ICE HOCKEY
Switzerland to face US
Switzerland on Saturday secured a 7-0 victory to bring Denmark’s fairy-tale run to an end and reach the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship final against the US. Just 48 hours after the Danes made history by defeating powerhouse Canada, the Swiss ruthlessly ended their dreams with a precision performance. The US hammered Sweden 6-2 earlier on Saturday. “The Swiss are a great team. We were hoping for a tighter game. We got off to a really tough start. Now we just have to forget about this game. Tomorrow, we want to make history and win the bronze medal. We have to put a smile on our faces,” Dane captain Jesper Jensen Aabo said after the match.
SWIMMING
China’s new star is 12
Chinese 12-year-old swimming sensation Yu Zidi could be the brightest young star at this year’s World Aquatics Championships after producing a string of eye-popping performances last week. Yu rounded off a sensational China national swimming championships in Shenzhen by winning the women’s 400m individual medley by almost two seconds on Saturday. Yu crushed a quality field in a lifetime best 4 minutes, 35.53 seconds. That is comfortably inside the world qualifying standard, the fifth-fastest time of the year and would have been good enough for fourth place at the Paris Olympics. It came just a few days after her 200m butterfly gold in 2:06.83, also the fifth-fastest in the world this year and another time that would have garnered a fourth place in Paris. “My lungs were about to explode,” the state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Yu as saying after that win.
SOCCER
Stuttgart eye Berlin nightlife
Coach Sebastian Hoeness said his Stuttgart side were set for a taste of Berlin’s notorious nightlife after Saturday’s German Cup win over Arminia Bielefeld. A brace from Enzo Millot and goals from Nick Woltemade and Deniz Undav took Stuttgart to a 4-2 win in the German capital, lifting their fourth German Cup and their first trophy since winning the league in 2006-2007. Hoeness told reporters he was “up for anything” to celebrate winning the first major trophy of his coaching career, including infamous fetish club Berghain. The legendary nightclub, known for techno music, leather parties and a complete ban on cameras, has a famously exclusive door policy. “Who knows? But let’s see if we can get in,” Hoeness said. “Will take the trophy with us, but it probably won’t make a difference for the bouncers.” Undav said his side “won’t be there long” at the club’s official banquet before painting the town. “If they’re lucky, they’ll see us for 10 minutes then we’re out.”
RUGBY UNION
Chiefs cautious after victory
Waikato Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan urged his rampant side to “stay grounded” after an 85-7 trouncing of Moana Pasifika put them top of the Super Rugby standings with one round to play. Scrumhalf Cortez Ratima and wing Leroy Carter scored hat-tricks in a dazzling 13-try display in Hamilton on Saturday, which vaulted the Chiefs into pole position for the playoffs. McMillan said “lots of magical tries” were scored, but he warned his players not to get carried away. “It’s hard to be critical, although I still can find a few ways,” he told Sky TV, highlighting a high turnover count. “On another night, that’s just not gonna be good enough.”
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
TIGHT FINISH: Napoli only needed to do the same as or better than Inter, who won their game against Como 2-0 on the same day, leaving Napoli with a one-point lead The two players who Antonio Conte wanted more than any others secured Napoli their second Serie A title in three years on Friday. Scott McTominay scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick before halftime and Romelu Lukaku doubled the lead with a solo goal after the break in the decisive 2-0 home win over Cagliari. Conte became the first coach to win the Italian championship with three different teams. “Everyone contributed to this — but the coach most of all,” Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo said. “Napoli needed him to get back on top. He’s phenomenal.” Comparing it to his three Serie A titles won
The journey of Taiwan’s badminton mixed doubles duo Ye Hong-wei and Nicole Chan at the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur came to an end in the semi-finals yesterday after they suffered a 2-0 loss to China’s Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping. Ye, 25, and Chan, 20, teamed up last year and are currently ranked No. 23 in the world. The Taiwanese shuttlers took on China’s second seeds in the mixed doubles event, but proved no match for Feng and Huang, losing the match 10-21, 7-21. In the first half of the first game, the pairings were neck and neck at 6-7 until Ye
SSC Napoli coach Antonio Conte has dragged the team back from disaster and restored them to the top of Italian Serie A, but his future at the Scudetto winners is in doubt even after a triumphant season. The fiery 55-year-old has exceeded preseason expectations and bolstered his reputation as a serial winner by guiding Napoli to their fourth Scudetto, and second in three seasons. However, he might well be on his way in the summer after just one season at the helm as his charged relationship with Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis has simmered throughout the campaign. Conte has said
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