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Wow. Spurs oust City in seven-goal UCL thriller

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 15:05

After four goals were scored inside the first 11 minutes, Tottenham lost 4-3 to Manchester City but won on away goals in one of the most pulsating games of football in history to seal their first ever place in the Champions League semifinals.

Losing 1-0 on aggregate from the first leg, City took an early lead as Kevin De Bruyne's neat one-two with Sergio Aguero saw the Belgian fire out a pass to Sterling on the left hand side. The winger cut in past Kieran Trippier onto his right foot and curled an unstoppable shot past Hugo Lloris.

However, City weren't ahead for long as Son Heung-Min pounced three minutes later to equalise on the night and give Spurs a key away goal. Dele Alli, recovered from his recent injury, fed a throughball into the heart of City's defence and Aymeric Laporte failed to clear -- instead, knocking the ball to the onrushing Son who finished under goalkeeper Ederson's legs.

Incredibly, Tottenham made it 2-1 on 10 minutes to extend their lead to 3-1 on aggregate. Son was again the scorer as Lucas Moura won the ballthe from Laporte near the halfway line and found the South Korean who bent a fantastic shot into the top corner.

As if there hadn't already been enough goals, City got one back a minute later. Sergio Aguero ran at Spurs' defence and found Bernardo Silva free on theon right. The Portuguese forward hit an unconvincing shot but it deflected off left-back Danny Rose and trickled over the line.

However, City were chasing more -- knowing that with Tottenham's away goal advantage, they needed to beat their rivals by two clear goals.

David Silva had a free kick that flew over and then, on 21 minutes, Sterling netted again to put City ahead 3-2. It was De Bruyne again who set him up, this time finding space down the right before firing a superb cross across the box for the England winger to tap into an empty net at the far post.

Soon after, De Bruyne found space to cut back and find Aguero, whose shot was blocked by Moussa Sissoko, then Sterling threaded a dangerous ball to David Silva who looked like he may get a shot off but Trippier recovered to make a fine block.

Sissoko came off injured, replaced by Fernando Llorente as they switchedthey to a narrow 4-1-2-2-1, and Son reminded City that Spurs were still capable of mounting an attack after their blistering start as he took on Kyle Walker and flashed a shot past the post just before half-time.

Two minutes after the restart, De Bruyne continued where he finished off with a bursting run that was stopped illegally by Son on the edge of the area -- the Korean earning a booking that rules him out of Spurs' next European match -- but his free kick fizzed over the bar.

City were then denied an almost certain goal as Sterling was left free in the box, his shot was saved by Lloris but then Rose somehow managed to stop Bernardo Silva from netting the rebound from a few yards out.

And City continued to knock on the door as De Bruyne forced Lloris into a fine save with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Then David Silva headed over when he should have done better from an Ilkay Gundogan free kick.

Son still looked dangerous on the break and he was denied by a fine tackle fom Vincent Kompany, while Ederson was called into action twice in a short space of time: first, from a poor Llorente header and then a tame Christian Eriksen shot.

Then, much as the game had been before then, a minute later Aguero scored at the other end. De Bruyne once again provided the assist as Aguero found an inch of space in the box and lashed a hammer of a shot past Lloris and into the roof of the net to put them 4-2 up, and 4-3 ahead on aggregate.

Spurs only needed a goal to progress though and, against the run of play, got it from a corner. With Llorente jumping at the near post, the ball missed everything and hit the Spanish striker on the hip before trickling over the line. There was a short delay as VAR was asking to look at a handball, but the goal was given.

On 79 minutes, Walker swung in a cross which was met by Aguero, but Lloris dived well to gather it comfortably. City continued their wave of attacks as Spurs sat back and Gundogan smashed a volley over the bar from a tight angle with Pep Guardiola visibly angry on the touchline.

Leroy Sane came on to try and spark City into life, while Davinson Sanchez arrived to provide some defensive solidity for Spurs in the final minutes.

It didn't work. Alli gave the ball away as Spurs massed ranks and Aguero burst into the box to square for Sterling to slot home. But VAR ruled that Aguero had been offside in the build up and the goal was ruled out. A fitting end to an incredible game. Spurs march on to meet Ajax and City are out.

Liverpool set up Barcelona semifinal

Published in Soccer
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:03

A resurgent Mohamed Salah scored one and set up another to inspire a clinical Liverpool to a 4-1 win at Porto in their Champions League quarterfinal second leg on Wednesday that teed up a last-four clash with Barcelona.

The Reds, who eased through 6-1 on aggregate, held off Porto in the early stages before Salah and Sadio Mane combined for the Senegalese to put them ahead with their first shot on target following a VAR review.

Egypt striker Salah doubled the tally after the break and goals from Roberto Firmino and Virgil van Dijk wrapped it up late on.

Porto had briefly reduced the arrears through Eder Militao, but having lost the first leg 2-0 at Anfield, they never seemed in a position to overturn the deficit.

Barcelona advanced on Tuesday when they won 3-0 in their second-leg against Manchester United, completing a 4-0 aggregate victory.

Five-times European champions Liverpool, who had produced a scintillating display to beat Porto 5-0 in the last-16 at the Dragao stadium last season, had a totally different approach this time.

They soaked up the pressure as Porto made an adventurous start, with Jesus Corona curling a powerful shot just over the bar in the opening minute.

Juergen Klopp's side looked temporarily toothless, but they were just waiting for their moment -- which came in the 26th minute.

Mane latched onto a cross from Salah to beat Iker Casillas from close range but he was initially flagged offside, only for referee Danny Makkelie to check the VAR.

After a two-minute review, the goal was eventually given.

Facing the huge task of scoring four goals to qualify, Porto looked stunned, despite having attempted 15 shots before the interval.

Salah, who endured a goal drought in March, confirmed he was getting close to his best again when he coolly slotted the ball past Casillas after collecting a perfect diagonal through ball from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 65th minute.

It was Salah's first Champions League goal since December, and his first away from Anfield in the competition in 12 months.

Militao soothed the home fans' suffering a little, beating Roberto Firmino in the air to head home in the 69th minute.

Brazilian Firmino, who had started on the bench as Klopp handed a rare start to Divock Origi, made it 3-1 with a downward header with 13 minutes left and Van Dijk headed home a fourth from a corner eight minutes later.

Tottenham Hotspur will face Ajax Amsterdam in the other semifinal tie.

Griffin not giving up on keeping AD with Pels

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:28

METAIRIE, La. -- The Pelicans' newly hired top basketball executive said coach Alvin Gentry will be retained and that he won't rule out the possibility of talking six-time All-Star Anthony Davis into rescinding his trade request and committing to New Orleans long-term.

"We have a very long and successful history together with Klutch Sports,'' Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin said Wednesday, referring to the agency, led by Rich Paul, that represents Davis. "Rich Paul and I have spoken about Anthony and I think we're both excited about what we can potentially build here.''

Griffin, 46, was Cleveland's general manager when LeBron James -- who also is represented by Paul -- was with the Cavaliers and led them to the franchise's only NBA title. Davis, who is under contract with the Pelicans for one more season, requested a trade in late January. In the aftermath, the Pelicans fired general manager Dell Demps, who has been effectively replaced by Griffin, albeit under a different title.

The Pelicans hired Griffin on Friday and formally introduced him on Wednesday.

Griffin said he has not yet met with Davis, but disputed the notion that Davis' situation in New Orleans became too toxic to salvage.

"Quite the opposite, actually,'' Griffin said. "Rich is genuinely excited about this situation. Rich represents the greatest player of his generation and he saw LeBron buy into what we were doing and our direction [in Cleveland] and the respect he had for what we did.''

Pelicans owner Gayle Benson said she liked Griffin's outlook on Davis.

"We certainly don't want somebody here whose heart isn't in it, but hopefully Anthony will have a change of heart and if he does, we'll welcome him back with open arms,'' Benson said. "We'd like for him to stay if everybody agrees to it.''

Even if Davis doesn't stay, it is arguably in the Pelicans' interest to attempt to keep him, if only to create more urgency on the part of prospective trade partners.

Meanwhile, Griffin also called the retention of Gentry a "no-brainer.'' The two worked together in Phoenix, when Gentry coached the Suns to the Western Conference finals. Griffin went so far as to call Gentry's presence as head coach "one of the big, big factors in this decision for me.''

"My leadership style is to build a family -- a family that loves each other enough to tell each other what they need to hear. Alvin and I can do that for each other,'' Griffin said. "Having a partner in this process gives us an enormous leg up.''

Griffin added that when he worked with Gentry in Phoenix, "Alvin was really honest about the fact that he's at his best when he's fearless Alvin -- when he's not looking over his shoulder, when he's not feeling like he has to do everything by himself. And I think we can put him a space to be the best of his angels.''

Benson noted that every candidate interviewed for the job eventually given to Griffin said they would be inclined to retain Gentry, whom she credited for doing an "incredible job under very challenging times'' this season.

"He just needs to get the right players together,'' Benson said later. "We've had some bad breaks.''

Griffin was among a half-dozen candidates who interviewed to become New Orleans top basketball operations executive in recent weeks, including interim general manager Danny Ferry.

Griffin said Benson convinced him of her commitment to winning by agreeing to what he described as "outrageous demands'' related to his desire to bolster staffing and resources in the front office.

Nets angry over 76ers stars' laughing apology

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:37

NEW YORK -- Brooklyn Nets guard Caris LeVert took exception to Philadelphia 76ers stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons laughing when Embiid apologized for elbowing Jarrett Allen in Game 2 of their playoff series.

"We didn't really like that. We thought that was kind of disrespectful, especially after the elbow he threw," LeVert said after the Nets practiced on Wednesday. "It is what it is. There's no love lost. It's a playoff series. We expect that."

Embiid's elbow to Allen's face late in the first half of the Sixers' Game 2 win was ruled a flagrant foul.

Embiid apologized for the elbow during his postgame news conference and said it wasn't intentional. As Embiid relayed the apology, he and Simmons started laughing.

"I'm not usually humble, that's why he's laughing," Embiid said during the news conference. "But, yeah, I was just trying to be aggressive."

When asked on Wednesday if he believed Embiid's explanation about the laughter, Nets veteran Jared Dudley said, "I just buy him being a silly guy. He's a carefree guy. I don't think he was intentionally going to hit him, but any time you throw your 'bows like that, you put yourself out there."

Some Nets, including Allen, downplayed any ill feelings over Embiid and Simmons' laughing.

"Two young guys doing, saying whatever they said in the moment. It is what it is," Spencer Dinwiddie said. "It's not something that we can play into, right, because if we get into a physicality match, if [Allen] throws the same elbow and hits Joel, he's getting ejected. That's just kind of what it is. We can't play that game."

But Dudley, who will return for Game 3 after missing Game 2 with a calf injury, made it clear that it didn't sit well with him.

"I felt a certain type of way for it just because you're laughing and someone could have really gotten hurt," Dudley said. "Now, luckily, Jay did pop up. That's been Embiid's personality, but just because it's your personality doesn't mean it's right. So, for us, you can either get even however you want to do it, but the biggest thing for us to get even is winning Game 3."

After winning Game 1, the Nets allowed the third-seeded Sixers to reel off 51 points in the third quarter of Game 2; Philadelphia went on to win 145-123. Game 3 is Thursday night in Brooklyn, the franchise's first home playoff game in four years.

LeVert was asked Wednesday if the laughing provided any added motivation for the sixth-seeded Nets.

"I feel like it's the playoffs now. If you don't have that extra motivation going into it then you're a step behind," the guard said. "I don't think that's extra motivation. I think we already want to beat those guys bad enough as it is."

Kerr says Cousins 'unlikely' to return this season

Published in Basketball
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:56

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins is "unlikely" to return during the postseason after tearing his left quadriceps during Monday's Game 2 loss to the LA Clippers.

"He will not need surgery," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after Wednesday's practice. "DeMarcus, most likely, will not be back during the playoffs. You're probably looking at a couple months' recovery, so it's unlikely. But Rick [Celebrini, Warriors director of sports medicine and performance] told me that there are occasions where that injury heals faster. So we're leaving the door open, obviously."

Cousins, who signed a one-year, $5.3 million deal with the Warriors last season, missed almost a year of action after suffering a left Achilles injury as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans. Now he faces several more months of rehab to come back from his latest setback.

"More than anything, I'm just crushed for DeMarcus," Kerr said. "He's been waiting his whole career for [the playoffs]; and then the second game, he goes down after putting all that work in to recover from the Achilles. And he's had a great season for us; he's really come along the last month or so. I just feel bad for him."

The Warriors appeared to be more upbeat Wednesday, two days after blowing a postseason record 31-point lead to the Clippers in Game 2. Both Kerr and his players are hopeful that Andrew Bogut and Kevon Looney will be able to pick up the slack in Cousins' absence.

"Losing DeMarcus obviously hurts," Warriors forward Draymond Green said. "But we've lost guys in recent years that's extremely important to what we do, and we're still able to come out with a championship because it's that 'next-guy-up mentality.' And the next guy's gotta be ready to come in and give the team what he can give 'em. I don't think anyone's gonna give us exactly what DeMarcus gives us; but in saying that, we still need guys to come in and play their role."

Bogut is even more empathetic towards Cousins' injury because he knows exactly what it's like to be knocked out of a playoff series. He was knocked out of the end of the 2016 NBA Finals because of a knee injury and understands the frustration that Cousins is dealing with. As bad as he feels for Cousins, he is confident he will be able to contribute even more if and when he's called upon moving forward.

"I knew I was coming in as an insurance policy to an extent," Bogut said. "A guy that could find in straight away that knows the system offensively and defensively. Knows the guys ... I definitely didn't anticipate starting in the playoffs. But unfortunately you get a freak injury to Demarcus and those are the circumstances we're in."

As the Warriors head to Los Angeles for Game 3 in a series tied 1-1, the Warriors are publicly leaving open the possibility that Cousins could return if the group continues playing into the Finals, but the reality is that group knows it must move forward without him.

"We're praying for DeMarcus," Green said. "For him to be in his first playoffs and then first quarter of his second game, go down with an injury like that, it sucks. We feel bad for him, and we're praying for him.

Secondly, we got some depth -- obviously Bogut -- signing Bogut now is even more important, Loon's been playing great, and [Jordan Bell] gotta make sure he stays ready as well as Jonas [Jerebko]. You never know which way it's gonna go."

Lindor having ankle reassessed after rehab finale

Published in Baseball
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:59

Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor will appear in another minor league rehab game Thursday before rejoining Cleveland on Friday, at which point the team will reassess his ailing left ankle and determine whether he's ready to be activated off the injured list.

Lindor began his rehab assignment Tuesday at Triple-A Columbus. In two games, he's gone 2-for-8 with one home run.

The plan is for him to serve as Columbus' shortstop Thursday at Louisville and then rejoin the Indians on Friday, when he'll be reassessed by the team's medical staff.

The switch-hitting Lindor was making steady progress from a right calf injury when he rolled his ankle while caught in a rundown during a minor league scrimmage in Arizona.

Lindor batted .277 last season with 38 home runs, 92 RBIs and 25 steals.

Braves' Vizcaino has surgery, out for season

Published in Baseball
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:33

Atlanta Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino, who on Monday was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation, has had season-ending shoulder surgery, the team announced Wednesday.

Vizcaino elected to have the surgery to clean up his labrum and remove scar tissue from his right shoulder joint, the Braves said.

The surgery was performed in New York by Dr. David Altchek.

Vizcaino, 28, appeared in only four games this season before suffering the injury. The right-hander has 50 career saves, including a team-high 16 last season.

Viewers from at least 145 countries will be able to watch the Liebherr 2019 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships on TV, while the rest of the world will have daily access to the action from the Hungexpo, Budapest, on the ITTF’s official live streaming platform itTV.

The figures mark an increase on the 122 nations receiving televised coverage of the most recent individual World Table Tennis Championships, held in 2017 in Düsseldorf, when a total of 355.6 million TV viewers was registered.

From the moment that play begins at 10.00 GMT+2 on Sunday 21 April, viewers will be able to watch the action on as many as eight tables by tuning into itTV.

The ITTF’s official live streaming platform will be providing worldwide coverage of the whole event right up until the epic final matches played on Sunday 28 April.

Furthermore, 25 national and international TV channels, covering at least 145 countries and representing every continent in the world, will be broadcasting a busy programme of matches across Tables 1 and 2 from when the main draw begins on Monday 22 April up until the following Sunday (28 April), when the biggest table tennis event of 2019 eventually draws to a close and the final World Champions are confirmed.

Among the major TV channels are China Central Television (CCTV), TV Tokyo and Eurosport, between them covering all of Europe, West/Central Asia, China and Japan – the latter nation representing a more crucial market than ever, as table tennis interest continues to accelerate with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games just around the corner.

CCTV alone will be showing more than 50 hours of live action to the globe’s largest population. Together with all the other broadcasters, this will result in a record amount of TV coverage in World Table Tennis Championships history.

The TV production will also be next-level with a staggering 18 cameras being used on Table 1, ensuring that every angle possible will be shown around the world.

Matches from all four tables in the Main Hall and a further four tables in Hall 2, for an impressive total of eight tables, will be streamed live on itTV.

What is for sure is that wherever you are between 21-28 April, the Liebherr 2019 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships will be brought right to you!

Quick Links:

Bastian Steger completes German selection

Published in Table Tennis
Wednesday, 17 April 2019 12:12

Suffering from an ankle injury there is no place for Ruwen Filus in the selection, notably he reached the fourth round two years ago in Düsseldorf eventually losing to China’s Fan Zhendong.

Rather differently for Qiu Dang, a right handed pen-holder, who has been in outstanding form this year, having been the runner up at the Seamaster 2019 ITTF Challenge Spanish Open in March; on debut, he appears in all three possible events.

Additional to the men’s singles, he partners Bastian Steger in the men’s doubles and Nina Mittelham in the mixed doubles; the latter an event in which it is confirmed the Japan’s Maharu Yoshimura and Kasumi Ishikawa will defend their title. Tomokazu Harimoto, aiming to be the youngest ever medallist, competes in the men’s singles and partners Yuto Kizukuri in the men’s doubles.

Focus for Tomokazu Harimoto is very much centred on the men’s singles, the 15 year old being currently listed at no.4 on the world rankings. It is very much the same for Brazil, pertinently, the name of Hugo Calderano, standing at no.7 in the current order of merit, appears only in the men’s singles. Erstwhile doubles partner, Gustavo Tsuboi, joins forces with Eric Jouti.

Meanwhile, for Frenchmen Tristan Flore and Portugal’s João Monteiro, players who are very much returning to the international scene following a period of injury; there are special seedings. Listed at no.103 on the present day men’s world rankings, Tristan Flore is the no.30 seed; João Monteiro, who has dropped to no.173, is the no.48 seed.

There are 64 seeds in each of the men’s singles and women’s singles events, 32 seeded pairs in each of the men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles competitions.

Always a worthy adversary but Chuang Chih-Yuan is yet to reach the lofty heights of a quarter-finals spot in the men’s singles category with his personal best finishes coming in 2007, 2013 and 2017, reaching the Round of 16 on all three occasions.

Seeded 19th in Budapest another top 16 finish would be seen as another strong performance for Chuang Chih-Yuan, who turned 38 early this month, but surely the quarter-finals is the objective for the Chinese Taipei legend?

Another name to note is the player seeded directly below Chuang Chih-Yuan, 18-year-old Lin Yun-Ju. Winner of his first men’s singles title at the recent ITTF Challenge Plus event in Oman Lin Yun-Ju also produced a fine display in Qatar, beating Wong Chun Ting and Dimitrij Ovtcharov. Exiting at the opening hurdle of the World Championships two years ago – will the teenage star fare better in Budapest?

Chen Chien-An, who famously defeated Zhang Jike in the lead-up to Rio 2016, is also included in the player roster for the men’s singles event as are Peng Wang-Wei and Wang Tai-Wei.

Over in the women’s singles tournament it’s Cheng I-Ching who carries Chinese Taipei’s greatest threat in the race for podium positions. Her breakthrough moment came at the 2016 Women’s World Cup where she took home a silver medal and has since won two bronzes at the event – in Budapest she occupies the no.7 seeded position.

Then there’s Chen Szu-Yu, Chinese Taipei’s second highest seeded player in the women’s singles draw at 20th and a major threat to anyone who stands in his way. Finishing in the third round in 2017, Chen Szu-Yu will be determined to enjoy a stronger outing this time out.

Rounding out the rest of Chinese Taipei’s squad list for the women’s singles draw is Cheng Hsien-Tzu, Liu Hsing-Yin and Su Pei-Ling.

Away from the singles action the 2013 championship winning pair of Chen Chien-An and Chuang Chih-Yuan partner up yet again in the hunt for men’s doubles glory while Cheng I-Ching, who won silver two years back in Düsseldorf, will compete alongside Lin Yun-Ju in the mixed doubles competition.

See the Chinese Taipei stars take on the world’s finest in Budapest by purchasing your tickets for the Liebherr 2019 ITTF World Table Tennis Championships:

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