SOCCER
Matching socks delay start
A top-of-the table English Women’s Soccer League (WSL) game between Arsenal and Chelsea with a crowd of nearly 33,000 had a delayed kick-off on Friday because the teams had matching socks, forcing referee Rebecca Welch to delay the start. Arsenal Women ended up going into the Chelsea megastore at Stamford Bridge and buying black socks. They used tape to try and hide the Chelsea and Nike logos. Arsenal’s kit is made by Adidas. They started 30 minutes late. “Clearly it’s a human error, a mistake, but it’s embarrassing,” former England international Karen Carney, who played for both clubs, told Sky Sports. “This is a massive crowd, a massive game. It’s a simple thing, a kit, and we have got it wrong. People make mistakes, but the game does not need this and it’s frustrating. It does not look good for the game.” WSL leaders Chelsea won 3-1.
Photo: Reuters
CRICKET
Wade retires from Tests
Former Australia Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade has called time on the red-ball game, but will continue playing the shorter formats. The 36-year-old made the announcement late on Friday ahead of the Sheffield Shield final next week, when his native Tasmania meet Western Australia in what will be his 166th and last first-class match. “There certainly isn’t [an element of]: ‘I’m not playing well enough or I don’t feel I can contribute enough,’” he said. “It’s more the younger players have managed to shove me out the door.” Wade, who played 36 Tests as a wicketkeeper and specialist batter from 2012 to 2021, will continue to be available for one-day and T20 cricket.
EQUESTRIAN
Shane Rose hurt in fall
Australian three-time Olympic medalist Shane Rose was seriously injured in a heavy fall this week that could end his hopes of competing in a fourth Olympic Games in Paris this year. The 50-year-old team eventer and his horse Virgil all but secured qualification for the Olympics by winning an event in New Zealand last weekend, but fell during a cross-country session on Thursday. “As the saying goes peacock one day, feather duster the next,” his team said on Facebook on Friday. “Thankfully his horse was not injured in the fall. Shane is currently in ICU with a badly broken femur and a fractured pelvis and ribs. He also suffered a heavy concussion. Shane had surgery this morning to stabilize the femur and pelvis. While the timing is unfortunate we are hopeful there is adequate time for him to recover and still be able to continue his preparation schedule for the Paris Olympics Games.” Rose has twice qualified for the Olympics, but been unable to compete. In 1996, his horse went lame on arrival in the US for the Atlanta Olympics, and in 2012, his mount All Luck sustained a shoulder injury that prevented him from competing at the London Games. Despite his past misfortune, Rose won team silver medals at the 2008 Beijing and 2021 Tokyo Olympics as well as a bronze in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
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
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
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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