AP Sports SummaryBrief at 11:48 p.m. EDT

By The Associated Press

Messi’s 109th goal leads defending champion Argentina over Canada 2-0 and into Copa America final

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Lionel Messi scored his 109th international goal and first of the tournament, leading defending champion Argentina over Canada 2-0 and into the Copa America final. Julián Álvarez put the Albiceleste ahead in the 22nd minute and Messi redirected Enzo Fernández’s shot in off the face of goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau in the 51st. Messi has 28 goals in his last 25 matches for Argentina and 14 in Copa America play. Only Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo with 130 has more international goals than Messi. Argentina plays Uruguay or Colombia for the title on Sunday at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Spain beats France 2-1 to reach Euro 2024 final. Yamal sets the mark as youngest-ever scorer

MUNICH (AP) — Spain has reached the European Championship final with a 2-1 victory over France with 16-year-old Lamine Yamal becoming the youngest-ever scorer in the history of the tournament. France took an early lead when Randal Kolo Muani headed in a cross from Kylian Mbappé, who played without a mask, before Yamal’s moment of brilliance in the 21st minute. Dani Olmo scored what was to prove the winner four minutes later. Spain, which is chasing a record fourth European Championship title, will play England or the Netherlands in the final on Sunday in Berlin.

Ray’s shortstop Wander Franco formally charged with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was formally charged by prosecutors in the Dominican Republic with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl. The prosecutors decided to press charges four days after the initial deadline expired on July 5, six months after a judge ordered that Franco be investigated in connection with sexual and psychological abuse of the minor. The attorney general’s office spokesperson Nairobi Viloria confirmed to The Associated Press that the prosecutors presented before a judge the final and formal accusation, but she declined to provide further details.

Daniil Medvedev beats Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon and faces defending champ Carlos Alcaraz next

LONDON (AP) — Top-seeded Jannik Sinner has been beaten in the Wimbledon quarterfinals by Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (7), 6-4, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3. The fifth-seeded Medvedev’s victory Tuesday moved him into a semifinal against defending champion Carlos Alcaraz. They also met in the final four at the All England Club last year, and Alcaraz won that one. Alcaraz advanced Tuesday by eliminating Tommy Paul 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. Sinner was treated by a trainer in the third set against Medvedev. It was not immediately clear what was wrong with the 22-year-old from Italy. Medvedev won the 2021 U.S. Open.

Russia’s war threatens Ukraine’s Olympic future, not just the present. A young gymnast offers hope

CHORNOMORSK, Ukraine (AP) — Russia’s war on Ukraine is demolishing the seeds of a sports culture that was a European powerhouse. It takes a decade and a national infrastructure of training facilities, feeder schools, equipment, and coaches to nurture an Olympic champion, and a process that begins in early childhood ends up winnowing out most contenders long before they reach the Games. More than 500 sports facilities were damaged or occupied by Moscow’s troops, depriving young athletes of a place to train. Practices are frequently interrupted by air raid alarms that can last hours. Some children who left early in the war haven’t returned. And the war means some children may never even begin to discover their potential.

John Force moved to California rehab center. Celebrates daughter’s birthday with ice cream

John Force is moving to a rehabilitation center closer to his home in California and the NHRA great was able to celebrate by leaving his Virginia hospital room to take his daughter for ice cream on her birthday. Force suffered a traumatic brain injury in a fiery, 300-mph crash at the Virginia Nationals last month. The 75-year-old was first in neurological intensive care and then moved into acute neuro care at the Virginia hospital. Among his other injuries is a fractured sternum. Force’s car had a catastrophic engine failure at the finish line and his dragster slammed driver-side into the left concrete guard wall and then careened back into the right wall.

Caitlin Clark leads Angel Reese in race for Rookie of the Year, according to panel of AP voters

NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark leads Angel Reese in the race for WNBA Rookie of the Year honors at the midpoint of the season, according to a national panel of voters who also rank the AP Power Poll each week. The duo have garnered national headlines with record-setting rookie seasons so it’s no surprise that they’re the leading candidates for the award. Clark is leading the WNBA in points accounted for (points plus points off assists) with 713 according to ESPN. Reese set the WNBA record for consecutive double-doubles with 13 and leads the league in rebounding with 11.9 a game. The panel also unanimously voted Las Vegas forward A’ja Wilson as the Player of the Year at the halfway point and Cheryl Reeves as Coach of the Year.

Klay Thompson believes he could be the missing piece for the Mavs after leaving the Warriors

DALLAS (AP) — Klay Thompson believes he could be the missing piece for the Dallas Mavericks after leaving his longtime NBA home in Golden State. Thompson is joining young superstar Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after they led the Mavs to the NBA Finals. Dallas lost to Boston in five games. Thompson is a four-time champion after spending his first 13 seasons with the Warriors. The Mavs appeared to need a more dangerous third scoring option even as they advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the franchise’s only title in 2011.

Even after ditching the mask, Mbappé’s Euro 2024 comes to a disappointing end with loss to Spain

MUNICH (AP) — Even without the mask Kylian Mbappé was outclassed by a 16-year-old wonderkid at Euro 2024. Mbappé ditched the vision-restricting mask that he had been wearing since breaking his nose in France’s opening match but Les Bleus fell to a 2-1 loss to Spain in the semifinals as Lamine Yamal became the youngest goalscorer in the history of the European Championship. Yamal is heading to the Euro 2024 final on Sunday, the day after his 17th birthday, while Mbappé will be on holiday before joining new team Real Madrid. The France superstar should have scored and sent the match into extra time but blasted a great chance over the bar with four minutes remaining.

Brett Favre is asking an appeals court to reinstate his defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers for retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre have asked a federal appeals court to revive a defamation lawsuit Favre filed against a fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame member — former tight end Shannon Sharpe. The case stems from a Mississippi state’s auditor’s finding that Favre improperly received $1.1 million in speaking fees from an organization that spent money from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. Favre repaid the money and hasn’t been criminally charged. His lawsuit over remarks Sharpe made on a sports TV show in 2022 was rejected by a federal district judge. Arguments took place Tuesday at the appeals court in New Orleans. The panel gave no indication when it would rule.