SOCCER
FC Seoul take league title
FC Seoul won their first K-League title in a decade after beating Jeju United 2-1 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. After battling to a 2-2 draw in Jeju in the first leg on Wednesday, Seoul rallied from a goal down on Sunday to claim the title with a 4-3 aggregate victory in front of more than 55,000 fans. After having a goal disallowed as offside in the 10th minute, Seoul fell behind to Brazilian Santos’s goal 15 minutes later. However, Seoul striker Jung Jo-gook equalized with a penalty three minutes later before Adilson Dos Santos headed the winner from a corner in the 72nd minute. The team last won the K-League title in 2000, when they were based in Anyang, South Korea.
CYCLING
Meyer wins ‘Oppy’ medal
Cameron Meyer was awarded the Hubert “Oppy” Opperman medal when he was named this year’s Australian Cyclist of the Year at a gala ceremony in Melbourne late on Sunday. Meyer, 22, won the medal for the first time ahead of former winners Cadel Evans and Anna Meares. He also claimed the track rider of the year award. While Evans was the favorite to win his fourth medal in five years, Meyer was a deserving winner after an outstanding year. The West Australian won three titles at the world track championships in Copenhagen in March and another three gold medals at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games in October.
SOCCER
Four spots left to fill
With Europe’s major powers already through to the Champions League knockout stages, there are only four spots left to fill following this week’s final group matches. Rubin Kazan is at already-qualified Barcelona, needing to better FC Copenhagen’s result against Panathinaikos to edge the Danish side to the Group D runner-up spot, while AS Roma will be guaranteed progress from Group E if they avoid defeat at lowly Cluj. That leaves only Group H with both spots open, although Shakhtar Donetsk and Arsenal each need only to avoid defeat to freeze out third-place Braga. Elsewhere, Inter are at Werder Bremen, but need Tottenham to slip up at FC Twente to have any chance of winning Group A and secure a more favorable draw for the next round. Newcomer Tottenham lead defending champion Inter courtesy of a superior head-to-head record and the Italian side’s morale took another hit on Friday with a 3-1 Serie A loss to Lazio. That was Inter’s fourth domestic defeat, the same as they took in winning last season’s title. Inter head to Bremen for one of today’s eight matches without goalkeeper Julio Cesar, fullback Maicon, midfielder Coutinho and defender Walter Samuel — the latter out for the season with a knee injury
SOCCER
Sporting Lisbon win
Sporting Lisbon scored three first-half goals on Sunday to beat Portimonense 3-1 and jump from fifth to third place in the Portuguese league. Helder Postiga put Sporting ahead in the 23rd minute. Portimonense striker Jorge Pires scored his first league goal to equalize in the 38th, but Nuno Oliveira made it 2-1 in the 43rd from a cross by left back Evaldo. Andre Santos sealed Sporting’s win as the first half ended. Also on Sunday, Rio Ave drew 1-1 with Beira Mar. The other two matches scheduled for Sunday were postponed.
SOCCER
Monterrey win Apertura title
Chilean striker Humberto Suazo scored twice as Monterrey defeated Santos 3-0 on Sunday to win the Mexican Apertura title 4-2 on aggregate. Suazo, who returned to Mexico after a six-month stint with Zaragoza in Spain, scored in the 28th and 85th minutes as Rayados won the Mexican crown for the fourth time in their history and second in the last three seasons. Argentine defender Jose Maria Basanta also scored in the 72nd for a Monterrey team that also has titles in the Mexico 1986 tournament, the Clausura in 2003 and last year’s Apertura. Santos, which was also the runner-up in May in the Clausura final, wasted a 2-1 lead from the first leg on its home pitch. The victory was the seventh Mexican league title for Monterrey coach Victor Manuel Vucetich, who is known as the “King Midas” of Mexican soccer.
RUGBY UNION
Coach hails son’s play
Saracens coach Andy Farrell hailed his son Owen’s match-winning performance in a 26-14 win over the Harlequins that lifted his side up to third in the Premiership on Sunday. The 19-year-old fly-half, standing in for the injured Derick Hougaard and Alex Goode, kicked four penalties and converted tries by David Strettle and Schalk Brits. “I have been watching him and analyzing him all of his life, so he knows I will be an objective critic. But he played a very fine game out there and I’m very happy he was made man of the match,” Farrell senior said. “It was particularly good to see Owen kicking so well tactically, taking his time and making his decisions calmly. The best fly-halves play as if they are wearing dinner suits, that is when they are controlling things and looking settled.”
BASEBALL
Werth signs with Nationals
Jayson Werth, who helped Philadelphia win the 2008 World Series, agreed on Sunday to a seven-year Major League Baseball contract worth US$126 million with the Washington Nationals. The 31-year-old free agent outfielder batted .296 with 27 home runs, 85 runs batted in and a National League-best 46 doubles this year with the Phillies, who won the NL East division crown in all four of his seasons on the team. By contrast, the Nationals went 69-93 and have not managed a winning season since 2003 when they were based in Montreal. “He’s going to be a big piece of the puzzle,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said. “We certainly have more holes to fill. We had more work to do, and we’re certainly aggressively going on from here and beyond.” Washington lost slugger Adam Dunn to the Chicago White Sox on Friday, but replaced his big bat in their lineup with Werth, who spent two seasons each with Toronto and the Los Angeles Dodgers before joining the Phillies.
SOCCER
Velez beat Godoy Cruz
Santiago Silva scored twice as Velez beat Godoy Cruz 4-0 on Sunday to stay in the race for the Argentina Apertura title with two rounds remaining. Silva scored in the 32nd minute from close range and again in the 52nd, chipping in from in front. Maxi Moralez scored in the 56th and Jonathan Cristaldo added the final goal seven minutes from the end. Velez moved to 37 points. League-leading Estudiantes had a 3-1 victory over Argentinos Juniors on Saturday to move to 39 points. Maxi Nunez and Gabriel Mercado scored second-half goals for Estudiantes. Only Velez or Estudiantes can win the title, which will be decided in the next week.
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
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely