Soccer

North Carolina beats Portland for NWSL title — Jess McDonald scored two goals and the North Carolina Courage — who lost just once this year — won the National Women’s Soccer League championship with a 3-0 victory over the Portland Thorns on Saturday. “It was kind of an all or nothing kind of game, and we just continued our process this season,” McDonald said. The victory was a bit of revenge for the Courage, who lost 1-0 to the Thorns in last year’s title match. The Courage (17-1-6) set NWSL records this season for the most wins, points and goals. The match was played before a sellout crowd of 21,144 at Portland’s Providence Park. That was a record for the final of a women’s pro league championship in the United States. Debinha scored on a header in the 13th minute, and McDonald followed with her own in the 40th. Portland came out energized in the second half, but Courage goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland denied a Tobin Heath blast in the 55th minute. McDonald struck again with a header in the 64th minute that Franch got a hand on but could not stop.

Motor Sports

Kyle Busch makes late pass to win at Richmond — Kyle Busch passed Brad Keselowski with 38 laps to go and held off hard-charging Kevin Harvick to win the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night. Busch won for the 50th time in his career, the sixth time on the 0.75-mile oval and for the first time in Richmond in the fall. Harvick closed a gap of more than 1.5 seconds over the final few laps, but was not able to deprive Busch of tying him with a season-best seven wins this season. Martin Truex Jr., who swept the first two stages before a penalty forced him to play catchup, rallied for third, followed by Chase Elliott and Aric Almirola. It was the first time all season that the three drivers who have dominated all season claimed the top three spots in a race. Busch and rival Brad Keselowski, seeking his fourth consecutive victory in the series, battled for the lead for much of the last 100-plus laps. Keselowski grabbed the top spot on lap 343, but Busch took it back 20 laps later before Keselowski faded and Harvick picked up the chase. Denny Hamlin, who grew up about 20 miles from the track, started the night 16th in the playoff standings and with hopes of winning stage points and a top finish. He got spun by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. about halfway through the opening stage, had to pit under a green flag but scrambled all the way back to ninth before the stage was completed.

— From wire reports