United opens title defense in style

MANCHESTER, England (AP) ― Two spectacular goals from Robin van Persie helped Manchester United begin its Premier League title defense with a 4-1 win at Swansea, while the alarm bells are ringing at his former club Arsenal just one game into the new season.David Moyes’ first league match in charge of United couldn’t have gone any better, with Van Persie matching Danny Welbeck’s brace with two brilliant goals of his own to signal his intent on finishing top scorer in England for a third straight

SoccerAug. 18, 2013

National soccer coach to depart for Germany to watch S. Koreans

Hong Myung-bo, head coach of South Korean men’s national football team, is scheduled to depart for Germany on Friday to see players expected to join his lineup for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, officials said.The Korea Football Association declined to reveal further details of Hong’s itinerary. It confirmed, however, that Hong will arrive back home on Aug. 26.In Germany, Hong will see three South Koreans in the top-tier Bundesliga: forward Son Heung-min of Bayer Leverkusen, midfielder Koo Ja-cheol of

SoccerAug. 16, 2013

Stroud, Fisher share Wyndham lead at 64

GREENSBORO, North Carolina (AP) ― Chris Stroud and England’s Ross Fisher each shot 6-under 64 on Thursday to share the first-round lead in the Wyndham Championship. Eight players ― defending champion Sergio Garcia, Matt Jones, Robert Garrigus, Jordan Spieth, Trevor Immelman, Morgan Hoffman, Patrick Reed and Andrew Svoboda ― shot 65. John Senden and Stuart Appleby were among the five players at 66 at the final tournament before the tour playoffs begin next week. It was the highest score for an op

GolfAug. 16, 2013

World No. 1s Serena, Djokovic advance at Cincinnati Masters

MASON, Ohio (AP) ― Serena Williams overcame what she described as one of her worst sets before beating qualifier Eugenie Bouchard of Canada 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday in her opening match at the Western & Southern Open.“So it was just some crazy tennis out there,” Williams said.Older sister Venus Williams lost her second match of the tournament, falling to Russia’s Elena Vesnina 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. The 33-year-old Williams is slowly working back into shape after missing most of the summer because of

More SportsAug. 15, 2013

Korea plays Peru to scoreless draw in soccer friendly

South Korea played Peru to a scoreless draw in their friendly soccer match on Wednesday.At Suwon World Cup Stadium, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul, the South Koreans controlled most of the match but had nothing to show for their efforts.Peru entered the contest ranked 22nd in the FIFA rankings, while South Korea was at 56th.South Korea built its 20-man squad with young players from domestic and Japanese leagues, with European seasons either underway or about to kick off for more experienced

SoccerAug. 15, 2013

Michelle Wie in the spotlight again as a Solheim pick

PARKER, Colorado (AP) ― Michelle Wie hasn’t won a tournament in three years. She didn’t come close to earning a spot on the Solheim Cup. Being a captain’s pick for the second time on the last three American teams stood out even more this year because one of the players left out won on the LPGA Tour this year.This would seem to be a good time to do whatever she can to blend in at Colorado Golf Club.Except for the socks.Wie added her own touch to the U.S. uniform of a khaki skirt, red shirt and a

GolfAug. 15, 2013

Ryu notches victory No. 12

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Rookie Ryu Hyun-jin outdueled Matt Harvey, and Nick Punto and A.J. Ellis drove in two runs apiece, helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the New York Mets 4-2 on Tuesday night for their first seven-game winning streak in more than three years.The Dodgers improved to 39-8 since June 22, becoming the first NL team with such a run since the New York Giants from Aug. 12-Oct. 3, 1951. Their winning streak is the franchise’s longest since taking nine straight from May 9-18, 2010.Ryu

BaseballAug. 14, 2013

Pressel, 25, a seasoned veteran at Solheim Cup

PARKER, Colorado (AP) ― It’s a quick ride down the highway from this week’s Solheim Cup to where Morgan Pressel introduced herself to America.Eight years ago this summer, she was a 17-year-old amateur, a childhood prodigy from a blue-blood sporting family, who found herself a few good shots away from a playoff at the U.S. Open at Cherry Hills.A virtually unknown player named Birdie Kim stole away that dream, holing out for ― what else? ― a birdie with a once-in-a-lifetime shot from the greenside

GolfAug. 14, 2013

Ryu Hyun-jin outduels Cy Young candidate Harvey for 12th win

South Korean pitcher Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers outdueled the National League (NL) Cy Young Award candidate Matt Harvey of the New York Mets to earn his 12th win of the season on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.Ryu pitched seven strong innings, giving up one earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out three, as the Dodgers defeated the Mets 4-2. It was LA's seventh straight victory, while Ryu extended his personal winning streak to six. Ryu improved to 12-3 in his rookie Major L

BaseballAug. 14, 2013

Darvish fans career-high 15 in no-hit try vs. Astros

HOUSTON (AP) ― With every swing and miss, this looked as if it might be the day Yu Darvish pitched a no-hitter against the overmatched Houston Astros.And then with one out in the eighth inning, Carlos Corporan ended Darvish’s latest bid with a home run.Darvish once again neared perfection versus Houston, striking out a career-high 15 and permitting only one hit in eight innings as the Texas Rangers won 2-1 Monday for their season-high eighth straight victory.“A win’s a win,” Darvish said through

BaseballAug. 13, 2013

Korea looks forward to ‘good test’ vs. Peru

SUWON (Yonhap News) ― South Korean football will have a “good test” against the higher-ranked Peru in its upcoming friendly match here, the host country’s head coach said Tuesday.On the eve of the match scheduled for 8 p.m. Wednesday at Suwon World Cup Stadium, about 45 kilometers south of Seoul, coach Hong Myung-bo called Peru “an ideal opponent” for his squad because of the South Americans’ superior talent level.Peru is ranked 22nd in the FIFA world rankings, while South Korea is No. 56. Peru’

SoccerAug. 13, 2013

Dufner beats Furyk at PGA for 1st major title

PITTSFORD, New York (AP) ― Jason Dufner finally cracked a smile, and gave a slight pump of the fist, saving all that emotion for a big occasion.He won the PGA Championship.Dufner played the kind of golf that wins majors Sunday with a steady diet of fairways and greens that made it too tough for Jim Furyk or anyone else to catch him. Making bogeys on the last two holes at Oak Hill, Dufner closed with a 2-under 68 to capture his first major and atone for a meltdown two years ago in Atlanta.“It’s b

GolfAug. 12, 2013