SOCCER
Spurs fire Cristian Stellini
A day after a 6-1 loss against Newcastle United, Tottenham Spurs chairman Daniel Levy on Monday announced the departure of interim manager Cristian Stellini and the appointment of another temporary fix in Ryan Mason. “Sunday’s performance against Newcastle was wholly unacceptable,” Levy said in a statement. “It was devastating to see. We can look at many reasons why it happened and whilst myself, the board, the coaches and players must all take collective responsibility, ultimately the responsibility is mine.” Spurs are fifth in the Premier League, six points behind Manchester United and Newcastle, who have played fewer games.
RUGBY UNION
Kolisi in doubt for Cup
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi could miss his country’s Rugby World Cup title defense in France later this year after being advised to have surgery on a knee injury, South Africa’s Independent Online reported. The loose forward, who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup in Japan four years ago, sustained the injury playing for the Durban-based Sharks against Irish province Munster in the United Rugby Championship on Saturday. The Independent, citing a source “with knowledge of the injury,” said he had sustained a partial tear to his anterior cruciate ligament and damaged the meniscus on both sides of the joint.
CRICKET
Mark Chapman kept on
Mark Chapman’s red-hot T20 form in Pakistan has revived the New Zealand batter’s one-day international career in a World Cup year, but the 28-year-old is taking nothing for granted. Initially selected only for the T20 leg of the Black Caps’ tour, Chapman had checked out of his hotel room in Rawalpindi and was preparing to leave for home after helping his team draw the series 2-2 on Monday. Then came the news he was staying on for the five-match ODI series starting in Rawalpindi on Thursday. “I had to check back into my room,” Chapman said. “I already had paid my bill and checked out. I got back here, had to get another room key... Same room, thankfully. So, it feels like home.” Chapman was dismissed only once in five innings and racked up 290 runs — a record tally for a five-match T20 series — and was named Player of the Series. He hit 104 off 57 balls on Monday to secure New Zealand’s six-wicket win in the final match.
CRICKET
Stand named for Tendulkar
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday honored India batting great Sachin Tendulkar on his 50th birthday by naming a stand after him. The venue in the United Arab Emirates held a ceremony for the former India captain, announcing that the West Stand had been renamed the Sachin Tendulkar Stand. Tendulkar smashed 143 runs against Australia at the stadium in April 1998 in a one-day international dubbed “Desert Storm” after play was disrupted for 25 minutes due to a sand storm. His knock guided India to the tri-series final against Australia, which India won by six wickets with Tendulkar striking 134 runs on his 25th birthday. “I can’t forget his birthday celebrations,” Sharjah Cricket chief executive officer Khalaf Bukhatir said. “It mesmerized the whole audience and I feel lucky to have been there.”
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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