Sports

By JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Karim Benzema has scored two late goals to lead Real Madrid to a tough 2-0 win at 10-man Valladolid that provisionally puts the team atop the Spanish standings. Madrid was playing its first game since a seven-week World Cup break and needed a handball by Javi

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) — Leicester defender Wout Faes scored two own goals at Anfield to hand Liverpool a 2-1 victory on Friday which moved the hosts within touching distance of the Premier League’s top four. The Belgian center-back had calamitous seven-minute spell before halftime to help Jurgen Klopp’s team come from behind after poor defending

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Quarterback Tanner Mordecai has announced on social media that he’s transferring from SMU to Wisconsin. Mordecai tweeted the news two weeks after playing in SMU’s 24-23 New Mexico Bowl loss to BYU. Mordecai threw his school-record 72nd career touchdown pass for SMU in that game. Mordecai threw for 3,628 yards with

LONDON (AP) — Saudi Arabian soccer club Al Nassr has announced the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo, ending speculation about the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s future. Al Nassr posted a picture on social media of Ronaldo holding up the team’s jersey, with the club hailing the deal as “history in the making.” Ronaldo had been a

LONDON (AP) — West Ham slumped to a fifth straight Premier League loss and was booed off the field by the home crowd following a 2-0 defeat to Brentford. First-half goals from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva inflicted another damaging loss on manager David Moyes, whose team could find itself in the relegation zone —

By DAVID BILLER and DIANE JEANTET Associated Press Bocaina de Minas, BRAZIL (AP) — Down a dirt road in the mountains of Minas Gerais, Pelé’s home state, Jorge Tavares received the news of the star’s death from a 4 a.m. newscast. As a boy, Tavares and his cousins listened to Pelé’s World Cup games on

By The Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert became an unexpected hero when a helicopter crashed into a bay. Gabbert and his two brothers were on jet skis Thursday when they heard a “faint noise” on the water. They arrived to find four people who were involved in

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — Wofford men’s basketball coach Jay McAuley has resigned less than four weeks after taking a leave of absence. The school announced McAuley’s decision on Friday. He took a leave of absence from the team on Dec. 5. Associate coach Dwight Perry has coached the past five games, including a 67-62 victory

By ANTHONY ANDERSON Associated Press SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Nigel Pack scored 21 points in his home state to lead No. 14 Miami over Notre Dame 76-65. Pack made 5-of-8 3-pointers and had 13 points in the game’s first 10 minutes. Norchad Omier added 18 points, Isaiah Wong 15 and Jordan Miller 12 as

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Taulia Tagovailoa threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Octavian Smith, Chad Ryland kicked three field goals and Maryland outlasted No. 25 North Carolina State 16-12 to win the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. Tagovailoa finished 19 of 37 for 221 yards with two interceptions. Roman Hemby ran

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Diamond Miller scored 22 points, Shyanne Sellers added 19 points with nine rebounds and No. 16 Maryland scored 30 points off Minnesota turnovers in a 107-85 win. Abby Meyers added 17 points and Lavender Briggs 14 for Maryland, which won its fourth consecutive game and reached 100 points for the

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Justin Hardee gently brushed the snow from his mother’s gravestone enough so he could see the image of her face etched into the marble. The New York Jets special teams ace needed to share the good news with Estella Perryman. The 28-year-old

By JOHN PERROTTO Associated Press PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jamarius Burton scored a career-high 31 points, Blake Hinson had seven points in the final minute and a half and Pittsburgh knocked off No. 25 North Carolina 76-74. Burton was 14 of 17 from the field and had six rebounds. Pitt win its fourth straight game and

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals will use their fourth quarterback of the season after David Blough was named the starter for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Colt McCoy was the expected starter but is still battling concussion symptoms. Coach Kliff Kingsbury elected to go with Blough over Trace McSorley, who started in

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett says his failure to communicate with the team led to coach Kevin Stefanski benching him for the start of last week’s game against New Orleans. Garrett says he respects Stefanski’s decision and vows not to let it happen again. Garrett

BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgian club Royal Antwerp says former Barcelona and Arsenal winger Marc Overmars is recovering from a mild stroke. The 49-year-old Overmars is serving as director of football at Antwerp and the club posted a message on Twitter saying the Dutchman “became unwell last night and was admitted to hospital with a mild

By ALANIS THAMES AP Sports Writer Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has officially been ruled out for Sunday’s game at New England after suffering a concussion in Miami’s Christmas Day loss to Green Bay. Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that Tagovailoa is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol and is day to day as he

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Tulane quarterback Michael Pratt and running back Tyjae Spears weren’t going to miss the Green Wave’s most significant bowl game in more than eight decades. Pratt drew interest from Power Five schools, but has already said he’s staying at Tulane for his senior season. Rising

By JEROME PUGMIRE AP Sports Writer PARIS (AP) — French league leader Paris Saint-Germain faces its toughest test of the season Sunday when it travels to play a Lens side which has won all of its home games. Victory for second-place Lens would move it four points behind defending champion Paris Saint-Germain. PSG will be