SOCCER
Atletico wants momentum
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone has urged his side to keep up the momentum until the end of the season after a commanding 3-0 home win over city rivals Rayo Vallecano on Thursday strengthened their grip on third place in La Liga. Goals from Alexander Sorloth, Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez led Atletico to a convincing victory that helped them recover from Saturday’s damaging 1-0 defeat at Las Palmas. Third-placed Atletico were 10 points behind leaders Barcelona and six behind second-placed Real Madrid, and although Simeone conceded the title is virtually out of their reach, he stressed the importance of defensive solidity as they head into the final stretch of the campaign. The coach reserved special praise for substitute Antoine Griezmann, who made a significant impact after coming on to provide a fine assist for goalscorer Alvarez.
Photo: AFP
SOCCER
Death postpones match
Relegation-threatened US Lecce’s Serie A match against Atalanta BC yesterday was postponed to tomorrow following the death of the club’s physical therapist, the Italian league announced. Graziano Fiorita, the physio, worked with Lecce for more than 20 years. Several matches this week were already rescheduled due to the death of Pope Francis. No games would be played today out of respect for the pope’s funeral. Lecce were one point above the drop zone with five rounds remaining. Atalanta were third.
ICE HOCKEY
Language police complain
City buses in Montreal have dropped the expression “Go! Canadiens Go!” following a complaint to Quebec’s language watchdog. Montreal’s transit agency is now using the French expression “Allez! Canadiens Allez!” on the electronic displays on the front of its buses to show support for the Montreal Canadiens’ NHL playoff run. The decision was made because the word “go” is an anglicism, spokesperson Isabelle Tremblay said. The expression “Go Habs Go!” is used in Quebec to support the Montreal team, including by the team. The hashtag #GoHabsGo appears in oversized letters outside the Bell Centre in Montreal, their home arena. Tremblay said Quebec’s French-language office received a complaint last year about buses displaying the words “Go! CF Mtl Go!” — a reference to Montreal’s professional soccer club. In response, the Societe de transport de Montreal decided to change the word “go” with “allez” — the French equivalent — on all of its messaging. Tremblay said it “maintains team spirit” while complying with Quebec’s recent overhaul of its French language charter.
CURLING
Pro league announced
Curling is getting its first professional league, stocked with past and future Olympians competing in a six-week, six-team season touring internationally starting in April next year in the aftermath of next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The Curling Group, which owns the Grand Slam of Curling event series, announced the creation of Rock League on Thursday. The six-week circuit would include stops in Canada, the US and Europe, where six teams of five men and five women each are to play a variety of formats to be determined. There would be two teams apiece from Canada and Europe, one from the US and one from Asia.
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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