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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Right after Canada finished its first knockout match victory in a World Cup, coach Jesse Marsch huddled his players on the grass of a stadium still in pandemonium and spoke from his heart — shouted, actually.

“You guys are Canadian heroes today!” Marsch declared. “Canadian heroes for the future children of this country who play this sport. The sport has a big future because of you guys. You should be so proud of who you are. You should be so proud of this game. You never lost belief. You went after it, point after point, moment after moment. You are Canadian heroes!”

Stephen Eustáquio’s dramatic late goal had inspired Marsch to Ted Lasso levels of earnestness, and he didn’t care who knew it.

Soccer has never been the main event on Canada’s busy sports calendar, and Les Rouges are playing in only their third World Cup this summer. But Marsch realized this landmark 1-0 win over South Africa on Sunday is the type of achievement that can seize an entire nation’s attention for a generation.

“We could have made life a little easier on ourselves if we would have made a play earlier when we had some big chances,” Marsch said. “But obviously the timing of the goal means that the win is incredibly dramatic, and I think the effect that it will have in Canada, and the inspiring of people, will be immense.”

After 90-plus minutes of frustration and failure to break down cagey South Africa at SoFi Stadium, Canada made history in an instant when Alistair Johnston’s long pass into the box was cleared directly into the path of Eustáquio.

The midfielder who plays professionally at nearby Los Angeles FC coolly chested it down and blasted it off the bounce into the bottom corner of Ronwen Williams’ net before sprinting away to celebrate with Canada’s bench in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.

“We worked for it,” Eustáquio said. “We have a special group. We feel like we are brothers. When we fight for each other, when we play for each other, special things like this can happen. I am over the moon, but at the same time I don’t want to say that the job is finished.”

Canada, which sits 30th in the most recent FIFA world rankings, advanced to face the Netherlands or Morocco in Houston on Saturday.

After playing its first three group matches in Toronto and Vancouver, Canada missed the chance to also make this bit of history at home when it lost 2-1 to Switzerland last Wednesday and got sent on the road for the knockout rounds. But Marsch’s plucky team responded by winning this tournament’s first round of 32 match and reaching the round of 16 for the first time in its three trips to the World Cup.

The Canadians were still the clear crowd favorite in the Los Angeles area between their traveling fans and thousands of supportive locals, including several in Eustáquio’s LAFC shirt who couldn’t have imagined the day they were about to enjoy.

“We never stopped believing,” Eustáquio said. “And I think the goal is really something that we deserved.”

After finishing second in their respective groups, both South Africa and Canada were playing for their nations’ first knockout victories at a World Cup when they opened knockout play with the only match of the day.

Canada got a boost in the 75th minute when star defender Alphonso Davies came on for his first World Cup action. The playmaking Bayern Munich defender missed group play after injuring his hamstring last month for the third time this year, but finally returned in the same stadium where he tore a knee ligament in March 2025 in CONCACAF Nations League play.

Davies immediately made the best pass of the day to set up Promise David for a golden chance, but the forward hit it wide. The game then bogged down again — but Eustáquio made sure Canada avoided extra time.

“Steph is one of the people in the team that I think is the most reliable and understands what we’re trying to achieve as a group, and understands how to manage moments in games, and to be a leader, a true leader,” Marsch said. “It was good to see him, in that moment, just being in the moment and thinking about the best way to strike the ball in the way to give it the best chance to go in. Really composed and really well-executed.”

Williams made five saves for South Africa, which played with remarkable heart while hanging in until the final moments in search of another historic win for the team known as Bafana Bafana. South Africa stayed firm defensively and created a handful of tantalizing chances despite getting only one shot on goal to close a tournament in which it scored two goals in four matches.

“We lost the game because there was a lack of power and speed in our team when I compare that with our opponent,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said. “We had a difficult game, certainly. But when we look back, we can be fairly satisfied with what we did.”

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See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

TORONTO (AP) — The Texas Rangers put outfielder Wyatt Langford on the 10-day injured list Sunday because of a strained left hamstring and activated outfielder Evan Carter off the IL.

Langford had homered seven times in 20 games since returning from the IL on June 5 after missing 39 games because of a strained right forearm.

This is the sixth IL stint of Langford’s career. He played 134 games each in 2024 and 2025 and has appeared in 40 games this season.

Langford is batting .278 with eight homers and 20 RBIs.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Langford will likely be out until after the All-Star break. Langford felt sore after beating out a double in Friday’s 5-4 win and was scratched from the lineup Saturday.

Carter went on the IL on June 13 because of a strained right oblique. He entered Sunday’s game batting .176 with six homers and 21 RBIs in 66 games.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

TORONTO (AP) — Pinch-runner Jarred Kelenic scored the tiebreaking run by racing home from second base on a wild pitch in the ninth inning, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Sunday to complete a four-game sweep.

Josh Jung hit a two-out double off Louis Varland (3-3) in the ninth and Kelenic came in to run.

Varland’s first pitch to Corey Seager bounced in front of the plate and ricocheted off Alejandro Kirk’s mitt. The catcher initially couldn’t find the ball, allowing Kelenic to come all the way around with the decisive run.

Cole Winn (3-2) pitched two innings for the win and Tyler Alexander finished for his fourth save in five chances.

Joc Pederson homered on the first pitch of the game and Elias Díaz added an RBI single as the Rangers won for the seventh time in 10 games to reach .500 at 42-42.

Texas has homered in a season-best 11 consecutive games.

The Rangers scored in the first inning of all four games against Toronto. They’re 32-10 this season when scoring first, and 10-32 when the opposition scores first

Texas led 2-0 through seven innings before Nathan Lukes tied it with a two-run homer off Winn in the eighth, his fourth.

Toronto was swept for the third time this year and has lost six straight games overall.

Pederson hit his second leadoff home run of the series on the first pitch from Shane Bieber, who was making his second start of the season after returning from a sore elbow.

Bieber allowed three consecutive homers in his previous outing Tuesday against Houston.
Up next

Rangers: Had not announced a starter for Monday’s game at Cleveland. LHP Parker Messick (7-4, 2.67 ERA) is scheduled for the Guardians.

Blue Jays: RHP Trey Yesavage (3-3, 3.56 ERA) is expected to start Monday at home against Mets LHP Sean Manaea (1-2, 4.87).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

DETROIT (AP) — Christian Walker’s three-run homer highlighted a four-run 10th inning as the Houston Astros rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 7-5 on Sunday.

Tigers closer Kenley Jansen (1-4), pitching his second inning, started the 10th by walking Yordan Alvarez. Isaac Paredes, who tied it in the eighth with a solo home run, singled to give Houston a 4-3 lead. Walker then hit Jansen’s 2-2 cutter for a long homer to left to make it 7-3.

Spencer Torkelson homered off Enyel De Los Santos with one out in the 10th to get Detroit within 7-5. Zach McKinstry followed with a single and rookie Ben Malgeri drew a two-out walk to bring the winning run to the plate.

Matt Vierling lined out to the warning track to right to end the game.

For the second day in a row, the Astros trailed late in the game before rallying to prevent their former manager A.J. Hinch from winning his 1,000th MLB game. On Saturday, they trailed 6-4 after six innings before winning 8-6.

On Sunday, Houston was down 3-0 entering the seventh, but Colt Keith’s two-out error extended the inning, and Raynel Delgado followed with his first MLB homer to make it a one-run game. Paredes then led off the eighth with a tying homer off Kyle Finnegan.

Astros closer Josh Hader (2-0) walked the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth, but struck out Riley Greene to force extra innings.

The Tigers took the lead on McKinstry’s two-run homer in the second.

Jake Meyers led off the third with a double and took third on a wild pitch, but Jack Flaherty struck out the next two before getting Yordan Alvarez to fly out.

Houston loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, but Flaherty struck out Meyers to end the inning.

Kevin McGonigle scored on second baseman Delgado’s two-out error in the fifth, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
Up next

Astros: Return home to open a three-game series with Minnesota. RHP Zebby Matthews (3-5, 4.56) is scheduled to start for the Twins on Monday, while Houston hadn’t announced a starter.

Tigers: Travel to New York for a three-game series with the Yankees. RHP Casey Mize (2-5, 2.95) is scheduled to start on Monday for Detroit.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler made an 8-foot par putt on the 18th hole Sunday and pumped his fist with more emotion than he showed all day, just for the right to return Monday at the rain-delayed Travelers Championship to face a sudden-death playoff against Viktor Hovland.

The final round was stopped for 90 minutes as storms moved over the TPC River Highlands, and officials deemed there was not enough daylight for them to start the playoff.

The playoff was to start at 9 a.m. Monday, the first time a PGA Tour went an extra day since The Players Championship last year.

“It’s more fun when you’re making the ones to win,” Scheffler said. “But to keep yourself in it is also nice. Like I said, I live another day until tomorrow, and will be coming out in the morning and see what I can do.”

Scheffler and Hovland each had birdie chances at the end. Scheffler rammed his 30-foot putt 8 feet by the hole. Hovland’s 25-foot attempt missed by inches and he tapped in for a 69. Scheffler made his third big par putt for a 68 to match Hovland at 21-under 259.

That was one shot ahead of Collin Morikawa, who closed with a 61 and was briefly tied for the lead, though it never looked as though it would be enough.

Hovland, who went into the final round with a one-shot lead over Scheffler, found himself two back when play was halted by a pounding rain and lightning in the area, both of them in the fairway on the 14th hole.

Hovland poured in a 15-foot birdie putt from just off the green, to get within one shot and Scheffler had to make a 6-foot par putt to stay in the lead.

On the reachable par-4 15th, Scheffler’s pitch from the collar of rough — wet grass might have saved his tee shot from going in the water — raced toward the pin on the top shelf and kept right on going, over the back and down a slope. He chipped that just onto the green and made another big par putt with Hovland in tight for a third straight birdie.

That left them tied. Scheffler missed a big opportunity on a 10-foot birdie chance on the 17th that spun off of the left edge of the cup, and the world’s No. 1 player did well to hammer a shot from the wet rough right of the 18th fairway to just inside 30 feet.

PGA Tour official decided before they finished the 18th there would not be enough light to play even one extra hole.

They arrived at the playoff in different manners — Scheffler with three birdies against one bogey, Hovland going through a 10-hole stretch in the middle of his round with just two pars.

Hovland fell behind by two early, only for a two-shot swing on No. 7. There was a two-shot swing in Scheffler’s favorite to start the back nine, and then Hovland made up ground with three straight birdies, the final two after rain changed the condition of the course.

The break was good for Hovland just to settle him down.

“I hit some good shots and then some bad shots and I just couldn’t quite get a flow in,” Hovland said. “So it was nice to just get completely off the golf course and reset and I felt a lot better coming back. So sometimes that’s all you need.”

Morikawa finished in style, a shot out of the wet sand in the bunker on the 18th to just inside 10 feet for ninth birdie of the round to post at 20-under 260. Morikawa, who started the day nine shots out of the lead, had to wait some three hours — including the delay — before leaving.

“The thought of actually having a chance, waiting it out, didn’t really cross my mind,” Morikawa said. “But I told my wife earlier this morning, ‘Let’s shoot 61 and end the three-week stretch on a good note.’ And sometimes the way you manifest things works out.”

Matt Fitzpatrick shot 64 to finish alone in fourth followed by U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark, who played remarkably well after such a draining week at Shinnecock Hills. He was in it until a shot into the water for bogey on the 17th. Clark had a 65 and was three shots back.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf