SOCCER
Messi conjures up quintet
Lionel Messi on Sunday scored all of the goals in Argentina’s 5-0 friendly win over Estonia in Pamplona, Spain. Messi joins a select club comprising only Juan Andres Marvezy and Manuel Moreno to score five in a game for Argentina. The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner scored from the penalty spot in the eighth minute, then added four more in the space of 30 minutes (at the 45th, 47th, 71st and 76th minutes). His quintet extended his record tally of goals for his country to 86.
GOLF
Minjee Lee wins US Open
Australian Minjee Lee on Sunday secured the biggest prize in women’s golf with an emphatic four-stroke victory at the US Women’s Open at Pine Needles in Southern Pines, North Carolina. Lee shot 71 and finished at 13-under-par 271, collecting US$1.8 million from a record total purse of US$10 million. “It’s such a great honor. It’s been my dream since I was a little girl. It’s the one I’ve always wanted to win, so now I’ve done it and it just feels amazing,” said the 26-year-old from Perth.
CYCLING
Van Aert takes Stage 1
Team Jumbo-Visma rider Wout van Aert on Sunday won the opening stage of the Criterium du Dauphine after a hilly 192km run from La Vaulte Sur Rhone to Beauchastel. Wearing his Belgian champion tunic, Van Aert beat Britain’s Ethan Hayter of Team Ineos Grenadiers and the American Sean Quinn of Team EF Education-EasyPost in a bunch sprint to the line in bright sunshine after a showery day in the Ardeche region. The peloton managed to drop the sprint specialists, such as Dylan Groenewegen and Phil Bauhaus, 10km from home on this first of five hilly runs, with a time trial and three mountain stages also on the menu.
MOTORCYCLING
Espargaro pays for error
Fabio Quartararo on Sunday won the Catalonia MotoGP helped by an astonishing error by his closest pursuer, Aleix Espargaro. As the race reached its climax, Espargaro raised his arms, thinking he had finished second only to realize that there was a still a lap to go. “The only thing I can say is ‘sorry’ to my team,” Espargaro said contritely. “It is an inadmissible error at this level of competition. It is totally my fault. I completely forgot that here the last lap is listed as zero not one, hence I took my foot off the gas in the finishing straight,” he said. “If I am to beat Fabio in the title race I cannot make such errors,” he added. His misfortune allowed compatriot Jorge Martin to take second, with his Ducati Primac teammate Johann Zarco taking third.
BOXING
Haney crowned world champ
Devin Haney was crowned the undisputed lightweight world champion at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium on Sunday with a unanimous decision over George Kambosos to hand the Australian his first-ever defeat. Haney added Kambosos’ WBA, IBF, WBO and The Ring belts to the WBC strap he already held as the American controlled the fight in front of 41,129 fans to become the first undisputed champion at the weight since the start of the four-belt era. “This is a dream come true,” said Haney, who took his record to 28-0. “I took the last round off because I knew I was comfortably ahead, but I fought a good, smart fight.”
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
James Harden on Friday scored 31 points and came up big in overtime to help the Los Angeles Clippers erase a double-digit deficit on the way to a 121-117 NBA victory over the Toronto Raptors. Harden scored 16 points in the fourth quarter and overtime as the Clippers pushed their wining steak to five games despite the absence of star Kawhi Leonard with a sprained right ankle. The Clippers trailed by 11 entering the fourth quarter, but Harden drilled a pair of free-throws with 1:24 left in regulation to tie it and after misses from both teams, they went to
MARRED FINAL: As most of Senegalese players walked off the pitch after a controversial decision, some supporters threw objects and attempted to get onto the pitch Senegal on Sunday won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) as Pape Gueye’s extra-time winner sunk hosts Morocco 1-0 after a chaotic final that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. Brahim Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with a controversial spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time as ugly scenes broke out in the stands. However, Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted “Panenka” chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg on Wednesday was ruled out for the second half of their 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half. Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6 minutes, 1 second left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2 minutes, 35 seconds before the break. The 19-year-old did not come out for the second half before the announcement that
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