The Japan Times - Sports (English)

'Too old' South African Zwane too good for Namibia in AFCON

Themba Zwane, a 34-year-old once deemed too old for international football, scored twice as South Africa trounced Namibia 4-0 on Sunday to get their Africa Cup of Nations campaign back on track.

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Dovbyk hat-trick as Girona thrash Sevilla to reclaim Liga lead

Artem Dovbyk struck a hat-trick inside seven minutes as minnows Girona powered back to the top of La Liga with a thumping 5-1 win over Sevilla on Sunday.

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Salah to leave Egypt squad and return to Liverpool for injury rehab

Mohamed Salah will leave the Egypt squad at the Africa Cup of Nations to continue treatment on a hamstring injury at his club Liverpool, the country's football association said on Sunday, but they hope he will return to the tournament in Ivory Coast.

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Saudis toil into Asian Cup last 16, Thailand inch closer

Roberto Mancini's Saudi Arabia reached the Asian Cup knockout rounds on Sunday with a laboured 2-0 win over a Kyrgyzstan side who played most of the second half with nine men.

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Ko wins Tournament of Champions for 20th career LPGA title

New Zealand's Lydia Ko won her 20th career LPGA title on Sunday, firing a two-under par 70 in the final round to capture the season-opening Tournament of Champions.

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Alcaraz eyes Australian Open quarters as Azarenka dares to dream

Carlos Alcaraz faces unseeded Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic as he bids to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday while Victoria Azarenka is dreaming of a third title.

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Klopp expects Salah to return to Liverpool for injury rehab

Jurgen Klopp said it "makes sense" for Mohamed Salah to return to Liverpool from representing Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for treatment on a hamstring injury.

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Saudis labour into Asian Cup last 16, Thailand inch closer

Roberto Mancini's Saudi Arabia reached the Asian Cup knockout rounds on Sunday with a laboured 2-0 win over a Kyrgyzstan side who played almost half the game with nine men.

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Saudi Arabia beat nine-man Kyrgyzstan to reach Asian Cup last 16

Roberto Mancini's Saudi Arabia reached the Asian Cup knockout rounds on Sunday with a laboured 2-0 win over a Kyrgyzstan side who played almost half the game with nine men.

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Torres treble fires Barca to vital win at Betis

Ferran Torres hit a hat-trick to inspire Barcelona to a thrilling 4-2 win over Real Betis on Sunday in La Liga and keep the champions in the title race.

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Tanzanian hopes of historic AFCON victory dashed by 10-man Zambia

Tanzania had hopes of a first Africa Cup of Nations win after 44 years dashed when 10-man Zambia snatched a late 1-1 Group F draw in San-Pedro on Sunday.

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Jota, Nunez step into Salah's shoes to send Liverpool five points clear

Liverpool shrugged off the absence of Mohamed Salah to move five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez struck twice in a 4-0 win at Bournemouth on Sunday.

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Madrid snatch wild comeback win over furious Almeria

Real Madrid produced a controversial comeback to beat winless Almeria 3-2 on Sunday and move provisionally top of La Liga.

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'We played like it didn't matter' says Tuchel after shock Bayern loss

Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel said his team "played today like it didn't matter", calling the shock 1-0 home loss to Werder Bremen a "huge setback" in the title race.

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Racism in European football - league by league

The racist abuse suffered by AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan at Udinese and Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer in an English second division match at Sheffield Wednesday were just the latest examples of the ugliness plaguing football.

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Carvajal seals Madrid's wild comeback win over Almeria

Real Madrid produced a controversial comeback to beat winless Almeria 3-2 on Sunday and moved provisionally top of La Liga.

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Advantage Leverkusen as Bremen end 16-year wait for Bayern victory

Mitchell Weiser stunned his former club with the only goal as Werder Bremen defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Sunday, keeping Bayer Leverkusen seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

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Ghana coach Hughton hopeful of avoiding another early AFCON exit

Ghana head into Monday's crucial Africa Cup of Nations meeting with Mozambique desperate to avoid a repeat of their disastrous early exit from the tournament two years ago.

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Advantage Leverkusen as Bremen stun Bayern Munich

Mitchell Weiser stunned his former club with the only goal as Werder Bremen defeated Bayern Munich 1-0 on Sunday, keeping Bayer Leverkusen seven points clear at the top of the Bundesliga.

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Sheffield United hold West Ham thanks to late penalty drama

Oli McBurnie scored a penalty 12 minutes into stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw for Sheffield United against West Ham in chaotic climax at Bramall Lane on Sunday.

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Morocco held by DR Congo, forced to wait to seal AFCON last-16 spot

Morocco will have to wait to clinch a place in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after being held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, with Silas Katompa Mvumpa earning the Leopards a deserved draw.

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McIlroy wins 'really cool' fourth Dubai Desert Classic title

Rory McIlroy won a "really cool" record fourth Dubai Desert Classic title on Sunday by one shot after storming back from a 10-shot deficit going into the weekend at the Emirates Golf Club.

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Holders La Rochelle beat Sale to reach Champions Cup last 16

Holders La Rochelle booked their place in the knockout stage of the Champions Cup with a hard-fought 37-24 win over Sale at a windy Salford Stadium on Sunday.

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'So one-sided': crowds fire up Middle East teams at Asian Cup

If Japan, South Korea or Australia are to win the Asian Cup in Qatar they will have to do it the hard way in the face of hostile crowds roaring on their rivals from the Middle East.

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Strasser upsets favourites to win Kitzbuehel slalom

Germany's Linus Strasser produced a thrilling second run to win the men's World Cup slalom at Kitzbuehel on Sunday.

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Injured Salah convinced AFCON success will come 'sooner or later'

Mohamed Salah said Sunday he is convinced he will win the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt "sooner or later" but admitted his country will need to improve if they are to do so at this year's edition, where he is currently out injured.

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McIlroy wins fourth Dubai Desert Classic title

Rory McIlroy won a record fourth Dubai Desert Classic title on Sunday by one shot after storming back from a 10-shot deficit going into the weekend at the Emirates Golf Club.

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Leverkusen's Palacios ruled out with injury, Frimpong cleared

Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen announced the loss of injured midfielder Exequiel Palacios "for the time being" on Saturday, while wing-back Jeremie Frimpong was cleared.

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China's Shi downs Lee to win India Open badminton

Shi Yuqi overcame a stiff challenge from Lee Cheuk Yiu of Hong Kong to clinch his second India Open badminton title on Sunday.

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Asian Cup game 'most important in our history' says Tajikistan coach

Tajikistan's final group match at the Asian Cup on Monday is the "most important game in our history", coach Petar Segrt has said, with a place in the last 16 still possible.

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Rublev wears down De Minaur to reach Australian Open quarter-finals

Fifth seed Andrey Rublev tamed a battling Alex de Minaur in five gruelling sets to shatter home hopes and make his second successive Australian Open quarter-final on Sunday.

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Shiffrin wins Jasna slalom for 95th World Cup victory

American Mikaela Shiffrin kept her nerve to bag a record-extending 95th career World Cup win as she snuck to victory in the women's slalom in Jasna on Sunday.

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