AP Sports

Man City risks Champions League exit, down 1-0 at halftime in must-win game vs Brugge

GENEVA (AP) — Manchester City is heading for a stunning and embarrassing early exit from the Champions League, trailing 1-0 at halftime at home to Club Brugge on Wednesday. The 2023 title winner will advance to the knockout stage with a win but trailed to a 45th-minute goal by Raphael Onyedika for the Belgian champion, Brugge is already assured of moving on to the knockout playoffs round. The top 24 in the new 36-team standings advance. Man City sat in 26th place at half time with 25th-place Stuttgart also going out as it trailed 3-0 at home to Paris Saint-Germain.

Fire breaks out at kiosk outside Man City’s stadium before Champions League game

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — A fire broke out at a merchandise stand outside Manchester City’s stadium shortly before players were due to arrive for the Champions League match against Brugge. Videos shared online showed large flames and smoke coming from the stand, selling club merchandise, located near the players’ entrance at the Etihad Stadium. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the smell of smoke remained in the air for some time afterward as supporters waited to be let inside. There were no reported injuries. UEFA says there’s no delay to the scheduled 8 p.m. kickoff.

As the Chiefs chase a 3-peat, DeAndre Hopkins and other vets finally get their Super Bowl chance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is finally getting his Super Bowl chance after 12 years in the NFL. It took a midseason trade from Tennessee to Kansas City to make it to the big game. Kareem Hunt, Marquise Brown and several other vets are likewise experiencing a career-defining moment with the Chiefs, who are trying to win the Super Bowl for an unprecedented third straight time. Those guys had played for good teams, marginal teams and losing ones, but they struck gold when they landed with the Chiefs, whose expectation every year is to be playing in the big game.

Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl vs. the Chiefs is fueled by changes after epic collapse last season

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles can trace their run to the Super Bowl to an epic collapse last season. The Eagles were 10-1 and flying high as the best team in the NFL in 2023. Then they limped to a 1-5 regular-season finish before they were put of their misery in a wild-card loss to Tampa Bay. Changes were mandated. The Eagles needed to fix everything from the assistants to the game plan to drafting to repairing the loose connective tissue inside the locker room. The pain and lessons learned from last season fueled the Eagles on their way to a 14-win regular season and three more wins in the playoffs.

Caitlin Clark declines invite to a 3-point shootout at NBA All-Star weekend

Caitlin Clark is going to wait until Indianapolis hosts the WNBA All-Star weekend to enter her first 3-point contest. Clark’s representatives said Wednesday that the Fever star declined an invitation to participate in a special challenge during NBA All-Star weekend next month. There had been discussions for Clark to participate in a contest similar to the one that pitted Stephen Curry against Sabrina Ionescu in a 3-point shootout during last season’s NBA All-Star festivities. The upcoming season’s WNBA All-Star weekend is scheduled at the end of July in Indianapolis.

Mikaela Shiffrin prioritizes recovery over chasing World Cup win No. 100 in return from ski crash

Mikaela Shiffrin’s pursuit of World Cup win No. 100 isn’t at the top of her priority list on the eve of her return to ski racing two months after a serious crash. For her, the slalom competition Thursday in Courchevel, France, is simply the next step in getting her health back to 100%. The two-time Olympic champion is still rounding into top form after a spill in a giant slalom race on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, where something punctured her in the side and caused severe trauma to her oblique muscles. Shiffrin said she wasn’t even sure if she would make it back at all this season.

Ohio State quality control coach is on administrative leave amid university investigation

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State defensive quality control coach Joe Lyberger has been on administrative leave for the last month while the university investigates him. The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported Wednesday that the university’s human resources department sent Lyberger a letter on Dec. 27 that noted he would be placed on leave immediately. The university office that deals with complaints of harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct is conducting the investigation. The Dispatch obtained the letter through a public records request. Lyberger has been part of Ohio State’s football staff for the last four seasons.

Jalen Hurts will try to become 4th starting QB to win a Super Bowl after losing in his debut

Jalen Hurts bucked decades of history just by getting back to the Super Bowl after losing his first trip there as a starting quarterback. Now he will try to become the fourth quarterback to win the NFL’s ultimate prize as a starting quarterback after losing in his first Super Bowl start. Hurts came close two years ago when Philadelphia lost 38-35 to Kansas City. With a win next week, Hurts would become the first quarterback since John Elway 27 years ago to win a Super Bowl as a starter after losing his first trip. The only other QBs to do it are KC’s Len Dawson and Miami’s Bob Griese.

This year’s hottest Super Bowl ticket? Advertising space, Fox says

NEW YORK (AP) — Get ready for an onslaught of ads full of celebrities, cute animals and snack brands during breaks in the action at Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9, when the Philadelphia Eagles face the Kansas City Chiefs. Anheuser-Busch, Meta, PepsiCo Frito-Lay, Taco Bell, Uber Eats and others will vie to win over the more than 120 million viewers expected to tune in for the broadcast on Fox and via the free livestream on Tubi. Demand for ad space was robust this year, said Mark Evans, executive vice president of ad sales for Fox Sports, with ad space selling out in November.

The US Open tennis tournament is adding a 15th day by moving to a Sunday start in 2025

The U.S. Open is expanding to 15 days this year as it shifts to a Sunday start for the first time in the Open era. The U.S. Tennis Association announced the additional day of main-draw action for the 2025 tournament in a news release on Wednesday. Past ticket-buyers were being informed via email of the change for the season’s last Grand Slam tennis tournament. Its new dates are Aug. 24 to Sept. 7. The extra day puts the U.S. Open in line with the Australian Open and French Open. The Australian Open’s start was switched to Sunday last year. The French Open moved to a Sunday start in 2006.