ALPINE SKIING
Hirscher silences critics
Marcel Hirscher silenced his critics in style when he won the most coveted slalom of the season in Schladming, Austria, on Tuesday, days after being embroiled in a bitter controversy over a previous victory. The Austrian won the floodlit race on the Planai piste, lined by 50,000 fans, in a combined time of 1 minute, 43.01 seconds for his sixth victory of the World Cup season. The 22-year-old Hirscher beat Italy’s Stefano Gross by 0.22 seconds, while fellow Austrian Mario Matt was third, a further 0.07 seconds behind. World Cup leader Ivica Kostelic of Croatia missed the podium by 0.01 seconds, but he retained top spot in the race for the overall title with an 80-point lead over Hirscher. The Austrian had never previously made it on to the podium on home snow and the result was a relief after the weekend’s row over his victory in Zagreb earlier this month. Hirscher’s performance on Jan. 5 was questioned after slow-motion videotapes showed he had straddled a gate — a mistake that should lead to disqualification — before being awarded victory.
BASKETBALL
Wizards fire Saunders
The Washington Wizards fired coach Flip Saunders on Tuesday after opening the season with a NBA-worst 2-15 record. The Wizards, who started the season with eight consecutive losses, were trounced by the Philadelphia 76ers 103-83 on Monday, their seventh road loss in as many tries this year. Assistant Randy Wittman will take over on an interim basis for the remainder of the season, beginning with the Wizards hosting the Charlotte Bobcats. “We felt the team had become unresponsive, and we will look to Randy to provide a different voice and a change in philosophy moving forward,” Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said in a statement. “We were disappointed in the lack of development of our players at this point in our rebuilding plan.”
ICE HOCKEY
Alex Ovechkin pulls out
Suspended Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin has withdrawn from the NHL’s annual All-Star Game, saying he did not deserve to be there. The game, on Sunday in Ottawa, comes during the winger’s three-game suspension for a hit to the head and the Russian said he should not be allowed to play. “My heart is not there. I am suspended, so why I have to go there?” Ovechkin told reporters. “I don’t want to be a target. I feel like I’m not deserving to be there right now. If I’m suspended, I have to be suspended.” Ovechkin, a two-time winner of the NHL Most Valuable Player award, was suspended by the NHL on Monday for a hit on Pittsburgh’s Zbynek Michalek on Sunday. Capitals general manager George McPhee said the team supported Ovechkin’s decision. “It is a great event and he doesn’t want that distraction, and we don’t want it either,” McPhee said.
SOCCER
Taiwo joins QPR on loan
Nigeria international Taye Taiwo has joined English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers on loan from Italian giants AC Milan, it was confirmed on Tuesday. The 26-year-old will remain at Loftus Road until the end of the season after struggling to win a regular place in the starting lineup at Milan since joining from French side Olympique de Marseille last summer. The defender, who can also play in midfield, was reportedly the subject of interest from Arsenal, but he has joined QPR after receiving a work permit. Recently appointed QPR boss Mark Hughes was delighted to have secured Taiwo’s signature. “I have known of him for a long time and admired him from afar,” Hughes said.
‘AWFUL PERFORMANCE’: Golden State were always chasing the game after failing to threaten from long range, making just eight of 33 three-point attempts Aaron Gordon on Monday scored 38 points as the Denver Nuggets shrugged off the absence of Nikola Jokic to halt the Golden State Warriors’ seven-game winning streak with a 114-105 victory over their Western Conference rivals. A dazzling display from Gordon inspired what was ultimately a comfortable win for Denver, who were missing regular starters Jokic and Jamal Murray from their lineup. The absentees were barely felt by Denver, who startled the Warriors early at San Francisco’s Chase Center and led for most of the game. The Warriors threatened to stage a late rally after slashing the Nuggets’ fourth-quarter lead from 15 points
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
Barcelona’s Ferran Torres scored twice on Sunday to help secure a late 4-2 comeback win at Atletico Madrid in a pulsating La Liga clash that took the Catalan side back to the top of the table. Barca have 60 points and a game in hand after last week’s postponement of their home game with CA Osasuna. They are level on points with Real Madrid, who won 2-1 at Villarreal on Saturday. “I am happy and proud of this team,” Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick told a news conference. “They never give up... It’s a great three points and we are happy to
Chris Wood has fired Nottingham Forest into surprise UEFA Champions League contention and now the striker wants to score the goals to help New Zealand make history at the FIFA World Cup. New Zealand are strong favorites to qualify out of the Oceania region over the next week and reach the World Cup for only the third time. At the country’s two previous appearances at the finals, in 1982 and 2010, they have failed to win a match in six attempts. With Wood captaining the side and leading from the front, he told local media yesterday that the current squad can finally deliver
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