■SOCCER
Liga rout Fluminense
Edison Mendez’s quality hat-trick led Liga de Quito to a 5-1 rout of Fluminense in the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final on Wednesday. The return leg is next Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, where Fluminense will be relieved after appearing to struggle to breathe at Quito’s 3,000m altitude. The final is a rematch of the last year’s final of the Copa Libertadores, South America’s club championship, when Liga beat Fluminense in a penalty shootout to become the first club from Ecuador to win a major tournament. In search of revenge, Fluminense made a remarkable start at the Casa Blanca Stadium. After barely 20 seconds, the ball was worked to Fred on the edge of the box and the former Lyon striker’s shot was barely parried away by goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez. Marquinho pounced on the rebound and blasted a powerful shot into the roof of the net. Liga regrouped fast and Mendez pulled the home side level in the 21st minute after receiving a quick free-kick on the right and arrowing a shot that stung the fingers of Fluminense goalkeeper Rafael. Mendez scored again in the 44th minute when his 30m free-kick rebounded off the wall and dropped invitingly into his path. The veteran midfielder launched an unstoppable drive off the underside of the crossbar to put Liga in front. In the 60th minute, Mendez arrived in the box to complete his hat-trick with a downward header from Norberto Araujo’s right-wing cross. Franklin Salas swapped passes with Mendez inside the box in the 77th minute and hit a first-time volley across Rafael for Liga’s fourth goal. De La Cruz sealed a miserable night for Fluminense with a 30m strike in the 88th minute.
■BASKETBALL
Iverson set to retire
With no apparent interest from NBA teams, Allen Iverson is set to retire, an online report says. Commentator Stephen Smith published a statement on his Web site on Wednesday attributed to Iverson. It said Iverson plans to retire, but also that “I feel strongly that I can still compete at the highest level.” The statement also said Iverson has tremendous love for the game and the desire to play, adding there is “a whole lot left in my tank.” “His legacy would be huge,” Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star LeBron James said. “He’s one of the best when you talk about guys six foot [1.83m] and under in the game of basketball. He played injured and he played hard every single night. I don’t think it should end this way, but if it does, he’s left a lot of great things behind.”
■SOCCER
Romario in emotional return
Former Brazil striker Romario came out of retirement to play 22 minutes for his late father’s favorite team America-RJ and lift the Rio de Janeiro State second division title on Wednesday. The 43-year-old Romario, who retired last year and became America’s sporting director this year, came on as a substitute in the second half of America’s 2-0 win over Artsul. The former Barcelona striker was unable to improve on his career goals tally, which he has claimed to be more than 1,000, but he did a lap of honor with the trophy.
■CYCLING
McEwen planning comeback
Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen is planning to make his comeback to professional cycling at the Tour Down Under in January. A three-time winner of the Tour de France’s sprinters’ green jersey, McEwen was sidelined for most of this year after crashing heavily in Belgium in May. Lance Armstrong of the US and Australia’s road race world champion Cadel Evans will also be competing.
Carlos Alcaraz on Monday powered into the French Open second round with a resounding win to start his title defense, while world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and three-time defending women’s champion Iga Swiatek also progressed at Roland Garros. Four-time Grand Slam champion Alcaraz struck 31 winners in a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri and is to face Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in round two. Alcaraz is now on an eight-match winning streak at the French Open and also took Olympic silver at Roland Garros last year, losing the final to Novak Djokovic. “The first round is never
FRUSTRATION: Alcaraz made several unforced errors over four sets against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, who had never made it past the third round in a major competition Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz reached the fourth round of the French Open after laboring past Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in the Friday night session. The second-seeded Spaniard had never before played Dzumhur, a 33-year-old Bosnian who had never been past the third round at any major tournament. “I suffered quite a lot today,” Alcaraz said. “The first two sets was under control, then he started to play more deeply and more aggressively. It was really difficult for me.” Dzumhur hurt his left knee in a fall in the second round, and had treatment on Friday on his right leg during the
‘DREAM’: The 5-0 victory was PSG’s first Champions League title, and the biggest final win by any team in the 70-year history of the top-flight European competition Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League for the first time as Luis Enrique’s brilliant young side outclassed Inter on Saturday in the most one-sided final ever with teenager Desire Doue scoring twice in an astonishing 5-0 victory. Doue supplied the pass for Achraf Hakimi to give PSG an early lead and the 19-year-old went from provider to finisher as his deflected shot doubled the advantage in the 20th minute. Doue scored again just after the hour mark, ending any doubt about the outcome before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ran away to get the fourth and substitute Senny Mayulu, another teenager, made it five. Inter were
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
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