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Zambia’s Barbra Banda scores the 1000th goal in Women’s World Cup history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

HAMILTON, New Zealand (AP) — Barbra Banda of Zambia scored the 1,000th goal in Women’s World Cup history with her penalty kick in the 31st minute against Costa Rica on Monday.The 23-year-old Zambia captain used a clever stutter in her run up to make goalkeeper Daniela Solera jump before sending her penalty to the left with ease. Soon after, FIFA posted its congratulations to Banda on social media.The referee awarded the penalty after Banda appeared to be taken down in the six-yard box by an out-stretched Katherine Alvarado. Costa Rican players argued the call unsuccessfully. This tournament has been the Women’s World Cup debut for Zambia, and the goal was its second ever, giving the Copper Queens a 2-0 lead. The first Zambian goal came in the third minute of the game from Lushomo Mweemba.FIFA has held a Women’s World Cup every four years since 1991. ___AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_SportsSource

FIFA’s final tiebreaker for Women’s World Cup will be the drawing of lots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — What happens if teams finishing even on points cannot be separated by all of FIFA’s tournament tiebreakers following the completion of the group stage at the Women’s World Cup? Soccer’s world governing body has confirmed it’s the drawing of lots, So, luck of the draw really could determine which team advances to the Round of 16 and which team goes home. FIFA issued a statement explaining the drawing of lots “will only occur should all steps, as outlined in Article 13 of the Competition Regulations, prove unable to determine the ranking.”The tournament’s tiebreaker criteria starts with which of the tied teams in the group has superior goal difference in its group matches and the greatest number of goals scored.If that’s not enough to determine a final rankings, then the head-to-head results between the teams concerned is the tiebreaker. If that doesn’t work, it goes down to a tabulation of how many yellow and red cards each team has accrued through the...

Diamondbacks visit the Giants to start 4-game series

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

Arizona Diamondbacks (56-50, third in the NL West) vs. San Francisco Giants (58-48, second in the NL West)San Francisco; Monday, 9:45 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson (6-5, 4.97 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 74 strikeouts); Giants: Alex Cobb (6-3, 2.97 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 100 strikeouts)BOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants start a four-game series at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.San Francisco has a 30-23 record in home games and a 58-48 record overall. The Giants have a 32-8 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.Arizona has a 56-50 record overall and a 28-22 record in road games. The Diamondbacks have the fourth-ranked team batting average in the NL at .258.Monday’s game is the eighth time these teams meet this season. The Diamondbacks are up 4-3 in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Conforto has 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 52 RBI while hitting .241 for the Giants. Wilmer Flores is 12-for-35 with three doubles and two home...

Padres try to keep win streak going against the Rockies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

San Diego Padres (52-54, fourth in the NL West) vs. Colorado Rockies (41-64, fifth in the NL West)Denver; Monday, 8:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Padres: Seth Lugo (4-5, 3.62 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 79 strikeouts); Rockies: Austin Gomber (8-8, 5.83 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 72 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Padres -208, Rockies +173; over/under is 11 1/2 runsBOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres seek to prolong a three-game win streak with a victory against the Colorado Rockies.Colorado has a 41-64 record overall and a 24-28 record in home games. The Rockies have a 21-8 record in games when they did not allow a home run.San Diego is 23-29 in road games and 52-54 overall. The Padres are fourth in the NL with 134 total home runs, averaging 1.3 per game.The teams match up Monday for the eighth time this season. The Padres lead the season series 4-3.TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan McMahon has 22 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs for the Rockies. Randal Grichuk is 15-for-39 with four home runs over the p...

Brewers aim to break road losing streak, take on the Nationals

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

Milwaukee Brewers (57-49, second in the NL Central) vs. Washington Nationals (44-62, fifth in the NL East)Washington; Monday, 7:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Brewers: Corbin Burnes (9-6, 3.46 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 131 strikeouts); Nationals: Jake Irvin (3-5, 5.09 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 60 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Brewers -200, Nationals +168; over/under is 9 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Brewers visit the Washington Nationals looking to break a three-game road losing streak.Washington has a 44-62 record overall and a 20-33 record in home games. The Nationals are 31-11 in games when they scored five or more runs.Milwaukee has a 28-25 record on the road and a 57-49 record overall. The Brewers are 36-15 in games when they record at least eight hits.The teams meet Monday for the first time this season.TOP PERFORMERS: Lane Thomas has 26 doubles, two triples, 16 home runs and 55 RBI for the Nationals. C.J. Abrams is 11-for-40 with a double, two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 ...

Marlins play the Phillies in first of 4-game series

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

Philadelphia Phillies (56-49, third in the NL East) vs. Miami Marlins (57-49, second in the NL East)Miami; Monday, 6:40 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Taijuan Walker (11-4, 4.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 98 strikeouts); Marlins: Edward Cabrera (5-6, 4.74 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 90 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Phillies -114, Marlins -106; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Miami Marlins host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday to start a four-game series.Miami is 57-49 overall and 33-21 in home games. The Marlins have the ninth-ranked team on-base percentage in the NL at .320.Philadelphia is 56-49 overall and 28-29 in road games. Phillies pitchers have a collective 4.04 ERA, which ranks fourth in the NL.The matchup Monday is the seventh time these teams square off this season. The Marlins have a 4-2 advantage in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Bryan De La Cruz has 22 doubles and 14 home runs for the Marlins. Jean Segura is 9-for-39 with a double and a home run over the past 10 ga...

Reds take on the Cubs after De La Cruz’s 4-hit game

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

Cincinnati Reds (58-49, first in the NL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (53-52, third in the NL Central)Chicago; Monday, 8:05 p.m. EDTPITCHING PROBABLES: Reds: Andrew Abbott (6-2, 1.90 ERA, .96 WHIP, 66 strikeouts); Cubs: Marcus Stroman (10-7, 3.51 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 109 strikeouts)FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Cubs -123, Reds +103; over/under is 8 runsBOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds play the Chicago Cubs after Elly De La Cruz had four hits against the Dodgers on Sunday.Chicago is 53-52 overall and 27-26 at home. The Cubs are ninth in the NL with 119 total home runs, averaging 1.1 per game.Cincinnati has a 30-23 record in road games and a 58-49 record overall. Reds hitters have a collective .331 on-base percentage, the fourth-ranked percentage in the NL.The matchup Monday is the sixth time these teams meet this season. The Reds have a 4-1 advantage in the season series.TOP PERFORMERS: Patrick Wisdom leads the Cubs with 18 home runs while slugging .488. Yan Gomes is 14-for-38 with five double...

US needs win to ensure Americans avoid elimination in group play for first time in Women’s World Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — The United States arrived at the Women’s World Cup as the favorites to win an unprecedented third consecutive title. But after an underwhelming draw against the Netherlands, there’s a real chance the Americans can be eliminated in group play for the first time in tournament history. The U.S. plays Portugal in the third and final match of Group E play, and if Portugal pulls off an upset Tuesday at Eden Park in Auckland, the Americans could be in big trouble. The United States needs to either win or draw against Portugal, one of eight teams playing in its first World Cup, to ensure the Americans continue to play in this tournament. “I think we feel like we have to win everything all the time,” said American star Megan Rapinoe. “That’s the expectation for ourselves. That’s the expectation playing for U.S. national team. It’s just kind of like, ‘Why would you come into the World Cup if you don’t think that you should win it, and if you don’t thin...

Eurozone GDP up 0.3 percent in spring

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

The eurozone registered 0.3 percent GDP growth from March through June, preliminary data published Monday by Eurostat shows.It’s a positive sign following two quarters of negative growth last winter, raising hopes the single-currency area can avoid a yearlong recession, but growth remains anemic.“After stagnation at the start of the year, growth is likely to remain subdued,” EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said last week, adding the EU executive will likely revise its growth forecast downward in September.Output dipped into negative territory in Italy, Latvia, Austria and Sweden quarter-on-quarter, whereas growth remained stable in the EU as a whole.

Von der Leyen blasts Beijing in Manila speech

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:12:56 GMT

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen used a speech in Manila on Monday to take aim at China, slamming Beijing for its increasingly militant stance in the Indo-Pacific and its failure to live up to international responsibilities on Ukraine.Delivering a keynote speech at the Philippines Business Forum, von der Leyen said that China, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, “has yet to assume fully its responsibility under the U.N. Charter to uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”She warned that China’s show of military force in the south and east China seas, and in the Taiwan Strait, may have “global repercussions,” noting that the EU has been enhancing its engagement in the Indo-Pacific.Von der Leyen also made a big pitch for EU investment in the region.“We cannot choose our neighbors, but we can choose who we do business with, and on what terms,” she said.Noting that the Philippines exports 90 percent of its nickel to China, she said “this ca...