UKRAINE’S WORLD CUP QUEST ENDS WITH LOSS TO WALES Match canceled in labor, equal pay dispute. »
CARDIFF, WALES » Ukraine’s players wept in the rain while applauding their dejected supporters after missing out on qualifying for the World Cup by losing 1-0 to Wales in Europe’s last playoff for the FIFA soccer showpiece on Sunday.
The agonizing moment in a tight game came in the 34th minute when Andriy Yarmolenko inadvertently headed the ball into his own net while trying to clear Wales captain Gareth Bale’s free kick.
While Wales heads to a first World Cup in 64 years — opening against the United States in November — this was a game too far for Ukraine’s emotionally charged mission to qualify for Qatar while remaining under invasion by Russia.
“We did everything that we could,” coach Oleksandr Petrakov said through a translator,” but I really want the people of Ukraine to remember our team’s efforts.”
• Jesús Ferreira failed to convert a pair of first-half chances as U.S. forwards kept up their goal-scoring struggles, and the Americans played a 0-0 draw against Uruguay on Sunday in Kansas City, Kan., in their second of four World Cup warmup matches this month.
Haney retains WBC lightweight
belt. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA » American Devin Haney made it official — and unanimous — on Sunday. He’s the undisputed world lightweight boxing champion.haney retained his WBC lightweight title and added three more from the weight class after his unanimous points decision over Australian George Kambosos.
Messi nets 5 for Argentina.
PAMPLONA, SPAIN » Lionel Messi scored five goals for Argentina for the first time in a 5-0 rout of Estonia in a friendly match in Spain on Sunday, becoming the fourth-highest scorer for a national team in men’s soccer.
Kelly wins PGA Tour Champions
playoff. DES MOINES, IOWA » Jerry Kelly birdied the first hole of a playoff with Kirk Triplett on Sunday to win the PGA Tour Champions’ Principal Charity Classic. Kelly hit his approach to 4 feet on the par-4 18th to set up the winning putt.
Kelly and Triplett each shot 5-under 67 to finish at 18-under 198 at Wakonda Club, two strokes ahead of Steven Alker and Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer.
Samooja sets course record.
WINSEN, GERMANY » Kalle Samooja finished with back-to-back birdies and shot a course-record 8-under 64 to win the European Open for his first title on the European tour.
Quin Snyder ends his tenure as Jazz
coach. Quin Snyder, who guided the Utah Jazz to six consecutive playoff appearances, was an NBA coach of the year finalist just last season and won nearly 60% of his games with the franchise, resigned Sunday.
Hagan beats Hight in NHRA Funny
Car final. EPPING, N. H. » Funny Car points leader Matt Hagan raced to his third victory of the season Sunday, beating Robert Hight in the final round of the NHRA New England Nationals at New England Dragway. Mike Salinas won in Top Fuel, and Erica Enders topped the Pro Stock field.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA Canada’s World Cup warmup match against Panama was canceled Sunday when the men’s team refused to play because of a labor dispute with the nation’s governing body that includes a demand the women’s national team get equal match fees.
Former Packers halfback Switzer
dies. MANHATTAN, KAN. » Veryl Switzer, the trailblazing former Green Bay Packers halfback who traded a career in the NFL for service as a lieutenant in the Air Force, died Saturday. He was 89. Citing his family, the school announced his death in a statement Sunday. Additional details weren’t provided.