U.S. women’s soccer team qualifies for Rio Olympics

By Nick ZaccardiFeb 19, 2016, 10:25 PM EST

The U.S. women’s soccer team will go for a fourth straight Olympic title in Rio.

The Americans reached their sixth straight Games (women’s soccer debuted at Atlanta 1996) in dominating fashion, blanking Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 in an Olympic qualifier at Houston, Texas, on Friday night.

Alex Morgan scored a hat trick. Carli Lloyd and Tobin Heath added goals.

The romp capped a strong overall CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament for the U.S., which came into the night having beaten its first three opponents by a combined 16-0.

Olympic bronze medalist Canada also qualified for the Olympics earlier Friday. The U.S. and Canada will play in the tournament championship Sunday (5 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Live Extra), but the match is meaningless for Olympic qualifying purposes.

What’s next for the U.S.?

Well, deciding the Rio roster. The qualifying tournament roster was 20 players. It must be 18 for the Olympics, which is five fewer than the 2015 Women’s World Cup-winning squad.

One of the cuts figures to come at goalie behind starter Hope Solo. The U.S. had two backups at the World Cup and in the qualifying tournament.

Also consider Olympic and World Cup champions Megan Rapinoe and Christie Rampone, who weren’t on the qualifying tournament roster due to injuries but are still considered Olympic team contenders.

The Olympic women’s soccer field currently includes four of the five medalists from the last three Olympics (U.S., Canada, Brazil, Germany), missing Japan, which can qualify in March.

MORE: Carli Lloyd ranks Olympic final-winning goals, World Cup hat trick

Follow @nzaccardi

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Japan had already qualified for the Olympic women’s soccer tournament.

Canada wins men’s hockey world title; Latvia wins first medal

Associated PressMay 28, 2023, 8:00 PM EDT

Getty

TAMPERE, Finland — Samuel Blais scored two goals to rally Canada to a 5-2 victory over Germany in the final of the world men’s hockey championship on Sunday.

It’s a record 28th world title for Canada, and its second in three years. Russia has 27 while Germany has never won the trophy.

Blais netted with a backhand 4:51 into the final period for a 3-2 lead for Canada, which was playing in its fourth straight final.

“It feels really good,” Blais said. “We’ve been in Europe for a month and we’ve all waited for that moment to play for the gold medal game. And we’re lucky enough to have won it.”

Lawson Crouse, Tyler Toffoli and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, Peyton Krebs had two assists and goaltender Samuel Montembeault stopped 21 shots.

Toffoli stretched the lead to 4-2 from the left circle with 8:09 remaining and Laughton made it 5-2 with an empty net goal.

Adam Fantilli became only the second Canadian player after Jonathan Toews to win gold at the world juniors and world championship the same year.

Canada had to come back twice in the final.

John Peterka wristed a shot past Montembeault from the left circle 7:44 into the game. It was the sixth goal for the Buffalo Sabres forward at the tournament.

Blais was fed by Krebs to beat goaltender Mathias Niederberger and tie it 1-1 at 10:47.

Daniel Fischbuch put the Germans ahead again with a one-timer with 6:13 to go in the middle period.

Crouse equalized on a power play with 2:32 remaining in the frame.

It was the first medal for Germany since 1953 when it was second behind Sweden.

The two previously met just once in the final with Canada winning 6-1 in 1930.

LATVIA GETS BRONZE

Defenseman Kristian Rubins scored his second goal 1:22 into overtime to lead Latvia to a 4-3 victory over the United States and earn a bronze medal earlier Sunday.

It’s the first top-three finish for Latvia at the tournament. Its previous best was a seventh place it managed three times.

The U.S. lost in the bronze medal game for the second straight year. The U.S. team was cruising through the tournament with eight straight wins until it was defeated by Germany in the semifinal 4-3 in overtime.

Rubins rallied Latvia with his first with 5:39 to go in the final period to tie the game at 3 to force overtime.

Roberts Bukarts and Janis Jaks also scored for Latvia.

Rocco Grimaldi scored twice for the U.S. in the opening period to negate Latvia’s 1-0 and 2-1 leads.

Matt Coronato had put the U.S. 3-2 ahead 6:19 into the final period.

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

Follow @nbcolympictalk

2023 French Open women’s singles draw, scores

By OlympicTalkMay 28, 2023, 5:15 PM EDT

At the French Open, Iga Swiatek of Poland eyes a third title at Roland Garros and a fourth Grand Slam singles crown overall.

Main draw play began Sunday, live on Peacock.

Swiatek, the No. 1 seed from Poland, can join Serena Williams and Justine Henin as the lone women to win three or more French Opens since 2000.

Turning 22 during the tournament, she can become the youngest woman to win three French Opens since Monica Seles in 1992 and the youngest woman to win four Slams overall since Williams in 2002.

FRENCH OPEN: Broadcast Schedule | Men’s Draw

But Swiatek is not as dominant as in 2022, when she went 16-0 in the spring clay season during an overall 37-match win streak.

She retired from her most recent match with a right thigh injury last week and said it wasn’t serious. Before that, she lost the final of another clay-court tournament to Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Sabalenka, the No. 2 seed, and Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, the No. 4 seed and Wimbledon champion, are the top challengers in Paris.

No. 3 Jessica Pegula and No. 6 Coco Gauff, runner-up to Swiatek last year, are the best hopes to become the first American to win a Grand Slam singles title since Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open. The 11-major drought is the longest for U.S. women since Seles won the 1996 Australian Open.

MORE: All you need to know for 2023 French Open

OlympicTalk is on Apple News. Favorite us!

Follow @nbcolympictalk

More: Olympics

2023 French Open Women’s Singles Draw

More: Olympics