U.S. World Cup hopes in trouble
The United States put its hopes of an eighth straight World Cup berth in peril, giving up a pair of goals to Marco Urena in a 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica last night in Harrison, N.J., that brought the Americans’ resurgence under coach Bruce Arena to a crashing thud.
The Americans have lost two home games in a World Cup cycle for the first time since 1957 and likely will need points on the road to reach next year’s tournament in Russia. It was just their third home loss in qualifying since 1985.
With three games left in the final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region, the United States was clinging to third place — the last automatic berth — and later results could drop the U.S. down the standings.
The Americans play at Honduras on Tuesday night, then close the hexagonal next month at home against Panama and at Trinidad and Tobago. American forward Jozy Altidore is suspended for Tuesday’s game after an 80th minute yellow card.
Mexico and Costa Rica lead the standings with 14 points each, followed by the U.S. with eight, Panama with seven, Honduras with five and Trinidad with three.
The top three teams qualify.
Boxing: Fight made millions
Conor McGregor’s improbable challenge of Floyd Mayweather Jr. was a box-office smash. Between 4 million and 5 million came in pay-per-view sales, as an estimated 50 million people watched in the United States alone.
According to preliminary numbers compiled by Showtime PPV, the fight, at $99.95 a buy, will generate more than $450 million in television revenue, much of which will be shared by the two fighters.
Mayweather estimated after the fight he would make $300 million to $500 million. McGregor said his take would be about $100 million. Mayweather stopped McGregor in the 10th round.
Golf: Sutherland grabs lead
Kevin Sutherland shot an 8-under 62 to take 1-stroke lead over Scott McCarron in the PGA Tour Champions’ Shaw Charity Classic in Calgary, Alberta. Sutherland played his final nine in 6-under 29. Miguel Angel Jimenez, Todd Hamilton, Billy Andrade and Scott Dunlap shot 64 . . . .
Stacy Lewis shot an 8-under 64 for a share of the Cambia Portland (Ore.) Classic lead. Lewis will donate her earnings this week to hurricane relief in her hometown of Houston . . . .
Lee Slattery overcame heavy rain and cold to shoot a 7-under 65 and take the lead in the second round of the European Tour’s Czech Masters in Vysoky Ujezd.
Names: Columbus inks Wennberg
The Columbus Blue Jackets signed freeagent center Alexander Wennberg to a sixyear, $29.4 million contract. The 22-yearold Swede posted NHL career highs in 2016-17 with 13 goals and 46 assists for 59 points in 80 regular-season games . . . .
The New Orleans Pelicans will receive the draft rights to overseas professional Ater Majok, a 6-foot-10 center, as part of a trade that sent veteran small forward Quincy Pondexter to the Chicago Bulls . . . .
U.S. figure skating star Gracie Gold is stepping away from the sport to seek professional help with the 2018 Olympics a little more than five months away. The 2014 Olympic bronze medalist and twotime national champion did not specify in a statement to U.S. Figure Skating what sort of help she needs. Olympic qualifying for the U.S. team is in early January . . . .
Italian rider Matteo Trentin won his third stage of the Spanish Vuelta, while Chris Froome held his overall lead.