Altidore scores, Toronto reaches MLS Cup final
TORONTO » Jozy Altidore scored in the 60th minute and Toronto FC advanced to the MLS Cup final for the second straight year with a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final.
Toronto will host the Seattle Sounders or Houston Dynamo in the Dec. 9 MLS Cup final. The Sounders, who took the title from Toronto in a penalty shootout last year, lead the Western Conference final 2-0 going into Game 2 in Seattle on Thursday night.
After a scoreless tie in Game 1 last week in Ohio, Columbus needed a win or draw with goals to advance. But Altidore, limping on a bum ankle, came through for Toronto before a sellout crowd of 30,392 on a crisp night at BMO Field. NEW YORK » Nashville is among four finalists for two MLS expansion teams after government financing for a new stadium was approved this month. Sacramento, is considered a front-runner along with Nashville for the teams, which the league intends to award next month. Each winner will pay a $150 million expansion fee.
• The Colorado Rapids have hired Anthony Hudson as their coach. Hudson comes to the Rapids after three seasons coaching New Zealand’s national team.
MLB: Beltran interviews to become Yankees manager
NEW YORK » Exactly four weeks after winning his first World Series title on his final day as a major league player, Carlos Beltran walked into Yankee Stadium for his interview to become New York’s manager.
“I never thought that this moment was going to come this soon after retirement,” he said Wednesday.
The 40-year-old was a nine-time AllStar who hit 435 home runs over 20 big league seasons and spent half his career in New York — including 2 1/2 years with the Yankees from 2014-16.
ESPN eliminating 150 jobs
BRISTOL, CONN. » ESPN is eliminating 150 production and technical employees as the sports broadcasting giant continues to shift its focus to a more digital future.
The company says the layoffs, which were announced Wednesday, don’t include on-air talent.