After eight rounds of play, the Taipei Victory 6 soccer tournament is taking shape with unbeaten Taipei City six points clear of the chasing pack.
Victory in City’s next match coupled with anything other than a win for the second-placed Red Lions would seal the inaugural title for City.
At the other end of the table, Feral Badgers, a team formed by placing a plea for players on a notice board at league sponsor On Tap Bar & Restaurant, are almost certain favorites for the wooden spoon without a single point to their name, but captain Matthew Wharton is taking the positives from improving performances, including holding the Red Lions to 2-2 at halftime on Wednesday night.
However, fitness training could hold the key to future success after they eventually caved in 8-3.
Also on Wednesday, Badgers Asses were trounced 8-1 by Taipei City, while Carnegies edged Shane 5-3.
The golden boot is a much closer affair with Shane’s Zack Paruch currently the league’s leading scorer with 15 goals. City’s Alex Ramirez is in close pursuit with 12, while both Dan Calvert of Carnegies and the Lions’ Thomas Costa are still in with a shout on 11 apiece.
Victory 6’s is Taiwan’s first six-a-side soccer league for men, organized by Master Football Academy together with sponsors Carlsberg and On Tap. Games are played every Wednesday night at Yingfeng Sports Park in Taipei, next to Dazhi Bridge, where all levels of players are welcome to come and enjoy a game.
The pressure was already on Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso before their 2-1 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday in the UEFA Champions League raised further questions about his future. Arsenal remain perfect in this season’s competition and three points clear at the top of the standings after a 3-0 win against Club Brugge, while defending champions Paris Saint-Germain were held 0-0 at Athletic Bilbao. The clash between Madrid and City was the standout game of the round amid reports this week that Alonso had lost control of the locker room. Speculation over his position is likely to intensify after the latest
‘HIGH STANDARD’: The Thunder are on track for a Finals-Cup double after they scored 22 three-pointers in equaling the best 25-game start to a season in NBA history The Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday bagged a 16th straight victory, thrashing the Phoenix Suns 138-89 to romp into an NBA Cup semi-final clash with the San Antonio Spurs, who stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 132-119. NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 28 points to lead the reigning NBA champions Thunder, who improved to 24-1 to equal the best 25-game start to a season in league history. They dominated from start to finish to book their place in the final four of the in-season tournament in Las Vegas, where they are tomorrow to take on the Spurs. The New York Knicks and
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Tony Jefferson intercepted a Jalen Hurts pass in overtime to give the Los Angeles Chargers a 22-19 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in an NFL thriller between playoff contenders. Justin Herbert, playing a week after surgery on his broken left (non-throwing) hand, withstood a career-high seven sacks to throw for 139 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals, including the 54-yard game winner in overtime. The Chargers defenders forced Hurts to throw four interceptions and surrender a fumble for a career-worst five turnovers as the Eagles fell to 8-5 with a third