SOCCER
America exit Leagues Cup
Mexican giants Club America on Saturday night suffered a surprise exit from the Leagues Cup at the hands of MLS’ Colorado Rapids, leaving the tournament with no teams from Liga MX in the last four. In the semi-finals of the joint Liga MX-MLS tournament, reigning MLS champions Columbus Crew are to face the Philadelphia Union, while the Rapids would play Los Angeles FC. America, the most decorated team in Mexico, were playing a “home” game in Carson, California, that attracted thousands of Mexican-American supporters to back them. However, they were left disappointed after their goalless draw, with few chances for either team, went to a shoot-out which the Rapids won 9-8. The other Mexican club in the last eight, Mazatlan, also exited in a shoot-out, losing at the Philadelphia Union.
CRICKET
SA keeps berth hopes alive
South Africa’s Test series success over the West Indies on Saturday keeps up their outside chance of a place in next year’s World Test Championship final even if they must win at least five of their next six matches. The 40-run win over the West Indies at the Providence Stadium in Georgetown was their second success in six Tests in the 2023-2025 cycle and moved them up to fifth in the standings. If they are to stand any chance of challenging the likes of log leaders India and second placed Australia for a berth in next year’s one-off final, they must win at least five of their next remaining six tests.
CYCLING
McNulty wins 1st Vuelta stage
Brandon McNulty on Saturday snatched victory in the first stage of the Vuelta a Espana, edging an individual time trial ahead of Mathias Vacek as the year’s third Grand Tour began in Lisbon. American UAE Team Emirates rider McNulty was the penultimate rider to set off on the 12km run to Oeiras and beat Vacek by two seconds, with final rider Wout van Aert taking third in a thrilling finale. Defending champion Sepp Kuss finished over half a minute down on general classification contender and three-time champion Primoz Roglic, who came in eighth, 17 seconds behind McNulty’s 12 minutes, 35 seconds. “I was hoping for something good today, but this is really hard to believe for me,” 26-year-old McNulty said. “I knew if something crazy happened I could [do it], so I guess something crazy happened.”
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
Ex-champ pleads no contest
Former UFC champion Cain Velasquez has pleaded no contest to attempted murder after he shot at a man in 2022 accused of molesting Velasquez’s relative, a Northern California district attorney’s office said. The office of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a statement that Velasquez on Friday entered his plea in a San Jose courtroom to felony assault and other gun charges as part of a negotiated agreement with the prosecutor’s office. The 42-year-old Velasquez was scheduled to go on trial next month. Velasquez, who retired from the UFC in 2019, still faces prison time, Rosen’s office said. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. The man charged with molesting the male relative, who was four at the time, is the adult son of a woman who ran the daycare attended by the boy.
Ademola Lookman on Thursday scored on his Atletico Madrid debut in a 5-0 rout of Real Betis Balompie that sent Diego Simeone’s team to the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. David Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Antoine Griezmann and Thiago Almada also scored for Atletico as they advanced to the last four for the third straight season. Atletico are trying to reach their first Copa final since winning the competition in 2012-2013. Hancko opened the scoring for the visitors in the 12th minute and Giuliano Simeone added to the lead in the 30th, before Lookman got his first goal for Atletico on a fast
France head coach Fabien Galthie on Thursday lauded his team’s attacking performance after their dazzling 36-14 victory over Ireland in their Six Nations opener. A brace of tries from Louis Bielley-Biarrey and one from mercurial flyhalf Matthieu Jalibert helped France storm into a 29-0 lead before taking their foot off the gas and allowing Ireland back into the match, before winger Theo Attissogbe put some gloss on the victory late on. “In an attacking sense, with the ball, the team played with great accuracy,” Galthie said. “It was one of the most accurate attacking performances in a long time, despite the weather
SUPERSTAR DELIVERS: Victor Wembanyama scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to propel the Spurs to a 135-123 victory over the Dallas Mavericks The Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday shook off the early exit of injured star Luka Doncic, rallying without him in the second half for a 119-115 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Austin Reaves, again coming off the bench in his second game back from a 19-game injury absence, scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, drilling a pair of back-to-back three-pointers to give the Lakers their first lead of the game early in the final frame. “Losing Luka, you know nothing’s going to be easy after that because he does so much for us, but we bonded together,” said
Kawhi Leonard on Sunday scored 41 points, grabbed eight rebounds and made four steals to lead the Los Angeles Clippers in a lopsided 115-96 victory at Minnesota. The 34-year-old forward, a two-time NBA champion, matched the second-best road scoring effort of his career as the Clippers improved to 25-27. “Just being aggressive. My teammates trust me,” Leonard said. “Every moment when I touch the ball — assist, shooting the basketball or getting a rebound — I’m just trying to help the team win.” Leonard made three steals in a row at the start of the contest. “Just wanted to come out early in the
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