Horan's PK propels USWNT to win over Japan
Lindsey Horan converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute and the United States came from behind to defeat Japan 2-1 to open the SheBelieves Cup before a record crowd on Saturday.
Jaedyn Shaw also scored for the United States in the match played before 50,644 fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, a record for a friendly match for the United States women on home soil. It was also the largest crowd for a women’s game in the United States since the 1999 World Cup final.
The game also marked the return of both Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario after lengthy absences because of injury.
“I think the fans had a huge part in the game today,” interim U.S. coach Twila Kilgore said about the crowd. “You could feel them the entire time.”
Japan scored 30 seconds into the game. Kiko Seike dashed down the wing and evaded a defender with a shot that was out of the reach of U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher. It was the first time the U.S. conceded a goal within the opening minute since 2003.
Swanson started in her first game back in nearly a year since injuring her patellar tendon during an exhibition match against Ireland last year. The injury kept her out of last summer’s Women’s World Cup.
Swanson nearly scored in the 15th minute but a goal-line clearance by Japan’s goalkeeper denied her. She had another good chance in the 72nd minute.
“I was a little excited, you could tell,” Swanson said. “So get those jitters out of the way and move on to the next.”
Macario came into the game as a second-half substitute, making her first appearance with the national team in two years after tearing an ACL in a match with Lyon.
Shaw, playing as a No. 10, scored through traffic with a blast from outside the penalty box to tie it. Shaw, 19, is the first U.S. player with five goals in five straight career starts.
Collins stays hot, will play for Charleston Open title
Miami Open champion Danielle Collins won her 12th straight match and will play for a second straight title, defeating Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-3 in the Charleston Open semifinals on Saturday.
Collins will go for lucky No. 13 in today’s final against Daria Kasatkina, who beat top-seeded Jessica Pegula in a third-set tiebreaker.
“Another great week of tennis. I love coming out here and battling,” said the 30-year-old Collins, who has announced that this season will be her last. “This is what I live for. This is what I’m doing right now.”
Larson on pole in Martinsville
Kyle Larson won the pole for today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, turning a fast lap at 96.034 mph to edge Bubba Wallace for the top spot by one one-thousandth of a second.
Wallace completed his best lap around the 0.526-mile oval at 96.029 mph. He and Larson were the only two drivers to exceed 96 mph in their qualifying laps.
Larson, the defending race winner, will lead a contingent of four Hendrick Motorsports cars in the race, which marks the first of the organization’s 28 victories on the paper-clip shaped track 40 years ago. Teammate Chase Elliott will start third, Alex Bowman will start 10th and William Byron 18th. All four HMS drivers have won at least once on NASCAR’s shortest oval.
• Max Verstappen was asked a few days ago if he had concerns going into the Japanese Grand Prix. His rear brakes caught fire just two weeks ago at the Australian GP, forcing him out on the fourth lap.
“No, no,” Verstappen replied.
True to his word. No worries. The
Dutchman claimed the pole for Red Bull in Saturday qualifying, poised to return to his unprecedented dominance in Formula 1 after the blip in Australia.
Garcia holds a two-stroke lead at LIV Golf Miami
Sergio Garcia birdied his final hole Saturday for a 4-under 68, giving him a two-shot lead in LIV Golf Miami as he goes after his first title in the Saudifunded circuit.
Garcia has lost in two playoffs during his three years with LIV, including one to Joaquin Niemann in Mexico at the start of the season.
He led by two shots over Talor Gooch (70), Matthew Wolff (69), Dean Burmester (69) and Tyrrell Hatton (67).
Gooch birdied his last two holes. Garcia was at 9-under 135.
• Lottie Woad of England delivered a Masters-like charge Saturday with three birdies over her last four holes, the last one a 15-foot putt on the 18th hole for a 3-under 69 and a one-shot victory in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
“I’ve watched this ever since I was younger, and to win it is really special,” said Woad, a sophomore at Florida State.
SDSU’s Butler enters NBA draft, keeps options open
San Diego State senior guard Lamont Butler from Riverside Poly High announced Friday that he will provisionally enter the NBA Draft while retaining his collegiate eligibility just as he did last year. The move was expected and doesn’t change his status whether he’ll use his COVID year for a fifth season in college, either at SDSU or elsewhere. Butler has not entered the transfer portal and has until May 1 to do so. He never did last year, reducing his decision to turning pro or returning to SDSU.