FOOTBALL
Broncos, coach fined
The Denver Broncos and head coach Josh McDaniels have each been fined US$50,000 by the NFL after a team official videotaped part of a San Francisco 49ers’ practice when both teams were in London last month. Broncos’ video director Steve Scarnecchia taped six minutes of the 49ers’ practice, against league rules, in London on Oct. 30, the day before their game at Wembley Stadium, the NFL said. Scarnecchia gave the video to McDaniels, who did not watch it, but because he had not reported the incident had breached league policy, the league said in a statement on Saturday.
SOCCER
US qualifies for Cup
Amy Rodriguez scored in the 40th minute to lift the US to a 1-0 victory over Italy on Saturday and seal the Americans’ berth in the women’s World Cup. The USA won the playoff 2-0 on aggregate to secure the final spot in next year’s 16-nation women’s World Cup, which will be played from June 26 to July 17 in Germany. The draw will be held today in Frankfurt, Germany. The Americans have won the tournament twice, but were in danger of failing to qualify after an upset by Mexico earlier this month in regional qualifying. They got a second chance in the playoff tie against Italy and won both matches, starting with a 1-0 win in Padua.
BOBSLED
USA-1 takes the World Cup
Olympic champion Steven Holcomb steered USA-1 to victory in the World Cup four-man bobsled season-opener in Whistler, British Columbia, on Saturday night, on the same track where the Americans won gold at the Vancouver Games nine months ago. Holcomb, Curt Tomasevicz, Justin Olsen and new teammate Steve Langton finished two runs in one minute, 42.84 seconds. USA-1 had the fastest time in both heats. Maximilian Arndt drove Germany-3 to the silver, 0.17 seconds back. Manuel Machata drove Germany-2 to bronze.
SPEEDSKATING
Marsicano wins 5,000m
Trevor Marsicano of the US beat Dutch skater Simon Kuipers to win the 1,500m World Cup event in Hamar, Norway, on Saturday. Marsicano’s winning time was one minute, 45.54 seconds. Kuipers trailed the Olympic silver medalist by 0.43 seconds. US two-time Olympic champion Shani Davis finished third, 0.44 seconds back. Davis leads the World Cup rankings in the event with 210 points after three races. Davis and Marsicano later combined with Jonathan Kuck to win the team pursuit for the US, ahead of Canada and Norway. Stephanie Beckert of Germany won the women’s 5,000m in 6:59.18.
FIGURE SKATING
Kozuka takes Bompard
Takahiko Kozuka won the Trophee Bompard after an exceptional men’s free program on Saturday, surpassing his Cup of China win three weeks ago with an even better overall score. Overnight leader Kiira Korpi of Finland won the women’s event, overcoming a fall and one mistimed jump in her free to narrowly hold off US skaters Mirai Nagasu and Alissa Czisny, who took silver and bronze. Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany won the pairs after dominating the free for an overall score of 197.88. The overnight positions remained the same, with Vera Bazarova and Yuri Larionov of Russia getting silver with 183, and German pair Maylin Hausch and Daniel Wende picking up bronze with 157.42.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
Armand Duplantis will be among the reigning Olympic champions adding star power to the world indoor championships this weekend when the Chinese city of Nanjing hosts the first major global athletics meet since the Paris Games last year. The three-day event was originally slated for 2020 and faced multiple postponements due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Nanjing’s Sports Training Center would finally welcome more than 570 athletes for the start of the showpiece today. One of the main attractions would be pole vaulter “Mondo” Duplantis, who soared 6.27m to break the world record for a staggering 11th time in Clermont-Ferrand last
RSS