SOCCER
Juve go four points clear
Gonzalo Higuain hit a brace either side of Paulo Dybala’s first-half spot-kick as Juventus moved four points clear of AS Roma on Sunday with a comfortable 3-0 win over Bologna in Turin. “I’m happy for the result because Roma had got to within a point and although we have a game in hand, it was important to win this one,” Higuain told Mediaset. “It was important to put a bit of distance between us and the rest,” Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri told Sky Sport. “It’s a great championship this season and it could go right down to the wire. Roma are only four points behind us and a few other teams are not far behind. Our No. 1 priority is to win the title and it won’t be easy after five in a row.”
SOCCER
Blues may appeal red card
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said his club could appeal against the red card shown to John Terry during the English Premier League leaders’ 4-1 FA Cup defeat of Peterborough United. Terry, who was making his first appearance in two months, was dismissed in the 67th minute at Stamford Bridge in London on Sunday after a clumsy last-man challenge on Peterborough striker Lee Angol, but Conte believes the 36-year-old centerback was hard done by and questioned the decision of referee Kevin Friend. “I think it wasn’t right, this decision from the referee,” the Chelsea manager said. “He didn’t take the opponent and also the second reason was because behind John there was Branislav Ivanovic to cover John. It’s a pity when this happens, because the red card is not good.”
ICE HOCKEY
Aho stars in Hurricanes win
Finnish winger Sebastian Aho seems to be coming along nicely in his rookie season with the Carolina Hurricanes. Aho scored his second goal of the game 1 minute, 34 seconds into overtime to lift Carolina to a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. It was the second two-goal game of the season for the second-round pick from the 2015 draft, who has been a key reason Carolina have been so dominant (12-4-1) at home this season. “He’s a good player and a smart player,” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. Derek Ryan and Jay McClement also scored for the Hurricanes, while Cam Ward finished with 32 saves. Tim Schallar, David Backes and Brad Marchand scored for Boston, while Zane McIntyre stopped 26 shots.
GOLF
Thomas clinches third title
Justin Thomas recovered from a late double-bogey and held off a last-day challenge by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama to clinch his third PGA Tour victory by three shots at the SBS Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Sunday. The long-hitting American had been a commanding five strokes in front with five holes to play at the Kapalua Resort on Maui, before his lead was stunningly cut to just one after 15 holes. Thomas then benefited from a two-shot swing at the 17th, where he sank a birdie after Matsuyama had three-putted for bogey, and also birdied the last to close with a four-under 69. “It’s a great feeling,” Thomas told the Golf Channel. “I obviously stumbled a bit more than I would have liked to on some of those holes, but I think it really shows where my game is at right now. I had some lows there in the second part of the nine, but I stuck it out to still get it done.”
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