■ FRANCE
Monaco held to 0-0 draw
Monaco are the only club in France’s top division yet to score this season after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Montpellier in a delayed match on Tuesday. Visitors Montpellier, who beat Girondins de Bordeaux 1-0 in their opening game of the season, began positively, but Monaco threatened first when Thomas Mangani’s well-struck free-kick prompted a smart stop by Geoffrey Jourdren. Guy Lacombe’s side went even closer in the 27th minute, with striker Park Chu-young getting ahead of his marker to glance a header against the outside of the post with Jourdren beaten. Park had a penalty appeal turned down 13 minutes into the second half after appearing to be impeded by Benjamin Stambouli and Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud almost put his side in front moments later, only for Stephane Ruffier to brilliantly repel his bicycle-kick. The match had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, but fell victim to fierce thunderstorms.
■FRANCE
Lemoine faces long layoff
Stade Rennais midfielder Fabien Lemoine is facing six months on the sidelines following a heavy blow to the side at the weekend that split one of his kidneys. The injury, sustained in a collision with an opposing player during Renne’s 3-0 win at Nancy on Saturday, saw Lemoine’s kidney split into three parts and there were initial fears for his long-term health. “This kind of injury in football is very rare and is more common in car crashes,” Rennes club doctor Karl Chaory said. He added that there were two possibilities for the treatment of the injury. “The first is that we can hope that the kidney heals by itself, but that would take time — at least six months, almost certainly longer. The second would involve an operation to remove the kidney. That would take less time, but of course we would give priority to the player’s overall health, rather than to sporting considerations.” A final decision on how to proceed will be taken in the next 10 days, with Lemoine expected to be released from hospital at the end of this week.
■ CHINA
Jiao fined, sent to reserves
Shandong Luneng sent former captain Jiao Zhe to the reserve team, suspended his salary and fined him 30,000 yuan (US$4,400) for beating up a teammate after a Chinese Super League game last weekend. The 29-year-old former China international was punished for swearing at and then hitting substitute defender Zhang Chi in the locker room after a 2-1 victory in Chongqing, local media reported yesterday. “It is not as simple as kicking him out now and calling him back later. We must give him a warning, a lesson to learn,” manager Han Gongzheng told the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper. The rightback swore at Zhang for his poor performance during the match, Chinese news portal Sohu.com said, and he considered Zhang’s silence a sign of disrespect. Jiao was stripped of the captaincy last year for insulting fans and at the beginning of this season he was dropped for questioning the coach and injuring other players in training, Sohu.com said.
■ CAMEROON
Clemente to manage Lions
Former Spain coach Javier Clemente was named as the new manager of the Cameroon national team on Tuesday following a disastrous World Cup for the Indomitable Lions under Paul Le Guen. The Cameroon Football Federation announced that Clemente had agreed a two-year contract to replace Le Guen — who resigned in June. A statement said Clemente would sign his contract no later than Sept. 28.
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care