SOCCER
Sevilla in sight of top three
Sevilla on Monday gave themselves an outside chance of rejoining La Liga’s title race by winning a seven-goal thriller away at RC Celta de Vigo. A second-half double from Ivan Rakitic and Papu Gomez snatched a 4-3 victory for Sevilla, who twice had to come from behind at the Balaidos. The comeback puts Sevilla six points behind Atletico Madrid. For weeks it has looked like only Real Madrid and Barcelona could overhaul struggling Atletico, but 13 points from 15 has put Sevilla back in sight of the top three. Fourth place is all but secure for Julen Lopetegui’s side, who have a 14-point advantage over fifth-placed Real Sociedad, who they face next weekend. Celta stay 10th.
FOOTBALL
Patriots’ Edelman retires
New England Patriots star Julian Edelman on Monday announced his retirement from the NFL, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned 12 seasons and included three Super Bowl victories. The 34-year-old receiver, named Most Valuable Player in the Patriots most recent Super Bowl victory in 2019, confirmed his retirement after his contract was terminated due to a failed physical. “I’ve always said I’m going until the wheels come off, and they’ve finally fallen off,” Edelman said in a recorded video on Twitter that showed him sitting on the Patriots’ Gillette Stadium field at Foxboro, Massachusetts. “Due to an injury last year, I’ll be making my official announcement of my retirement from football. It’s been the best 12 years of my life. It’s been a hell of a run.”
SOCCER
US women closer to equality
The US women’s soccer team on Monday vowed to press on with an appeal in their equal pay lawsuit after a federal judge in Los Angeles formally approved a deal with the US Soccer Federation over working conditions. US District Judge Gary Klausner inked a settlement reached in December last year that grants the US women’s team the same treatment as their male counterparts in areas such as flights, hotels, venue selection and support staff. It followed an earlier ruling by Klausner in May in which the judge dismissed a claim by the women’s team for pay equality. “Finally, giving these athletes access to facilities, training, care and professional support is the next step needed in the long and hard work to grow the game of women’s football,” said Molly Levinson a spokeswoman for the players.
CRICKET
SA level Pakistan T20 series
Pakistan opening batsman Mohammad Rizwan on Monday fell into a trap off the first ball of the match and the tourists never recovered as South Africa romped to a six-wicket win with six overs to spare in the second Twenty20 international at the Wanderers. Man-of-the-match George Linde revealed at the post-match presentation that South Africa deliberately placed mid-off Aiden Markram inside the 30m circle to tempt Rizwan to go over the top. Rizwan danced down the wicket and went for a big hit, but only succeeded in hitting a high catch to Markram. “We had a game plan to bring that guy up, and I was happy when he [Rizwan] came down the wicket,” said left-arm spinner Linde who went on to take 3-23. He also held three catches in the deep and Pakistan were restricted to 140-9.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to