[World Cup] Colombia down Ivory Coast as Suarez returns

Colombia maintained South America's strong start to the World Cup on Thursday, downing the Ivory Coast 2-1 to stay on course for a place in the last 16.Colombia's Mario Yepes, second right, heads the ball during the group C World Cup soccer match between Colombia and Ivory Coast at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, June 19, 2014. (AP-Yonhap)A day after Chile eliminated defending champions Spain, Colombia produced a fine attacking display to down the powerful Ivorians in Group C

SoccerJune 20, 2014

[World Cup] Suarez scores brace as Uruguay beat England 2-1

Luis Suarez made a sensational return to action by scoring a brace to lift Uruguay past England with a 2-1 victory at the World Cup in Sao Paulo on Thursday. England's Wayne Rooney hits the goal post with a header defended by Uruguay's Martin Caceres during the group D World Cup soccer match between Uruguay and England at the Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, June 19, 2014. (AP-Yonhap)The victory resurrects Uruguay's last 16 hopes following the 3-1 defeat to Costa Rica in their G

SoccerJune 20, 2014

Spain’s reign over

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) ― The king is dead. The World Cup will have a new champion. And the Netherlands look increasingly like credible pretenders for that newly vacated crown.Just like France in 2002 and Italy in 2010, defending champion Spain is going home tail between its legs.Chile delivered the mortal blow to an uninterrupted six-year era of dominance for Spain, the European and world champions whose dazzling footballers ran out of puff in Brazil. They were made to look vulnerable last week in

More SportsJune 19, 2014

Korea returns to base camp

FOZ DO IGUACU, Brazil (Yonhap) ― After playing Russia to a 1-1 draw to open Group H action at the ongoing FIFA World Cup, South Korea returned to its Brazilian base camp of Foz do Iguacu on Wednesday.South Korea, coached by Hong Myung-bo, will face Algeria in Porto Alegre, about 600 kilometers east of the base camp, on Sunday. The group finale will be against Belgium in Sao Paulo, some 850 kilometers northeast of Foz do Iguacu.Before the South Korea-Russia clash, Belgium defeated Algeria, 2-1, t

SoccerJune 19, 2014

(Photo News) Not meant to be

SoccerJune 19, 2014

Same course, new cast of players

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― The sounds at Pinehurst No. 2 were the first indication that the second week of U.S. Open golf would not be exactly the same as the first one.Players arrived on the first day of practice to hear clanging from workers tearing down half of the grandstands around the 17th and 18th greens. They heard the whoosh of water coming from a hose that watered the greens to keep them softer.That didn’t make the stage for the U.S. Women’s Open feel any smaller.“We play good go

GolfJune 19, 2014

Dodgers’ Kershaw no-hits Rockies, strikes out 15

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Clayton Kershaw pitched his first no-hitter Wednesday night, striking out a career-high 15 and allowing his only baserunner on a throwing error by shortstop Hanley Ramirez in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 8-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies.Kershaw’s gem gave the Dodgers the only two no-hitters in the majors this season. Josh Beckett tossed one May 25 in Philadelphia.“I am so amazed,” Kershaw said. “Beckett told me he was going to teach me how to do that, so I have Josh to thank.

BaseballJune 19, 2014

[World Cup] Croatia knock 10-man Cameroon out of World Cup

Striker Mario Mandzukic scored two second-half goals as Croatia knocked 10-man Cameroon out of the World Cup with a 4-0 rout in Manaus on Wednesday. Cameroon's Pierre Webo (left) and Croatia's Dejan Lovren challenge for the ball during the group A World Cup soccer match between Cameroon and Croatia at the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil, Wednesday, June 18, 2014. (AP-Yonhap)Croatia bounced back from their opening defeat to hosts Brazil to keep alive their hopes of progressing from Group A wi

SoccerJune 19, 2014

[World Cup] Dutch delight after Australia fright at World Cup

Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie scored as Netherlands came from behind to beat brave Australia 3-2 at the World Cup on Wednesday.(AFP-Yonhap)A second-half strike from Memphis Depay settled an electrifying Group B encounter at Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio Stadium after a stunning Tim Cahill volley and a Mile Jedinak penalty helped the Socceroos take a 2-1 lead.Netherlands -- who thrashed reigning champions Spain 5-1 in their opening match -- are now in pole position to finish top of the group with

SoccerJune 19, 2014

[World Cup] Spain dethroned as Chile dazzle

Holders Spain sensationally crashed out of the World Cup on Wednesday with a 2-0 defeat to Chile that condemned them to become the fifth champions to fail to get past the first round.On a day when King Juan Carlos tearfully sealed his abdication after a four-decade reign, Spain's players were booted off their throne in 90 minutes after six years as the dominant force of world football.Chile's Eduardo Vargas and Charles Aranguiz administered the killer blows as a trophy-laden Spanish era was brou

SoccerJune 19, 2014

[World Cup] Honors even

CUIABA, Brazil ― South Korea’s meticulous World Cup preparations paid off enough to stop its losing streak, as the Taeguk Warriors reached a 1-1 draw with Russia on Tuesday in the final opening group match in Brazil.Korean forward Lee Keun-ho scored the opening goal in the 68th minute, followed by a dramatic equalizer by Russia’s Aleksandr Kerzhakov just six minutes later.The draw stopped Korea’s painful pre-World Cup slide after being routed by Tunisia 1-0 and Ghana 4-0. It also marked Korea’s

SoccerJune 18, 2014

[World Cup] Tik-Italia: Italy adapts passing game to the heat

MANGARATIBA, Brazil (AP) ― Call it tik-Italia.Italy has taken Spain’s famed “tiki-taka” system and revamped it to deal with Brazil’s heat and humidity.The Azzurri mesmerized England by completing an astounding 93.2 percent of their passes during a 2-1 win on Saturday according to data company Opta Sports ― the highest accuracy recorded in a World Cup match since the statistic began to be recorded in 1966. The previous record belonged to Denmark at 92.7 percent from a 6-1 win over Uruguay in 1986

SoccerJune 18, 2014

Tiger taking bigger swings

PINEHURST, North Carolina (AP) ― Tiger Woods is making progress in his recovery from back surgery and starting to extend his swing, his agent said Tuesday.Woods already has missed two majors this year while he recovers from a microdiscectomy on his back on March 31. He last played on March 9 at Doral, when he closed with a 78 despite the pain in his lower back. Woods has said he has no idea when he will be healthy enough to return to competition.A report on Golf Channel’s morning show said he wa

GolfJune 18, 2014

[World Cup] Korean fans hail result

Groans and sighs of relief were mixed among South Korean fans on Wednesday as their national team played to a 1-1 draw against Russia in their first World Cup Group H match, a better-than-expected result.Despite the early commute hours, nearly 50,000 South Korean fans gathered in front of giant outdoor TV screens set up in the central Gwanghwamun Square and southern Yeongdong Boulevard areas, two major street cheering spots in Seoul.The street cheering squads erupted with joy and yells when Sout

SoccerJune 18, 2014