NETHERLANDS
AZ maintain their lead
AZ Alkmaar maintained their lead in the Dutch league with a 3-0 win over ADO The Hague on Sunday thanks to goals from Brett Holman, Adam Maher and Jozy Altidore. Holman gave AZ the lead in the 11th minute, before Maher and Altidore added goals in the second half to secure the victory. Also on Sunday, second-placed Twente routed De Grafschaap 4-0, while a hat-trick from Jeremain Lens inspired PSV Eindhoven to a 4-1 win over Heracles Almelo. In the most eventful match of the day, Zambia winger Jacob Mulenga created two goals and scored another as Utrecht beat Ajax 6-4. AZ have 31 points from 12 games. Twente and PSV have 25 each, while Ajax have 20. In Utrecht, Ajax took the lead twice in the first half, before the hosts scored four second-half goals in a wild shootout. Russia striker Dmitri Bulykin gave Ajax the lead after eight minutes, but Mulenga set up Ghana forward Nana Asare for an equalizer eight minutes later. Mulenga then played in Edouard Duplan, who scored from close range, before Ajax battled back to level through veteran defender Andre Ooijer’s header in the 32nd minute. Bulykin made it 3-2 for Ajax in the 41st minute, but Utrecht then took charge with goals from Daan Bovenberg, Mulenga and Asare to make it 5-3. Christian Eriksen gave Ajax renewed hope in the 72nd minute, but Anouar Kali netted in stoppage-time to wrap up the win. In other matches it was VVV Venlo 0, Excelsior Rotterdam 0; NAC Breda 1, Vitesse Arnhem 0; RKC Waalkwijk 1, Groningen 1; Roda JC 1, SC Heerenveen 2; and Feyenoord 0, NEC Nijmegen 1.
PORTUGAL
Benfica blow their chance
Benfica drew 1-1 at Braga on Sunday, missing a chance to move top of the Portuguese league standings. Braga went ahead in first-half stoppage-time through Lima’s spot-kick after Benfica defender Emerson had handled in the area. Spanish forward Rodrigo Moreno equalized in the 72nd minute, but Benfica failed to get the winner that would have lifted them two points ahead of defending champions Porto. Midfielder Matias Fernandez scored once in each half to lead Sporting to a 3-1 win over Leiria. Third-placed Sporting are one point behind Porto and Benfica. In other matches it was Beira Mar 2, Feirense 1; Rio Ave 2, Nacional 1; and Setubal 0, Gil Vicente 0.
UNITED STATES
Beckham’s LA make final
David Beckham set up a goal with one of his trademark crosses as the Los Angeles Galaxy advanced to the MLS Cup Final with a 3-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Sunday. The 36-year-old English midfielder is now due to play for his first MLS title in the final game of his five-year contract in Los Angeles. Beckham set up Mike Magee for a goal in the 58th minute. US striker Landon Donovan had earlier scored and Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane got the third for the Galaxy, who are set to face the Houston Dynamo for the championship on Nov. 20.
CZECH REPUBLIC
Cech banned from flying
The Czech Republic could suffer a potential blow ahead of their crucial Euro 2012 playoff against Montenegro on Friday after goalkeeper Petr Cech hinted he could be sidelined. Chelsea’s Cech suffered a broken nose in the 1-0 win away to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and he later announced a flying ban, imposed by doctors, means he would be unable to join up with his national squad as scheduled yesterday. If doctors give the go-ahead, the 29-year-old should be able to travel home tomorrow at the earliest.
SIBLING RIVALRY: Marc Marquez was locked in a duel with his little brother, falling behind at one point before recovering for his first season-opening victory since 2014 Six-time world champion Marc Marquez yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening Thailand Grand Prix to complete a dominant debut weekend at his new Ducati Lenovo Team, having also romped to Saturday’s sprint. The Spanish great took the 26-lap grand prix by 1.732 seconds for his 63rd MotoGP victory from younger brother Alex Marquez, who is still seeking a first checkered flag, with Francesco Bagnaia third to complete an all-Ducati podium. It completed a perfect weekend for Marc Marquez, who took pole position, the sprint victory and the grand prix win for a maximum 37 points to open the 22-leg 2025 campaign. He led from
AC Milan’s slender hopes of reaching next season’s UEFA Champions League took another hit on Thursday with a 2-1 defeat at Bologna which left them eight points from Serie A’s top four. Sergio Conceicao’s team sit eighth, some way behind fourth-placed Juventus after losing an entertaining contest at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara, a match which was rescheduled from October last year due to torrential rain and flooding. Swathes of the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy, much of which is fertile agricultural land, had been left under water following a massive autumn downpour. Dan Ndoye prodded home the decisive goal in the 82nd minute
VALUABLE POINT: Relegation-threatened Valencia snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw at CA Osasuna thanks to a remarkable backheel volley by Umar Sadiq Barcelona on Sunday secured a comfortable 4-0 win over Real Sociedad to move back top of La Liga. Aritz Elustondo’s early red card gave Hansi Flick’s side a comfortable afternoon, with Gerard Martin, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski on the score sheet. Atletico Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao on Saturday to temporarily knock the Catalans from their perch, while Real Madrid, third, lost at Real Betis Balompie. Flick was able to rotate his side a little ahead of the UEFA Champions League round-of-16 visit to face SL Benfica tomorrow and still move one point above Atletico. “There were a lot of things that
Former Australian motorcycle gang member-turned-golfer Ryan Peake, who served a lengthy jail term for assault, yesterday produced a “life-changing” maiden win to qualify for The Open Championship. Peake held his nerve for a one-stroke victory at the New Zealand Open, earning him a berth at the major in Portrush, Northern Ireland, in July, pending clearance to travel as a convicted criminal. The 31-year-old from Perth celebrated animatedly and was showered with champagne by friends on the 18th green of the Millbrook Resort course near Queenstown after a redemption story rarely seen in the refined sport of golf. Peake held back tears as he
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