GERMANY
Hannover edge Frankfurt
Hannover 96 edged fellow strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2 away with an attacking display that produced three goals in the first half an hour on Thursday to take a huge step toward staying in the top tier. Their second straight league win after four consecutive defeats lifted Hannover to 12th place with 35 points, behind Frankfurt on goal-difference, and put eight points between them and the relegation playoff spot with three games left. Hannover got off to a flying start with Leon Andreasen charging through the Frankfurt defense to head in the opener after two minutes following good work from Christian Pander, but Martin Lanig drew the hosts level in the 13th minute. However, Hannover attacked at every possible opportunity and struck twice more in nine minutes with Lars Stindl heading in a Pander free-kick in the 20th minute and Ivorian forward Didier Ya Konan slotting home to give them a two-goal cushion at halftime. Eintracht, who could have guaranteed their safety with a victory, started the second half poorly as Hannover’s Andreasen and substitute Szabolcs Huszti hit the woodwork. Alex Meier cut the deficit against the run of play when he headed in from close range, but that was Eintracht’s last effort, while Hannover missed more chances in the final minutes.
SPAIN
Neymar, Alba out injured
A nightmare eight days for Barcelona was compounded on Thursday when forward Neymar and defender Jordi Alba were ruled out for up to a month with foot and thigh-muscle injuries respectively. Brazil international Neymar has a bruise on his left foot which has caused a buildup of fluid, while Spain leftback Alba has a strain in his right thigh, Barca said on their Web site. The injuries were sustained during Wednesday’s Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Madrid, with Neymar sidelined for about four weeks and Alba for three to four weeks, leaving them in a race to regain fitness before the end of the season. If they recover within the estimated time frame, they should return for Barca’s final La Liga match at home to La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid on May 18, the club added. The Catalan side’s 2-1 defeat by Real in the Copa del Rey showpiece followed their UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Atletico a week earlier and a shock 1-0 La Liga defeat at Granada last weekend.
CROATIA
Fans clash on busy highway
Police said at least 17 supporters of two rival Croatian clubs have been injured, two seriously, as they clashed on a busy highway. The supporters of Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split fought each other with baseball bats and iron bars on Wednesday on the highway linking Zagreb with Split on the Adriatic coast. Police said they were traveling in vans in the opposite direction when the encounter occurred. The motive of the fight between the fans of the two biggest rivals in Croatia was not immediately clear, but such clashes have often happened in the past. Police said several participants were arrested and several vehicles they were traveling in were demolished.
BRAZIL
Beijing to host gala match
Brazil and Argentina will hold a South American Superclassico gala match on Oct. 11 at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium, the countries’ respective federations said on Thursday. Brazil won the last two editions of the occasional friendly series in 2011, but there was no game last year, with Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari keen to give his players a free week in an already crammed schedule.
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
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
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care