LEAGUES CUP
Messi has two assists
Lionel Messi on Wednesday had two assists, including one in the final seconds of the match, to help lift Inter Miami over Atlas 2-1 in their Leagues Cup opener. It was Messi’s first game since he and teammate Jordi Alba were suspended for one match by Major League Soccer for skipping the All-Star game. He connected with Marcelo Weigandt for the winning score in the final minute of stoppage-time. “It’s a competition that we always do well in,” Messi said in Spanish during a post-match interview with Apple TV. “I think we did a great job against a great team.” Messi also assisted on Telasco Segovia’s goal that opened the scoring. He received a through-ball from Sergio Busquets and sent it to Segovia for an easy finish in the 58th minute. Rivaldo Lozano scored the equalizer for the Guadalajara club in the 80th minute before Weigandt’s goal in the 96th minute that had to be confirmed by the video referee after he was originally ruled offside.
Photo: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images
PREMIER LEAGUE
Burnley offer VR experience
Newly promoted Burnley are offering their fans a virtual-reality (VR) viewing experience, meaning they can enjoy being at the club’s Turf Moor from their room. A partnership with VR experts Rezzil would mean a “first of its kind” immersive broadcast of Burnley’s pre-season friendly against Italian club SS Lazio on Saturday next week. Fans who acquire special headsets would be able to take a virtual seat inside the stadium, complete with match day commentary and in-stadium audio. “It reflects our forward-thinking approach to fan engagement and our commitment to global supporters,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said. “Our mission is to provide the best experiences to fans, and by entering into the world of virtual reality, they can get closer to the game than ever before.” Manchester-based company Rezzil provides VR technology to help train athletes and provide analysis in sports. Last year it signed a four-year partnership deal with the Premier League aimed at revolutionizing fan engagement. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Burnley FC and the Premier League to bring fans a truly next-generation football experience,” Rezzil cofounder Andy Etches said.
SUPER LEAGUE
Dog bites Carles Perez
Aris Thessaloniki winger Carles Perez has been sidelined after sustaining a groin injury in a dog attack, Spanish media reported on Wednesday. The 27-year-old Spaniard was reported to be walking his own dog when he was bitten in the genitals by another dog during an attempt to separate the animals. The incident left him with a deep wound, requiring treatment in a hospital. Perez featured in the Greek side’s 2-1 loss to Araz-Nakhchivan in the first leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Local media reported that he would be unavailable for the return fixture in Thessaloniki.
NO HARD FEELINGS: Taiwan’s Lin Hsiang-ti and Indonesia’s Dhinda Amartya Pratiwi embraced after fighting to a tense and rare 30-29 final game in their Uber Cup match The Taiwanese men’s team on Wednesday fought back from the brink of elimination to defeat Denmark in Group C and advance to the quarter-finals of the Thomas Cup, while the women’s team were to face South Korea after press time last night in the Uber Cup quarter-finals in Horsens, Denmark. In the first match, Taiwan’s top shuttler Chou Tien-chen faced a familiar opponent in world No. 3 Anders Antonsen. It was their 16th head-to-head matchup, with the Dane taking his fourth victory in a row against former world No. 2 Chou, winning 21-14, 13-21, 21-15 in 1 hour, 22 minutes. The
Marta Kostyuk’s maiden WTA 1000 title in Madrid came on Saturday thanks to her power, poise and a pair of unexpected lucky shorts. The world No. 23 beat eighth-ranked Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 7-5 in under 90 minutes to secure the most prestigious trophy of her career, her third professional singles title and second in less than a month after Rouen. Yet as the 23-year-old Ukrainian posed for photographs at the Caja Magica, it was not just the silverware that caught the eye. Held alongside her team and her two dogs, Kostyuk showed off a piece of black men’s underwear, prompting
Throwing more than US$5 billion at a divisive new tour and walking away after five seasons does not look like good business, but LIV Golf was not all bad news for Saudi Arabia. Oil-funded LIV, which poached top stars and sent golf’s establishment into a tailspin, helped push the conservative kingdom into global view — one of its key aims, experts said. The exit, confirmed on Thursday after weeks of speculation, does not signal a flight of Saudi money from sport, even after the Middle East war that sparked Iranian attacks around the Gulf, they said. “Saudi Arabia is not
Anastasia Potapova on Wednesday turned tennis heartbreak into history by becoming the first lucky loser to reach a WTA 1000 semi-final with her thrilling 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 victory over Karolina Pliskova at the Madrid Open, as Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei exited in the women’s doubles quarter-finals. The Russian-born Austrian, who lost in qualifying last week, has capitalized on her unexpected main draw entry and stunned former world No. 1 Pliskova in a roller-coaster clash despite squandering three match points. Potapova’s run has included impressive victories over former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and world No. 2 Elena Rybakina. Asked if she had thought
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