CYCLING
Armstrong draws hundreds
Several hundred cyclists yesterday turned out for an early-morning ride with Lance Armstrong, who is in New Zealand to film a commercial for a local brewery. Armstrong issued an invitation on social media to join him cycling around Auckland’s waterfront and a crowd estimated at up to 1,000 turned out. Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from cycling in 2013 after admitting he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. Armstrong told the New Zealand Herald newspaper that he was glad to know he still has some support. New Zealand’s Lion Breweries has confirmed that it invited the 45-year-old Texan to New Zealand. Armstrong arrived in Auckland on Sunday from Houston, Texas, telling reporters he is in New Zealand on business.
FOOTBALL
Panthers defeat Redskins
Jonathan Stewart on Monday rushed for 132 yards as the Carolina Panthers beat the Washington Redskins 26-15 in a clash between two NFC teams struggling to make the playoffs. Cam Newton completed 21 of 37 passes for 300 yards and tight end Greg Olsen had six catches for 85 yards for Carolina, who scored 10 points in the third quarter to go up by 14. Graham Gano kicked four field goals as the Panthers held on for their second straight win in front of a crowd of 91,700 at FedEx Field. Washington dropped to 7-6-1 in the NFL season and the loss leaves them on the outside looking in at the playoffs with two games remaining. Carolina (6-8) kept their slim playoff hopes alive. Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for 316 yards on 32-of-47 passing with one interception. DeSean Jackson caught seven passes for 111 yards, but Washington were held to just 29 yards rushing.
SKIING
Holmlund in medical coma
Olympic cross-country skiing bronze medalist Anna Holmlund of Sweden was put in a medically induced coma after sustaining a head injury in a training accident in Italy, Scandinavian media reported on Monday. According to the Expressen newspaper, the 29-year-old crashed while training in Bolzano ahead of yesterday’s International Ski Federation World Cup competition in Innichen in northern Italy. “It has been established she has some small bleeding on the brain and she was operated on,” Swedish cross-country sporting director Joar Baatelson was quoted as saying. Holmlund, who is second in the World Cup rankings, finished third at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
SOCCER
Bilbao rally to defeat Celta
Athletic Bilbao on Monday scored two late goals in the last La Liga game before the winter break, coming from behind to beat RC Celta de Vigo 2-1. Iago Aspas put the visitors ahead in the 54th minute. Aritz Aduriz equalized by converting a penalty-kick in the 82nd and Mikel San Jose netted the winner from the edge of the area in the third minute of stoppage time. Celta played a man down from the 80th, as defender Facundo Roncaglia was sent off with a second yellow card. It was the third straight home victory for Bilbao, who are seventh with 26 points, 11 fewer than leaders Real Madrid. Celta, winless in three games, dropped to 13th. The league resumes on Jan. 6.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
BRING THE NOISE: Brazil’s Fonseca attracted a boisterous crowd that brought such dominant soccer-style energy the referee switched to Portuguese to ask for quiet Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest. Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and soccer-style chanting. Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but De Minaur was up to the challenge, coping with blistering forehands and a partisan crowd. Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet. However, De
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