SOCCER
‘Great brawl of China’ erupts
Chinese soccer authorities launched an investigation yesterday after a mass brawl erupted at a Cup match involving big-spending Jiangsu Suning, with one player receiving a kung fu-style flying kick. Violence broke out when towering Jiangsu striker Ge Wei scored in the ninth minute of extra-time for a 1-0 win against amateur side Wuhan Hongxing, prompting enraged Wuhan players to attack the visiting team. The ruckus saw Chinese international midfielder Wu Xi receive a flying kick to the back as fists flew and combatants chased each other across the pitch. Jiangsu led a world-leading transfer spending spree earlier this year, but because of Chinese FA Cup rules, megabucks signings Alex Teixeira, Ramires and Jo were not playing on Wednesday. The incident is embarrassing for Chinese soccer, which has made intense efforts to clean itself up after a series of scandals and sees itself as a future global power in the sport.
ICE HOCKEY
Finland stay perfect
Finland made it four wins out of four to move to the top of the world championship Group B after beating Hungary 3-0 on Wednesday. Hungary are yet to pick up a point in this year’s tournament in Russia, but they held their own in the first period to hold the in-form Finns at bay. Atte Ohtamaa broke the Hungarian resistance with four minutes to go in the second period. Mikko Koivu doubled Finland’s lead in the third period, with his third goal of the tournament and Alexander Barkov sealed the 3-0 win on the powerplay with four minutes remaining. After being humbled 5-1 by Germany on Tuesday, Slovakia lost again in a game they were expected to win, going down 4-2 to Belarus, who picked up their first win of the competition. Belarus came from two goals down to seal the victory with a third-period onslaught, scoring four goals in the space of 15 minutes. Sweden moved level on points with the Czech Republic at the top of Group A following a 7-3 victory over Kazakhstan and a late game-winning goal from Eric Blum gave Switzerland a 5-4 win victory over Latvia.
SOCCER
Andersen to coach N Korea
Former Norwegian international striker Jorn Andersen is to become the new coach of North Korea, Norwegian television station NRK reported on Wednesday, citing his family. According to the reports, which have not been verified, the 53-year-old Andersen will sign a one-year contract. Capped 27 times by Norway, Andersen is best remembered for becoming the first foreign player to be the top scorer in the German Bundesliga when he found the net 18 times for Eintracht Frankfurt in 1989-1990. Andersen had been in charge of Austria Salzburg until December last year.
SOCCER
Frank de Boer quits Ajax
Ajax coach and former Dutch international Frank de Boer yesterday announced he was quitting the Amsterdam club after failing to win the Dutch title. “Frank de Boer is quitting as Ajax trainer. He told the club’s board in a meeting,” Ajax said in a statement issued in Amsterdam. De Boer’s announcement comes after Ajax drew 1-1 against minnows De Graafschap on Sunday, while defending champions PSV retained their hold on the trophy with a 3-1 victory against PEC Zwolle. Ajax needed a win to claim the 34th championship in their 116-year history. PSV’s victory saw wild parties in Eindhoven, but in the Dutch capital, many Ajax fans slinked off in despair at the end of the match.
When Paddy Dwyer arrived in China in 1976, crowds jostled to catch a glimpse of him and his companions — the first Western soccer team to play in the country. China was emerging from the chaos of the Cultural Revolution, and on the brink of market reforms that would take the country from economic stagnation to explosive growth. “All we could see was lines of people running beside our bus, trying to look in the windows, to see their first visual of a white person,” he said. “It was all bicycles,” he said. “There were very few cars to be seen.” Dwyer,
Jannik Sinner continued his quest to become the first man in history to win five Masters 1000 tournaments in a row with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over Danish qualifier Elmer Moller at the Madrid Open on Sunday. The world leader extended his winning streak to 19 matches, a run that began early March in Indian Wells, and he has captured 24 consecutive victories at the Masters 1000 level, dating back to the Paris Masters last October. Searching for a maiden title at this level on clay, Sinner advanced to the round of 16 at the Caja Magica with a 77-minute performance against
Tennis players are facing an unexpected opponent at the Madrid Open. A stomach virus or food poisoning has affected Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Marin Cilic and others, raising concerns. World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka avoided an upset by Naomi Osaka on the court on Monday and said she is trying to avoid illness by sticking to a diet of chicken breasts, rice and salad. The rumor among the players was bad shrimp tacos were to blame. Sabalenka knocked on wood for luck and said, “So far, so good. I heard that I have to avoid those tacos,” she laughed, adding “I stick to the
Some of Clearlake Capital Group’s largest investors are growing increasingly concerned about how much time the company’s co-founders are spending on sports investments as they have struggled to complete the fundraising for the private equity firm’s latest flagship fund. One of Clearlake’s co-founders, Behdad Eghbali, has been spending what some investors described as a disproportionate amount of time on the firm’s investment in Chelsea Football Club in recent months. Now, co-founder Jose E. Feliciano and his wife, Kwanza Jones, are nearing a record US$3.9 billion deal to acquire the San Diego Padres. That personal investment by Feliciano has set off the latest
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