quarter, cutting the Portland lead to 11 a few times but that was as close as they would get in the final period.

    HALIBURTON OUT

    Haliburton missed his first game of the season with a groin injury on Sunday.

    Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said he also expects Haliburton to sit out when the Pacers travel to the Bay Area to face off against the Golden State Warriors.

    UP NEXT

    Indiana: At Golden State Warriors on Monday night.

    Portland: Host the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.

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    AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Walker scores 22, Huskers upset No. 7 Creighton 63-53

    Walker scores 22, Huskers upset No. 7 Creighton 63-53

    OMAHA, Neb. — Sam Griesel grew up in Lincoln watching his hometown Nebraska Cornhuskers lose to in-state rival Creighton year after year.

    Days like Sunday were what he envisioned when he decided to play his final season for the Huskers after spending the previous four years at North Dakota State.

    When the final buzzer sounded on a 63-53 upset of the No. 7 Bluejays, Griesel celebrated Nebraska’s first win in 14 regular-season games in Omaha since 1995 with a long embrace of his parents. It was Nebraska’s second win in 11 meetings with Creighton overall.

    “When I committed here, this was the game that I wanted the most, obviously, for a lot of reasons,” Griesel said. “Just thinking back to players that I idolized that wore this jersey, that didn’t get this win, and especially in this arena. … I get a little bit emotional thinking about it just because it means so much to me and so much to this group and to the state. This is a day that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

    Derrick Walker scored a career-high 22 points and Griesel had 13 of his 18 in the second half to lead the Huskers (6-3).

    “To be able to get a signature win like this is huge,” said Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg, whose team is playing with more confidence so far this season after going 24-67 his first three years.

    Creighton (6-3) lost its third straight, with its previous two against ranked opponents.

    “It’s different being the hunted,” Bluejays coach Greg McDermott said. “This team hasn’t totally adjusted to that. You play four ‘buy’ games, you play four ranked teams. This is the first one where we played a good basketball team that everybody expected us to beat. It takes maturity to prepare for that. You can dissect this 100 different ways but the bottom line is Nebraska was better today.”

    The Huskers, picked to finish last in the Big Ten, wanted to slow down the Bluejays’ “Let It Fly” offense, and they did better than they could have imagined against the Big East preseason favorites. It also didn’t hurt that Creighton’s cold shooting from its loss at second-ranked Texas on Thursday carried over.

    Nebraska beat its highest-ranked opponent since toppling third-ranked Texas 70-67 on Feb. 19, 2011, and its highest-ranked opponent on the road since a 74-69 overtime win at Iowa State on Feb. 22, 1997.

    Walker, playing his fourth game since missing the first five with what Hoiberg described as a health issue, gave the Huskers their biggest lead, 57-45, on a dunk with 2:22 left.

    Walker was 11 of 16 from the field and time after time imposed his will in the post against Creighton’s 7-foot-1 Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Huskers held a 46-16 scoring advantage in the paint.

    Francisco Farabello scored 16 points to lead the Bluejays, going 5 for 9 on 3-pointers. Baylor Scheierman and Kalkbrenner had 10 points apiece.

    Creighton shot 30.8% overall, including 25% (10 of 40) on 3s.

    “We’ve been making a lot of strides as a team,” Walker said, “and getting this win for us. It meant so much for the program and it means so much for the people around us. We’re going to celebrate this moment, but we can’t wait to just keep improving and getting better and showing the world what we’re made of.”

    BIG PICTURE

    Nebraska: The Huskers have won three straight and have elevated their game since Walker re-entered the lineup.

    Creighton: The Bluejays are in an offensive funk. The 3-pointer is a huge part of its offense, and they are just 14 of 67 (21%) over their last two games.

    “We’ve had a rough week shooting the basketball,” McDermott said. “I can’t put my finger on why.”

    POLL IMPLICATIONS

    Creighton came into the game with its highest ranking in program history. The Bluejays should stay in the Top 25 in Monday’s poll, but a big drop is likely.

    UP NEXT

    Nebraska: The Huskers opened a stretch of three games against top-10 opponents. They open Big Ten play at No. 10 Indiana on Wednesday and host No. 5 Purdue on Saturday.

    Creighton: The Bluejays head to Las Vegas for two games in the Jack Jones Hoopfest, against BYU on Saturday and against Arizona State on Monday, Dec. 12.

    ———

    AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP—Top25

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  • McIlroy says Norman rift began with his ‘brainwash’ comment

    McIlroy says Norman rift began with his ‘brainwash’ comment

    Rory McIlroy thought his differences with Greg Norman over a Saudi-funded rival golf league had been patched up. That changed when Norman accused him of being “brainwashed” by golf’s ruling brass.

    “I thought, You know what? I’m going to make it my business now to be as much of a pain in his arse as possible,’” McIlroy said in a lengthy interview in the Sunday Independent in Ireland.

    The interview with writer Paul Kimmage is the second of three parts. McIlroy also details how his relationship soured with longtime friend Sergio Garcia.

    McIlroy and Tiger Woods have said Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf, needs to be out of the picture for golf to have any chance of coming together. Norman said that won’t be happening.

    “I pay zero attention to McIlroy and Woods, right?” Norman said in an interview with British magazine Today’s Golfer. “They have their agenda for whatever reason. They’re saying whatever they want to say. It has no bearing or effect on me. I’m going to be with LIV for a long, long period of time.”

    McIlroy has been taking shots at Norman since he won the Canadian Open in June, a day after LIV Golf finished its inaugural event outside London. He went out of his way to point out his 21st career PGA Tour win was “one more than someone else.”

    “That gave me a little extra incentive today,” McIlroy said.

    The reference was to Norman, who has 20 career PGA Tour wins and now leads LIV Golf.

    When he had a chance to return to No. 1 in the world ranking at the CJ Cup in October, McIlroy was asked if he had a goal of how many weeks he would like to be No. 1 by the end of his career. He mentioned 332, which is one more than Norman.

    Most recently in Dubai last month, McIlroy said the fractured state of golf between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf could not heal as long as Norman is involved.

    “I think Greg needs to go. I think he just needs to exit stage left,” McIlroy said, adding that no one would be willing to talk “unless there’s an adult in the room.”

    Woods echoed those comments at the Hero World Challenge this week in the Bahamas.

    “I am not going anywhere. I don’t care what anybody says. I’m not going anywhere,” Norman told Today’s Golfer. “I am so proud of the position I am in and maybe, maybe, it’s my leadership that has them scared. Maybe.”

    McIlroy said the rift began in February 2020 when talk first surfaced about a “Premier Golf League” backed by Saudi money. McIlroy was the first top player to say he wasn’t interested, adding he wanted to be on the right side of history.

    He referenced a moment when Arnold Palmer stood up for the PGA Tour against Norman’s proposed World Golf Tour in 1994. Palmer’s words put a quick end to it.

    “He (Norman) wasn’t happy, and we had a pretty testy back-and-forth and he was very condescending. ‘Maybe one day you’ll understand’ and all this (stuff),” McIlroy said in the Independent interview.

    Then, in April this year, McIlroy watched an ESPN documentary on Norman’s collapse to lose the 1996 Masters and was moved enough to send Norman a message that included, “Hopefully it reminds everyone of what a great golfer you were.”

    McIlroy said Norman had sent him a touching note after McIlroy lost a four-shot lead in the final round of the 2011 Masters.

    “He was great,” McIlroy said. “So I said to him, ‘Watching it reminded me of how you reached out to me in 2011, and I just want to say that I’ll always appreciate it. It meant a lot. I know our opinion on the game of golf right now is very different, but I just wanted you to know that and wish you all the best.’

    “So, a bit of an olive branch, and he came back to be straightaway: ‘I really think golf can be a force for good around the world. … I know our opinions are not aligned but I’m just trying to create more opportunities for every golfer around the world.’

    “Fine. Really nice,” McIlroy said. “Then, a couple of weeks later, he does an interview with The Washington Post and says I’ve been ‘brainwashed by the PGA Tour.’

    “We’ve had this really nice back-and-forth and he says that about me.”

    McIlroy added in the interview that the PGA Tour is lucky Norman is involved in LIV because “I think if they had found someone less polarizing, LIV could have made more inroads.”

    McIlroy said his two golf idols were Woods and Garcia, describing the Spaniard as an exciting young player. They were at each other’s weddings; McIlroy was even a groomsman for Garcia.

    McIlroy said he didn’t know Garcia was joining LIV Golf until the Spaniard said to him on the range at the Wells Fargo Championship that he had a new plane and offered McIlroy a ride to the first LIV event near London.

    The relationship soured at the U.S. Open, the week after McIlroy won in Canada. McIlroy had said in his interview that week that players joining LIV Golf were taking the easy way out.

    He said he awoke Friday of the U.S. Open to a text from Garcia “basically telling me to shut up about LIV, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.”

    “I was pretty offended and sent him back a couple of daggers and that was it,” McIlroy said.

    ———

    AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • AP PHOTOS: Camels a common sight for World Cup visitors

    AP PHOTOS: Camels a common sight for World Cup visitors

    ByThe Associated Press

    December 4, 2022, 3:24 AM

    A guard rides his camels outside the Amiri Diwan in Doha, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

    The Associated Press

    DOHA, Qatar — Two weeks into the first World Cup in the Middle East, fewer teams are at the tournament and some fans are starting to make long journeys home.

    But there is still plenty to see and do in Qatar for those who remain.

    Camels are a common sight in Doha. In front of Qatari government palace Amiri Diwan, guards ride camels to patrol the area with the city’s glittering skyline as a backdrop.

    In a dusty lot on the fringes of the Souq Waqif bazaar in the capital, dozens of camels rest as herders try to draw in tourists for photos with the animals. There’s even a camel beauty pageant called the Mzayen World Cup outside Doha.

    Besides camel-watching, the golden sand and warm turquoise waters are a big draw for those who live in colder climates and for the locals.

    At Katara Beach in Doha, a group of local men pray with their backs to the coastline. Women sit on swings at a beach in Al Khor in northern Qatar.

    At night, fireworks light up the sky near the official fan festival as people watch from across the bay. Tourists can also take a boat trip to admire the sunset over the West Bay skyline in Doha.

    ———

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Kapanen’s hat trick powers Penguins to 6-2 win over Blues

    Kapanen’s hat trick powers Penguins to 6-2 win over Blues

    PITTSBURGH — The last two weeks were difficult for Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen, as he watched from the press box.

    The last two games have been rewarding for Kapanen and the Penguins.

    Kapanen scored his second career hat trick and the Penguins beat the St. Louis Blues 6-2 on Saturday night.

    “It hasn’t been the easiest month or so, but I’m happy to be out there playing games and winning,” Kapanen said.

    Kapanen was floated in and out of the lineup for inconsistent play in nine of 10 games recently. But he responded with the game-winner on Thursday against Vegas and then his first hat trick since Nov. 6, 2021, during a home game against Minnesota.

    “We’re thrilled for him,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “Obviously, it’s not an easy experience when you’re out of the lineup. But I think (Kapanen) has responded unbelievably well and we’re certainly thrilled for him.”

    Bryan Rust had a goal and three assists, Jason Zucker had a goal and two assists, Sidney Crosby also scored and Evgeni Malkin added three assists to help the Penguins win their second straight and seventh in the last nine. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for the Penguins, who are 9-2-2 in their last 13.

    Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Blues, who have lost three straight and five of six after a seven-game win streak. Jordan Binnington gave up four goals on 17 shots before being pulled in the opening minute of the second period. Thomas Greiss had 19 saves in relief.

    St. Louis was without Jordan Kyrou, who leads the team with nine goals, due to an illness.

    Pittsburgh got off to a strong start, scored three times in the first period as the Blues allowed three goals in a period for the sixth straight game and the 14th time this season.

    “It’s not good enough,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “Until more guys step up and play better, and we start pulling together as a team, it won’t change.”

    Kapanen opened the scoring at 6:58, just seconds after a Pittsburgh power play expired. A point shot hit his skate and then bounced off Binnington for the goal.

    Rust added to Pittsburgh’s lead with his sixth at 11:59 after coming in with one goal in his previous 14 games.

    Buchnevich made it 2-1 just 48 seconds later as he took a cross-ice point pass from Nick Leddy and beat Jarry to the short side with a one-timer from the far wall for his eighth.

    Kapanen scored his second of the game to make it 3-1 with 3:05 left in the first. He took a spinning feed from Malkin and converted from the top of the crease with 1 second left on a Pittsburgh power play.

    Pittsburgh was 27th on the power play entering the game with a recent 0-for-17 drought. But the Penguins scored with the man advantage in consecutive games for the first time since late October.

    Zucker gave Pittsburgh a 4-1 lead just 1:51 into the second period. At the end of the first, Binnington clipped Zucker in the face with his glove while he circled the net. However, Zucker chased Binnington from the game when he beat him with a wrist shot from the left circle for his sixth.

    Tarasenko scored on a breakaway at 8:22 of the second to pull the Blues within two. However, Kapanen finished off his hat trick a little more than two minutes later on a backdoor feed from Rust for his fifth of the season.

    “That might have been the easiest hat trick in history, just going to the back post and kind of tapping them in,” Kapanen said.

    UP NEXT

    Blues: At the New York Rangers on Monday night in the middle game of a three-game trip.

    Penguins: Host Columbus on Tuesday night to close a five-game homestand.

    ———

    AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://www.twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Big day at World Cup looms for France, Poland goalkeepers

    Big day at World Cup looms for France, Poland goalkeepers

    DOHA, Qatar — It’s a huge day for goalkeepers with big reputations when defending champion France faces Poland in the round of 16 at the World Cup on Sunday.

    Hugo Lloris will tie a national team record for Les Bleus four years after lifting the trophy as captain. Opposite number Wojciech Szczęsny is a penalty-saving, wise-cracking No. 1 who seems to be enjoying the tournament more than any other player.

    Both get a stage to shine at Al Thumama Stadium trying to deny two of the most feared forwards in Qatar — Kylian Mbappé and two-time FIFA player of the year Robert Lewandowski.

    “The key to stopping Mbappé? It’s me,” Szczęsny quipped when Poland’s place in the knockout bracket was confirmed.

    Lloris will face Lewandowski in an international game for the first time when he matches France’s record of 142 appearances held by Lilian Thuram, the right back in the 1998 world champion team.

    “It’s quite something and I’m very honored,” Lloris said Saturday. He was in the same France squad as Thuram as an uncapped 21-year-old in 2008 though was never played with him.

    France coach Didier Deschamps, who played often with Thuram and was captain in the 1998 final in Paris, paid tribute to them.

    “They have shown exemplary professionalism for the national team,” Deschamps said Saturday.

    Lloris is a naturally quiet and courteous leader of this talented France team and he praised Szczęsny, who he previously faced at opposite ends of the north London rivalry between Tottenham and Arsenal.

    “He’s playing a magnificent tournament,” Lloris said. “Poland deserve to be here at this stage and they’ve got a great goalkeeper as well.”

    Szczęsny is the only goalkeeper this World Cup to have saved two spot kicks — one against Saudi Arabia and the second against Lionel Messi. Szczęsny himself conceded the latter one for brushing the Argentina great’s face with his glove when stretching for a cross. It was scoreless at the time in a game Argentina won 2-0 on Wednesday.

    Szczęsny’s told the story of how he bet Messi during a lengthy video review that the penalty wouldn’t be awarded, only adding to his quirky time in Qatar.

    The character of the 32-year-old Juventus goalkeeper, who is set to play his 70th game for Poland, is no surprise to long-time teammates.

    “It’s not that Wojciech Szczęsny started to be such a great goalkeeper in this tournament — he’s been a great goalkeeper for years,” forward Arkadiusz Milik said Saturday through an interpreter. “It’s not a coincidence that in his career he played for wonderful clubs.”

    Poland likely will need Szczęsny and Lewandowski to excel in its first knockout game at a World Cup since 1986. Since that 4-0 loss to Brazil, France won both its world titles and also was a beaten finalist.

    Deschamps highlighted Lewandowski’s qualities as clever, technically gifted and knows how to use his body intelligently against defenders.

    “He didn’t get a lot of the ball in the group stage, but with just one chance he can be very dangerous,” the France coach said.

    Giving Poland some hope is that France lost in the round of 16 last year at the European Championship against Switzerland. Mbappé had the decisive penalty saved in a shootout after a 3-3 draw.

    “We talked about that a lot,” said Lloris, who couldn’t stop any of the five Swiss spot kicks that night in Bucharest. “You have to be confident, but if a penalty is well taken, then the goalkeeper has no chance of stopping it.”

    In Qatar, Szczęsny might be just the one to prove that wrong.

    ———

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • US knocked out of World Cup, loses to the Netherlands 3-1

    US knocked out of World Cup, loses to the Netherlands 3-1

    AL RAYYAN, Qatar — Memphis Depay and Daley Blind scored in the first half and Denzel Dumfries added a late goal as the Netherlands eliminated the United States from the World Cup with a 3-1 victory Saturday that advanced the Dutch to the quarterfinals.

    Second-half substitute Haji Wright cut the U.S. deficit to 2-1 in the 76th minute when Christian Pulisic’s cross hit his trailing foot and popped over goalkeeper Andries Noppert and into the net. But Dumfries, who assisted on the first two goals, scored on a volley in the 81st.

    “When you play a team with so much quality like that and you give them three, four chances, they’re going to put three or four away,” United States captain Tyler Adams said. “We can show that we can hang with some of the best teams in the world, some of the best players in world, and that’s a lot of progress for U.S. soccer. We’re moving in the right direction, for sure, but we need to keep pushing, because we’re not there yet. But we’re close.”

    Runners-up in 1974, 1978 and 2010, the Oranje extended their unbeaten streak to 19 games and face Argentina or Australia on Friday.

    It was a disappointing end for a rebuilt U.S. team hoping to advance past the round of 16 for the first time since 2002. Using the second-youngest squad in the tournament, the Americans achieved the bare minimum to consider the World Cup a success, beating Iran in their group-stage finale to reach the knockout round.

    But just like in 2010 against Ghana and 2014 against Belgium, the United States was eliminated in the round of 16. The Americans are winless in 12 games against European opponents at the World Cup since 2002, losing six, and are 1-7 during the tournament’s knockout rounds.

    “I think we made some progress,” United States coach Gregg Berhalter said. “When people look at our team, they see a clear identity. They see guys that go out and fight for each other. They see the talent on the field. We made progress, but on this particular night we came up short.”

    Pulisic, playing four days after getting hurt during his game-winning goal against Iran, had a chance to put the United States ahead in the third minute but Noppert, playing in only his fourth international match, blocked his point-blank shot. With the Americans seeking an equalizing goal, Noppert dived to stop Tim Weah’s 25-yard effort in the 42nd.

    The crowd of 44,846 was well back from the field at renovated Khalifa International Stadium, which has an athletics track and was more subdued than the raucous spectators for the match against Iran.

    While the United States had the better play at the start, the Dutch went ahead after breaking the American press. Dumfries one-timed a pass from the right flank as Depay streaked unmarked into the penalty area. His right-footed shot from 14 yards beat goalkeeper Matt Turner to the far post in the 10th minute for his 43rd international goal, moving him into sole possession of second place on the Dutch career scoring list behind Robin van Persie’s 50.

    The goal was the first allowed by the United States from the run of play in the tournament. In 37 World Cup matches, the Americans have never won a game in which they trailed.

    The Netherlands doubled the lead on virtually the final kick of the first half, in the first minute of stoppage time. After a quick series of exchanges following a throw-in, Dumfries got a cross around Tyler Adams and found Blind wide open at the penalty spot. Blind scored only his third international goal — his first in eight years. Gio Reyna fed an open Weston McKennie in the 54th, but he skied his shot over the crossbar.

    Wright entered in the 67th and scored his second international goal, sparking U.S. hopes. But Dumfries was left unmarked by Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson and used his left foot to volley Blind’s cross.

    “Just looking around that locker room, the silence is deafening,” Turner said. “We all want to create moments for people back at home to fall in love with the game and tonight was not one of those nights, unfortunately.”

    YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

    The starting lineup for the United States was its youngest for a World Cup knockout match at 25 years, 86 days. The previous low was 27 years, 19 days for the 1930 semifinal loss to Argentina.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    United States forward Josh Sargent did not dress after injuring his right ankle against Iran.

    UP NEXT

    The Netherlands will next play Friday at Lusail Stadium, the site of this year’s final.

    The Americans begin the 2026 cycle with a match against Serbia on Jan. 25 in Los Angeles and face Colombia three days later in Carson, California. The games are not on FIFA dates, meaning mostly Major League Soccer players will be used.

    ———

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  • Neymar expected to train again with Brazil at World Cup

    Neymar expected to train again with Brazil at World Cup

    DOHA, Qatar — Neymar is expected to train with Brazil again on Saturday while left back Alex Telles and forward Gabriel Jesus have been ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup after getting injured in the match against Cameroon.

    Neymar was expected to practice with the ball for the first time since injuring his right ankle in the team’s opener against Serbia.

    Brazil doctors said they will reevaluate the injury after the training session and decide whether Neymar will be available for Monday’s match against South Korea in the round of 16.

    Neymar looked fine as he accompanied his teammates at Lusail Stadium on Friday. He walked without a limp and briefly played with the ball without any visible issues. He could be seen jogging across the field on his way to the locker room after the match was over.

    Neymar, seeking his first major title with Brazil, was forced out of the 2014 World Cup after hurting his back in the quarterfinals against Colombia. He didn’t play in the 2019 Copa America because of another right ankle injury.

    Alex Telles and Gabriel Jesus injured their right knees in the 1-0 loss to Cameroon on Friday, when Brazil coach Tite used a reserve squad as the five-time champions had already reached the round of 16.

    Alex Telles had made his debut in Brazil’s second game, against Switzerland, after regular starter Alex Sandro got injured. Gabriel Jesus came off the bench in the first two matches.

    It wasn’t yet clear if the players would remain with the squad in Qatar despite not being able to play.

    Right back Danilo, who also missed Brazil’s last two matches because of an ankle injury, was expected to train normally with the rest of the group Saturday. He was expected to be available for the match against South Korea.

    Brazil was eliminated by Belgium in the quarterfinals in Russia. The team is trying to win its first World Cup title in two decades.

    ———

    Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni

    ———

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  • England bonds over cards ahead of Senegal World Cup clash

    England bonds over cards ahead of Senegal World Cup clash

    DOHA, Qatar — For a nation that has frequently flattered to deceive at soccer’s major tournaments, a card game that relies on the art of deception is strengthening the bond among England’s players ahead of their match against Senegal in the World Cup round of 16.

    Werewolf, a game of roleplay and deduction, has become a popular pastime for the squad between games.

    “It’s about being the best liar,” said midfielder Declan Rice. “The villagers have got to snuff out the wolves and the wolves have got to lie and tell everyone why they are not a wolf. There is a lot of teamwork, ganging up.”

    Whatever England is doing at its base in Qatar, it’s working so far.

    It plays Senegal on Sunday after topping Group B and tying Spain as leading scorers in the tournament so far with nine goals.

    No other team picked up more than the seven points England recorded on its way to the knockout round and it is only one of three still undefeated.

    Yet the message from coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane this week has been about maintaining focus and standards.

    Belgium and Germany were high-profile departures from the group stage, while defending champion France, along with Argentina, Spain, Brazil and Portugal have all been on the wrong end of upsets.

    And to think England’s 0-0 draw with the United States was considered enough of a shock that it prompted loud jeers from Three Lions fans after that match last week.

    “I think it’s always difficult when you see big teams or big players in teams that don’t have the success that you want or don’t live up to the expectation of a nation or where they see themselves,” said defender John Stones. “We don’t ever want to fall into that category. I think that is great motivation for us as a reminder — you never want to take anything for granted or who you are playing against.”

    England may be considered a major soccer nation, but its only tournament success came when it hosted and won the World Cup in 1966.

    The years since have been pitted with disappointment and underachievement.

    There has been an upturn under Southgate, who led the team to the semi-finals of the World Cup in Russia in 2018 and to the final of last year’s European Championship, which it lost on penalties to Italy.

    The bond he has developed among the players is seen as a key factor in England’s improvement.

    Southgate is also meticulous about his planning, from psychological help to deal the pressure of taking penalties to even the most minor details.

    At a team meeting this week, players were reminded about leaving their socks out the “right way” for the kitmen to collect after training.

    “We get on each other for things like that because we have created those standards,” said Stones. “If you start getting sloppy with the little things, the bigger things start to get sloppy very easily. Any one percent or two percent of things that we can do to get better … obviously those are small things, but they matter to us.”

    So there should be no danger of England taking Senegal lightly.

    The African Cup of Nations winner finished second in Group A behind the Netherlands. That was despite suffering the pre-tournament disappointment of star striker Sadio Mane being ruled out.

    “They’re knockout games now: if you win, you get to stay here; if you lose, you go home,” said Senegal coach Aliou Cissé. “There’s no need to overthink things, every team is at the same level.

    “Our squad is experienced today, they’ve gone through a lot together and they know how to prepare for this type of game now, in competitions like this one,” he added.

    ———

    James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

    ———

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  • Texas Rangers ink free-agent ace Jacob deGrom to 5-year deal

    Texas Rangers ink free-agent ace Jacob deGrom to 5-year deal

    ARLINGTON, Texas — Free-agent ace Jacob deGrom and the Texas Rangers agreed to a five-year contract Friday.

    The two-time Cy Young Award winner leaves the New York Mets after nine seasons — the past two shortened by injuries.

    After making his first start last season in early August, deGrom went 5-4 with a 3.08 ERA. He helped the Mets reach the playoffs, then opted out of his contract to become a free agent.

    Texas announced the signing Friday night after the 34-year-old deGrom passed his physical.

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  • Messi, Argentina try to avoid World Cup upset vs. Australia

    Messi, Argentina try to avoid World Cup upset vs. Australia

    DOHA, Qatar — Australia’s players speak in glowing, almost reverential terms about Lionel Messi.

    “He just does things that, you know, no one else can do,” forward Mathew Leckie said.

    Milos Degenek went even further. “Probably,” the Socceroos defender said, “the best footballer ever to grace the game.”

    Imagine, then, how they’ll be feeling on Saturday when they share the same field as Messi and his Argentina team in the last 16 of the World Cup.

    These are pinch-yourself times for a group of unheralded players who were expected to be on their way home by this stage of the tournament. Yet here they are in Doha, looking to cause the latest upset in a World Cup that has been full of them — right from the moment Saudi Arabia shocked Argentina in perhaps the most unlikely win in the tournament’s 92-year history.

    That set the tone for the past two weeks, during which Japan has beaten both Germany and Spain, Morocco has defeated Belgium, Tunisia has beaten France and, let’s not forget, Australia has stunned Denmark.

    The Australians want to add to that list.

    “No one expects us to win,” Leckie said. “So let’s shock the world.”

    Don’t expect any complacency among the Argentina squad, though. Not after what transpired against Saudi Arabia during the group stage.

    “We know, at the moment, everything is very difficult,” said Messi, who is bidding to win the World Cup in his fifth and likely last attempt. “All the opponents are complicated. We know it as well as anyone.”

    There is a growing feeling, though, that Argentina might have come through the worst of the storm. It is only a week ago that Argentine soccer was going through a period of introspection, digesting one of its most embarrassing results ever.

    Then, after an hour of its second group match against Mexico, the Albiceleste were being held 0-0 to raise the genuine prospect of a group-stage exit with a game to spare.

    Now, Argentina has qualified as the winner of its group and is facing the world’s 38th-ranked nation, which is playing at this stage of the World Cup for only the second time, after 2006. Netherlands or the United States will be the opponent in the quarterfinals.

    None of Argentina’s players will dare get ahead of themselves but it’s undeniable that the draw has opened up for them.

    “We went back to being what we were for a long time,” Messi said after Argentina’s 2-0 win over Poland that secured a place in the last 16, “and how we were looking to be at the beginning of the World Cup, which for different reasons we could not manage.

    “It gives confidence for what is coming.”

    Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni looks to have finally found a winning formula in Qatar. The center of midfield now appears to be set, with Alexis Mac Allister and 21-year-old Enzo Fernandez having forced their way into the starting team alongside Rodrigo De Paul.

    Up front, Julian Alvarez has dislodged Lautaro Martinez and should keep his place against Australia, fresh from finishing off a 27-pass sequence for an exquisite second goal against Poland.

    The only place that looks up for grabs is at center back, with Lisandro Martinez having dropped out against Poland perhaps so Argentina had a taller player to deal with the aerial threat of Robert Lewandowski.

    Given only one player in Australia’s 26-man group plays in Europe’s top five leagues, it appears to be a mismatch at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. For spells of its win over Poland, Argentina played like a team that arrived in Qatar riding a 36-match unbeaten record and as one of the tournament favorites.

    And then there’s the Messi factor, a subplot which is hanging over the World Cup as he looks to win the only major title to elude him in his career.

    “I think they’re obviously driven by the motivation that it could be Messi’s last World Cup,” Degenek said, “and he wants to win the World Cup and end it on a high.

    “For us, it’s about stopping that. Unfortunately, I’m a big fan of his, but I’d love to win the World Cup probably more than him.”

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    Steve Douglas is at https://twitter.com/sdouglas80

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    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Mount St. Mary’s takes down Saint Peter’s 73-58

    Mount St. Mary’s takes down Saint Peter’s 73-58

    JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Jalen Benjamin’s 28 points helped Mount St. Mary’s defeat Saint Peter’s 73-58 on Thursday night.

    Benjamin added five rebounds for the Mountaineers (4-4). Deandre Thomas added 11 points while shooting 3 for 8 (2 for 4 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free throw line, and he also had five assists. Frantisek Barton recorded eight points and shot 2 of 4 from the field and 4 for 6 from the line.

    The Peacocks (4-3) were led in scoring by Jaylen Murray, who finished with 13 points. Isiah Dasher added 13 points for Saint Peter’s. Jayden Saddler also had seven points.

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    The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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