ENGLAND
Gerard Houllier steps down
Gerard Houllier stepped down as Aston Villa manager on Wednesday with immediate effect and by mutual consent following heart trouble, the English Premier League club announced. The 63-year-old Frenchman took charge in September last year, but in April he suffered a dissection of the descending aorta which meant he was unable to oversee the Birmingham club’s final five games of the season. Doctors have advised he will need further time to recuperate after Houllier underwent additional medical tests last weekend. Mark Hughes, currently manager of Premier League rivals Fulham, has been widely tipped to replace Houllier — who struggled to win over the Villa fans.
? NIGERIA
Eagles trounce Argentina
Nigeria trounced Argentina 4-1 on Wednesday in a friendly for their first-ever win over the two-time world champions. Nigeria’s best result before this was a 0-0 draw with Argentina at the 1995 King Fahd Cup (now the FIFA Confederations Cup), with the South Americans winners on three different occasions. The hosts dominated this game from start to finish and Argentina, effectively a second-string side missing several first choice stars, led by Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta were never really in it as they hardly threatened the Nigeria goal and created very few openings. Real Zaragoza striker Ikechukwu Uche netted a brace to continue his superb form in front of goal, with new Fenerbahce signing Emmanuel Emenike scoring his first goal for the Eagles on 53 minutes. Obinna Nsofor was also on target from the penalty spot in the 27th minute after Everton striker Victor Anichebe was fouled inside the box. Argentina grabbed a consolation goal from the penalty-spot courtesy of Mauro Boselli after Efe Ambrose was adjudged to have handled the ball deep into stoppage-time.
JAPAN
Kirin Cup hosts held by Peru
Asian Cup holders Japan were held to a goalless draw by Peru in the opening match of the three-nation Kirin Cup tournament on Wednesday. Japan, playing with a 3-4-3 formation for the first time, had a chance in the 37th minute when midfielder Daigo Nishi sent a cross from the right into the area, but nobody could hit a shot on goal, while VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe missed twice in the first half. Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni changed the formation after the break to a back-four system and the team seemed to get into their rhythm. Peru came close at the death with striker Raul Ruidiaz hitting the left upright.
UNITED STATES
Mexico power to 3-0 win
Giovani Dos Santos scored two first-half goals to power Mexico to a 3-0 win over New Zealand on Wednesday in a warm-up match for the North Americans ahead of the Gold Cup. Dos Santos found the net in the 22nd minute and scored again in the 30th minute to double Mexico’s lead. Aldo De Nigris scored in the 43rd minute to give the Tricolores a three-goal lead at halftime. A crowd of 50,303 packed the home of the Denver Broncos for the friendly.
CANADA
Canada draw with Ecuador
Tosaint Ricketts scored in second-half stoppage-time to lift Canada to a 2-2 draw with Ecuador on Wednesday in a friendly, Canada’s final tuneup for the Gold Cup. While Ecuador were arguing a free-kick call, Julian de Guzman took a quick kick that set up Ricketts for the equalizer, his first goal for the national team.
New Taipei Kings guard Jeremy Lin on Friday was named the Taiwan Professional Basketball League’s (TPBL) Player of the Month, the first domestic player to win the award, while the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers are to welcome their third head coach in less than a year. Lin averaged 22 points, 5.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists over five games in October and last month, helping the Kings to second in the standings with a 4-2 record as of Friday. The Kings last night defeated the Lioneers 96-78 to move level with the top-of-the-table Formosa Dreamers (5-2), while in the night game, the New Taipei
‘REMARKABLE’: Gaelic football is a traditional Irish sport that blends the skills of soccer and rugby, and hurling is an ancient sport played with a wooden stick and ‘sliotar’ The Taiwan Celts Gaelic Football Club marked a milestone achievement at the Asian Gaelic Games in Bangkok on Nov. 23 and 24, with two sides advancing to the knockout stages and competing at hurling for the first time. The event brought together 68 teams from 16 clubs across Asia, with more than 800 players in men’s and women’s tournaments. Gaelic football is a traditional Irish team sport that blends the skills of soccer, rugby union and basketball. Hurling is an ancient Irish sport played with a wooden stick, called a hurley, and a small ball, or sliotar. The Taiwan Celts’ women’s team reached
LIVERPOOL WIN: The 50th Champions League goal by Mohamed Salah helped the leaders of the Premier League to keep their perfect record intact Real Madrid’s big stars on Tuesday turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering UEFA Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win against Serie A leaders Atalanta BC. However, Madrid still had to ride their luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage-time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champions in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins
TO NO AVAIL: The Denver Nuggets’ Serbian center Nikola Jokic surpassed his 53-point performance in the 2023 Western Conference semi-finals against Phoenix The Washington Wizards withstood a 56-point explosion from Denver star Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday and snap their 16-game NBA losing streak. Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award last season, posted a career scoring high — surpassing a 53-point performance in game four of the 2023 Western Conference semi-finals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021. The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists, but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time
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