Mexico edges U.S. team in qualifier
Soccer: Miguel Sabah scored in the 82nd minute, lifting Mexico to a 2-1 victory over the United States in a World Cup qualifier Wednesday at Mexico City.
The victory eased the pressure on Mexico, which has been struggling in World Cup qualifying.
The Mexicans are fourth in CONCACAF qualifying, with only the top three teams automatically advancing. Costa Rica, a 4-0 loser Wednesday night against Honduras, leads the group with 12 points, followed by the United States and Honduras with 10, and Mexico with nine.
Sabah, a substitute, was all alone in front of the net when he took a feed from Efrain Juarez and beat goalkeeper Tim Howard, bringing Mexico’s home record against the Americans to 23-0-1.
The United States took its first lead at Azteca on Charlie Davies’ goal in the ninth minute off a pass from Landon Donovan.
Israel Castro tied it 10 minutes later with a wicked shot just under the crossbar from 27 yards on which Howard leaped but had no chance of stopping.
Brian Ching (Gonzaga University) started at forward for the Americans.
Texans’ top pick will miss opener
Football: Houston’s top draft pick, linebacker Brian Cushing, won’t play in Saturday’s preseason opener against Kansas City and could miss the second preseason game as well because of a sprained left knee.
Texans coach Gary Kubiak said no one is sure when he was injured, but the knee started bothering Cushing on Tuesday and he was taken for an MRI.
Cushing, the 15th overall pick in the draft, is expected to start at outside linebacker. The four-year starter at Southern California led the nation’s second-ranked defense with 10 1/2 tackles for losses last year.
•Saints watch Brooks, Smith: Veteran linebackers Derrick Brooks and Derek Smith completed workouts with the New Orleans Saints at Metairie, La., leaving coaches impressed but uncommitted to signing either one of them.
“Those guys are both in great shape,” head coach Sean Payton said. “We’re not going to do anything right yet.”
The club brought the linebackers in for a look after learning that Mark Simoneau had a torn triceps in his right arm, which will require surgery.
•Phillips won’t face charges: The San Diego city attorney’s office says Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips won’t be charged in a case in which he was accused of striking a security guard in the face at a downtown hotel in late April.
NHL will allow depositions
Hockey: The NHL has agreed to allow depositions from commissioner Gary Bettman, deputy commissioner Bill Daly and two of the league’s owners in the contentious bankruptcy proceedings of the Phoenix Coyotes.
However, the league wants Judge Redfield T. Baum to reject the proposed deposition of Toronto Maples Leafs owner Richard Peddie.
Attorneys for Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie want to question Peddie over what role the Maple Leafs might play in the proposed relocation of the Coyotes to Hamilton, Ontario. The league contends the relocation issue is moot because the NHL board of governors has overwhelmingly rejected Balsillie as an owner.
The league also objected to requests for information regarding the potential relocation as well as the transfer of NHL teams in the past.
Pavlik agrees to bout against Williams
Miscellany: Middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik has agreed to defend his two title belts against Paul Williams, perhaps the most avoided fighter in boxing.
They will fight Oct. 3 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall.
The bout is a risk for Pavlik (35-1, 31 KOs), who rebounded from his one-sided loss to Bernard Hopkins last year by stopping Marco Antonio Rubio in February for his second defense of his WBC and WBO 160-pound titles.
Few prominent champions are willing to fight Williams (37-1, 27 KOs), an uncommonly versatile fighter who creates awkward matchups. Though he considers himself a welterweight, Williams claims he has no trouble moving between 147 and 168 pounds.
•Dream trade for ex-rookie of the year: Former WNBA rookie of the year Armintie Price is moving from Chicago to Atlanta.
The Atlanta Dream acquired Price from the Chicago Sky for guard Tamera Young.
Price was the 2007 WNBA rookie of the year and has averaged 6.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in her three seasons.