RUGBY LEAGUE
Kiwis win their opener
New Zealand won an extraordinary opening match in their Rugby League World Cup title defense when they held off Samoa 42-24 in what became a 13-try thriller in Warrington, England, on Sunday. The Kiwis had it seemingly wrapped up by halftime when they led by a runaway 22-4, then 36-4 after 48 minutes, but Samoa rose to the occasion and the sellout crowd of 15,000 rose to applaud them as they scored four consecutive tries to close the gap to 12 points with 15 minutes left. Moments later, Kiwis second-rower Sonny Bill Williams slipped three tackles to skip over the try-line, only to botch the try when his foot slipped over the dead-ball line before he touched down. Moments after that, the Kiwis finally extinguished Samoa’s resurgent threat when winger Manu Vatuvei completed his hat-trick. Earlier, France escaped 9-8 winners when Papua New Guinea fullback David Mead missed a 79th-minute penalty in front of the posts in Hull, England.
BASEBALL
Selig hands out awards
Arizona’s Paul Goldschmidt and Miguel Cabrera of Detroit won Major League Baseball’s Hank Aaron Award as the league’s outstanding offensive players on Sunday. League commissioner Bud Selig announced the winners prior to Game 4 of the 109th World Series. Tigers slugger Cabrera was on hand to collect his award, but the Diamondbacks’ Goldschmidt was traveling in Australia so could not be there. First-time All-Star Goldschmidt was impressive this season, leading the National League with 36 home runs and 123 runs batted in. American League All-Star Cabrera claimed the award for the second straight year. He led the major leagues by hitting .348, capturing his third straight batting crown.
SOCCER
Platini eyes expanded finals
UEFA president Michel Platini wants the FIFA World Cup finals expanded to 40 teams from 2018 to allow more African and Asian countries into the tournament without reducing the number of European nations represented. Europe currently provides 13 of the 32 teams at the finals, compared with five from Africa and four or five, depending on the winners of a playoff against a South American team, for the most populous continent Asia. FIFA president Sepp Blatter wrote last week that Africa and Asia deserved more representation at soccer’s showpiece event because they had more member associations than Europe and South America. Platini, widely regarded as the most likely successor to Blatter, said by his own calculations that adding eight more teams would require extending the tournament by only three days. “It’s good for everybody,” Platini told the Times newspaper in an interview.
SOCCER
Toure meets FIFA official
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure met a top FIFA official on Sunday to discuss allegations that he was the victim of racist abuse from fans during a match in Russia last week. The Ivory Coast international held talks with FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb at Stamford Bridge in London. A City spokesman confirmed the meeting took place, but would not comment on the discussions. Webb is also president of CONCACAF and the head of an anti-racism task force at FIFA. Toure said he suffered racist abuse during last Wednesday’s 2-1 UEFA Champions League victory at CSKA Moscow, a claim that prompted UEFA to open disciplinary proceedings against the Russian club.
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
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
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