Americans battle to draw with Mexico
Soccer: Brad Guzan swatted away shot after shot and the Americans hung on for a 0-0 draw with Mexico on Tuesday night in Mexico City, earning only their second point in a World Cup qualifier at Azteca Stadium.
The tie moves the U.S. into third place in World Cup qualifying for the North and Central American and Caribbean region, one point behind Panama and behind Costa Rica on goal difference. The Americans and Costa Ricans both have four points, but the Ticos are ahead on goal difference.
• Egypt beats Zimbabwe in front of fans: Egypt beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in World Cup qualifying in Alexandria, Egypt, with Mohamed Aboutrika’s 88th-minute winner rewarding the 10,000 fans allowed in to watch a Pharoahs home game for the first time in over a year because of rioting.
• Spain, Germany, Netherlands win: Spain put its World Cup defense back on track by beating France 1-0 in Paris on a goal by Pedro Rodriguez.
In other matches, Germany beat Kazakhstan 4-1, the Netherlands routed Romania 4-0 and England and Montenegro tied 1-1.
Smith, Anthony lead Knicks over Celtics
Basketball: J.R. Smith scored 32 points, Carmelo Anthony added 29 and the New York Knicks extended their winning streak to five games with a 100-85 victory over the Celtics in Boston.
• Mavericks top Clippers: Dirk Nowitzki had 33 points and nine rebounds to propel the Dallas Mavericks to a 109-102 overtime victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers
• Timberwolves win big on road: Nikola Pekovic had 18 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 105-82 rout of the Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills, Mich.
• Maryland edges Alabama: Alex Len finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds and had a key block in the final seconds to help Maryland (25-12) escape with a 58-57 victory over Alabama (23-13) in an NIT men’s quarterfinal game in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Pittsburgh posts 13th straight victory
NHL: Sidney Crosby scored the game’s only goal late in the second period and the Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to 13 with a 1-0 victory over Montreal in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 22 shots he faced but did not play in the third period following a collision.
• Elsewhere: Evander Kane had a goal and three assists to lead the Winnipeg Jets past the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in Raleigh, N.C. … John Tavares broke a tie with 5:18 left to help the New York Islanders beat the Washington Capitals 3-2 in Washington. … Joffrey Lupul scored twice in the third period, and Ben Scrivens made 40 saves in the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in Toronto. … Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis each had a goal and an assist and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 in Tampa, Fla. … Ray Emery made 16 saves for his first shutout in more than three years to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 2-0 win over the Calgary Flames in Chicago. … Nikolai Khabibulin stopped 43 shots and Jordan Eberle had two goals and an assist as the Edmonton Oilers blanked the St. Louis Blues 3-0 in St. Louis. … Rick Nash scored twice, Derek Stepan had a goal and three assists, and the New York Rangers beat the host Philadelphia Flyers 5-2. … Maxim Lapierre scored the lone goal in a shootout victory as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 1-0 in Vancouver.
Serena Williams advances to semis
Miscellany: Five-time champion Serena Williams has advanced to the Sony Open semifinals in Key Biscayne, Fla., and tied the women’s record for career victories in the tournament by beating No. 5-seeded Li Na 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Williams improved to 59-7 in the event. Steffi Graf, another five-time champion, went 59-6.
On the men’s side, Tommy Haas upset three-time champion and world No. 1 Novak Djokovic 6-2, 6-4.
Sam Querrey lost 6-1, 6-1 to Tomas Berdych and the tourney will have no American men in the quarterfinals for the first time in the history of the event.
• NASCAR issues no penalties: NASCAR is not penalizing Tony Stewart for scuffling with Joey Logano on pit road at California, and viewed the crash between Logano and Denny Hamlin as a racing incident.
Stewart was angry with Logano after Sunday’s race for blocking him on a late restart. He parked his car near Logano’s on pit road and angrily approached him. Although there was some shoving, crew members intervened.
• Hamlin out six weeks: Denny Hamlin will be sidelined at least six weeks because of a fractured vertebra sustained in a last-lap crash at California.