Short Sport, December 30, 2012
Guangdong take slimlead in interport cup
A penalty scored by captain Yin Hongbo in injury-time gave Guangdong a 1-0 victory in the first leg of the 35th Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup soccer tournament in Huizhou yesterday. Wan's 90th-minute spot kick was the difference in an even contest and delighted a boisterious home crowd. Hong Kong had a few chances to get on the scoresheet with Leung Chun-pong's lob in the 24th minute coming closest. Hong Kong also had a chance to find the net when Sean Tse Ka-keung's header went just wide of the target. Guangdong had a glorious chance to open the scoring in the 83rd minute when Huang Fengtao's powerful shot was blocked by Hong Kong debutant Wisdom Fofo Agbo. The second leg will be played on Tuesday at Mong Kok Stadium. Unus Alladin
Armstrong misses Tour appeal deadline
Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong missed the deadline to lodge an appeal over being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles for systematic doping, the Court of Arbitration for Sport announced. The International Olympic Committee, which had been waiting on the result of any appeal, could now demand that Armstrong return the time-trial bronze medal he won at the Sydney Games in 2000. AFP
Wild Oats XI sails to second triple crown
Supermaxi Wild Oats XI yesterday completed a historic Sydney to Hobart triple crown with organisers declaring it the overall handicap winner to go with its line honours and record time. Its main competitors in the handicap standings, which takes into account the dimensions of each boat in the 76-strong fleet, along with age and other factors, were expected to be Jazz and Calm. But they failed to finish fast enough in unfavourable winds. "WildOatsXI is officially declared the overall handicap winner. First team in history to claim a treble twice! Congrats," said the official Twitter site of the 628-nautical-mile bluewater classic. In claiming all three milestones, Wild Oats XI emulated the feat it achieved in 2005 and becomes the only yacht to secure two trebles. AFP
Li ends year on high by beating No 1 Azarenka
China's Li Na beat world tennis No 1 Victoria Azarenka yesterday 10-6 in a play-off after the pair shared a set each in an exhibition at the Thai resort of Hua Hin. "I can beat Azarenka, I think this win makes it around the same for each of us ... so we are on a similar level," Li joked after the match, which ends a mixed year that saw her win just one singles title. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic got his season off to a perfect start by defeating Nicolas Almagro 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi. AFP
Nets send Bobcats to 17th loss in a row
The Brooklyn Nets gave PJ Carlesimo a victory in his debut and the Charlotte Bobcats a 17th straight loss, getting 26 points and 11 rebounds from Brook Lopez in a 97-81 rout. A day after firing Avery Johnson, the Nets played as they did last month, when they were 11-4 and Johnson was Eastern Conference coach of the month. They are just 4-10 in December, a slump that cost Johnson his job, but got back over .500 with ease. AP
NFL fines Ravens safety Reed US$55,000
Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton have been fined following incidents in games last weekend, the National Football League said. Reed was fined US$55,000 for hitting New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz in the head and neck area during the Ravens' 33-14 win, while Newton was fined US$31,000 for two incidents in the Panthers' 17-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders. He was fined US$21,000 for abusive conduct towards a game official and US$10,000 for kicking Oakland defensive tackle Tommy Kelly after being sacked and the play was over, the league said. Reuters
Del Potro excluded from Davis Cup tie
Argentine number one Juan Martin del Potro says he will not play Davis Cup this coming season. Skipper Martin Jaite had said on December 23 that Del Potro would not be facing Germany in his country's World Group opener from February 1-3 after receiving a text message from the player that he was available 10 days after a December 10 deadline. Jaite insisted at the time that "the doors of the team are always open to him "I found out from the media I was not playing - it is his decision," Del Potro insisted. AFP