SOCCER

Howard back, but Guzan still starting at goalkeeper

United States goalkeeper Tim Howard won’t earn his starting job back before a big playoff match against Mexico.

Howard, a standout performer at the 2014 World Cup, returned to the team Monday after taking a one-year break from international duty.

Coach Jurgen Klinsmann says Brad Guzan will remain No. 1 through the match against Mexico on Oct. 10 to determine which team represents CONCACAF in the 2017 Confederations Cup.

HOCKEY

NHL: Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador retired after nearly 800 games in 14 NHL seasons.

Salvador was a captain for the Devils the past three seasons but missed all but 15 games last season with a back injury.

• The Chicago Blackhawks agreed to a one-year contract with forward Joakim Nordstrom, 23.

Nordstrom appeared in three playoff games as Chicago won its third Stanley Cup in six seasons.

• St. Louis invited forward Scottie Upshall to training camp for a tryout.

Upshall, 31, had eight goals and seven assists in 63 games with the Panthers last season.

GOLF

EUROPEAN TOUR: Rory McIlroy will be able to compete in the Race to Dubai at Virginia Water, England, even though he will fall short of the minimum 13 tournaments required by the European Tour.

Keith Pelley, the new chief executive of the European Tour, says he consulted with McIlroy and medical officials before agreeing to make an exception for the world’s No. 1 player.

McIlroy missed two months this summer because of an ankle injury.

CYCLING

SPANISH VUELTA: Mikel Landa of Spain raced ahead to climb the final ascent alone and win the 11th stage in the Pyrenees, while Italy’s Fabio Aru was second to claim the overall race leader’s jersey.

Ian Boswell of the United States finished third at Cortals d’Encamp, Spain.

Joaquin Rodriguez of Spain is second overall, 27 seconds behind, and overnight leader Tom Dumoulin of Netherlands dropped to third, another three seconds back.

OLYMPICS

2024 GAMES: The French Olympic committee launched a campaign to promote and help finance the Paris bid for the 2024 Olympics.

Also bidding are Los Angeles; Rome; Hamburg, Germany; and Budapest, Hungary.

BASKETBALL

WNBA: Candice Dupree scored 18 points and Brittney Griner had 16 as the host Phoenix Mercury beat the Washington Mystics, 73-53.

Defending champion Phoenix trails Western Conference-leader Minnesota by 21/2 games.

NBA: Memphis Grizzlies first-round draft pick Jarell Martin has a fractured left foot.

The Grizzlies said the forward from LSU injured his foot while colliding with another player during a workout Wednesday. Martin will undergo surgery Thursday, but there is no timetable for his return.

• A federal jury in Orlando found a personal assistant to former Magic guard Gilbert Arenas guilty of stealing more than $2 million from Arenas while he was in the NBA.

John A. White, 40, was found guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud and four counts of filing a false tax-related document.

– From news service reports