Bale salvages 1-1 draw for Wales against US in World Cup
AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — Gareth Bale converted a penalty kick in the 82nd minute to offset Tim Weah’s first-half goal and give Wales a 1-1 draw against the United States in the return to the World Cup for both nations. Weah is the son of former FIFA Player of the Year and current Liberian President George Weah. The United States was back in the World Cup after missing the 2018 tournament and appeared headed to victory. But Walker Zimmerman plowed down Bale from behind with the Welsh star’s back to the goal and Bale converted the penalty for his 41st international goal.
Garoppolo throws for 4 TDs, 49ers top Cards in Mexico City
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Jimmy Garoppolo threw four touchdown passes, including two each to Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle, and the San Francisco 49ers won their third straight game by beating the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 in Mexico City. It was the fifth regular-season NFL game played in Mexico City and first since 2019. Technically a Cardinals home game, the festive, raucous announced crowd of 78,427 fans heavily favored the 49ers, roaring particularly loud when Kittle and Deebo Samuel scored on 39-yard touchdowns. San Francisco struggled early in the season but has won five of its last seven. The 49ers improved their record to 6-4, while the Cardinals fell to 4-7.
Virginia cancels Virginia Tech game after players killed
The University of Virginia has canceled its game against rival Virginia Tech scheduled for Saturday following the slaying of three football players on campus just over a week ago. The university made the announcement Monday, two days after a nearly two-hour memorial service to remember Lavel Davis Jr., Devin Chandler and D’Sean Perry. The three were fatally shot after a field trip to see a play in Washington. Two others were wounded. Former Virginia football player Christopher Darnell Jones Jr. faces three counts of second-degree murder and other charges. The Cavaliers also canceled their game slated for last weekend against No. 23 Coastal Carolina.
FIFA threat makes World Cup teams nix 'One Love' armbands
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — FIFA’s threat of on-field punishment for players has pushed World Cup teams to back down. They abandoned a plan Monday for their captains to wear armbands that were seen as a rebuke to host nation Qatar’s human rights record. Just hours before the first players wearing the armbands in support of the “One Love” campaign were set to take the field, FIFA warned they would immediately be shown yellow cards. That changed the calculus for the seven European teams. They may have expected to merely be fined. The standoff was just the latest dispute that threatened to overshadow play on the field. Since being awarded the World Cup hosting rights in 2010, conservative Muslim Qatar has faced criticism of its treatment of low-paid migrant workers as well as its criminalization of homosexuality.
Amid Musk Twitter chaos, athletes & celebs cope just like us
Much like many of Twitter's hundreds of millions of users, professional sports stars and celebrities from the entertainment world are dealing with the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the microblogging app since Elon Musk took it over and began trimming the staff and making other changes. Even the people paid to advise the athletes, actors and singers are not necessarily sure how to proceed as Twitter evolves — or maybe goes away entirely. And the famous folks with millions of followers on Twitter are not necessarily sure the popular site's disappearance would be the sky-is-falling disaster some are making it out to be.
Saka, Rashford help England rout Iran 6-2 at World Cup
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford put the last year’s European Championship loss behind them in England's 6-2 rout of Iran at the World Cup. Both players missed penalties in the shootout loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 final and were then subjected to racist abuse. But Saka scored twice at Khalifa International Stadium and Rashford came off the bench to add another with his first move of the match.
Widow asks $55M from NCAA for ex-USC football player's death
LOS ANGELES (AP) — An attorney for the widow of a former University of Southern California football player has asked a jury to award her more than $50 million in a lawsuit accusing the NCAA with failing to protect her husband from repetitive head trauma. Attorneys in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday said that Matt Gee died from repetitive head trauma that led to substance abuse and his death at age 49. The lawsuit is the first of its kind to go to a jury. The NCAA says it had nothing to do with Gee's death, which it said was from a variety of medical problems and cocaine toxicity.
World Cup Viewer's Guide: Messi seeks history with Argentina
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi returns to the World Cup for a fifth attempt at finally winning soccer’s biggest prize. He’ll also be hoping to make history with Argentina. The Argentines are among the favorites to win in Qatar and a victory would fill the one gaping hole in his resume. But a win of a draw Tuesday against Saudi Arabia would give Argentina a record-tying result. Argentina arrived in Qatar on a 36-match unbeaten streak. That is one shy of tying Italy’s record for international men’s soccer1. Other games Tuesday include France against Australia, Mexico facing Poland and Denmark playing Tunisia.
World Cup host Qatar leaves pearl diving past far behind
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Before the oil and gas age, the main commodity for World Cup host nation Qatar was pearls. For centuries, pearls have been used in jewelry and none were considered as fine as those found in the Persian Gulf. The iridescent precious bead forms when an irritant slips into an oyster shell. Qatar was at the heart of a booming pearl diving industry at the start of the 20th century. That was quickly brought down by the Japanese invention of artificial pearls. Not much later, the Gulf Arab sheikdom discovered its vast offshore gas fields.
Devils top Oilers, tie franchise mark with 13th straight win
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Nico Hischier had three assists and the no-name New Jersey Devils beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 to tie a franchise record with their 13th consecutive win. Jesper Bratt, Dawson Mercer, Damon Severson, Tomas Tatar and Yegor Sharangovich scored for the Devils, who haven't lost since Oct. 24 against Washington. Vitek Vanecek made 27 saves for New Jersey. Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored for the Oilers, beaten twice by New Jersey during its run. Stuart Skinner made 23 saves.