SOCCER
Czech player goal kicks butt
Who has soccer’s most famous bottom? A little-known Czech player is in with a fair chance after scoring an unlikely butt-kick goal that made him an online hit. David Hovorka, a reserve player for AC Sparta Prague, sent the ball spinning home with a decisive backside volley 25 minutes into a game against rivals Meteor. “I jumped for a volley kick, but I twisted my body a bit too far around, and so I used my bottom,” the 20-year-old defender told the Sport daily on Wednesday. Sparta Prague went on to win the third-division game 3-0. Footage of his anatomical feat has drawn about 700,000 views on YouTube. Hovorka said it was a “spontaneous gesture.” “I just burst out laughing. It’s true I’d never scored a goal like that before,” he said.
BOXING
Klitschko ready for Povetkin
Heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko is confident that he will put an end to Alexander Povetkin’s undefeated record when he defends his WBA and IBF belts against the Russian at the Olympic Stadium tomorrow. After open training sessions in front of media on Wednesday, Klitschko (60-3, 51 KO) said he came to Moscow to win any way he could. “That’s what I will do on Oct. 5,” Klitschko said. “Believe me, I will do everything for my victory.” However, Klitschko made it clear he would not underestimate Povetkin. “He hasn’t lost or drawn a fight and was never knocked down,” Klitschko said. Povetkin (26-0, 18 KO) avoided the usual pre-bout banter and said he was just preparing for the fight. “There’s no need for extra words,” the Russian said. “I could have said that I would bury him or something like this, but you will see it on Saturday.”
SOCCER
Napoli fans blamed for attack
SSC Napoli fans were blamed on Wednesday for an attack on a restaurant near Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium prior to Tuesday’s Champions League tie in London that the home side won 2-0. The London Metropolitan Police Service said the incident, which saw one man assaulted and the window of the Piebury Corner restaurant smashed, started when about 30 Napoli supporters became involved in a verbal exchange with Arsenal fans. Piebury Corner manager Paul Campbell said Arsenal fans had played no part in the build-up. The police statement added: “The Napoli fans then turned violent, smashing a window and throwing a number of chairs before moving on.” Arsenal supporters had to duck for cover and a 48-year-old man was taken to hospital with lacerations to his head, after witnesses reported that a group of Italian men had been swinging belts and throwing tables and chairs in the restaurant.
CRICKET
Afghanistan near World Cup
Afghanistan moved to within just one victory of a place in the World Cup 2015 after beating Kenya by eight wickets in the first of two one-day internationals (ODIs) in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on Wednesday. Kenya chose to bat, but were skittled out for 89 runs in 37.5 overs, with Hamid Hassan claiming 4-19. In reply, Nawroz Mangal hit three fours and four sixes in a 60-ball 52, and Mohammad Shahzad scored a 41-ball 33 as Afghanistan achieved victory for the loss of two wickets inside 18 overs. The two openers put on 79 runs for the first wicket in just more than 16 overs. The win has moved Afghanistan one point behind the UAE and the Netherlands. Should Afghanistan win the today’s ODI, they would climb to second position behind Ireland and qualify for their maiden ICC Cricket World Cup. If they lose, the UAE will qualify.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set