BC-AP Sports Digest

WORLD SPORTS AT 1330 GMT

TOP STORY:

SOC--ITALY-PORTUGAL

MILAN — Portugal, without Cristiano Ronaldo, can secure a place in the UEFA Nations League finals and move closer to hosting the four-team event in June with a draw against Italy. By Daniella Matar. UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 2300 GMT.

NEW/DEVELOPING:

TEN--ATP FINALS

LONDON — World No. 1 Novak Djokovic faces Kevin Anderson and No. 2 seed Roger Federer takes on Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. By Sam Johnston. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos; begins at 1400 GMT.

BOX--MAYWEATHER-JAPAN

TOKYO — Floyd Mayweather's match against a Japanese kickboxer is once again on for New Year's Eve as an exhibition fight with knockouts allowed but likely no decision granted on a win or a loss. By YURI KAGEYAMA. SENT: 400 words, photos.

FOOTBALL

SOC--AUSTRALIA-SOUTH KOREA

BRISBANE, Australia — Massimo Luongo scored with almost the last kick deep into stoppage time to give Australia a 1-1 draw against South Korea on Saturday. SENT: 140 words.

RUGBY

RGU--ENGLAND-JAPAN

LONDON — Eddie Jones leads England into a game against Japan, the country he coached at the last Rugby World Cup, in his team's third match at Twickenham this month. So far, the English have beaten South Africa and lost to New Zealand. UPCOMING: 400 words by 1800 GMT, photos.

RGU--IRELAND-NEW ZEALAND

DUBLIN — The top teams in world rugby meet when Ireland hosts New Zealand in the highlight of the November international series. UPCOMING: 500 words by 1930 GMT, photos.

RGU--SCOTLAND-SOUTH AFRICA

EDINBURGH, Scotland — After following up a narrow loss to England with just as tight a win over France, South Africa takes on Scotland at Murrayfield. UPCOMING: 400 words by 1900 GMT, photos.

RGU--WALES-TONGA

CARDIFF, Wales — Wales looks for a third straight win in the November international series when it takes on Tonga. UPCOMING: 300 words by 1600 GMT, photos.

RGU--FRANCE-ARGENTINA

LILLE, France — France is aiming to get back to winning ways after five consecutive losses when it takes on Argentina a year before they meet again at the World Cup. UPCOMING. 400 words by 2200 GMT, photos.

CRICKET

CRI--SRI LANKA-ENGLAND

KANDY, Sri Lanka — England need three wickets on the final day to record their first series win in Sri Lanka in 17 years after play was abandoned on Saturday due to poor light and rain with the hosts on 226 for seven and still requiring 75 runs to win and square the three-match series. By Rex Clementine. SENT: 570 words, photos.

CRI--PAKISTAN-NEW ZEALAND

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — New Zealand came back strongly by dismissing Pakistan for 227 and curtailing its opponents' lead to 74 runs on the second day of the first test on Saturday. SENT: 500 words.

CRI--AUSTRALIA-SOUTH AFRICA

GOLD COAST, Australia — South Africa beat Australia by 21 runs in a rain-shortened Twenty20 match on Saturday after thunderstorms delayed the start by two hours, forcing it to 10 overs per team. SENT: 220 words.

GOLF

GLF--AUSTRALIAN OPEN

SYDNEY — Abraham Ancer shot a 7-under 65 Saturday to leave Matt Kuchar and Keegan Bradley and the rest of the Australian Open field well behind after three rounds. SENT: 360 words, photos.

SKIING

SKI--WCUP-WOMEN'S SLALOM

Two-time overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin set the pace in the opening run of the first women's World Cup slalom of the season on Saturday. SENT: 280 words, photos.

FIGURE SKATING

FIG--ROSTELECOM CUP

MOSCOW — Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu won gold at the Rostelecom Cup, the fifth of six Grand Prix figure skating events, with a free skate well off his usual fluid assurance but far ahead of that of everyone else. By Jim Heintz. SENT: 210 words; UPCOMING: 500 words, photos by 2000 GMT.

OTHER STORIES

— CAR--RALLY AUSTRALIA — Sebastien Ogier was playing it safe as he closed in on a sixth consecutive World Rally Championship title. SENT: 140 words, photos.

— BKN--NBA CAPSULES — Kyrie Irving scored 43 points as the Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 123-116 in overtime. SENT: 720 words, photos.

— HKN--NHL CAPSULES — The Dallas Stars' Jason Dickinson scored in overtime in a 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins. SENT: 530 words, photos.

YOUR QUERIES: Questions and story requests are welcome. Contact your local AP bureau or the AP International Sports Desk in London by telephone at +44 207 427 4224 or email lonsports@ap.org.