Sports

Brees, Saints rally past Chargers for OT win on MNF – theScore

Published

4 years ago

October 13, 2020

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Drew Brees keeps coming through in the clutch in his 20th season, while the Los Angeles Chargers keep squandering the heady play of promising rookie quarterback Justin Herbert.

The 41-year-old Brees became the oldest quarterback with more than 32 completions in an NFL game, Wil Lutz kicked a 36-yard field goal in overtime and New Orleans’ defense stopped receiver Mike Williams just short on fourth down to preserve a 30-27 victory over the seemingly star-crossed Chargers on Monday night.

“This is how you grow as a team. This is how you become battle-tested — and I think it pays dividends as you move along,” said Brees, who rushed for a 1-yard touchdown and hit tight end Jared Cook for a 41-yard score as the Saints rallied from a 17-point, second-quarter deficit.

“These are the tests that really bring a team together and give you confidence and give you momentum and really shape you,” Brees continued. “We know if we can put ourselves in position to win, then we can do that.”

Figuring that out is proving to be a painful process for the Chargers (1-4), who fell to their fourth straight loss by a touchdown or less, and the second in overtime. They also blew a 17-point lead for a second straight game.

“Never thought this team would lose four straight. We’ve put ourselves in position, but we didn’t get it done,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “We have to finish these damn games.”

Chargers kicker Michael Badgley, who missed his first career point-after kick wide right in the first quarter, had a chance to redeem himself after Williams’ leaping catch between two defenders put the Chargers on the Saints’ 32-yard line in the final seconds. But Badgley’s 50-yard kick as time expired bounced off the right upright.

“The young man has been kicking outstanding. He’s got to do better but we could have done some other things better,” Lynn said.

Herbert’s fourth touchdown pass of the game, a 64-yarder to Williams, briefly put Los Angeles back in front before the Saints (3-2) tied it on Taysom Hill’s 9-yard run with 52 seconds left in regulation.

Herbert, who was named the starter for the remainder of the season this week, finished 20 of 34 for 264 yards without an turnover. Five of his completions went to Williams for 109 yards and two TDs.

“It’s a learning process,” Herbert said. “Losing is horrible, but we are going to turn it around.”

FACTS AND FIGURES

Brees finished 33 of 47 for 325 yards, including 12 completions to Emmanuel Sanders for 122 yards. Alvin Kamara had 119 yards from scrimmage, highlighted by his leaping, juggling catch along the right sideline over the head of safety Rayshawn Jenkins to set up Hill’s tying TD.

Brees improved to 4-0 against the Chargers, the team that drafted him in 2001 and let him go in 2006.

The Chargers became the first team to lose 17-point leads in consecutive weeks since the 2003 Atlanta Falcons. For the Chargers, both have come on the road against an NFC South team led by a quarterback older than 40.

In Week 4, it was Tampa Bay’s Tom Brady, a six-time Super Bowl winner. This week it was the NFL’s all-time leader in completions, yards and touchdowns.

Brees’ dive over a pile of linemen at the goal line made it 20-10 14 seconds before halftime.

Lutz, who hit from 48 yards in the first half, drilled a 53-yarder that pulled New Orleans within a touchdown in the third quarter. Then Brees found Cook open behind the Chargers’ secondary on third-and-long to tie it early in the fourth quarter.

STRONG START

In staking Los Angeles to an early 20-3 lead, Herbert became the first rookie to pass for three TDs in the first half of a Monday night game.

His first came when he rolled right away from pressure and fired a 17-yard pass down the sideline to Allen.

Herbert’s 49-yard completion to Jalen Guyton set up his 4-yard scoring strike to Williams one play later. The touchdown capped a drive extended by a roughing-the-punter penalty against New Orleans’ Dwayne Washington.

Nasir Adderly’s interception of Brees and 39-yard return to the Saints 1-yard line set up Herbert’s 3-yard scoring pass to tight end Hunter Henry, which made it 20-3.

ABSENT THOMAS

Saints coach Sean Payton declined to discuss the absence of star receiver Michael Thomas, who missed the game for punching a teammate during practice on Saturday.

“Let’s talk about the players that played tonight,” Payton said when asked about how he had to adjust his game plan without the 2019 AP Offensive Player of the Year.

Added Brees, “Mike is a big part of this team and he’s going to be a big part of this team moving forward. He had an incident and Sean addressed it and many of the leaders have spoken with Mike as well and we’re going to be all good.”

INJURY REPORT

Chargers: Early in the second quarter, Keenan Allen left the game with a back injury. Defensive end Uchenna Nwosu was helped off with an apparent leg injury early in the fourth quarter. Those losses came on top of previous injuries that sidelined Los Angeles two starting offensive linemen on the right side and top running back Austin Ekeler.

Saints: Nick Easton left the game in the first half with concussion symptoms and did not return.

UP NEXT

Chargers: Have a bye in Week 6 before hosting Jacksonville on Oct. 25.

Saints: Enter their bye week, followed by a Week 7 home date with Carolina on Oct. 25.

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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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