Lletget helps Berhalter, U.S. prevail again
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sebastian Lletget scored and assisted in his return to the site of his career interrupting foot injury two years ago, leading the United States over Costa Rica 2-0 in an exhibition Saturday that made Gregg
Berhalter just the third coach to win his first two matches with the American national team.
The 26-year-old San Francisco native entered in the second half, scored in the 80th minute off a cross from Jonathan Lewis and then fed Paul Arriola for the second goal in the 88th minute.
Both international goals by Lletget were scored at Avaya Stadium. The midfielder put the U.S. ahead of Honduras in the fifth minute of a World Cup qualifier on March 24, 2017 and then suffered a Lisfranc injury to his left foot 10 minutes later on a slide tackle that earned defender Ever Alvarado a yellow card. Lletget needed surgery and did not return to the field for the Los Angeles Galaxy until the following March 4. He did not play again for the national team until last Nov. 15.
Berhalter began with a 3-0 victory over Panama last weekend and joined Bob Bradley (2007) and
Robert Millar (1930) as the only coaches to win their first two U.S. matches.
Fowler up by 4 in Phoenix Open
Rickie Fowler had eight birdies en route to a 7-under-64 that gave him a four-stroke lead over Matt
Kuchar heading into the final round of the Phoenix Open.
Fowler, who is twice a runner-up at TPC Scottsdale, navigated a difficult two-putt on the par-4 18th hole to reach 20-under 193.
Kuchar shot a bogeyfree 65 to put himself in position for his third victory of the wraparound PGA Tour season. He won the Mayakoba Classic and Sony Open. Justin Thomas, who started a shot behind Fowler, shot 68 and will be five back of his friend and desert roommate headed into Sunday’s final round.
In other news: • Sergio Garcia was disqualified from the Saudi International for damaging greens in frustration during his third round, and the Spaniard said he apologized to fellow players for his actions. In an eventful third round of the new event in the Middle East, Li Haotong of China made four eagles, including two in his last two holes and three of them on par 4s, to share the lead with Dustin Johnson. Just as Li was finishing his round of 8-under 62, the European Tour released a statement saying Garcia was disqualified for “serious misconduct.” Garcia said “in frustration, I damaged a couple of greens, for which I apologize for, and I have informed my fellow players it will never happen again.” Garcia shot a 71 and was even par — 16 shots off Li and Johnson — at the time of his DQ.
Shiffrin earns 13th slalom win
Mikaela Shiffrin won the last women’s World Cup slalom before the world championships for her personal-best 13th victory of the season.
Shiffrin built on a commanding lead of a full second after the opening run at Maribor, Slovenia, to win the race by 0.77 ahead of Anna Swenn
Larsson of Sweden, who earned her first podium in her 100th World Cup start.
Wendy Holdener of Switzerland was 1.15 behind in third for her 20th career slalom podium without winning — a World Cup record.
Olympic slalom champion Frida Hansdotter of Sweden was 1.34 behind in fourth, while Shiffrin’s main rival — Petra Vlhova of Slovakia — was second after the opening run but dropped to fifth, 1.70 off the lead.
It was Shiffrin’s second first-place finish of the weekend after she and Vlhova shared victory Friday in the giant slalom.
Shiffrin has bettered her best mark from last year of 12 victories in a single season. Only Swiss great
Vreni Schneider has won more races in a one season — 14 in 1988-89.
With five technical events, two super-G races and an Alpine combined event remaining after the worlds, Shiffrin is a strong favorite to overtake Schneider.
Serbia makes final for new Davis Cup
Serbia held off a spirited fightback by Uzbekistan to clinch a berth in the finals tournament of the revamped Davis Cup.
Germany, Russia, and Australia were other former champions to qualify for the finals at Madrid.
All 12 winners of this weekend’s qualifiers join six already qualified nations at the Nov. 18-24 event: Defending champion Croatia, 2018 runner-up France, 2018 semifinalists the United States and Spain, as well as wild cards Britain and Argentina.
At the finals, the 18 nations will compete in six groups of three teams, with all group winners and the two best secondranked teams advancing to the quarterfinals.
Valdez retains WBO crown
Oscar Valdez defended his World Boxing Organization featherweight title with a seventh-round technical knockout of Carmine Tommasone at Frisco. The two-time Mexican Olympian (25-0, 20 KOs) caught Tommasone (19-1) with a right uppercut to the jaw. The blow dropped the Italian and the fight was called nine seconds into the seventh round in Valdez’s first bout since suffering a broken jaw in a successful title defense against Scott Quigg last March. Earlier,
Richard Commey (28-2, 25 KOs) took the vacant International Boxing Federation lightweight title with a second-round technical knockout of Isa Chaniev (13-2). The fight was called 39 seconds into the second round after the second knockdown of Chaniev in that round and the third overall. … Mucho Gusto won the $150,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes by 4¾ lengths at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., earning 10 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby. Trained by
Bob Baffert and ridden by Joe Talamo, Mucho the 3-year-old chestnut colt ran 11⁄16 miles on a sloppy track in 1:41.81.
Gunmetal Gray was second, and Easy Shot was another half-length back in third. From wire reports