■ Soccer
Milan tightens grip
Dutch international Clarence Seedorf scored twice as AC Milan tightened their grip at the top of Serie A with a convincing 3-1 win at champions Juventus on Sunday. European champions Milan have a seven-point lead over second-placed Roma, who drew 0-0 with Reggina, while Juventus trail the leaders by nine points with nine games of the season remaining. Seedorf created Milan's opener in the 25th minute, providing a perfect cross for Andriy Shevchenko who thundered a header past Juve keeper Gianluigi Buffon. The Dutchman then made it 2-0 in the 63rd minute with a deflected shot from 20m out before striking again as he finished off a counter-attack with a blistering left-foot shot after Cafu had found him unmarked on the edge of the area.
■ Soccer
Leicester players to pay fees
Leicester City has told the three players facing sexual assault charges in Spain that they will have to arrange and pay for their own legal defense. Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and Keith Gillespie returned to training yesterday as the club pursued an internal investigation into the players' conduct during a midseason training camp in southeastern Spain. The three were freed on bail on Friday after spending a week in jail in Murcia following allegations by three women. The players paid their own bail, totaling US$354,000, and remain under investigation by a Spanish judge. The three, who deny the charges, did not play in Saturday's 1-0 win over Birmingham -- a result which lifted the Foxes out of the relegation zone. Manager Micky Adams said he would consider picking them for this weekend's match against Everton.
■ Soccer
Livingston win League Cup
Livingston clinched their first major trophy with a 2-0 victory over premier league rivals Hibernian in the Scottish League Cup final on Sunday. Derek Lilley struck the opener after 50 minutes before Jamie McAllister sped clear to score the second just two minutes later to demoralize a young Hibs side that had enjoyed the better of the first half. Livingston became the first club other than Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers to win a domestic trophy in Scotland since Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 in the 1998 Scottish Cup final. Their success comes a month after they were placed in administration with an estimated debt of <<10 million pounds>>. They are the first British club to compete in a major cup final while in administration and are in line to complete a unique double, with a home Scottish Cup quarterfinal replay against Aberdeen on Thursday.
■ Soccer
Thaksin notches up interest
Thailand's tycoon-turned-prime minister is negotiating to buy a stake in the English Premier League club Liverpool after Fulham spurned his advances late last year, a Thai soccer official said yesterday. The talks between Liverpool and a group of investors headed by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra are still in the preliminary phase, said Thavatchai Sajakul, Thai national team manager and adviser to the prime minister. "They [Liverpool] have shown some gestures that they want us to take part. They want to sell to us, and we want to buy," Thavatchai said by telephone. "We've expressed our interest that we want to be part of their club. ... We're still in the phase of unofficial negotiations."
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
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
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