BADMINTON
Taiwan’s Tai ousted
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday exited the China Open in Changzhou, beaten 21-18, 21-14 in the semi-finals by South Korea’s An Se-young. Tai had a 9-3 lead in the first game, but her accuracy fell away, with shots going wide on both sides of the court. In the second game, An claimed a 9-8 lead, from which she scored six unanswered points to set up an easy finish. At the Indonesia Masters in Medan, Taiwan’s Chiu Pin-chian reached today’s women’s singles final by beating Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan 21-19, 21-18. The other Taiwanese to make a final were the women’s doubles pair of Chang Ching-hui and Yang Ching-tun, who beat compatriots Sung Yu-hsuan and Wang Szu-min 21-14, 21-18.
Photo: AFP
GOLF
Chien Pei-yun leads
Taiwan’s Chien Pei-yun on Friday shot a superb eight-under 64 to grab a four-stroke lead after the second round of the LPGA’s Queen City Championship in Cincinnati, Ohio. Chien caught fire after she holed out to make eagle on the par-four sixth and then made five birdies on the back nine. “I just putted very well these two days,” the 32-year-old said after her lowest round of the year. “The eagle is amazing. I was thinking maybe it would go in because I have had a lot of shots that almost went in [over the] last couple of weeks, but was still waiting for an eagle, but it just happened, so I’m very happy.” Chien had a four-shot lead over China’s Yin Ruoning, Switzerland’s Morgane Metraux and overnight leader Liu Ruixin of China.
Photo: AFP
CRICKET
Jaishiva stars in Taipei
The Taipei Indians yesterday won the Janhong Annual Cup, emerging on top after a roller-coaster final over. The Hsinchu Titans scored 92-5 in their 12 overs batting first, with Yeshwant Raj’s 31 from 14 giving them great momentum. However, the Indians’ Jaishiva Ganesamurthi (1-9) bowled the 12th over for one run and then opened the batting, guiding his side to 86-3 after 11 overs — just seven runs from victory. The final over was topsy-turvy, with Pramod Kumar Mandal allowing three runs in his first five deliveries and dismissing Jaishiva, but his control faltered and two wides gave Rajeshkumar A.R. one delivery with two required. Rajeshkumar pumped a drive straight down the ground to seal the victory.
Photo courtesy of Taiwan Cricket
SOCCER
Neymar eclipses Pele
Neymar on Friday eclipsed Pele as the top goal scorer for Brazil after overtaking the three-time World Cup winner’s career total. The goal that put the 31-year-old Neymar on the top of Brazil’s scoring record with 78 came in the 61st minute in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Bolivia in Belem. It was Brazil’s fourth goal of the match in a 5-1 win, with the last goal of the game also being scored by Neymar. Neymar’s record-breaking goal came after a low cross into the penalty box, which the striker finished from close range. He celebrated with a punch in the air, as Pele usually did. “I am very happy, no words for this,” Neymar told reporters. “I never thought I would reach this record.” Brazil’s soccer confederation considers Pele its top goal scorer with 95 goals in 114 matches. FIFA does not count goals that Pele scored for Brazil against clubs.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
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
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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