It's a cold, hard fact of football: Countries with tiny populations don't generally beat big ones with deep wells of talented players.

So how embarrassing might the score be when Qatar — smallest host in World Cup history, with just 282,750 citizens — plays the opening game of its 2022 tournament against, for example, titans Brazil or Germany?

Memphis prevailed in a triple-overtime classic at San Antonio on Wednesday, blowing a 23-point lead before recovering to eke out a 117-116 victory over the NBA champions, a day after ending Golden State's 16-game winning streak.

The Grizzlies moved within half a game of the Warriors for the overall league lead and moved 4-1/2 games ahead of the Spurs, a Southwest Division rival.

If one ripple from the thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations means baseball prospects get off the island and into the major leagues without payoffs to smugglers and threats from kidnappers, it's hard to see the downside.

Just don't expect too much, too soon. Barely two hours after President Barack Obama's dramatic announcement Wednesday in Washington, both MLB and its players' union acknowledged as much in statements.

Former U.S. prosecutor Michael Garcia resigned Wednesday as FIFA's chief corruption investigator in protest at the football governing body's handling of his report into the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Roma coach Rudi Garcia said he will fight "with every means possible" to clear his name after being accused of trying to slap a stadium steward during his side's win at Genoa.

Garcia will watch Roma's next two league games from the stands after being issued with a two-game touchline ban for reportedly trying to slap a steward at the end of Roma's 1-0 win last Sunday.

Colombian World Cup star James Rodriguez has shaken off a calf injury and is back in full training for Real Madrid ahead of Saturday's Club World Cup final.

Rodriguez missed Tuesday's 4-0 destruction of Mexico's Cruz Azul after picking up the injury in a league match December 6, but went through a full work out Wednesday morning.

The Indian female boxer who had refused to accept her bronze medal at the Asian Games has been banned for one year.

Boxing India said Wednesday that world governing body AIBA confirmed the ban on Sarita Devi, backdated to the day of the incident on October 1.

Memphis snapped Golden State's 16-game winning streak with a 105-98 victory in Tuesday's clash of the NBA's two top teams.

The Grizzlies moved within one game of the Warriors for the league's best record by notching their fifth straight win.

Goals from Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid coast to a 4-0 victory over Cruz Azul of Mexico on Tuesday and a place in the final of the Club World Cup.

Sergio Ramos and Benzema made it 2-0 at halftime, with further strikes from Bale and Francisco "Isco" Alarcon putting the result beyond doubt after the break.

Pedro Rodriguez netted a first-half hat trick as Barcelona crushed third-tier Huesca 8-1 in the Copa del Rey, while Valencia joined the Catalans in the round of 16 after an eight-goal thriller with Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday.

Celta Vigo and Almeria also advanced from a high-scoring night that saw 24 goals in just four matches.