National Sports

LYON, France — If Australia or Wales were better than mediocre, their pivotal Rugby World Cup pool match on Sunday in Lyon would be easier to call.

Marco Arop catapulted himself to new heights, and just in time heading into an Olympic year. The towering six-foot-four 800-metre runner from Edmonton became the first Canadian to win world championship gold in the event in August.

PARIS (AP) — Top-ranked Ireland's game with No. 2 South Africa on Saturday has the feel of a Rugby World Cup final even though it's only their third match of the pool stage.

NINGBO, China — Alexa Gray had 20 attack points to lead Canada to a 3-1 win over Ukraine on Friday at the women's volleyball Olympic qualification tournament.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — It’s a frequent — and most often frantic — high-pitched yell when kids playing street hockey in North America know their game is about to be interrupted.

BERLIN (AP) — Germany hired Julian Nagelsmann to lead the men’s national soccer team on Friday, entrusting the former Bayern Munich coach with doing a better job than the last Bayern Munich coach who tried.

Thursday's Scoreboard MLB American League N.Y. Yankees 5 Toronto 3 Tampa Bay 5 L.A. Angels 4 Cleveland 5 Baltimore 2 Detroit 7 Oakland 3 National League Milwaukee 6 St. Louis 0 Atlanta 10 Washington 3 Philadelphia 5 N.Y.

NEW YORK (AP) — Gerrit Cole retired the first 16 hitters and pitched eight outstanding innings to strengthen his Cy Young Award credentials as the New York Yankees moved back over .500 with a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Leylah Fernandez saw her best run at a WTA 1000 tournament end Thursday with a 6-4, 6-7 (8), 6-1 quarterfinal loss to American Sofia Kenin at the Guadalajara Open. Fernandez, from Laval, Que.

Olympic champion Canada returns to action Friday for the first time since a disappointing showing at the FIFA Women's World Cup, facing Jamaica in a two-legged playoff to determine the last CONCACAF entry in the 12-county field for the 2024 Paris Gam