SOCCER
Sampdoria defeat Bologna
Italy internationals Eder and Roberto Soriano scored second-half goals as UC Sampdoria on Monday beat 10-man Bologna 2-0 in a Serie A match that was postponed for a day due to bad weather. The win moved Sampdoria level second with five other clubs, two points behind leader Inter. Promoted Bologna are still looking for their first points. Brazilian-born Eder opened the scoring in the 75th with a shot that banged in off the post and Soriano doubled the lead four minutes later with a powerful effort from beyond the area. Bologna substitute Luca Rizzo was sent off after picking up his second yellow shortly after the hour mark.
CYCLING
Thomas pulls out of worlds
Geraint Thomas has joined Team Sky colleague Chris Froome in pulling out of the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia, starting this weekend, saying he is not physically up to it. “It’s been a hard decision to make, but the season has taken its toll on me and I don’t feel physically up for a good worlds,” Welshman Thomas, 29, wrote on Facebook. “I don’t want to go there just to make up the numbers, I’d want to be competitive or at least do a good job for the boys.” Thomas, who helped Froome win this year’s Tour de France, is targeting a big year next year with the Olympics and the Tour de France both being priorities. Froome was forced to pull out of the worlds after fracturing his foot in the Vuelta a Espana.
FRANCHISES
Cowboys top Forbes list
The Dallas Cowboys have dethroned Real Madrid as the most valuable sports team in the world, according to a Forbes survey of the richest teams in the NFL. The Cowboys, often described as “America’s Team” despite not having won the Super Bowl since 1995, topped the Forbes list with a value of US$4 billion, fueled in part by the NFL’s gargantuan domestic TV deal. The valuation puts them ahead of Real Madrid, who were valued by Forbes at US$3.26 billion, according to a global list released earlier this year. Two other US sports franchises, the NFL’s New England Patriots and baseball’s New York Yankees, were next with an estimated value of US$3.2 billion. Reigning European champions Barcelona came in at fifth with an estimated value of US$3.16 billion. Premier League giants Manchester United were valued at US$3.1 billion according to the most recent Forbes estimates.
SWIMMING
Magnussen preps for Rio
It was tough viewing for James Magnussen to see his 100m freestyle crown nabbed at last month’s World Aquatics Championships, but the convalescing Australian drew comfort from the relatively slow times at the Kazan meeting. Magnussen is back training with the national squad in Canberra after missing the worlds due to shoulder surgery. His four-year reign as 100m world champion was broken by China’s Ning Zetao, who swept to victory with a time of 47.84 seconds. Magnussen’s personal best of 47.10 would have blown all challengers out of the water at Kazan, and the Australian is eager to reassert his authority at the Rio Olympics next year after being pipped for gold at the London Games. Magnussen underwent surgery on his troublesome left shoulder in May, having lost 70 percent of his strength in it. He lost his 100m national title to teammate Cameron McEvoy, who was pipped for the world title by Ning, the first Asian swimmer to win the blue ribbon event.
The Rakuten Monkeys on Sunday downed the CTBC Brothers 2-1, handing the hosts their second consecutive loss in the best-of-seven CPBL Taiwan Series at the Taipei Dome. Monkeys’ ace starter Pedro Fernandez of the Dominican Republic dominated on the mound, cruising through six scoreless innings before giving up a run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning. He gave up only three hits and walked two batters in a 93-pitch outing, giving his Taoyuan-based team an edge. Offensively, the Monkeys’ leadoff batter Lin Li hit Brothers starter Brandon Leibrandt’s pitch over the center-field wall in the game’s first at-bat,
Rafael Leao on Sunday shot AC Milan to the top of Serie A with a brace in a 2-1 win over ACF Fiorentina who were enraged by the “scandalous” awarding of the penalty that decided the game. Portugal winger Leao pushed Milan one point ahead of local rivals Inter, SSC Napoli and AS Roma with a coolly taken spot-kick, given for what looked like a soft foul on Santiago Gimenez by Fabiano Parisi, with four minutes remaining. That goal capped a fine first league start of the season for Leao and came after he drew the hosts level with a brilliantly struck
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal would be motivated by criticism ahead of the Clasico, Barcelona assistant coach Marcus Sorg said yesterday. Teenage winger Yamal has been in the spotlight in the Spanish capital after joking that Real Madrid “steal” and “complain” during an appearance on a social media stream. Champions Barca face Real Madrid today in La Liga at the Santiago Bernabeu, looking for a fifth consecutive win over their rivals. “Lamine is a top player and I think [the criticism] will be motivating for him,” Sorg told a news conference. “I hope we all see him tomorrow [give] the best performance.” The 18-year-old Spain
Sean Dyche on Thursday achieved in his first game with Nottingham Forest what predecessor Ange Postecoglou could not in eight matches in charge: Win. Under its new coach, Nottingham Forest presented a concentrated display resulting in a 2-0 victory over Porto in the UEFA Europa League. It was the first victory for Nottingham in the competition and only the second overall this season, while Porto were defeated for the first time this season. Morgan Gibbs-White converted from the penalty spot in the 19th minute at the City Ground in West Bridgford, England. Igor Jesus doubled the advantage from another penalty in the 77th
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