Mexico asserting soccer strength
Scores 2 times in first half to beat Costa Rica, remains undefeated
Javier Hernandez and Nestor Araujo scored in the first half, and Mexico overcame the absence of half a dozen players to beat Costa Rica 2-0 on Friday night in a World Cup qualifying match.
Hernandez scored on a cross from Carlos Vela to open the score in the seventh and Araujo added a goal on a header in the 45th.
Hernandez scored his 46th goal with the Mexican team and tied Jared Borgetti as the all-time leading scorer.
With the win, Mexico remains undefeated and has seven points after three rounds to take sole command in the six-nation tournament. Costa Rica stays on six points and is second and Panama is third with four. The United States, after a 6-0 win over Honduras on Friday night, is tied with Honduras and Trinidad & Tobago at three points apiece.
The top three teams qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup. Mexico beat Costa Rica for the first time since Sept. 11, 2012, when they prevailed 1-0.
Football
The Chicago Bears continued their quarterback makeover by signing veteran Mark Sanchez, who is expected to back up Mike Glennon next season. Chicago is coming off a season in which it went 3-13 and finished last in the NFC North. The Bears cut quarterback Jay Cutler this month after eight seasons and the next day signed Glennon of Tampa Bay.
Former San Francisco n 49ers lineman Clay Matthews Sr., who was the patriarch of a famous football family, has died. He was 88. He had been dealing with a long illness. Matthews was a two-way player for San Francisco for four seasons in the 1950s. He played in 45 games and missed two seasons while serving in the Korean War. His two oldest sons, Bruce and Clay Jr., each spent 19 seasons in the league. Five of Matthews’ grandsons have also played in the NFL.
The Seattle Seahawks n have continued to address depth concerns at linebacker by signing veteran Michael Wilhoite to a oneyear deal. Wilhoite has spent all five of his NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.
Miscellany
Former Penn State President Graham Spanier was convicted of hushing up child sexual abuse allegations in 2001 against Jerry Sandusky, whose arrest a decade later blew up into a major scandal for the university and led to the firing of football coach Joe Paterno. The jury found Spanier guilty of one misdemeanor count of child endangerment over his handling of a complaint against the retired assistant football coach but acquitted him of conspiracy and a second child endangerment count.
A second former Baylor n football player has been arrested on charges that include sexual assault. The U.S. Marshal’s Service confirms that 23-year-old Shamycheal “Myke” Chatman was arrested Thursday in Houston. A McLennan County grand jury earlier indicted Chatman along with another former player, 22-year-old Tre’Von Armstead.
Motor sports
Jimmie Johnson will start from the back Sunday when he defends his Fontana NASCAR title after a spin during practice wrecked his primary car. Johnson lost control on Turn 3 at the Auto Club Speedway’s aged 2-mile asphalt, and he slid sideways at 180 mph while trying to stay out of the wall and avoiding Kurt Busch. Kyle Larson turned a lap in 38.493 seconds to claim the pole for the event.
Hockey
Two players said they had declined an inquiry from USA Hockey to replace members of the women’s national team at the upcoming world championships. Brittany Ott, a goaltender for the Boston Pride of the National Women’s Hockey League, and Annie Pankowski, a junior forward at the University of Wisconsin, said USA Hockey reached out to them to gauge their interest in filling in at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship that begins next week in Michigan.