Mercury beat the Tempo 89-80 in a game missing Alyssa Thomas and Marina Mabrey

TORONTO (AP) — Kahleah Copper scored 27 points, Valeriane Ayayi had a career-high 20 and the Phoenix Mercury beat the Toronto Tempo 89-80 on Saturday in a game in which both teams were without a top player.

Phoenix played without Alyssa Thomas, who was suspended one game by the WNBA for “recklessly making contact with her fist to the throat area” of Indiana’s Caitlin Clark in the Mercury’s 111-109 victory on Wednesday.

Toronto’s Marina Mabrey was a late scratch due to neck spasms, one game after tying the league record with 53 points in a 125-97 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks.

DeWanna Bonner finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds and three steals. Copper made two free throws and Bonner followed a 3-pointer to put Phoenix (7-13) up 78-73 with 4:07 remaining.

Bonner drilled another 3 for an 83-77 advantage and then missed from distance. However, Copper grabbed the rebound and scored for an 85-80 lead with 51 seconds left. Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts won a challenge that reversed a foul on the Mercury nine seconds later to help preserve the victory.

Copper made 10 of 15 shots with a 3-pointer and 6 of 8 from the free-throw line. Ayayi added six rebounds off the bench, and Lexi Held hit three 3s and scored 16.

Nyara Sabbaly had 14 points for Toronto (9-10). Rookie Tima Pouye scored a season-high 13 and Julie Allemand pitched in with 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

Phoenix: Hosts the Seattle Storm on Thursday.

Toronto: Hosts the Dallas Wings on July 5.

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

Phoenix Mercury's Valeriane Ayayi (11) crashes into Toronto Tempo's Temi Fagbenle (14) during first half of an WNBA basketball game in Toronto, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (Sammy Kogan /The Canadian Press via AP)

Phoenix Mercury's DeWanna Bonner (24) drives to the net past Toronto Tempo's Temi Fagbenle (14) during first half of an WNBA basketball game in Toronto, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (Sammy Kogan /The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Tempo's Tima Pouye (32) drives past Phoenix Mercury's Valeriane Ayayi (11) during first half of an WNBA basketball game in Toronto, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (Sammy Kogan /The Canadian Press via AP)

Phoenix Mercury's Lexi Held (10) drives past Toronto Tempo's Kia Nurse (11) during first half of an WNBA basketball game in Toronto, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (Sammy Kogan /The Canadian Press via AP)

Phoenix Mercury's Kahleah Copper (2) drives to the net past Toronto Tempo's Kia Nurse (11) during first half of an WNBA basketball game in Toronto, on Saturday, June 27, 2026. (Sammy Kogan /The Canadian Press via AP)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Croatia earned a spot in the World Cup knockout round, getting goals from Nikola Vlašić and Luka Sučić to beat Ghana 2-1 on Saturday.

Ghana had already secured advancement from the group stage for the first time since 2010.

Vlašić headed home Luka Modrić’s corner in the 83rd minute to score the winner and put Croatia back in contention after it finished third in 2022. The win means Croatia finished second behind England in Group L, with Ghana third.

Sučić scored in the 31st minute for Croatia on an absolute rocket from outside the box for his second career international goal.

Derrick Luckassen scored the equalizer that —- after a brief review — sent thousands of fans wearing yellow into a frenzy. Luckassen, brother of the Netherlands’ Brian Brobbey, found the bottom right corner in the 73rd minute to make it 1-1 and the first of the five group stage games in Philadelphia where both teams scored.

Ghana goalie Benjamin Asare briefly kept it a tie game on a diving stop off the top of his hand that sent the ball over the net but failed only a minute later to stop Vlašić.

Vlašić wagged his tongue and ran toward his teammates with outstretched arms in celebration.

Sučić helped Croatia take a 1-0 lead into halftime in a game where a couple of near misses prevented it from building a more comfortable lead. Nikola Vlašić bonked one of the posts earlier in the half, and Modric’s cross on a free kick into the box was headed over the bar by Marin Pongračić.

Ghana seemed poised to tie the game late in the half when Antoine Semenyo beat his man and fired a shot that slid across the Kentucky bluegrass and went just wide of the left post.

Semenyo was one of the few prominent attackers in this tournament to go without a goal in the first three games. He finished third in the Premier League with 17 goals last season and was one of Manchester City’s best players after it bought him from Bournemouth, yet couldn’t connect in the World up against Panama, England and even Croatia’s backline.

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland have dazzled in the World Cup where every game has seemed like a showcase for the tournament’s top stars.

The good news for Semenyo is, there’s at least one more shot for him to bust through for Ghana.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Ghana's Derrick Luckassen (23) celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Croatia and Ghana in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Croatia's Nikola Vlasic (13) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Croatia and Ghana in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Croatia's Nikola Vlasic (13) celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Croatia and Ghana in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Ghana supporters cheer after their first goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Croatia and Ghana in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Croatia's Nikola Vlasic (13) scores his side's second goal during the World Cup Group L soccer match between Croatia and Ghana in Philadelphia, Saturday, June 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr Josek)