29 1 月, 2021

Football: Liverpool back on track with win at Tottenham

LONDON (REUTERS) - Liverpool's spluttering attack burst back to life to help the champions return to winning ways with a commanding 3-1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Thursday (Jan 28). Goals from Roberto Firmino, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane capped a dominant display by Juergen Klopp's side whose first league win since Dec 19 sent them back into the top four. Firmino's effort in first-half stoppage time ended Liverpool's barren run of 482 minutes without a league goal. Alexander-Arnold doubled their lead in the 47th minute before Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg lashed in his first goal for Tottenham a minute later to give the hosts hope. With Tottenham's defence unravelling, Mane struck again for Liverpool in the 65th minute and there was no coming back for Jose Mourinho's side who lost talisman Harry Kane to injury. Liverpool's seventh successive win over Spurs in all competitions moved into fourth spot with 37 points from 20 games, four points behind leaders Manchester City who have played a game less. Tottenham, who could have gone above Liverpool with a win, stay sixth with 33 points.

28 1 月, 2021

Singapore ranked third as least corrupt country in the world, top in Asia: Transparency International

SINGAPORE - Singapore has again made it to the top ranks of the least corrupt countries in the world based on a global survey released annually. The Republic along with Finland, Switzerland and Sweden scored 85 points each, tying for third place in the 2020 Corruption Perceptions Index released by the global anti-graft movement, Transparency International, on Thursday (Jan 28). Denmark and New Zealand earned 88 points each to tie for top spot among the 180 countries and territories surveyed. Singapore took top spot in Asia, the only Asian country to make it to the top 10. Transparency International chair Delia Ferrerira Rubio said the Covid-19 pandemic in the past year was as much a health and economic crisis as well as of corruption which the world was failing to manage. "Those with higher levels of corruption have been less able to meet the challenge," she noted. "But even those at the top of the (index) must urgently address their role in perpetuating corruption at home and abroad." Corruption often intensifies the effects of a crisis and when combined with a public health emergency like Covid-19, poses a threat to lives and livelihoods, said Transparency International (TI). The Berlin-based non-governmental organisation cited its own research from 2019, which found that corruption deprives the global health sector of over US$500 billion (S$$665 billion) annually. Countries that perform well on the index invest more in health care, are better able to provide universal health coverage and are less likely to violate democratic norms and institutions or the rule of law, added TI. For instance, Uruguay, which scored the highest (71) in Latin America, had a robust epidemiological surveillance system aiding its response to the coronavirus, it said. At the other end of the scale, Bangladesh (26), was rife with bribery in health clinics, misappropriated aid and corrupted procurement of medical supplies. The year in the United States, TI said, was marked by alleged conflicts of interest and abuse of office at the highest level, topped off by weak oversight of a US$1 trillion Covid-19 relief package which raised serious concerns over accountability. As a result, the superpower continued its downward slide in the index to an all-time low of 67 points since 2012, when it was last revised. Since that year, Singapore has not scored below 84 points or ranked lower than seventh in the index which is derived from 13 expert assessments and surveys of business executives. More on this topic Related Story Sats, CapitaLand Reits top Singapore-listed companies in governance and transparency as standards reach new high Related Story CPIB launches e-book to educate teenagers on corruption and its pitfalls The next least corrupt place in Asia was Hong Kong, which came in at 11th place with 77 points. As a region, the Asia-Pacific - which includes Australia and New Zealand - scored an average of 45, second only to the average of 66 for countries in Western Europe and the European Union. More than two-thirds of all the countries attained less than 50 points, with the average score being 43. Nearly half of those on the index have remained stagnant on it for almost a decade - indicating stalled government efforts to tackle the root causes of corruption, said Transparency International. The anti-corruption watchdog recommended ways to stamp out graft and better respond to future crises. It urged all governments to strengthen oversight of institutions, ensure open and transparent contracting, defend democracy and promote civic space, publish relevant data and guarantee access to information. More on this topic Related Story The crisis within a crisis, Covid-19 and corruption: Jakarta Post contributor Related Story Coronavirus pandemic putting democracy under threat: Study

27 1 月, 2021

Football: Rampant Man City crush West Brom to return to the top

WEST BROMWICH, ENGLAND (REUTERS) - Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League table in emphatic fashion on Tuesday (Jan 26) by crushing West Bromwich Albion 5-0 at the Hawthorns. City, who scored three goals in the opening half hour, have 41 points, one more than rivals Manchester United who have also played 19 games and will return to the summit if they beat bottom club Sheffield United at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Ilkay Gundogan put City ahead in the sixth minute, showing great control as he collected a pass from Joao Cancelo and curled a shot into the far corner. Cancelo then made it 2-0 with another fine strike into the same corner, although West Brom were unhappy that the assistant's flag had been raised before his shot. The impressive Gundogan added his second and City's third on the half-hour, when he robbed Romaine Sawyers on the edge of the box, danced past Dara O'Shea and fired home. On the stroke of halftime, Riyad Mahrez made it 4-0 with a trademark strike, cutting in from the right and blasting a left-foot shot into the far top corner past the helpless Sam Johnstone. Mahrez turned provider after the interval, with his low ball across the face of the penalty area tapped in from close range by Raheem Sterling in the 57th minute. The win was Pep Guardiola's team's 11th straight victory in all competitions. Struggling West Brom remain second-bottom on 11 points, six points from the safety zone. They have conceded 22 goals in their last five home league games, the most a team have conceded across five top-flight matches since Aston Villa in December 1935 (22).

25 1 月, 2021

Curry thanks trailblazers after setting 3-point milestone

SALT LAKE CITY • Stephen Curry is considered to be the National Basketball Association's (NBA) greatest shooter but he remains indebted to those before him who paved the way for his success. So after he passed Reggie Miller to move up to No. 2 on the all-time three-pointers list, the guard was touched to receive a surprise shout-out from the Indiana Pacers great. Curry paced the Golden State Warriors with 24 points - 15 came from beyond the arc - as the visitors (8-8) fell to a 127-108 rout by the Utah Jazz (12-4), who are second in the Western Conference and lie six places above their opponents. Still the loss could not diminish the three-time NBA champion's achievement. All-Star guard Curry now trails only Ray Allen (2,973) after draining his 2,562nd trey here. Allen reached the mark in 1,074 games, while Miller did so in 1,389 games. Curry's feat has come in just 715 games and assuming he continues his pace of four three-pointers per game, he should overtake Allen some time in the middle of next season. Asked by reporters how he felt, the two-time Most Valuable Player, who honoured Miller during the game by showing a "three" and "one" sign in reference to the Pacer's retired shirt number, said: "It's special. "I was trying to enjoy it in the middle of the game because I knew it was on the horizon and I knew how much I looked up to him (Miller) growing up, watching him play, playing against my dad (Dell). "Emulating a lot of things he did moving without the ball. I always said him and (current Nets coach) Steve Nash, I always tried to put those two players together. "Something I have been looking forward to for a very long time. Him and Ray were shooting the basketball, and it's kind of weird... it's pretty crazy to be at this point now." Miller then stunned Curry after appearing midway through the video call alongside his son Ryker, who was wearing the Warrior's No. 30 jersey. "You are an inspiration to so many little ones like mine," he said. "I know what goes into that... So thank you so much for what you have done, my friend." Curry later added that he appreciated the support and was thankful he now gets "to pass that torch on as well", claiming his prowess from downtown was something "that I pride myself on for sure". In the East, Kevin Durant scored 31 points as the Brooklyn Nets never trailed, surviving a number of fourth-quarter comeback attempts by the Miami Heat and a career-high 41-point night by Bam Adebayo to squeeze out a 128-124 victory in New York. The hosts recorded their first win in three games in which their "Big Three" of Durant, Kyrie Irving (28 points) and recent recruit James Harden (12 points) have played together. REUTERS

8 1 月, 2021

Koeman more optimistic after Barca move to third

BILBAO • Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman was glowing with pride after his side's 3-2 away win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday and said the performance was a benchmark for the remainder of the La Liga season. Barca fell behind in the third minute to an Inaki Williams goal during a counter-attack. But they responded emphatically with goals from teenager Pedri and a resurgent Lionel Messi either side of half-time before Iker Muniain struck late for the hosts. "That's the way we need to continue. We controlled the game the whole time and there were barely any dips in our play," Koeman said. The win lifted Barca into third place in the La Liga standings and led the Dutchman to reassess previous pessimistic comments about his side's faint chances of catching leaders Atletico Madrid (38 points), who lead Real by two points and are ahead of the Catalans by seven points with two games in hand. "The title race is still open because the season is very long. There can be injuries, teams can have downturns and a side that looks very good can end up struggling," Koeman said. He also praised Messi, who produced arguably his best performance of the season and was unlucky not to grab a hat-trick. On 18-year-old playmaker Pedri, who served up Messi's first goal with an outrageous backheel into his path, Koeman added: "He plays with so much maturity despite his age and most importantly he uses his head." REUTERS

3 1 月, 2021

‘Ugly wins’ suit Lakers coach

SAN ANTONIO • The Los Angeles Lakers know that it is impossible to play like National Basketball Association (NBA) champions every game this season, and what matters most to their coach Frank Vogel is to grind out the "ugly wins". Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds, and the Lakers rallied at the end with a 9-0 run to defeat the hosts San Antonio Spurs 109-103 on Friday. "We persisted through our struggles," Vogel said. "That's going to happen from time to time. In a 72-game season, you are going to have some wins that are uglier than others. "We knew coming into this season, with the quick turnaround, there was going to be some ugly nights. "The key is to find a way to win when you are not at your best." LeBron James had 26 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals for the Lakers, who beat the Spurs for the second time in three days. They also earned a 121-107 win at San Antonio on Wednesday behind 26 points from James. Dennis Schroder added 15 points and Kyle Kuzma contributed 11 for the Lakers. Montrezl Harrell grabbed 11 boards for Los Angeles. Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with his career-high of 26 points, while DeMar DeRozan collected 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Rudy Gay chipped in 15 points, Dejounte Murray scored 12 and Patty Mills scored 10. It was Johnson's only fourth game of 20-plus points in two seasons. Only Hall of Famer Tim Duncan had more 20-point efforts through his first 25 career games with the Spurs, getting six during his rookie season. "He's a competitor," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said of Johnson. "He's a fine young player and he's going to have a great career. That's about all I can say. He's been wonderful." IT NEEDN'T BE PRETTY We persisted through our struggles. That's going to happen from time to time. In a 72-game season, you are going to have some wins that are uglier than others. FRANK VOGEL, LA Lakers coach, who is fine with his team not playing like champions in every game. A tip-in by Kuzma and a bucket inside by James put the Lakers up 107-103 with 28.6 seconds remaining. After Derrick White misfired on a jumper, Davis sealed the win with a pair of free throws. Neither team led by more than seven points. Unlike in Wednesday's loss, the Spurs were able to keep pace with the Lakers early. "We played a heck of a basketball team, and we were a good basketball team tonight also," Popovich said. "So, I was happy with their play." A 16-6 surge early in the third quarter boosted the Spurs to a 73-70 advantage after a three-pointer by Johnson with 6min 47sec remaining. The two teams exchanged leads until a three-pointer by Gay and a jumper by DeRozan lifted the Spurs to an 85-81 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Overall, the Lakers shot 40.6 per cent and the Spurs hit 42.4 per cent of their shots. "Their game plan tweaked," Kuzma said. "They added a little bit of a different element for us. We had to adjust down the stretch." Spurs centre LaMarcus Aldridge (knee) missed his second consecutive contest, while the Lakers lost guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who finished with 11 points in 17 minutes, in the third quarter with an ankle sprain. Lakers reserve guard Alex Caruso, who did not travel with the team, was sidelined for the third straight game reportedly due to health and safety protocols. REUTERS

1 1 月, 2021

Brooklyn duo’s late run nets the Hawks

NEW YORK • The Brooklyn Nets started off cold but in the end, their All-Star duo came up clutch to end the Atlanta Hawks' run as one of only two National Basketball Association (NBA) teams to remain unbeaten this season. Kevin Durant scored 33 points and Kyrie Irving added 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter as the hosts outlasted the visitors for a wild 145-141 victory in New York on Wednesday. The pair returned after sitting out Brooklyn's previous game - a loss to the Memphis Grizzles - but initially struggled to assert themselves with Atlanta seeking their first 4-0 start since 2010-11. Irving had a three-of-16 start but caught fire in the final 12 minutes, shooting seven of 11. Durant, likewise, made six-of-15 shots before ending with a game-high 33 points. Along with 23 points from teammate Joe Harris, 18 of those coming from beyond the arc, they helped to overcome 30 points apiece from Hawks duo John Collins and Trae Young as well as off nights from Brooklyn starters DeAndre Jordan and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who had just five and three points respectively. Durant admitted the Nets need to improve defensively if they are to live up to their billing as championship contenders. "When you're not making shots early on, you need your guys to come on and pick you up," the forward told the Daily News. "Defences are gonna be focused on Kyrie and myself, so having guys like Taurean (Prince) and Landry (Shamet) who can knock down shots for us. "We had seven guys in double figures, and that's only good for the team. But we can't give up 140 points." The Nets host the Hawks again today and Durant is liking what he has seen so far from their opponents. Atlanta have not made the play-offs since 2016-17 and finished as the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference last term, but they have a young team, led by All-Star Young, who are fast improving. "We (Brooklyn) switch a lot on pick-and-rolls and this team slips out," he said. "John Collins is probably the best in the league at slipping out of screens with Trae." Elsewhere in the East, the Miami Heat, last season's finalists, rebounded from a crushing 47-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks the day before with a 119-108 victory over the same opponents. The Heat did not have to wait long for revenge as they hosted the Bucks for the second straight night, with Goran Dragic coming off the bench to lead the team with 26 points. Milwaukee, fuelled by a triple-double of 26 points 13 rebounds and 10 assists from two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo, looked like making it two wins in a row when they led by 14 in the third quarter. But the Heat rallied despite missing All-Star Jimmy Butler for the second straight game in what their coach Erik Spoelstra called a sign of their "grit and toughness". Before the game, the Heat had spoken about "a lot of anger and frustration" that had built up following Tuesday's 144-97 blowout loss to the Bucks, the No. 1 seeds in the past two seasons, so a reaction on home court had been expected. "Our guys responded in an appropriate fashion," he said. "Today was just about getting to work and preparing, and doing what we need to do to have a better version." Guard Tyler Herro, who contributed 21 points with a career-best 15 rebounds, added: "Started to feel like Miami Heat basketball again." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

29 12 月, 2020

George blames Mavs’ blowout on Yuletide

LOS ANGELES • Paul George dismissed the Los Angeles Clippers' 124-73 demolition at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks as "not that big of a deal" but it is fair to say Kawhi Leonard would have felt differently. Leonard, the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) two seasons ago, sat out Sunday's National Basketball Association (NBA) match-up after getting eight stitches in his mouth the game before and a return date has yet to be confirmed. However, he watched the debacle unfold at the Staples Centre as the visiting Mavs powered to a league-record 77-27 lead at half-time. Luka Doncic scored 18 of his game-high 24 points in the first half. Josh Richardson added 21 points and Tim Hardaway Jr chipped in with 18 for the Mavs, who got off the mark after opening the season with two defeats. They broke a record held by the Golden State Warriors, who led the Sacramento Kings by 47 points after two quarters in 1991. The Clippers fell to their first defeat of the campaign after two victories over Western Conference rivals, with George, who had 15 points, Serge Ibaka (13) and Ivica Zubac (10) the only players to emerge with any form of credit. But despite getting utterly dominated - Dallas were 29-for-50 (58 per cent) compared to nine-for-37 (24.3 per cent) for Los Angeles from the field - George claimed it was a one-off. "Yes, we got our butts kicked today, but it's one game," the forward said. "It was a tough game, coming from Christmas. "I enjoyed my Christmas Day yesterday, today just popped up on me a little too fast. I take full responsibility. It'll be a different situation next game. We will be ready." Doncic, who last season led Dallas to the play-offs for the first time since 2016 and gave the Clippers a fright in the first round, insisted it was less about how badly the hosts played but rather a true indication of his team's potential after a shaky start. 50 Dallas' half-time lead over the Los Angeles Clippers eclipsed the previous record when Golden State led Sacramento by 47 in 1991. "We showed who we are. People judge us like first two games of season, it's a long season," the 2019 Rookie of the Year said. "We got to keep going like that. We got to play defence." Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle agreed, challenging his players to "maintain that level of competitiveness". He added: "Our guys established a standard for collective toughness and will that we need to find a way to maintain." Over in the East, there was another upset as the New York Knicks, among the worst teams in the league for the past few seasons, stunned the Milwaukee Bucks, the top seeds for the last two years, 130-110 at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks' win snapped a five-game losing streak against the Bucks, who swept all three games last season by a combined 91 points. Julius Randle had a game-high 29 points for New York, who won for the first time under new coach Tom Thibodeau, while two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo paced Milwaukee with 27 points. NBA champions Los Angeles Lakers, however, bucked the trend of shocks, routing the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-91 despite missing leading scorer Anthony Davis because of injury. Last season's Finals MVP LeBron James played only three quarters but his 18 points alongside a team-high 20 from Kyle Kuzma ended the visitors' two-game winning start. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

27 12 月, 2020

Football: Sigurdsson gives Everton 1-0 win at Sheffield United

SHEFFIELD (REUTERS) - Everton moved two places up to second in the Premier League and finished in the top four on Christmas Day for the first time in 16 years after a late Gylfi Sigurdsson goal gave them a 1-0 win at bottom team Sheffield United on Saturday (Dec 26). The result left Everton on 29 points from 15 games, two behind champions and leaders Liverpool who are at home to West Browmich Albion on Sunday, while the winless Blades stayed rooted to the bottom with two points. Missing several key players, Everton looked subdued in the first half and nearly fell behind in the 16th minute as Ben Godfrey cleared David McGoldrick's scrambled shot off the line. The visitors came close in the 29th when Dominic Calvert-Lewin superbly chested down a long pass by Michael Keane and unleashed a ferocious volley from the edge of the penalty area just wide of the far post. Oliver Burke slammed a close-range shot from a tight angle across the face of goal at the other end on the stroke of halftime before the game fizzed out in the second half and appeared to be heading for a barren draw. But Icelandic midfielder Sigurdsson struck in the 80th minute, planting a calm shot past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale into the far corner after good work from substitute Bernard and midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure. More on this topic Related Story Football: Richarlison sets Everton on way to 2-0 win at Leicester Related Story Football: Sigurdsson penalty gives Everton 1-0 win over Chelsea

24 12 月, 2020

Football: Real win fifth game in a row to keep pace with Atletico

MADRID (REUTERS) - A towering header from Casemiro and an added-time strike from Karim Benzema saw Real Madrid beat a stubborn Granada side 2-0 at home on Wednesday (Dec 23) to notch a fifth consecutive La Liga victory and go level on points with leaders Atletico Madrid. The champions lacked sparkle in the first half but came alive in the second period and after a flurry of chances from the home side, Brazilian midfielder Casemiro powered in a cross from Marco Asensio to give them the lead in the 57th minute. Real had been lucky to not fall behind in the first minute when Raphael Varane gave away possession and Roberto Soldado found Antonio Puertas, who sent his shot way over the bar. Granada continued to trouble Zinedine Zidane’s side deep into the second half until Benzema raced clear and thumped the ball low into the net to seal the points. Real have 32 points from 15 games heading into a seven-day break from matches, level with Atletico who are top on goal difference and have two games in hand. The victory also took Zidane’s side six points clear of third-placed Real Sociedad and the title race looks more and more like being a two-horse race between the two rivals from the Spanish capital. “We want to keep this great run going but we are also looking forward to a rest,” said goalscorer Casemiro. “There’s still a long way to go in the season and many more games, and every team will have their ups and downs.” Madrid’s Brazilian forward Rodrygo was carried off on a stretcher in the first half and his replacement Asensio almost put the hosts in front in the second half, conjuring an outrageous backheeled volley which struck the far post. Play continued and Toni Kroos then fired a shot at Granada keeper Rui Silva, who saved well and also kept out the follow up shot from Federico Valverde. But Real kept up the momentum and soon had the opening goal they craved when Casemiro showed his immense physical prowess to out-jump his marker and get on the end of Asensio’s cross. “The coach always wants the midfielders to get in the opposing area, he is always pushing us to do it,” added Casemiro after scoring a fourth goal this season in all competitions. “He tells me to be a balanced midfielder but to get into the box as much as I can because he says I’m good at heading the ball, so he’ll be happy.”

17 12 月, 2020

Manager loses job despite West Brom’s City draw

LONDON • Slaven Bilic yesterday became the first managerial casualty of the Premier League campaign after West Bromwich Albion fired the Croatian after 18 months in charge. A club statement read: "West Bromwich Albion have today parted company with head coach Slaven Bilic. "Albion would like to thank Slaven and his coaching staff for their efforts in achieving promotion last season and wishes them all well in the future. The club will make no further comment at this time." According to multiple British media reports, Sam Allardyce is set to take over as the short-term manager for six months. The former England boss has not coached since being sacked by Everton in May 2018, while Bilic led the Baggies to promotion in his first full season in charge, West Brom managed to garner a surprise 1-1 league draw at Manchester City on Tuesday, but the point was not enough to keep Bilic in the job. They remain second from bottom on seven points with one win in 13 games, leading City manager Pep Guardiola to curse their inability to put away the lowly visitors, who cancelled out lkay Gundogan's opener via Ruben Dias' own goal. The hosts remain out of the top four and the Catalan is worried the two points dropped could prove costly in their bid to regain the league title. "It is not about the points (off the top), you have to win games like this," said Guardiola. "We know it, we drop points. These are the ones you have to win. "It's not far away to the top of the league but you have to beat West Brom at home. You don't have to be so clever to see the gap between this year and previous years (in our results). It is not confidence, Sergio Aguero is injured for four months, but we create chances, we are there, we just can't score." However, Gundogan blamed the congested calendar, saying: "All over Europe, all the big teams are struggling with the tight fixtures and it's not going to be easier in the next weeks. That's an explanation why it is not always as easy as the expectations people have for us. We are not machines but we also know when we have not played our best game." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

14 12 月, 2020

Football: Lionel Messi saves lacklustre Barcelona, Sociedad reclaim top spot in La Liga

MADRID (AFP) - Lionel Messi saved Barcelona from another embarrassing result by scoring the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over lowly Levante, while Real Sociedad returned to the top of La Liga on Sunday (Dec 13). Messi struck with 14 minutes remaining of a lacklustre display from Barca at the Camp Nou which will do little to ease fan fears following their midweek 3-0 hammering at the hands of Juventus in the Champions League. Ronald Koeman's side are still way off the pace in the title race, nine points behind Sociedad, who reclaimed first place despite only drawing 1-1 with Eibar. Barcelona do, however, have two games in hand on the Basque outfit. Atletico are level on 26 points with Sociedad and also have two games in hand while Real Madrid are now just three points behind the leaders having played one less after beating their local rivals 2-0 on Saturday. Villarreal are four points off the lead in fourth after drawing 1-1 at Real Betis, who are one point behind Barca in ninth. "The team are working well, they gave the maximum," said Koeman. "We still lack a little confidence in ourselves, in our game, but we had a lot of chances, and I have nothing to say about the attitude of the players in this match." Barca managed to force several saves from Aitor Fernandez, with the Levante goalkeeper doing particularly well to push away a stinging shot from Martin Braithwaite in the 16th minute and Antoine Griezmann's header five minutes later. However, the best chance of the opening period fell to Jorge de Frutos in the 12th minute, the Spaniard somehow shooting straight at Marc-Andre ter Stegen after the ball broke kindly for him right in front of goal. Messi saves the day Barca continued to dominate possession in the second half but if anything, looked less threatening, with Fernandez being called into action largely for shots that were hit straight at him. However, with Levante looking more comfortable than a side of their level should at the Camp Nou, Messi saved his team with a clinical finish off the post after collecting Frenkie de Jong's pass. It was hardly the sort of display to honour Sergio Busquets' 593rd appearance for the club, which takes him level at fourth of all time for matches played for Barca alongside Carles Puyol. However, the three points are a boost ahead of the visit of Sociedad on Wednesday, which is then followed up by another home clash with Valencia on Saturday. Earlier, Ander Barrenetxea gave Real Sociedad the lead in San Sebastian with a thumping strike in the 20th minute, but Sergi Enrich turned home with 25 minutes remaining to send his team 10th on 15 points. Sociedad would have had a bigger gap between them and Atletico had Igor Zubeldia's 80th-minute tap-in not been ruled out by VAR for an extremely tight offside. Sunday's draw was Sociedad's sixth in as many games in all competitions, and came after another 1-1 draw at Napoli on Thursday, which saw them squeeze into the last 32 of the Europa League. Granada won 1-0 at Elche in Sunday's other match, a win that keeps them one point ahead of Barcelona.

14 12 月, 2020

Football: Aubameyang own goal as struggling Arsenal lose to Burnley

LONDON (REUTERS) - Arsenal's Premier League troubles intensified as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at home by lowly Burnley on Sunday (Dec 13) with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring an own goal after Granit Xhaka was sent off. The Gunners, who have now lost four straight home games, are in 15th place in the standings with 13 points while Burnley climb out of the bottom three moving up to 17th place on nine points after their first away win of the season. Mikel Arteta's side were enjoying a spell of strong pressure after the interval, testing Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope, when Xhaka was sent off after a VAR review spotted him grabbing Burnley's Ashley Westwood by the throat. Westwood created the decisive goal when his dangerous in-swinging corner was headed into his own goal by Aubameyang as he rose to challenge Josh Brownhill at the near post.

14 12 月, 2020

Football: Maddison shines as Leicester thump Brighton

LEICESTER (REUTERS) - James Maddison capped a fine individual performance with two goals to help Leicester City beat Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 at home in the Premier League on Sunday (Dec 13) and maintain their good start to the season. Jamie Vardy added another as Leicester moved up to third on 24 points from 12 matches, one behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur and second-placed champions Liverpool, while Brighton stayed 16th on 10 points from 12 games. Maddison fired Brighton into a 27th-minute lead when he steered a low shot into the bottom corner from inside the penalty area as he picked up a loose ball after the visitors failed to clear the danger. Vardy, who hit the post barely a minute before Maddison's opener, doubled the home side's lead with a typical predatory finish from close range after James Justin delivered an inch-perfect low cross from the right. Maddison made it 3-0 with an individual goal of the highest quality in the 44th minute, teeing himself up with some neat footwork before he curled a delightful shot past keeper Mathew Ryan from 16 metres. The visitors, who went close twice through Danny Welbeck and Alireza Jahanbakhsh before they fell behind, offered little up front after the break and only a pair of good saves by Ryan denied Leicester a bigger win.

14 12 月, 2020

Towns returns after losing 7 relatives

LOS ANGELES • Giannis Antetokounmpo, bloodied from a cruel elbow blow, finished with 25 points and Karl-Anthony Towns welcomed a respite from a Covid-19 family tragedy as 14 National Basketball Association (NBA) teams embarked on their first preseason games on Saturday. Clubs are fine-tuning their rosters as veterans work on their roles and rookies seek to show they can contribute with the new NBA season starting on Tuesday next week. Just under two months have passed since the Los Angeles Lakers won their 17th NBA title, making it the shortest off-season in league history for most teams. But for the eight teams who did not make it to the "bubble" in Orlando, Florida, it has been the longest lay-off since the 1998 labour lockout. The Minnesota Timberwolves were one of them and Towns, their All-Star centre, was in tears during the pre-games ceremonies after taking to the floor for the first time since losing seven relatives, including his mother, to Covid-19. The NBA halted its season in March due to the pandemic and Towns' mother died a month later. As the players and coaches were introduced in the empty arena, he sat on the bench with his face buried in a towel and his teammates came over to comfort him as he wiped away tears. Towns delivered 13 points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes and guard D'Angelo Russell also looked impressive with a team-high 14 points in a 107-105 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Anthony Edwards, the first overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, came off the bench to score five points in 26 minutes for Minnesota. In the Bucks' pre-season opener, Antetokounmpo was bloodied by an accidental elbow to the face early in the game but it did not stop him from scoring a game-high 25 points in Milwaukee's 112-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP), who the Bucks hope to sign to a contract extension before next Monday's deadline, got stitched up before returning to the court. "I got back to the locker room and the doctor checked my eye," said the "Greek Freak". "I didn't want to play just two minutes and sit the rest out." Elsewhere, two-time MVP Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors also hit the floor for the first time since the March stoppage. The league's premier shooter, who played just five games last term due to a broken hand, scored 10 points and had three assists as his team beat the Denver Nuggets 107-105. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

1 12 月, 2020

Football: West Ham ride their luck to beat Aston Villa

LONDON (REUTERS) - West Ham United climbed to fifth in the Premier League with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Monday (Nov 30) as for the second successive home game they benefited from a missed penalty. Goals by Angelo Ogbonna and Jarrod Bowen at the start of each half earned West Ham the points, although Villa will rue an Ollie Watkins penalty that rattled the crossbar. Watkins then thought he had made amends in stoppage time but he had a goal ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside. Jack Grealish had levelled with a deflected effort in the 25th minute but it was a frustrating night for Villa who could have gone fourth with a win. West Ham's third successive victory leaves them on 17 points from 10 games, four points behind leaders Tottenham Hotspur. Villa have slipped to 10th with 15 points, having played a game less. Three weeks ago West Ham beat Fulham 1-0 at the London Stadium after a comical last-gasp penalty miss by Ademola Lookman and they got lucky again as they bagged the points, despite being second-best for much of the game.

28 11 月, 2020

Football: Late goals give Newcastle victory at Crystal Palace

LONDON (REUTERS) - Late goals by Callum Wilson and Joelinton earned Newcastle United a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on Friday (Nov 27) as they got back to winning ways after consecutive Premier League defeats. It looked as though the points would be shared on a chilly night in south-east London but just when Palace were threatening, Steve Bruce's visitors struck. Wilson's neat finish in the 87th minute following a counter-attack gave Newcastle the lead and 100 seconds later they sealed the points when Brazilian Joelinton's shot deflected past keeper Vicente Guaita for his first league goal of the season. Newcastle's win lifted them to 10th in the table on 14 points from 10 games with Palace 13th and a point behind.

25 11 月, 2020

Football: Youthful Barca, Juventus seal knockout places in Champions League

KYIV/TURIN (REUTERS) - An inexperienced Barcelona side missing Lionel Messi and many other first-team regulars eventually cruised to a 4-0 win away to Dynamo Kyiv on Tuesday (Nov 24) to reach the Champions League knockout stages for the 17th consecutive season. After a sluggish first half, the Catalans took the lead early in the second half as US international Sergino Dest completed a flowing move with a near-post finish, scoring his first goal for the club since joining from Ajax Amsterdam. Danish forward Martin Braithwaite soon doubled their lead with his first goal in Europe's top competition at the age of 29, diving in from close range to turn in a flicked header from debutant defender Oscar Mingueza. Braithwaite struck again in the 70th minute from the penalty spot while substitute Antoine Griezmann added a fourth goal in added time, rounding off a victory which took Group G leaders Barca on to 12 points from four games and clinched their place in the last 16. Meanwhile, Juventus progressed to the Champions League last 16 after a Cristiano Ronaldo goal and a stoppage-time header from substitute Alvaro Morata gave them a comeback 2-1 home win over Hungarians Ferencvaros on Tuesday. The result left Juve second in Group G on nine points from four games, three behind leaders Barcelona. Ferencvaros and Dynamo are level on one point and will vie for the consolation prize of joining the Europa League round of 32 after the winter break. The Hungarian side took a shock 19th-minute lead through Myrto Uzuni before Ronaldo equalised in the 35th with a sweet, left-foot shot from 20 metres moments after he had a goal scrapped for offside. Juventus twice hit the woodwork in the second half before Morata’s late header squeezed under visiting goalkeeper Denes Dibusz’s body and over the line after a fine cross from the right by Juan Cuadrado.

9 11 月, 2020

Football: Watkins scores twice as vibrant Villa stun Arsenal

LONDON (REUTERS) - Aston Villa returned to winning ways in stunning fashion as Ollie Watkins scored twice in a 3-0 away thumping of an abject Arsenal in drizzly north London on Sunday (Nov 8). The visitors had already seen a John McGinn goal ruled out for a harsh offside decision when Bukayo Saka, under pressure from Trezeguet, put into his own goal after 25 minutes. Villa went up a gear in the second half with Jack Grealish pulling the strings in midfield and it was no surprise when Watkins headed home in the 72nd minute. Watkins struck again three minutes later after a rapid counter-attack to seal the points. Two consecutive defeats had halted Villa's early-season charge but they moved back up to sixth with 15 points from seven games. Inconsistent Arsenal are down in 11th with 12 points after four wins and four defeats so far. More on this topic Related Story Football: Revitalised Ross Barkley a reason Aston Villa are flying Related Story Football: Aston Villa land Arsenal's FA Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for £20 million

8 11 月, 2020

Football: Robert Lewandowski on target as Bayern again prove too strong for Dortmund

DORTMUND, GERMANY (REUTERS) - Bayern Munich continued their recent dominance over old rivals Borussia Dortmund on Saturday (Nov 7), coming from behind to win 3-2 away in the Bundesliga with Robert Lewandowski scoring his 11th goal of the season. Midfielder David Alaba was also on target for the Bavarians after a turbulent week in which the club publicly withdrew its offer to renew his contract, leaving the long-serving Austrian "hurt and disappointed." Bayern, who stayed top of the Bundesliga with 18 points from seven games, have won all four of their meetings with Dortmund since Hansi Flick took over as coach, including the league double last season. Dortmund are third with 15 points, one behind RB Leipzig. Bayern thought they had gone ahead in the 25th minute when Lewandowski swept Serge Gnabry's low cross into the net but, after a long VAR check, the goal was disallowed because the Pole's right knee was offside. Having survived that, Dortmund took the lead. Jadon Sancho sent Raphael Guerreiro into the box and he cut the Portuguese back for Reus to sidefoot into the net in the 45th minute. Dortmund, who had conceded only two league goals all season before Saturday, then let in two in five minutes either side of the break. Gnabry played a free kick short to Thomas Mueller who teed it up for Alaba to equaliser with a deflected shot in first-half stoppage time. Within three minutes of the restart, Lucas Hernandez whipped in a cross from the left and Lewandowski got in front of Mats Hummels to scored with a powerful header. Dortmund, who missed several chances throughout the game with topscorer Erling Haaland among the culprits, and fell further behind in the 80th minute. Bayern broke up a Dortmund attack and the ball was quickly played up to substitute Leroy Sane who cut inside and scored with a low shot into the far corner. Dortmund were not finished as Haaland ran onto Guerreiro's dinked pass to round Manuel Neuer and pull one back with seven minutes left. Reus volleyed over from Guerreiro's cross before Lewandowski had another goal chalked off in stoppage time.