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 New Taipei Kings claimed the inaugural Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL) championship on Sunday, defeating the Kaohsiung FamilyMart Aquas 108-89 in the final. Playing at home, the Kings pulled ahead with Jeremy Lin’s (林書豪) clutch three-pointers, securing their victory over the Aquas in the TPBL final. The Kings came out strong in the first quarter, dominating to build a 35-18 lead. By halftime, they had stretched their advantage to 61-38. In the third quarter, the Aquas narrowed the deficit to 12 points, but Lin stepped up, sinking several tough three- pointers to extend the lead. In the final quarter, the Kings pushed the
In an unlikely Ethiopian outpost of one the most French of pastimes, four men are leaning over their petanque balls, arguing over who is winning. Petanque, the bowling game also known as boules, is more readily associated with French village squares where locals launch metal balls at a jack while enjoying an afternoon drink, but for decades, it has also been a beloved pastime for members of a club near the iconic Meskel Square in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. It was founded in the early 20th century to cater to French railway workers, who built a line connecting Addis Ababa
SEMI-FINAL SWEEP: Taiwanese are to take up all four berths in the men’s doubles semi-finals, while three Taiwanese women’s doubles pairings secured spots Taiwan’s badminton ace Chou Tien-chen stayed hot as he secured a semi-final berth in the men’s singles at the US Open at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Friday. Chou entered the Super 300 tournament as the top seed and breezed past Victor Lai of Canada 21-19, 21-8 in 37 minutes, advancing to the semi-finals for the second straight tournament. Earlier this month, the 35-year-old veteran finished runner-up at the Indonesia Open, becoming the oldest male shuttler to reach a Super 1000-level final. He was set to face Ayush Shetty of India last night after press time for a spot in the final. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Taiwanese
Spain are the favorites to win the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025, but star player Aitana Bonmati’s illness ahead of the tournament raises another question mark around a side which, despite their obvious quality, are not unstoppable. Having claimed the last two Ballon d’Or awards, Barcelona midfielder Bonmati is the game’s biggest star at present, so her absence in the final days before the start of Euro 2025 is a major setback. The 27-year-old came down with a fever in training last week, and was subsequently hospitalized and diagnosed with viral meningitis. Bonmati was discharged on Sunday and joined up with
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