Marina Mabrey matches WNBA scoring record with 53 points to help Toronto rout Los Angeles

TORONTO (AP) — Marina Mabrey matched the WNBA scoring record with 53 points to help the Toronto Tempo rout the Los Angeles Sparks 125-97 on Thursday night.

Mabrey tied the mark set by Liz Cambage for Dallas against New York on July 17, 2018, and matched by A’ja Wilson for Las Vegas at Atlanta on Aug. 22, 2023.

When she checked out with a minute remaining, fans briefly booed before erupting into cheers in acknowledgement of her big night. The clock ticked down to zero with chants of “We Want Mabrey! We Want Mabrey!”

Mabrey was 17 of 28 from the field, tied the WNBA record for 3-pointers with nine in 18 attempts, and made 10 of 12 free throws. The 29-year-old former Notre Dame star shattered the expansion team’s previous high of 38 points done twice by Brittney Sykes.

Julie Allemand added 13 points and 14 assists for Toronto in the highest-score game in the team’s short history.

Nneka Ogwumike and Dearica Hamby led the Sparks with 21 points apiece.

Toronto climbed back to .500 at 9-9, and Los Angeles fell to 8-9.

The Tempo opened a nine-game homestand that includes two games at Montreal’s Bell Centre.

Sparks: At Indiana on Saturday night.

Tempo: Host Phoenix on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena,.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey (3) and Los Angeles Sparks' Rae Burrell, second from front right, vie for control of the ball during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey, center left, drives past Los Angeles Sparks' Dearica Hamby, center right, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey (3) drives to the net past Los Angeles Sparks' Jihyun Park (6) during the first half of WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey celebrates after scoring against the Los Angeles Sparks during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Marina Mabrey sprints upcourt during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Sparks in Toronto, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Daizen Maeda gave Japan the lead and Anthony Elanga took it away six minutes later, helping Sweden to a 1-1 draw Thursday night that sent both teams to the knockout round of the World Cup.

Elanga’s impressive left-footed strike from just outside the right corner of the box in the 62nd minute was his second goal of this year’s tournament. Elanga has scored only three goals in 49 games for Newcastle, but zero in 32 Premier League matches.

Six minutes earlier, Maeda settled a nifty pass from Ritsu Doan with his left foot in the penalty area and easily beat Jacob Widell Zetterstrom with his right foot.

It was Japan’s seventh goal of the tournament, the country’s most for an entire World Cup. That topped the six the Japanese scored while reaching the round of 16 in Russia eight years ago.

Japan is advancing out of the group stage for the third consecutive World Cup and fifth time in seven tries since first reaching the round of 16 as co-hosts in 2002. The Japanese team finished second in Group F behind the Netherlands and will play Brazil in Houston on Monday.

The Swedes have advanced to the knockout round the past four times they’ve qualified for the World Cup going back to 1994 — when they reached the semifinals the last time the U.S. hosted soccer’s biggest event.

Elanga had another chance in injury time, with his right-footed attempted forcing goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to make a diving deflection.

On the ensuing corner kick, Suzuki deflected Alexander Isak’s header off the crossbar and into the air, eventually ending the scoring chance with a leaping grab in a crowd of players.

The Blue Samurai's bag-waving, chanting fans among 70,137 at the sold-out home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys were persistent as a scoreless game dragged into the second half. Japan seemed content to sit back and play for a draw that would have guaranteed the same spot in the knockout round as a win.

Just like that, things changed when Doan put Maeda in perfect position to score.

Elanga wasn't anywhere near scoring range, but Suzuki appeared screened and reacted late as the shot beat him to the far post.

Just three minutes later, Isak was inside the penalty area with a great scoring chance, but Suzuki deflected it wide and over the end line, angrily gesturing toward some of his teammates as Sweden lined up for another corner kick. The Swedes had eight corner kicks to only two for Japan.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Japan's Daizen Maeda (11) scores his team's first goal as Sweden's Alexander Bernhardsson (21) watches during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)

Japan's Daizen Maeda (11) reacts after scoring his team's first goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)

Japan's Daizen Maeda (11) scores their opening goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Sweden's Anthony Elanga celebrates scoring his side's opening goal against Japan during the World Cup Group F soccer match in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Japan's Daizen Maeda, right, celebrates after scoring their opening goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Japan and Sweden in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Thursday, June 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)