The Japan Times - Sports (English)

Rahul praises youngsters after Samson ton sets up ODI series win

Indian captain KL Rahul praised his group of young players after Sanju Samson hit a maiden international century and set up a series-deciding win for India against South Africa in the third one-day international in Paarl on Thursday.

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Ravens visit 49ers in possible Super Bowl preview

A potential Super Bowl preview between the NFL's top two teams this season, the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers, headlines an extended Christmas holiday slate with playoff berths also at stake.

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Widespread opposition suggests Super League is still a non-starter

Thursday's ruling by the European Court of Justice appears unlikely to lead to any changes to the footballing landscape on the continent in the near future, after leagues, clubs, player representatives and fan groups immediately reiterated their opposition to any proposed Super League.

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Struggling Cologne part ways with Baumgart, hit with transfer ban

Struggling Bundesliga side Cologne were hit with a year-long transfer ban on Thursday, just hours after parting ways with manager Steffen Baumgart.

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LAFC coach Cherundolo signs contract extension

Steve Cherundolo, who guided Los Angeles FC to an MLS crown in his first season as coach and into this year's final in his second, has signed a multi-year contract extension.

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Man City Club World Cup win would last a lifetime: Guardiola

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said lifting the Club World Cup on Friday would be something his players can cherish forever as he played down the importance of the English champions' patchy Premier League form.

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Samson century takes India to 296 in series decider

Sanju Samson hit a maiden international century for India in the series-deciding third one-day international against South Africa at Boland Park in Paarl on Thursday.

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Struggling Cologne part ways with manager Baumgart

Struggling Bundesliga side Cologne have parted ways with manager Steffen Baumgart, the club announced on Thursday.

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European court ruling on UEFA/FIFA -- What they said

Europe's top court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), ruled on Thursday that UEFA broke EU law in blocking the rival Super League competition.

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Super League 'an attack on national leagues': Bayern Munich CEO

Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen said Thursday a European Super League would be "an attack on the importance of national leagues", while reaffirming "the door to the Super League remains closed at Bayern".

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Luton's Lockyer discharged from hospital after on-pitch cardiac arrest

Luton captain Tom Lockyer has been discharged from hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during a Premier League match, the club announced on Thursday.

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UEFA court defeat revives battle with breakaway Super League

The promoters of a Super League announced plans for a new breakaway competition on Thursday after the EU's top court ruled that UEFA had used illegal tactics to stifle a previous project.

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Court 'ruling does not signify an endorsement of super league': UEFA

UEFA said Thursday's ruling by Europe's top court that it and FIFA had broken EU law to stifle the creation of a rival Super League "does not signify an endorsement or validation of" the breakaway competition.

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NBA MVP Embiid hits 51 to power 76ers over Timberwolves

Joel Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds Wednesday to accomplish feats unseen for more than a half-century as the Philadelphia 76ers beat NBA-best Minnesota 127-113.

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Fluminense's 'anti-Guardiola' approach faces acid test in Club World Cup final

Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz's free-flowing style that he has labelled the antithesis to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's football faces the ultimate test when the two men face off in Friday's Club World Cup final.

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Mbappe scores birthday brace as PSG end year on top of Ligue 1

Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris Saint-Germain beat Metz 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Wednesday to reach the halfway stage of the season five points clear at the top of the table.

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Kerr scores in Chelsea win, Real Madrid knocked out of Women's Champions League

Sam Kerr netted in Chelsea's 3-1 win at Swedish club Hacken in the Women's Champions League on Wednesday, while Real Madrid's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals were ended in a 1-0 home loss to Paris FC.

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Bayern's Kane 'can't wait' for first Bundesliga winter break

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane said he "can't wait" for his first winter break after scoring the winner in his side's 2-1 away win at Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

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Mbappe scores birthday brace in PSG win

Kylian Mbappe marked his 25th birthday with a brace as Paris Saint-Germain beat Metz 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Wednesday to reach the halfway stage of the season five points clear at the top of the table.

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Liverpool dominate West Ham to reach League Cup semis

Liverpool destroyed West Ham 5-1 to reach the League Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, easing the frustration of their weekend Premier League stalemate against Manchester United.

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Schick hits hat-trick as Leverkusen beat Bochum, Kane scores in Bayern win

Patrik Schick scored a first-half hat-trick as Bayer Leverkusen thumped Bochum 4-0 at home to stay four points clear of Bayern Munich, who won 2-1 at Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

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Messi's Inter Miami to host Real Salt Lake in 2024 MLS opener

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami will play host to Real Salt Lake on February 21 in Major League Soccer's opening 2024 match under a regular-season schedule announced by the league Wednesday.

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Sergi Roberto fires struggling Barca to victory over Almeria

Barcelona ground out an unconvincing 3-2 home win against basement club Almeria on Wednesday thanks to a late Sergi Roberto goal, moving them up to third in La Liga.

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Germany's Max Kruse announces retirement

Former Germany forward Max Kruse on Wednesday announced his retirement from football.

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Bournemouth-Luton to be replayed in full after Lockyer collapse

The Premier League fixture between Bournemouth and Luton abandoned after Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest will be replayed in full, it was announced on Wednesday.

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Brighton's De Zerbi eyes 'dream' Palace win

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi said on Wednesday his players will have a sleepless night as they contemplate a dream victory at Crystal Palace.

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Pogba anti-doping hearing moved to unspecified date

Paul Pogba's anti-doping hearing has been moved from January 18 to an unspecified date, a source told AFP on Wednesday.

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Wilder urges Blades to maintain self-belief against in-form Villa

Chris Wilder insisted Wednesday that basement club Sheffield United must retain their self-belief if they are to stand a chance of winning at high-flying Aston Villa.

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Nuno wants to build on Cooper's 'amazing legacy' at Forest

Newly-appointed Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo said he wanted to build on the amazing "legacy" of Steve Cooper at the Premier League club.

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Palace manager Hodgson says Eze set for return to starting side

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has said Eberechi Eze is on "the cusp" of a return to the first XI as he prepares to be without Joel Ward, his club captain.

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US Soccer blocks MLS from entering reserve teams into US Open Cup

Major League Soccer's plan to have their reserve team clubs enter the US Open Cup instead of the first teams has been blocked by the US Soccer Federation, the league and federation said on Wednesday.

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Brentford and Villa charged over flare-up

Brentford and Aston Villa were both charged Wednesday by England's governing Football Association over the clashes late in their Premier League match last weekend.

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