National Sports

CINCINNATI — Christian Pulisic sent a message — with his head and his undershirt. Take that, Mexico. Pulisic and the Americans are back atop the region.

BRUSSELS — Canada survived an early red card to defeat a young Belgium side 24-0 Saturday, evening its record on its two-game European rugby tour.

VANCOUVER — The Calgary Stampeders have clinched their spot in the playoffs, but head coach Dave Dickenson says there's still lots of work to be done. “We’re not even close to the team we can be.

EDMONTON — Before the Canadian men's national soccer team faced Costa Rica on Friday, coach John Herdman passed on some wisdom he'd received earlier in the week from NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson — "play the game, not the occasion.

TORONTO — Kurleigh Gittens Jr. and the Toronto Argonauts will carry home-field advantage into the CFL playoffs.

TORONTO — Auston Matthews knew his stick was damaged as he moved in alone on an overtime breakaway Friday. The Maple Leafs sniper fired into the pads of Flames backup goalie Dan Vladar before promptly heading to the bench to reload.

OTTAWA — Canada Soccer says it has hired a firm to review its investigation into allegations of misconduct levied against the former head coach of the national women's under-20 team.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Dylan Cozens scored twice, including the go-ahead goal, in a span of 5:14 and the Buffalo Sabres snapped a 0-4-1 skid with a 3-2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) — Lexi Thompson birdied four of her last five holes Friday for a 6-under 64 to share the lead with Jennifer Kupcho going into the weekend of the Pelican Women's Championship.

HOUSTON (AP) — Martin Trainer was in rare territory Friday. Not only did he play well enough to stick around for the weekend, he found himself leading the Houston Open.