■FOOTBALL
Cardinals release Leinart
The Arizona Cardinals on Saturday released quarterback Matt Leinart, ending his sometimes prickly tenure with the team that drafted him 10th overall in 2006. Leinart, winner of the 2004 Heisman Trophy as the country’s outstanding college player, played in 29 games with 17 starts for the Cardinals, and threw for 3,893 yards with 14 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. The onetime University of Southern California star had been looking to use the upcoming NFL season to finally prove himself in the professional ranks and show he was ready to shoulder the responsibilities of a starting quarterback, but after two lackluster pre-season starts he took a backseat to Derek Anderson, who started in the next two pre-season contests.
■SOCCER
Ecuador spoil Flores’ debut
Christian Benitez scored after only 40 seconds to set up Ecuador’s 2-1 win over Mexico in a friendly on Saturday. It was Ecuador’s first victory over Mexico in 14 years, spoiling the debut of Mexico’s interim coach Efrain Flores. Benitez’s opener was canceled out by an own-goal by Luis Checa in the 40th minute. Jaime Ayovi struck the winner in the 58th minute. Mexico had a chance to tie the game in the 59th minute, but Ecuador goalkeeper Maximo Banguera deflected Carlos Salcido’s long drive off his finger tips — and then off the crossbar. The victory marked a successful debut for new Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rueda. Rueda took Honduras to this year’s World Cup, but resigned afterward to take over Ecuador.
■SOCCER
Honduras win shootout
Goalkeeper Noel Valladares made two shootout saves as Honduras beat El Salvador on penalties in a 2-2 draw in a friendly on Saturday. Rodolfo Zelaya put El Salvador ahead in the 42nd minute, before Oscar Garcia equalized for Honduras with a long-range curling strike in the 58th minute. Young striker Roger Rojas looked to have given Honduras victory when he scored with a diagonal shot in the 86th minute, but Zelaya pulled El Salvador level with a stoppage-time penalty. However, Zelaya missed his spot-kick in the shootout, as Valladares saved his shot, and the Honduras goalkeeper also went to his right to block Rudis Corrales’ attempt.
■SOCCER
Dawson out with injury
England defender Michael Dawson has been ruled out for up to eight weeks because of injury and will miss tomorrow’s European Championship qualifier in Switzerland. Dawson was carried off during the second half of Friday’s 4-0 win over Bulgaria with what his club Tottenham Hotspur said on Saturday was damage to his left medial knee ligament and his left ankle. Spurs said he will be sidelined for six to eight weeks. Gary Cahill of Bolton Wanderers came on as a substitute for Dawson at Wembley and could replace him in the starting lineup.
■BOXING
Burns rallies to win belt
Scotland’s Ricky Burns recovered from a first-round knockdown on Saturday to win the WBO super-featherweight belt from the previously unbeaten Roman Martinez. Burns was put on the canvas by a firm right hand from the Puerto Rican and labored through the first three rounds, before rallying strongly with a string of powerful shots to win unanimously on points after 12 rounds. The judges scored the bout 115-112, 115-112 and 115-113 in favor of the 27-year-old Burns. Martinez had gone into the fight with 15 knockouts from 25 fights. Burns now has 29 wins in 31 bouts.
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
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
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
UP IN SMOKE: More than half a dozen riders crashed out of the race, with Marquez’s title chances in doubt after driving off the track with flames flickering from his bike Jorge Martin yesterday won a crash-filled Indonesia MotoGP to extend his championship lead, while closest rival Francesco Bagnaia limited the damage by claiming the final podium place. The win leaves the Pramac Racing rider 21 points ahead of his Italian Ducati rival, who finished third behind Spaniard Pedro Acosta in sweltering conditions at the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Lombok island. In front of a crowd of 60,000 in motorbike-mad Indonesia, the 26-year-old put his tumble in Saturday’s sprint behind him, canceling out the gains his title rival Bagnaia made after securing victory in that race. “Thank you Indonesia. I am very happy.
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