26 8 月, 2021

Dexin China Announces 2021 Interim Revenue Up 68.5% to RMB13,071.0 Million

HONG KONG, Aug 26, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Dexin China Holdings Company Limited ("Dexin China" or the "Company"; stock code: 2019) has announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2021. Improved Revenue Scale and ProfitabilityIn the first half of 2021, the Group has insisted on optimizing and diversifying its business development strategy, constantly improving its corporate strength. As a result, the Group further improved its revenue scale and profitability, achieving total revenue of RMB13,071.0 million and gross profit of RMB2,850.1 million, a period-on-period growth of 68.5% and 37.7% respectively, with a core profit up 15.0% to RMB2,084.0 million. The sales performance is also excellent, achieving half-year full-caliber sales of RMB43,030.0 million, a period-on-period increase of nearly 67.4%, reflecting the market's high recognition of the products and services of the Group.In terms of expansion of land reserve, in the first half of 2021, the Group acquired an increased total gross floor area ("GFA") of approximately 4.93 million sq.m. and 75% were located in first - and second-tier cities. As of 30 June 2021, the Group operated a total of 161 projects in 27 cities. As at the end of the period, the total land reserve of approximately 19.93 million sq.m. further consolidated the strategic layout in the four core metropolitan areas, namely, the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, Chengdu-Chongqing Double-city and the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.Stable and Healthy Financial PositionThe financial leverage of the Group is currently at a stable and healthy level. As of 30 June 2021, cash and bank balances (including restricted cash) amounted to approximately RMB17,840.8 million (31 December 2020: RMB15,648.2 million) representing an increase of 14.0% as compared to the corresponding period in 2020. The Group's net gearing ratio (calculated as the total borrowing from bank and other financial institutions net of restricted cash, cash and cash equivalents divided by total equity) was 72.4%, a decrease of 2.6 percentage points as compared with 75.0% as of 31 December 2020. Prospects: "Based in Zhejiang, Established Presence in the Yangtze River Delta Region and Expanded Coverage in the Core Cities of the Four Metropolitan Areas"Looking ahead to the second half of 2021, the Group will continue to emphasize the quality management concept of "doing a good job of internal skills, developing steadily, sticking to customer needs as the center, and creating value for customers", and adhere to the quality image of "Hangzhou workmanship". Under the background of the central government's general policy of stabilizing housing price, land premium and expectation and centralized land supply, the Group will persist in the steady development, adhere to the layout of "based in Zhejiang, established presence in the Yangtze River Delta region and expanded coverage in the core cities of the four metropolitan areas", stick to prudent financing, optimize the capital structure, continue to improve financing costs, deepen the "selective and strategic" capital cooperation strategy, so as to achieve a balanced development of scale, profit and brand, achieve quality and steady growth, and bring long-term and stable investment returns to all investors.About Dexin China Holdings Company LimitedDexin China Holdings Company Limited is a leading comprehensive property developer based in Zhejiang Province, the PRC, focusing on the development of residential properties and the development, operation and management of commercial and mixed-use properties. Established in 1995, the Company has been among the top three property developers in Hangzhou since 2012. The Company has expanded into overseas markets since 2014 and achieved stable and continuous development. In 2019, the Company was successfully listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under the stock code of 2019.Media Enquiries:Strategic Financial Relations LimitedMangy Go +852 2864 4812 mandy.go@sprg.com.hk Phoebe Leung +852 2114 4172 phoebe.leung@sprg.com.hkCherry Chen +852 2114 4903 cherry.chen@sprg.com.hkWebsite: http://www.sprg.com.hk Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

24 8 月, 2021

Kingsoft Announces 2021 Interim and Second Quarter Results

HONG KONG, Aug 24, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Kingsoft Corporation Limited ("Kingsoft" or the "Company"; HKEx stock code: 03888), a leading Chinese software and Internet service company, has announced its unaudited 2021 interim results and its second quarter results for the period ended 30 June 2021.For the first half of 2021, the revenue of Kingsoft increased 17% year-on-year to RMB3,039.1 million. Revenue from office software and services business increased 70% year-on-year to RMB1,557.2 million. Revenue from office software and services and online games and others represented 51% and 49%, respectively, of the Company's total revenue for the first half of 2021. Gross profit for the first half of 2021 increased 16% year-on-year to RMB2,523.7 million, while operating profit amounted to RMB741.9 million. For the second quarter of 2021, the Company's revenue increased 4% year-on-year to RMB1,479.5 million. Revenue from office software and services business increased 47% year-on-year to RMB786.2 million. Revenue from office software and services and online games and others represented 53% and 47%, respectively, of the Company's total revenue for the second quarter of 2021. Gross profit for the second quarter of 2021 remained flat year-on-year and amounted to RMB1,207.9 million, while operating profit amounted to RMB229.8 million.Mr. Jun LEI, Chairman of Kingsoft, commented, "We maintained a steady performance in all businesses in the first half of 2021. Kingsoft Office Group seized the opportunity for digital transformation and will continue to pursue the strategy of "multi-screen, cloud, content, AI and collaboration". In the online games business, we continued to focus our strategy on premium games, increase our investment in R&D and continuously expand new game genres." Mr. Tao ZOU, Chief Executive Officer of Kingsoft, added, "In the first half of 2021, revenue of the Company continued to grow steadily. Our total revenue came in at RMB3,039.1 million, up 17% year-on-year. Our office software and services business recorded a strong growth of 70% and 47% year-on-year, respectively, for the first half and second quarter of 2021. Our total revenue in the second quarter was RMB1,479.5 million, up 4% year-on-year."BUSINESS REVIEW Office Software and Services For the first half of 2021, revenue from office software and services business increased 70% year-on-year to RMB1,557.2 million. Revenue in the second quarter increased 47% year-on-year to RMB786.2 million. The rapid revenue increase was largely due to robust growth from licensing business and sustainable growth from subscription services business of Kingsoft Office Group. The revenue growth of licensing business was driven primarily by increasing demand for localization, as well as cloud and collaboration services from government and enterprises. The increase of subscription services business was mainly due to growing demand for cloud and collaboration services and enhancement of user stickiness from personal users.In the second quarter of 2021. As the localization project has entered a mature period and customer demand increased significantly, we continued to witness a strong revenue growth from the localization project during this quarter. With the enhanced collaboration between the subsidiary, Beijing Suwell Technology Co., Ltd., and Kingsoft Office Group, the fixed-layout document format standards have been increasingly adopted by the market, thus further optimizing the localization business ecosystem. Our cloud and collaboration office solutions effectively promoted the cloud office migration and penetration in the government and enterprise market and it brought us strong year-on-year revenue growth for the sustainable licensing business. Kingsoft Office Group has also continued to develop the micro, small and medium-sized enterprise market. As of 30 June 2021, over 1 million micro, small and medium-sized enterprises covering 19 industries are registered users of WPS+. Kingsoft Office Group organized the 2021 Office Application Developer Conference in July and launched Document Open Platform, our first product enabling global office application developers to facilitate a digital office as well as digital transformation in the government and enterprise market in China.Meanwhile, Kingsoft Office Group has continued to optimize the user experience, and improve its customer loyalty through the application of cloud and collaboration services. We continued to enhance the penetration within the public cloud market and promote the growth of the office subscription business. During the quarter, Kingsoft Office Group launched various new functions for the WPS membership services and further optimized the user experience. In April, Kingsoft Office Group organized a content ecosystem conference in Wuhan and strived to promote the transformation of our core WPS products from office tools to office services.In the first half of 2021, Kingsoft Office Group began the transformation of internet advertising business. We took the initiative to further adjust the advertising strategy to reduce interruptions from advertisements to users and enhance users' cross-platform collaboration experience. During the second quarter of 2021, the internet advertising and promotion services business maintained a steady year-on-year growth with the increase in user base, while its proportion in office software and services business revenue continued to decline.Online Games and othersRevenue from the online games and others business for the first half of 2021 amounted to RMB1,481.9 million and revenue for the second quarter of 2021 amounted to RMB693.3 million. In the second quarter, the online games business continued to enhance the core IP value of the JX series and to expand the development of new game genres. In April, the JX I: Gui Lai mobile game was successfully released in Vietnam. Among all Role Playing Games (RPG) games, the JX I: Gui Lai mobile game ranked first on both iOS and Android download charts in the first month of its debut. In May, the First-Person Shooting (FPS) game Bullet Angel was first released in Southeast Asia and got recommended by Google Play. In June, we released War of the Visions: Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, the latest game of the Final Fantasy Brave Exvius series developed by SQUARE ENIX, was released in China and it was also recommended by Apple Store.In the coming quarters, the online games business will continue to focus on the long-term development of our classic IPs and to promote the launch of new games at the same time. We will celebrate the 12th anniversary of our flagship JX Online III Revamped PC game and launch a new expansion pack to further strengthen the longevity and vitality of our core IP. In addition, the JX World III mobile game will be launched within this year with a comprehensive upgrade in its visual design and gameplay.Mr. Jun LEI concluded, "In the first half of 2021, we achieved a stable performance of our core businesses. Looking forward, we will continue to increase our investment in R&D, promote technological innovation, enhance technological capabilities, and develop new products and services. We will strive to bring the best experience to our users and customers and are committed to the sustainable growth of our business, bringing long-term value and returns to our shareholders and achieve a win-win situation for our partners."About Kingsoft Corporation LimitedKingsoft is a leading software and Internet services company based in China listed on the stock exchange of Hong Kong. It has two subsidiaries including Kingsoft Office and Seasun. Following the implementation of its "mobile internet transformation" strategy, Kingsoft has completed the comprehensive transformation of its overall businesses and management models and formed a strategic platform with interactive entertainment and office software as the pillars and cloud services and AI as the new directions. The Company has more than 6,000 staff around the world and enjoys a large market share in China. For more information, please visit http://www.kingsoft.com.Kingsoft Investor Relations:Francie Lu Tel: (86) 10 6292 7777 Email: ir@kingsoft.comFor further queries, please contact Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia:Ovina Zhu Tel: (852) 2894 6315 Email: kingsoft@hkstrategies.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

15 8 月, 2021

Football: Benzema double helps Real to winning start at Alaves

VITORIA-GASTEIZ, SPAIN (REUTERS) - Karim Benzema picked up where he left off last season by scoring twice to fire Real Madrid to a 4-1 win away to Alaves in their opening game of the LaLiga campaign. Real had an uninspiring first half in Carlo Ancelotti’s first league game since taking charge of the club for a second time but Benzema settled their nerves by blasting the ball into the net in the 48th minute after being teed up by Eden Hazard. Defender Nacho Fernandez added to Real’s lead eight minutes later, sliding in to stab a Luka Modric through ball into the net from close range. Benzema scored a scrappy second goal in the 62nd but moments later Alaves pulled one back when striker Joselu slotted in a penalty after a foul by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Substitute Vinicius Jr added a final goal for the visitors in stoppage time, netting with a diving header as he met a cross from debutant David Alaba. French striker Benzema was Real’s standout player last season with 23 league strikes, more than a third of the team’s goal haul, and his form earned him a recall to the France squad for the first time in six years. Ancelotti marvelled at Benzema’s performance and said he was a better player than when he coached him at Real between 2013 and 2015, when the Frenchman was more of a support striker for Cristiano Ronaldo. “To call Benzema just a striker does not do him justice. He is a very complete player, far more complete than five years ago,” the Italian coach said. “He is the one who finishes our moves off but he also reads the game so well.” The Italian also criticised his side for their sluggish start but was pleased with how they improved after halftime. “The first half we were a little slow when we had the ball and when we didn’t have it, we needed to press with more intensity, the game was slow and that’s not what we wanted,” he added. “But we were much better in the second half, we showed more intensity and had more quality.” Real got to play in front of fans for the first time in a league game since March 2020 although fewer than 4,000 spectators were allowed into Alaves’ Mendizorrotza stadium due to the local government’s coronavirus restrictions. The few supporters present were nearly given an early treat when midfielder Pere Pons pounced on a loose ball inside the area but failed to keep his shot under the crossbar. Alaves also appealed for a penalty in the first half against Real’s Lucas Vazquez when he blocked a cross although the referee correctly ruled that the ball had struck his chest rather his arm. Madrid lined up with a front three of Benzema, Hazard and Gareth Bale, who was making his LaLiga return after spending last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur. Hazard has hardly got going in his two seasons with Real but looked sharp while Bale had a couple of attempts on goal without causing goalkeeper Fernando Pacheco too much trouble.

11 8 月, 2021

Techtronic Industries Delivers Exceptional First Half Sales Growth

HONG KONG, Aug 11, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Hong Kong-based global power equipment and floorcare company Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. ("TTI" or the "Group") (stock code: 669, ADR symbol: TTNDY) announced its results for the six months ended June 30, 2021. The Group delivered extraordinary results for the first half of 2021, growing sales by 52.0% to US$6.4 billion. Gross margin improved for the 13th consecutive first half to 38.6%, and the growth in EBIT, net profit, and earnings per share all outpaced sales growth. EBIT increased 57.4% to US$572 million, net profit rose 57.9% to US$524 million, and earnings per share increased 57.8% to approximately US28.62 cents per share.-- Exceptional sales growth of 52.0%-- Sales growth of 71.5% over two years, compared to the first half of 2019-- Strong sales growth across all businesses and geographies-- Gross margin improved for the 13th consecutive first half to 38.6%, up 58 basis points-- Net profit growth of 57.9% to US$524 million Working capital as a percent of sales finished at 18.3%, below TTI's goal of 20.0% or less. The Group continues to strategically build inventory to support its exceptional above market growth, to serve its customers with consistently high service levels, and to insulate the company from potential critical component shortages.The TTI Power Equipment segment delivered sales growth of 55.3% to US$5.8 billion. All geographies and business units contributed to this stellar performance in the first half of 2021. The flagship Milwaukee business delivered an astounding 64.1% growth globally. RYOBI performed exceptionally well across all brands with solid double-digit growth in all categories and geographies. In addition, the Floorcare & Cleaning business accounted for 9.0% of total TTI sales, with sales increasing 25.3% to US$574 million.Mr. Horst Pudwill, Chairman of TTI, said, "At TTI, we have built an exceptional world-class team and we would like to recognize our outstanding global organization for delivering strong results. We are proud of the bold, strategic decisions we have made over the past 18 months to position ourselves for a strong second half of 2021." Mr. Joseph Galli, CEO of TTI, commented, "TTI's first half results clearly demonstrate our leadership position, our momentum, and our future potential. Our high-speed new product machine allows us to expand the market and capture market share, while we continue to improve gross margin to record levels."About TTI Founded in 1985 and listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited in 1990, TTI is a world leader in cordless technology spanning Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Floorcare Cleaning Products and Solutions for the consumer, professional, and industrial users in the home, construction, maintenance, industrial and infrastructure industries. The Company has a foundation built on four strategic drivers - Powerful Brands, Innovative Products, Exceptional People and Operational Excellence - reflecting a long-term expansive vision to advance cordless technology. The global growth strategy of the relentless pursuit of product innovation has brought TTI to the forefront of its industries. TTI's powerful brand portfolio includes MILWAUKEE, AEG and RYOBI power tools, accessories and hand tools, RYOBI and HOMELITE outdoor products, EMPIRE layout and measuring products, and HOOVER, ORECK, VAX and DIRT DEVIL floorcare cleaning products and solutions.TTI is one of the constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index, FTSE RAFI(TM) All-World 3000 Index, FTSE4Good Developed Index and MSCI ACWI Index. For more information, please visit www.ttigroup.com.All trademarks listed other than AEG and RYOBI are owned by the Group. AEG is a registered trademark of AB Electrolux (publ.), and is used under license. RYOBI is a registered trademark of Ryobi Limited, and is used under license. For enquiries:Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.Isabella ChanTel: +(852) 2402 6495Email: isabella.chan@tti.com.hkWebsite: www.ttigroup.comStrategic Financial Relations Limited Veron Ng +(852) 2864 4831 veron.ng@sprg.com.hk Adrianna Lau +(852) 2114 4987 adrianna.lau@sprg.com.hk Karen Kwan +(852) 2114 4171 karen.kwan@sprg.com.hk Email: sprg_tti@sprg.com.hkWebsite: www.sprg.com.hk Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

30 7 月, 2021

Dover Forest to be used for both housing and nature; first housing project to be launched in 2022

SINGAPORE - The plan for Dover Forest has been revised, with public housing expected to be launched in the eastern half next year while the western half is set aside for now to preserve its biodiversity. The young secondary forest plot in western Singapore is zoned for residential use, but the plans were tweaked after scientific studies and nature enthusiasts flagged its conservation value. To balance the country's needs for both housing and nature, only the eastern half of the 33ha site - almost eight times the size of the Padang - will be developed in the nearer term. The plan is to develop about 11ha of land in the eastern half for public housing projects. The first of the flats there are expected to be launched in the second half of next year, said the Housing Board on Friday (July 30). The development of the area, which is located in the mature estate of Queenstown, will be done sensitively and also feature 5ha of greenery - including a park with a natural stream. The western half of the site will be set aside for now and relooked at in about a decade, HDB added. But parts of this segment, which is richer in biodiversity than the eastern half, will be carved out and safeguarded as a nature park. Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said on Wednesday during a media conference: "HDB had originally intended to launch the entire parcel, known (also) as Ulu Pandan vegetated area or Ulu Pandan Forest, for public housing to meet pressing needs for public housing in the near term. But we have decided to review it and refine it." This decision was made after feedback from members of the public and the findings of two separate scientific studies. The first study, commissioned by HDB to inventory the wildlife on the site, had found that the western part of it was richer in biodiversity, comprising more large trees and threatened species. The second study by the National Parks Board, in consultation with experts, modelled how the Dover plot connects with other forests in Singapore. This exercise had shown that the site was an important stepping stone for wildlife moving in from the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve north of the site, as well as from the vegetation in the Southern Ridges further down. These factors informed plans for the site. While other development projects have incorporated green features before, these elements are usually included on an individual-project basis. This is the first time vegetation on a site is being safeguarded via a broader landscape approach, in a way that will allow the plot to serve as a stepping stone for wildlife moving from other forests. More on this topic Related Story Dover Forest plan revision a benchmark for future major projects Related Story NParks identifies new nature corridor for wildlife in Clementi area Mr Lee said: "Top of our minds was our role as responsible stewards of our land and natural environment, to meet the needs of current Singaporeans as well as future generations, while ensuring that we safeguard resources for (the future)." Dover Forest is bound by Commonwealth Avenue West, Ghim Moh Link, Ulu Pandan Canal and Clementi Road. Public housing development plans for the site were released last December, with Mr Lee saying on Facebook then that Build-To-Order flats to be launched this year would be in the area. Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple Professor of Conservation Koh Lian Pin said: "Of course I would have liked to see the entire Dover Forest conserved. But when there are competing uses of the land from housing needs, for example... the (scientific exercise) is critical for providing the scientific basis to triage which half of the forest to protect." More on this topic Related Story Plans for Dover Forest revised: Events leading to the change Related Story Housing project in Dover Forest to meet demand for homes in the area

29 7 月, 2021

Honda Sets All-Time Accumulated Production Records for the First Half of Year in China

TOKYO, Jul 29, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a summary of automobile production, Japan domestic sales, and export results for the month of June 2021 and the first half of the calendar year (January - June 2021).World ProductionJune 2021- Production in Japan experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in two months.- Production in regions outside of Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in five months.- Worldwide production experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in five months.The First Half of Calendar Year 2021- Production in Japan for the first half of calendar year 2021 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive year (since the first sixth months of 2020).- Production in regions outside of Japan for the first half of calendar year 2021 experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in three years (since the first six months of 2018).- Production worldwide for the first half of calendar year 2021 experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in two years (since the first six months of 2019).Sales in the Japanese MarketJune 2021- Total Japanese sales experienced a year-on-year decrease for the first time in four months.- New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year decrease for the fifth consecutive month.- Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the fourth consecutive month.- VEZEL was the industry's ninth best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the month of June 2021 with sales of 5,692 units. - N-BOX was the industry's top-selling car in the mini-vehicle category for the month of June 2021 with sales of 17,479 units. N-WGN was the industry's tenth best-selling car with sales of 3,772 units.The First Half of Calendar Year 2021- Total domestic automobile sales in the Japanese market for the first half of calendar year 2021 experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in two years (since the first six months of 2019).- New vehicle registrations experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive year (since the first six months of 2020).- Sales of mini-vehicles experienced a year-on-year increase for the first time in two years (since the first six months of 2019).- Freed was the industry's ninth best-selling car among new vehicle registrations for the first six months of 2021 with sales of 35,551 units.- N-BOX was the industry's top-selling car in the mini-vehicle category for the first six months of 2021 with sales of 110,551 units.Exports from JapanJune 2020- Total exports from Japan experienced a year-on-year decrease for the seventh consecutive month.The First Half of Calendar Year 2021- Total exports from Japan for the first six months of 2021 experienced a year-on-year decrease for the second consecutive year (since the first six months of 2020). Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

29 7 月, 2021

Toyota Releases Sales, Production, and Export Results for the First Half of 2021

Toyota City, Japan, Jul 29, 2021 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) announces its sales, production, and export results for June 2021 as well as the cumulative total from January to June, including those for subsidiaries Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. and Hino Motors, Ltd.Global Sales- Global sales in the first half of 2021 were 5.005 million units (up 32.7 percent compared to 2020 and up 4.5 percent compared to 2019). This result was driven primarily by sales in North America and China.- Sales in North America were driven by solid sales in the U.S. of light trucks including the Highlander, HEVs including the Venza, and sedans including the Camry.- In China, the market was solid and sales of the Corolla, Levin, Camry, Avalon, and Lexus brand vehicles were strong.Global Production- Global production in the first half of 2021 was approximately 4.517 million units (up 36.3 percent compared to 2020 and down 2.7 percent compared to 2019). This result was driven primarily by production in China.- In China, strong sales of the Levin, Avalon, and other models contributed to the production results.Other Topics- The ratio of electrified vehicles in global sales increased from approximately 21 percent in the first half of 2020 to approximately 26 percent in the first half of 2021. This increase was driven primarily by increases in North America, Europe, and China. Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

22 6 月, 2021

HYPEBEAST LTD. (0150.HK) Sees Record Profitability Despite Covid-19 Challenges, Looks Ahead To Growth

HONG KONG, Jun 22, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The Board of Directors of Hypebeast Limited (Stock Code: 0150.HK) has announced the Group's annual results for the year ended 31 March 2021 ("FY2021"). Revenue for the year totaled HK$674.2 million; notably, revenues from the fiscal second half ("2H2021") were 36.2% higher than revenues recorded in the first half of the fiscal ("1H2021"), chiefly due to strength in recovery of the Media business heading out of the COVID-19 pandemic, both by way of volume of campaign execution and by way of increasing contract values. Media recovered steadily, with total signed contract value during FY2021 increasing by approximately 20% compared to FY2020. The Group's net profits totaled HK$70.6 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.3%, chiefly due to cost control measures adopted by management during COVID-19. Notably, net profit from 2H2021 was HK$49.7 million compared to HK$20.9 million for the first half of FY2021, representing a significant increase of 137.8%. Net profit margin for 2H2021 was 12.8%, compared to 7.3% for 1H2021. Such trends primarily reflect a resurgence of the Media business from COVID-19. "The pandemic has led to an expected downside in our overall revenue, but we are expecting strong growth as countries begin heading out of lockdowns especially in view of significantly improving revenue, gross and net profits in the second half of the fiscal." said Kevin Ma, Founder and CEO of Hypebeast Ltd. "We are very much positioned for growth, ready to make a strong recovery out of the pandemic and extend our reach. Looking forward, we will focus on regional market expansion, category diversification to accommodate growing non-endemic sectors such as gaming, technology and F&B, and accelerating conversion of our editorial readers and visitors into e-commerce and retail customers alongside other strategies." Key takeaways from the financial results: -- The Group recorded strong revenue recovery most notably in 2H2021, with second half revenues totaling HK$388.8 million which represented an increase of 36.2% over revenues for 1H2021 of HK$285.4 million; total revenues were HK$674.2 million compared to HK$751.4 million for the prior year, which represented only a moderate year-on-year decrease of 10.3% despite significant COVID-19 pandemic-related impact in 1H2021;-- Total value in signed contracts for the Media segment increased by 20% during FY2021 as compared to the prior year; -- Media gross margin for 2H2021 was 57.6% compared to 50.4% for 1H2021, reflecting an overall increase in revenues and more efficient cost control. E-commerce & Retail gross margin for 2H2021 was 42.2% compared to 36.3% for 1H2021, reflecting a higher mix of products sold at full price; -- The Group delivered net profits of HK$70.6 million, a significant 7.3% increase compared to FY2020 - notably net profit from 2H2021 was 137.8% higher than net profit for 1H2021; and-- 12-month average website monthly unique visitors and aggregated social media following improved to 15.6 million and 26.2 million, representing a 0.7% and 12.4% increase over the last fiscal year, respectively. Such increases reflect overall trends in user following being more heavily social media focused.Outlook:-- COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the digitalization of advertising as global brands continue to allocate an increased proportion of marketing dollars to online advertising; the Group forecasts a positive effect on the Media segment going forward;-- COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions in 1H2021 resulted in pent-up demand from brand partners for digital marketing services; the Group's strong second half results reflect increased investment in our services, and the Group expects this momentum to carry over to the first half of the next fiscal year ("1H2022") and beyond;-- Strength built upon opinion leadership over a loyal community of Gen Z and millennial user-customers coupled with healthy balance sheet and liquidity, streamlined business model, and competitive, unique 360-degree advertising services allow Hypemaker, our agency, to continue to stand out amongst brand advertisers and advertising agencies;-- Planned integration of our retail services with compelling and engaging content from our media platforms creates a powerful user-customer funnel for our e-commerce platform, allowing our loyal community of readers to enjoy a seamless shopping experience on an integrated site and/or app;-- The Hypebeast building in New York City is slated to open in 2H2021, which will integrate our flagship retail store, a coveted venue for activations and cultural events, as well as host our Group's US East Coast office; the Group plans to drive greater brand awareness and community building through this landmark location, which will benefit both Media and E-commerce & Retail segment growth within the U.S. region and globally; and-- Geographically and strategically well positioned to capture significant growth opportunities in both Media and E-commerce & Retail in Asia through leveraging the Group's brand popularity and high-profile networks - particularly, in South Korea, Japan, China and Southeast Asia.For further details on the Annual Results performance, visit the Group's corporate website to view the full results announcement.https://hypebeast.ltd/documents/2021062200977.pdfAbout Hypebeast Limited (Stock Code: 0150.HK) Hypebeast Ltd. started from a sneaker website founded by Kevin Ma in 2005 to a publicly listed media company in 2016. With a total reach of over 44.6M users across all platforms, The media group boasts a global readership across Asia Pacific, North America, Europe and more, with the flagship platform available in five languages. The group has expanded its publishing brands to a wider scope in recent years, encompassing Hypebeast and its multiple content distribution platforms, HBX, our e-commerce and retail platform, and Hypemaker, our global agency. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

15 6 月, 2021

Football: Schick stunner for Czechs leaves Scotland reeling

GLASGOW (REUTERS) - The Czech Republic's Patrik Schick scored one of the most remarkable goals in European Championship history as his side beat Scotland 2-0 on Monday (June 14) to get their Euro 2020 campaign off to a superb start and deflate home hopes in Glasgow. Schick, who had also netted an excellent header in the first half, doubled his tally after the break with a curling, looping effort from just inside the Scotland half, having spotted goalkeeper David Marshall far off his line. At 49.7 yards, the Bayer Leverkusen forward's astonishing effort was officially the furthest distance from which a goal has been scored on record at the European Championship according to Opta. Scotland had battled gamely on their return to tournament football after a 23-year absence and spurned a number of excellent chances of their own, with Lyndon Dykes guilty of wasting two superb opportunities. Yet the Czechs were worthy winners, soaking up Scottish pressure in the first half, and silencing a noisy Hampden Park crowd, who were seeing their side play in a major tournament for the first time since the 1998 World Cup. The result left the Czechs on three points, level at the top of Group D with England, who beat Croatia 1-0 on Sunday, while Scotland will already be feeling nervous about their prospects ahead of their next game against England on Friday when the Czechs face Croatia. Scotland began the game at full throttle, fuelled by a vociferous home crowd who seemed to defy the fact that there were less than 10,000 of them in the stadium. Yet the Czechs weathered the early pressure and grew into the game, taking the sting out of Scotland's attacks before moving further up the pitch. Schick had a snapshot palmed away by Marshall after 15 minutes, but he made his mark decisively just before half-time. The Czechs, who scored more than half of their goals in qualifying from set pieces, earned a string of corners just before the break and finally took advantage in the 42nd minute. Scotland cleared the initial ball into the box, but Vladimir Coufal curled a cross back into the danger area and Schick rose brilliantly to beat his marker and angle a header into the far corner away from Marshall's despairing dive. The second half began with a flurry of activity and the Czechs could have extended their lead with first Schick and then Vladimir Darida drawing fine saves from Marshall, with Scotland almost levelling at the other end when Jack Hendry hit the bar. Yet Schick's astonishing finish in the 52nd minute crushed hopes of a Scottish revival. There appeared to be little danger when the forward latched on to the ball just inside the Scotland half, but his instant finish curled past Marshall, who was scampering to get back into his goal, and dipped just beneath the bar. Scotland were not dead and buried at this stage, but after Czech goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik saved twice from Dykes, their hopes of getting back into the match seemed to have evaporated. More on this topic Related Story Football: Spain draw blank with Sweden in Euro 2020 opener Related Story Football: Skriniar lifts Slovakia to win over Poland

2 5 月, 2021

Football: Boys from Brazil power Real to win over Osasuna

MADRID (REUTERS) - Real Madrid's Brazilian duo Eder Militao and Casemiro struck in the second half to secure a 2-0 home win over stubborn Osasuna on Saturday (May 1) and keep the heat on La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid. Defender Militao finally prised open the visitors by heading home from a corner in the 76th minute for his first league goal of the season. Midfielder Casemiro made sure of the points four minutes later with a fortuitous strike when he attempted to control a through ball from Karim Benzema and sent it trickling into the bottom corner of the net, flummoxing keeper Sergio Herrera. The win took second-placed Real to 74 points from 34 games after Atletico had moved onto 76 by riding their luck to win 1-0 at Elche earlier on Saturday. Fellow title rivals Barcelona and Sevilla are in action on Sunday and Monday respectively. Having stayed on Atletico's heels, Real will now turn their attentions to reaching the Champions League final when they head to Chelsea in Wednesday's semi-final second leg after a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital last week. Coach Zinedine Zidane left midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric on the bench for the whole game and turned to reserve team player Antonio Blanco, while bringing on fellow youngsters Miguel Gutierrez and Sergio Arribas in the second half. Eden Hazard was Real's most dangerous player in an impressive first half from the hosts, who had a slew of chances to go in front. Visiting keeper Sergio Herrera reacted quickly to repel a close-range shot from Hazard and moments later tipped a powerful Militao header over the bar before thwarting the Brazilian again later in the second half. Osasuna did their best to keep Real at bay while offering little in attack although they had a goal ruled out for offside by Chimy Avila just before halftime. The visitors also nearly benefitted from an over-hit backpass by Militao which forced Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois to race towards his line and stop the ball. Substitute Rodrygo nearly found a breakthrough out of nothing when he danced past a couple of Osasuna defenders and went for goal, pulling his shot just wide of the far post. It took a set-piece for Real to finally take the lead, Militao meeting Isco's corner with venom to make it third time lucky and Casemiro's goal soon followed to see Zidane's side over the line.

28 4 月, 2021

Football: Benzema stunner for Real frustrates impressive Chelsea in Champions League

MADRID (REUTERS) - Chelsea held their own away to Real Madrid but had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Tuesday’s (April 27) Champions League semi-final first leg after Karim Benzema scored an acrobatic goal to cancel out an early strike from Christian Pulisic. Chelsea made a bright start in heavy rain at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium and deservedly went ahead when US forward Pulisic rounded Thibaut Courtois to score in the 14th minute. Thirteen times European Cup winners Real looked ragged and short on ideas but pulled level in the 29th with a moment of true class from the talismanic Benzema, who controlled a knockdown before volleying into the roof of the net. Chelsea looked the better side in the second half as well but could not break down Real again and then had to withstand some late pressure from the hosts, who visit Stamford Bridge in the second leg on May 5 looking to reach the final for a fifth time in eight years. Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel was frustrated his side could not make the most of their early dominance. “We started the game very well, we were aggressive, we showed courage and quality, we deserved to win the first half. Unfortunately, they scored from a set-piece, there was nothing else from them for us to defend,” he said. “It was a disappointing result at halftime the second half was a very tactical game. A bit more composure and precision in front of goal and we would have won the first half but we have to live with 1-1.” This was the first ever Champions League meeting between the two sides, who were both named as founding clubs in the controversial European Super League last week before Chelsea hastily withdrew from the competition. It was far from an idyllic setting for such an occasion, played at the tiny, empty arena located at Real’s training ground and the non-stop rain made it harder for either side to create flowing passing moves. Unstoppable strike The visitors had the first clear opening when Pulisic nodded across to Timo Werner but former Chelsea keeper Courtois thwarted the German striker with his legs. Pulisic took no chances the next time he got into the area, controlling a long ball from Antonio Rudiger and dribbling around Courtois before calmly passing it into the net, despite the efforts of Raphael Varane and Nacho to block the shot. Benzema carved out Madrid’s first chance through his own efforts, swivelling away from a Chelsea defender on the edge of the area before aiming for the top corner and hitting the post. The Frenchman had better fortune with his next attempt, controlling Eder Militao’s header following a corner before unleashing an unstoppable strike, scoring his 28th goal of the season and his 71st in the Champions League, joining Real great Raul as the competition’s joint-fourth top scorer of all time. The second half was more cagey as the spirit Chelsea had showed early in the match dried up as they tired, although they still managed to control the game while barely allowing Real a sniff until the end. Real defender Marcelo admitted his side had underperformed but was confident about their chances of making it to the final in Istanbul on May 29. “We knew that could happen but there’s another game to come, we’re still feeling good and we know what we have to do, the return leg will be different," he said. “We didn’t dictate the pace of the game and had to adapt but we’re feeling calm.” More on this topic Related Story Football: Zidane glad Real still alive after early Chelsea onslaught Related Story Football: 'Absurd' to think Real could be banned from Champions League, says Zidane

19 4 月, 2021

Football: Atletico hammer Eibar 5-0 to reassert La Liga title claim as Real draw at Getafe

MADRID (REUTERS) - La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid thrashed basement club Eibar 5-0 on Sunday(April 18) in an emphatic response to a stuttering run of results which had let their rivals back into the title race. Atletico were missing two of their top forwards in Luis Suarez and Joao Felix but Argentine striker Angel Correa took responsibility in attack, scoring twice at the end of the first half to put the hosts in charge. Yannick Carrasco further stretched their lead soon after the interval before Marcos Llorente struck twice to complete the rout as his side picked up a first victory in three matches after drawing 1-1 at Real Betis and losing 1-0 at Sevilla. Atletico top the standings on 70 points after 31 games and extended their advantage with second-placed Real Madrid to three points after the champions were held 0-0 at Getafe later on Sunday. Barcelona are third on 65 with a game in hand while fourth-placed Sevilla stayed in contention to move on to 64 points after beating Real Sociedad 2-1. "It gives us enormous joy to win this game so comfortably and so convincingly," Correa told reporters. "The game was pretty tight until the first goal but then the game opened up and we were able to wrap it up." Eibar are bottom with 23 points and have failed to win in their last 14 matches, 10 of which they have lost. The visitors did not have a single shot on goal although they gave Atletico a fright midway through the first half when Alejandro Pozo whipped in a cross to an unmarked Kevin Rodrigues, who narrowly failed to make contact with the ball. Atletico dominated possession but did not have a clear opportunity until Correa broke the deadlock, arriving at the far post to prod a freekick into the net. The Argentine forward struck again moments later, swivelling past a defender before producing a classy finish to further make amends for missing several opportunities against Betis. "The great thing about football is that every week you have a chance for revenge. I was feeling a little due to missing those chances but today I'm happy as this time they went in," added Correa. A heavily depleted Real Madrid side scraped a 0-0 draw at struggling Getafe on Sunday. Real beat Barcelona 2-1 last week and overcame Liverpool in midweek to reach the Champions League semi-finals but were crippled by the absence of nine players due to either injury, suspension or Covid-19 positives. Forward Mariano had an early goal ruled out for offside after a VAR review but Getafe had far more and far better opportunities, hitting the woodwork in the first half and being thwarted by two fine saves from Thibaut Courtois in the second. The draw interrupted a run of four straight league wins for Zinedine Zidane's side and left them second on 67 points after 31 games. Getafe are 15th on 31 points, three above the relegation zone. More on this topic Related Story Football: Atletico draw at Betis while picking up more injuries Related Story Football: Atletico striker Suarez injures leg in training in La Liga title blow "I don't see this as two points dropped, it's always difficult to come here," said Real defender Marcelo. "We knew what it would be like here, the pitch was very dry and we couldn't get the ball moving quickly. We have hardly any time to rest but we have to keep on giving everything, that's what football is like right now." Despite the many absences, Zidane chose to start without top scorer Karim Benzema and left Toni Kroos on the bench, handing a first start to defender Victor Chust and a debut for 20-year-old midfielder Antonio Blanco from the bench. Getafe could have scored three times in the opening 10 minutes and then striker Jaime Mata struck the post with a header. Real's Mariano saw a shot cleared off the line from David Timor, adding to his frustration after his goal was chalked off for a fractional offside. The home side continued to dictate the play after the interval as Real grew ever more tired but Getafe could not get past Real keeper Courtois. The Belgian flew towards the top corner to beat away a shot from Angel Rodriguez and then reacted quickly to tip a long range effort from Nemanja Maksimovic over the bar after it took a deflection off Chust. Getafe had two penalty appeals waved away for incidents involving Real centre back Eder Militao, who brought down Enes Unal in the first half and then collided with Angel just as the forward was getting his shot away.

6 4 月, 2021

Football: West Ham tame Wolves to break back into top four

WOLVERHAMPTON (REUTERS) - West Ham United boosted their hopes of finishing in the Premier League top four and earning a Champions League berth after an impressive first half helped them to a 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday (April 5). West Ham moved three places up to fourth on 52 points from 30 games, one more than fifth-placed Chelsea and three ahead of sixth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in seventh. Wolves stayed 14th on 35 points. West Ham also equalled the club’s Premier League record of seven away wins in a season and gave themselves every chance of breaking it with eight games remaining. Jesse Lingard, Pablo Fornals and substitute Jarrod Bowen, who replaced the injured Michail Antonio, fired the Hammers into a 3-0 lead before Leander Dendoncker pulled one back for the home side in an action-packed first half. Fabio Silva struck for the resurgent Wolves midway through the second but the home side were unable to make their late pressure count as the visitors held out in the closing stages. Lingard fired West Ham ahead after he capped a darting solo run from his own half with a fine left-footed finish in the sixth minute after Antonio had hit the post with a ferocious long-range effort. Fornals made it 2-0 in the 14th with a deft side-footed finish after good work from Lingard and Arthur Masuaku, who squared the ball back to the Spaniard. Bowen added the third in the 38th minute, shortly after coming on for Antonio, as he found space in the heart of the penalty area to beat home goalkeeper Rui Patricio with a firm low shot inside the near post. Wasteful Wolves, who compounded their poor defending in the first half by wasting several gilt-edged chances, hauled themselves back into the contest when Dendoncker headed home an Adama Traore cross in the 42nd minute. West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek had a goal disallowed for handball on the hour and the visitors were forced to hang on in the final 20 minutes after Silva beat visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski with a neat finish midway through the second half. Wolves were missing Spanish defender Jonny who was ruled out for the rest of the season shortly before kick off with a recurring knee injury. The home team’s manager Nuno Espirito Santo rued their sloppy defending. “We were very poor in defence and it takes away from all the good things we did in attack,” he told Sky Sports. “The reaction was good but we started very bad. Conceding three goals against a top team like West Ham makes it very difficult to reverse the result.” More on this topic Related Story Football: Lingard on target as West Ham beat Leeds to go fifth Related Story Football: West Ham victory lifts them into Premier League top four

31 3 月, 2021

Football: Ronaldo on target as Portugal overcome scare to beat Luxembourg in World Cup qualifiers

LUXEMBOURG (REUTERS) - Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo scored his first goal of the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign but then missed a sitter as the visitors came from behind to beat Luxembourg 3-1 on Tuesday (March 30). The hosts went into the match full of confidence after winning 1-0 away to Ireland and took a shock lead against the European champions when Portuguese-born Gerson Rodrigues glanced in a header on the half-hour for his second goal in two games. Portugal twice came close to levelling before Diogo Jota headed the equaliser in added time at the end of the first half. Ronaldo, who was denied a goal in the 2-2 draw against Serbia on Saturday despite the ball clearly crossing the line, put Portugal in charge early in the second half, firing into the far bottom corner after combining with Joao Cancelo. Ronaldo should have scored again when the ball landed at his feet following a terrible Luxembourg backpass but Portugal's all-time top scorer shot straight at Anthony Moris, who saved the striker's second attempt immediately after with his feet. Substitute Joao Palhinha put Fernando Santos's side further ahead in the 80th minute by heading home a Pedro Neto corner, his first goal for his country. The task then got easier when Luxembourg's Maxime Chanot was sent off for a second booking in the 87th. The victory lifted Portugal to the top of Group A on seven points after three games, level with Serbia, while Luxembourg are third with three points. Despite the win, Portugal coach Santos was fiercely critical of how his side started the game. "We spent the first half an hour playing at walking pace, with no intensity in either end of the pitch. I had to tell the players that we wouldn't win the game on quality alone and had to add intensity to our play," he said. "If we only rely on our quality, any opponent can cause us difficulties. We suddenly remembered that, we grew into the game and got the equaliser which was vital. "In the second half we won every ball, we played with intensity and suddenly Luxembourg looked like a different team."

10 3 月, 2021

Football: Haaland goals send Dortmund past Sevilla into Champions League last eight

DORTMUND, GERMANY (REUTERS) - Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland struck in each half as they advanced to the Champions League quarter-finals after a 2-2 draw with Sevilla in their last-16 second leg on Tuesday (March 9) to complete a 5-4 aggregate win. The Norwegian notched his 20th Champions League goal in 14 games – and 10th in the competition this season – with a controversial 54th-minute penalty after having tapped in a Marco Reus cutback against the run of play to give Dortmund the lead in the first half. Sevilla, who made the quarter-finals in 2018 and enjoyed a strong first half, hit back with two goals from Youssef En-Nesyri in the second half, the first a 66th-minute penalty followed by a stoppage-time header to make it 2-2. Sevilla’s second goal set up a frantic finish, but Dortmund held on to edge through after their 3-2 win in the first leg last month. The 20-year-old Haaland has become Norway’s all-time top scorer in the competition, with one more goal than current Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as Dortmund reached the last eight for the first time since 2017. Sevilla, who arrived in Dortmund on the back of three straight defeats, dictated proceedings from the start and had a good effort by Lucas Ocampos early on. Without injured Jadon Sancho, Dortmund, who lost to Bayern Munich in the league on Saturday, hardly got a look in until Haaland struck with their first chance of the game in the 35th minute. The Norwegian put the ball in the net five minutes after the restart with a superb effort, but in an extraordinary VAR review, the referee Cuneyt Cakir first disallowed the goal for a foul by Haaland and then awarded Dortmund a penalty for a shirt-pull on the striker minutes earlier. Keeper Yassine Bounou saved Haaland’s spot kick as well as his thundering rebound but the referee ordered it to be retaken after he said the keeper had moved off the line. Haaland slotted in on his second attempt to take his goal tally in the competition this season to an impressive 10 goals in his six games.

7 3 月, 2021

Football: Barcelona raise the stakes for Madrid derby with Osasuna win

MADRID (AFP) - Barcelona cranked up the pressure on Sunday's Madrid derby by beating Osasuna 2-0 on Saturday night (March 6) to edge two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid in La Liga. Lionel Messi set up both goals in Pamplona as Jordi Alba hammered home in the first half before the 18-year-old Ilaix Moriba came off the bench to curl in an impressive shot late in the second. Ilaix's strike was his first goal in La Liga and another breakthrough moment for a Barca youngster, 24 hours before the club hopes a brighter future can begin under a new president. Before the winner of the elections is confirmed on Sunday night, Atletico will face Real Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Barcelona will surely be hoping for anything other than a home win. A few weeks ago, Ronald Koeman's side looked too far adrift in the title race but 10 victories out of 11 have shot them back into contention, even if Atletico remain in the driving seat with two games in hand. After coming from two goals down to beat Sevilla after extra-time in the semi-final of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, Barcelona now have one trophy, and perhaps even a domestic double, in their sights. Osasuna pressed high, which made for an entertaining opening 20 minutes as both sides played through the pressure and poured forward on the break. Barca faced some nervy moments as Jonathan Calleri tried an ambitious lob from distance before Ruben Garcia's curler from the edge of the area required an athletic save from Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Messi shot wide and then set up the opener, drifting in from the right and spotting the scuttling Alba racing in behind on the opposite side. Messi clipped a superb pass through three Osasuna defenders for Alba to collect and he lashed it high into the net from the angle. Garcia deserved an equaliser soon after for his first touch alone, a sumptuous cushioning of a long ball forward, but Ter Stegen was again there to deny the finish. There was more control about the second half but Barcelona needed a second to make it comfortable and substitute Ilaix seized his moment, shaping to shoot with his right before coolly rolling onto his left on the edge of the area and whipping into the corner.

7 3 月, 2021

Football: Southampton triumph in Sheffield for first league win in 10 games

SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND (REUTERS) - Southampton claimed their first Premier League victory in 10 games as skipper James Ward-Prowse's first-half penalty and a thunderbolt from Che Adams secured a 2-0 win over Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday (March 6). Southampton, league leaders in November, have been dragged into the bottom half of the table due to poor form and injuries, but Ralph Hasenhuettl's 14th-placed side showed their battling qualities in his 100th game in charge. "It's a huge relief," Ward-Prowse said. "We all admit it's been a tough run but getting that first win after a while is great... When you go through a spell like we did, everybody starts to talk, but there's belief in the manager and we executed our plan perfectly." Southampton went ahead in the 32nd minute through midfielder Ward-Prowse's penalty after Ethan Ampadu mistimed his challenge on Nathan Tella, with the Saints midfielder bearing down on goal after latching on to a long ball from Ibrahima Diallo. Substitute Adams, who came on for the injured Danny Ings in the first half, doubled Southampton's lead with a right-footed rocket from distance against his former club as the bottom-placed hosts failed to clear their lines. "It's been a long time since my last goal so I'm proud to get a goal for the boys," Adams, whose last league goal was against Sheffield United in December, told Sky Sports. Sheffield had earlier responded strongly and could have made it 1-1 towards the end of the first half but striker David McGoldrick's chipped effort in a one-on-one situation with Fraser Forster was saved by the goalkeeper. Southampton continued to threaten throughout the second half and could have added to their tally, but Tella's shot was pushed wide by Aaron Ramsdale while Takumi Minamino fired his effort wide with only the goalkeeper to beat shortly after. "The team did what we had to do against a side fighting for everything. We could have scored more. That's the only thing I could criticise," Hasenhuettl said. "There are still a lot of games to go. We've been much higher in the table then we had this negative run. It's important we can turn it round now."

11 1 月, 2021

Chinese GP may be pushed back

LONDON • Organisers of the Chinese Grand Prix say they have asked Formula One management to move the Shanghai race from April to later in the 2021 calendar, Motorsport.com has reported. "We have been in contact (with F1) via conference call almost every week," Yang Yibin, the general manager of race promoter Juss Event, was quoted as saying by the website. "Despite the calendar being in place as usual, I think it's hugely uncertain the F1 race would take place in the first half of the year, in April. We aim to swop it to the second half of the year, and we have formally submitted the request that we hope to move it to the second half of the year." Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll said last week that agreement had already been reached to postpone the Australian Grand Prix to the back end of the season, with Bahrain, scheduled for March 28, replacing it as the opening race due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The sport saw many races cancelled last year due to the crisis, with the race calendar eventually reduced from 22 rounds to 17 across Europe and the Middle East and some circuits, including Bahrain, Britain and Austria, hosting two Grands Prix. F1 announced its 2021 calendar in November featuring a record 23 rounds. To date, the 2019 season with 21 races remains the most held in a single season. Given the pandemic, most observers believe that F1 is being overly ambitious by attempting to break that record, with Haas team principal Guenther Steiner fearing the first half of the upcoming season will be disrupted. "While it looks likely that Australia will be postponed, I think the Bahrain race will happen," he told PlanetF1.com. "What comes after, I have no idea. "At the moment, it's very difficult for me to understand what's happening in China, so I think there will be a difficult beginning of the season. "Maybe I'm being pessimistic, but I think we'll have to deal with that for the first six months of the year. "After that, I hope we can see the influence of the vaccines and things should be more solid and more predictable. "But for the first six months, I think it will be a little bit like last year was." China, which is the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics, has either cancelled or rescheduled most global sporting events since the start of the pandemic, and should the Shanghai race be postponed, its staging may come at the expense of other events. "To move it to the second half of the year, it depends on the plan of the city government," Yang added. "If we put all international events to the second half of the year, it will be over the capacity for the city." REUTERS

10 1 月, 2021

Football: McTominay heads Man Utd past Watford and into FA Cup fourth round

MANCHESTER (AFP) - Scott McTominay celebrated captaining Manchester United for the first time by scoring the only goal in a 1-0 FA Cup third-round victory against Watford on Saturday (Jan 9). Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made nine changes to his team, who could go top of the Premier League on Tuesday, when they take on Burnley. The home side started strongly at an empty Old Trafford, with Daniel James impressive on the left side of the attack, and were rewarded when McTominay gave them the lead in the fifth minute. The Scotland international, who recently scored two early goals against Leeds, headed downwards from an Alex Telles corner and the ball went in off the post. United were largely in control and Juan Mata saw an effort saved following a fluent team move and sumptuous flick by Donny van de Beek. But McTominay's header proved the only goal of a first half in which Watford threatened intermittently. Adam Masina's effort was blocked by a mixture of United goalkeeper Dean Henderson and Axel Tuanzebe. The opening period ended with United defender Eric Bailly being replaced by Harry Maguire after he was clattered by team-mate Henderson. Solskjaer threw on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial midway through the second half but United were forced to settle for a 1-0 win.

30 11 月, 2020

A staggering comeback

SINGAPORE PREMIER LEAGUE Albirex Niigata 1 Tampines Rovers 4 A magnificent second-half turnaround - which included three goals in 14 minutes - helped Tampines Rovers beat Albirex Niigata 4-1 last night and displace the Japanese side at the top of the Singapore Premier League (SPL). With each team having just two games left this season, the title race now looks likely to go down to the wire on Saturday. Tampines are on 27 points, with Albirex a point behind. Third-placed Lion City Sailors, who beat the Young Lions 4-0 yesterday at Jurong West Stadium, are four points behind Tampines. The task for Tampines is clear: Win their two remaining games and they will claim their sixth league title and first since 2013. They host the Sailors on Wednesday and end the season against Geylang International. Said coach Gavin Lee: "The most important thing for us now is to recover and try to be as fresh as possible for the next game. "Neither team is going to be at 100 per cent, but we'll just reiterate what we want to do, and stay calm. A lot of things can happen in football and we'll just control what we can control." Keeping calm, he added, was the key to last night's comeback after Albirex went ahead at Jurong East Stadium through Tomoyuki Doi in the 38th minute. Lee threw on wing-backs Madhu Mohana and Irwan Shah at the start of the second half, and the move paid instant dividends. Just three minutes after the restart, Madhu was perfectly placed to set up Boris Kopitovic to equalise from close range. STANDINGS P W D L F A Pts 1 Tampines 12 8 3 1 25 9 27 2 Albirex 12 8 2 2 28 14 26 3 Lion City 12 7 2 3 38 15 23 4 Balestier 12 4 4 4 18 22 16 5 Geylang 12 5 1 6 13 20 16 6 Hougang 12 4 3 5 18 21 15 7 Young Lions 12 2 0 10 7 34 6 8 Tanjong Pagar 12 0 5 7 12 24 5 Eight minutes later, Amirul Adli put Tampines in front when poor defending at a corner by Albirex saw the ball break to him at the far post. The Stags then extended their lead in the 62nd minute when Madhu seized on a slip by Hiroyoshi Kamata and played Kopitovic in again, with the Montenegrin striker finishing with aplomb on his second try. Tampines substitute Taufik Suparno then added gloss to the scoreline in the 88th minute, latching onto a stray pass by Yasuhiro Hanada and firing home the fourth. Said Madhu: "We came back in the second half once before against Young Lions (on Nov 17) and we know we're a good enough team to do it against Albirex too. "We just stayed calm and did not panic. Now, we have to forget this result and focus on the Sailors. It's not easy but we have the depth to get the results we need." Last night's result helped Tampines pull off a double over Albirex, after a 2-0 win last month, and White Swans coach Keiji Shigetomi pointed to the Stags' experience as being the difference. "In the second half, my players were overwhelmed by the opponent and lost possession easily," he said. "But I have told them not to be discouraged. There are two more games, and we must try our best to win them, and hope for the best." On paper, Albirex have an easier run-in than Tampines. They entertain bottom side Tanjong Pagar United, who are still winless, before visiting an Hougang United side devoid of foreign players. But if Lee can gee his players up to perform like they did in the second half last night, then they stand a good chance of ending their seven-year wait for the league title.