Sports
Quadri, Egypt’s Meshref, Win African Championships Qualifiers
Nigeria’s Aruna Quadri and Egypt’s Dina Meshref have secured places at the 2017 ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup scheduled for later this year.
They qualified after emerging champions at the 2017 ITTF-African Cup which started on Saturday and ended on Monday in Agadir, Morocco.
A statement by ITTF-Africa Media Department shows that Quadri ended the dominance of Omar Assar of Egypt in a tight seven-game encounter in the men’s competition.
He won 4-3 (11-7, 3-11, 11-8, 4-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9) to make his second consecutive appearance at the Men’s World Cup.
The statement quotes the 28-year-old Quadri as saying after the match: “I am so happy that I won because it was not an easy match.
“I am happy that my backhand worked well in the match, because I was afraid to use it against my friend, Assar whom I know was in his best form this time.
“I think Assar played (well) and that I was just lucky today (Monday) because sometime luck played crucial role in matches.’’
The statement also has it that the women’s singles final was another classic encounter between Egypt’s Dina Meshref and Nigeria’s Olufunke Oshonaike.
The 41-year-old Oshonaike was unable to repeat her success against Meshref this time round, at the same venue where she shocked the young Egyptian at the 2016 ITTF-African Championships.
The 23-year-old Egyptian was determined not to let history repeat itself, by putting up an impressive performance to sweep the title 4-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-8, 11-2).
“It was not an easy match and this cannot be judged by the result,’’ Meshref was quoted as saying after her victory.
“The first two games were very tough and I knew that if I could win the first two games, my confidence will grow and I have the opportunity to win the match.
“It was good winning at the same venue I lost to her last year. But, more important, it is better to qualify for the ITTF Women’s World Cup. It is a tournament that is very special to me.”
Tidesports source reports that the 2017 ITTF-African Cup championships in Agadir is the continental qualification for the prestigious ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cups.
While the Liebherr 2017 ITTF Men’s World Cup is scheduled for Oct. 20 to Oct. 22 in Liege, Belgium.
Also, the Uncle Pop 2017 ITTF Women’s World Cup is scheduled for Oct. 27 to Oct. 29 in Markham, Canada.
Tidesports source gathered that the ITTF World Cups are the second most prestigious events on the international table tennis calendar.
Only 20 of the top table tennis players in the world are eligible to play.
They must qualify through their respective Continental Cups together with the current World Champions, one host player and a wildcard.
The next continental qualification for the ITTF World Cups will be the ITTF-Pan American Cup in San Jose Costa Rica from July 28 to July 30.
Sports
Galaxy Win Sixth MLS Title
LA Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup title as they beat New York Red Bulls to delight a home crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The MLS Cup is the showpiece match at the end of the US season, pitching the champions of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference finals together.
This was the first MLS Cup between two sides from the largest cities in the United States, Los Angeles and New York, and it produced a hectic opening with all three goals scored in the first half-hour.
Red Bulls were the lowest seed to ever reach the final after finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, and their underdog status initially showed as Galaxy dominated the 29th MLS Cup early on.
Galaxy led after nine minutes when Joseph Paintsil squeezed his shot under goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, and it was 2-0 soon after as Dejan Joveljic ran through the Red Bulls defence and finished with the outside of his boot.
Both men celebrated by holding up the shirt of team-mate Riqui Puig, the former Barcelona player who ruptured his ACL in the Western Conference Final which Galaxy won to reach this championship game.
Galaxy threatened to overwhelm their opponents as Sean Nealis headed a free-kick against his own crossbar.
But Red Bulls centre-back Nealis pulled his team back into the game after 28 minutes when he chested down and volleyed in from 15 yards when Galaxy players failed to clear a corner.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the second half: Galaxy right-back Miki Yamane struck the outside of the post, before Emil Forsberg curled an effort off the upright for Red Bulls.
But Galaxy, who had home advantage because of their better record in the regular season, held on to win their first MLS Cup since 2014.
Red Bulls remain without an MLS Cup title in their history after losing on what was their second appearance in the championship game.
Sports
Bayern Extend Bundesliga Lead To Six Points
Bayern Munich continued their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season with a 4-2 win against Heidenheim.
A double from Jamal Musiala and goals from Dayot Upamecano and Leon Goretzka saw Bayern extend their lead at the top of the table to six points as closest challengers Eintracht Frankfurt were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg.
Vincent Kompany was without the injured Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Mathys Tel and Serge Gnabry, with Musiala starting on the bench.
Leroy Sane spurned two excellent early chances from close range before Upamecano headed the hosts in front from a Joshua Kimmich corner.
Bayern enjoyed 86% possession and completed 10 times as many passes (503) as the visitors (51) in the first half, yet Alphonso Davies hit the post with the only other clear chance created.
To their credit, Heidenheim didn’t wilt and drew level when Mathias Honsak rounded stand-in Bayern goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after Upamecano under-hit a backpass.
Kompany immediately introduced Musiala from the bench and was rewarded five minutes later when the 21-year-old drove into the box and beat Kevin Muller with a low strike.
Bayern looked to have secured the three points when Goretzka’s shot deflected past Muller, but the visitors halved the deficit almost immediately through a Niklas Dorsch tap-in.
Any nerves soon dissipated when Musiala ran half the length of the pitch unchallenged to slot home the fourth and final goal.
Bayern will face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League tomorrow before returning to domestic duty away against Mainz on Saturday.
Sports
La Liga: Barca Stumble Again
Robert Lewandowski continued his superb start to the season but could not prevent Barcelona dropping points in a 2-2 draw with Real Betis.
Lewandowski scored his 16th goal of the league campaign before Ferran Torres cancelled out Giovani Lo Celso’s penalty – but Assane Diao snatched a point for Betis with a late equaliser.
Real Betis could have easily scored twice in the opening three minutes but Raphina cleared Diego Llorente’s header off the goalline before Abde Ezzalzouli – formerly of Barcelona – saw his one-on-one effort saved by Inaki Pena.
Lamine Yamal wasted a good chance to break the deadlock from close range but team-mate Lewandowski made no such mistake.
The Poland international converted Jules Kounde’s cross from close range to finish a fine team move and score for the 23rd time in 21 games in all competitions.
Betis emerged from half-time with renewed energy but spurned three more clear chances.
Sergi Altimira and Lo Celso sent headers wide of Pena’s post before the Barcelona goalkeeper was called upon to tip Chimy Avila’s snap-shot wide.
Betis finally got their just reward when Lo Celso converted from the penalty spot after Barca substitute Frenkie de Jong felled Vitor Roque – on-loan from the Catalans – as he raced into the area.
Barca pushed for a winner and found it when substitute Torres beat the offside trap to latch on to Yamal’s reverse pass and finish past Fran Vieites.
It looked like Barca would see out the win, but in the fourth minute of injury-time 19-year-old substitute Diao swept home to rescue a point for the hosts.
The draw sees Barca surrender control in the title race. Flick’s side are five points ahead of closest challengers Real Madrid but Los Blancos have played two games fewer.
Barca will be in Champions League action against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday (20:00 GMT kick-off) before facing Leganes in La Liga on Sunday, 15 December.
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