■SOCCER
N Korea lose, advance
North Korea continued their 2010 World Cup preparations by winning a four-team invitational tournament in Qatar despite losing their final match 1-0 to Iran. A draw between the hosts and Mali in the earlier match meant North Korea could afford to lose to Iran on Saturday having recorded victories in their opening two games. Mehrzad Madanchi scored the winner for Iran, lobbing a shot home in the 42nd minute to give his side a timely boost ahead of a key Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore on Wednesday. North Korea finished on six points from three matches ahead of Qatar on four, then Mali (4) and Iran (3). The North Koreans will next month head to Sri Lanka for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup, where the winners of the region’s second-tier tournament qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup.
■SOCCER
Tinhan turns down Benin
Grenoble midfielder Jonathan Tinhan has turned down a call-up from Benin to play at the African Nations Cup finals after just one senior game. The French-born Tinhan’s decision delayed the final selection of the 23-man Benin squad by coach Michel Dussuyer for this month’s tournament in Angola. The 20-year-old Tinhan had expressed surprise at being named and was advised by his parents and club not to play at the tournament given his lack of experience, Benin’s Le Matinal newspaper reported. Tinhan has played just 19 minutes of Ligue 1 soccer for bottom-placed Grenoble. Benin will play a warm-up friendly at home against Libya on Wednesday before departing for Angola. Their opening Group C game is against Mozambique in Benguela on Jan. 12.
■EQUESTRIAN
Showjumper in car crash
French showjumper Eric Levallois, who won team gold at the World Equestrian Games in 2002, is recovering in hospital after a serious car crash. The 46-year-old underwent an operation after the accident at the start of the week, his sister Sylvie Levallois told reporters, adding that he will be transferred in the coming days to start his rehabilitation. “He was in a very serious condition but we’ve seen him improve greatly. Eric has found mobility in his legs once more and should be able to walk again,” she said.
■SNOWBOARDING
Pearce still in hospital
Kevin Pearce remained in critical but stable condition in a hospital on Saturday, two days after suffering a serious head injury in training. Pearce, 22, struck his head on the side of the halfpipe while attempting a cab double cork — a difficult twisting double back flip. “Kevin sustained a severe traumatic brain injury,” doctor Holly Ledyard said. “He is currently in intensive care and in critical condition, but stable and has not needed to undergo surgery at this time. He is intubated and being kept sedated. The focus over the next week will be watching for swelling in his brain and keeping his brain pressure normal.”
■RUGBY UNION
White to miss Six Nations
Veteran Scottish backrow forward Jason White is out of this year’s Six Nations after suffering a double fracture of his left leg. The 31-year-old 77-times capped former Scotland captain fractured his tibia in training with Clermont on Friday and had an operation on Saturday. White had been due to start in yesterday’s Top 14 clash with Toulon. Scotland coach Andy Robinson said that White had an operation. “Jason had an operation this [Saturday] morning and we wish him a speedy recovery.”
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two