Asian games: Afghanistan ready to kick off
Afghanistan is set to return to soccer competition at the Asian Games in South Korea later this month after a 48-year absence. The war-torn country, a founding member of the Asian Football Congress (AFC), was formally re-integrated into the AFC last month for the first time since 1954, paving the way for their participation in the Asian Games. Afghanistan has taken the slot vacated by Mongolia.
Soccer: Villa loses Brummy battle
PHOTO: REUTERS
Newly promoted Birmingham City overwhelmed neighbor Aston Villa 3-0 on Monday on a first-half goal by Clinton Morrison that turned out to be the winner in the first match between the two sides in the top flight of English soccer in 16 years. Morrison's goal in the 31st -- he hooked it in from close-in after scoring twice last week against Liverpool -- was followed by one of the strangest goals of the new season. Off a throw-in by Villa defender Olof Mellberg -- a ball intended for Villa goalkeeper Peter Enckelman -- Enckelman misjudged the ball and saw it brush over the top of his boot and into the goal.
Chiayi Luka 6: Taichung Agan 5
Yesterday in Taichung
WP: Matt Minter
LP: Enrique Quintanilla
MVP: Hsu Kuo-hui
On the brink of elimination from the playoffs, the visiting Chiayi Luka came from behind toward the end of the game to top Taichung Agan 6-5. Luka jumped to an early three-run lead through the first five innings behind the strong pitching of starter Greg Bicknell. Then came the devastating sixth in which Agan drove home five runs, capped by second baseman Lin Yi-hsian's three-run homer. With the game tied at 5-5 after seven innings of play, Luka first baseman Paul Gonzalez led off the eighth with a double to deep left and reached third base one out later. Third baseman Chang Tsung-kwei then brought the runner home with a sacrifice fly. Luka reliever Matt Minter, who was brought in to start the seventh pitched one-and-one-third scoreless innings for the win.
The next generation of running talent takes center stage at today’s Berlin Marathon, in the absence of stars including Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopian world record holder Tigist Assefa. With most of the major marathon stars skipping the event in the wake of the Paris Olympics just more than a month ago, the field is wide open in the men’s and women’s races. Since 2015, Kipchoge has won five times in Berlin, Kenenisa Bekele has won twice and Guye Adola once — with all three missing today. Kenyan Kibiwott Kandie and Ethiopian Tadese Takele are among the favourites for the men, while
Taiwan’s Tony Wu yesterday beat Mackenzie McDonald of the US to win the Nonthaburi Challenger IV in Thailand, his first challenger victory since 2022. The 26-year-old world No. 315, who won both his qualifiers to advance to the main draw, has been on a hot streak this month, winning his past nine matches, including two that ensured Taiwan’s victory in their Davis Cup World Group I tie. Wu took just more than two hours to top world No. 172 McDonald 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win his second challenger tournament since the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger in 2022. Wu’s Tallahassee win followed two years of
Zhang Shuai yesterday said that she nearly quit after losing 24 matches in a row — now the world No. 595 is into the quarter-finals of her home China Open. The 35-year-old is to face Spain’s Paula Badosa as the lowest-ranked player to reach this stage in the history of the tournament after Badosa reeled off 11 of the last 12 games in a 6-4, 6-0 victory over US Open finalist Jessica Pegula. Zhang went into Beijing on a barren run lasting more than 600 days and her string of singles defeats was the second-longest on the WTA Tour Open era, which
Nick Castellanos, Trea Turner and Kody Clemens homered on Wednesday as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 9-6 and clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs. Castellanos had three hits and scored three times. Bryson Stott also had three hits and Brandon Marsh drove in three runs for the Phillies, who on Monday claimed their first National League East title in 13 years. Coupled with the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia secured the bye and home-field advantage in the NL Division Series. The Phillies owned the tiebreaker with the Brewers after winning the season series against the
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