SOCCER
Barca, Real labor to wins
Barcelona and Real Madrid labored to victories over Real Betis Balompie and Levante respectively on Saturday as they warmed-up for their Champions League semi-finals in midweek. Barca’s 1-0 win moved them to within two victories of mathematically sealing the title, but without the injured Lionel Messi, they struggled to break down a resolute Levante UD until Cesc Fabregas stroked home the winner eight minutes from time. Eric Abidal started for the hosts for the first time in 14 months following his liver transplant as Tito Vilanova rested a number of key players with tomorrow’s clash with Bayern Munich in mind. Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Betis earlier in the day was slightly more routine, but came at a cost as Marcelo and Luka Modric limped off with muscular injuries and are now serious doubts for the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final with Borussia Dortmund. Valencia boosted their chances of clinching the fourth Champions League by beating Malaga 5-1 at the Mestalla. Real Valladolid and Granada drew 1-1.
SOCCER
Udinese down Lazio
A superb first-half volley from veteran Udinese striker Antonio Di Natale secured a precious 1-0 win over SS Lazio and dented the Biancocelesti’s hopes of European soccer next season. With only three points separating the sides and a place in Europe within sight, there was plenty of incentive for Udinese, especially against a Lazio side who won only twice in their past 12 league games. Lazio lined up with German striker Miroslav Klose. However, he made little impact as a better organized Udinese side went about claiming their third consecutive league victory at home against the visitors — the first time they have won three consecutive league matches this season. Earlier on Saturday Genoa spurned the chance to move out of the relegation zone when they could only manage to draw 1-1 draw against Atalanta BC.
RUGBY UNION
Bulls charge to victory
A couple of late tries gave Northern Bulls a bonus-point 34-0 victory over Southern Kings on Saturday in a lively all-South Africa Super 15 clash. The extra point was secured when Akona Ndungane dotted down after the hooter and lifted the Pretoria side eight places to third on the southern hemisphere championship standings and top place in the South African conference. Earlier, a late interception try by Willie le Roux ensured the Cheetahs beat the Sharks 12-6 in lashing rain on a sodden Kings Park pitch. Wing Le Roux pounced in the 78th minute to seal the Cheetahs’ victory with their second try, sending the Sharks to a second straight defeat and strengthening the Cheetahs’ playoff hopes with a sixth win in nine games.
RUGBY UNION
All Black Savea charged
All Black Julian Savea has been charged with assault following a domestic incident and will appear in court in Wellington today, the New Zealand Rugby Union said. The 22-year-old winger, who appeared on posters last year in support of a government-led campaign against family violence, tearfully apologized at a media conference in Wellington yesterday. “Whilst I can’t go into the details because it is now before the courts, I understand that the details will come out in due course,” he said in a prepared statement. “But I will say that my partner and I did have an argument, I did some things that are wrong and that I shouldn’t have done and I apologize for that. To my partner and her family I just want to say that I’m sorry to hurt someone that you love and care so much for.”
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but