SOCCER
Reyna blasts US ‘arrogance’
Former US captain Claudio Reyna on Tuesday blasted the US’ soccer program, a week after the US team failed to qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Russia. The US finished just outside of qualifying in their Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football final group and will miss the World Cup for the first time since 1986. “Our approach and our behavior to the sport here — to coaching, to everything, is just wrong,” Reyna told Goal.com. “We’re far too arrogant. We’re far too obnoxious. We are egotistical having never won anything or done anything and that’s not the case around the world,” he said. “Until we realize that — that we’re not as good as we think we are at all levels — then I think we’re going to continue being what we are, which is mediocre.”
RUGBY UNION
Te’o to miss internationals
England center Ben Te’o has been ruled out for at least a month after sustaining an ankle injury that might require surgery, Worcester Warriors head coach Carl Hogg said. Te’o, who has won eight caps for England, limped off in the early stages of the win over CA Brive on Saturday last week and the 30-year-old could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines if surgery is required. “Ben’s got a syndesmosis [a high ankle sprain] injury of his ankle,” Hogg told the Worcester News. “He’s being assessed currently and will head back down to Cardiff on Monday to see whether he’ll go down a surgical route or whether it’ll be managed conservatively. He’s expected to be out for at least a month, but we’ll find out more next week once the swelling has settled down and it’ll give us a better idea of time frames.”
SOCCER
Zaccheroni made UAE coach
Former AC Milan and Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni is the new head coach of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Zaccheroni, who won the Serie A title in 1999 with Milan and steered the Japanese to Asian Cup success in 2011 and the World Cup finals in 2014, will take over from Argentina’s Edgardo Bauza, who quit last month to take charge of World Cup-bound Saudi Arabia. The UAE is to host the Asian Cup finals in 2019 and Zaccheroni has the task of putting together a team that can challenge at the continental championships after the country missed out on a place at next year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
TENNIS
Nadal withdraws from Basel
World No. 1 Rafa Nadal has withdrawn from the upcoming Swiss Indoors Basel due to a knee issue, the Spaniard has said. With the ATP Finals coming up next month, Nadal said on Facebook that he had made the decision to pull out of next week’s Basel tournament after getting medical advice. Nadal’s 16-match winning streak was ended in the Shanghai Masters final on Sunday by world No. 2 Roger Federer, who will now have the chance to make up some ground in the rankings chase. “I sadly announce that I have to pull out of the Swiss Indoors Basel, after seeing my doctor in Spain just after landing from Shanghai,” Nadal said on Tuesday. “I am suffering from an overstressing of the knee and the problems where already present at the tournament in Shanghai which now forces me to take a time off on advice of my doctor.”
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