CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — Few soccer players have been fast-tracked to their national team quicker than Ronan Kpakio.
The right back from Cardiff, who turned 18 on Sunday, was named in Wales manager Craig Bellamy's squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday despite only having started one league game.
He could now play in games against Liechtenstein on June 6 and Belgium on June 9.
Kpakio has featured in six games for Cardiff in all competitions, and only started his first league game May 3, the last day of the season. That followed two earlier substitute appearances in the second-tier Championship and matches in the FA Cup and English League Cup.
Wales has four points from its first two qualifying games as it aims to reach a second successive World Cup for the first time in its history.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
FILE - Wales' head coach Craig Bellamy reacts prior a World Cup 2026 group J qualifying soccer match between North Macedonia and Wales at National Arena Todor Proeski in Skopje, North Macedonia, on March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski, File)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.
Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.
Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.
Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.
The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.
USC got no closer the rest of the way.
USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.
Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
