SOCCER
Chile beat US 3-2
Mark Gonzalez scored twice in the second half to help Chile to a 3-2 home win over the US in a friendly in Santiago on Wednesday. The US started brightly, with Brek Shea scoring after five minutes after being set up by Matt Bresler. Chile, with coach Jorge Sampaoli picking a home-based line-up, hit back fast and made it 1-1 in the 10th minute when Gonzalez crossed for Roberto Gutierrez to head home. The visitors blew chances through DeAndre Yedlin, Michael Bradley and Steve Birnbaum, but Jozy Altidore connected on a Mix Diskerud pass to beat Chilean goalkeeper Johny Herrera in the 30th minute. Chile struggled for ideas early in the second half, but got back on level terms in the 66th minute when Gonzalez blasted home. Chile, who are to host the Copa America in June, then sealed their first win over the US since 1994 when Gonzalez scored again nine minutes later. The US are to host Panama next month as part of their preparations for the Gold Cup before traveling to Europe to play Denmark and Switzerland in March. They also face Mexico in April.
SOCCER
Juve make Italian Cup semis
A goal one minute from time from Alvaro Morata gave Juventus a 1-0 win at Parma and a place in the Italian Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. Juventus, who have not won the title for 20 years, will face either AS Roma or ACF Fiorentina for a place in the final. Morata, 22, and recruited from Real Madrid for 20 million euros (US$22.61 million) last year, decided Wednesday’s tie with his fifth goal of the season. On Tuesday, SS Lazio beat AC Milan 1-0 to also make the semi-finals.
BASEBALL
Suzuki cites ‘enthusiasm’
Ichiro Suzuki says a renewed sense of enthusiasm was behind his decision to sign a US$2 million, one-year contract with the Miami Marlins. Making a rare appearance at a press conference in his native Japan, Suzuki said: “When I met [Miami] team executives yesterday, I felt incredible enthusiasm, so I wanted to respond to their enthusiasm and I believe that is something I have been looking for the last two years.” Suzuki’s deal includes US$2.8 million in performance bonuses based on plate appearances: US$400,000 for 300 and the same amount for each additional 50 through 600. The 41-year-old Suzuki, a 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, is expected to be the team’s fourth outfielder behind Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich and Marcell Ozuna.
GOLF
Kel Nagle dies at 94
The PGA of Australia says former British Open winner and US Open runner-up Kel Nagle has died. He was 94. The PGA said in a statement yesterday that Nagle, who won the British Open at St Andrews in 1960, its centenary year, died overnight at a Sydney hospital. It did not give a cause of death. The Australian golfer won a tournament every year for 26 years after turning professional in 1946, collecting 61 victories on the PGA Tour of Australasia and two on the US tour. He finished second to Gary Player at the 1965 US Open at Bellerive in St Louis, Missouri, losing an 18-hole playoff to the South African. Player said then that Nagle was “one of the best short-game players” he had seen. Nagle also won the Australian PGA championship a record six times.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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