Eldridge scores 2 as Canada beats Sweden in women’s hockey worlds opener

HERNING, Denmark (AP) — Jessie Eldridge scored twice and added an assist as Canada opened the women’s ice hockey world championship by easing past Sweden 5-1 on Friday.

The youngest Canada team since 2013 with an average age of 26 jumped to a 3-0 lead in the opening period with goals from Eldridge, Emily Clark and Rebecca Leslie.

Kendall Cooper added the fourth on a power play midway through the second.

Hanna Thuvik pulled one back for Sweden on a power play in the final period before Eldridge finished the scoring with her second.

Canada goalie Ann-Renée Desbiens stopped 13 shots in the Group B game.

In Group A, the Czech Republic had to rally to beat Austria 4-1. Austria is playing in the top division for the first time. Katerina Mrazova led the Czechs with two goals and an assist.

Defending champion the United States opens later Friday against Switzerland in Group A and last year’s bronze medalist Finland faces host Denmark in Herning.

The U.S. and Canada are the tournament favorites, continuing a long-standing cross-border rivalry. Canada has won 13 world titles followed by the U.S. with 11 spanning the previous 24 championships.

The Americans have won 10 of the past 14 worlds and claimed the 2025 title in the Czech Republic and the Olympic gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games in February, beating Canada in overtime in both finals.

Finland is the only other team apart from Canada and the U.S. to reach the final, doing so in 2019.

The 11-day, 10-nation tournament in the Danish cities of Esbjerg and Herning is the first to take place in November after the IIHF moved it to open before the Professional Women's Hockey League.

Rather than having the top five teams grouped together as before, the field has been split into two groups of five based on rankings, with the U.S. leading one group and Canada the other.

The top four from each group qualify for the playoffs with the final set for Nov. 16.

The bottom two will play a relegation game.

Canada and the U.S. wear generic jerseys without their logos mandated by the International Ice Hockey Federation that were designed by IIHF supplier True Hockey.

Hockey Canada and USA Hockey have their own apparel and jersey contracts with Bauer and CCM, respectively.

The two have been suing the IIHF over the dispute at a Swiss court.

See AP’s full women’s hockey coverage here

Czechia's Klara Peslarova, 2nd left, celebrates with teammates after winning a Group A match between Austria and Czechia at the Women's Ice Hockey World Championship in Esbjerg, Denmark, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Sweden's goalkeeper Ebba Traff and Tilde Grillfors (16) and teammates defend the net as Canada's Caitlin Kraemer and Emma Maltais look for the rebound during the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championship Group B game between Sweden and Canada in Herning, Denmark, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Canada's Rebecca Leslie (91) celebrates at the bench after scoring a goal during the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championship Group B game between Sweden and Canada in Herning, Denmark, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Sweden's Hilda Svensson and Canada's Kristin O'Neill battle for the puck during the Women's Ice Hockey World Championship group B match between Sweden and Canada in Herning, Denmark, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

Canada's players celebrate their first goal goal score by Jessie Eldridge (9) during the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championship Group B game between Sweden and Canada in Herning, Denmark, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — A court in Tanzania convicted the country's main opposition leader Tundu Lissu of incitement Friday and sentenced him to four years in prison, but acquitted him of the more serious charge of treason.

Lissu, the chairman of the Chadema party, was found guilty of inciting people to disrupt last year’s election. The three-judge panel in Dar es Salaam ruled, however, that prosecutors had failed to prove he intended to intimidate the government. The treason charge carried a possible death sentence.

Lissu was arrested on April 9, 2025, after addressing a rally calling for electoral reforms and was charged with treason the following day.

Lissu, who has spent more than 18 months in detention, denied wrongdoing, saying his speech was part of a legitimate campaign.

“Those who are innocent, like me, do not apologize,” Lissu told the court. “You have sought out an offense that did not exist, and you have done so following political directives,” he said.

Lissu’s lead lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala, said the defense planned to appeal and seek bail pending the appeal.

Amnesty International called for Lissu's conviction and sentence to be quashed and for his immediate and unconditional release. “The conviction and sentence cannot be considered the outcome of a fair trial,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty’s regional director for East and Southern Africa.

Supporters chanted “Viva!” as Lissu arrived at court amid tight security and raised a clenched fist. His hair had grown longer during his detention, and he wore it in dreadlocks. His elder sister and several Chadema leaders attended the proceedings.

Lissu remained in custody during last year’s general election, in which presidential candidates from the two main opposition parties were barred from competing.

His detention has been marked by disputes over access to his lawyers. After prison authorities allowed him to meet privately with his younger brother, he ended a brief hunger strike on Oct. 27, his lead lawyer, Rugemeleza Nshala, told The Associated Press.

The election triggered protests and deadly violence. An inquiry reported in April that at least 518 people had died. Its chairman, Mohamed Chande Othman, said the toll was likely higher because some families buried relatives without taking their bodies to morgues.

The United Nations has called for an investigation into the killings and reports that police removed bodies from mortuaries to undisclosed locations. Chadema estimated that about 2,000 people were killed, a figure the U.N. said it could not verify amid insecurity and an internet shutdown.

The judgment came days after Lissu’s elder brother, Alute Mughwai Lissu, died on Sunday. Lissu appealed to the court to release him so he could attend the burial.

“Please, let me go and lay Mzee Alute to rest,” he said.

Lissu was taken back to prison after sentencing.

He survived being shot 16 times in a 2017 assassination attempt and has spent periods in exile, citing threats to his life.

Associated Press writer Khaled Kazziha in Nairobi, Kenya, contributed to this report.

Tanzanian opposition leader and CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu arrives at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani)

Relatives and supporters of Tanzanian opposition leader and CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu react as he arrives at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani)

Tanzanian police officers stand guard as opposition leader and CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu arrives outside the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Calvin Kulaya)

Supporters of CHADEMA cheer as opposition leader Tundu Lissu arrives at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani)

Tanzanian opposition leader and CHADEMA Chairperson Tundu Lissu arrives at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani)

Tanzanian opposition leader and CHADEMA chairman Tundu Lissu waves to supporters at the High Court in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani)

FILE -Main opposition leader Tundu Lissu arrives at the High Court of Tanzania as his treason trial continues before a three-judge bench in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Feb 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Florence Majani, File)