Soccer

NEW YORK (AP) — Spanish league president Javier Tebas rejected Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois' plea to postpone the team's 2025-26 opener to give players time to rest following the expanded Club World Cup.

BERN, Switzerland (AP) — Tournament favorite Spain came from behind to beat Italy 3-1 on Friday and swept through its group for the first time at a Women’s European Championship.

NEWCASTLE, England (AP) — Anthony Elanga completed a move from Nottingham Forest to Newcastle for a reported 55 million pounds ($74 million) on Friday. The Sweden international signed what Newcastle described as a long-term deal.

SION, Switerland (AP) — Janice Cayman scored in stoppage time for Belgium to beat Portugal 2-1 and a first win in its final game at the Women’s European Championship on Friday.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Wrexham opened a three-match tour of Australia and New Zealand on Friday in the absence of Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. The result was a good one, though, 3-0 over A-League side Melbourne Victory.

GENEVA (AP) — Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says the decision to cut the club from the Europa League is “a bad day for football” and “a terrible injustice.

Liverpool has retired the No. 20 shirt worn by Diogo Jota following his death in a car crash last week. The 28-year-old Jota died along with his brother Andre Silva, also a soccer player, near the northwestern city of Zamora, Spain.

TORONTO — Tsubasa Endoh comes full circle Saturday when he retires as a Toronto FC player. After being diagnosed with acute undifferentiated leukemia in December 2021, the 31-year-old winger from Japan had a dream.

VANCOUVER — Being back on the pitch doing some light training is a step forward for Ryan Gauld, but the Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder isn’t rushing his return to playing.

TORONTO — Toronto FC welcomes Atlanta United on Saturday in a battle of two teams still struggling to find a way back up the MLS standings.