US wins team sprint at Nordic worlds in Italy

VAL DI FIEMME, Italy | Kikkan Randall and Jessica Diggins gave the United States its first gold medal in cross-country skiing at the Nordic world championships Sunday with a victory in the women's team sprint.

U.S. Steel Yard

The RailCats open the season at U.S. Steel Yard in this 2010 file photo.

Ex-US coach Bradley finding his footing in Egypt

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates | When soccer riots broke out in Egypt in February, Bob Bradley did not hesitate to speak out despite having only just arrived as the new coach of the national team.

2022 WCup organizers determined to beat the heat

DOHA, Qatar | Qatar has embarked on a campaign to silence critics who claim the tiny desert nation is too hot to host the 2022 World Cup, relying on an expensive effort that supporters say could one day expand the reach of the soccer's premier event into other arid regions.

U.S. trying to stave off early elimination

DRESDEN, Germany | The U.S. is the No. 1 team in the world, a two-time World Cup champion and three-time Olympic gold medalist.

Missed chances send U.S. to matchup with Brazil

WOLFSBURG, Germany | The Americans can't do things the easy way.

Australia will play Sweden after rally victory

LEVERKUSEN, Germany | Sweden picked a good time to beat the Americans at the women's World Cup for the first time, winning 2-1 Wednesday to avoid Brazil and five-time FIFA player of the year Marta in the quarterfinals.

Imagine that, Cheney scores in 1st WCup appearance

HEIDELBERG, Germany | When 11-year-old Lauren Cheney and her teammates went to watch the United States play Nigeria at the 1999 World Cup, they brought along playbooks so they could write down what they would do when it was their turn on soccer's biggest stage.

Close games at the start of women's World Cup

FRANKFURT, Germany | Brazil and Norway became the latest tournament favorites to run into stubborn opposition at the women's World Cup on Wednesday, as both escaped with 1-0 wins.

Palestinian soccer seeks points for statehood

RAMALLAH, West Bank | For years, Palestinian soccer was disorganized, underfunded and hindered so much by Israeli travel restrictions that games were often forfeited because players couldn't arrive for kickoff.

OFFBEAT: Famed animals offer amazing abilities and powers to fascinate

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Tiger Woods saga voted AP sports story of year

NEW YORK | Tiger Woods' humbling return to the public eye, from his televised confession to a winless season on the golf course, was voted the sports story of the year by members of The Associated Press.

Local fans of Spain savor World Cup victory

When Carlos Rivero was asked how much he had been biting his nails throughout Spain's bruising battle with the Netherlands, the Valparaiso resident could only let out a relieved laugh.

Illiana Christian pulling for Dutch squad

This weekend Illiana Christian will trim its traditional green and white school colors with orange

Sports Digest: Michael Vick could be in trouble again

Pro basketball

Second-half comeback keeps US alive in World Cup

JOHANNESBURG | Landon Donovan and Michael Bradley scored in a furious second-half comeback, giving the United States a 2-2 tie against Slovenia on Friday that kept alive the Americans' chances of advancing in the World Cup.