■ FOOTBALL
No comment on Brady injury
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady skipped part of practice on Thursday, but coach Bill Belichick would not comment on whether it was because of a possible ankle injury. The National Football League Most Valuable Player, who is preparing to lead the Patriots into Super Bowl XXXXII against the New York Giants on Feb. 3, was photographed on Monday wearing a cast-like walking boot while outside the New York apartment of his supermodel girlfriend, Gisele Bundchen. He was then seen on Monday night and Tuesday walking without the boot. Various reports have said the injury is a mild high ankle sprain, but Belichick declined to confirm that. "I don't have any comment on it," he said. Brady himself said on his weekly radio show on Monday morning that he would "have to be on a stretcher" to miss the Super Bowl.
■ RALLYING
Loeb leads in Monte Carlo
Four-time world champion Sebastien Loeb of France took the lead on Thursday at the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally. Loeb, who is looking for a record fifth Monte Carlo title, won the second stage and moved to a 12.7 second lead over Citroen teammate Dani Sordo. The Frenchman, quoted on the World Rally Championship's Web site, said he gingerly negotiated icy conditions in the first stage that was won by Sordo. Sordo's car lost two light pods when it hit a hay bale in the first stage and he struggled to see without his headlights during the second. "It was very difficult for me to get a good feeling in there," Sordo said. "The visibility was bad and the cars ahead had pulled some dirt onto the road, making it very slippery in places."
■ CYCLING
Greipel wins fourth stage
Germany's Andre Greipel won the fourth stage of the Tour Down Under cycling race when he overpowered the field in oppressive conditions at the end of the 134km route yesterday. Australian Mark Renshaw (Credit Agricole) finished second to retain the ochre leader's jersey on an eventful stage from Mannum to Strathalbyn in South Australia. Italian Elio Rigotto (Team Milram) was disqualified after he brought down Mathew Hayman in the finishing sprint. The Australian crashed heavily and fractured his left collar bone after Rigotto lifted his head into the Rabobank rider's elbow and knocked him off his bike.
■ SOCCER
Barca held, Racing win
Barcelona were held to a 0-0 stalemate by Villarreal in their Spanish Cup quarter-final first leg clash on Thursday. Barca, who trail bitter rivals Real Madrid by seven points in the race for La Liga title, have not won the Spanish Cup for 10 years and will need to score in the return leg next week if they are to keep up their hopes of ending that streak. Racing Santander put one foot in the semi-finals after beating Athletic Bilbao 2-0 with goals coming from Congo striker Mohammed Tchite and Ebi Smolarek in a three-minute period late in the second half.
■ SOCCER
Lazio win first leg of tie
Lazio scored two quick goals and beat Fiorentina 2-1 on Thursday in the first leg of the Italian Cup quarter-finals. Aleksander Kolarov and Valon Behrami scored within a minute of each other to put Lazio up 2-0 by the 21st minute and Giampaolo Pazzini replied for Fiorentina in the 40th minute.
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
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