How Kawasaki Frontale banished continental woes to face Al-Ahli in AFC Champions League Elite final
AUSTRALIA: Football works in mysterious ways at times and that is certainly the case for Kawasaki Frontale and their exploits on the continent.
Aryna Sabalenka Sport News
Coco Gauff routs Iga Swiatek to reach Madrid final against No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka
MADRID: Coco Gauff overpowered defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open singles final for the first time Thursday.
Sabalenka eases past Kostyuk into Madrid Open semis
MADRID: Last year’s runner-up Aryna Sabalenka survived a gritty Marta Kostyuk and an untimely rain interruption to complete a 7-6(7/4), 7-6(9/7) win over the Ukrainian and reach the Madrid Open semifinals for a fourth time on Wednesday. The top-seeded Sabalenka needed 84 minutes to take the opening set before securing the win in cold, breezy conditions. Kostyuk saved a match point and broke to take the second set into a tiebreak. At 5-4 in the breaker, it started to rain and play was halted briefly to close the roof of the Manolo Santana stadium. Upon resumption of play, Sabalenka saved three set points and eked out the win, her third over her rival in as many meetings. “Honestly, that was a battle and conditions were incredibly tough.
Barca fight back against Inter in sensational semifinal draw
BARCELONA: Barcelona and Inter Milan shared a compelling 3-3 draw in a high-octane Champions League semifinal first leg clash on Wednesday. The Italian side raced into a two-goal lead with superb strikes from Marcus Thuram and Denzel Dumfries, before the unstoppable Lamine Yamal pulled Barca back into it with a sublime solo effort. Ferran Torres levelled for the five-time champions and although Inter nosed ahead through Dumfries again, a Yann Sommer own goal left the tie on a knife-edge at the halfway stage. Inter were desperately hoping Thuram would be fit to play after a thigh injury and he showed precisely why, scoring the fastest ever Champions League semifinal goal after 30 seconds. Barcelona’s Copa del Rey final winning goalscorer Jules Kounde hacked a poor clearance to the edge of the box, and Inter capitalized. Dutch wide man Dumfries aimed a low cross toward Thuram and Inigo Martinez slipped at just the wrong time, allowing the France striker room to finish with an impudent back-heel flick. Quadruple-chasing Barcelona seized control and pushed forward, roared on by a nervous 50,000 strong Olympic stadium crowd. Yamal, on his 100th Barcelona appearance, appealed for a penalty after he was shoved by Alessandro Bastoni and then set up Torres, who fired wide. The Spaniard, standing in for Barca’s injured top goalscorer Robert Lewandowski, lashed a volley narrowly off target. Against the run of play Inter, whose treble hopes crumbled after three consecutive domestic defeats prior, scored their second, with another fine finish. Francesco Acerbi nodded on a corner and Dumfries reached the dropping ball first to score with a stunning acrobatic effort. Barcelona teams over the past few years may have crumbled but Hansi
Unseeded Ostapenko books Stuttgart final spot against Sabalenka
STUTTGART, Germany :Latvia's Jelena Ostapenko powered into the Stuttgart Grand Prix final on Sunday with a 6-4 6-4 victory over fellow unseeded player Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Paolini says ciao to coach Furlan after decade-long run
Jasmine Paolini has called game, set and match on a decade with Renzo Furlan, ending a glittering partnership that peaked last year with Grand Slam finals, Olympic gold, and a Coach of the Year crown for her long-time mentor.
Mitchell Starc bags five as Delhi beat Hyderabad in IPL
VISAKHAPATNAM, India: Australia’s Mitchell Starc claimed his first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket to help Delhi Capitals down Sunrisers Hyderabad for their second straight win in the Indian Premier League on Sunday. Starc, a left-arm quick, returned figures of 5-35 as Delhi bowled out Hyderabad for 163 in 18.4 overs in their second home at Visakhapatnam. South African veteran Faf du Plessis then smashed 50 off 27 balls and put on 81 runs for the first wicket with Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGurk, who hit 38, as Delhi achieved their target with four overs and seven wickets to spare. Hyderabad’s innings started badly as Abhishek Sharma was run out early for one when he was involved in a mix-up with fellow opener Travis Head. Starc then struck twice in one over to send back Ishan Kishan and Nitish Reddy and then got fellow Australian Head caught behind for 22 as Hyderabad slipped to 37-4 in 4.1 overs. Indian batter Aniket Verma, who top-scored with 74, and South African wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen then put on an attacking stand of 77 in an attempt to hit back. Klaasen fell on 32 off 19 balls to Mohit Sharma, but Aniket kept up the charge in an eye-catching 41-ball knock laced with five fours and six sixes. Fraser-McGurk ended Aniket’s blitz with a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket when he timed his jump to pluck a traveling ball out of the air and hand spinner Kuldeep Yadav a prized wicket. Kuldeep, a left-arm wrist spinner, claimed figures of 3-22 before Starc completed his five to wrap up the Hyderabad innings. In reply, Du Plessis came out firing as he smashed India fast bowler Mohammed Shami for a six and three fours in a 15-run third over to set up the chase. Du Plessis fell after his 50 to Indian
Patriotic fervor the spur for Ukrainian boxing legend Usyk
PARIS: Ukraine’s boxing icon Oleksandr Usyk told AFP he will stay in the sport “a little longer” so he can provide “financial support to our army and civilians” and achieve his sporting goal of once again being undisputed heavyweight world champion. The 38-year-old, who holds all the belts except the IBF version which belongs to Daniel Dubois, has been galvanized by the war ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February 2022, wreaking death and destruction on his compatriots and his homeland. His exploits — two memorable victories over British opponent Tyson Fury plus others over Anthony Joshua and Dubois — have helped keep his beleaguered country very much in people’s minds. In a wide-ranging interview, Usyk said his father, who fought in the Soviet Army, was the seminal influence on his career. He says he has been inspired by “both the heroes of the past and the modern Ukrainian heroes who are now defending our homeland in the armed forces.” “Representing Ukraine on the global sports stage, spreading the truth about the war, and providing financial support to our army and civilians — this is also a powerful motivation for me to stay in professional boxing a little longer,” he said. “I feel great, I’m ready for any opponent and would love to take another shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion again.” Usyk says Fury is the toughest opponent he has faced “for the moment” and added that he expects the unpredictable Briton to return to boxing, although perhaps “in a different role.” Usyk can thank his late father, also called Oleksandr, for his extraordinary resilience in brutal bouts with Fury and twice with Joshua.