SOCCER
Martinez joins Atletico
Porto’s highly rated Colombian striker Jackson Martinez has signed for Atletico Madrid for a transfer fee of 35 million euros (US$38.91 million), the Portuguese club announced late on Tuesday. The 28-year-old forward is to replace Croatian Mario Mandzukic, who has moved from Spain to Juventus in Italy for 19 million euros. Martinez has been the top scorer in Portugal for the past three seasons, having joined Porto from Mexican outfit Jaguares de Chiapas. He scored 21 goals in 29 league appearances as Porto finished as runners-up to St Benfica last season. Martinez had previously agreed a move with AC Milan, and had been targeted by Arsenal, before instead opting for a switch to Atletico. Martinez is expected to sign a four-year deal with Atletico.
ICE HOCKEY
Coyotes acquire Gordon
Boyd Gordon never really wanted to leave Arizona, so the veteran forward is thrilled to be back in the desert. The Coyotes filled a need at center on Tuesday, acquiring Gordon from the Edmonton Oilers for forward Lauri Korpikoski. “It was tough to leave Phoenix,” Gordon said. “I heard the news today and I’m excited to come back.” Gordon was a steadying influence with Arizona from 2011 to 2013, helping the Coyotes reach the 2012 Western Conference finals with his heady play, penalty killing and faceoff ability.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Aldo out of McGregor fight
UFC lightweight champion Jose Aldo has pulled out of his title defense against Conor McGregor at UFC 189 on July 11 with a rib injury. Chad Mendes is to face McGregor for the interim title instead. UFC president Dana White made the announcement on Tuesday. Aldo was hurt while training in Brazil, damaging cartilage in his ribcage. Aldo initially said he could still fight despite the pain. McGregor is among the UFC’s biggest rising stars, and the loquacious Irishman’s bout with Aldo was the promotion’s most anticipated fight of the summer. Mendes has lost twice to Aldo, but has won every other fight of his mixed martial arts career.
GOLF
Allenby robber pleads guilty
A Hawaii man on Tuesday pleaded guilty to using Robert Allenby’s credit cards after the Australian golfer said he was robbed and beaten in Honolulu. Allenby recounted a bizarre saga in January that involved having no memory of what happened for two-and-a-half hours after he left a Honolulu restaurant. He went to dinner, and said he later woke up in a park with a bloodied face. Owen Harbison was arrested in February on charges of identity theft, attempt theft and unauthorized possession of confidential personal information. As part of a plea deal, Harbison agreed to a five-year prison term, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jacob Delaplane said. Harbison used Allenby’s credit cards and ID around Honolulu to buy gift cards, clothing and jewelry, Delaplane said. It is still unclear what happened to Allenby after he left Amuse Wine Bar. Harbison is the only person who has been arrested in connection with the case. The saga generated interested when Allenby took a photograph of his scraped and bloodied face and posted it to his Facebook page after he got back to his hotel. He first said he was beaten, robbed and thrown from the trunk of a car. He later said he was told that by a homeless woman who helped him escape from a park. However, one homeless man told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that Allenby injured himself by passing out and hitting his head on a rock.
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
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
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