WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
US team to be cover girls
Each member of the US women’s Cup-winning soccer team are to be given the cover girl treatment by Sports Illustrated. The US sports magazine announced on Monday that copies of this week’s edition would be printed with 25 different covers — one for each player, one for coach Jill Ellis and one group shot of the whole squad. Sports Illustrated and other magazines often print multiple covers featuring different photographs to mark special events. However, the decision to print 25 separate covers for one edition is unprecedented. “Each player deserves her own cover, that is what we settled on,” Sports Illustrated managing editor Chris Stone said in a statement. The move comes after the US women’s team ended a 16-year drought to claim their third tournament crown on July 5 with a 5-2 rout of Japan. Last week, the team were honored with a victory rally in Los Angeles before being feted with a ticker-tape parade in New York, becoming the first women’s sports team in history to receive the honor in the Big Apple.
EPL
Spurs’ Lloris fractures wrist
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Hugo Lloris faces a race to be fit for the start of the new English Premier League (EPL) league season after suffering a fractured wrist, the club said on Monday. Tottenham did not disclose exactly how Lloris sustained the injury. Lloris, who joined the north London club from French Ligue 1 team Olympique Lyonnais in 2012, made 35 league appearances last season and was one of the star performers for Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Lloris has been reported as a potential transfer target for Manchester United if the Old Trafford outfit sell their first choice goalkeeper David de Gea to Real Madrid before the start of the season. “The club can confirm that Hugo Lloris has sustained a fractured wrist during the close-season period,” a statement on Tottenham’s Web site said. “The France goalkeeper will continue to work alongside the first-team squad to build up his fitness in a bid to be ready for the start of the season. Our medical team will continue to monitor his rehabilitation and progress during pre-season.”
MLS
United’s Hamid out injured
Bill Hamid, star goalkeeper for Major League Soccer’s (MLS) overall leader DC United, is to be sidelined for four to six weeks after undergoing operations to his right knee and left hand. The team announced on Monday that Hamid underwent the separate operations on Wednesday last week, including arthroscopic knee surgery to repair his meniscus as well as a procedure to release the flexor tendon of the second finger knuckle joint on his right hand. The 24-year-old American was last season’s Goalkeeper of the Year, but missed his fifth game of the season on July 3 when United lost 1-0 to Seattle. United lead the Eastern Conference at 10-6 with five drawn for 35 points, nine more than New York, although the Red Bulls have three matches in hand. Seattle, Vancouver and Dallas top the Western Conference with 32 points each.
LIGUE 1
El Shaarawy joins Monaco
AC Milan’s Italy striker Stephan El Shaarawy has been loaned to AS Monaco for a season with an option to buy, the French club said on Monday. “Stephan El Shaarawy joins AS Monaco’s workforce after more than 100 matches played in the Milan jersey,” Monaco said on their Web site.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
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