Ukraine resumes World Cup qualification with June 1 playoff
Ukraine’s bid to qualify for the World Cup will resume on June 1 against Scotland after its playoff semifinal in Glasgow was postponed in March due to the country being invaded by Russia.
FIFA on Thursday also said the delayed playoff final in that bracket against Wales in Cardiff will be on June 5 to determine the final European team to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
The playoff winner will go into a group at the World Cup with England, the United States and Iran.
Most of the Ukraine squad is typically drawn from domestic clubs Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk. They were unable to resume games on Feb. 26 after a midwinter break and most of their players from other countries left Ukraine to escape the war. The clubs have been playing friendly matches in Europe.
Baseball
MLB AVERAGE SALARY UP 5.9% AFTER LOCKOUT » The average salary in the major leagues rebounded to $4.4 million on opening day, boosted by a frenzy of free agent signings before and after the 99-day lockout, according to a study of baseball contracts by The Associated Press.
New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer set a season record at $43.3 million, topping the previous mark established last year by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer at $38 million. Scherzer earns more than all the current players on the Baltimore Orioles combined.
The average of $4,414,184 was up 5.9% from the $4,167,164 at the start of last season and just below the record of $4,451,508 set in 2017, before the salary slide that angered players during the labor contract that expired last December.
NHL BLACKHAWKS 5, SHARKS 4, SO »
Alex DeBrincat scored the lone goal in the shootout after having three assists in regulation and Chicago snapped an eight-game losing streak.
DeBrincat beat James Reimer with an in-tight move in the third round of the shootout. Chicago’s Kevin
Lankinen followed by stopping Erik Karlsson’s shot from the slot as Chicago ended an 0-6-2 slide.
Timo Meier scored his team-leading 32nd goal for the Sharks, who have lost eight in a row (0-5-3). Scott Reedy and Rudolfs Balcers also scored for San Jose.
Golf YOUNG SHOOTS 8-UNDER 63 IN RBC HERITAGE »
Cameron Young showed it doesn’t always take years of practice to go low at Harbour Town Golf Links, shooting an 8-under 63 to take the firstround lead in his RBC Heritage debut.
The 24-year-old PGA Tour rookie had eight birdies in a bogey-free round, his first in the 60s in 11 rounds going back to a closing 65 at the Honda Classic more than six weeks ago.
Young was two shots in front of Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and three ahead of seven others, including reigning FedEx Cup champion Patrick Cantlay, Ireland’s Shane Lowry — who tied for third at the Masters last week — and Canada’s Corey Conners — who was sixth at Augusta National.