Australia rallies past Brazil for Cup victory
MONTPELLIER, France — An own goal gave Australia a comefrom-behind 3-2 victory over Brazil at the Women's World Cup, even after Marta added a record 16th career tournament goal.
Marta, who sat out Brazil's opening game with a left thigh injury, became the first player to score in five different World Cups when she converted a penalty kick in the 27th minute of Thursday's game.
Cristiane scored a header to put the Brazilians up 2-0. Caitlin Foord scored before the break to pull Australia within one.
Chloe Logarzo's shot from distance in the 58th minute tied it and then Australia went ahead on the own goal, an error by Monica that snapped the stalemate in the 66th minute. Sam Kerr appeared to be offside but the goal was awarded after video review, and the Brazilians fumed.
Australia, just the second team to win a World Cup match after going down two goals, needed a good game after dropping its opener 2-1 to Italy. Brazil won its tournament opener against Jamaica 3-0 on Cristiane's hat trick.
It was the first loss in the group stage for the Brazilians since 1995, snapping a 16-match unbeaten streak.
Brazil's Formiga, the oldest player in the tournament at 41, collected her second yellow card during the match. She will have to sit out the final group match against Italy.
American Abby Wambach and Germany's Birgit Prinz rank behind Marta on the World Cup goals list with 14 each.
CHINA BLANKS SOUTH AFRICA
PARIS — China is back on track at the Women's World Cup after a 1-0 win against South Africa..
China evened itself with Spain for second place in Group B with three points, and now focuses on its next match and the push to join group leader Germany in the last 16.
Forward Li Ying put 1999 runner-up China ahead in the 40th minute with an opportunist effort. Meeting Zhang Rui's rightwing cross, she got ahead of her marker and poked the ball into the bottom right corner.
China lost 1-0 to two-time champion Germany in its opening match. South Africa was beaten 3-1 by Spain and now has two losses.
Forward Thembi Kgatlana scored against Spain and was South Africa's most dangerous player against China, with a chance to equalize in the 76th.
Pouncing on a loose ball inside the left of the penalty area, her shot hit defender Lin Yuping near her right shoulder. There were calls for a penalty but no video review was done.
South Africa is the lowest-ranked team playing, but China worked hard for its win while keeping a close watch on Kgatlana. She made two strong runs in the first half, one down each flank, but her rushed passing let her down each time.
Kgatlana caused problems after the break with her speed and well-timed runs, although she was isolated and not adequately supported.
China will need to improve its finishing against Spain, for the miss of the game came from forward Gu Yasha.
She burst down the left and, after South Africa captain Janine Van Wyk slipped over, smacked the ball so wide it almost went out for a throw-in.
South Africa goalkeeper Kaylin Swart made two smart, late saves, the second a fine finger-tip effort from substitute Yang Li's curling effort in the 90th.
ZION LAWSUIT
Former Duke star Zion Williamson is suing to terminate his contract with a sports marketing company, saying the agency violated the state's sports agent law.
A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Greensboro says the star player should be allowed to void his contract with Florida-based Prime Sports Marketing LLC.
Williamson announced April 15 he was entering the NBA draft. According to the lawsuit, the fiveyear contract he signed five days later with Prime Sports did not contain notice that he would lose his college eligibility upon signing, and did not contain a disclaimer allowing him 14 days to cancel. Both are required under the North Carolina Uniform Athlete Agents Act.
BLUES PARADE
A parade 52 years in the making will finally happen Saturday in St. Louis, when the city celebrates the Blues' first-ever Stanley Cup championship.
The Blues defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Wednesday's Game 7 in Boston. The Blues joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1967 and had never before won a championship.
The Blues took to Twitter Thursday to announce celebration plans. A parade will start at noon at 18th and Market Street and head east. A rally will then take place beneath the Gateway Arch.