HORAN’S GOAL GIVES THORNS NWSL TITLE
FLA.» Lindsey Horan scored ORLANDO, in the 50th minute and the Portland Thorns beat the North Carolina Courage 1-0 on Saturday for the National Women’s Soccer League championship.
It is Portland’s second title. The Thorns also won the NWSL’S inaugural championship in 2013.
The Courage, who finished the regular season atop the league standings, lost both Taylor Smith and Kristen Hamilton to injury in the first half of the physical match in front of 8,124 fans at Orlando City Stadium.
“Maybe the most beautiful ugly game I’ve ever been a part of,” Thorns coach Mark Parsons said.
No team has ever won the Supporters’ Shield and the championship in the same season. The Courage also were trying for back-to-back titles.
The Thorns were knocked by the New York Flash last season in a semifinal match at Providence Park. The Flash went on to beat the Washington Spirit for the league title before moving to North Carolina and becoming the Courage.
The Thorns’ journey this year included a team-bonding trip to Astoria to start the season and a leaguehigh 10 wins at home for a 14-5-5 finish before a 4-1 semifinal victory over the Orlando Pride.
In its semifinal, North Carolina defeated the Chicago Red Stars 1-0 on Denise O’sullivan’s goal in the 90th minute.
Nadal and Federer to meet in final.
SHANGHAI» Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will face each for the 38th time after advancing to the Shanghai Masters final.
Top-seeded Nadal defeated Marin Cilic of Croatia 7-5, 7-6 (3) in the first semifinal, and second-seeded Federer was stretched to three sets before posting a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina.
Nadal, who won a tour-best sixth title of the season at the China Open last week, improved his current winning streak to 16 matches. The Spaniard, who has 16 Grand Slam men’s singles trophies, won the French and U.S. Open titles this season.
• Maria Sharapova remains on course for a first WTA title since returning from a drug ban after beating Peng Shuai in straight sets in the semi-finals of the Tianjin Open. The five-time grand slam champion needed 78 minutes to beat the No. 3 seed Peng 6-3, 6-1 and book a final date with the world No. 102, Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
Mccollum suspended for opener. Portland Trail Blazers star guard C.J. Mccollum has been suspended for Portland’s regular-season opener after he left the bench area during an altercation in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Phoenix Suns.
The NBA announced the one-game ban Saturday, saying Mccollum will be suspended without pay for the first game “which he is eligible and physically able to play.”
Mccollum left the Blazers’ bench area in the fourth quarter of Wednesday’s game when Portland’s Caleb Swanigan and Phoenix’s Alex Len got into a shoving match with 9:33 remaining. Both Swanigan and Len were ejected.
• All-star small forward Kawhi Leonard is not expected to play Wednesday in the San Antonio Spurs’s home season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves, coach Gregg Popovich said.
• Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum is weighing rehabilitation options on his separated left shoulder that could preclude him from undergoing season-ending surgery.
• Glenn Robinson III is expected to be out three to four months after undergoing successful ankle surgery, the Indiana Pacers announced.
DU downs Notre Dame.
The University of Denver hockey team defeated Notre Dame 4-2 on Saturday.
Troy Terry, Jake Durflinger, Liam Finlay and Dylan Gambrell scored for the Pioneers.