SCOTLAND
Milan cruise to easy win
AC Milan put their dismal away form behind them to cruise to an easy 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory at Celtic Park in their Group H match on Tuesday. The Italians, who were without an away win so far this season, were gifted two of the goals by some inept Celtic defending. Kaka opened the scoring after 13 minutes when the home side’s defense stood still as Valter Birsa’s corner came into the penalty area and the unmarked Brazilian headed home from close range. Celtic’s best chance fell to defender Virgil van Dijk after 48 minutes when his fierce volley smashed into the body of Milan goalkeeper Christian Abbiati. A minute later, Milan made it 2-0 from another poorly- defended corner taken by Birsa. Antonio Nocerino was left alone at the back post and he prodded the ball across goal for Cristian Zapata to tap in. Van Dijk had the ball in the net, but was ruled offside, then James Forrest shot wide before Milan added a third on the hour. Mario Balotelli latched onto a long ball by Riccardo Montolivo, outmuscled Efe Ambrose and clipped it past Fraser Forster in the Celtic goal. The result keeps Milan second in the group on eight points. Celtic are bottom with three points and go out.
ROMANIA
Lackluster Schalke held
Lackluster Schalke 04 face the prospect of missing out on the UEFA Champions League knockout stages after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw at Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday. The result meant the Germans dropped down to third in Group E and must now beat visiting Basel in their final game on Dec. 11 to progress to the round-of-16. Chances were limited on a cold night at the National Arena in Bucharest and Schalke were decidedly lukewarm in attack. Ralf Faehrmann, deputizing for the injured Timo Hildebrand in goal for Schalke, was barely tested before the break, but did well to parry a fine Federico Piovaccari volley on the half-hour mark. Steaua needed to win to retain any chance of reaching the round-of-16. The home team replaced ineffective midfielder Ionut Neagu with centerback Fernando Varela at halftime and the hosts had a brighter second half, but neither side could find the back of the net.
RUSSIA
Zenit handed a lifeline
A goalkeeping blunder by Atletico Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois gave Zenit St Petersburg a qualification lifeline as they fought back to draw 1-1 in their UEFA Champions League Group G match on Tuesday. Toby Alderweireld deflected a Igor Smolnikov cross toward the net in the 74th minute and Belgian Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, flapped at the ball as it dropped over his head into the net for a precious equalizer for the Russians. Atletico, already through to the round-of-16 as group winners and missing several regulars, went ahead in the 53rd minute when Adrian Lopez raced clear on the left before slipping the ball under goalkeeper Yuri Lodygin.
PORTUGAL
Porto fail to capitalize
Porto striker Jackson Martinez salvaged a 1-1 home draw against Austria Vienna as the wasteful Portuguese champions failed to make the most of an earlier slip by UEFA Champions League Group G rivals Zenit St Petersburg. The Colombian’s header canceled out Roman Kienast’s first-half strike as Porto missed a chance to overtake second-placed Zenit. With one round to go, the Portuguese side remain third on five points, one behind the Russians, while the Austrians have only two points and cannot qualify for the Europa League.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
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Dubbed a “motorway for cyclists” where avid amateurs can chase Tadej Pogacar up mountains teeming with the highest concentration of professional cyclists per square kilometer in the world, Spain’s Costa Blanca has forged a new reputation for itself in the past few years. Long known as the ideal summer destination for those in search of sun, sea and sand, the stretch of coast between Valencia and Alicante now has a winter vocation too. During the season break in December and January, the region experiences an invasion of cyclists. Star names such as three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe
AGING WELL: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 22, was sent packing after being dispatched by world No. 97, Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the draw at 36 Novak Djokovic yesterday created a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round, but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Play was suspended on the outside courts for a couple of hours in the early evening because of the wet weather. That led to the rescheduling of a women’s doubles match between wild-cards Tsao Chia-yi of Taiwan and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and 11th
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