Taylor Girard has 3rd-period hat trick in Sirens' 4-0 win over Charge in opener

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Taylor Girard had a natural hat trick in the third period, Kayle Osborne made 28 saves and the New York Sirens beat the Ottawa Charge 4-0 on Saturday night in the Professional Women’s Hockey League opener for both teams.

Girard opened the scoring at 7:49 of the third, made it 2-0 with 6:21 to go and completed the hat trick with 3:12 remaining. Maja Nylen Persson added a short-handed, empty-netter. Maddi Wheeler assisted on all three of Girard’s goals.

Gwyneth Philips stopped 38 shots for Ottawa.

Sirens: At Montreal on Tuesday night.

Charge: Host Vancouver on Wednesday night.

AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

Ottawa Charge's Fanuza Kadirova (71) looks for the puck past New York Sirens' Lauren Bernard (16) during first period PWHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Sirens goaltender Kayle Osborne (82) watches the puck as Ottawa Charge's Brianne Jenner (19) slides along the ice, during first period PWHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Sirens goaltender Kayle Osborne (82) makes a save in front of Ottawa Charge's Fanuza Kadirova (71) during first period PWHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

New York Sirens' Sarah Fillier (10) falls on top of Ottawa Charge's Jocelyne Larocque (3) as they battle for the puck during the second period of a PWHL hockey game in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Charge goaltender Gwyneth Philips (33) tries to make a save during the second period of a PWHL hockey game against the New York Sirens in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) — The 48-team field for FIFA ’s biggest ever World Cup is complete after a qualifying process that spanned more than two and a half years.

Iraq edged Bolivia 2-1 in an intercontinental playoff at Monterrey in northern Mexico on Tuesday to secure the 48th spot, hours after Bosnia and Herzegovina upset four-time champion Italy on penalties in European playoffs. The result meant Italy was knocked out in qualifying for a third successive World Cup.

Eight teams from Europe were competing for four places on the last day of qualifying. The new intercontinental tournament staged in Mexico determined the other two remaining places. The next-to-last nation to advance was Congo, which edged Jamaica 1-0 in extra time at Guadalajara, Mexico.

Sweden, Turkey and the Czech Republic each qualified in European playoff finals.

Sweden beat Poland 3-2; Turkey edged Kosovo 1-0; and the Czech Republic beat Denmark in a penalty shootout.

The World Cup kicks off June 11 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. It will feature 12 groups of four teams.

With its big upset victory of Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified to join Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B.

Sweden will play in Group F with the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. Turkey will be in Group D with the United States, Paraguay and Australia.

After reaching its first World Cup since 2006, the Czech team will play in Group A with Mexico, South Africa and South Korea.

The World Cup qualifiers for the 2026 tournament started Sept. 7, 2023 with matches in South America.

Group A

Mexico, Czech Republic, South Africa, South Korea

Group B

Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar and Switzerland

Group C

Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, Scotland

Group D

United States, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey

Group E

Curacao, Ecuador, German,y Ivory Coast

Group F

Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia

Group G

Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand

Group H

Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Uruguay

Group I

France, Norway, Senegal, Iraq

Group J

Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Jordan

Group K

Colombia, Congo, Portugal, Uzbekistan

Group L

Croatia, England, Ghana, Panama

This list has been corrected to show that Congo, not Jamaica, got the final spot in Group K.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

DR Congo's players and fans celebrate at the end of the World Cup playoff final soccer match between DR Congo and Jamaica in Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

Bosnia's Esmir Bajraktarevic celebrates after winning a penalty shootout during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Bosnia's Esmir Bajraktarevic celebrates after winning a penalty shootout during the World Cup qualifying playoff final soccer match between Bosnia and Italy in Zenica, Bosnia, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Armin Durgut)

Iraq's Aymen Hussein, left, is congratulated after scoring his side's 2nd goal during the World Cup playoff final soccer match between Iraq and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Iraq's Aymen Hussein celebrates scoring his side's 2nd goal during the World Cup playoff final soccer match between Iraq and Bolivia in Monterrey, Mexico, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)