SOCCER
Guangzhou claim title
Guangzhou Evergrande became the first Chinese team since 1990 to win the Asian Champions League by drawing 1-1 with Seoul in the second leg of the final on Saturday, claiming the title on away goals after the first game in South Korea ended 2-2. The victory makes Guangzhou’s Italian coach Marcello Lippi the first to win the Champions Leagues of Asia and Europe, following his 1995-1996 success with Juventus. “Winning this cup is very important for Chinese football,” Lippi said. “We have grown a lot and wanted to compete at an international level. It’s not an easy thing for a team to play the same way at home and away, but this is something we were able to do and this was a big advantage in winning the championship.” At a sold-out Tianhe Stadium in Guangzhou, Brazilian striker Elkeson put the hosts ahead after 58 minutes. Dejan Damjanovic equalized for Seoul just four minutes later, but the visitors could not find a winner.
FOOTBALL
Incognito in more hot water
The Miami Dolphins took swift action against Richie Incognito for allegedly harassing a female at the team’s golf tournament last year, coach Joe Philbin said on Saturday, as the storm surrounding the controversial lineman continued to build. Incognito, who has been suspended indefinitely by the Dolphins and is being investigated by the NFL for allegations he bullied and threatened teammate Jonathan Martin, found himself in more trouble after Philbin confirmed the incident at the team charity event. “That incident occurred a year and a half ago. We were made of aware of the situation, we took immediate action,” Philbin told reporters. No charges were filed against Incognito, but a police report was made. Local TV station WPLG reported that the woman claimed Incognito had been drinking alcohol and acting inappropriately. The woman reportedly notified her supervisor, who then informed team security about the incident.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Aussies, England grab wins
Australia set up a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final against the US by trouncing Ireland 50-0 on Saturday, running in nine tries, despite the tournament favorites giving many of their star players the night off. The Kangaroos wrapped up their Group A campaign with a third straight win, passing the 100-point barrier in the process. Earlier, England grabbed six tries in 18 minutes bridging halftime to rally past Fiji 34-12 and seal second place in the group and a last-eight match against France or Samoa. Ireland’s defeat meant Fiji also advanced to the quarters.
GOLF
Kirk, Baird share the lead
Chris Kirk and Briny Baird both birdied the 18th hole on Saturday to share the third-round lead in the McGladrey Classic. Kirk holed a 24-foot putt to complete a two-under 68. Baird followed with an eight-foot birdie putt for a 67. Their 54-hole total of 10-under 200 left them one stroke in front of Kevin Stadler, Brian Gay and Australian John Senden going into the final round.
HORSE RACING
Jockey Gill dies after fall
A 45-year-old jockey has died in hospital from injuries suffered in a race fall north of Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday. Racing Queensland said in a statement yesterday that Desiree Gill was taken to a local hospital after falling from her mount, Celtic Ambition, in the fifth race at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club. She died early yesterday. Gill was the wife of leading Queensland trainer Barry Gill.
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