CRICKET
NZ seeks clarification
New Zealand Cricket is demanding clarification from the sport’s governing body over a contentious call by TV umpire Nigel Llong that swung the momentum in the first ever day-night cricket Test. Australia won by three-wickets late on Sunday, helped by a 22-run first-innings lead that likely would not have existed if Nathan Lyon had been dismissed before he had scored on Saturday. New Zealand coach Mike Hesson yesterday said he was confident with the technology available for the Decision Review System, indicating his problem was how it was applied. With Australia reeling at 118-8 in reply to 202, New Zealand appealed for a catch when Lyon apparently brushed the ball with his bat as he attempted a sweep shot. Llong rejected evidence from Hotspot, which was designed to detect contact between bat and ball, because it was not backed up by other technology.
SOCCER
Khalil is Asian of Year
UAE sharpshooter Ahmed Khalil stunned compatriot Omar Abdulrahman and China’s Zheng Zhi on Sunday as he was named Asian Player of the Year at a glittering ceremony in India. The 24-year-old former youth player of the year could hardly believe his good fortune when his name emerged from the envelope at the Bollywood-themed show in Gurgaon, near New Delhi. Much of the smart money had been on 2013 winner Zheng, after he led Guangzhou Evergrande to their second AFC Champions League title in three years against Khalil’s Al Ahli last week, but instead it was Khalil who accepted the trophy from Asian soccer boss and FIFA presidential hopeful Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in front of hundreds of delegates. “My feeling is something I cannot explain... This award means a lot to me. This achievement is not for Ahmed, it’s for all the people in the Emirates,” Khalil told reporters.
SOCCER
Vasco avoid relegation
A flooded stadium forced Vasco da Gama players to take the long way to the pitch through a cheering crowd of fans on Sunday, but that merely inspired them to a 1-0 win that kept their hopes of avoiding relegation alive until the final day of the season. Kick off for the penultimate game of the season against Santos was delayed an hour after torrential rain fell in Rio de Janeiro, leaving the pitch waterlogged and the dressing rooms under water. The water left the tunnel to the pitch unpassable and the Vasco players were forced to take the back route via the terracing where hundreds of fans descended to cheer the players onto the field. The surface was eventually given the okay and former Paris Saint-Germain forward Nene got the winner in the 44th minute of the first half.
RUGBY UNION
Goromaru statue unveiled
Japan is looking to cash in on the rugby fever that swept the nation in recent weeks by unveiling a lifesize bronze statue of World Cup star Ayumu Goromaru. However, fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the golden-colored figure — crouching with its fingers clasped together in the player’s trademark kick routine — will have to be quick. After being unveiled by Goromaru himself yesterday it is to decorate Tokyo’s Christmas illuminations for a month only and be removed again afterward. “They’ve reproduced my fingers in real detail,” Japan’s latest sporting pinup told reporters. “When I first heard about the statue, I kind of wished they had statues of the whole Japan team.”
Harry Kane opened the scoring ahead of lifting his first career silverware as Bayern Munich beat Borussia Moenchengladbach 2-0, with veteran Thomas Mueller playing his last home game for the club. Bayern officially won the title on May 4 when defending champions Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 2-2 draw at Freiburg, but were presented with the Bundesliga shield in front of their home fans at full-time. Dripping wet after being showered with beer by teammates, Kane said the title win was “an incredible feeling,” and hoped it would be “the first of many.” “It’s been lot of hard work, a lot of
SSC Napoli’s Italian Serie A title hopes suffered a late setback on Sunday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at home against Genoa, setting up a thrilling season finale with closest rivals Inter just one point behind. The hosts remain top with 78 points, holding a slim lead over Inter, who won 2-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday, with two rounds remaining. To make matters worse for Napoli, midfielder Stanislav Lobotka, struggling with an ankle injury, was forced off just minutes after the match began. Scott McTominay delivered a perfect pass into the box where Romelu Lukaku got
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Taiwanese e-sports veteran Lin “ET” Chia-hung yesterday successfully defended his King of Fighters XV title at this year’s Evolution Championship Series: Japan (EVO Japan), securing his second consecutive championship. Lin claimed victory with a 3-1 win over Japanese pro gamer “mok” in the grand final, repeating his earlier 3-1 win against the same opponent in the winners’ final. The 40-year-old earned a ￥1 million (US$6,897) cash prize at the two-day tournament, which drew 294 competitors. Mok, Lin’s toughest rival in the bracket, took home ￥400,000 as runner-up. Lin remains undefeated in match sets against mok in King of Fighters XV, holding a 10-0 record,
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