Pirate Galaxy » 53-43. We cant just rely on offense or Ja

SHKODRA, Albania -- Mario Mandzukic struck a first-half hat trick for Croatia to hand Kosovos 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign a bitter setback on Thursday.The team from the tiny Balkan nation earned a credible 1-1 draw in Finland last month in its competitive international debut and was looking to spring another surprise against heavy favorite Croatia.But Croatia and Mandzukic had different ideas, and won 6-0. It was the first competitive home game for Kosovo but played in Albanias northern city of Shkodra, as Kosovo has no stadium certified by UEFA.All 16,000 seats in Shkodras recently renovated stadium were filled.Kosovo became a UEFA member in May, joined FIFA a week later, and was fast-tracked into World Cup qualifying though many nations still have not recognized it.Proving the sensitivity of the move, Croat fans started chanting in Serbo-Croatian Kill, kill the Serbs in the second half, and they were echoed and followed by Kosovo fans, too, in Albanian.Croatia was without star midfielders Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric but had another star available: Mandzukic ruthlessly exploited Kosovos inexperience and needed just six minutes to open the scoring off a pass from Andrej Kramaric.And that was just the beginning for the striker.In the 24th, Mandzukic met Ivan Perisics cross to head home and double the lead, and completed his hat trick with another header 10 minutes before the interval, this time using a cross from Sime Vrsaljko, for his 27th goal in 71 internationals.With the damage done and the result beyond doubt early, Mandzukic was substituted by Nikola Kalinic in the 58th.Matej Mitrovic, Perisic and Kalinic added one each for Croatia to finish Kosovo off.With only the winner qualifying automatically, Croatia is tied atop Group I with Iceland, on four points. Ukraine and Turkey have two points after their 2-2 draw. Kosovo is at the bottom of the group with one.ICELAND 3, FINLAND 2Iceland rallied in the final minutes to earn its first victory in qualifying.Alfred Finnbogason leveled the score in the final minute of the match, and Ragnar Sigurdsson scored the winner deep into stoppage time for the surprise Euro 2016 quarterfinalist.Gylfi Sigurdsson wasted a golden opportunity to tie it at 2-2 from the spot earlier in the second.Finland, which is also seeking its first World Cup appearance, took a 2-1 lead with goals from Teemu Pukki and Robin Lod.Kari Arnason scored for Iceland in the first half.TURKEY 2, UKRAINE 2Hakan Calhanoglu converted from the spot nine minutes from time to keep Turkey in contention.The Ukraine visitors, who hope to add another World Cup appearance after reaching the quarterfinals in 2006, made a strong start through Andriy Yarmolenko from the penalty spot, and Artem Kravets doubled the lead for Ukraine just three minutes later.Ozan Tufan reduced the lead to one in first-half stoppage time to start the Turkish comeback. 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Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. DALLAS -- James Harden walked the ball up the court in the final seconds of the third quarter, then decided he didnt want to set up the offense.The Houston star simply pulled up and hit a long 3-pointer for the first double-digit lead during a late-quarter run that put the Rockets in control for good.Trevor Ariza scored 27 points, Harden had 26 and Houston beat Dallas 106-98 with Dirk Nowitzki missing from the Mavericks home opener Friday night.Harden went scoreless while playing the entire first quarter, missing all five shots, before getting 10 points in the second and 12 in the third, including the punctuating 3 that followed two others on a 10-2 run to finish the quarter.I was in a groove and it was time to close out the quarter, Harden said. Think thats one of the things that were preaching is we got to end quarters the right way.Harrison Barnes, playing his first home game for the Mavericks after signing a max contract in the summer, had a career-high 31 points.Nowitzki didnt play for just the second time in 19 home openers with Dallas. The 38-year-old had a stomach ailment bad enough that coach Rick Carlisle wasnt sure he would make the trip to Houston for the Rockets home opener Sunday.Dirks not going to be around here forever. And were going to be sitting him sometimes this year, Carlisle said. The other guys have got to step up and step forward. And Im one of them. Weve all got to really raise the level of our game when a guy like thats not on the floor.Two nights after recording a career-high 17 assists in an opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Harden had eight assists and seven rebounds.Ariza was 5 of 7 from 3-point range, including one early in the fourth quarter to push Houstons lead back to nine points. He was fouled on 3-pointers twice and made all six free throws.TIP-INSRockets: Harden became the second player in NBA history with at least 30 points and 15 assists in an opener when he had 34 points and 17 assists in the 120-114 loss to the Lakers. Tim Hardaway had 32 and 18 for Golden State at Denver in 1990. ... Eric Gordon was the other double-figure scorer for Houston with 18 points. ... Cllint Capela had nine rebounds.ddddddddddddMavericks: Dallas has the two highest totals for 3-point attempts in a game in league history after shooting 48 in the 130-121 overtime loss to Indiana in the opener. The Mavericks made 18 (38 percent). Dallas shot a record 49 on March 5, 1996, against New Jersey, also making 18 (37 percent). ... Andrew Bogut, a starter alongside Barnes at Golden State before both joined Dallas after the Warriors landed Kevin Durant in free agency, had a game-high 12 rebounds. ... Deron Williams had 14 points, but just one in the second half.FILLING IN FOR DIRKThe only other home opener Nowitzki missed was in 2012 when he sat the first 27 games recovering from knee surgery. Sliding over to power forward, Barnes was strong inside and out, going 13 of 23 from the field with five rebounds. I think he has a chance to be a very special player. Ive felt that all along, Carlisle said.DEFENSIVE TURNAROUNDAfter giving up 51 percent shooting in the loss to the Lakers, the Rockets allowed Dallas to shoot 52 percent in the first quarter while Barnes scored 12 points . But the Mavericks were held to 15 of 40 (38 percent) in the second and third quarters, when Houston outscored them 53-43. We cant just rely on offense or James bailing us out like he did a lot last year, Ariza said. We have to do it collectively on the defensive end.SHOOTING STRUGGLESDallas Wesley Matthews scored 13 points on a second straight bad shooting night. Hes 7 of 30 from the field through two games, including 3 of 18 from 3-point range.LONG-RANGE SUCCESSThe Rockets were 15 of 32 from 3-point range (47 percent). Ariza, Harden (4 of 9) and Gordon (3 of 6) combined to make 12 of 20 from beyond the arc. I think our legs were a little bit better, and well get more in shape as we play more games, first-year coach Mike DAntoni said.UP NEXTThe Rockets home opener Sunday against the Mavericks is their only home game in the first eight this season. One of three five-game road trips -- a season high -- follows. ' ' '