World Cup soccer groups up the field
A World Cup shrouded in corruption controversies and struggling to attract sponsors could have the dreariest of starts on the field: a meeting of the lowest-ranked teams in the 32-team event.
Host Russia and Saudi Arabia play June 14 at Moscow in an opener lacking global appeal, but things pick up the next day when 2010 champion Spain and defending European champ Portugal meet in Sochi.
The Iberian neighbors were drawn into Group B at a Kremlin ceremony yesterday along with Iran and Morocco.
The Russians have been placed with Uruguay in Group A with Egypt and Saudi Arabia. At No. 65, Russia is the lowestranked team at the tournament
The United States is missing from soccer’s top event for the first time since 1986 and four-time champion Italy will watch from afar for the first time since 1958.
Germany remains the favorite and opens against Mexico in its quest to become the first to win back-to-back World Cup titles since Brazil in 1962. The Germans also face Sweden and South Korea in Group F.
England, eliminated in the group stage three years ago, was drawn into Group G along with newcomer Panama, Tunisia and Belgium. Peru, the last of the 32 teams to qualify, is in Group C with 1998 champion France, Australia and Denmark.
In Group D are Argentina, Croatia, Iceland and Nigeria. Group E is made up with Brazil, Costa Rica, Serbia and Switzerland, and in Group H are Colombia, Japan, Poland and Senegal.
Baseball: Comeback honors
Colorado closer Greg Holland won the NL Comeback Player of the Year and Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas took AL honors.
After missing all of 2016 recovering from Tommy John surgery, Holland was 3-2 with a 3.61 ERA and 41 saves. Moustakas hit .272 with 38 homers and 85 RBI in his return from a torn ACL in his right knee. Holland and Moustakas are now free agents . . . .
The Braves non-tendered Matt Adams, making the first baseman a free agent a few months after acquiring him from St. Louis. Atlanta also claimed pitcher Chase Whitley off waivers from Tampa Bay. Adams hit .271 with 19 homers in 100 games . . . .
The White Sox agreed to contracts with free agent catcher Welington Castillo and right-hander Danny Farquhar.
Skiing: Vonn crashes in downhill
Lindsey Vonn fell and crashed into the safety netting on the final turn in the women’s season-opening World Cup downhill, handing Austria’s Cornelia Huetter the victory.
An 18-time winner at Lake Louise, Alberta, Vonn got up and skied to the bottom of the course after being the fastest at each of the four stages before wiping out.
Vonn missed this stop last year because of a broken arm. The 33-year-old American star has a record 77 career World Cup victories, is a four-time World Cup champion and won the 2010 Olympic downhill.
American Mikaela Shiffrin was third in 1:48.83, the first podium in downhill for Shiffrin, a slalom specialist and the defending overall World Cup champion.
Misc.: Leishman leads Aussie
Marc Leishman took advantage of an early start to shoot a 7-under 65 and move into a share of the second-round lead at the Australian PGA Championship in Gold Coast with Adam Bland, who shot 66 . . . .
U.S. bobsledder Ryan Bailey was banned for two years for a doping violation, ending the former track and field silver medalist’s bid to compete in the 2018 Olympics . . . .
Three-time U.S. champion Michael Weiss and three-timepairs winners Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman were elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.