■ Soccer
Naismith boosts Killie
Steven Naismith grabbed a superb hat-trick to send Kilmarnock into the Scottish League Cup final with a 3-0 win over Falkirk at Motherwell's Fir Park on Tuesday. Killie, who will face either St Johnstone or Hibs in the final, were always in control after Scotland under-21 star Naismith scored a scorcher on the half hour mark. The 20-year-old bettered that in the 71st minute, latching on to a ball over the top before finding the top corner with a superb strike. The hat-trick was completed six minutes later when Naismith evaded two tackles in the box before being tripped, earning a penalty that he netted easily.
■ Soccer
Maccarone goes home
Siena have signed striker Massimo Maccarone from Premier League club Middlesbrough on a free transfer, the Serie A club said on Tuesday. The 27-year-old has signed a three-and-a-half year deal. Maccarone made his name in Italy's Serie B with Empoli and he guided them to promotion in the 2001-02 season. His goals prompted Middlesbrough to pay a club record fee of £8.15 million (US$16.01 million) when they signed him for the 2002-03 season. He struggled in England despite scoring late winners in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals and semi-finals to help Middlesbrough reach the final.
■ Soccer
Onyewu joins Magpies
United States defender Oguchi Onyewu joined Newcastle on loan on Tuesday in a move that will keep him in the English Premier League for at least the rest of the season. Onyewu passed a medical on Monday and later agreed to leave Belgian team Standard Liege. Newcastle has an option to make the transfer permanent after the season. The 24-year-old defender leaves the Belgian team after scoring eight goals in 93 games since joining in 2004.
■ NFL
Kiel in trouble again
San Diego strong safety Terrence Kiel was cited for urinating in public last month, his second run-in with the law in less than three months and the eighth by a Chargers player since April. Maria Velasquez, spokeswoman for City Attorney Mike Aguirre, confirmed that Kiel was cited and released by police outside a nightclub in the Gaslamp Quarter at 1:50am on Dec. 18. Kiel faces five felony drug charges stemming from his arrest in late September by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents. The DEA said Kiel admitted to shipping at least two parcels of prescription cough syrup to Texas, apparently to be mixed with soft drinks to make a concoction known as "lean."
■ Cricket
Border slams Pietersen
Allan Border has criticized England batsman Kevin Pietersen for leaving Australia so quickly after breaking his rib during the opening match of the tri-series earlier this month. The former Australia captain said the South African-born batsman, whose form was a rare bright spot on England's disappointing tour, ought to have stayed if there was any chance he could help his team into the finals. Pietersen had his rib broken by a Glenn McGrath delivery at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Jan. 12. The English management opted to send him home to ensure his fitness for the World Cup in the West Indies starting on Mar. 13. "I've got to say he was on the plane before the x-ray came back," Border told Australian television. "If he's got a broken rib, fair enough, but it was just cracked and given two weeks' break he could be playing. "Too quick on to the plane for my liking."
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
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
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care