WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
US, Mexico get wins
The US and Mexico both opened their 2014 World Cup qualifying campaigns with 3-1 wins, while Honduras suffered a surprise loss in the opening fixtures of the third round. The US beat Antigua and Barbuda in their CONCACAF Group A encounter in Florida, with captain Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Herculez Gomez all scoring. Antigua replied with a goal from substitute Peter Byers. Carlos Salcido and Giovani Dos Santos both scored inside the first 15 minutes as Mexico cruised to victory over Guyana in Group B. Honduras, who represented CONCACAF in the last World Cup alongside the US and Mexico, were beaten 2-0 at home by Panama in Group C, with Blas Miguel scoring both goals in the second half. Canada held on to beat Cuba 1-0 in Havana, despite having goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld sent off in the second half, also in Group C. Demar Phillips and Ryan Johnson both scored to lead Jamaica to a 2-1 win over Guatemala in Group A, extending their unbeaten streak to 13 games against the Central Americans. In the other Group B match, Costa Rica were held to a 2-2 draw by El Salvador.
WORLD CUP QUALIFYING
Japan scores record win
Asian champions Japan continued their confident march toward the World Cup finals by handing 10-man Jordan a record-equaling 6-0 defeat on Friday, as rivals Australia struggled under the scorching sun in the Middle East. The Socceroos escaped Oman with a 0-0 draw after a disjointed display in muggy Muscat, where the 35oC temperatures had a big impact. Perennial World Cup qualifiers South Korea had no such struggles in a later kickoff as they beat Qatar 4-1 at the air-conditioned Al Sadd Stadium in Doha. Lebanon dreww 1-1 against Uzbekistan in Beirut.
OLYMPICS
Ramirez gets new medal
Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez got a replacement for his lost gold medal that he earned with Cuba’s Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Games. During a surprise presentation on Friday, Ramirez was left emotional and momentarily speechless as he received the new medal. Fellow Cuban Jose Contreras, the star of the White Sox’s 2005 World Series winner and currently with the Philadelphia Phillies, showed up during stretching and, with the team gathered in the outfield, handed Ramirez a box with the replacement medal in it. The original medal was lost or stolen while Ramirez and his wife were en route to Chicago before his first season with the White Sox in 2008. The White Sox eventually contacted the International Olympic Committee and had a replacement medal made.
OLYMPICS
Swimmers may not tweet
Controversial Australian swimmers Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk have been slapped with a social-media ban and will be sent home early from the Olympics as punishment for posting pictures of themselves toting firearms on Twitter and Facebook. The 24-year-old swimmers apologized after being slammed by anti-gun groups in Australia. “The Australian Olympic Committee [AOC] has decided Nick D’Arcy and Kenrick Monk will be sent home to Australia at the conclusion of their swimming events at the 2012 London Olympic Games,” the AOC said in a statement yesterday. “The AOC Selection Committee also decided that D’Arcy and Monk will be banned from using social media, including Twitter, Facebook and blogging, for the Games’ period of July 16 to Aug. 15.”
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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