Kurtenbach: For 49ers, Purdy, the Cowboys are a vital test on the biggest stage

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Kurtenbach: For 49ers, Purdy, the Cowboys are a vital test on the biggest stage SANTA CLARA — The Cowboys and 49ers rivalry is among the best and most storied in sports, featuring two of the NFL’s best teams in 2023. It’s always a big game when these two teams meet.It’s even bigger when the teams on the league’s grandest stage, Sunday Night Football.And for the Niners, who have looked unbeatable amid a 4-0 start, this game is a vital test.San Francisco has run roughshod over the competition to start the season, but that competition hasn’t been of the highest caliber. It’s unlikely that any of the four opponents the Niners beat to start the season will make the playoffs.The Cowboys look like a playoff team, though. Their high-flying defense has propelled them to a 3-1 record and the best point differential in the NFC heading into Week 5.For Dallas, this is a game against the NFL’s team to beat.For the Niners, it’s a rare opportunity to play a team that, amid reasonable expectations, can beat them.Yes, the Cowboys r...

Argentina into Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after eliminating Japan with breathless 39-27 win

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Argentina into Rugby World Cup quarterfinals after eliminating Japan with breathless 39-27 win NANTES, France (AP) — Argentina secured a return to the quarterfinals and knocked out Japan from the Rugby World Cup after winger Mateo Carreras’ hat trick of tries inspired a 39-27 win in a breathless pool-stage eliminator in Nantes on Sunday.The Pumas will face Wales in the last eight in Marseille on Saturday, having finished second in Pool D behind England.There were eight tries in total in an end-to-end match and none was more outrageous than the one scored by Japan lock Amato Fakatava, who sprinted down the left wing, collected his own kick forward and trundled over the line midway through the first half.Yet it was Carreras — Argentina’s stocky and powerful left winger — who proved to be the match winner, finishing off a flowing team move for his first try in the 28th and adding two more after halftime to finally see off a plucky Japan team that kept coming for more.His third try was the clincher and came just after Japan reduced the gap to 29-27 with 15 minutes left. Within th...

No. 25 Louisville beats No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20, with Jawhar Jordan running for 143 yards, 2 TDs

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

No. 25 Louisville beats No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20, with Jawhar Jordan running for 143 yards, 2 TDs LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Jawhar Jordan needed just a few touches to put a disappointing effort behind him.The speedy Louisville rusher eventually did the same to Notre Dame defenders as he returned to form and gave the No. 25 Cardinals a significant victory.Jordan ran for a season-high 143 yards, scoring on 45- and 21-yard runs on consecutive second-half possessions, and Louisville beat No. 10 Notre Dame 33-20 on Saturday night.Louisville, at 6-0 off to its best start in 10 years, pulled away in a signature victory for first-year coach and former Cardinals great Jeff Brohm before a stadium-record 59,081. Many of those fans rushed the field at the final gun and stretched the celebration to both ends of the turf for more than 15 minutes.And for good reasons. The Cardinals not only beat an Associated Press top-10 opponent in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history, but one of college football’s most-storied programs in the process.“I just think our players came out...

Israel battles Hamas militants as country’s death toll from mass incursion reaches 600

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Israel battles Hamas militants as country’s death toll from mass incursion reaches 600 Palestinians ride on an Israeli military vehicle taken by an army base overrun by Hamas militants near the Gaza Strip fence, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Abu Reash)(AP/Abed Abu Reash) Palestinians ride on an Israeli military vehicle taken by an army base overrun by Hamas militants near the Gaza Strip fence, in Gaza City, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Abed Abu Reash)(AP/Abed Abu Reash) TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli soldiers battled Hamas fighters in the streets of southern Israel on Sunday and launched retaliation strikes that leveled buildings in Gaza, while in northern Israel a brief exchange of strikes with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group raised fears of a broader conflict....

Swiatek beats Samsonova to take China Open title. Korda stuns Medvedev at Shanghai

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Swiatek beats Samsonova to take China Open title. Korda stuns Medvedev at Shanghai BEIJING (AP) — Second-ranked Iga Swiatek won the China Open final with a near-perfect 6-2, 6-2 victory over Liudmila Samsonova on Sunday, for her tour-leading fifth title of the season.Swiatek’s triumph, in her first visit to China, was her 16th career title and adds to her impressive 2023 haul that includes titles at Roland Garros, Doha, Stuttgart and Warsaw. Like her dominant defeat of third-ranked Coco Gauff in the semifinal, Swiatek’s serve was again the telling difference in Sunday’s final, denying Samsonova a single break point opportunity throughout the 69-minute match.Both players stayed on serve in a steady opening until 22nd-ranked Samsonova double-faulted on her first break point of the match. Swiatek then held for 5-2, and broke Samsonova again to take the first set. Swiatek mainatined the momentum into the second set to take an early break for 3-1 and quickly closed out her fifth title of the year after Samsonova put a drop shot into the net on match p...

Marseille coach Gattuso gets first win as striker Aubameyang scores against Le Havre

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Marseille coach Gattuso gets first win as striker Aubameyang scores against Le Havre PARIS (AP) — Gennaro Gattuso secured his first win as Marseille coach and striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got his first league goal for the club in a 3-0 home win against Le Havre on Sunday.Gattuso, the former Italy and AC Milan midfielder, took charge after Marcelino stood down amid tensions between fans and club management.After midfielder Iliman Ndiaye’s cross led to an own goal from central defender Arouna Sangante in the 18th minute, the former Borussia Dortmund and Arsenal striker Aubameyang scored three minutes later with a clip over the goalkeeper after being set up by Morocco midfielder Amine Harit.Le Havre midfielder Rassoul Ndiaye was sent off in the 40th minute for a second yellow card, and Aubameyang broke down the right before setting up Ismaila Sarr in the 84th.Later Sunday, defending champion Paris Saint-Germain traveled to play Rennes and struggling Lyon hosted Lorient.___AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSource

Israel’s Security Cabinet says country at war, authorizes ‘significant military steps’

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Israel’s Security Cabinet says country at war, authorizes ‘significant military steps’ JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Security Cabinet says country at war, authorizes ‘significant military steps.’Source

Te explicamos: por qué Hamas decidió atacar a Israel ahora

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Te explicamos: por qué Hamas decidió atacar a Israel ahora El ataque sin precedentes de Hamas contra Israel se produce en un momento en que el país enfrenta una histórica división política interna, una creciente violencia en Cisjordania y negociaciones de alto riesgo entre Israel, Arabia Saudita y Estados Unidos.Después de que sus miembros mataran a más de 200 israelíes y secuestraran a decenas más, Hamas afirmó que estaba tomando venganza por una serie de acciones recientes de Israel en la mezquita Al Asqa de Jerusalén y en Cisjordania. Pero el gobierno de coalición del Primer Ministro Benjamín Netanyahu ha estado llevando a cabo una intensificación de la represión contra lo que dice son crecientes ataques terroristas palestinos durante más de un año.Exoficiales militares y de inteligencia estadounidenses dijeron que creían que el momento del ataque de Hamas tenía como objetivo principal interrumpir las negociaciones entre Israel y Arabia Saudita, mientras Riad parecía al borde de un paso histórico para normalizar las relaciones con Israel...

The Asian Games close in China as the hosts dominate the medal count. Nagoya, Japan, coming next

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

The Asian Games close in China as the hosts dominate the medal count. Nagoya, Japan, coming next HANGZHOU, China (AP) — The Asian Games closed their 16-day run on Sunday at the 80,000-seat Olympic Sports Center Stadium with host nation China again in command as Premier Li Qiang ended a show aimed partly at winning the hearts of Asian neighbors.They’re officially called the Asian Games, but the more accurate description would be the “China Games,” illustrative of the country’s four-decade domination of the continental, multi-sports championships.The 19th Asian Games — they began in 1951 in New Delhi, India — were a celebration for Hangzhou, a city of 10 million, the headquarters of Alibaba and a sprawling metropolis overshadowed by an even larger metropolis — neighboring Shanghai.“We have achieved the goal of a streamlined, safe and spectacular games,” spokesperson Xu Deqing said on Sunday. State media reported the spending to prepare for the games at approximately $30 billion.Vinod Kumar Tiwari, the acting general secretary of the Olympic Council of Asia...

Denver weather: Sunny and warm again today

Published Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:04:07 GMT

Denver weather: Sunny and warm again today DENVER (KDVR) — Who's ready for more sunny and mild weather? High temperatures Sunday will max out near 80 degrees with plenty of sunshine, and that will continue to kick off the work week. Weather today: Mild and sunnyMostly sunny skies are expected to dominate the area in the metro and across the Front Range. This will ensure high temperatures top out around 80 degrees. Weather tonight: Clear and seasonalClear skies are forecasted to stick around through tonight as temperatures drop down into the upper 30s and lower 40s, winds coming out of the south between 5-10 mph. Looking ahead: Staying comfy before rainMonday keeps the mainly sunny skies and comfy highs in the upper 70s. Tuesday is very similar with upper 70s and sunny skies. Big changes are on the way by the middle of the week, look for cooler air and rain to move into the picture Wednesday and Thursday.