National Sports

TORONTO — Dutch international Gregory van der Wiel blames "difference with the coaching staff" for his split with Toronto FC. And the 30-year-old defender appeared to take a parting shot at the MLS team in a farewell social media posting.

Jockey Javier Castellano will have his hands full Saturday in the inaugural US$7-million Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.

The Canadian men's rugby sevens team will wear orange laces at the New Zealand Sevens this weekend in support of Paisley MacRury, a four-year-old from Abbotsford, B.C., who is battling leukemia.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have added Brazilian winger Lucas Venuto to their growing roster. The club used targeted allocation money to acquire the 24-year-old from FK Austria Wien in the Austrian Bundesliga.

Canadian rugby takes a big step Saturday as the Toronto Arrows kick off life in North America's pro circuit.

MELBOURNE, Australia — Canadian teenager Leylah Fernandez has earned herself a spot in the final of the Australian Open's junior girls' tournament. The 16-year-old from Montreal downed Anastasia Tikhonova of Russia 6-1, 6-3 in Friday's semifinal.

Thursday's Games NBA Golden State 126 Washington 118 Oklahoma City 122 New Orleans 116 Portland 120 Phoenix 106 Minnesota 120 L.A. Lakers 105 --- AHL Chicago 5 Cleveland 1 --- Friday's Games (All Times Eastern) NBA Washington at Orlando, 7 p.m.

ASPEN, Colo. — Canada's Cassie Sharpe and Laurie Blouin opened the Winter X Games with gold-medal performances on Thursday, while fellow Canadian Rachael Karker grabbed a bronze. Sharpe, from Comox, Ont.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. — Alberta's Selena Sturmay has one more draw to play at the Canadian junior curling championship, but it's only for practice.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — Canada's top two women's tennis players will square off for the first time on Friday at the Oracle Challenger. Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., will face Bianca Andreescu of Mississauga, Ont.