Italy misses last WC shot
Four-time champion Italy failed to qualify for soccer’s World Cup for the first time in six decades after losing its playoff to Sweden, 1-0, on aggregate. The men’s teams played to a goalless draw in the second leg at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, yesterday.
Sweden advanced to its first World Cup since 2006.
“It’s a black moment for our game,” Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi said. “Unfortunately there will be a lot of time to analyze it.”
This will be only the second World Cup missed by Italy. The first was in 1958.
The last major competitions Italy failed to qualify for were the 1984 and 1992 European Championships . . . .
The retooling U.S. men’s national soccer team will open its 2018 schedule with an exhibition against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Jan. 28 at Carson, Calif. The Americans failed to qualify for next year’s World Cup, ending a streak of seven straight appearances at soccer’s top event that started in 1990 . . . .
A trial opened in New York for three former South American soccer officials in a scandal that’s shaken the sport’s governing body, FIFA, with U.S. prosecutors accusing them of taking at least $150 million in bribes and defense lawyers portraying them as innocent bystanders to corruption.
Colleges: Duke, UConn on top
Duke is No. 1 in The Associated Press’ first regular-season poll of 2017-18. The Blue Devils were No. 1 in the preseason poll and received 34of-65 first-place votes from a national media panel in the AP Top 25. No. 2 Michigan State received 13 first-place votes and has a shot tonight at knocking off top-ranked Duke when the teams meet in the Champions Classic in Chicago.
In the AP women’s hoop poll, preseason-pick UConn continues its run at No. 1 after the start of the regular season. The Huskies once again received all 32 votes from the national media panel . . . .
Two members of the Auburn men’s basketball support staff were placed on administrative leave because of an internal investigation into the program. Jordan VerHulst and Frankie Sullivan are on leave during a review the program after former associate head coach Chuck Person’s September arrest in a national federal investigation of corruption in the game.
Misc.: Nadal out of ATP Finals
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal withdrew from tennis’ elite ATP Finals after losing his opening match to David Goffin 7-6 (5), 6-7 (4), 6-4 in London. Despite having qualified 13 consecutive times for the ATP Finals, only eight of which he’s been fit enough to compete in, Nadal has never won the event . ...
The players’ unions for the Women’s National Basketball Association and the U.S. women’s national soccer team are joining with the licensing arm of the NFL players’ union as founding partners of a business that will provide group licensing and brand management services to athletes.
Deaths: Coach Capel at 64
Longtime college basketball coach Jeff Capel Jr. died yesterday at 64 in Fayetteville, N.C., less than two years after being diagnosed with ALS. He was also an assistant for the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats (2004-11) and Philadelphia 76ers (’11-13) . ...
French downhill skier David Poisson, a onetime world championships medalist, died yesterday after a training crash in Nakiska, Canada. He was 35.