SOCCER
Colombia edge lowly Peru
Midfielder James Rodriguez scored the only goal as Colombia beat Peru 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Lima on Sunday to give Jose Pekerman a winning start as their coach. Striker Dorlan Pabon flicked a through ball with the outside of his right foot past a defender to Rodriguez, who sidestepped goalkeeper Diego Penny and shot left-footed into the net. The victory at the Estadio Nacional lifted Colombia into fifth place in the nine-nation South American group with seven points from four matches. They are three points behind leaders Argentina, who have played one more match. Colombia, who have not reached the finals since 1998, appointed Argentine Pekerman after sacking Leonel Alvarez in November last year following a home defeat by Argentina. Peru, whose coach Sergio Markarian was deprived of half a dozen players through injury, are one from the bottom with three points from four matches.
SOCCER
Celta promoted to top flight
Real Club Celta de Vigo were promoted back to Spain’s top flight after five years in the second division after a 0-0 draw at home to Cordoba on Sunday secured them second place behind division winners and Galician neighbors Real Club Deportivo de la Coruna. Celta, who reached the last 16 of the Champions League in 2004 and won the Intertoto Cup three years earlier, have 85 points from 42 matches, six behind Depor, who were 1-0 winners at Villarreal B, setting a second-tier record of 91 points. Real Valladolid, AD Alcorcon, Hercules and Cordoba finished the season in third through sixth respectively and are to playoff for the final promotion spot. Celta’s return to La Liga may help the club tackle the financial problems that have forced it into administration as they are likely to reap more from selling audiovisual rights next season.
CRICKET
‘Little Master’ sworn in
Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar was sworn in as a member of the upper house of parliament yesterday after being nominated in a surprise move criticized by some government opponents. Tendulkar, who is worshipped by millions of cricket fans in India, took his oath in Rajya Sabha for a seat theoretically reserved for people who distinguish themselves in the fields of arts, sciences or social service. He is the first active sportsman to serve in the house, though he has previously vowed to steer clear of politics and is expected to hold the seat only as an honorary position. When he was nominated in April, the Times of India said the gesture made “little sense,” while some opposition lawmakers accused the government of crass populist politics.
RUGBY UNION
Kirwan knighted by queen
Former All Blacks great John Kirwan, who has also coached Italy and Japan at Rugby World Cups as well as being an advocate for sufferers of depression, was honored with a knighthood yesterday. The 47-year-old was named a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honors list for his services to mental health and rugby union. Kirwan, who played 63 Tests for the All Blacks, has become a campaigner for mental health issues and he has written about his own battle with depression in the book All Blacks Don’t Cry. “There were scary times because of the stigma attached to depression, but I have tried to break those down because it is an illness, not a weakness,” he told the New Zealand Herald. He said he accepted the knighthood “on behalf of all those people who are suffering, to show there is hope.”
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
GUNNING FOR A WIN: The victory sending Arsenal to the final for the first time in six years was cathartic for a team who had lost their previous four semi-finals Arsenal on Tuesday reached the League Cup final for the first time in eight years as Kai Havertz sealed a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the semi-final second leg. Mikel Arteta’s side had put themselves in pole position in the first leg and Havertz came off the bench to finish the 4-2 aggregate victory in the closing moments at the Emirates Stadium. It was a cathartic triumph for the Gunners, who had lost their previous four semi-finals in last year’s UEFA Champions League and League Cup, the 2022 League Cup and the 2021 UEFA Europa League. In their first final for six years,
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
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