Ukraine beats Scotland in World Cup qualifying playoff

By Associated PressUpdated June 1, 2022, 15 minutes ago

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Ukraine’s emotion-filled quest to qualify for soccer’s World Cup amid an ongoing war moved a step closer with a 3-1 win over Scotland in a pulsating playoff semifinal on Wednesday in Glasgow, Scotland. Veteran captain Andriy Yarmolenko lifted his nation by scoring a deft lobbed goal in the 33rd minute and then helped set up Roman Yaremchuk’s header in the 49th. Ukraine dominated for much of a deserved win though had to resist a Scotland revival as risk-filled attacks brought a goal in the 79th by Callum McGregor, before Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk broke clear to score with the last kick of the game. Now Ukraine moves on to face Wales on Sunday with a place in the World Cup in Qatar at stake. Brazilian soccer great Pelé published a message urging Vladimir Putin to stop the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions. “Today Ukraine tries to forget, at least for 90 minutes, the tragedy that engulfs their country. To compete for a World Cup place is already a difficult task — almost an impossible one with so many lives at stake,” Pele said in a post on Instagram that came with a plea to Putin: “Stop the invasion. There’s absolutely no justification for this continued violence.”

Argentina tops Italy in Finalissima

Lautaro Martínez, Ángel Di María and Paulo Dybala scored to lead Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Italy in the first Finalissima soccer meeting of the South American and European champions in London. The opener was created by Lionel Messi’s solo brilliance taking him past Giovanni Di Lorenzo and the Argentina captain squared for Martínez to slot past goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 28th minute. Martínez turned creator in first-half stoppage time by threading a pass through for Di María to chip Donnarumma, having got past Giorgio Chiellini. The 37-year-old Italy captain came off at halftime of his 117th and final international appearance. The win was wrapped up in the fourth minute of stoppage time with Messi again providing the assist — this time for the substitute Dybala to strike low into the net … Real Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final set a record for the largest audience to view the final in the US on English-language television. Nielsen ratings show the game Saturday averaged 2.76 million viewers on CBS, surpassing the previous mark of 2.6 million for the 2011 final between Barcelona and Manchester United on Fox. It is also a 23 percent increase over last year’s final between Chelsea and Manchester City (2.10 million). The match Saturday peaked at 3.24 million viewers near the end of the game.

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Baseball

WooSox win fifth straight

The Worcester Red Sox scored first and never trailed on the way to their fifth straight win, a 6-5 victory against the Syracuse Mets at Polar Park in Triple A. The five-game win streak ties the team’s longest of the season. Jaylin Davis blasted a solo home run in the first and Jeter Downs snapped an 0-for-17 stretch with a two-run home run that put the home team up, 6-1, in the fifth inning.

NFL

Goodell, Snyder requested at hearing

The US House Committee on Oversight and Reform has invited NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder to appear at a hearing later this month as part of the Congressional investigation into the team’s workplace conduct. Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney and Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi said letters were sent to the league and team requesting the presence of Goodell and Snyder on June 22. It was not immediately clear if the committee expected either to make an appearance. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league had received the invitation “and will respond directly in a timely manner … Former Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears running back Marion Barber III has died at the age of 38 in Frisco, Texas, the Cowboys said in a statement.. The cause of his death is unknown. Barber played for the Cowboys from 2005 to 2010 and was named to the Pro Bowl in 2007 despite not starting a game for a 13-3 team that finished with the best record in the NFC. He led the Cowboys with 975 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns.

Miscellany

Buffalo teams raise money for shooting victims

Through the sale of “Choose Love” T-shirts, the NFL’s Bills, NHL’s Sabres and National Lacrosse League’s Bandits have surpassed $1 million in funds raised to support the East Buffalo community and victims impacted by the mass shooting last month. The shooting at a Tops Friendly Markets in a predominantly Black neighborhood on May 14 killed 10 people and injured three …The Connecticut Sun will have head coach and general manager Curt Miller back on the sidelines for Thursday’s rematch against the Las Vegas Aces. Miller missed the last two games, along with assistant Brandi Poole and forward Joyner Holmes, in health and safety protocols for COVID-19. Poole is no longer listed on the injury report, but Holmes remains out.