MILAN (AP) Napoli stayed perfect in Serie A only after struggling to subdue promoted side Spal 3-2 on Saturday. Algeria left back Faouzi Ghoulam was the unlikely match-winner seven minutes from time, with a run from the halfway line. Juventus was also looking to remain perfect when it hosted city rival Torino in the Derby della Mole later. Spal lost its previous three matches but took a surprise lead early when Mirco Antenucci rolled the ball across for Pasquale Schiattarella, who is from Naples, to smash it into the bottom left corner. The home side’s lead lasted only 77 seconds. Lorenzo Insigne curled an effort inside the near post from just inside the area. Spal was causing Napoli problems but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 71st when Jose Callejon headed in Ghoulam’s cross. Federico Viviani put Spal back on level terms seven minutes later with a free kick but Ghoulam scored what was to be the winner shortly after, finishing off a fantastic run by … [Read more...]

NEW YORK (AP) A person with knowledge of the deal says the New York Knicks have agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Knicks will get Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a draft pick. The spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because the trade had not been announced. A day after saying they expected their All-Star forward to be at training camp Monday, the Knicks finally found a trade they were seeking since last season. It puts Anthony into a loaded Oklahoma City lineup that includes NBA MVP Russell Westbrook and Paul George, who was acquired from Indiana this summer. Anthony will see his old teammates soon: The Knicks open the regular season at Oklahoma City on Oct. 19. … [Read more...]

CALGARY, Alberta — Johnny Gaudreau scored twice and Sam Bennett had three assists to help the Flames get their first win of the preseason, beating the Arizona Coyotes 4-2 on Friday. Micheal Ferland also scored and Mark Jankowski got his third goal in three games for Calgary, which had lost its first three games. Mike Smith had 15 saves for the Flames, who outshot the Coyotes 35-17. Mario Kempe and Dysin Mayo scored for Arizona. Louis Domingue gave up three goals on 19 shots over the first two periods, and Adin Hill stopped 15 of the 16 shots he faced in the third. Flames left wing Matthew Tkachuk, recovering from an injured hip, skated with the club today and is expected to make his preseason debut Monday at Winnipeg. … [Read more...]

PARIS (AP) Montpellier put on a spirited and gritty display to hold Paris Saint-Germain to a goalless draw as the French league leader dropped its first points of the season on Saturday. PSG, which won its previous six league matches but met Montpellier without the injured Neymar, was uninspired throughout and saw its lead over defending champion Monaco cut to just one point. Monaco thrashed Lille 4-0 on Friday. ”We came here to win ahead of Bayern’s visit, it was very important,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, referring to Bayern Munich’s trip to Paris in the Champions League next week. ”We need to forget this game.” Montpellier’s defensive strategy worked well throughout the match and prevented PSG from creating chances. The hosts deliberately left the ball possession to the opposition, and PSG players struggled to adapt to the poor pitch at Stade de La Mosson. Pressing high on the pitch, the hosts played aggressively and were … [Read more...]

PHOENIX — File this under it takes one to know one. With two of the top National League MVP candidates in Arizona for a weekend series, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly weighed in Friday on what he considers the most relevant criteria for choosing the winner. He made it sound pretty basic. “Just the guy who is putting up the numbers,” said Mattingly, the 1985 American League MVP with 35 homers and 145 RBIs for the Yankees. “At the end of the day, that is what we really look at. The guy that is driving in runs, getting on base, doing kind of everything offensively. It is more of an offensive award. It is nice when you have balance with it.” Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Miami right fielder Giancarlo Stanton are perhaps the top candidates in a crowded NL MVP field that includes Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado, Colorado center fielder Charlie Blackmon, Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto and Marlins darkhorse candidate Marcell … [Read more...]

MIAMI (AP) Jeff Conine – who goes by the nickname Mr. Marlin – is part of the purge of Miami Marlins executives before the sale of the team to Derek Jeter’s investment group. Conine said Saturday he was told he won’t be retained. He helped the Marlins win two World Series and has been a special assistant to the president since 2008. Also being let go are Hall of Famers Andre Dawson and Tony Perez, who had the same title as Conine, and former manager Jack McKeon, who has been special assistant to the owner since 2005. Major League Baseball hopes to hold a special owners’ meeting before November to vote on approving the sale of the franchise to the group that includes Jeter and is headed by venture capitalist Bruce Sherman. — More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball … [Read more...]

TUCSON, Ariz.  — When Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley went down with a shoulder injury in the second quarter, the Utes had an experienced and reliable alternative ready. Troy Williams, a senior who started 13 games last season, came on and guided the No. 23 Utes to a 30-24 victory over Arizona on Friday night in the Pac-12 opener for both schools. “We’re in a good place quarterback-wise,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Obviously we want Tyler back as soon as possible, but Troy won nine games for us last year, and he was ready.” Not that was easy. Chris Hart recovered Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins’ fumble at Utah’s 20-yard line with 2:33 left to preserve the victory. Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez didn’t think it was a fumble. But, Dawkins said, “You’ve got to go with what the refs call and that’s what they called. I shouldn’t have made it close. I should have held the ball a little tighter and … [Read more...]

VITORIA, Spain (AP) Dani Ceballos scored twice in his first start for Real Madrid and helped it earn a much-needed 2-1 win at Alaves in the Spanish league on Saturday. The win came three days after Madrid lost at home to Real Betis 1-0. This was only Madrid’s third win in six rounds. Ceballos struck in the 10th minute and restored the defending champions’ advantage two minutes before halftime. The winless Alaves almost leveled late when substitute Alfonso Pedraza twice hit the woodwork. ”I am happy for (Ceballos). He played very well, and besides the two goals he helped us a lot,” coach Zinedine Zidane said. ”He showed that he has a place on this team.” Ceballos received a pass from Marco Asensio, fought through a tackle, and shot just inside the post for the opener. Manu Garcia responded by ending Alaves’ long scoring drought. His powerful header from a cross by Munir El Haddadi was the Basque Country club’s first goal of the … [Read more...]

PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns on Friday acquired guard Troy Daniels and a 2018 second-round pick from the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for a conditional Suns’ 2018 second-round pick. The Suns also confirmed, according to azcentral.com, that center Alan Williams suffered a knee injury this week in a pickup game and will be lost for an undisclosed amound of time. “We are still evaluating the extent of the injury and will have more info about it at media day on Monday,” general manager Ryan McDonough told azcentral’s Scott Bordow. Daniels, 6-feet-4 and 205 pounds, is a four year veteran who has played for Memphis, Charlotte Minnesota and Houston. He averaged 8.2 points in 67 games last season with the Grizzlies, shooting 38.9 percent from 3-point range. He figures to serve as a backup to Devin Booker at the shooting guard position — a need that developed due to off-season injuries to Brandon Knight and rookie Davon Reed. Ironically, Daniels and Booker … [Read more...]

BERLIN (AP) In a duel between the youngest ever Bundesliga coaches, 30-year-old Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim defeated 32-year-old Domenico Tedesco’s Schalke 2-0 Saturday. Both earned their coaching badges together, though Nagelsmann got a head start in February 2016 when he was appointed in place of the ailing Huub Stevens with Hoffenheim in relegation trouble. Nagelsmann saved the team in his first season and led it to the Champions League playoffs in the next. Schalke fans hope Tedesco, who took over in the offseason after just 11 games in charge of second-tier Erzgebirge Aue, can match his former classmate’s feats. Dennis Geiger’s first Bundesliga goal gave Hoffenheim an early lead, but the visitors improved as the game progressed and might have equalized after the break when Yevhen Konoplyanka struck the crossbar. Konoplyanka was just wide before Mark Uth struck the post at the other end. Uth thought he’d sealed it late but the goal was ruled … [Read more...]

PITTSBURGH (AP) The perfectionist in Josh Bell fueled the Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman’s incessant climb to the major leagues. To stay, he’s learning to let that guy go. During his steady rise through the minors, Bell would deal with any sort of slump – real or imagined – the only way he knew how: by getting in the batting cage and hitting balls by the hundreds. The Pirates respected Bell’s work ethic. It’s one of the reasons they grabbed him in the second round of the 2011 draft, lavishing him with a $5 million signing bonus just to make sure he picked pro baseball over a scholarship to the University of Texas. Still, manager Clint Hurdle and batting coach Jeff Branson heard the reports of how Bell would tweak his swing again and again and again, a habit that earned the driven and athletic 6-foot-2 switch-hitter the unwanted nickname ”Tinker Bell.” When Bell began preparing for his first full season in the majors this spring, … [Read more...]

SOMERSET, N.J. (AP) ��� The National Football League and its players’ union on Saturday angrily denounced President Donald Trump for suggesting that owners fire players who kneel during the national anthem and that fans consider walking out in protest “when somebody disrespects our flag.” “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players,” the league commissioner, Roger Goodell, said in a statement. DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, tweeted: “We will never back down. We no longer can afford to stick to sports.” Trump, during a political rally in Alabama on Friday night, also blamed a drop in NFL ratings on the nation’s interest in “yours truly” as well as what he contended was a decline in violence in the game. Smith said the union won’t shy away from “protecting the constitutional … [Read more...]

MILAN (AP) Stephan El Shaarawy scored twice as Roma eased to a 3-1 win at home to Udinese on Saturday to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Napoli and Juventus. All the Roma goals came in the first half, with El Shaarawy pouncing after Edin Dzeko’s opener. Roma moved three points below Napoli and Juventus, who will be trying to remain perfect later Saturday against Spal and Torino, respectively. Capital side Roma had played a match less than most Serie A teams coming into the weekend, as its fixture at Sampdoria was postponed because of bad weather. Dzeko seems determined to retain the Serie A top goalscorer award he won last year and he opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Radja Nainggolan rode three challenges and managed to get the ball to Dzeko, who slotted into the bottom left corner for his fifth goal in three matches. The Bosnia and Herzegovina forward turned provider on the half hour when he sent in a low cross for El Shaarawy to coolly flick into the roof … [Read more...]

METZ, France (AP) Benoit Paire reached his first final of the year at the Moselle Open on Saturday, defeating Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia 6-1, 7-6 (5). The seventh-seeded Frenchman, who had lost his four previous semifinals this year, faces German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk on Sunday. Paire hit 17 aces and needed just one hour to advance while 95th-ranked Gojowczyk spent less than 30 minutes on the indoor court. Gojowczyk was up 6-3, 1-0 against Mischa Zverev when the fifth-seeded German retired. Paire, who defeated second-seeded David Goffin in the previous round after saving a match point, dropped just five points on his first serve and fended off all four break points he faced. … [Read more...]

TV: FOX Sports Sun Time: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. CAN’T GET TO A TV? WATCH IT LIVE ON FOX SPORTS GO BALTIMORE — Tampa Bay right-hander Jake Odorizzi has pitched better recently, and he will try to keep the Rays’ faint playoff hopes alive on Saturday when his team takes on the Baltimore Orioles in the third game of a weekend series. Odorizzi (9-8, 4.46 ERA) struggled throughout most of the season until seeming to find his way more in the last four starts. He has gone 3-1 in them and took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Boston. He gave up two runs and one hit in six innings, the second time in three starts the right-hander had a no-hitter through at least five innings. Watch the Tampa Bay Rays on FOX Sports Sun Broadcast scheduleFOX Sports GoVIDEO: Rays news, interviews & featuresVIDEO: Rays baseball demonstrations Odorizzi has a 4-4 career record with a 5.27 ERA against the Orioles. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said … [Read more...]

TV: FOX Sports Florida TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. WATCH IT LIVE ON FOX SPORTS GO PHOENIX — File this under it takes one to know one. With two of the top National League MVP candidates in Arizona for a weekend series, Miami Marlins manager Don Mattingly weighed in Friday on what he considers the most relevant criteria for choosing the winner. He made it sound pretty basic. “Just the guy who is putting up the numbers,” said Mattingly, the 1985 American League MVP with 35 homers and 145 RBIs for the Yankees. Watch the Miami Marlins on FOX Sports Florida Broadcast scheduleFOX Sports GoVIDEO: Marlins news, interviews & exclusive featuresMarlins Clubhouse “At the end of the day, that is what we really look at. The guy that is driving in runs, getting on base, doing kind of everything offensively. It is more of an offensive award. It is nice when you have balance with it.” Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt … [Read more...]

TV: FOX Sports Florida Time: 3:30 p.m. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — No. 14 Miami’s official stance is that the team wasn’t able to practice for more than a week because of Hurricane Irma. That’s technically true. The full team wasn’t together. But in actuality, quarterback Malik Rosier and some teammates practiced plenty. Rosier was planning to ride out Irma at his Alabama home before being talked into joining some coaches and players on their weeklong evacuation trip to Orlando instead. Rosier said he spent much of that time throwing routes with Miami QB coach Jon Richt, the son of Hurricanes coach Mark Richt, and a few receivers. “For me, this week off has been a great fundamental week,” Rosier said in a statement distributed by the university. Unbeaten Toledo (3-0) plans to test those fundamentals Saturday, when the Rockets visit the Hurricanes (1-0). It’s Miami’s first game since Week 1, with Irma forcing the cancellation of … [Read more...]

TV: FOX Sports 1 Time: 3 p.m. COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Twenty-three days after winning its season opener, Central Florida finally gets to play another football game. The Knights defeated Florida International 61-17 on Aug. 31 before Hurricane Irma washed out matchups with Memphis and Georgia Tech. Cramming practice sessions around providing community service in Orlando, the players did their best to stay sharp for Saturday’s game against Maryland (2-0). “Their desire to play football and their desire to go out and compete is going to drive them to work,” second-year coach Scott Frost said. “That speaks a lot about how mature our team is compared to last year, how they handled this whole thing.” The Knights went 6-7 in 2016 after going winless the year before Frost’s arrival. One of the defeats last season was a 30-24 double-overtime loss to the Terrapins. Eager to sustain the momentum of Frost’s rookie year, Central Florida rolled up 587 … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON (AP) Melania Trump is set to take her biggest step yet as first lady. She’s leading the U.S. delegation to an international sporting event for wounded service members, her first solo trip outside the United States to represent her adopted country. On the agenda for daylong stop Saturday in Toronto: a first-time meeting with Britain’s Prince Harry, who founded the Invictus Games in 2014; a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; remarks a reception for the nearly 100 American athletes participating in the weeklong Olympic-style competition; and attending the opening ceremony. Her decision to lead the American delegation, whose members include Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, professional golfer Nancy Lopez and entertainer Wayne Newton, reflects the first lady’s ”utmost respect” for the hard work, courage and sacrifice of the U.S. military, said Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Trump. ”She feels strongly … [Read more...]

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) President Donald Trump has some advice for National Football League owners: Fire players who kneel during the national anthem. He’s also encouraging fans to walk out in protest. And the president is bemoaning what he describes as a decline in violence in the sport. ”They’re ruining the game,” he said during a political rally in Alabama on Friday night that veered beyond politics. Several athletes, including a handful of NFL players, have refused to stand during ”The Star-Spangled Banner” to protest of the treatment of blacks by police. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the trend last year when he played for the San Francisco 49ers, hasn’t been signed by an NFL team for this season. Trump, who once owned the New Jersey Generals of the U.S. Football League, says those players are disrespecting the American flag and deserve to lose their jobs. ”That’s a total disrespect of our heritage. That’s … [Read more...]