Lloyd sparks U.S.
Scores hat trick for Americans in victory
Carli Lloyd scored three goals and the United States beat Panama, 5-0, yesterday in the group stage of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament in Cary, N.C.
Christen Press added a goal and two assists for the U.S. team, which led 4-0 at halftime.
The United States struck for three goals in a span of less than 10 minutes midway through the first half to break it open.
Lloyd, who had her eighth international hat trick, scored twice during that stretch. Among her goals was a highlightworthy effort in the 29th minute in which she eluded three defenders while working her way from left to right in the penalty area.
The score would have been even more lopsided if not for several acrobatic saves by 17-year-old Panama goalkeeper Yenith Bailey.
The U.S. improved to 2-0 in Group A play of the CONCACAF Women’s Championship, an eight-team tourney that decides the region’s three spots in the World Cup next year in France . ...
Midfielder Weston McKennie injured his right adductor muscle and will miss the United States’ exhibition games against Colombia and Peru.
Irish join AP’s top 5
Notre Dame moved into the top five, Texas and UCF reached the top 10 and the SED placed a season-high eight teams in the latest AP college football poll. Alabama stayed No.1, with 59 first-place votes and Georgia remained No. 2. No. 3 Ohio State and No.4 Clemson received a first-place vote . ...
John Gagliardi, who won more games than any other college football coach with his unconventional methods at small St. John’s University in Minnesota school, has died. He was 91.
Tway’s 1st PGA title
Kevin Tway made a 10foot birdie putt on the third hole of a playoff to win the season-opening Safeway Open for his first PGA Tour title in Napa, Calif . . . .
Lucas Bjerregaard of Denmark wrecked Tyrrell Hatton’s hopes of winning the Dunhill Links Championship for a third straight year when he shot a 5-under-par 67 in the final round for a 1-stroke victory in St. Andrews, Scotland . . . .
South Korea held off challenges from the U.S. and England to win the eightnation International Crown for the first time in front of a delighted home crowd in Incheon, South Korea . ...
Pam Kuong of Wellesley is the top seed for match play at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Vero Beach, Fla. She won medalist honors for two days of stroke play at 1-under par 143.
Hamilton closes in
Lewis Hamilton stormed to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan, claiming his fourth straight Formula One win and moving closer to a fifth world championship. He has won six of the last seven and leads Sebastian Vettel by 67 points with four races left . . . .
Caroline Wozniacki defeated Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-3 to win the China Open in Beijing and her third WTA title of the year, while Nikoloz Basilashvili beat Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-4 in the men’s final.
Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano was involved in a traffic altercation with a police officer in the Dominican Republic, according to newspaper reports in that country, and was detained at a police station.