• The Canadian Press

    Germany to play Ukraine, Greece in final warmup games for Euro 2024

    BERLIN (AP) — Germany will play Ukraine and Greece in its final warmup games before hosting the European Championship. The team will face Ukraine in Nuremberg on June 3, and four days later Greece, the 2004 European champion, in Mönchengladbach, the German soccer federation said on Tuesday. Both opponents need to get through playoffs to qualify for this summer’s tournament. Ukraine faces Bosnia-Herzegovina and Greece plays Kazakhstan in the playoff semifinals on Thursday. “We have to prepare for

  • The Canadian Press

    NBA teams on the defensive as scoring goes slightly down after All-Star break

    New Orleans forward Herbert Jones learned a long time ago the critical component to being an elite defensive stopper was keeping whoever you're guarding in front of you. It's that simple. It's that difficult, too. “You do the best you can,” Jones said. Contrary to popular belief, there HAS been some defense played in the NBA this season (it's just been tougher). It's been on display more following the All-Star break and on the heels of that record-setting 211-186 All-Star Game when all signs of

  • The Canadian Press

    Dodgers-Padres season opener is a triumphant homecoming for Korean star Kim

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Shohei Ohtani is getting most of the attention as his Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres start the MLB this week in the first-ever regular season games in South Korea. But the two-game “Seoul Series” starting Wednesday is also a triumphant homecoming for the Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who is coming off a dominant season and returning to a stadium he previously called home. Kim, who played for the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kiwoom Heroes for seven season

  • The Canadian Press

    Japan prepares to host and then travel to North Korea for back-to-back FIFA World Cup qualifiers

    Even with the top continental ranking and players of vast international experience, Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan squad faces a journey into the unknown in back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against North Korea. Asian qualifying resumes Thursday with Japan hosting North Korea in Tokyo. Five days later, Japan will be playing in Pyongyang in front of a potential crowd of 50,000 — almost exclusively North Korean — at the Kim Il Sung Stadium. The Japan Football Association’s request that the match be moved