SOCCER
West Ham win in new home
The first Premier League game staged at the centerpiece stadium of the London Olympics in 2012 served up some late drama on Sunday, with new tenants West Ham United scoring in the 85th minute to earn a 1-0 win over 10-man Bournemouth. Bournemouth were left a man short after Harry Arter was sent off in the 77th, and West Ham took advantage when winger Michail Antonio met an inviting left-wing cross by Gokhan Tore with a header at the far post. West Ham then needed a reaction save from goalkeeper Adrian followed by a clearance from near the goal line to preserve their first league win at the team’s new home. Sunderland, and their new manager David Moyes, are also looking for their first point after a 2-1 loss to northeast rival Middlesbrough in the other game on Sunday.
SOCCER
PSG start with win over Metz
Layvin Kurzawa, Marco Verratti and Lucas on Sunday scored as Paris Saint-Germain beat newly promoted Metz 3-0 at the Parc des Princes in coach Unai Emery’s first home game in charge. PSG join Olympique Lyonnais and OGC Nice on a maximum six points from two games, but Olympique de Marseille remain without a win after the troubled giants lost 2-1 at En Avant de Guingamp on Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, Manchester United star Paul Pogba was in the crowd as AS Saint-Etienne claimed a 3-1 win over Montpellier Herault. At the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, the world’s most expensive player was there to support his brother Florentin, the Guinea defender who turned 26 on Friday last week.
FOOTBALL
NFL changes injury reports
The NFL has opted to drop the “probable” designation in injury reports ahead of games, bringing more clarity to the availability of players and their chances of taking the field, the league announced on Sunday. Under the new guidelines, three classifications are to be used prior to games: “questionable” for those whose availability is uncertain, “doubtful” for those unlikely to play and “out” for those who will definitely not play. Under the changes, if an injured player is certain to play he cannot be placed on the game status report. In addition, a change has been made to the midweek practice report, removing the “out” category. Practice injury report designations are to be limited to “full participation” for players who took 100 percent of their normal reps, “limited participation” and “did not participate.”
RUGBY UNION
Fiji honors coach Ben Ryan
The England-born coach of Fiji’s gold medal-winning rugby sevens team, Ben Ryan, was yesterday awarded one of the Pacific nation’s highest civil honors at a ceremony in the capital, Suva. Fijian President Jioji Konrote made Ryan a Companion of the Order of Fiji, the highest honorary title that can be awarded under the order. Fiji’s players and team managers were made Officers of the Order of Fiji and, with Ryan, were awarded US$30,000 by the Fijian government for winning Fiji’s first Olympic medal. The awards took place at Suva’s packed ANZ National Stadium yesterday, which was made a national holiday in the team’s honor. Fans cheered as Ryan drained a bowl of local beverage kava as part of a traditional ceremony of celebration.
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
This year’s Taiwan Athletics Open, which offers Taiwanese athletes an opportunity to compete against their international peers, would be held under a new name after its organizers had earlier announced the event’s cancelation. In a statement issued yesterday, the Chinese Taipei Athletics Association said the competition would still take place on June 6-7 at Banciao Stadium, but under the name “New Taipei City Athletics Open 2026.” The event was given a new name to emphasize its local identity and conform with the international practice of naming World Athletics Tour events after cities, the association said. It said it would soon
Taiwanese shortstop Cheng Tsung-che on Friday made history for the Boston Red Sox’s Triple A affiliate, hitting the Worcester Red Sox’s first cycle, while netting two runs, as they beat fellow Taiwan teammate Stuart Fairchild’s Columbus Clippers. The 24-year-old former Pittsburgh Pirates prospect went 4-4, completing a full cycle, starting with a triple in the second inning off Ryan Webb in the WooSox’s 9-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians’ Triple A affiliate. He scored in the same inning after teammate Vinny Capra, a fellow former Pirate, grounded out. The Pingtung County native followed that up with a walk in the third, an
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