Sunwolves back Jamie-Jerry Taulagi was handed a five-week ban Monday for a dangerous tackle in the 83rd minute of Saturday’s 27-20 loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton, New Zealand. SANZAAR — the body that runs Super Rugby — said in a press release that Taulagi, who was shown a red card for using his shoulder […]
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Former yokozuna Sadanoyama, who served as head of the Japan Sumo Association in the 1990s, died of pneumonia at a Tokyo hospital on April 27, his family said Monday. He was 79. Sadanoyama, whose real name is Shinmatsu Ichikawa, was promoted to sumo’s highest rank after winning the 1965 New Year Grand Sumo Tournament for […]
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Harukyo Nomura never saw her ball land on the 18th green while playing the hole for the sixth straight time in a playoff. She heard the cheers though. After her approach to 12 feet, Nomura almost made an eagle before a tap-in birdie and her third career LPGA Tour victory when Cristie Kerr missed her […]
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After scoring three goals in the first 12 minutes, Anaheim let the Edmonton Oilers tie the score midway through the second period. The Ducks then pulled away for a crucial win. Jakob Silfverberg scored twice to lead Anaheim to a 6-3 victory over Edmonton on Sunday night, cutting the Oilers’ series lead to 2-1, “It’s […]
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Nothing it seems can stop Isaiah Thomas this postseason — be it pains big or small. The All-Star led the Celtics to a first-round win over Chicago in a haze after learning the day before that series began that his younger sister, Chyna Thomas, had died in a car accident outside of his native Tacoma, […]
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The Miami Marlins paid tribute to Ichiro Suzuki by giving him a collage of photographs showing each of his first 3,000 hits. Suzuki reached the milestone last season and was honored before Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The ceremony included Japanese home run king Sadaharu Oh offering congratulations in a scoreboard video, and Suzuki […]
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Rebounding takes effort, hard work and determination. The San-en NeoPhoenix demonstrated this winning formula in a 73-69 victory over the Niigata Albirex BB on Sunday. The NeoPhoenix won the battle on the boards, outrebounding the hosts 50-44 in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture. Six San-en players had four or more rebounds: Josh Childress (11), Robert Dozier (10), […]
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Neorealism became the third Japanese horse to win the Audemars Piquet Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong on Sunday, when he captured his first G1 title. Joao Moreira aboard 6-year-old stallion, the second favorite in the odds offered by the Japan Racing Association, sprung to the fore heading into the third corner and held […]
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Brian Wolfe worked seven efficient innings for the Seibu Lions, who beat the Chiba Lotte Marines 2-1 in the Pacific League on Sunday afternoon. Wolfe (4-0) threw just 69 pitches before leaving the mound having allowed just two singles. The 36-year-old former Toronto Blue Jays reliever is now 8-0 in nine starts with the Lions, […]
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FIFA Council member Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahad Al Sabah of Kuwait is resigning from his soccer roles under pressure from allegations in an American federal court that he bribed Asian officials. Sheikh Ahmad said Sunday in a statement he will withdraw from a May 8 election in Bahrain for the FIFA seat representing Asia, which […]
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Akimi Barada scored in the 63rd minute as rock-bottom Omiya Ardija stunned J. League-leading local rivals Urawa Reds with a 1-0 win on Sunday. Ardija went into the match at Nack 5 Stadium having endured a dreadful start to the season, losing seven and drawing one of their eight league games and managing to score […]
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Dominic Thiem upset top-ranked Andy Murray 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the final against defending champion Rafael Nadal at the Barcelona Open on Saturday. Nadal beat Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 after the fourth-seeded Thiem dispatched with Murray in windy conditions at the Real Club de Tenis. Murray’s defeat came a week after […]
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A few weeks after the New Jersey Devils closed their worst season in nearly 30 years, general manager Ray Shero has something to smile about. “We finally won something,” Shero told The Associated Press by phone shortly after the Devils won the NHL draft lottery on Saturday. “It’s the first piece of great news the […]
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Kitasan Black became just the fourth horse to defend the spring Tenno-sho title, while breaking Deep Impact’s 11-year record time to win the Emperor’s Cup on Sunday. First choice Kitasan Black showed his class as reigning horse of the year on a sunny afternoon at Kyoto Racecourse, tearing through the 3,200 meters in 3 minutes, […]
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Yu Darvish allowed two runs in six innings on Saturday, earning his third win as Carlos Gomez hit for the cycle in the Texas Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Darvish (3-2) surrendered one earned run on three hits and four walks, while striking out 10. The right-hander coughed up the game’s first […]
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Maya Yoshida played his 100th game in the English Premier League on Saturday during Southampton’s scoreless home draw with Hull City, winning a late penalty which was not converted. He played the full 90 minutes for the 16th straight league game and looked to have handed his team three points when he was brought down […]
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Maria Sharapova’s first tournament since her controversial return to tennis ended Saturday after losing to Kristina Mladenovic of France in the Porsche Grand Prix semifinals. Mladenovic beat former top-ranked Sharapova 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. In her fourth match following a 15-month doping ban, the Russian was left to rue missing 13 of her 16 break-point opportunities. […]
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Jean-Gabriel Pageau might not have seen the goal that capped his “legendary game” for the Senators. Pageau scored a career-high four goals, including the winner 2:54 into the second overtime to lift the Senators to a 6-5 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday, giving Ottawa a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. “I […]
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Harukyo Nomura of Japan still had fun on another windy day on the LPGA Tour in North Texas. Despite a 1-over par 72 with a late double bogey in the third round, she actually doubled her lead Saturday at the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout. “I had fun, yeah,” said Nomura, who at 8-under 205 […]
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Anthony Joshua wasn’t wrong when he raised his hands in victory after knocking down Wladimir Klitschko in the fifth round of what looked like a one-sided heavyweight title fight. He was just celebrating too early. The rookie mistake allowed Klitschko to rally, nearly taking the lead as the two 198-cm men went to the 11th […]
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Fumio Nishimura and Tyler Stone sparked the Chiba Jets in the decisive fourth quarter on Saturday with a combined 18 points (nine apiece), and the visitors finished strong to earn an 84-77 victory over the Tochigi Brex. A Brex victory would have clinched the East Division title. Instead, Tochigi (44-12) goes back to the drawing […]
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Takeshi Ojitani secured his second straight national championship on Saturday, winning the open-weight tournament for the third time in his career after defeating Aaron Wolf on points in the golden score extra period. Ojitani, who won the title for the first time in 2014, cruised past Ryu Shichinohe with a vertical four-quarter hold in the […]
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The Sunwolves will leave New Zealand with a bonus point after a 27-20 loss to the Chiefs on Saturday. Unable to make the most of their possession, the Sunwolves, down to 13 men for the final moments, held up an attempted Chiefs try to end the game and seize a point for losing by seven […]
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Japan responded in the best possible way to stinging criticism from head coach Jamie Joseph by beating South Korea 80-10 Saturday in the Asia Rugby Championship. The Brave Blossoms had been accused of lacking hunger and passion in the opening round’s 47-29 win in Incheon. But at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground, they hit back, […]
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Cleanup hitter Seiya Suzuki went deep twice as the Central League-leading Hiroshima Carp scored all their runs on four home runs, beating the Yokohama BayStars 6-1 behind eight strong innings from Akitake Okada on Saturday. Okada (3-1), who was 4-3 with a 3.02 ERA last year as a rookie, allowed a hit each in his […]
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Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon is headed to Cincinnati, which added to its reputation for taking chances on players with significant off-field issues. The Bengals traded down in the second round on Friday and took Mixon with the 48th overall pick, putting them back in the spotlight as a place known for giving second and […]
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Vladimir Tarasenko was at the right place at the right time to take advantage of a lucky bounce and help the St. Louis Blues get a big win. Tarasenko scored twice, including the tiebreaking goal with 3:51 left to give the Blues a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night, tying their Western […]
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The Boston Celtics kept reminding each other not to let up as they closed in on a lopsided victory and a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals. No need to worry about that. Avery Bradley scored 23 points, and the hot-shooting Celtics pounded the Chicago Bulls 105-83 to win their first-round series 4-2 on Friday […]
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Maria Sharapova won again to move into the Porsche Grand Prix semifinals after beating Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 6-3, 6-4 on Friday. In her third match following a 15-month doping ban, Sharapova converted five of her six break points. The five-time Grand Slam champion will next face Kristina Mladenovic of France, who overcame Carla Suarez […]
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Larry Bird started the week by driving an IndyCar down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to stump for the NBA’s All-Star Weekend returning to Indiana. He ended it by stepping down as president of basketball operations for the Pacers, a stunningly abrupt decision that has become a hallmark of the NBA great’s post-playing career. Bird made […]
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After his first year as an NBA Development League head coach, Rex Walters looked back on the experience with upbeat answers and enthusiasm for next season. The former Northwestern University, University of Kansas and NBA guard also reflected on the challenges of this new, interesting chapter in his career in an exclusive interview with Hoop […]
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After floundering for the first month of the season, Kenta Maeda found his form Friday night. Maeda threw seven solid innings to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3. Maeda (2-2) entered with an 8.05 ERA and had failed to reach the sixth inning in any of his four previous starts. The […]
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Harukyo Nomura fired a 6-under-par 65 to move from a share of ninth place to the top of the leaderboard after the second round of the Volunteers of America Texas Shootout on Friday. Nomura made eight birdies against a pair of bogeys at the par-71 Las Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, moving one shot […]
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Former New York Mets pitcher Dwight Gooden has gotten a key to the city 31 years after the team’s thrilling World Series win over the Boston Red Sox. Teammates from the 1986 Mets including Darryl Strawberry, Jesse Orosco and Bobby Ojeda joined Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio for Friday’s ceremony honoring Gooden. Gooden says it’s […]
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Sprinter Aska Cambridge ran a wind-assisted 10.05 seconds for the second-best overall time in the men’s 100 meters at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville, Florida, on Friday. Because of the 3.3 meters-per-second tail wind, the time was not officially recognized. “The wind wasn’t blowing before I ran so I thought the time would […]
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Ilie Nastase responded to the backlash from his comments about Serena Williams and his Fed Cup outburst Friday, saying his remarks about the pregnant tennis great were “spontaneous” and his tirade inexcusable. The 70-year-old tennis Nastase posted a statement on Facebook a week after he speculated about the skin color of the baby Williams is […]
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Point guard is arguably the most demanding position in basketball because you are asked to do multiple tasks and lead your team, fully using your brain. Kawasaki Brave Thunders floor leader Ryusei Shinoyama is a good example, with the challenges of his position always in the spotlight. The 28-year-old is one of the star players […]
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On a night when both teams were sporting throwback uniforms, the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks introduced a throwback player, former big leaguer Munenori Kawasaki, in Friday’s 3-1 Pacific League win over the Orix Buffaloes. A crowd of 22,293 witnessed the return of the Hawks’ fan favorite on a night when the Buffaloes sported the red, white […]
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Ground was broken for the Jackie Robinson Museum after a 10-year wait — matching the length of the Hall of Famer’s barrier-breaking major league career. Rachel Robinson, the 94-year-old widow of the Brooklyn Dodgers star, attended Thursday’s ceremony in the SoHo section of Manhattan along with her daughter, Sharon, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and former […]
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The crowd on the road was rowdy. The 25-point lead was gone. The Toronto Raptors were frazzled, in danger of losing a Game 6 in the playoffs again. This time, Toronto found a way to win. DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points, Cory Joseph had five points in a 9-0 run in the final 2 minutes […]
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For one quarter, the Yokohama B-Corsairs were in striking distance of the Kawasaki Brave Thunders. That changed quickly. The title-chasing Brave Thunders more than doubled their lead in the second quarter en route to a 92-63 series-opening victory at Todoroki Arena in Kawasaki on Friday night. MVP candidate Nick Fazekas scored a game-high 26 points […]
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Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen set the fastest time in the first practice for the Russian Grand Prix on Friday, narrowly beating the two Mercedes cars. Raikkonen’s time of 1 minute, 36.074 seconds was 0.045 seconds faster than Valtteri Bottas. Lewis Hamilton was third-fastest at 1:36.681, ahead of Red Bull driver Max Verstappen. Championship leader Sebastian […]
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The Japan national rugby team found out the hard way this week that if there is one thing that upsets a former All Black more than anything it is playing for your country without any passion. The Brave Blossoms may have opened their Asia Rugby Championship campaign with a 47-29 win over South Korea, but […]
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Kawasaki Frontale club president Yoshihiro Warashina said Friday that there was no political or racial motivation behind a flag that has landed the J. League club in hot water with the Asian Football Confederation. The AFC charged Frontale with discrimination on Thursday after their traveling supporters raised a controversial wartime Japanese flag during a midweek […]
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Nijo Castle in Kyoto, a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO, will host an event on the eve of the May 10 first-round draw for the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, tournament organizers said Friday. Japan national team boss Jamie Joseph and the head coaches of the rest of the teams that have qualified […]
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Manchester United held on following Marouane Fellaini’s late sending-off for headbutting Sergio Aguero to eke out a 0-0 draw at Manchester City in the English Premier League on Thursday, keeping the race for Champions League qualification congested. Fellaini had just been booked for tripping Aguero when he fouled the City striker again, before confronting him […]
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Mao Asada was presented with a special lifetime achievement award at the Japan Skating Federation’s annual awards ceremony Thursday. It was the first award of its kind given out by the JSF. Mao, the 2010 Vancouver Olympics silver medalist and three-time world champion, announced her retirement from figure skating April 10. “I’m overcome with joy […]
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If Eugenie Bouchard had her way, Maria Sharapova would have been banned from tennis for life. The 2014 Wimbledon finalist from Canada, called Sharapova a cheater upon the Russian’s return from a 15-month doping suspension. Sharapova has already been slammed by other players who are unhappy that the five-time Grand Slam champion has been given […]
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It has not been a good week for the beautiful game. Joey Barton was banned for 18 months for gambling, Newcastle United and West Ham United were raided by the tax man and David Moyes was charged for possible “threatening behavior” toward a female reporter. Football has battled against betting, backhanders and bullying for column […]
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The Cleveland Browns made Myles Garrett the first player chosen in the NFL Draft on Thursday. The Texas A&M University star defensive end is the first defender to go No. 1 overall since Jadeveon Clowney in 2014. “I want to be the best,” Garrett said. “The only thing holding me back is me.” Once the […]
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Sidney Crosby outdueled Alex Ovechkin in a vintage goal-for-goal showdown between the NHL’s top teams, and Nick Bonino and Marc-Andre Fleury put the finishing touches on a playoff classic. Crosby scored two goals in 52 seconds, Bonino had the winner in the third period and Fleury made dazzling saves with and without his stick, helping […]
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New York Yankees starters failed to record a complete game in all of 2016 — the first time in franchise history that’s happened. Masahiro Tanaka ended that slump this season before April was up. Tanaka pitched a three-hitter to outduel Chris Sale and earn his first shutout since 2014, and the Yankees beat Boston 3-0 […]
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Sho Nakata could not have picked a better time to hit his first home run of the season Thursday, a tiebreaking three-run shot in the 10th inning that lifted the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters past the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks 5-4. The Fighters snapped their 10-game losing streak. Nakata homered off Yuito Mori (0-1) with two […]
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Isao Aoki rewrote his own record as the oldest golfer to play in the Japan Golf Tour Organization on Thursday after appearing in the first round of The Crowns at the age of 74 years, 7 months and 27 days. Aoki, the current JGTO chairman, shot a 15-over par 85 at Nagoya Golf Club in […]
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The defending J. League champion Kashima Antlers and the 2016 Levain Cup-winning Urawa Reds will host Borussia Dortmund and Sevilla in a pair of summer friendlies, the league announced Thursday. As part of the newly launched J. League International Series, Urawa will play Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa’s Dortmund on July 15 at Saitama Stadium. A […]
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Munenori Kawasaki has been promoted to the top team for this weekend’s three-game series against the Orix Buffaloes, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks manager Kimiyasu Kudo said Thursday. Kudo said he will play the 35-year-old infielder, who signed a one-year deal with the Pacific League club earlier this month, in Friday’s game at Kyocera Dome, ahead of […]
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Marshawn Lynch is coming out of retirement after agreeing on a two-year deal with the Raiders that paved the way for a trade to his hometown team in Oakland. Lynch passed a physical Wednesday and agreed to a restructured two-year contract. Those were the final steps needed before Seattle could trade his rights along with […]
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The Asian Football Confederation on Thursday charged Kawasaki Frontale with discrimination after their fans raised a controversial wartime Japanese flag during a midweek Asian Champions League match in South Korea. According to article 58.3 of the AFC’s disciplinary and ethics code, a team would face a minimum penalty of two matches in an empty stadium […]
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FIFA has confirmed that video replays will be used at the World Cup for the first time in 2018. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had already stated that he wanted the technology to be used in Russia, and now he has ended any doubt. Speaking in Santiago, Infantino said “at the 2018 World Cup we will […]
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The struggling Seattle Mariners will be without ace Felix Hernandez for at least a little while. The Mariners placed Hernandez on the 10-day disabled list Wednesday with right shoulder inflammation after he lasted just two innings in his start at Detroit the previous night. Seattle also put outfielder Mitch Haniger on the DL with a […]
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Striker Takumi Minamino netted twice Wednesday as Salzburg booked a place in the Austrian Cup final with a 5-0 victory over Admira. At BSFZ Arena, the defending champions took the lead in the seventh minute with a right-footed effort from the 22-year-old Minamino, who stepped up and barely escaped an offside call. Sturmpartner Wanderson made […]
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The Celtics and Bulls found another thing to argue about after Game 5 of their spirited first-round playoff series: Was Avery Bradley more impressive on offense, or on defense? “Everyone knows he’s a good defender. Tonight, he got his offensive game going,” Chicago’s Dwyane Wade said after Bradley scored 24 points to lead Boston to […]
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For the first 45 minutes of their second-round series opener, the Edmonton Oilers showed they can match the Anaheim Ducks in a tight-checking, low-scoring grind of a playoff hockey game. When things got wild and frantic in the final minutes, the upstart Oilers showed they can hang with the best in the West in that […]
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Gift Ngoepe might not have had the weight of the world on his shoulders but he felt like a continent was counting on him. Ngoepe, the first African to reach the major leagues, singled in his first plate appearance and Josh Harrison led off the bottom of the first with a home run Wednesday night […]
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With less than a month of the Premier League season left, it remains Chelsea’s title to lose but Tottenham Hotspur defiantly stayed in contention by grinding out a 1-0 victory at Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Chelsea’s already profitable week looked like getting a whole lot better as Palace doggedly kept Tottenham at bay for 78 […]
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Looking relieved, Maria Sharapova went through her familiar routine of waving to the crowd and blowing kisses after winning her first match on her return from a 15-month doping ban on Wednesday. The five-time Grand Slam champion and former No. 1 beat Roberta Vinci 7-5, 6-3 in the opening round of the Porsche Grand Prix. […]
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Who’s the leading candidate to be named the B. League’s coach of the year for the first time in the 18-team top division? It’s a real roll of the dice entering the final weekend of April. In other words, it still appears to be a wide-open race. But here are some of the top contenders […]
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Ace Chihiro Kaneko overcame a tough second inning to go the distance in the Orix Buffaloes’ 4-3 Pacific League win over the Seibu Lions on Wednesday. Kaneko (4-0) pitched out of a second-inning jam to keep the game scoreless and the Buffaloes got to Seibu starter Kona Takahashi (0-3) in a four-run fifth. A one-out […]
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Former Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono scored his first goal of the season on Wednesday as Consadole Sapporo drew 1-1 at home with Omiya Ardija in Group A of the Levain Cup. The 37-year-old, who played in three consecutive World Cups from 1998, swept home a low left-footed effort in the 16th minute after a cross […]
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J. League leaders Urawa Reds secured their passage into the last 16 of the Asian Champions League with a game to spare on Wednesday night after a 6-1 drubbing of 2014 champions Western Sydney Wanderers in Group F. Reds, who hammered Wanderers 4-0 back in February in their opening game in Australia, needed only a […]
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Eric Thames is bashing his way into the Milwaukee Brewers’ record book. No adjustment period necessary for the bushy-bearded first baseman in his first season back in the majors after three years playing ball in South Korea. With a two-run shot on Tuesday night against the Cincinnati Reds, Thames upped his major league-leading home run […]
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Maria Sharapova will find out next month if she can compete at the French Open. French tennis federation president Bernard Giudicelli said Tuesday that the announcement will be made on Facebook on May 16 at 7 p.m. local time. “The only guarantee I gave her is to call her beforehand,” Guidicelli said without giving any […]
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Kyosuke Takagi threw one scoreless inning for the Yomiuri Giants’ third team on Wednesday in his first game since his one-year suspension for involvement in illegal gambling was lifted. The 27-year-old, who is on a developmental contract, took the mound in the eighth inning against the Musashi Heat Bears of the independent Baseball Challenge League. […]
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. abruptly announced his retirement at the end of the season Tuesday, a decision that will cost NASCAR its most popular driver as the series scrambles to rebuild its fan base. Colorful, candid and talented, Earnhardt has been plagued by concussions the last several years and he missed half of last season recovering […]
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Frustrated Japan coach Jamie Joseph on Wednesday made a flurry of changes to his starting XV for this weekend’s Asia Rugby Championship match against South Korea. Joseph, who blasted his side for lacking heart and effort following last week’s 47-29 win in South Korea, introduced eight into his first team including World Cup winger Akihito […]
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I was honored to be asked by The Japan Times to write a sumo column as part of the 120th anniversary revamp. This paper was probably the first place I read about sumo and was an invaluable source of news back in the days of dial-up internet, when I first came to Japan. For those […]
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Eigoro Mogi and Carlos Peguero have been one of the most dynamic duos in Japanese baseball so far this season. They’ve been the driving force behind the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, helping the club to a 14-4 record and a spot in first place in the Pacific League after Tuesday’s games. The two have been […]
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Norichika Aoki had his first three-hit game of the season and drove in the game-tying run as the Houston Astros beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Tuesday. Aoki tied the game at one with an RBI double in the fifth inning with no outs and runners on first and second. He also had a base […]
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She is big, strong, tough, smart, and can do everything. Youngster Manami Fujioka could be the next floor leader and star guard for the Japan women’s national basketball team. It’s only been one year since she graduated from the University of Tsukuba, but Fujioka has already proven herself as a player in Japan. She’s been […]
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The Houston Rockets are headed to the Western Conference semifinals after using strong defense and a balanced scoring attack to overcome another big game by Russell Westbrook and eliminate the Oklahoma City Thunder with a 105-99 victory in Game 5 on Tuesday night. James Harden had 34 points while Westbrook piled up 47 and came […]
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Japan captain Michael Leitch said Wednesday he will join the Sunwolves for the 2019 Super Rugby Season, as his current side the Chiefs prepare to clash with the Japanese franchise this weekend in Hamilton, New Zealand. Leitch told stuff.co.nz he will play for the Sunwolves in 2019 in the build-up to that year’s Rugby World […]
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Japan striker Yuya Kubo struck for the third time in as many games as Gent beat Zulte-Waregem 2-0 in the Belgian championship playoffs on Tuesday. The 23-year-old Kubo opened the scoring in the 24th minute at Regenboog Stadium by chesting a cross from the right into the net, taking his tally to eight goals in […]
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Two Kawasaki Frontale supporters nearly caused a post-match riot by angering some Suwon Bluewings fans when they raised a controversial Japanese wartime flag in an Asian Champions League match in South Korea on Tuesday. After Kawasaki’s 1-0 victory to Suwon in Group G, offended Suwon fans faced off with Kawasaki fans in the stands at […]
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Diego Costa ended a seven-game goal drought in style to help Chelsea open up a seven-point lead in the Premier League with a 4-2 victory over Southampton on Tuesday. The second-half double halted a barren run that began shortly after a reported dispute at the club as Costa was linked with a move to the […]
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Gamba Osaka squandered a two-goal lead, missed a penalty and conceded a last-gasp equalizer as their slim hopes of reaching the knockout phase of the Asian Champions League suffered a major blow with a 3-3 draw at home to Australia’s Adelaide United on Tuesday. But it was not all bad news for Japanese clubs in […]
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Tomoyuki Sugano posted his second straight shutout win on Tuesday as the Yomiuri Giants moved within half a game of the Central League-leading Hiroshima Carp, beating them 1-0 after Casey McGehee provided the only run with a solo home run. Sugano (3-0) allowed four hits and a walk while fanning seven in a 116-pitch outing, […]
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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale is expected to miss the Champions League semifinals because of a calf muscle injury. The club said tests on Tuesday confirmed the extent of the left calf injury that forced Bale to leave the Spanish League game against Barcelona on Sunday before halftime. Madrid did not specify how long it […]
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The family of former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez will gain access to three handwritten notes the former NFL player wrote before killing himself, a family attorney said Monday. Lawyer George Leontire said Bristol Superior Court in New Bedford, Massachusetts, ordered release of the notes to the family, news that came minutes before […]
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Mike Tirico is taking the reins from Tom Hammond as a host of NBC’s Triple Crown horse racing coverage. Tirico adds the job to his recently announced duties as host of the network’s prime-time Olympics coverage starting next winter in South Korea. Hammond has accepted a reduced role after covering racing for more than 30 […]
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Urawa Reds boss Mihailo Petrovic insists he will be taking nothing for granted when the J. League leaders take on Western Sydney Wanderers at home on Wednesday in the Asian Champions League, despite looking a strong bet to get the result they need to book a spot in the knockout phase. Reds hammered 2014 ACL […]
The post Reds manager Petrovic warns squad to not take Wanderers lightly in ACL rematch appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yuichi Sugita advanced to the second round of the Barcelona Open after beating former world No. 5 Tommy Robredo on Monday. The 28-year-old Sugita, ranked 91st in the world, entered the main draw as a lucky loser. He beat the 34-year-old Robredo, currently ranked 288th in the world, 6-4, 6-3 in 1 hour, 16 minutes. […]
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The Orix Buffaloes on Tuesday deactivated outfielder Stefan Romero after he was ruled out for four to five weeks with a bone bruise in his left knee. The 28-year-old American suffered the injury in Saturday’s 4-3 win away to the Chiba Lotte Marines when he struck his knee on the wall at Zozo Marine Stadium. […]
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Giannis Antetokounmpo probably is the least favorite player of NBA writers. Just imagine trying to write “Antetokounmpo” on deadline. And that often. Antetokounmpo led his team in every major statistical category this season, points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. He is the fifth ever to do so in league history. And as his Milwaukee Bucks […]
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John Stevens spent the past seven seasons as Darryl Sutter’s assistant coach while the Los Angeles Kings rose to two Stanley Cup titles and then slipped to three straight disappointing seasons. Stevens is moving into the top job with no plans to upend the system in which he played a major part. Instead, he believes […]
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After one season in the English Championship, Newcastle United secured an immediate return to the Premier League by beating Preston North End 4-1 on Monday. Under Rafa Benitez, the former Liverpool manager who won the Champions League during his time at Anfield, Newcastle enjoyed an impressive season although two defeats and a draw in its […]
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Yuzuru Hanyu’s greatness is unquestioned. Olympic champion, world champion, holder of multiple world records, he is quickly becoming the giant of his generation. Now the 22-year-old is planning for the future and examining how he can improve even more. Speaking to the media after his winning free skate at the World Team Trophy on Friday, […]
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Serena Williams has spoken out in response to suspended Fed Cup captain Ilie Nastase’s comments speculating about the skin color of the baby the pregnant Williams is expecting. The 23-time major champion wrote on Instagram on Monday: “It disappoints me to know we live in a society where people like Ilie Nastase can make such […]
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Long after the Trail Blazers had left their court, many of Golden State’s players celebrated on the floor at the Moda Center to the delight of a rather large contingent of yellow-clad fans who chanted “War-ri-ors! War-ri-ors!” The first-round sweep was sweet, even in Portland’s house. Stephen Curry scored 37 points and Golden State beat […]
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Stephon Marbury’s agent says they are in talks with several clubs in China after the former NBA All Star parted ways with the Beijing Ducks last weekend. Wang Meng told The Associated Press Tuesday that Marbury “will definitely play one more year.” Marbury, 40, helped the Ducks secure three China Basketball Association championship titles since […]
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Jason Heyward is getting tired of talking about his rebuilt swing. Considering what the Chicago Cubs center fielder is doing at the plate these days, the conversation will soon flip from his new-look swing to the results. Heyward hit his third home run in four days, a sizzling line drive to right-center off Pittsburgh’s Chad […]
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The J. League and Rakuten announced on Monday a 2½-year electronic commerce deal that will see the Japanese Internet giant relaunch the league’s online store, with the eventual aim of rivaling Nippon Professional Baseball in merchandise sales. Financial terms of the deal, which follows in the footsteps of the J. League’s record ¥210 billion online […]
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Imagine how mentally tough it must be when your team gets mauled two days in a row by a division rival and is on the verge of demotion to a lower division. The Sendai 89ers got swept by the Chiba Jets, who have already clinched a postseason berth in the B. League, in a two-game […]
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Japan coach Jamie Joseph was not a happy man following his team’s 47-29 victory over South Korea this past weekend at Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field. The former New Zealand and Japan international said his team, which contained 11 new caps, had been “out-passioned” by the South Koreans and that a number of the more […]
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There aren’t many pitchers in Japan who cut a more imposing figure on the mound than the Hanshin Tigers’ Randy Messenger. There might not be any actually. Messenger stands 198 cm and weighs 121 kg even though you’d swear those numbers didn’t do him justice. He keeps his hat sitting low, which leaves a shadow […]
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Marcus Johansson came through to help the Washington Capitals get another big overtime win in a series that had five games go beyond regulation. Now they get to rest up for the defending champions. Johansson stuffed in his second goal of the game past Frederik Andersen at 6:31 of overtime, lifting the Capitals to a […]
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The Aichi prefectural government said Monday it has created an honorary citizen award and selected recently retired figure skater Mao Asada as the first recipient. The 26-year-old native of Nagoya and silver medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, who announced her retirement earlier in the month, “has achieved remarkable results and given dreams and hopes […]
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Ryota Yamagata, a member of Japan’s silver medal-winning men’s 4×100-meter relay team at the 2016 Rio Olympics, will withdraw from the upcoming Oda Memorial International due to a right ankle injury, a source familiar with the matter said Monday. The 24-year-old sprinter was scheduled to compete in the 100 meters in the Saturday event at […]
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Sprinter Shinji Takahira, who was part of Japan’s bronze-winning 4×100-meter men’s relay team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, said Monday through his club’s official blog that he will bring the curtain down on his career later this year. In his second of three Olympic appearances, Takahira, along with Naoki Tsukahara, Shingo Suetsugu and Nobuharu Asahara, […]
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Ailing Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he won’t be on the sidelines for Game 4 on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers because of symptoms stemming from back surgery. Kerr stayed behind at the team hotel for Saturday night’s Game 3 at Portland’s Moda Center. Assistant Mike Brown took over and the Warriors […]
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LeBron James stuck to the old script Sunday. Again, he bailed out the Cleveland Cavaliers. And again, he sent the Indiana Pacers home for vacation. On yet another milestone day for basketball’s king, James’ crowning achievement was making the go-ahead 3-pointer with 1:08 to play and helping Cleveland hold on for a series-clinching 106-102 victory.. […]
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Alexis Sanchez ensured Arsenal’s stormy season will end with an F.A. Cup final after securing a 2-1 victory over Manchester City in extra time at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. The Chilean striker struck in the 101st minute to secure an all-London May 27 final against Chelsea. Arsenal is chasing a third title in four seasons […]
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Yu Darvish didn’t get pulled early this time, and didn’t have to try to explain a puzzling loss for Texas. The Japanese right-hander pitched eight innings in his longest outing since elbow surgery two years ago and the Rangers scored the tying and go-ahead runs without a hit, completing a four-game sweep with a 5-2 […]
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After a lousy first quarter against the Kawasaki Brave Thunders on Saturday, Sunrockers Shibuya coach BT Toews challenged his players to elevate their game in the series finale. Veteran forward Kenta Hirose revealed later that Toews’ message focused on one thing: “intensity.” That intensity and lock-down defense in the second half were key factors in […]
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Kazuto Ioka defended his WBA bantamweight crown for the fifth time on Sunday, winning a unanimous decision over Noknoi Sitthiprasert of Thailand. In the first title fight on the card at Edion Arena Osaka, Shohei Omori lost his first world title fight, suffering an 11th round technical knockout against Marlon Tapales of the Philippines. Ioka’s […]
The post Ioka ties Gushiken’s record with 14th career title-fight win appeared first on The Japan Times.
Sunday turned out to be a memorable day for Obic rookie quarterback Ikaika Woolsey. The same could be said for veteran defensive line Byron Beatty Jr. Former Hawaii quarterback Woolsey made his X League debut as the Obic Seagulls trounced the Meiji Yasuda Pirates 65-0 at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki in the Pearl Bowl Tournament. Woolsey […]
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The B. League is currently in its inaugural season and is putting basketball in Japan in the spotlight like never before. But the league has no intention of resting on its laurels and intends to keep evolving. The league announced Sunday that it and the Japan Basketball Association will launch a new preseason single-elimination series […]
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Home-grown veteran Kenichi Kuboya beat compatriot Katumasa Miyamoto in a sudden-death playoff to lift his first title for five years at the Panasonic Open Japan on Sunday. The pair were locked at 11 under par after both registered birdie fours at the 72nd hole of the Asian Tour event at Chiba Country Club. But Kuboya […]
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Kenji Tomura made his season debut count for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles on Sunday in a 2-1 Pacific League win over the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks. Called on to start at the last minute, Tomura (1-0) worked five-plus scoreless innings. The 29-year-old right-hander allowed four singles and walked three, the last two, with no outs […]
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Figure skater Kanako Murakami appeared in a competitive event on Sunday for the final time, when she skated as a guest in Sunday’s exhibition at the World Team Trophy in Tokyo. When introducing Murakami, the announcement at Yoyogi Gymnasium said it will be her final performance as an active skater. The 22-year-old, dressed in a […]
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Grizzlies guard Mike Conley said he was an option to take the final shot and that the San Antonio Spurs thought so, too, on a night when he scored a franchise-record 35 points. Marc Gasol laughed and insisted he didn’t know his teammate was an alternative on the game-winning play. Zach Randolph backed up his […]
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After a more than a decade-long playoff drought in Edmonton, the Oilers are in no hurry to leave the NHL’s postseason party. Leon Draisaitl and Anton Slepyshev scored on breakaways in the opening minutes of the second period and the Oilers advanced to the second round of the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over the […]
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Maria Sharapova was drawn to face veteran Italian Roberta Vinci in her opening match at next week’s Stuttgart tournament as the five-time Grand Slam champion returns from a 15-month doping ban. The former world No. 1 was controversially handed a wild card into the clay-court event after her suspension wiped out her ranking. If Sharapova […]
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Kenta Maeda gave up six runs over five innings and suffered his second loss of the season as the Los Angeles Dodgers fell 11-5 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. At Chase Field in Phoenix, Maeda (1-2) yielded nine hits including four home runs, walked one and struck out five in his 83-pitch outing. His […]
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Evergreen American sprinter Justin Gatlin struck gold when he anchored his team to victory at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau on Saturday, while double Olympic champion Elaine Thompson shone for Jamaica. The battle between Gatlin, the 35-year-old 2004 Olympic 100-meter champion who has served two doping bans, and Usain Bolt’s self-professed successor Andre de […]
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Japan ace Kei Nishikori withdrew from the Barcelona Open men’s tennis tournament, set to get under way Monday in Spain, due to pain in his right wrist, organizers said Saturday. The world No. 5, who won the tourney in 2014 and 2015, was seeded No. 2 at this year’s meet but said in a statement […]
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Defending champion Rafael Nadal beat David Goffin 6-3, 6-1 to move within one more win of a 10th Monte Carlo Masters title and his first of the season on Saturday. Nadal will play 15th-seeded Albert Ramos-Vinolas in an all-Spanish final after the latter beat Lucas Pouille of France 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. Although the score suggests […]
The post Umpire’s ruling mars Nadal’s semifinal victory over Goffin appeared first on The Japan Times.
Eden Hazard had a rare view from the Chelsea bench, and it wasn’t comfortable viewing. Twice Willian scored, but each time Tottenham struck back in the F.A. Cup semifinal on Saturday. Approaching an hour in with a sharper, slicker Spurs seizing the initiative at Wembley Stadium, Chelsea coach Antonio Conte finally deployed Hazard. “When you […]
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Two teams entered Saturday’s contest with the same target: improving their chances of making the playoffs. The Ryukyu Golden Kings did just that, winning 84-69 over the host Osaka Evessa. The longtime bj-league rivals who captured seven of the league’s 11 titles, now competing as B. League foes in the West Division, have identical 26-28 […]
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Fifteen-year-old playmaker Takefusa Kubo is in line to make his debut with FC Tokyo’s first team, a a team source said Saturday. Kubo returned to Japan in 2015 after four years with Barcelona — when the Catalan club was penalized by soccer’s world governing body FIFA for violating international transfer regulations — but has already […]
The post Teenager Kubo set to make debut with FC Tokyo’s first team appeared first on The Japan Times.
Inspired free skates from Mai Mihara and Wakaba Higuchi in women’s singles powered Japan to the World Team Trophy title on Saturday night at Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Both skaters finished their first year on the senior circuits with clean programs before another capacity crowd as the host nation went wire-to-wire to capture its second World […]
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Every player in the Yokohama Baystars’ starting lineup had at least one hit in a 13-hit offensive attack as the Yokohama-based club defeated the Chunichi Dragons 11-4 in the Central League on Saturday. Masayuki Kuwahara, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo and Yasutaka Tobashira each drove in three runs, and Takayuki Kajitani hit a two-run blast in the sixth […]
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Japan beat South Korea in their Asia Rugby Championship opener Saturday but it was hardly an impressive performance from Jamie Joseph’s side. The Brave Blossoms may have scored seven tries but they conceded five in a 47-29 victory at Incheon Namdong Asiad Rugby Field that left Joseph less than impressed. “We were out-passioned and that’s […]
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The Sunwolves showed their depth of resilience and fight, but ultimately came up short yet again as the Highlanders handed them their seventh loss of the Super Rugby season in Invercargill on Saturday. Tokyo’s team crossed the line four times, but errors and line-ball refereeing decisions meant they booked just two tries, which was never […]
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Yuki Masamoto threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another to lead the defending Pearl Bowl champion IBM BigBlue to a 34-3 rout of the Bulls as the X League spring tournament opened on Saturday at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki. “Our focus in this game was blocking, tackling and other fundamentals,” IBM head coach Shinzo Yamada […]
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Soccer mourned the untimely death of former England and Aston Villa defender Ugo Ehiogu on Friday, with England’s national team manager Gareth Southgate paying tribute to a “colossus,” friend and true gentleman. Ehiogu, who worked as under-23 coach for Tottenham, collapsed at the North London club’s training ground on Thursday and was rushed to the […]
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Kashiwa Reysol blitzed Yokohama F. Marinos with two goals in the space of two first-half minutes to claim a 2-0 win in the J. League on Saturday. Marinos went into the weekend having climbed into fourth in the table on the back of two straight wins, but Cristiano scored a 25th-minute penalty and Hiroto Nakagawa […]
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David Goffin beat Novak Djokovic for the first time in his career on his fifth match point, winning 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters semifinals on Friday. Goffin denied Djokovic a possible 50th career match against defending champion Rafael Nadal, who was playing the last remaining quarterfinal against unseeded Diego Schwartzman. “It’s […]
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Japan striker Yuya Kubo was on target again to help Gent earn a 1-1 draw at home to Oostende in the Belgian first-division playoffs on Friday. Franck Berrier fired Oostende into a 67th-minute lead from close range, but Kubo, who struck the winner in Monday’s 1-0 victory over Charleroi, earned the home side a point […]
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Hisashi Iwakuma is still looking for his first win of the season after another unsuccessful attempt Friday in the Seattle Mariners’ 3-1 defeat to the Oakland Athletics. In his fourth start of the season, Iwakuma gave up three runs and five hits, including two home runs, while issuing four walks and striking out three in […]
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Japan capped a stellar week by beating France 4-0 and making it five wins out of five at the second-tier women’s ice hockey world championships on Friday. Smile Japan, which had already secured promotion to the top division a day earlier with a 4-1 victory over Austria at Merkur Arena, led the Group A competition […]
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Russell Westbrook figured out that he didn’t have to do it all. Once that happened, the Thunder figured out how to beat the Houston Rockets. Westbrook scored 32 points in a triple-double and the Thunder held off the Rockets 115-113 on Friday night to cut their deficit to 2-1 in the first-round Western Conference playoff […]
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Giants ace left-hander Madison Bumgarner was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his big league career Friday after a dirt bike accident that sent him to a hospital with bruised ribs and a sprained joint in his pitching shoulder. San Francisco announced Bumgarner’s injury Friday afternoon, a day after the accident […]
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“Mr. Game 7” is the Washington Capitals’ new Mr. Game 5. Justin Williams added to his legendary playoff status by scoring 64 seconds into overtime to give the Capitals a 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night and a 3-2 lead in the tight first-round series. The Presidents’ Trophy winners survived a […]
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Strong free skates from Yuzuru Hanyu and Shoma Uno kept Japan in the lead after the second day of the World Team Trophy at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on Friday night. Hanyu, who had a calamitous short program on Thursday which saw him finish seventh, rallied to take the free skate with a tally of 200.49 […]
The post Hanyu, Uno finish 1-2 in men’s free skate at World Team Trophy appeared first on The Japan Times.
Tokyo Yakult Swallows ace Masanori Ishikawa allowed just a run in seven innings on Friday in a 3-1 win over the Hiroshima Carp, who lost their third straight game. Ishikawa (2-1) gave up six hits, five of them singles, and a walk, while striking out eight — the 37-year-old lefty’s highest total since June 2014. […]
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Tiago Alves equalized for Shimizu on the last touch of the game as S-Pulse drew 2-2 with Kawasaki Frontale on Friday. Reigning league MVP Kengo Nakamura and Hiroyuki Abe scored for Kawasaki. Shota Kaneko had netted the first-half opener for Shimizu. In the day’s other match, Gamba Osaka thrashed Omiya 6-0 at home, keeping last-place […]
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Forget the octagon, Ronda Rousey is buzzing about a ring after announcing her engagement to fellow MMA fighter Travis Browne. Rousey flashed the diamond and made the announcement in a paparazzi video shared by TMZ Sports . Browne says in the video that he popped the question under a waterfall in New Zealand last week. […]
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Ugo Ehiogu, the ex-England defender who was a coach of the Tottenham Under-23s, died on Friday from cardiac arrest. He was 44. The English Premier League club announced the death of Ehiogu a day after he was taken to a hospital after collapsing at Tottenham’s training ground. “Words cannot express the shock and sadness that […]
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Gamba Osaka said Friday it will ban all flags and banners from home and away games following the appearance of a flag that resembles a Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS) symbol at last Sunday’s local derby against Cerezo Osaka. In statement posted on the J. League first-division club’s website, Gamba said: “The club, as well as of […]
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Pekka Rinne stopped almost every shot he faced. Nashville’s top line was outstanding, and Roman Josi and P.K. Subban keyed a solid defensive performance. The Predators were relentless, all the way to the very end. Way too much for the slumping Chicago Blackhawks. Josi scored twice, Rinne had 30 saves and Nashville beat Chicago 4-1 […]
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When his first pitch of the day was driven to the edge of the warning track, Chris Sale was concerned he might be in for a long afternoon. Turns out he had nothing to worry about. Sale struck out 13 over eight shutout innings, Mookie Betts hit a three-run double in the 10th and Boston […]
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Japan beat Austria 4-1 for its fourth victory at the second-tier women’s ice hockey world championships on Thursday, earning promotion to the elite division. The Japanese team, ranked seventh in the world, faced 11th-ranked Austria with both teams knotted at three wins each atop the Group A competition table. But with the win Japan got […]
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The pity is that the F.A. Cup semifinal between Chelsea and Tottenham is not a Premier League match. With six games remaining, Chelsea leads Spurs by four points, following the Blues’ 2-0 loss at Manchester United on Sunday. While no league points will be at stake in Saturday’s game between the two best teams in […]
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Whenever the Yomiuri Giants were scheduled to play at home, I knew my phone would ring. “Are you going to Tokyo Dome,?” Wayne Graczyk would ask. He wanted to know how many seats to keep free in the press box and how many doughnuts he should buy at Mister Donut, and later Krispy Kreme, to […]
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LeBron James celebrated another milestone with the greatest second-half comeback in playoff history. Win one more at Indiana, the four-time MVP will be crowned king of the first round. James scored 41 points while padding his postseason resume with yet another triple-double, leading defending champion Cleveland back from a 25-point halftime deficit to a 119-114 […]
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Manchester United reached the Europa League semifinals for the first time after beating Anderlecht 2-1 on Thursday, but at the cost of a potentially serious injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The talismanic Swede, 35, had to go off after damaging his right knee late in the game at Old Trafford and may not play again this […]
The post United reaches Europa League semis but loses Ibrahimovic appeared first on The Japan Times.
Yuki Miyazaki homered twice and ace Chihiro Kaneko overcame an early run to lead the Orix Buffaloes to an 8-4 Pacific League win over the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters on Thursday. The Buffaloes, who won their fourth straight, took the lead on Miyazaki’s first homer of the season, a third-inning solo shot, and pulled away […]
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Despite a poor performance by world champion Yuzuru Hanyu, Japan is in first place after the first day of the World Team Trophy on Thursday at Yoyogi National Gymnasium. Skating in the final event of the 2016-17 skating season, and just three weeks removed from winning his second world title with an epic free skate […]
The post Uno, Medvedeva triumph in short programs at World Team Trophy appeared first on The Japan Times.
Serena Williams is expecting her first child, revealing the news on Wednesday with a teasing Snapchat post captioned “20 weeks.” Her spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, followed up with a statement emailed to AFP confirming the pregnancy. “I’m happy to confirm Serena is expecting a baby this fall,” she said, adding that while Williams won’t play […]
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Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush have formed a team in their attempt to buy a team. The former New York Yankees star and former Florida governor have joined forces in their pursuit of the Miami Marlins, a person familiar with the situation said Wednesday. The person confirmed the partnership to The Associated Press on condition […]
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Sunwolves coach Filo Tiatia rung the changes in naming his team Thursday to take on the Highlanders in Invercargill, New Zealand, this weekend. Tiatia’s run-on XV shows seven changes and one positional switch from the side that started last week’s 50-3 loss to the Crusaders as the former All Black looks to get one up […]
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Miami’s Ichiro Suzuki on Wednesday homered for the first time this season and did so at Safeco Field, his former home ballpark, although the Marlins squandered an early lead in a 10-5 defeat to the Seattle Mariners. In the finale of a three-game series and in his last at-bat, Ichiro drove Evan Marshall’s first pitch […]
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Wayne Graczyk, a longtime columnist for The Japan Times, passed away on Tuesday night in Kumamoto. He was 68. Graczyk was in Kumamoto to help Nippon Television (NTV) cover a game between the Yomiuri Giants and Tokyo Yakult Swallows. He was a fixture in the Japanese baseball and English-language sports communities for over three decades. […]
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Rising teenage star Kylian Mbappe and resurgent forward Radamel Falcao scored early goals as free-scoring Monaco beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 to reach the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday. Dortmund trailed 3-2 from the first leg of the quarterfinal in Germany and conceded twice inside 20 minutes — meaning it needed to score three times to […]
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