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Lewandowski scores twice to rally Barcelona to a 2-1 win over Alaves in Spanish league

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Robert Lewandowski came to the rescue of Barcelona, scoring twice as the Catalan club rallied to beat Alaves and keep pace with Real Madrid and Girona in the Spanish league. The 2-1 home victory on Sunday moved Barcelona back within two points of second-place Madrid, which routed Valencia 5-1 on Saturday. Barcelona is four points behind fellow Catalan club Girona, the surprise leader that came from behind to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano, also on Saturday.Alaves took the lead in a breakaway one minute into the match in Montjuic, but Lewandowski helped the hosts rebound with a header in the 53th and a penalty kick in the 78th.Lewandowski, who was sidelined recently with an injury, hadn’t scored in six matches since getting a double in the 3-2 win against Celta Vigo in September.“We played a bit better, but we are not going through our best moment,” Barcelona coach Xavi said. “We came through in a match that became difficult. The international break will be good for us...

AP Top 25: Georgia’s No. 1 streak hits 22, second-best ever. Louisville, Oregon State enter top 10

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

Georgia extended its streak of weeks being top-ranked in the AP Top 25 to 22 on Sunday, giving the Bulldogs the second-longest run of being No. 1 in the 87-year history of the college football poll.The Bulldogs received 54 first-place votes after they routed Mississippi in what was a top-10 matchup on Saturday night. Georgia broke a tie with Miami, which made 21 straight appearances at No. 1 from 2001-02.The longest No. 1 streak belongs to Southern California. The Trojans spent 33 straight polls at No. 1 from 2003-2005.The entire top eight of this week’s Top 25 remained unchanged, with No. 2 Michigan receiving seven first-place votes and No. 3 Ohio State getting one.Florida State was No. 4, followed by No. 5 Washington. The top five in the rankings are all 10-0, marking the first time in the BSC/CFP era that five teams from so-called power conferences have been perfect after 10 games.Oregon was No. 6, followed by Texas and Alabama.POLL POINTSNew to the top 10 this week were No...

Napoli coach Rudi Garcia reportedly on verge of being fired after loss to lowly Empoli

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Napoli coach Rudi Garcia is reportedly on the verge of being fired, only five months after taking over from title-winning coach Luciano Spalletti, after the team’s third Serie A defeat of the season.Viktor Kovalenko scored with a stunning strike in stoppage-time to snatch a 1-0 win for Empoli, which had lost eight of its previous 11 matches, and the boos rang out in Naples on Sunday.All three of Napoli’s losses have come in front of its own fans and it has only won one match at home since the end of August. It lost just two matches at home on its way to the title last season under Spalletti.There were also jeers when Garcia’s name was read out before the match and it could have been his last time in charge. Italian media reports said the French coach will be gone by the time training resumes on Wednesday for players not on international duty. Napoli remained fourth, eight points behind league leader Juventus although Inter Milan can move back top when it pla...

Rory McIlroy is Europe’s No. 1 after clinching Race to Dubai

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

SUN CITY, South Africa (AP) — Rory McIlroy is No. 1 on the European tour for the fifth time.McIlroy clinched the Race to Dubai on Sunday without even playing in the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He is assured of being ahead of the season points race regardless of what happens next week in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.McIlroy previously won the title in 2022, 2015, 2014 and 2012. Colin Montgomerie was Europe’s No. 1 a record eight times when it was the Order of Merit.McIlroy leads Masters champion Jon Rahm by 2,083 points, and only 2,000 points are available to the winner in Dubai. McIlroy and Rahm both are playing.Adrian Meronk of Poland is third and was the only player capable of catching McIlroy. But he had a 75 on Friday at the Nedbank and closed with a 72 to tie for 15th, not earning enough points to close the gap.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfSource

Mac Jones’ struggles in loss to Colts leaves Patriots QB situation unclear going into bye week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The New England Patriots’ 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts leaves quarterback Mac Jones potentially facing a lot of questions on a long flight back from Germany. Will he even start the Patriots’ next game? After all, nothing seems certain with the Patriots right now.Jones was replaced by backup Bailey Zappe late in the fourth quarter.With the team at 2-8 and with two weeks until its next game at the New York Giants on Nov. 26, it could be time for some changes.“At the end of the day, I’ve got to play better. To make people believe, you’ve got to be better. I’m not sure. I don’t know,” said Jones when asked if he felt coach Bill Belichick still has faith in him as the starting quarterback.Asked if he still has faith in Jones, Belichick said simply: “I have faith in all our players.”Jones was sacked five times in the first half, leading the Patriots to switch to more of a rushing game in the third quarter, and he threw a costly red zone interce...

Canadian jury finds fashion mogul Nygard guilty of 4 sexual assault charges, acquits him on 2 counts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

Peter Nygard, who once led a women’s fashion empire, was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault in a Canadian court on Sunday but was acquitted of a fifth count plus a charge of forcible confinement.The jury handed down the verdict on the fifth day of deliberations following a six-week trial in Toronto.Nygard, 82, had pleaded not guilty to all charges, which stemmed from allegations dating back from the 1980s to the mid-2000s.Five women – whose identities are protected by a publication ban – had testified that they were invited to Nygard’s Toronto headquarters under pretexts ranging from tours to job interviews, with all encounters ending in a top-floor bedroom suite where four of them were sexually assaulted.Multiple complainants told the jury similar stories of meeting Nygard on a plane, at an airport tarmac or at a nightclub and then receiving invitations to come to headquarters. All five women said their meetings or interactions with Nygard ended with sexual activity that...

Texas RB Jonathon Brooks to have surgery for torn ACL, will miss rest of the season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas running back Jonathon Brooks sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the No. 7 Longhorns ‘ win over TCU and will miss the rest of the season, the team announced Sunday.Brooks was injured late in the 29-26 win and had 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. He also had 25 receptions for 286 yards and a touchdown. He had rushed for 104 yards against TCU before he was injured.Brooks will have surgery and finishes his season currently ranked sixth nationally in rushing yards.“We are heartbroken for Jonathon,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He was having a fantastic season and leaves a void that needs to be filled.”Texas (9-1, 6-1, No. 7 CFP) is in first place in the Big 12. The Longhorns play at Iowa State next Saturday.___Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here___AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballSource

Penn State fires offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich after another punchless big-game performance

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

Penn State fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich on Sunday, the day after coach James Franklin’s team had another punchless performance against a highly ranked rival.No. 12 Penn State lost 24-15 to No. 2 Michigan on Saturday, managing just 238 total yards and two touchdowns. The Nittany Lions (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten, No. 10 CFP) scored just 27 points combined in their two losses against Michigan and No. 3 Ohio State.Penn State said running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider and tight ends coach Ty Howle will serve as interim offensive coordinators for the final two games against Rutgers and Michigan State.Yurcich has been with Penn State since 2021 as quarterbacks and offensive coordinator. The Nittany Lions have been productive overall under his direction, but often not when it matters most.Penn State ranks seventh in the Big Ten in yards per play this season at 5.12 after being third last season.“We thank Mike for his contributions over the last three years but feel it is in our ...

Camilo Villegas wins in Bermuda, his first title since his young daughter died of brain cancer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

SOUTHAMPTON, Bermuda (AP) — Camilo Villegas ended a long and emotional drought when he came up with key birdies down the stretch Sunday for a 6-under 65 to win the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, his first victory since losing his 22-month-old daughter to cancer in 2020.Villegas went shot for shot with Alex Noren for five hours until all he had left was a tap-in for par for his first PGA Tour title since 2014.He stood erect, lightly pumping his fist, and then looked skyward before Latin players rushed onto the green to celebrate. Villegas grabbed one bottle of bubbly and took a swig.More than going nine years without winning, Villegas and his wife coped with the death of Mia, who died of brain cancer in the summer of 2020. Villegas was lost on the course and finished last year at No. 654 in the world.Now he has a two-year exemption and returns to the Masters and PGA Championship for the first time since 2015. His wife began a foundation in Mia’s name, and their son, Mateo, w...

Malmo wins Swedish league by beating and overtaking Elfsborg in final round

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:25 GMT

MALMO, Sweden (AP) — Malmo became Swedish champion for the 23rd time on Sunday by beating title rival Elfsborg 1-0 on a second-half penalty taken by league top scorer Isaac Kiese Thelin.The win meant Malmo caught up with Elfsborg on points in the final round of the season and won the Swedish league on a better goal difference.Elfsborg missed a chance to secure the title in the penultimate round last week when they only managed a draw against last-place Varberg, which left the gap to Malmo at three points.After a scoreless first half in Malmo, the second half was delayed by about one hour after fans set off pyrotechnics that triggered the fire alarm inside the packed stadium.Malmo took the lead 11 minutes into the second half when Kiese Thelin was awarded a penalty and took it himself to score his 16th goal of the season.Malmo has the most league titles in Swedish football ahead of IFK Goteborg, which had a poor season and barely escaped a relegation playoff by scoring in second-half...