SOCCER
FIFA mulls new laws
FIFA officials could decide this month to let teams use a fourth substitute in extra-time. The rule could take effect in July if agreed to at a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Northern Ireland on Feb. 28. FIFA said IFAB could also decide on relaxing a “triple punishment” rule where a defender can make a challenge that results in a penalty kick, a red card and suspension. The panel also plan to begin talks on “the potential use of video replays to support match officials.”
CRICKET
Faulkner faces fitness race
Australia all-rounder James Faulkner faces a race to be fit for the Cricket World Cup after scans yesterday confirmed he suffered a moderate grade abdominal strain in Sunday’s tri-series final against England. Australia team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Faulkner’s injury is “consistent with a typical fast-bowling side strain injury. He will receive intensive treatment for the next two weeks before we can determine when he can return to batting and bowling. He will travel with Australia’s ICC Cricket World Cup squad to Adelaide on Friday to continue his treatment with team medical staff.”
CRICKET
Stokes proves his worth
Ben Stokes, controversially omitted from the England World Cup squad, struck 15 sixes during an unbeaten 151 to help the England Lions defeat South Africa A on Monday in a one-day match. Batting at No. 5, Stokes also hit seven fours off 86 balls during 117 minutes at the crease, as the visitors triumphed by 89 runs. Stokes was dropped by England after four of seven one-day internationals in Sri Lanka two months ago due to a poor all-round game, particularly his bowling. However, former England stars Ian Botham, Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood have criticized his exclusion from the squad for the World Cup.
TENNIS
Stakhovsky wins in Zagreb
Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine defeated Borna Coric of Croatia 6-2, 6-4 to advance to the second round of the Zagreb Indoors tournament on Monday. Stakhovsky, who won the tournament in 2008 as lucky loser, won five games in a row in the first set, and saved a break point before closing the match. Coric held serve only four times and converted two out of 12 break points. “It’s not the first time that I failed to take the chances,” Coric said. Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania also advanced, beating Lukas Lacko of Slovakia 6-0, 6-2 in just 41 minutes. Lacko, a runner-up in Zagreb in 2012, won only 20 out of 71 points and had constant problems returning serve.
TENNIS
Janowicz through in France
Fifth-seeded Jerzy Janowicz of Poland served 14 aces as he rallied to beat Dustin Brown of Germany 2-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5 in the first round of the Open Sud de France on Monday. Janowicz, who dropped serve three times and saved five break points, next plays either Frenchman Benoit Paire or 169th-ranked Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia. Seventh-seeded Joao Sousa of Portugal had little trouble getting past wild-card entry Laurent Lokoli, beating him 6-2, 6-4 in just over one hour. He next faces Germany’s Tobias Kamke, who overcame wild-card Vincent Millot of France 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in a scrappy contest. Neither managed to serve an ace and they dropped serve six times each.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Matvei Michkov did not score on Monday, but the Philadelphia rookie had a hand in both goals as hosts the Flyers earned a 2-1 victory over the Nashville Predators. Ryan Poehling and Jamie Drysdale got the goals for the Flyers (31-36-9, 71 points), who won their third straight. Michkov and Travis Konecny assisted on both. Ivan Fedotov stopped 28 shots to earn his first win since March 1, ending a personal six-game losing streak. Zachary L’Heureux got the lone goal for Nashville. Michael McCarron and Brady Skjei got the assists for the Predators (27-39-8, 62 points), who have just four goals in their
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