■PORTUGAL
Porto lift the Super Cup
Goals by defender Rolando and Colombian striker Radamel Falcao gave Porto a 2-0 win over champions Benfica in Aveiro on Saturday to lift the Portuguese Super Cup. Argentine midfielder Fernando Belluschi’s fourth-minute corner was deflected by Benfica’s Carlos Martins and flew straight to Rolando, who headed in unchallenged to give cup-winners Porto an early lead. It was Porto again who almost scored a second just before halftime. Benfica goalkeeper Roberto palmed away a cross by forward Hulk and the ball fell to Joao Moutinho, whose first-time shot was cleared off the line by Brazilian defender Luisao. Porto’s well-organized midfield dominated the start of the second half and the northern side doubled their lead on 67 minutes when impressive winger Silvestre Varela beat Luisao on the left flank and crossed for the incoming Falcao to fire in. Benfica rarely threatened and only came close to pulling one back five minutes from the final whistle, with Paraguay international Oscar Cardoso putting Javier Saviola through, but Helton made a fine save to deny the Argentine forward.
■GERMANY
Bayern too good for Schalke
Bayern Munich on Saturday added the Super Cup to their Bundesliga title and German Cup double with a 2-0 win over Schalke 04 in a display that suggested they will again be the overwhelming title favorites. Despite playing without the injured Arjen Robben, the besieged Franck Ribery and a resting Mark Van Bommel, Bayern were still too strong and triumphed with late goals from German World Cup stars Thomas Mueller and Mirsolav Klose. They had to be patient for the breakthrough and it was Mueller, who was handed a lucrative new contract on Friday, who found the target in the 75th minute. Klose added the second six minutes later as Bayern won a third Super Cup, a trophy which hadn’t been contested since 1996.
■GREECE
Fans attack their own coach
AEK president Stavros Adamidis has spoken of “sabotage from within” after coach Dusan Bajevic was attacked by fans following a pre-season friendly defeat on Saturday. Bajevic, 61, fell to the ground after being punched by fans who surrounded the Serbian coach as he attempted to leave the pitch following the 2-1 defeat to second-tier side Kallithea. “What happened is a disgrace for AEK,” Adamidis told NovaSport FM radio. “The administration is determined and we will keep the coach. What happened is unacceptable.” Bajevic, who is in a third spell with the club, has endured a rocky relationship with sections of the fans because of previous spells in charge of rivals Olympiakos. There are fears that this latest episode may lead to his resignation, but Adamidis said the coach would stay on. “I have spoken to him and he is very shocked, but rest assured we will not let him go,” Adamidis said.
■BRAZIL
Menezes calls up new boys
New Brazil coach Mano Menezes has called up 10 new players for tomorrow’s friendly against the US, the team’s first outing since their disappointing World Cup campaign. Included in the squad are players expected to lead the assault on the 2014 World Cup which is being staged in Brazil. Among the new players are Santos midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso and his teammate, Neymar, a striker tipped to be one of Brazil’s future superstars. Manchester United defender Rafael also gets a call, as does Lyon midfielder Ederson, who led the national under-17 team to the world title in 2003.
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
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two