MIAMI GARDENS (AP) — After more than a year of uncertainty and criticism, the Club World Cup kick...

MIAMI GARDENS (AP) — After more than a year of uncertainty and criticism, the Club World Cup kicked off in Miami on Saturday and soccer may never be the same.At least that’s what FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been telling anyone who would listen.“This tournament will be the start of something historic that will change our sport for the better,” he said this week as part of an exhausting schedule of public engagements to drum up interest in the month-long event staged across 11 cities in the United States.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Soccer’s newest tournament is what the sport has been waiting for, Infantino says, and on Saturday, despite considerable pushback and obstacles, he turned his personal passion project into a reality.The Swiss lawyer, who holds one of the most powerful positions in the world as head of soccer’s governing body, was on hand at a largely full Hard Rock Stadium to watch Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami draw 0-0 with Egyptian team Al Ahly in the opening game of his super-sized Club World Cup.<h3>Influence</h3>The match may have been underwhelming, but the occasion — kicked off with a lavish opening ceremony featuring music, dance routines and fireworks — was a moment of immense pride for Infantino and conclusive proof of his influence over the most popular sport on the planet.Despite his assertions, it’s not clear how much soccer really wanted another elite tournament. But this was his baby — so much so that his name is etched not once, but twice, onto a giant golden trophy crafted by Tiffany &amp; Co. that will be lifted by the winner on July 13.It has gone ahead against the backdrop of legal challenges in Europe, threats of strike action from players and fears of injury and burnout for the biggest stars.There have been concerns about overreach by FIFA - which has traditionally focused on national team soccer — and the detrimental impact a new club competition would have on domestic leagues.But nothing was going to stand in the way of Infantino’s plans to expand the Club World Cup from its previous guise as a seven-team mid-season mini tournament to a 32-team extravaganza that could one day rival the Champions League and Premier League as one of the most popular and wealthiest competitions in the world.<h3>The tournament is now locked in</h3>Time will tell if it lives up to Infantino’s billing, but he has navigated the biggest hurdle of all by getting this inaugural edition off the ground.It is locked into the calendar — every four years — and teams such as Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain have already qualified for the next edition in 2029.“Maybe not now in its first edition, but it will become an incredibly important competition to win,” PSG coach Luis Enrique said.He may have a point. Peculiarly, and despite the global nature of soccer, the club game has largely been restricted to continental competition, aside from the previous guise of the Club World Cup, which was often looked on as little more than a exhibition.<h3>Do fans really want it?</h3>Still, it remains unclear how much of an appetite there is for another soccer tournament in a calendar that has reached saturation point.So a crowd of more than 60,000 at the Hard Rock Stadium likely came as a relief to FIFA, though it is not known how many of those in attendance paid anything like the $349 being quoted for seats in December.FIFA has not offered definitive numbers on the amount of tickets sold for the tournament as a whole and prices were slashed as the opening game approached. But there were only pockets of empty seats in the stands, with many red-shirted fans of Al Ahly in attendance.“We’ve been looking forward to it for a long time,” said Peter Sadek a fan originally from Egypt and now living in Orlando. “At least 50 more just from our area (are coming). It’s been bubbling up for a long time and you can see how many are here.”Other Al Ahly fans had traveled directly from Egypt, with red shirts outnumbering the pink of Miami in parts of the stadium.<h3>Messi magic</h3>If only Messi could have crowned Infantino’s big night with a moment of magic.He certainly tried.His stunning curling effort from long range, deep into extra time would have been the perfect finish. Instead, Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed Elshenawy tipped the ball onto the crossbar to deny the Argentine great and Infantino that prize moment.Not even Infantino can have everything, it seems.___James Robson is at <a href="https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson">https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson</a>___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JUNE 14: Logos of the participating teams are displayed on the FIFA sign during the Opening Ceremony prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group A match between Al Ahly FC and Internacional CF Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on June 14, 2025 in Miami Gardens, United States.

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Club World Cup is finally underway. Soccer may never be the same

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Mexico overcame a slow start to defeat the Dominican ...

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Defending champion Mexico overcame a slow start to defeat the Dominican Republic 3-2 on Saturday night in a CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage match.West Ham midfielder Edson Álvarez opened the scoring in the 44th minute, Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez added a goal in the 47th and defender César Montes got another one in the 53rd.Jiménez now has 40 goals with the Mexican national team and is six away from Jared Borgetti, in second place on the career scoring list for El Tri. Javier Hernández is Mexico’s to scorer with 52.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Mexico leads Group A with three points while the Dominican Republic is at the bottom. Costa Rica and Suriname, the other countries in the group, will face off on Sunday in Snapdragon stadium in San Diego.Peter González in the 51st minute and Edison Ascona in the 67th scored for the Dominicans, who earned their first qualification as one of the four group winners in League B of the CONCACAF Nations League.The match was played at SoFi stadium before 54,309 fans, most of them rooting for Mexico.There was uncertainty on how many Mexican fans would attend the match. On Friday, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum urged U.S. officials not to target individuals attending the game.Dozens of workers have been detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in LA’s fashion district and at Home Depot parking lots in Southern California. More than 100 people have been detained.Mexico will try to qualify for the next round next Wednesday when they play Suriname while the Dominican Republic will play Costa Rica. Both matches will be played at the AT&amp;T stadium in Arlington, Texas.___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 14: Edson Alvarez #4 of Mexico celebrates with teammates after scoring their third goal during the Group Stage - Group A match between Mexico and Dominican Republic as part of the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup at SoFi Stadium on June 14, 2025 in Inglewood, California.

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Defending champion Mexico holds off Dominican Republic in Gold Cup opener

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Brad Marchand is making more highlights for his new team, Sam Bennett is...

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-final-brad-marchand-corey-perry-3abf184317d03286098c5e18f0f0cd76">Brad Marchand</a> is making more highlights for his new team, Sam Bennett is piling up the goals again and the Florida Panthers are on the verge of hoisting the Stanley Cup for the second year in a row.Marchand scored twice, Bennett had his playoff-leading 15th goal and the Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nhl-stanley-cup-playoffs-0c39a7d9b3507ce0f051b88384f91839">in Game 5</a> of the final on Saturday night to take a 3-2 series lead.The Panthers improved to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-panthers-oilers-1fa602ce63d84d1411e356b87edaef33">10-3 on the road</a> during this run, matching the NHL record for victories away from home in a single playoffs. They can hoist the Cup again as soon as Tuesday night if they win Game 6 on home ice in Sunrise.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“It was very solid game, definitely,” goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky said. “But the series continues and we are excited about the next game. It’s going to be a big game.”Florida this time built a multigoal lead and built on it, unlike a couple of previous games in the final. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/stanley-cup-2005-oilers-panthers-bobrovsky-skinner-6f774ed5f1d16f18ae67ebb40bafc702">Bobrovsky</a> stopped 19 of the 21 shots he faced, making some important saves when needed, and was aided by lockdown defense that took ice away from the Oilers.Marchand, Bennett and Sam Reinhart provided the offense. Marchand joined Mario Lemieux as the only players in the past half-century to score five-plus goals in a final multiple times, and his 13 career goals in the final are the most among active players.“I’m just enjoying every moment,” said Marchand, who is in his fourth final and third since winning the Cup with Boston in 2011. “It’s such a special group of guys, and I’m having so much fun here right now. I honestly feel like a young guy in the league again, just excited to be part of the group.”Connor McDavid scored his first goal of the series after the Oilers fell behind 3-0. Reinhart’s came 46 seconds later to restore the Panthers’ three-goal lead, and by the time Corey Perry scored with 3:13 left, it was too late.Eetu Luostarinen sealed it with an empty-netter with 1:19 left, silencing the once fired-up crowd for a final time.“We just got to play our game earlier,” Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse said. “We can all agree in our room that we can be better.”Edmonton’s power play went 0 for 3, a product of the Panthers’ aggressive penalty kill knocking McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the top unit out of their usual rhythm.Calvin Pickard lost for the first time in eight starts this spring, allowing four goals on 18 shots. He got the nod over Stuart Skinner after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pickard-oilers-stanley-cup-final-394c0d6e4816d421a362728f6a897345">entering in relief and winning Game 4</a> to improve to 7-0, a record that is now 7-1.Skinner could be back in for Game 6, with the Panthers aiming to close things out following another cross-continental trip back to the other corner of North America. They are in this spot after bouncing back from blowing a three-goal lead and falling in overtime in Game 4, taking advantage of their depth to send the Oilers to the brink again.“We’ve been pretty good at bouncing back all playoffs,” Marchand said. “We learned a pretty good lesson there last game, and thought we did a much better job in this one.”___AP NHL playoffs: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup">https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nhl">https://apnews.com/hub/nhl</a>

EDMONTON, CANADA - JUNE 14: Brad Marchand #63 and Eetu Luostarinen #27 of the Florida Panthers celebrate a first period goal against the Edmonton Oilers in Game Five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on June 14, 2025 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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Panthers 1 win away from Cup repeat after Game 5 dominance vs. Oilers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kade Anderson limited Arkansas’ high-powered offense to three hits and a run i...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Kade Anderson limited Arkansas’ high-powered offense to three hits and a run in seven-plus innings, LSU knocked Razorbacks ace Zach Root out of the game early, and the Tigers beat the rival Razorbacks 4-1 in the College World Series on Saturday night.Anderson, a projected top-five overall pick in the MLB amateur draft next month, kept Arkansas batters off-balance with his four-pitch mix and struck out seven to become the national leader with 170.LSU (49-15), which won the SEC regular-season series against the Razorbacks in Baton Rouge last month, improved to 4-0 in all-time CWS meetings. The Tigers will play UCLA on Monday night as they continue their bid to win a second national title in three years. Arkansas (48-14), in its 12th CWS and looking for its first championship, meets Murray State in an elimination game Monday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The matchup between the No. 3 national seed Razorbacks and No. 6 Tigers marked the first time since the NCAA Tournament went to its current format in 1999 that the highest remaining seeds have met in their CWS opener.The Tigers were up 3-0 in the second inning after Root (8-6) issued two walks and allowed a bunt single to Daniel Dickinson to load the bases. Chris Stanfield singled in a run and another was forced in when Root plunked Michael Braswell III in the foot. The third came home when Josh Pearson grounded to short and beat the relay throw to first on the double-play attempt.That was all for Root, whose 1 2/3 innings marked his shortest start of the season. Gabe Gaeckle, who moved to the bullpen after making nine starts, kept his team in the game. He allowed just three hits, and his 10 strikeouts and six innings were career highs.Gaeckle left with two outs and a runner on second in the eighth. Cole Gibler came on and Derek Curiel sent his 0-2 pitch to left for an insurance run.Anderson (11-1) held the Razorbacks scoreless until the sixth when Reese Robinett connected for his third homer of the season.The left-hander from tiny Madisonville, Louisiana, went seven innings for the third straight start and departed after Cam Kozeal singled leading off the eighth. Chase Shores retired three straight and turned things over to freshman Casan Evans in the ninth. Evans worked around Charles Davalan’s leadoff single to finish off the Razorbacks.The full house of more than 25,000 was evenly split between the fan bases. Well before first pitch, Arkansas fans countered passionate “L-S-U” chants by raising their arms and doing the Hog call: “Wooooooooo. Pig. Sooie!”Influencer and former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne was in the front row in a half-LSU, half-Pittsburgh Pirates No. 30 jersey with the name of her boyfriend, Paul Skenes, on the back. Skenes pitched on LSU’s 2023 title team before he made his fast rise in the majors.___AP college sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports">https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports</a>

BATON ROUGE, LA - JUNE 7: Kade Anderson #32 of the LSU Tigers in action against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the NCAA Baton Rouge Super Regional on June 7, 2025 at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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Anderson’s dominant outing carries LSU over Arkansas 

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said he wouldn’t allow Christian Pulisic t...

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said he wouldn’t allow Christian Pulisic to dictate which games he would be available for, explaining why he rejected the star’s offer to play in a pair of friendlies ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup but not the tournament itself.“I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin,” Pochettino said Saturday, a day ahead of the Americans’ opener against Trinidad and Tobago.Pulisic told the U.S. team he was willing to play in the recent games but wanted to skip the tournament to rest after playing about 120 matches over the past two years for AC Milan and the national team.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Americans lost the friendlies, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-turkey-score-4100af0d3c46d20b20823f2c5a39e5e9">2-1 to Turkey</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-switzerland-score-539d392fc899a3f006c380fc4ffb3865">4-0 to Switzerland</a>, and were dealt their first four-game losing streak since 2007. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/christian-pulisic-us-soccer-fd540ee6e9238acc00838b65267b9f62">Pulisic told CBS Sports Golazo</a> he respected Pochettino’s decision to exclude him but “I didn’t understand it.”“Players (do) not need to understand or not understand,” Pochettino said. “Players need to listen and to stick with our plan. They cannot dictate the plan. Because if not, OK, we invert — we swap the position, no? That is obvious. ... The most important thing is that we explain why we decided not to include (him) in the two friendly games. And then if you have some problems, no, that is not my problem to understand.”Pulisic, 26, is the top American player with 32 goals in 78 international appearances. Pochettino compared Pulisic’s situation to that of defender Sergiño Dest, who reported to training camp in Chicago ahead of the friendlies and then was dropped to continue regaining fitness in his recovery from a torn ACL.“It’s up to us after to assess, to analyze if you need rest or not need rest because we have a group of professional performance doctor and athletic coaches in the federation that can assess you,” Pochettino said.The coach said he understood Pulisic’s request but wouldn’t alter his decision to have one roster for the entire June/July camp.“Our decision was to go with the players who wanted to play,” Pochettino said.Pochettino rejected Pulisic being labeled the top American player.“You say the best player. Yes, is a good player, of course, but he needs to perform,” the coach said. “If he perform(s) well, and he’s the best, it is normal he is going to have a place in the national team ... But it’s not because ... I want to be, I want to play, I want to do this, I want to do that.”Pochettino said it was possible midfielder Tyer Adams, who has turf toe, could be available Sunday.“I hope on the end of this journey together we can leave a trophy that’s for sure well deserved, first for the players and then for the country and for the fans to recover the belief and recover that good energy and the good feelings,” he said. “That is important. In one year that we have an amazing opportunity in the World Cup, being a host of the World Cup.”___AP soccer: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/soccer">https://apnews.com/hub/soccer</a>

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 12: United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino talks with Christian Pulisic #10 during the first half against Panama at Q2 Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Austin, Texas.

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Pochettino: Pulisic can't pick and choose which games he plays

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roman Martin and AJ Salgado drove in two runs apiece to lead UCLA to a 6-4 vic...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roman Martin and AJ Salgado drove in two runs apiece to lead UCLA to a 6-4 victory over a Murray State team making its College World Series debut Saturday.The Bruins, in the CWS for the first time since they won the championship in 2013, built a 6-0 lead before the Racers began chipping away at it in the middle innings. UCLA closer Easton Hawk pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to secure the Bruins’ fourth straight win in an Omaha opener.UCLA (48-16) will play Monday night against the winner of Saturday night’s game between No. 3 national seed Arkansas and No. 6 LSU.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Missouri Valley Conference’s Racers (44-16), only the fourth No. 4 regional seed since 1999 to advance to the CWS, will try to keep their first appearance going when they play Arkansas or LSU in an elimination game on Monday.Ian May (8-3), the second of five relievers who followed starter Michael Barnett, pitched an inning to earn the win.The Bruins were in full control early and improved to 27-1 when scoring first. They loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning against Nic Schutte (8-5). He gave up a hit and issued three walks before he settled down and got back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to keep it 1-0.Dean West singled in another run in the second, and the Bruins added four more in the fourth on a safety squeeze bunt, base hit and Salgado’s two-run double.Murray State ended the UCLA pitching staff’s streak of 20 2/3 scoreless innings when a sliding Jonathan Hogart beat Salgado’s throw to the plate on Carson Garner’s drive into right field in the fifth. Before that, the Bruins hadn’t allowed a run since the second inning of their super regional opener against UTSA.The Racers added a run in the sixth and two more in the eighth after putting runners on second and third with no outs. Consecutive RBI groundouts pulled them within 6-4.Hawk went to the mound in the ninth with a two-run lead and facing the heart of the Racers’ order. He struck out Dustin Mercer, got Garner to ground out and fanned Dominic Decker to earn his eighth save.___AP college sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports">https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports</a>

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 24: A.J. Salgado #14 of the UCLA Bruins runs for first base after a hit during a game against the USC Trojans at Jackie Robinson Stadium on March 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

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UCLA holds off upstart Murray State in College World Series opener

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Alex Bowman wasn't sure he was going to make the trip to Mexico City because o...

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Alex Bowman wasn't sure he was going to make the trip to Mexico City because of lower back pain suffered in “the hardest hit of my career” at Michigan last week.As late as Wednesday — the day before he was scheduled to leave for NASCAR's first points-paying Cup Series race of the modern era outside the United States — the Hendrick Motorsports driver was so sore he didn't know if he'd be able to get in the car.He was still sore after two days of practice at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, but it was after he got out of his No. 48 Chevrolet and not while he was driving. Bowman said his hit registered 50 G-force.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I don't know if on paper that's the biggest (hit) I've ever taken, but it's the most painful one I've ever taken, for sure,” Bowman said Saturday. “Even compared to when I broke my back, it's way more pain than that was.”Bowman last Sunday slammed hard into the wall at Michigan in a head-on impact at approximately 150 mph. The hit was so fierce that it lifted the rear wheels in the air. Although nothing was broken, he has severe lower back pain on his right side that shoots into his leg.The 32-year-old kidded he's been a bit of a “crash dummy” of late: Bowman missed five races in 2022 with a concussion suffered at Texas, and he broke his back in a 2023 sprint car crash that led Rick Hendrick to ban him from further extracurricular racing.Although he's ranked 13th in the Cup Series standings, he didn't want to miss a race considering the recent slump Bowman is going through. He has finished 27th or worse in seven of the last nine races and has five finishes of 35th or worse.Even though Bowman made it to Mexico City and says he feels fit enough inside the car, Anthony Alfredo is on standby in case Bowman can't complete Sunday's race on the 15-turn, 2.42-mile layout.Alfredo, a full-time driver in the Xfinity Series, does simulator work for Hendrick Motorsports. He has 42 starts in the Cup Series, including one start earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway.Bowman, who qualified 29th, hopes to be able to complete the race.“The goal is to get all the laps in and go from there,” Bowman said. “It hasn't been a fun week at all. Wednesday was probably the worst day, but we're here and ready to go. It's all in the right side of my lower back and then through my lower right leg. Everything is really tight. It's all muscular. Definitely a lot of pain.”Shane in the rainShane Van Gisbergen won the pole for Sunday's race in Mexico City in a rain-shortened qualifying session.The New Zealander got in three qualifying laps and took the top spot with a lap of 93.904 mph to put his No. 88 Chevrolet from Trackhouse Racing out front.Van Gisbergen proved to be a master of racing on a wet road course in his NASCAR debut when he won on the rain-drenched street course in Chicago in 2023. That victory led to a career change for Van Gisbergen, who was an Australian V8 Supercars champion but made the move to NASCAR after shocking the Cup Series with his Chicago win.<remove></remove>“I don’t know, that’s your guys’ jobs, but I do know that we will be competitive if we get everything right,” he said. "It’s so hard to know what the car’s going to be like — it’s a different track, how it’s going to be affected by the altitude and the surface. We should be up front. These are the types of tracks I’m good at, so we’ll see.”But, he added he actually despises racing in the rain despite his superior skills at maneuvering slick surfaces.“I absolutely hate racing in the rain, but I’m good at it," he said. "I’d rather it didn’t rain, but if it happens, we put the wets on and go. I just don’t enjoy it. It’s just never fun. You’re always sliding around, and it just turns stuff into chaos. It’s fun to watch, but I don’t really enjoy driving.”Ryan Preece in a Ford for RFK Racing qualified second and was followed by Ross Chastain, Van Gisbergen's teammate at Trackhouse. Ty Gibbs in fourth was the highest qualifying Toyota driver.Suarez homecoming spoiledDaniel Suarez has been feted as a hero since arriving home in Mexico for this weekend's race, but the joy was spoiled when he demolished his car during qualifying for the Xfinity Series race.The Saturday crash caused JR Motorsports to unload a backup for Suarez to race later in the day. The native of Monterrey is doing double duty this weekend, racing in both the Xfinity Series race and the Cup Series race for Trackhouse.He qualified 10th for the Cup race.But because of his crash, he had to start at the back of the Xfinity field.Suarez said his Chevrolet had some brake issues in practice that led to a debate over skipping qualifying. He ultimately went out on the track but his brakes failed in Turn 11 and the car did not stop or turn.Instead, it slid across the track and slammed nose-first into the barrier. The crash buried the No. 9 into the firewall, and Suarez climbed out of his mangled car unscathed.___AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 14: Alex Bowman, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, drives during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on June 14, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.

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Bowman battles severe back pain to race in Mexico after Michigan crash

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan forward Mehdi Taremi will not be able to join his teammates at the Club ...

MILAN (AP) — Inter Milan forward Mehdi Taremi will not be able to join his teammates at the Club World Cup in the United States as he is stuck in Tehran amid the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.Flights from all Iranian airports have been grounded following an exchange of military strikes between Iran and Israel over the last two days.That meant the Iran international was unable to take his scheduled flight on Saturday to join his Inter teammates in Los Angeles.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Taremi will miss Inter's opening match against Monterrey on Wednesday and Italian media reports the 32-year-old will not feature in the other matches either regardless of whether Iranian airspace reopens.Taremi joined Inter from Porto last year.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

COMO, ITALY - MAY 23: Mehdi Taremi of FC Internazionale looks dejected during the Serie A match between Como and FC Internazionale at Stadio G. Sinigaglia on May 23, 2025 in Como, Italy.

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Taremi stuck in Iran, will miss Inter Milan's Club World Cup opener

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros placed rookie outfielder Jacob Melton on the 10-day injured lis...

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros placed rookie outfielder Jacob Melton on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a sprained right ankle.Melton was injured playing defense in Friday night's win over Minnesota. The 24-year-old Melton hit .241 with a triple and six RBIs in 11 games this season.The Astros also optioned utility player Shay Whitcomb to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Houston selected the contracts of outfielder Cooper Hummel and infielder Luis Guillorme from Sugar Land to take their spots on the roster.To make room on the 40-man roster, the Astros transferred right-hander Spencer Arrighetti to the 60-day injured list. Arrighetti is recovering from fracturing his right thumb in a batting practice mishap on April 7.___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 13: Jacob Melton #31 of the Houston Astros runs after hitting a two-run triple against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Daikin Park on June 13, 2025 in Houston, Texas.

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Astros' Melton sidelined with sprained ankle

BRIGHTON, England (AP) — James Milner will get another chance to become the player with the most ...

BRIGHTON, England (AP) — James Milner will get another chance to become the player with the most appearances in the Premier League era.The 39-year-old midfielder, who is 15 appearances short of Gareth Barry's record (653), has signed a one-year contract extension with Brighton.Milner sustained a serious knee injury that limited him to just four league games last season. He made his 638th appearance on the last day of the season, coming off the bench in a 4-1 victory over Tottenham.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"Last season he wasn't able to help the team on the pitch as much as he would have liked, but around the squad his experience is invaluable, especially for the younger players," Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler said in the team's announcement Friday."He's a great guy to have in our environment, who is always there for me and the team," said Hurzeler, who is seven years younger than Milner. "I'm looking forward to working with him again."Milner, who will turn 40 in January, made his debut at age 16 for Leeds in November 2002.He's entering his record-extending 24th season overall and third at Brighton — he made 15 league appearances in the 2023-24 season — after eight years at Liverpool. Milner has also played for Manchester City, Aston Villa and Newcastle.Milner made 61 international appearances for England from 2009-16.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 25: James Milner of Brighton & Hove Albion reacts after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 25, 2025 in London, England.

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Milner gets another chance at EPL appearance record after Brighton renewal

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged U.S. officials on Friday not to targ...

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged U.S. officials on Friday not to target individuals attending a Gold Cup soccer match in Los Angeles between the Mexican national team and the Dominican Republic.Dozens of workers have been detained by federal immigration authorities in a series of raids in LA’s fashion district and at Home Depot parking lots in Southern California. More than 100 people have been detained."We don't believe that there will be any raids if there's a soccer game," Sheinbaum said in a news conference. "We hope there won't be any. We call for no action from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Mexico is scheduled to play the Dominican Republic on Saturday night at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in a group stage match of the Gold Cup.Usually, the Mexican national team matches attract thousands of fans whenever they play in Southern California. Their last match there was in March, when more than 50,000 fans attended a League of Nations semifinal against Canada.In the most recent measure in the administration's immigration crackdown, President Donald Trump deployed National Guard troops and Marines to the Los Angeles area after the raids sparked days of tumultuous protests throughout the city. The city's downtown has seen a variety of protests, from quiet to boisterous. Over the weekend, protesters blocked a key freeway and set cars on fire.For safety concerns, the Mexican national team decided to change hotels earlier in the week and moved from downtown to Long Beach.Sheinbaum also said that the Mexican consulates in the United States have implemented an information campaign guide for Mexicans in the event of unjust detention by immigration authorities."This campaign we are carrying out through the consulates will provide all the information on what to do if detained, as well as ongoing contact with families," the Sheinbaum said.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - JUNE 11: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum attends her daily press conference at the National Palace, in Mexico City, Mexico on June 11, 2025. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum denied Kristi Noem's allegation that she encouraged violent protests in Los Angeles.

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MIAMI (AP) — The Club World Cup will take Inter Miami from start-up to the global stage.  Just fi...

MIAMI (AP) — The Club World Cup will take Inter Miami from start-up to the global stage.Just five years after its MLS debut, the team co-owned by David Beckham and starring Lionel Messi will have the eyes of the world on it as it kicks off soccer's newest competition with the chance to be crowned world champion.It's been a wild ride.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"This is a competition that will let us see where we are standing as a team," coach Javier Mascherano said Friday as Miami enters the unknown in a competition featuring 32 of the best teams from around the globe. "No one expects us to go far, but this should be an advantage. We don't have that in our national league when people expect Miami to be the winning team."Up first for Miami at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday is Africa's most successful team — Al Ahly from Egypt, which has won a record 12 African championships.When it comes to winning heritage, there is no competition. Al Ahly, founded in 1907, has won a record 45 national league titles and 39 domestic cups — another record. It qualified for the Club World Cup three times over by winning three of the last four African Champions League titles.<h3>Questions over Miami's place</h3>Miami, meanwhile, is taking part in the tournament by more questionable means. Its place was secured as a result of winning the MLS Supporters' Shield, a decision that was greeted with some surprise when announced by FIFA president Gianni Infantino last year, and looked even more curious when Miami failed to go on and lift the MLS Cup that season.A tournament devised to determine the best team in the world by largely bringing together continental champions managed to shoehorn in a team that hadn't even managed to win its own national title.No wonder questions were raised.Miami, however, has made a habit of pulling off the unlikely and setting its sights high."Our club will have a global vision," managing owner and CEO Jorge Mas said when Miami was launched in 2018 — at that time without a team or even a name.<h3>Led by Messi, a classy pedigree</h3>Miami has lived up to that billing — luring star players like former Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Higuain and eventually landing the biggest of them all two years ago when signing Messi. It is no surprise Infantino wanted the Argentine great in his inaugural tournament. The presence of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner adds glamour and interest, and boosts the chances of FIFA selling out more stadiums like the 65,000-seat Hard Rock."Everyone's talking about Messi 24/7 every day," said former Italy striker Christian Vieri, who is an analyst for broadcaster DAZN. "The whole world's going to be watching the first game and everyone wants to watch Messi, so it's just going be an incredible night."Messi has not just raised the profile of Miami, but also MLS, with clips of his goals shared around the world on social media."The league was growing before, but ever since his arrival it's grown a lot faster. What he's done for this sport in the States is huge," said Miami teammate Benjamin Cremaschi.With him in the team, Miami won the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the Supporters' Shield last year, setting an MLS record for the most points in a single season.<h3>Optimism in South Florida</h3>And it is the presence of arguably the greatest player of all time, along with other star names like Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, that is driving belief Miami can make a statement over the next month."This club has had a short life, but this is the most important competition in the history of our club," Mascherano said. "It is only normal that a European team should win the competition, but these tournaments can spring a surprise. Why can we not be excited that we can spring a surprise?"Miami is likely to have to win its opening game to have a real chance of advancing beyond the first stage, with Brazilian giant Palmeiras and Portuguese side Porto also in Group A.For Messi, the tournament presents him with the unusual experience of being an underdog."The expectations I have are different to the ones I had when I played for other teams, but I'm eager and I look forward to competing against the best and doing well," he said.Win or lose, Suarez believes Miami's rapid rise is just the beginning."We know how the club is improving now," Suarez said. "The last two years we've had so many people here to see us. We keeping going up and the next two or three years Inter Miami will become bigger and bigger."___James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - JUNE 13: Lionel Messi (10) of Inter Miami CF attends an Inter Miami Training Session at Florida Blue Training Center on June 13, 2025 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

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SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil will have four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club W...

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil will have four teams, more than any other country, in the expanded Club World Cup kicking off this weekend in the United States. But for Palmeiras, the competition holds a special meaning: winning it would provide some redemption.Under coach Abel Ferreira since 2020, Palmeiras lifted two Copa Libertadores titles, plus Brazilian league, cup, and state championships. Even before Ferreira, it boasted another South American crown and 11 league titles.The only major trophy missing is a world champions' title.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Other Brazilian clubs like Fluminense and Botafogo, also in the tournament, have never won it either. But the problem for Palmeiras and its 16 million fans stems from its three local rivals, Corinthians, Sao Paulo, and Santos, having all won it at least twice.That has led to over two decades of memes, jokes, and insults. It could all come back for the third time in five years for Palmeiras."It's true that we have a 10% chance of winning this tournament," Ferreira said in early May. "So we'll fight for these 10% starting with our first goal, getting through the group stage. We deserve to be there."<h3>Tough group rivals</h3>Palmeiras qualified as 2021 Copa Libertadores winners. Its group stage rivals are Portugal's Porto, Egypt's Al Ahly, and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.Fans like Matheus Flor sees a better chance of "ending the world title curse" later this year in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, a shorter format with fewer teams, if Palmeiras wins its fourth Copa Libertadores title."The shortened version is more feasible; playing a European team just once in a final gives us more hope," Flor said. "I'd spend money to go to Dubai, Tokyo, wherever, if I saw a chance of winning. This time, I think we're not too excited because we know the joke will likely continue."Key Palmeiras players, like 18-year-old winger Estevao, midfielder Raphael Veiga, and defender Gustavo Gomez, might not remain after the tournament.<h3>Previous chances</h3>Palmeiras has had three earlier shots at a world title. In 1999, they lost the Intercontinental Cup 1-0 to Manchester United. Twenty-two years later, they suffered a 1-0 semifinal defeat to Mexico's Tigres in the Club World Cup, finishing fourth. A year later, more heartbreak came with a 2-1 extra time loss to Chelsea.Many Palmeiras fans cling to the 1951 Copa Rio title as world champion status, though FIFA doesn't officially equate it with the Intercontinental Cup and modern Club World Cup. That tournament saw Palmeiras beat Juventus 3-2 on aggregate.Palmeiras finished the current Copa Libertadores group stage with the most points and is also contending for the league title.Its first Club World Cup match is Sunday against Porto in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Most soccer fans in Sao Paulo will likely be watching.Ever-hopeful Palmeiras fan Flor is pleased his team is once again the focus of rivals."Of course we want to end the joke forever, but no club's greatness depends on lifting this title. We're already great, the biggest winner in Brazil for a very long time," Flor said. "One day we'll get it, and they'll all shut up."___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Palmeiras' Uruguayan forward #17 Facundo Torres (C) celebrates with teammates forward #10 Paulinho (L) and forward #40 Allan after scoring during the Copa Libertadores group stage football match between Brazil's Palmeiras and Peru's Sporting Cristal at the Allianz Parque stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 28, 2025.

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Preston Judd scored a shorthanded goal in the third minute of second-half s...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Preston Judd scored a shorthanded goal in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to rally the San Jose Earthquakes to a 1-1 draw with the Portland Timbers on Friday night.Judd subbed into the match for Beau Leroux in the 75th minute and scored for the second time this season and the sixth of his career when Portland goalkeeper Daniel De Sousa Britto stopped but couldn’t wrap up a shot by Ousseni Bouda. Judd was there to tap the deflection in for the equalizer.San Jose (6-7-5) earned a point despite being forced to play a man down from the 52nd minute on after midfielder Ian Harkes was tagged with a second yellow card.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Portland (8-4-6) took a 1-0 lead in the 71st minute on a goal by defender Juan Mosquera. It was his first goal this season and his fourth in his 80th career appearance — all with the Timbers. Felipe Mora notched his third assist of the campaign.James Pantemis finished with six saves in goal for the Timbers.Daniel De Sousa Britto saved four shots for the Earthquakes.Portland is 14-0-5 all time at home against San Jose.The Earthquakes beat the visiting Timbers 1-0 in May.The Earthquakes travel to play FC Dallas on June 25. The Timbers return to league play on June 28 at Toronto FC.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

PORTLAND, OREGON - JUNE 13: Preston Judd #19 of San Jose Earthquakes celebrates his goal against the Portland Timbers during a game between Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes at Providence Park on June 13, 2025 in Portland, Oregon.

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Game on the line, season quite possibly on the line, the Oklahoma City Thunde...

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Game on the line, season quite possibly on the line, the Oklahoma City Thunder had only one place to turn.They went to the MVP.And Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered, scoring 15 of his 35 points in the final 4:38, capping Oklahoma City’s rally from a 10-point, second-half deficit and sealing a 111-104 win over the Indiana Pacers 111-104 on Friday night to tie the NBA Finals at two games apiece.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“He definitely showed who he is tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.It was all SGA for OKC down the stretch. The Thunder closed the game on a 16-7 run; he had all but one of those points.“We played with desperation to end the game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said, “and that’s why we won.”Jalen Williams added 27, Alex Caruso had 20 and Chet Holmgren finished with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Thunder. They did it the hard way — with a season-low three 3-pointers, and no assists from Gilgeous-Alexander for the first time all season.Pascal Siakam scored 20 for Indiana, which got 18 from Tyrese Haliburton and 17 from Obi Toppin.Game 5 of the series — now essentially a best-of-three — is at Oklahoma City on Monday night, with the Thunder now having reclaimed home-court advantage.“This kind of a challenge is going to have extreme highs and extreme lows,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “This is a low right now and we’re going to have to bounce back from it.”The Thunder basically saved their realistic chance at winning the title. Teams with a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals have gone on to win the championship 37 times in 38 past chances. The Pacers looked well on their way to being the 39th team with such an edge, before Gilgeous-Alexander saved the day.“We knew it when we woke up this morning; 3-1 is a lot different than 2-2 going back home,” Gilgeous-Alexander said.The Pacers came out flying, scoring 20 points in the first 4:59 — only the second time all season the Thunder gave up so many so quickly. They led by as many as nine early, but were unable to pull away.And things got chippy for the first time in the series: Toppin was called for a Flagrant 1 on Caruso midway through the second quarter, then Toppin was the recipient of a Flagrant 1 from Lu Dort just before the half. The Pacers closed on a 15-6 run, taking a 60-57 lead into the break.Toppin’s baseline dunk late in the third put Indiana up 86-76, its first double-digit lead of the series coming late in the 15th quarter of the series. Back came OKC: A 13-3 run tied the game early in the fourth at 89, the first of a handful of those down the stretch.Tied at 91. Tied at 95. Tied at 97. And, finally, the lead: Gilgeous-Alexander’s step-back with 2:23 left put the Thunder up 104-103, their first lead of the second half.They kept it the rest of the way.“We wanted to win,” Siakam said. “I thought we played well enough for some stretches ... but unfortunately, it didn’t happen.”___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - JUNE 13: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder looks to pass the ball during the game against Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers during Game Four of the 2025 NBA Finals on June 13, 2025 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Aiva Arquette scored from first base on Gavin Turley’s drive into the left-fie...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Aiva Arquette scored from first base on Gavin Turley’s drive into the left-field corner in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Oregon State a 4-3 walk-off victory over Louisville in the College World Series on Friday night.The Cardinals had tied the game with two runs in the top half before Oregon State recorded its fourth walk-off win of the season and second in four games.The Beavers (48-14-1), back in Omaha for the first time since they won the national title in 2018, will play Coastal Carolina on Sunday after the Cardinals (40-22) meet Arizona in an elimination game.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Arquette, a projected first-round pick in the MLB amateur draft next month, had had a rough night in the field before delivering his third base hit of the game with one out in the ninth. Turley then sent the first pitch from Jake Schweitzer (4-2) on a line into the corner. Left fielder Zion Rose tried to cut the ball off but couldn’t come up with it, allowing Arquette to be waved home.Oregon State’s dugout emptied, and Turley was drenched with a bucket of sports drink in the on-field celebration. In the Beavers’ super regional opener last week, Turley scored the winning run on AJ Singer’s walk-off single in a 5-4, 10-inning win over Florida State.The Cardinals, who trailed 3-1, stranded runners at third base in the sixth and seventh innings and couldn’t score after getting their leadoff man on base in the eighth.They broke through to tie it in the ninth against Kellan Oakes (5-0). Rose tripled to left when the ball got past Turley and rolled to the wall and Tague Davis followed with an RBI single. Alex Alicea reached on shortstop Arquette’s throwing error and ended up on third when catcher Wilson Weber lost his grip on the ball as he tried to get Alicea at second.Kamau Neighbors drove in Alicea for the tying run with his liner to center before Oakes got a strikeout and groundout to end the inning.Oregon State starter Dax Whitney was nearly untouchable the first two times through the Louisville order. He mixed mid-90 mph fastballs with knee-buckling curveballs and changeups to strike out eight of the first 11 batters he faced, and the only hits against him through five innings were a couple balls poked through the infield.The 6-foot-5 right-hander from Blackfoot, Idaho, finished with nine strikeouts and left with one out in the sixth and two runners on base.Louisville starter Patrick Forbes matched zeroes with Whitney through three innings, fanning five of the first nine he faced. He finished with 10 strikeouts and was replaced by Justin West with bases loaded in the sixth after he issued his only walk.West ended the inning with two strikeouts, but not before Canon Reeder made it 3-1 when Alicea couldn’t pick up his sharply hit grounder.___AP college sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports">https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports</a>

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Gavin Turley #1 of the Oregon State Beavers rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the eighth inning at Jackie Robinson Stadium on May 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Coastal Carolina broke open a tie game with three runs in the eighth inning, D...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Coastal Carolina broke open a tie game with three runs in the eighth inning, Dominick Carbone shut down an Arizona threat in the ninth, and the Chanticleers opened the College World Series with a 7-4 victory Friday.The Chanticleers (54-11) extended their winning streak to 24 games in their first appearance in Omaha since they beat Arizona in the 2016 finals. They’ll play Sunday against the winner of Friday night’s game between Louisville and No. 8 national seed Oregon State.Arizona (44-20), in the CWS for the first time since 2021, will play the Louisville-Oregon State loser on Sunday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Coastal Carolina scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to forge a 4-all tie with the Wildcats and took the lead in the eighth after reliever Garrett Hicks (5-1) retired the first two batters.Wells Skyes sliced a ball just inside the right-field line for a double and Caden Bodine was intentionally walked before Sebastian Alexander singled in the go-ahead run. Arizona closer Tony Pluta came on and gave up Blake Barthol’s two-run double.The Wildcats had runners on the corners with none out in the ninth. Carbone struck out pinch-hitter Dom Rodriguez and then got Brendan Summerhill to hit into a game-ending double play.The Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference arrived with the most wins and on the longest winning streak ever entering a CWS.Gary Gilmore, who coached the 2016 national championship team and retired after last season, accepted Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall’s invitation to fly with the team to Omaha. He watched the game from the stands.Chanticleers reliever Cameron Flukey (8-1) went four innings in relief of Riley Eikhoff and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.Coastal Carolina finished with 14 hits against four pitchers. Blagen Pado, who entered the NCAA Tournament batting .225, continued his postseason tear. He went 2 for 4 and is now 10 of 21 (.476) with three homers and eight RBIs over six tournament games.Arizona’s Mason White hit his 20th homer of the season, and 49th of his career, in the fourth inning, with Alexander leaping at the left-field fence and having the ball soar just over his outstretched glove.The Wildcats’ Owen Kramkowski, coming off his worst start of the season in an 18-2 loss at North Carolina in Game 1 of super regionals, scattered nine singles and a walk while giving up three runs in five innings. He struck out seven.___AP college sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports">https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports</a>

CLEMSON, SC - JUNE 02: Coastal Carolina Chanticleer pitcher Dominick Carbone (40) throws a pitch during the NCAA Division 1 Regional College Baseball game between the High Point Panthers and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on June 2, 2024, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C.

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two Mexican clubs seeking to reinstate promotion and relegation say the Mexica...

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Two Mexican clubs seeking to reinstate promotion and relegation say the Mexican Football Association is trying to silence and punish them after they appealed to sport's highest court.Last month, 10 of the 15 clubs in Mexico's second division filed the appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Since then, four of them have opted out leaving six in it: Leones Negros, Venados FC, Atletico Morelia, Cancun FC, Club Atletico La Paz and Mineros.The FMF halted promotion in 2019 and agreed with the second division teams to reinstate it in 2026, but there are no current plans to do it and that is why the clubs went to CAS.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We can't ascend to the first division because the league is kidnapped," Giovanni Solazzi, the Cancun FC vice president said this week. "If there is sporting justice, promotion must return."Alberto Castellanos, the Leones Negros president, also criticized the federation for what he called "monopolistic practices."On Wednesday, the federation wrote to Solazzi and Castellanos informing them they were being investigated because their statements may have breached the code of ethics. The clubs could be fined up to 450,000 pesos (about $23,000), stated the letter, seen by the Associated Press."The FMF is clearly pursuing an intimidatory process intended to silence and punish the clubs for appealing to CAS," said Eduardo Carlezzo, the owner of the legal firm representing the clubs in the appeal.The owners of the 18 top flight teams voted to halt promotion and relegation for six seasons, arguing it would help to consolidate the second-division clubs. As a payoff, the second tier clubs share an $8 million pot.Since the CAS appeal, the second division teams claim they have not received any payments."The federation suspended the financial compensation the day after the appeal was launched and is now threatening disciplinary sanction over comment," Carlezzo said. "These actions constitute a serious and blatant infringement of the freedom of expression and the access to justice guaranteed by the Mexican constitution."___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

TOLUCA, MEXICO - MAY 25: General view as the smoke of red flares fill the stadium during the Torneo Clausura 2025 Liga MX Final second leg match between Toluca and Club America at Nemesio Diez Stadium on May 25, 2025 in Toluca, Mexico.

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OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Florida State shortstop Alex Lodise has been named winner of the Dick Howser T...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Florida State shortstop Alex Lodise has been named winner of the Dick Howser Trophy as the national player of the year, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association announced Friday.Lodise is the third player in program history to win the Howser, joining J.D. Drew in 1997 and Buster Posey in 2008. The award has been presented annually since 1987 and is named after former FSU All-American and head coach Dick Howser.Lodise was named Atlantic Coast Conference player and defensive player of the year, and he also is a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in the nation and Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top shortstop.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Lodise ranked among the national leaders with a .394 batting average, 17 home runs, 18 doubles, 68 RBIs and .705 slugging percentage. He committed only five errors on 216 fielding chances (.977) and was part of 34 double plays.The junior from Jacksonville, Florida, had at least one hit in 48 of his 58 games. He had 31 multi-hit games and 13 games with three or more hits. Among his season highlights was hitting for the cycle in a March 25 game against Florida — finishing it with a walk-off grand slam.___AP college sports: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports">https://apnews.com/hub/college-sports</a>

CORAL GABLES, FL - MARCH 22: FSU infielder Alex Lodise (1) hits a single in the first inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Florida State Seminoles on March 22, 2025, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida.

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Former NFL player Antonio Brown is facing an attempted murder charge stemming from a shooting tha...

Former NFL player Antonio Brown is facing an attempted murder charge stemming from a shooting that took place <a href="https://apnews.com/article/antonio-brown-gunshots-adin-ross-bea21d312928850618ea894f5dabae53">during an altercation</a> outside an amateur boxing event in Miami, according to an arrest warrant.Brown, 36, is accused of grabbing a handgun from a security staffer and firing two shots at a man he had gotten into a fistfight with earlier. The victim, Zul-Qarnain Kwame Nantambu, told investigators one of the bullets grazed his neck.The warrant does not list an attorney for Brown, an All-Pro wide receiver who last played in the NFL in 2021 for Tampa Bay but spent most of his 12-year career with Pittsburgh. Brown did not respond to messages sent to his social media accounts.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The second-degree attempted murder charge carries a maximum 15-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine.It is the latest in a series of legal problems for Brown, who has previously been accused of <a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-domestic-news-domestic-news-4a03a6fe1f2b521819510f040a6b3ce6">battery of a moving truck driver,</a> several domestic violence charges, failure to pay child support and other incidents. During a 2021 game with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-tampa-bay-buccaneers-new-york-jets-antonio-brown-c48ae18f37f1c92709ca446df4bbfcef">Tampa Bay against the New York Jets</a>, Brown took off his jersey, shoulder pads and gloves and ran off the field, leading to his release by the Buccaneers.After that incident, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said people should show some compassion for Brown, who lived at Brady's home during his time in Tampa Bay."It’s a difficult situation,” Brady said then. “Everybody should do what they can to help him in ways that he really needs it. We all love him. We care about him deeply. We want to see him be at his best. Unfortunately, it won’t be with our team."According to the arrest warrant, Brown attended a celebrity boxing event in Miami on May 16. Police were called to the location after other patrons reported hearing shots fired. Several of them told officers Brown was the shooter, but when he was detained in the parking lot no weapon was found, but two bullet casings were located.Brown was released then because the victim was not found immediately, according to the warrant. Later, investigators learned Nantambu was the victim.Based on surveillance video, the altercation outside the boxing event involving Brown, Nantambu and others was broken up by security staff, one of whom got into a struggle with Brown, the warrant says.“Mr. Brown appears to retrieve a black firearm from the right hip area” of the security official, the warrant says. “Cellphone video obtained from social media showed Mr. Brown with the firearm in his hand advancing toward Mr. Nantambu on the outside sidewalk. The video captures two shots which occur as Mr. Brown is within several feet of Mr. Nantambu.”Nantambu identified Brown as the shooter and told investigators he had known Brown since 2022.In a social media post after the altercation, Brown said he was “jumped by multiple individuals who tried to steal my jewelry and cause physical harm to me.”During his playing career, Brown caught 928 passes for 12,291 yards and 88 touchdowns. He played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning the 2021 Super Bowl along with Brady. Brown was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.

MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 23: NFL wide reciever Antonio Brown looks on courtside during the second half between the Miami Heat and the Memphis Grizzlies at American Airlines Arena on October 23, 2019 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

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