ICE HOCKEY
US head to world junior final
Boston University’s Cole Eiserman on Saturday broke a second-period tie as the defending champions US beat the Czech Republic 4-1 to advance to the World Junior Championship final. The Americans were last night to face Finland — a 4-3 overtime winner over Sweden in the first semi-final — for the title. Finland beat the US 4-3 in overtime in group play. Eiserman made it 2-1 with 6 minutes, 19 seconds left in the second with a one-timer off a cross-ice feed. The Americans were seeking their seventh title and first back-to-back championships. “It would mean everything,” said Gabe Perreault, who also played last season. “We definitely have the team to do it. We’ll be ready to go.”
Photo: AFP
LUGE
Forgan, Kirkby clinch medal
Chevonne Forgan and Sophie Kirkby of the US on Saturday grabbed their third World Cup women’s doubles medal of the season, continuing their climb in the rankings. Forgan and Kirkby finished second in a race at Sigulda, Latvia, behind only World Cup leaders Selina Egle and Lara Kipp of Austria. The Egle-Kipp sled has won gold in three consecutive races. Latvia’s Marta Robezniece and Kitija Bogdanova were third. Through four of nine World Cup races this season, Egle and Kipp have 350 points, 40 more than the second-place sled of Forgan and Kirkby in the overall standings. In the women’s singles race, Elina Bota of Latvia held on to win on her home track. Merle Fraebel of Germany was second and Lisa Schulte of Austria was third. In the men’s doubles, Germany’s Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt prevailed — the 54th World Cup race win of their careers, while Latvia’s Martins Bots and Roberts Plume were second, with Austria’s Yannick Mueller and Armin Frauscher third.
Photo: EPA-EFE
TENNIS
Rybakina defends coach
Sixth-ranked Elena Rybakina defended her former coach Stefano Vukov after the WTA provisionally suspended him as the governing body investigates a potential breach of its code of conduct. Rybakina last week said that Vukov is rejoining her team, but the WTA suspension means the Croat would not be accredited to enter player-only areas including practice courts and training areas. On Saturday, the 2022 Wimbledon champion told a news conference in Sydney that Vukov “never mistreated me” in their years working together. “The only thing I can say is, he never mistreated me. I respect him for everything he did from the very beginning when I was [ranked world No.] 200 all the way what we did,” 25-year-old Rybakina said. Vukov told The Athletic that he “never abused anyone.”
SOCCER
Player proposes after loss
A player from Spanish fourth-division club Barbastro on Saturday lost and won. After a 4-0 defeat to Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, Israel Garcia dropped to one knee on the field and asked his girlfriend Pilar to marry him. She looked surprised and covered her face with her hands while smiling, before saying “yes,” to cheers from spectators behind the couple. They later posed for photographs, with Pilar showing her hand with the ring she was given by Garcia. “It was the appropriate day,” Garcia told Spanish media. The midfielder played the whole round-of-32 match against Barcelona.
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
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
Yassine Bounou on Wednesday saved two penalties, while Youssef en-Nesyri netted the decisive spot-kick as hosts Morocco secured a 4-2 shoot-out victory over Nigeria following a 0-0 draw in a tense Africa Cup of Nations semi-final in Rabat. Morocco, seeking their first continental title in 50 years, are to face 2021 winners Senegal in Sunday’s decider in Rabat, while Nigeria take on Egypt in the third-place playoff tomorrow. The 120 minutes before the shoot-out had few clear-cut chances for either side, but it was Morocco who created more opportunities, although they were denied by some fine saves from Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali. Nigeria
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
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