SOCCER
N’Gog makes up for miss
David N’Gog missed a penalty, but made amends by heading in a second-half winner as Stade de Reims provisionally moved to third place in the Ligue 1 standings with a 1-0 win over Lille OSC on Friday. Unbeaten at home this season, Reims moved within two points of leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Reims withstood an early pressure from Lille, with the visitors creating three clear chances in the first 10 minutes, as Eric Bautheac’s volley ricocheted off both posts in the third minute. Djibril Sidibe’s foul on Antoine Devaux earned a penalty kick for Reims, but goalkeeper Steeve Elana saved N’Gog’s effort with a dive to his right in the 19th minute. Reims were the better team after the interval and were rewarded with the three points after N’Gog connected with Prince Oniangue’s cross to score his first goal this season. With seven points in as many matches, Lille are already trailing PSG by 10 points.
SOCCER
Ingolstadt drop away points
Ingolstadt 04 captain Marvin Matip scored on his 30th birthday to salvage a 1-1 draw for the promoted side against Cologne in the Bundesliga on Friday. Anthony Modeste opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a fine header from Marcel Risse’s cross, only for the unmarked Matip to equalize with a header from a corner in the 21st. “It was a nice goal, but it didn’t lead to the win,” Modeste said of his opener. “Against such teams, we have to win or it could get close in the end.” Cologne dominated the second half, but could not force a winner. Japan striker Yuya Osako had a late chance from close range, but was thwarted by visiting goalkeeper Ramazan Ozcan. “Sometimes it helps when you’ve broad shoulders,” Ozcan said. “It was an entertaining evening,” Ingolstadt coach Ralph Hasenhuettl said of his side’s first dropped points away from home in the club’s first Bundesliga season. Ingolstadt won their opening three away games. “We had a bit of luck tonight, but we’re a promoted side, we shouldn’t get carried away,” Matip said. Cologne climbed to fifth, ahead of Ingolstadt on goals scored, before the rest of the seventh round.
ATHLETICS
Reus wins Spartathlon
German runner Florian Reus yesterday won the historic 245.3km Spartathlon race for the first time, clocking 23 hours, 17 minutes, 31 seconds. Reus, 31, was second for the past two years, and as the winner of the race he received an olive wreath and a cup of water from the Evrotas River. Finishing a surprise second was first-time course competitor Dan Lawson of the UK, with the 42-year-old runner timing 23 hours, 53 minutes, 32 seconds. He led for most of the race. Third in the 33rd annual Spartathlon was Denmark’s 40-year-old Kim Hansen, who was 30m behind Lawson and clocked 23 hours, 54 minutes, 37 seconds. The first woman across the line and fourth overall was 36-year-old American Katalyn Nagy in 25 hours, 7 minutes, 12 seconds, the best time ever for a woman on the course. The race traces the classical route of Pheidippides, an Athenian messenger sent to Sparta in 490 BC to seek help against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon. According to Greek historian Herodotus, Pheidippides arrived in Sparta “on the next day of his departure.” The idea for the creation of Spartathlon belongs to John Foden, a British RAF Wing Commander who first ran the course in 1982 in 36 hours.
Twelve days after winning her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, Coco Gauff fell at the first hurdle on grass in Berlin on Thursday as beaten Paris finalist Aryna Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals. Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie. Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals last year, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament. “After I won the first
Sergio Ramos on Tuesday outfoxed two Inter players and artfully headed home the first goal for Monterrey at the FIFA Club World Cup. The 39-year-old Ramos slipped through the penalty area for the score just as he did for so many years in the shirts of Real Madrid and Spain’s national team, with whom he combined smarts, timing and physicality. Ramos’ clever goal and his overall defensive play at the Rose Bowl were major factors in Monterrey’s impressive 1-1 draw against the UEFA Champions League finalists in the clubs’ first match of the tournament. “There is always a joy to contribute to the
Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka staged a “crazy comeback,” saving four match points before beating Elena Rybakina 7-6 (6), 3-6, 7-6 (6) in the quarter-finals of the Berlin Open on Friday. Sabalenka was 6-2 down in the final-set tie-breaker, but won six straight points to reach her eighth semi-final of the season. “Elena is a great player and we’ve had a lot of tough battles,” Sabalenka said. “I have no idea how I was able to win those last points. I think I just got lucky.” “I remember a long time ago when I was just starting, I won a lot of matches being down
While British star Jack Draper spent the past week trying to find rhythm and comfort in his first grass tournament of the season at the Queen’s Club Championships in London, Jiri Lehecka on Saturday bulldozed everything in his path. After more than two furious hours of battle, their form was reflected in the final scoreline as Lehecka toppled a frustrated Draper, the second seed, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to reach the biggest final of his career, against Carlos Alcaraz. Lehecka is also the first Czech to reach the men’s title match at Queen’s since Ivan Lendl lifted the trophy in 1990. Draper, who
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