CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Anderlecht draw with Malaga
Anderlecht were eliminated from Europe on Tuesday when they drew 2-2 in the Champions League at Malaga, who had already won Group C, in a match marred by clashes between police and visiting fans in the stands. Zenit St Petersburg’s 1-0 victory at AC Milan, who clinched second place last month, sent the Russians into the Europa League in third spot with seven points, one behind the Italians and two ahead of the Belgian side. Malaga captain Duda twice put the home side ahead at the Rosaleda with a fine curling effort in the 45th minute and a well-struck shot in the 61st. Milan Jovanovic’s chip leveled for the visitors five minutes after the break and Dieudonne Mbokani made it 2-2 in the 89th minute, before Kameni pulled off the last of several excellent saves to deny Mbokani in added time. Unbeaten Malaga, making their debut in Europe’s elite club competition, have 12 points from their six group matches.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Zagreb end losing streak
Dinamo Zagreb ended an 11-game losing streak in the Champions League when they drew 1-1 with Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday in a Group A tie interrupted by heavy snowfall. Andriy Yarmolenko put the visitors in front on the stroke of halftime, but a penalty by Ivan Krstanovic deep into stoppage-time at the end of the game earned Zagreb a point. Zagreb finished bottom of the group with one point from six games, four points adrift of Kiev who qualified for the Europa League in third spot. Paris Saint-Germain (15 points) and Porto (13 points) went through to the last 16 of the Champions League after the French side defeated the 2004 winners 2-1 at the Parc des Princes in Paris.
BUNDESLIGA
Slomka to extent contract
Hannover 96 coach Mirko Slomka is to extend his contract until 2016 and will sign the new deal ahead of Sunday’s visit of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, the Bundesliga club announced on Tuesday. “The risks are minimal, the deal is agreed and we are set to go ahead,” club president Martin Kind said. The 45-year-old — whose side are away to Spanish outfit Levante UD today in a battle for top spot in their Europa League group — has been in his post since 2010 and also finished his playing career with the club. The team have qualified for the Europa League twice and are already guaranteed a place in the last-32 this year as they attempt to improve on their 12th place league position with the arrival of second-placed Leverkusen.
PREMIER LEAGUE
Chelsea to sign Wallace
Chelsea announced on Tuesday that they have agreed to sign teenage Brazilian fullback Wallace from Fluminense. The 18-year-old will not officially join Chelsea until next month’s transfer window, but he will then be immediately loaned back to the Brazilian club until the end of the season. Chelsea did not reveal how much they had paid to sign the player, but reports in the British media said he was valued at around £5 million (US$8 million). The European champions reportedly acquired a 40 percent stake in Wallace as part of the deal that took Brazil-born Portugal midfielder Deco from Chelsea to Fluminense two years ago. Wallace, a Brazil Under-20 international, will become the fifth Brazilian member of Chelsea’s first-team squad, alongside David Luiz, Ramires, Oscar and Luis Piazon. Wallace’s transfer is a timely piece of good news for Chelsea, who are 10 points off the pace in the Premier League after a run of seven games without a win and on the brink of elimination from the Champions League.
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
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
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just
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