Playoff glance
OHIO» Toronto FC and the COLUMBUS,
Columbus Crew played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the MLS Eastern Conference Final.
Toronto goalkeeper Alexander Bono made a save on Harrison Afful in the 85th minute to preserve the draw. Toronto played without Sebastian Giovinco (16 goals, six assists) and Jozy Altidore (15 goals and six assists) because of one-game suspensions.
• Gustav Svensson scored in the 11th minute and Will Bruin added insurance in the 42nd as the Seattle Sounders beat the Houston Dynamo in the first leg of the Western Conference Final.
• Atlanta United midfielder Miguel Almiron was picked as Major League Soccer newcomer of the year, beating out Chicago’s Nemanja Nikolic and teammate Josef Martinez.
FIFA bans 3 soccer officials for life.
ZURICH» FIFA said three soccer officials who pleaded guilty in American courts to accepting bribes have been banned for life.
They include former FIFA audit committee member Richard Lai of Guam, who testified in federal court that the source of his bribe money was Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah of Kuwait.
Sheikh Ahmad referred his case to the FIFA ethics committee in April.
Withdrawals may lose prize money.
LONDON» A player who withdraws or performs below professional standards during a first-round singles match at a Grand Slam tournament could be fined under new rules introduced.
The Grand Slam Board said a player who is unfit to compete and withdraws before the draw will receive 50 percent of the first-round prize money. The replacement will receive the remaining 50 percent.
It’s an attempt to stop players who aren’t fully fit from playing in the first round just so they can collect prize money.
Sports doctor will plead guilty.
A sports doctor accused of molesting several girls while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University will plead guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and face at least 25 years in prison.
A court hearing for Dr. Larry Nassar in Michigan’s Ingham County was scheduled for Wednesday.