Monday Roundup

 SPORTS

World Cup Qualifying:  Canada Qualifies For First Time Since 1986; Team USA And El Tri On Cusp

Four games were played in CONCACAF-regional qualifying for the upcoming FIFA World Cup on Sunday:

First, in Toronto, Cyle Larin (13'), Tajon Buchanan (44'), David Hoilett, and Adrian Mariappa (OG-88') each scored once as Canada clinched their first World Cup appearance in 36 years by demolishing visiting Jamaica 4-0.

At Orlando, Florida, Christian Pulisic produced his first national team hat trick (PK-17', PK-45'+4, 65') while two FC Dallas Teammates--------Paul Arriola (23') and Jesus Ferreira (27')----each tallied once as the United States found themselves on the cusp of qualifying by demolishing visiting Panama 5-1, knocking the guests out of contention.

At San Salvador, El Salvador, Joel Campbell produced the game winner (45'+1) that enabled Costa Rica to keep their razor-thin chances of avoiding the intercontinental one-game playoff to reach the tournament as they defeated El Salvador 2-1 on the road.

At San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Edson Alvarez scored the only goal of the match in the 70th minute as Mexico all but locked up a trip to Qatar by knocking off Honduras 1-0 on the road.

Ten-Man Timbers Gain 1-1 Home Draw With Lions

At Portland, Oregon, Chrishian Peredes tied the game in the 80th minute with his successfully-converted penalty kick as the Portland Timbers (reduced to ten men after Josecarlos Van Ranking picked up his second yellow resulting in his red-card ejection in the 76th minute) came from behind to gain a 1-1 Major League Soccer home draw with Orlando City.

Junior Urso scored for the Lions in the 52nd minute.

NCAA Tourney:  Jayhawks, Heels (Who Pluck Peacocks' Feathers) Advance To Final Four; Carolina To Get One More Shot At Coach K

The quarterfinal round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament concluded on Sunday with two games.

At the Midwest Regional Final in Chicago, Ochai Agbaji scored 18 points as the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks (32-6) overcame a six-point halftime deficit with a suffocating defense that helped enabled them to bury the tenth-seeded Miami Hurricanes (26-11)  76-50.

At the East Regional Final in Philadelphia, Armando Bacot scored 20 points and grabbed 22 rebounds as the eighth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels (28-9) ended Saint Peter's magical tourney run by dominating the fifteenth-seeded Peacocks (22-12) 69-49.