BASEBALL
Cuba eliminate Taiwan
Taiwan were defeated 2-3 by Cuba on Tuesday in the WBSC Under-18 Baseball World Cup in Osaka, Japan, dashing their hopes of advancing to the final six. In the first five games, the team lost to Canada and then beat Italy and South Africa before losing to South Korea on Monday. The loss to Cuba dropped the team’s record to 2-3, causing them to fail to advance to the second round of the tournament. It was Taiwan’s worst showing in the 34 years since the team began playing in the WBSC Under-18 Baseball World Cup and the IBAF Under-18 Baseball World Cup.
FOOTBALL
CBS to stream games online
CBS Corp is to stream seven NFL games, including the Super Bowl, for free over the Internet in the coming season, in an effort to reach viewers who do not pay for cable. Anyone will be able to stream two regular-season games, four playoff games and the Super Bowl on their laptops, smartphones and connected TV devices, the company said on Tuesday. The network has offered games for free in the past, including last season’s American Football Conference championship game. This is the first time it has offered regular-season games. CBS is trying to reach the growing number of consumers who do not pay for TV service, and sell additional ads to major sponsors.
SOCCER
Cook Islands defeat Samoa
Having waited almost 20 years for a first World Cup win, the tiny Cook Islands were left celebrating their second in three days, which put them on the brink of reaching the next round in Oceania qualifying. Midfielder Taylor Saghabi, who scored a hat-trick in the breakthrough 3-0 win over Tonga on Monday, bagged the winner via a 39th minute free-kick yesterday as the Cook Islands edged Samoa 1-0 at the Loto-Tonga Soka Centre in Tonga. The two wins put the tiny island nation of less than 15,000 inhabitants, ranked joint 206th in the 209-team FIFA rankings, on six points and needing just a point against American Samoa tomorrow to qualify for the second stage. In the day’s second game, American Samoa, once beaten 31-0 by Australia, edged Tonga 2-1 to keep alive their hopes of finishing top of the four-team five-day tournament. They have three points, along with Samoa, with only the group winners advancing to the second round, where the likes of New Zealand and Tahiti enter the qualifying fold for Russia 2018. Winning the first-round tournament also guarantees a spot at the eight-team OFC Nations Cup next year.
BASKETBALL
NBA to host foreign teams
Three top international teams from Turkey, Israel and Brazil are to visit the US for a combined six pre-season games against six NBA teams next month, the league said on Tuesday. The games open with six-time Turkish League champions Fenerbahce Ulker Istanbul taking on the Brooklyn Nets on Oct. 5 before meeting former NBA MVP Kevin Durant’s Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 9. Israeli club Maccabi Haifa are to face NBA teams in the US for the fifth time in six years, starting with an Oct. 8 clash with the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a game against Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 11. Paschoalotto/Bauru, who compete in Brazil’s premier basketball league, are to play the New York Knicks on Oct. 7 at Madison Square Garden and the Washington Wizards on Oct. 11.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and