■UNITED STATES
World Cup bid cities named
Eighteen cities were named as part of a US bid for the 2018 or 2022 soccer World Cup on Tuesday, but Chicago was notably absent. The 18 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas and Boston, have stadiums with average seating capacities of 78,000. Other cities named in the bid that will be presented to FIFA on May 14 were Atlanta, Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Nashville, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa and Washington. Asked about Chicago failing to make the cut, US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said: “I think there’s a little Olympic fatigue. They had a tough time wrestling with FIFA requirements and when we approached them they were still in the middle of their [failed 2016] Olympic bid.”
■JAPAN
Inamoto to return home
Junichi Inamoto will return to the J-League with Kawasaki Frontale after falling out of favor at French side Stade Rennes. The 30-year-old is set to be unveiled as a Frontale player this week subject to a medical after Rennes announced his move to the J-League club on their Web site. Inamoto is desperate to play at this year’s World Cup and a move to Frontale should boost his chances of being selected.
■ITALY
Roma hit back to avoid upset
AS Roma bounced back from conceding a shock early goal against Serie B strugglers Triestina to win 3-1 on Tuesday and qualify for the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia. Roma, who will play Genoa or Catania next, joined Serie A leaders Inter in the last eight after Jose Mourinho’s team beat Livorno 1-0 last month. Triestina were ahead after just five minutes as Luigi Della Rocca converted a penalty after he had been fouled by Marco Cassetti. A shock was on the cards against a weakened Roma, for whom coach Claudio Ranieri rested the likes of Juan, Luca Toni and Daniele De Rossi. But Roma drew level on the stroke of half-time as Matteo Brighi scored. Mirko Vucini gave the hosts the lead on the hour after he was set up by Jeremy Menez. And 10 minutes from time Julio Baptista sealed the victory direct from a free-kick.
■ITALY
Ferrara keeps Juventus job
Juventus coach Ciro Ferrara retained his job after a two-hour emergency team meeting with club officials, but could be at risk if the Turin powerhouse failed to eliminate Napoli in the Italian Cup yesterday. Juventus president Jean-Claude Blanc and fellow management members Roberto Bettega and Alessio Secco addressed the underperforming squad on Tuesday. A 3-0 home loss to AC Milan on the weekend prompted fans to set fire to seats inside the Stadio Olimpico. It was Juve’s third league loss in four games _ a run that follows a 4-1 home defeat to Bayern Munich that knocked the Turin power out of the Champions League.
■SPAIN
Late penalty sinks Villarreal
Second division Celta Vigo knocked Villarreal out of the King’s Cup 2-1 on aggregate with a stoppage-time penalty at the Madrigal on Tuesday. Roberto Trashorras squeezed his 91st-minute spot kick under Diego Lopez for a 1-0 victory on the night, after home defender Angel had tripped Pedro Botelho as he raced into the area. Celta, who drew 1-1 at home in the first leg, moved into the quarter-finals next week where they will meet Atletico Madrid or second division Recreativo Huelva. Recre, who hold a 3-0 first-leg lead, visit the Calderon today.
Two people died on Thursday after fans and police clashed outside the Estadio Monumental in Santiago ahead of a game in South America’s Copa Libertadores, Chilean authorities said. The fatalities happened shortly before the match between Chile’s Colo-Colo and Brazilian club Fortaleza, when police blocked about 100 fans when they attempted to enter the stadium. There were conflicting accounts of how the fatalities occurred, with local media reporting that one of the dead was a 13-year-old boy. The other victim was an 18-year-old woman, according to a relative at the hospital where she was treated. The fans died after being caught underneath a
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
RSS