Pages

Showing posts with label Sport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sport. Show all posts

Saturday, December 4, 2021

Manchester City go top as Chelsea suffer defeat at West Ham


Chelsea paid a heavy price for a 3-2 defeat at West Ham United as first Liverpool, then Manchester City, leapfrogged them in the Premier League title race on Saturday, with City ending the day on top for the first time this season.


Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea began the day with a narrow lead and twice went in front at the London Stadium, only to be stunned by a late goal from substitute defender Arthur Masuaku.


It looked as though Liverpool had let Chelsea off the hook as their later clash at Wolverhampton Wanderers went into stoppage time still goalless.


But Divock Origi, making his 100th appearance as a Liverpool substitute, latched on to a Mohamed Salah pass to smash a winner past Wolves keeper Jose Sa in the 94th minute.


In the day’s late kickoff, Manchester City outclassed Watford in a 3-1 victory at Vicarage Road with Raheem Sterling paving the way before Bernardo Silva struck twice.


Chelsea had seemed to be in control of their game after 28 minutes when Thiago Silva scored with a header from a Mason Mount corner but the European champions gifted the hosts a penalty in the 40th minute when Jorginho put his goalkeeper Edouard Mendy under pressure with a poor back pass.


Mendy brought down Jarrod Bowen for a penalty that was converted by Manuel Lanzini.


Mount restored Chelsea’s lead with a superb volley four minutes later only for West Ham to draw level early in the second half when Bowen fired in hard and low.


Masuaku clinched it for the fourth-placed hosts in the 87th minute with a cross that flew into the goal.


It meant Chelsea slipped to third spot with 33 points from 15 games, one point behind Liverpool and two behind Manchester City. West Ham have 27 points.


“We are not good enough in the details at the moment,” Tuchel told reporters. “We do too many big mistakes.”


Wolves had defended resolutely against a Liverpool side who have been in unstoppable goalscoring form.


But all their hard work came to nothing as Origi showed what a great impact substitute he can be, with his winner sparking wild celebrations on the Liverpool bench.


“It was clear: when you don’t score you just have to keep going and that’s what we did,” manager Juergen Klopp said.


“And then Divock Origi, the legend, came and finished it off for us. I love it.”


There was no such drama for City who racked up a fifth successive league win and a 31st in the calendar year, surpassing their previous club record.


“There are always things we have to improve but right now, the guys are playing at a really good level,” manager Pep Guardiola said. “We scored three beautiful goals and we could have scored more.”


Newcastle United’s wait for a first league victory of the season is over after Callum Wilson’s goal earned them a 1-0 victory against fellow relegation battlers Burnley.


The win lifted Newcastle off the bottom on goal difference, above Norwich City who play at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.


Brighton & Hove Albion drew for the eighth time this season as Neal Maupay rescued a point in a 1-1 draw at Southampton. Maupay struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time to deny Saints their fourth league win of the season after Armando Broja had given them a first-half lead.


The post Manchester City go top as Chelsea suffer defeat at West Ham appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3rzh4kX

Friday, December 3, 2021

SAFA to consider its options after FIFA’s dismissal over World Cup qualifier loss against Ghana


The South African Football Association (SAFA) says it will consider its options, after world football governing body FIFA dismissed it’s protest following a  Bafana Bafana 1-0 loss in a world cup qualifier against Ghana, last month.


FIFA, has reportedly issued a single line statement, that does not get into its reasons for dismissing the appeal.


SAFA says, it will forge a way forward after hearing FIFA’s reasons.


SAFA to consider options after FIFA dismisses Ghana protest https://t.co/ZCfD6Sbt2v @BafanaBafana


— SAFA.net (@SAFA_net) December 3, 2021





Local newspaper sports reporter says FIFA’s response comes two weeks later than previously expected, and is a blow to the South African soccer team.


“This afternoon, they finally responded with an email, giving us their outcome, which is very disappointing to for South African football and for Bafana Bafana, the young players who gave it their all and put up a brave fight in Ghana.


It was quite a bizarre statement and information that they sent out. Not even a paragraph, a one sentence thing saying that they matter is being dismissed and there’s no details and I think that’s what is frustrating SAFA.


The post SAFA to consider its options after FIFA’s dismissal over World Cup qualifier loss against Ghana appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3GfDqMy

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Ronaldo passes 800-goal mark with double in win over Arsenal


Cristiano Ronaldo passed the 800-goal mark for club and country, scoring twice as Manchester United beat Arsenal 3-2 in an incident-packed Premier League match on Thursday.


Arsenal took the lead in bizarre fashion in the 13th minute when from a corner United keeper David De Gea went down clutching his foot after he was stood on by team mate Fred and Emile Smith Rowe drilled a shot into the unguarded goal from the edge of the box.


As referee Martin Atkinson had not blown his whistle before the ball went into the net and no foul had taken place, the goal stood.


United drew level a minute before the interval through a Bruno Fernandes strike and took the lead in the 52nd minute when Ronaldo converted a low cross from Marcus Rashford for his 800th goal.





The Gunners struck back quickly through Martin Odegaard but Ronaldo got the winner from the penalty spot after Atkinson went to the pitchside monitor and ruled that Fred had been brought down by Odegaard.


The match began with United fans displaying a tribute banner to former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who was sacked last month.


The club’s new interim manager Ralf Rangnick watched the game from the stands.


The post Ronaldo passes 800-goal mark with double in win over Arsenal appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/32IY74L

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Carrick dismisses ‘myth’ that Ronaldo can’t press


Manchester United caretaker manager Michael Carrick says it is a “myth” that Cristiano Ronaldo is not suited to a high-pressing style of play and backed the Portuguese forward to thrive under interim manager Ralf Rangnick.


German coach Rangnick, who will take charge after receiving a work visa, is a proponent of ‘gegenpressing’ – a style of football in which teams press with high energy to win the ball back as soon as possible, rather than falling back to regroup.


Carrick, who looks likely to continue as caretaker for United’s game against Arsenal later on Thursday, said 36-year-old Ronaldo had the qualities to adapt to any tactical changes that Rangnick would implement.


“Maybe it is a myth (that Ronaldo can’t press). He’s played in enough teams over the years and been successful to play in a variety of ways,” Carrick said.


“He has kept scoring goals for every team he has played for and I am sure he will continue to score goals, no doubt about that. Players adapt anyway. You’ve got to have skills for different styles.”


Ronaldo is United’s top scorer this season with 10 goals in 15 appearances in all competitions.


Carrick also downplayed his decision to drop Ronaldo for United’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea and commended the Portuguese international for responding in the right spirit.


“He was incredible. He supported the players,” Carrick said. “A lot can be made of it and trying to spin it in a negative way, but behind the scenes, it is very different.”


United are 10th in the league and have picked up one point in their last three matches. Arsenal are up to fifth place after winning four of their last five matches.


The post Carrick dismisses ‘myth’ that Ronaldo can’t press appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3daVivn

Djokovic levels Davis Cup quarter-final for Serbia against Kazakhstan

Novak Djokovic


Novak Djokovic sent Serbia’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Kazakhstan into a deciding doubles rubber when the world number one clinically dispatched Alexander Bublik on Wednesday.


The pressure was on Djokovic after Kazakhstan veteran Mikhail Kukushkin beat Miomir Kecmanovic in an epic first singles lasting more than three hours.


But he was never threatened in a 6-3 6-4 win — his 17th successive victory in a Davis Cup singles rubber.


“The job is not done but hopefully we can get a win in the doubles,” Djokovic said on court.


Djokovic was scheduled to be back on court alongside Nikola Cacic against Kazakh pair Andrey Golubev and Aleksandr Nedovyesov, barring last-minute team changes.


Earlier the 33-year-old Kukushkin came back from 2-5 down in the deciding set and saved four match points before converting his fifth match point to win 7-6(5) 4-6 7-6(11).





Kecmanovic, thrown in for his Davis Cup debut, did little wrong but just could not put away his opponent in a match that veered one way and the other for three hours 18 minutes.




Serbia captain Viktor Troicki elected to go with world number 69 Kecmanovic ahead of more experienced options and it looked to have paid off as the 22-year-old rose to the task.


Kukushkin, now ranked 182 but once inside the top 40, began slowly as he dropped his opening service game, but his experience showed as he took the first set on a tiebreaker and led 4-2 with a break in the second set.


The post Djokovic levels Davis Cup quarter-final for Serbia against Kazakhstan appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/31oEvlJ

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Nine more from Munster test positive for COVID-19 in South Africa


Munster have nine new COVID-19 cases in their camp in South Africa, the Irish rugby team said on Tuesday, taking the total count to 10.


Both staff and players have tested positive and will quarantine in a hotel in Cape Town, joining the first player who returned a positive test on Sunday.


Welsh side Cardiff also said they had two positive cases over the weekend.


Munster did not say if any of the positive tests were for the new Omicron variant of the virus, which was first detected in Southern Africa.


“The 10 members of the group who have tested positive will remain in Cape Town until the end of their isolation period,” Munster said in a statement.


“The remaining party of 38 have all returned negative results and continue to individually isolate in their rooms where they have been based since Sunday night.


“As outlined by the Irish government on Monday, those that have received negative results have clearance to travel from the South African authorities.”


Munster said that their touring party had further tests on Tuesday, their third in less than 60 hours, and are waiting on the results to decide their next course of action.


Meanwhile, Cardiff said they plan to depart Cape Town on Thursday morning after the club secured a charter flight and quarantine accommodation in England.


The team’s travelling contingent, which includes 15 Welsh internationals, was left stranded in the city after South Africa was placed on the United Kingdom’s red list.


“Upon arrival in England, Wales’ capital city club will then begin a 10-day period of isolation in a UK Government COVID-19 hotel,” Cardiff said in a statement.


Munster are due to play Wasps (December 12) and Castres (December 18) in the group stage of the European Rugby Champions Cup, matches which could now be under threat depending on how long they remain in Cape Town.


Direct flights from South Africa to Britain were halted last week and travellers from Southern Africa arriving in Britain and European Countries face quarantine restrictions as part of steps to avoid the spread of the Omicron variant of the virus.


Ireland is one of the world’s most vaccinated nations, with almost 90% of the country’s eligible 3.9 million people over the age of 12 fully vaccinated.


 


 


The post Nine more from Munster test positive for COVID-19 in South Africa appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3I5EpjX

Monday, November 29, 2021

Tiger Woods: Hope to return to golf, won’t be full-time


Tiger Woods spoke in-depth about his future in golf for the first time since a single-car accident in February resulted in injuries to his right leg and foot.


Woods said Monday during an interview with Golf Digest that he is accepting the “unfortunate reality” that he will no longer be a full-time player on the PGA Tour.


“I think something that is realistic is playing the Tour one day — never full-time ever again — but pick and choose, just like Mr. (Ben) Hogan did,”Woods said.


“Pick and choose a few events a year and you play around that. “You practice around that, and you gear yourself up for that. I think that’show I’m going to have to play it from now on. It’s an unfortunate reality, but it’s my reality. And I understand it, and I accept it.”


Woods has not played since the February 23 crash in Southern California, which he said left him wondering if he’d need the leg amputated.


“There was a point in time when — I wouldn’t say it was 50/50, but it was damn near there if I was going to walk out of that hospital with one leg,”Woods said.


The 14-time major champion fought through several injuries during his heyday and needed time to recover from four back surgeries he underwent between 2014 and 2017.


His most recent major title was the 2019 Masters, which marked his first in 11 years.


Woods recently posted a video of himself hitting a ball on a driving range with the caption, “Making progress.”





The post Tiger Woods: Hope to return to golf, won’t be full-time appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3xBczal

Messi claims record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or


Argentina’s Lionel Messi won the Ballon d’Or Award for the best player in the world for a record-stretching seventh time on Monday, beating Robert Lewandowski and Jorginho to lift soccer’s most prestigious trophy yet again.





The forward added to his 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 trophies after winning the Copa America for the first time with his country last July.


“It’s incredible to be here again. Two years ago I thought it was the last time. Winning the Copa America was key”, Messi said at Paris’s Theatre du Chatelet.


Messi, who joined Paris St Germain on a free transfer from Barcelona during the close season, collected 613 points, with Bayern Munich’s Lewandowski, named best striker on Monday, getting 580.


Jorginho, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the European championship with Italy, ended up third on 460, ahead of France’s Karim Benzema and Ngolo Kante in fourth and fifth places respectively.


Chelsea, named club of the year, also had keeper Edouard Mendy finishing second in the Yashin trophy behind Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma.


The women’s Ballon d’Or went to Alexia Putellas after the Spain midfielder guided Barcelona to Champions League glory.


“The key moment was the Champions League final against Olympique Lyonnais,” she said.


Putellas is the third winner of the Ballon d’Or Feminin after Ada Hegerberg in 2018 and Megan Rapinoe in 2019.


There was no ceremony last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.


On a good night for Barcelona, the 19-year-old Pedri was awarded the Kopa trophy for the best Under-21 player.


“The best way to celebrate turning 19 is receiving this award. I’d like to thank everyone at Barcelona for helping me here,” he said.


The post Messi claims record-extending seventh Ballon d’Or appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3xzESpE

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Formula One team founder Frank Williams dies aged 79


Frank Williams, founder and former boss of a team that bore his name and that still ranks as one of the most dominant and successful in the history of Formula One, died on Sunday at the age of 79.


“After being admitted into hospital on Friday (November 26), Sir Frank passed away peacefully this morning surrounded by his family,” Williams Racing said in a statement.


Williams and his daughter Claire, a former deputy team principal, no longer have any involvement with the British-based F1 team after it was sold to US-based Dorilton Capital last year.


Williams had been in a wheelchair since he was paralysed in a car crash in France in 1986. He was admitted to hospital in 2016 with pneumonia and again in December last year.


F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said the sport had lost a “much loved and respected member” of the F1 family.


“He was a true giant of our sport that overcame the most difficult of challenges in life and battled every day to win on and off the track,” Domenicali said in a statement.


“His incredible achievements and personality will be with etched on our sport forever. My thoughts are with all the Williams family and their friends at this sad time.”


Under Williams’ leadership, the team won nine constructors’ championships and seven drivers’ titles, most recently with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.


The post Formula One team founder Frank Williams dies aged 79 appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3lfPfdr

Saturday, November 27, 2021

Australia’s former cricket captain Mark Taylor says Steve Smith’s return could heal old wounds

Steve Smith


Former skipper Mark Taylor has backed the appointment of Steve Smith as Australia’s vice-captain more than three years after he was stripped of the captaincy for his involvement in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal.


Smith has returned to a leadership role as deputy to newly installed captain Pat Cummins, who was promoted from the vice-captaincy position when Tim Paine quit earlier this month due to his involvement in a “sexting” controversy.


Taylor, who captained Australia in 50 tests from 1994 to 1999, acknowledged Smith’s return would not be universally popular but said it could help make amends for his involvement in the incident in South Africa in 2018.


“He’d be foolish to think he’ll ever win everyone back again,” Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald.


“I don’t think he’d be too disappointed, he may well have wanted to become captain again, but I don’t see Steve Smith at home bashing the desk.


“He’s got an opportunity now to be involved in the game as a leader, albeit not as openly.


“I think if he does a lot of good things, which I’m sure he will for Australian cricket, it will even help heal the wounds from Cape Town nearly four years ago.”


Smith was captain during the episode that became known as “Sandpapergate” when he, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were disciplined for ball-tampering during the third test against South Africa.


The 32-year-old was stripped of the captaincy and handed a 12-month ban from internationals as well as a two-year suspension from leadership roles, which he completed last year.


Cummins, who has become the first fast bowler to be named Australia captain in 65 years, requested Smith be given the vice-captaincy when he was promoted to the senior role and Taylor expects the leadership dynamic to differ from the past.


“I think he’s handling it the right way,” Taylor said of Cummins. “This is going to be very different. I think all of us ex-captains, in a way we’ve had a similar type plan – the captain runs the cricket team.


“Straight away Pat’s already setting the ground rules that this will be different, so all of us who have an opinion on how the Australian cricket team should be run have to think a little bit differently because this will be a changing of the guard.”


The post Australia’s former cricket captain Mark Taylor says Steve Smith’s return could heal old wounds appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3cRZPCV

Islanders’ games postponed through November 30 due to COVID-19


 New York Islanders’ games will be postponed at least through November 30 due to a growing number of players in COVID-19 protocol, the National Hockey League (NHL) said on Saturday.


The NHL said in a statement that with up to eight players potentially unavailable due to COVID-19 protocol, as well as the possibility of additional cases due to spread, games scheduled to be played on Sunday and Tuesday will be postponed.


The decision was made by the league in consultation with the NHL Players’ Association and the Islanders medical groups.


Barring a postponement of further games, the Islanders, who were originally scheduled to close out the month at the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, will return to action on December 2 when they host the San Jose Sharks.


The struggling Islanders, who have lost their last eight games and are sitting last in the NHL’s Metropolitan division with 12 points from 17 games, last played on Friday at home to the Pittsburgh Penguins.


“The Islanders organization has followed, and will continue to follow, all recommended guidelines aimed at protecting the health and safety of its players, staff and community at large as set by the NHL, local, state and national agencies,” the NHL said in a news release.







The post Islanders’ games postponed through November 30 due to COVID-19 appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3D0hAur

Friday, November 26, 2021

Djokovic seals Serbia tie at Davis Cup Finals, Italy down US


World number one Novak Djokovic overpowered Dennis Novak after Dusan Lajovic battled past Gerald Melzer and Serbia went on to a 3-0 win in their opener against Group F hosts Austria in the Davis Cup Finals in Innsbruck on Friday.


Djokovic, aiming to guide Serbia to their first title since 2010 and second overall, made light work of his opponent as he dropped just six points on serve and did not face a break point while claiming a 6-3 6-2 victory in under an hour.


“I felt very good. I was locked in from the first point, determined to execute the game plan,” Djokovic told reporters.


“The crucial game was the eighth game of the first set, 4-3, new balls. I managed to put in a couple of extra returns, make him play, mix up the pace. After that, there was really no looking back. I just served well, moved great.”


Lajovic had a much tougher time against Melzer, the younger brother of fellow professional Juergen, as he was forced to toil for a 7-6 (5) 3-6 7-5 win.


The 31-year-old squandered a break advantage in the third set but recovered to convert his fourth match point and seal victory.


“It is the Davis Cup. It is the emotions, the stress, the pressure. It is the tight moments all the time,” said Lajovic. “He played some good tennis in the past couple of months, and had confidence and showed it today, playing great tennis.


Nikola Cacic and Filip Krajinovic made it a clean sweep for Serbia with a 7-6 (4) 4-6 6-3 win over Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald.


Elsewhere, Lorenzo Sonego and Jannik Sinner secured emphatic wins in their singles rubbers to give Group E hosts Italy a 2-0 lead against the United States in Turin before losing the doubles dead rubber in straight sets.


Debutant Sonego got the Italians off to the perfect start with a 6-3 7-6 (4) victory over big-serving Reilly Opelka with a disciplined display that included only one unforced error.


“It was not easy to play here, but this crowd… It’s the first time in Davis Cup and I was so looking forward to this match — thank you everyone,” said the 26-year-old.


World number 10 Sinner, who made his debut at the season-ending ATP Finals this month, put the tie beyond doubt as he smashed 17 winners in a 6-2 6-0 thrashing of John Isner.


“Playing here was very special,” Sinner said. “Today we have won already, which is great. We have a great team and everyone is a great guy as well, so we are just trying to stay together. I am very honoured to be a part of this.”


In Madrid, Feliciano Lopez and Pablo Carreno Busta helped holders Spain to an insurmountable 2-0 lead over debutants Ecuador.


Veteran Lopez breezed past Roberto Quiroz 6-3 6-3 before Carreno Busta fought back from a set down to beat Emilio Gomez 5-7 6-3 7-6 (5) and secure victory for Spain.


Carreno Busta then returned for doubles action with Marcel Granollers and the Spanish duo earned a 6-4 6-7 (5) 7-6 (2) win over Gonzalo Escobar and Diego Hidalgo.


The post Djokovic seals Serbia tie at Davis Cup Finals, Italy down US appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3nY8tWw

Thursday, November 25, 2021

Maradona’s family propose public mausoleum for Argentina great


Diego Maradona’s family marked the first anniversary of his death on Thursday by revealing that one of his last wishes was for his remains to be left in a mausoleum where fans can pay homage to the former Argentina great.


The family said they had asked the government of Buenos Aires to help them with land to build a “Maradona Memorial” at the side of a river and close to nature.


“Today, one of your last wishes is starting to become reality,” Maradona’s family wrote on his Instagram page, alongside the official request.


The letter said Maradona wanted a “place of eternal rest where he can be visited and receive the recognition and love from the millions of people who express it daily through various different means”.


The government has not yet commented on the request.


Maradona, the former Boca Juniors and Napoli forward who had battled alcohol and drug addiction for many years, died in November, 2020 from heart failure after undergoing brain surgery that month.


His death shook the nation and caused widespread grieving for a man who led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup and is considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time.


The unusual initiative is in keeping with the almost God- like status accorded to Maradona when he was still alive.


He was buried in the Bella Vista cemetery on the outskirts of Buenos Aires after a day of mourning during which hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets to express their grief and pay their respects to him.


 


The post Maradona’s family propose public mausoleum for Argentina great appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3l6sHvK

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

WTA’s stance on Peng has made it human rights champion, says former US official


The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has become the world’s “most effective” human rights organisation over its leadership on the Peng Shuai case and willingness to lose money to stand by its principles, said Kelley Eckels Currie, former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.


The whereabouts of Peng, a former tennis doubles world number one, became a matter of international concern for nearly three weeks after she posted a message on social media alleging that a former top Chinese government official had sexually assaulted her.


She re-appeared over the weekend in Beijing.


The WTA, the main organisational body for women’s tennis internationally, has called for a transparent investigation and assurances about Peng’s safety and well-being, and has threatened to pull out of tournaments in China over the matter.


“If you had told me a week-and-a-half ago that the Women’s Tennis Association was going to be the most effective and bravest human rights organisation in the world I would have thought you were bananas but here we are,” Currie told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.


“The WTA is essentially putting more than a billion dollars on the line over the life of a single member of the Women’s Tennis Association.”


In 25 years of working in human rights, she had never seen any group “actually put something on the line like this for human rights,” said Currie, the former US Representative at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, nominated by then-President Donald Trump.


On Sunday, Peng held a video call with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, but the WTA has said this did not address or alleviate its concerns about her well being.


The United States, France, Britain and prominent tennis players have all expressed concerns over Peng, a former Olympian.


It comes as Beijing is preparing to host the Winter Olympics next February. Global rights groups and others have called for a boycott of the Games over China’s human rights record.


“The tennis season goes all year,” said Currie. “As long as players continue to express concern for her and this continues to be an issue with the WTA and they continue to raise her case, it will continue to remain in some kind of spotlight.


“It will be an issue at the Olympics and before that the Australian Open, and then Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Every time tennis does something and has an audience she will be there.”


The post WTA’s stance on Peng has made it human rights champion, says former US official appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3DLUvgc

Monday, November 22, 2021

Messi, Ronaldo and Salah on shortlist for FIFA Best Men’s Player award


Paris St Germain forward Lionel Messi, Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah are among the 11 players shortlisted for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, the world governing body said on Monday.


The trio are joined by last year’s winner Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Chelsea duo N’Golo Kante and Jorginho.


Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and PSG pair Kylian Mbappe and Neymar complete the list.


Women’s Super League players dominate the women’s award with Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema, City duo Lucy Bronze and Ellen White and Chelsea quartet Sam Kerr, Magdalena Eriksson, Pernille Harder and Ji So-yun all in contention.


Emma Hayes, who led Chelsea to the 2021 Champions League final, is joined on The Best FIFA Women’s Coach shortlist by England manager Sarina Wiegman and Canada coach Beverly Priestman.


Manchester City Manager Pep Guardiola, Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte are nominated for the men’s award, along with Germany’s Hansi Flick and Italy coach Roberto Mancini, who led them to the Euro 2020 title.


Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy and Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel are among the nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award.


The winners will be announced on January 17, 2022.


The post Messi, Ronaldo and Salah on shortlist for FIFA Best Men’s Player award appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/2ZfjGbP

Cuban woman says soccer star Maradona raped her as teenager, ‘stole my childhood’


Mavys Alvarez, a Cuban woman who had a relationship with late soccer star Diego Maradona two decades ago, told a news conference on Monday that the Argentine player had raped her when she was a teenager and “stolen her childhood.”


Alvarez, now 37, gave testimony last week to an Argentine Ministry of Justice court that is investigating her allegations of trafficking against Maradona’s former entourage, linked to events when she was 16.


Maradona, widely considered one of the greatest ever soccer stars, died a year ago on Nov. 25, 2020.


The complaint relates to a journey Alvarez took to Argentina with Maradona in 2001, when he was around 40 and she was 16.


Alvarez said that she first met the soccer star shortly before the trip, when he was in Cuba to undergo drug addiction treatment.


At a news conference in Buenos Aires, Alvarez said Maradona had raped her in the clinic in Havana where he was staying, while her mother was in the next room.


“He covers my mouth, he rapes me, I don’t want to think about it too much,” Alvarez said.


“I stopped being a girl, all my innocence was stolen from me. It’s hard. You stop living the innocent things that a girl of that age has to experience.”


Matias Morla, Maradona’s lawyer before his death, did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters could not identify other legal representatives for Maradona in the case.


Alvarez has previously described the relationship in media interviews as consensual, but also said that Maradona had at least on one occasion forced himself upon her.


She said that her family had only allowed a relationship with the star to happen, despite the large age gap, because of Maradona’s friendship with the late Cuban President Fidel Castro.


“My family would never have accepted it if the Cuban government had not been involved,” she said. “They were forced in another way to accept a relationship that was not good for them, or for anyone.”


Cuba’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.


Alvarez said she had filed the complaint “in order to help all women, all victims of trafficking, of crime,” she said. “To be able to help them in whatever way I can. That’s my idea.”


She said it was hard to be back in Argentina, where Maradona remains a hero to many.


“It’s hard to be in his country, to see that he is everywhere, he is an idol and at the same time everything I remember about him as a person feels ugly,” she said.


The post Cuban woman says soccer star Maradona raped her as teenager, ‘stole my childhood’ appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3cC9ixV

Sunday, November 21, 2021

Stylish Man City ease past Everton to go second


Manchester City moved back to second in the Premier League after a stylish 3-0 win over Everton at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday as Pep Guardiola’s side responded to convincing Chelsea and Liverpool wins with a reminder of their class.


Champions City dominated possession from the start against an Everton side that struggled to get a foothold in the game, but created few real openings in the opening half hour.


Guardiola was left frustrated when a penalty was awarded after Raheem Sterling went down under challenge from Michael Keane but referee Stuart Attwell overturned his decision after reviewing the incident at the pitchside monitor.


Sterling did put City ahead a minute before the break, side-footing home after a magnificent pass, struck with the outside of his foot, by full back Joao Cancelo.


 





Spanish midfielder Rodri made it 2-0 with a thundering long-strike from over 20 metres out that whistled past Everton keeper Jordan Pickford.


Sterling missed a great chance to end the contest but mis-controlled the ball in front of goal after a low cross from Riyad Mahrez.


Cole Palmer, the 19-year-old making his first Premier League start, had set Mahrez through for that opportunity and it was his blocked shot was pounced on by Bernardo Silva who calmly slotted home the third.


“We gave rhythm into our game, they defended really well, so deep, (playing) on the counter-attack. In general we controlled the game. We played the game we should play to beat teams like Everton,” Guardiola said.


“When one team comes just to defend it is always going to be difficult and you have to be careful. The quality of the players we have made the difference,” he added.


Chelsea lead the table on 29 points, with City three points behind and Liverpool one further back in third.


Rafa Benitez’s Everton are without a win in six games and are 11th on 15 points.


 





The post Stylish Man City ease past Everton to go second appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3DGpJoU

Reguilon seals comeback win for Tottenham against Leeds


Sergio Reguilon’s first goal for Tottenham Hotspur earned his side a 2-1 victory over Leeds United in manager Antonio Conte’s first home Premier League game in charge on Sunday.


The Spanish left back tucked home a rebound in the 69th minute to seal a comeback win for Tottenham who were abysmal in the first half and trailed to Daniel James’s opener.


Tottenham were booed off at halftime but whatever words of wisdom Conte offered inspired quite a transformation with the hosts vastly improved after the interval.


After Harry Kane and Son Heung-min were both denied equalisers by the woodwork, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg equalised with a left-footed finish from the edge of the area in the 58th minute as the hosts began to dominate.


Reguilon then sealed Tottenham’s first win in four league games to lift them above Manchester United into seventh place with 19 points from 12 games.


 





An injury-hit Leeds team ran out of steam in the second half and defeat left them one place and two points above the relegation zone with 11 points.


Tottenham’s last Premier League home game was a 3-0 defeat by Manchester United after which they were booed off and Nuno Espirito Santo was sacked after 17 matches at the helm.


The contrast could not have been more striking after the final whistle on Sunday with a fired-up Conte hugging every one of his players and fist pumping to the home fans who he had demanded more volume from in the final stages.


A Spurs victory had not looked likely in a lacklustre first half in which they offered nothing.


The atmosphere went flat as Leeds bossed the opening stages, going within a whisker of an early goal when Stuart Dallas thumped a drive just wide.


There was little goalmouth action to warm the fans on a chilly afternoon with Leeds again going close as Adam Forshaw fired wide.


The visitors deservedly took the lead with a goal that would have angered Conte. Right back Emerson Royal was shrugged off too easily by Jack Harrison whose low cross was met by former Manchester United winger James to tuck in his first Leeds goal.


Tottenham were unrecognisable in the second half.


Showing more passion they were almost level when Kane’s shot was parried against the post by Leeds keeper Illan Meslier before Son’s deflected volley struck the crossbar.


Tottenham were rewarded just before the hour when Lucas Moura did well to keep the ball alive under pressure from Meslier and picked out Hojbjerg to sweep a shot into the corner with the keeper out of position.


It was largely one-way traffic after that and the winner came when Eric Dier’s free kick deflected off the Leeds wall against the post and Reguilon was alert to stroke home.


“The first half was bad for us, also Leeds started really good,” Reguilon said. “At halftime the gaffer said we have to go with everything. We had a great mentality to win the match.”


 





The post Reguilon seals comeback win for Tottenham against Leeds appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/2ZcKg5u

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Liverpool thrash Arsenal 4-0


Imperious Liverpool extended their Premier League home winning streak against Arsenal to six on Saturday with an easy 4-0 victory that lifted them to second in the table.


Sadio Mane met a perfect free kick from Trent Alexander-Arnold in the 39th minute to plant a header across Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for Liverpool’s opening goal.


 





Ramsdale produced a string of spectacular saves to keep Juergen Klopp’s silky strikers at bay. But he could do nothing to stop Diogo Jota skipping past him in the 52nd minute after a dreadful misplaced pass from Arsenal defender Nuno Tavares.


Inevitably, Mohamed Salah got in on the act with a close-range volley from a Mane cross in the 73rd minute, before Takumi Minamino came off the bench to turn in a cross from Alexander-Arnold with his first touch in the 77th.


 





Arsenal showed a few flashes of resistance and attacking spirit in the first half – not least from manager Mikel Arteta who squared up angrily with Klopp over a foul in an ugly touch-line exchange that earned both yellow cards.


But Liverpool totally deserved the victory and it could have been even bigger were it not for England international Ramsdale.


The win put Liverpool on 25 points, four points behind leaders Chelsea after 12 games. Arsenal are fifth on 20.


 





‘ALL OVER THEM’


Right-back Alexander-Arnold was delighted with his double assist and Liverpool’s improvement after defeat at West Ham United in their last Premier League outing.


“A team of our quality shouldn’t be losing games. We bounced back today in the best way we could. A very good performance. It was exactly what we needed,” he said, singling out Liverpool’s pressing and fluency after halftime.


“We were all over them, they were just seeing red blurs all over the place, and that’s exactly what we wanted to do. That second half was outstanding.”


Arsenal did put the ball in the net in the first half but Alexandre Lacazette’s effort was offside. Arsenal have not beaten Liverpool away in the Premier League for nine years, conceding at least three goals in the last half dozen defeats.


“It’s one of the toughest places if not the toughest to come,” said Ramsdale. “We made mistakes but that’s life and football. We got punished and that’s what the top teams do.”


 





The post Liverpool thrash Arsenal 4-0 appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3FxZRvV

‘Nightmare after nightmare’ as Man Utd lose 4-1 at Watford


Manchester United suffered a fourth defeat in five Premier League games as they went down 4-1 at Watford on Saturday to pile more pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.


The visitors were punished for a ragged first-half display and after a brief fightback they capitulated horribly at the end after defender and captain Harry Maguire was sent off.


Joshua King and Ismaila Sarr were both on target for Claudio Ranieri’s side in the first half, while Sarr also had a twice-taken penalty saved by David De Gea, who later described United’s display as a nightmare.


 





Substitute Donny van de Beek inspired a revival after the break and halved the deficit in the 50th minute but Maguire’s clumsy tackle that earned him a second yellow card with 20 minutes remaining summed up their day.


Watford made absolutely sure of a crucial win with a grandstand finish as stoppage-time goals by substitute Joao Pedro and Emmanuel Dennis sparked noisy celebrations from the Vicarage Road faithful.


It was a dreadful capitulation by United who face a crucial week with a Champions League tie against Villarreal before a trip to table-topping Chelsea next weekend.


They are in seventh place with 17 points, 12 behind Chelsea, while 16th placed Watford have 13 points from 12 games.


 





The almost endless debate about Solskjaer’s position at Old Trafford was muted during the international window, but the volume will be turned up again after another hammering.


His creaking side have now let in 15 goals in their last five league games and while there was no outpouring of anger from their supporters, they left shaking their heads.


Keeper De Gea summed up the mood.


“There’s not much to say. It was embarrassing to see Man United play like we did today,” the Spaniard said. “It’s not acceptable, the way we were playing and doing things.


“It’s easy to blame the manager or the staff but sometimes it’s the players. We need to show much more than we are doing.


“It was hard to watch the team playing today. It was nightmare after nightmare. It’s not acceptable.”


Watford were far more eager than a lacklustre United side in the first half and should have been ahead early on when Scott McTominay bundled King over to concede a penalty.


 





Sarr’s kick was saved by De Gea before Kiko Femenia turned in the rebound, but the kick had to be re-taken due to encroachment. De Gea then saved Sarr’s second effort.


It was a temporary reprieve though, as King put Watford ahead in the 28th minute from close range before Sarr made amends with a thumping finish on the stroke of halftime.


United’s fans chanted van de Beek’s name at halftime and the Dutch midfielder duly appeared after the break for only his third league appearance this season.


He ducked down to head in United’s response in the 50th minute, after Cristiano Ronaldo’s head met Jadon Sancho’s cross.


For a while United were energised and Ronaldo was denied an equaliser by Ben Foster before having a goal ruled out. But when Maguire felled Tom Cleverley after getting himself in a tangle for a second yellow, the visitors crumbled.


Pedro slammed home a shot after being denied by De Gea seconds earlier, before Dennis rubbed salt into United’s wounds with another drilled finish.


 





The post ‘Nightmare after nightmare’ as Man Utd lose 4-1 at Watford appeared first on SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader..






from Sport https://ift.tt/3x7ddw8