LONDON (AP) — British officials are working to overturn a decision preventing Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending a Europa League game at Aston Villa. The ban, due to security concerns, has drawn criticism from politicians, sports organizations, and Jewish groups. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is angered by the decision and the government is working to overturn it. UEFA urged British authorities to ensure the Israeli team’s fans can attend. West Midlands Police deemed the Nov. 6 match high risk, citing past violence and hate crimes that took place when Maccabi Tel Aviv played at Ajax in Amsterdam last year.
SEATTLE (AP) — Max Scherzer turned back the clock with a vintage pitching performance and Andrés Giménez homered and drove in four runs as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 8-2 to even the American League Championship Series at two games apiece. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his fifth homer this postseason and the 41-year-old Scherzer allowed two runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Blue Jays, who have outscored the Mariners 21-6 in Seattle after losing the first two games at home. Game 5 in the best-of-seven series is Friday, with Kevin Gausman scheduled to start for Toronto against Game 1 winner Bryce Miller.
WATFORD, England (AP) — There are many reasons why the Jacksonville Jaguars would be happy to get center Robert Hainsey back from a hamstring injury for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams. Head coach Liam Coen listed a bunch of them Friday: Mentality, toughness, physicality, leadership. Hainsey was upgraded to full participation at practice Thursday — and was with the first team again Friday — after missing last week’s game against Seattle. The Jags rushed for just 59 yards in the 20-12 loss to the Seahawks and quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sacked a career-high seven times.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tommy Edman hit a tiebreaking single off hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski in a two-run sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 to take a 3-0 lead in their NL Championship Series. Los Angeles moved within one win of becoming the first defending champion to reach the World Series since the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies. No team has won consecutive titles since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees took three in a row. Only one Major League Baseball team has overcame a 3-0 postseason deficit, the 2004 Boston Red Sox against the Yankees.
Joe Flacco looks like he’s ready to lead another AFC North team on an improbable run. Just 10 days after Flacco arrived in Cincinnati, he beat Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers in an unlikely shootout between 40-year-old quarterbacks Thursday night. Flacco threw for 347 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Bengals to a 33-31 comeback victory over Pittsburgh. That left Bengals fans chanting: “Thank you, Cleveland!” Mike Tomlin made it clear this week he wasn’t happy the Browns traded Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP with Baltimore 13 years ago, to a division rival. Tomlin criticized Browns general manager Andrew Berry, saying the trade “doesn’t make sense.” Flacco proved Tomlin had good reason to hate the deal.
LONDON (AP) — Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca says playmaker Cole Palmer is set to be out for a further six weeks because of his ongoing groin problems. The England international hasn’t played for Chelsea since a loss at Manchester United on September 20. He came off midway through the first half with a recurrence of the groin injury that had been troubling him earlier in the season. Maresca previously said he hoped Palmer would be available after the recent international break but now says: “I was wrong. Unfortunately, he needs to be out probably six more weeks.” Palmer could miss around six or seven Premier League matches as well as three Champions League games.
NEW YORK (AP) — An American businessman whose firm invested in several European soccer clubs that struggled under its ownership has been indicted in New York. The charges are of financial wrongdoing in an alleged $500 million fraud scheme. Josh Wander co-founded Miami-based 777 Partners that owned stakes in an Australian airline plus soccer clubs in Germany, Italy, Belgium and Brazil. Wander is alleged to have been “pledging assets that his firm did not own” and “falsifying bank statements.” The 777 story became a cautionary tale in soccer's global trend of “multi-club ownership.”
CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Flacco passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Cincinnati Bengals to a 33-31 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Bengals snapped a four-game losing streak on Thursday night. Evan McPherson kicks a 36-yard field goal with seven seconds left to secure the win. Flacco, in his second start for Cincinnati, outduels Aaron Rodgers in a rare matchup of starting quarterbacks in their 40s. Ja'Marr Chase shines with 16 receptions for 161 yards and a touchdown. Chase Brown adds 108 rushing yards. The Steelers fall to 4-2 despite Rodgers' four touchdown passes and Jaylen Warren's 127 rushing yards.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Indiana has announced a new eight-year contract with coach Curt Cignetti worth at least $92.8 million. The deal rewards him for pushing the Hoosiers into national championship contention in just two seasons. The school said the average annual compensation for Cignetti will be approximately $11.6 million. The contract runs through November 30, 2033. Cignetti is 17-2 since arriving from James Madison. The Hoosiers advanced to the College Football Playoff for the first time last year and are currently ranked No. 3 nationally.
MIAMI (AP) — FIFA has announced that over 1 million tickets have been sold for next year's World Cup. The tournament will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The highest demand for tickets comes from these three countries. FIFA reports that fans from 212 countries and territories have purchased tickets, even though only 28 of the 48 spots have been filled. The tournament runs from June 11 through July 19. The first round of ticket sales was a lottery, with 4.5 million applicants. The next draw opens on October 27. FIFA has also launched its official resale platform for tickets.
Finals
AMERICAN LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final Toronto 8 Seattle 2
NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Final L.A. Dodgers 3 Milwaukee 1
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
Final Cincinnati 33 Pittsburgh 31