■ARGENTINA
Win sends Boca clear
Boca Juniors won 2-1 at San Martin-Tucuman to go two points clear at the top of the championship on Sunday as their rivals slipped up. Boca, who began the weekend one point behind San Lorenzo and Tigre, took full advantage after the two teams lost 3-1 to Lanus and Estudiantes respectively. Lucas Viatri put Boca ahead in the 36th minute when he tapped in an easy chance after Alvaro Gonzalez pulled the ball back from the byline. Raul Saavedra equalized for Tucuman with a long-range shot in the 59th minute but Boca regained the lead three minutes later when Luciano Figueroa volleyed in from Juan Roman Riquelme’s free kick. Juan Sebastian Veron gave Estudiantes an eighth-minute lead from a free kick against Tigre. Veron also set up the second for Ivan Moreno y Fabianesi on the half hour before Leandro Benitez added a third in the 90th minute. Carlos Luna headed one back in stoppage-time for Tigre. With three matches to play, Boca lead with 32 points followed by San Lorenzo and Tigre on 30 and Lanus on 28. Titleholders River Plate dropped back to the bottom after losing 2-1 at home to Argentinos Juniors.
■BRAZIL
Sao Paulo survive hostility
Sao Paulo survived a hostile reception at Vasco da Gama to win 2-1 on Sunday and move closer to their third successive championship title. Vasco fans attempted to stone the Sao Paulo bus as it arrive at their Sao Januario stadium and there was also a row between officials when the visitors were initially banned from warming up on the pitch. Media also said the visitors found their dressing-room door locked when they arrived and had to force it open. “We just want to give Sao Paulo the same treatment that everyone receives in all the stadiums,” Vasco president Roberto Dinamite said. Midfielder Jorge Wagner gave Sao Paulo the lead in the 21st minute when he found the top corner with a free kick from the edge of the area. Madson rifled in a long-range shot to equalize nine minutes later but Sao Paulo regained the lead at the start of the second half when Hugo scored following a corner. The defeat left Vasco rooted in the relegation zone with two matches to play. Sao Paulo increased their lead at the top to five points over Gremio and need only one more win to clinch the title.
■PORTUGAL
Benfica stay unbeaten
Benfica maintained their unbeaten league start on Sunday with two first-half goals for a 2-0 victory over Academica to keep hold of second spot in the league. Rubem Amorim opened for the Eagles in the 31st minute before Oscar Cardozo netted his fifth of the season through a 47th-minute penalty as Benfica stretched their winning streak to four games. Benfica improved to 21 points to stay one point behind leader Leixoes, who ensured they stayed top of the table after nine rounds with a 2-1 victory over Rio Ave on Friday.
■UNITED STATES
Crew win MLS Cup final
Argentina’s Guillermo Barros Schelotto set up all three Columbus goals as the Crew downed the New York Red Bulls 3-1 to win the MLS Cup Final on Sunday. Alejandro Moreno scored in the first half for Columbus and, after New York leveled early in the second, Chad Marshall and Frankie Hejduk added goals for the Crew. “It’s a very emotional moment for me, winning this game here in LA in front of family and friends. And, to be quite honest, the town that I was fired in,” Columbus coach Sigi Schmid said. Schmid won the MLS Cup in 2002 as coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy, who fired him in 2004.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Forget Real Madrid, Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, the world’s best soccer team — statistically speaking — might be a little-known outfit from the closed central Asian nation of Turkmenistan. Founded last year, Arkadag, named in honor of former Turkmen president Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, have been unstoppable, notching up 36 consecutive domestic victories in a run still ongoing. The side have not lost a single competitive match and swept to a league and cup double in their inaugural season — success unthinkable almost anywhere else. However, in Turkmenistan, it could hardly have gone any other way. The energy-rich country is one of the most closed
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping