Category: Sports

New York, Evan Fournier scored 26 points, Immanuel Quickley had 12 of his 14 in the fourth quarter after New York had blown a 25-point lead, and the Knicks beat a Los Angeles Lakers team missing suspended star LeBron James 106-100 on Tuesday night.

 

Julius Randle added 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists for the Knicks, but sat for eight minutes of the fourth quarter after picking up his fifth foul. Quickley made sure that didn’t matter, hitting four 3-pointers in the period, AP reports.

 

Russell Westbrook had 31 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, with 18 points in a sensational third quarter that allowed the Lakers to tie the game. But with James not in the arena, Anthony Davis struggling through an illness and Carmelo Anthony’s shot off in his old home, the Lakers never could take the lead.

 

They beat Detroit on Sunday after overcoming a 17-point deficit in the game James was ejected from for striking Pistons center Isaiah Stewart in the face and drawing blood. The NBA suspended the superstar forward for one game.

 

But the best Los Angeles could do in this one was tie it twice after New York dominated most of the first two quarters.

 

Davis, who woke up with a fever, had 20 points on 7-for-17 shooting. Anthony was just 3 of 14 for 12 points, and the Lakers lost for the fourth time in five games.

 

Randle went to the bench with his fifth foul with 9:18 remaining and was hit with a technical foul from there that allowed the Lakers to cut it to 90-87. But Obi Toppin scored before Quickley made a 3-pointer to push it back to eight, and it was back into double digits when another 3 by Quickley made it 105-93 with 4:58 to play.

 

The Knicks raced to a 10-0 lead that grew to 36-15 on RJ Barrett’s 3-pointer with 1:11 left in the first quarter. It was 59-35 with under 5 minutes remaining in the half before the Lakers put together a 16-2 run that trimmed it to 61-51 just before the break.

 

The Lakers scored nine straight to open the third and cut it to 63-60, and finally tied it for the first time at 79 on Anthony’s dunk.

 

TIP-INS

 

Lakers: Anthony got a loud ovation when he checked in during the first quarter. … Talen Horton-Tucker missed all eight shots in a scoreless outing.

 

Knicks: New York played without backup point guard Derrick Rose (sprained right ankle) and injured centers Mitchell Robinson and Taj Gibson. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Robinson, out with a concussion, is doing better but still has to clear the league’s protocols before he can return. … New York has won nine of the last 11 meetings at home.

 

MISSING OUT ON MSG

 

Lakers coach Frank Vogel called James one of the classiest players in the league who always plays the game the right way. He spoke with James, who was disappointed to miss a second straight visit to one of his favorite arenas. He was hurt last season when the Lakers played at Madison Square Garden.

 

“He wanted to play. I don’t want to get into it more than that,” Vogel said.

 

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Zurich, Chelsea won the Champions League and England reached the European Championship final, but no Englishmen are on the shortlists for FIFA’s annual awards published on Monday.

Jorginho, a double European champion with Chelsea and Italy, was joined by club teammate N’Golo Kanté among 11 candidates to be voted FIFA’s best player in the 2020-21 season.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took their usual places on the list with last year’s winner, Robert Lewandowski, said an AP report.

Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema and Neymar complete the shortlist decided by a FIFA-appointed panel.

There are no defenders or goalkeepers in contention for the main FIFA award, though goalkeepers have their own separate award.

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was named player of the tournament at Euro 2020, is among the five goalkeeping candidates.

Votes from national team captains and coaches, fans and media worldwide will be collected through Dec. 10.

A virtual ceremony will be held on Jan. 17 remotely, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, from FIFA headquarters in Zurich.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Milan, Serie A leader Napoli lost for the first time this season as Inter Milan reinvigorated its Italian title bid with a 3-2 win on Sunday, reports AP.

Inter, the defending champion, cut the gap on Napoli and AC Milan to four points after 13 rounds and ended Napoli’s status as the last remaining unbeaten team across Europe’s five major leagues.

Dries Mertens, who had set up a pulsating finale with Napoli’s late second goal, missed the chance to equalize in injury time when he blazed his shot over.

It was Napoli coach Luciano Spalletti’s first return to the San Siro in Milan since he was fired by Inter despite leading it to fourth place in 2019.

Spalletti’s players wore jerseys paying tribute to soccer great Diego Maradona, who died on Nov. 25 last year, but it was another Argentine who scored the winning goal.

Lautaro Martínez scored Inter’s third goal on a counterattack in the 61st minute, set up by compatriot Joaquín Correa, who ran almost from one penalty area to the other.

Inter goalkeeper Samir Handanovic preserved the result with a brilliant save to deny Mário Rui in injury time, forcing the ball onto the crossbar, before Mertens’ miss.

The visitors had struck first in the 17th when Piotr Zielinski won the ball off Nicolo Barella, then recovered and ran forward to smash the ball from Lorenzo Insigne’s pass in under the crossbar.

Hakan Çalhanoglu equalized with a penalty in the 25th, awarded after Kalidou Koulibaly was penalized through VAR for hand ball after blocking Barella’s shot with his left arm.

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi was booked for his furious reaction before the spot kick was eventually awarded, and Koulibaly booked, but Inzaghi didn’t let the yellow card dampen his passion as he continued screaming instructions at his players after the goal.

It prompted a furious reaction before the break, when Napoli goalkeeper David Ospina denied Barella. Inter scored from the resulting corner in the 44th, when Ospina was powerless to keep out Ivan Perišic’s header at the near post.

There was a lengthy delay early in the second half following a bad clash of heads between Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Inter’s Milan Skriniar. Osimhen was unable to continue and went off with what looked like a cheekbone injury.

Martínez scored but Mertens ensured a lively finale when he pulled one back in the 78th with a brilliant shot in under the crossbar. It was his 137th goal for Napoli.

There was another holdup for another clash of heads, between Ospina and Inter striker Edin Džeko. Both continued with bandaged heads to see the late drama.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) today launched tickets for the 2022 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.

This will be a landmark event for the sport as it enters a new era of regulations and cars which promise unpredictable racing.

Tickets for this once in a lifetime opportunity, taking place on March 18-20, 2022, have been launched together with a special Early Bird discount for all Grandstands. For a limited time only, fans can receive a 20% discount on main grandstand tickets, with 15% discount available on all other stands.

“Our 2022 race promised to be something extra special,” BIC Chief Executive Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa said.

“It marks a new and exciting era for the sport, offering fans this once in a lifetime opportunity to be the first in the world to witness these incredible new cars racing right here at The Home of Motorsport in the Middle East.

“Ticket prices for our race are amongst the most competitive on the F1 calendar and fans can benefit further by securing their tickets now to take advantage of our early bird offer. We are working on an exciting package of concerts, family entertainment and fan experiences and look forward to updating further with our plans over the coming weeks.”

Tickets can be purchased online at Bahraingp.com or via the BIC sales Hotline (+973) 17450000 with the following discounts.

Main Grandstand (All days), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 165; discount: 20%

Batelco Grandstand (All days), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 130; discount: 15%

Batelco Grandstand (Friday only), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 15; discount: 15%

Batelco Grandstand (Saturday and Sunday), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 110; discount: 15%

Turn 1 (All days), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 110; discount: 15%

University (All days), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 65; discount: 15%

Victory (All days), standard ticket (inc. VAT): BD 65; discount: 15%

Discounts are also available for children aged 3 to 12 at 50% off, with reductions also available to students, those with special needs and senior citizens. Full details are available at Bahraingp.com.

The 2022 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will mark the first of a record-breaking 23 race season. In addition to Formula 1, F2 and F3 have both been confirmed as support races and season openers in Bahrain. The Porsche Sprint Cup Middle East will also take place over the race weekend.

BIC is also planning a schedule of outstanding off-track entertainment, to include major international concert acts, unique fan experiences and entertainment for all the family.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Florence, Fiorentina inflicted a first Serie A defeat of the season on AC Milan with a 4-3 victory in Florence on Saturday, as Dusan Vlahovic and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored second half braces.

Goals from Alfred Duncan and Riccardo Saponara gave La Viola a comfortable halftime lead, and the game looked over as a contest when Vlahovic made it 3-0 on the hour mark.

But Ibrahimovic had other ideas, quickly pulling one back with a powerful finish before firing home a second five minutes later.

The Swede, at 40 years and 48 days, became the oldest player to score multiple goals in a Serie A match, and the third-oldest player to score in the league behind Alessandro Costacurta and Silvio Piola, AP reported.

Vlahovic netted his second late on before Lorenzo Venuti scored a last-minute own goal.

“We must feel the pain of this defeat, but I remain convinced that I have a very strong team,” Milan coach Stefano Pioli told Sky Italia.

“Losing always hurts, as does conceding four goals. Maybe we could have made a comeback without the fourth goal.”

The result lifts Fiorentina into sixth with 21 points and leaves Milan second with 32 points.

“This victory means a lot for our self-esteem, we have never won a big game until now. We made some mistakes, but we did well to see it out,” Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi told DAZN.

The Rossoneri, alongside Napoli, set a ferocious pace at the top of the table in the opening 12 rounds, picking up 32 points from a possible 36.

But they faced an uphill battle in Florence from the moment goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu dropped a corner into the path of Duncan for a tap-in after 15 minutes.

Milan reacted well as Sandro Tonali and Rafael Leao had efforts saved and Ibrahimovic headed a great chance wide, but they went further behind through a curling Saponara strike in first half stoppage time.

Vlahovic rounded the keeper to fire in Fiorentina’s third after the break, but Ibrahimovic responded with a quick-fire double, pouncing on a loose ball to fire home his first before meeting a low cross for his second.

Fiorentina soaked up the pressure and added a fourth with five minutes to go when Vlahovic found the bottom corner.

Ibrahimovic was again involved for Milan’s third, as his header struck the bar and rebounded off the unfortunate Venuti into his own net.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Washington, NBC has achieved one of its major objectives over the past year, retaining U.S. rights to broadcast the Premier League for another six years.

The Premier League announced the deal on Thursday. NBC will pay more than $2.7 billion to continue showing the world’s richest soccer competition, reports AP.

NBC won the rights to England’s top league in October, 2012, for $250 million over three years. When the new deal kicks in next season, it will average $450 million per season.

The previous six-year deal, which began in 2016, was worth $1.1 billion, an average of $183.3 million per season.

Interest in the Premier League has grown significantly since NBC first gained the rights from Fox for the 2013-14 season. Matches are averaging 609,000 viewers this season, its highest average through this point since 2015-16 and up 14% from last year.

Premier League matches average 220,000 during the 2012-13 season on Fox and ESPN, which broadcast under a sublicense from Fox.

The partnership has paid off in other ways. NBC ran promos during the first year featuring Jason Sudeikis as a college football coach named Ted Lasso going abroad to coach Tottenham. That evolved into an immensely popular sitcom on Apple TV+ that captured seven Emmy Awards this year.

NBC faced heavy competition in bidding from CBS and ESPN, who put in a joint offer during the second round of bidding. Fox, which holds rights to the 2022 and 2026 FIFA men’s World Cups, did not put in an individual bid during the second round, but partnered with other groups.

International rights have provided a significant uplift in revenue for the Premier League after British rights were extended for another three years with Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime Video for 5 billion pounds (around $7 billion). Due to the pandemic, the deals were reached based on existing terms.

The new NBC deal covers the 2022-23 season — which will be interrupted by the World Cup in November and December — and runs through 2027-28. It will cover all 380 matches every season.

Matches will continue to air on NBC and Peacock as well as USA Network, which takes over NBCSN’s schedule when the channel shuts down at the end of the year.

The Premier League also extended for another six years in Australia with Optus Sports.

Source: Bahrain News Agency.

Turin, Defending champion Daniil Medvedev inched closer to the ATP Finals semifinals after beating 2018 champ Alexander Zverev on Tuesday to make it two wins out of two in Turin.

Medvedev, who won the U.S. Open in September for his first Grand Slam title, took just over 2 1/2 hours to beat Zverev 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) and move level with the German on a tour-leading 56 wins.

He leads Red Group and will be guaranteed a place in the final four if first-time qualifier Hubert Hurkacz beats local favorite Matteo Berrettini later Tuesday, reports AP.

Berrettini retired against Zverev on Sunday with an apparent abdominal injury and, if he isn’t fit enough, could be replaced by Jannik Sinner, another Italian, who is the first alternate.

Helped by fast conditions inside the Pala Alpitour, Medvedev served 14 aces and Zverev 18.

Medvedev was in a fight from the start, fending off three break points in his opening two service games but also breaking Zverev to take a 3-0 lead. The world No. 2 went on to win the opening set with a delightful backhand down the line.

Victory looked in good time in the second set as Medvedev dropped only two points in his first five service games. But Zverev held on and saved three break points to force the tiebreaker which the German won.

In the deciding set, Medvedev had to save a break point to prevent Zverev from serving for the match, and he won the tiebreaker on his third match point when Zverev netted a backhand.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Yerevan, Germany finished a roller-coaster year with a 4-1 win in Armenia on Sunday, with North Macedonia grabbing second place behind the Germans in Group J to reach the World Cup play-offs.

Germany had already qualified for the 2022 World Cup but rounded off 2021 in style thanks to Kai Havertz, Ilkay Guendogan’s double and Jonas Hofmann in Yerevan, with the likes of Manuel Neuer and Marco Reus rested in a rotated line-up, said dpa international.

Hansi Flick has presided over a record seven wins from his first seven games as Germany coach, just months after a disjointed side were dumped out of Euro 2020 in the last 16 under Joachim Loew.

North Macedonia could be joining Germany at the World Cup after sealing a spot in March’s European play-offs courtesy of a 3-1 win at home to Iceland, who finish second bottom of the group having qualified for their first World Cup in 2018.

Romania were also in with a chance of second spot going into the final round of group games but a 2-0 win in Liechtenstein was all in vain as North Macedonia, through Ezgjan Alioski and Eljif Elmas’ brace, did their job.

The Balkan nation qualified for their first major tournament at the Euros and now have an opportunity to reach the world cup, with the draw for the play-offs on November 26.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

GABORONE — Thousands of people in Botswana whose ancestors came from Namibia are demanding reparations for genocide they say was committed by German forces more than a century ago. Namibia is negotiating with the German government, but the descendants say they are being left out of the talks.

In the early 1900s, German colonizers in Namibia killed thousands of people from three tribes — the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama – for taking in an uprising. There are no official figures on how many people were killed.

Some of the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama later settled in Botswana, and their descendants live there today.

This week, Botswana’s minister of presidential affairs, Kabo Morwaeng, told parliament that Botswana has been facilitating dialogue between the Namibian government and the affected groups.

“Batswana of Namibian descent who have approached the government for assistance on the issue of reparations for the genocide, while their specific numbers are unknown as they are represented by a committee, are accordingly receiving assistance arranged by Botswana under a process that has been established by the government of Namibia for a negotiated settlement,” said Morwaeng.

Morwaeng added Botswana cannot do anything more than facilitate dialogue because the issue involves sovereign states — Namibia and the Federal Republic of Germany.

But legislator Carter Hikuama, who represents some of the affected descendants in parliament, is unhappy with the Botswana government.

“We need their facilitation; we need their support,” Hikuama said. “We are not expecting the government of Botswana to negotiate on behalf of these people. We want the government of Botswana to facilitate the negotiations and allow these people to access the Germany.”

Edwin Saidoo is the vice chairperson of the Botswana Society of the Nama, Ovambaderu and Ovaherero tribes. He says the group displeased.

“Let me be very frank, with regards the government of Namibia, in no unambiguous terms we have not had any assistance, save for a suggesting that was made in one sitting where we had thought we will be given a chance to be part of the negotiating table as those in the Diaspora,” Saidoo said.

He urges the Namibian government to open up talks to include affected communities abroad.

“Our expectation is only for the government of Namibia to open up the talks instead of making them a bilateral negotiating between it and the Federal Republic of Germany,” Saidoo said. “The talks need to be approached, in our view, from a multinational view and therefore include and encompass all the nations and states that hold the diaspora who are also from the affected communities.”

In May of this year, Germany officially apologized to Namibia for the killings, and has promised development aid worth $1.2 billion, as part of the compensation to the affected to communities

However, some descendants of the victims in both Namibia and Botswana are angry at the offer, which has been described as an insult by traditional leaders, because it does not include payments for reparations.

Source: Voice of America