Czech champions Sparta Prague moved to within four games of the lucrative Champions League group phase by completing a 5-0 aggregate victory over Latvia’s Liepajas Metalurgs on Wednesday.
Sparta, crowned champions in the Czech Republic’s Gambrinus Liga for the 11th time last season, won 2-0 in the Czech capital in the second leg of their second qualifying round tie thanks to a pair of first-half free-kicks.
Czech international Marek Matejovsky set the hosts on their way with a 12th-minute free-kick and Martin Zeman doubled the advantage shortly before the interval, two minutes after coming on as a substitute.
Sparta will meet Polish team Lech Poznan for a berth in the playoff round, when heavyweights including Sevilla, Sampdoria and Tottenham Hotspur will enter the competition.
Lech Poznan’s game with Inter Baku of Azerbaijan was the most dramatic of the night, with the hosts ultimately winning 9-8 on penalties following a match that ended 1-1 on aggregate after extra-time.
Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade secured their passage to the third round with a 1-0 win at Armenian side FC Pyunik that sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Partizan, beaten European Cup finalists in 1966, prevailed through a powerful finish from Brazilian striker Cleo in first-half stoppage-time in Yerevan and will face Finnish outfit HJK Helsini in the third qualifying round.
Debrecen, the reigning Hungarian champions, edged a narrow tie with Estonia’s Levadia Tallinn to set up a clash with Swiss champions FC Basel.
Having secured a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Tallinn, Debrecen fell behind to a third-minute goal from Levadia skipper Konstantin Nahk. Adamo Coulibaly drew the home side level in the 24th minute, before Yannick Mbengono put them ahead, but Levadia equalized through Vitali Leitan in the 53rd minute, only for Peter Szakaly to net the deciding goal two minutes later.
Goals from Swedish international striker Rade Prica and 17-year-old midfielder Markus Henriksen earned Norwegian champions Rosenborg a tight 2-0 aggregate victory over Northern Irish side Linfield.
Prica struck the first goal of the tie in the 32nd minute in Trondheim, with Henriksen applying the finishing touch late on to earn Rosenborg a meeting with Scandinavian rivals AIK, the Swedish champions.
The first legs of the third qualifying round take place next Tuesday and Wednesday, with the return legs a week later on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4.
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
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
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and