Sports News Roundup: Soccer-Gerrard says not taking up Saudi coaching offer; Soccer-Record-breaker Mbappe leads France to 1-0 win over Greece and more

Votto, a six-time All-Star, came back from left shoulder and biceps surgeries last year to play his first major league game since Aug. 16, 2022. Soccer-Hojlund the hero as Danes draw 1-1 with Slovenia Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund netted his sixth goal in six internationals as they recovered to grab a 1-1 draw away to Slovenia in their Group H Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Soccer-Gerrard says not taking up Saudi coaching offer

Steven Gerrard said he had decided against taking up an offer to coach in Saudi Arabia following reports the former Liverpool captain was considering an offer to become coach of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq. The 43-year-old guided Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years in 2021 before leaving for Aston Villa, where he was sacked last October.

Soccer-Record-breaker Mbappe leads France to 1-0 win over Greece

France striker Kylian Mbappe scored to set another milestone as his side maintained their perfect record in Euro 2024 qualifying Group B with a 1-0 home victory against Greece who finished with 10 men after a late sending off on Monday. Mbappe netted a second-half penalty to become the all-time leading French scorer over a season with 54 goals for club and country, beating the mark set by Just Fontaine in 1957-58.

Tennis-Kyrgios pulls out of Halle with knee injury, hopes to play at Wimbledon

Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Halle tournament in Germany due to an ongoing issue with his knee and the Australian said on Monday he wanted to give his body every chance to be ready for the grasscourt Grand Slam. The 28-year-old underwent surgery on a left knee injury earlier in the year and was beaten in his comeback match after a five-month layoff when he fell to China's Wu Yibing in the Stuttgart Open first round last week.

Soccer-Women's World Cup TV blackout will harm game, says Japan coach

Japan coach Futoshi Ikeda believes the potential Women's World Cup TV blackout could hurt the long-term development of the women's game in the country. Japan, whose Nadeshiko team won the World Cup in 2011 and reached the final in 2015, is the last major country where broadcasters have yet to strike a deal with FIFA a month out from the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Soccer-England's Southgate praises Saka and rest of forward line after rout

After Bukayo Saka struck his first senior career hat-trick in England's 7-0 rout of North Macedonia in Euro 2024 qualifying on Monday his national team manager Gareth Southgate was asked if the 21-year-old is nearing soccer's top echelon. "He's there," Southgate replied matter-of-factly.

MLB roundup: Joey Votto stars in return for streaking Reds

Joey Votto homered in his second at-bat of the season, then later hit a go-ahead, two-run single while leading the Cincinnati Reds to their ninth straight win, a 5-4 decision over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Monday night. Votto, a six-time All-Star, came back from left shoulder and biceps surgeries last year to play his first major league game since Aug. 16, 2022.

Soccer-Hojlund the hero as Danes draw 1-1 with Slovenia

Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund netted his sixth goal in six internationals as they recovered to grab a 1-1 draw away to Slovenia in their Group H Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday. Finland, who earlier hammered bottom side San Marino 6-0, top the group level on nine points with Kazakhstan in second ahead of Denmark and Slovenia in third and fourth respectively, both on seven. Northern Ireland are fifth with three points.

Sport-Judge who sentenced Nassar calls for national inquiry into Canadian sport

Rosemarie Aquilina, the American judge who sentenced disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, has called for an independent inquiry into sports across Canada amid widespread allegations of harassment, abuse and bullying. Aquilina, who testified on Monday at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, said all athletes deserved immediate and meaningful action and accountability and that could happen only with an independent judicial investigation.

Tennis-Kontaveit to retire after Wimbledon due to back injury

Estonian Anett Kontaveit, who reached a career high of number two in the world last year, said she is retiring at the age of 27 due to a degenerative back injury and will play her final tournament at Wimbledon next month. Kontaveit cut her 2022 season short in October and took another two-month break in February to focus on the issue.

Motor racing-Red Bull can win everything but the gap may be closing

Red Bull boss Christian Horner recognised after Sunday's landmark Canadian Grand Prix that his runaway Formula One leaders could win every race this season. He tempered it with the usual 'taking one race at a time' talk but with the team winning all eight races so far this season, and nine in a row when last year's Abu Dhabi finale is included, there was no point pretending otherwise.